Grateful Dead

It is nice to see borncrosseyed's philanthropic posting regarding the higher postage fees to Europe. Sadly, even if he could afford it, I don't think it would be realistic. It doesn't matter who sends it across the pond, it will always cost more than domestic shipping within the US. It is certainly true that different sites/stores have different rates for shipping to Europe - and the current "standard" rates on this site are not bad. They used to be much higher, but got drastically reduced a while ago. A cheaper option (not always available) is to ship by surface mail (whale mail ?) but I have tried it and it can take up to 14 weeks to arrive which would be considered seriously unnaceptable by most if not all.But it used to be better. Back in the mists of time, Grateful Dead Records were released in Europe (well England anyway) by Ace Records who had a deal with Grateful Dead Merchandising. This meant that the releases were available to purchase or order in normal record shops (remember them ?) or at worst by mail order from England with low shipping charges to Europe. I don't know what happened to this arrangement but it suddenly stopped in mid-1997 with "Dick's Picks Vol. 8" and "Fallout from the Phil zone" being the last European releases. As we all now, things change - frequently - but seldom improve.

and everyone else. ipods CAN play wav files. they're just larger files and take up more room in the memory folder. So it's still a matter of choice. Do I want to fill up the memory with more hours and minutes of music. Or should I keep less hours of music in there but what is in there are the larger files so they'll sound a little better. Also the memory folders on these things are getting bigger and cheaper as time goes by, a player that holds 8 Gigs now costs as much as one that held 4 gigs just a few years ago. And what kind of files does everyone think are on the CD's you buy ?Check Out My Orignal Music at myspace.com/salaversano

Not being the owner of an iPod, I must confess that I was not aware that such a thang could play WAV files. However, as I said, there are some players that can decode and play FLAC's. This would seem a better option as the FLAC is decoded to a WAV, then played, so it is really the same as playing a WAV. The advantage of a FLAC over a WAV is that a FLAC is only about 60% the size of a FLAC so more can be stored in the memory. My point was more concerned with the fact that more releases are appearing only as MP3's, thereby denying everyone (including users of iPods with gargantuan memories) the possibility of hearing a WAV quality recording. That is what I have a problem with. I have no problem at all with portable music and portable music players - except that I hate having to listen to the high-frequency parts of the ghastly dance music that the person next to me on a bus or in a train feels obliged to listen to at eardrum shattering volume. Oh, that generation gap.

"a FLAC is only about 60% the size of a WAV" reads somewhat better than "a FLAC is only about 60% the size of a FLAC" D'oh.

The comments between those "purests" and everyone else about file size, best formats, et al. I remember being tickeled pink by getting a 6th generation cassette tape of some show in 1978 that was unlabled but at least it was listenable, sorta. If we really wanted to do it right we would settle for nothing less that 10" reel to reel half inch crome oxide four channel tape recorded at 15 ips mixed individually directly from the master tapes at 1:1 speed. A full show would only occupy 6 to 8 reels and we could play them back on our Ampex four channel tape decks with each channel being pumped out to its own dedicated Macintosh 200 watt Amp pushing a stack of Altec speakers. Opps!! I just vaporized the side of my house and the pressure wave collapsed the neighbors garage. Now all I need is a left hand monkey wrench. "When I die bury me deep, put two speakers at my feet, pair of ear phones on my head, and always play The Grateful Dead."

log onto lossless legs and download a copy of both 1979/12/28 and 30 and listen to the raw tapes while you wait for RT3.1 to arrive

Mary E, my understanding is that the "unable to complete processing" issue is limited to offshore (non USA and Canada) customers. This should be a problem that is already well known to the team working on the web site fixes. On the other hand one would imagine it should be a fairly simple fix and nothing has been done to date. The only work around is to ring the call center and have them place the order for you. They have some sort of override capability. However, in order to do that you must give them your credit card and site ID / password, obviously an unacceptable situation that must be addressed. Happy Trails

no matter how hard I try, I just can't get the neighbors garage to collapse, guess I'm too far away?

I have had this hassle a few time over the past 3 years, including recently The system appears to be very sensitive to how you configure your address and how that matches the way that addresses and postcodes are conventionally arranged and how your address appears on your credit card records In France it is the convention to put the post code before the City name thus 75000 Paris France If you just write 'Paris' in the 'City' box on the order form and then put 75000 in the Postcode box you get the dreaded 'unable to complete processing' message. If you put 75000 Paris (or whatever) in the city box AND put 75000 in the postcode box it works (at least for me). So it is worth persevering with the arrangement of your address and to make sure it coincides exactly with the billing address for your credit card and if necessary to add the postcode to the city entry. I hope that makes sense and may help someone all the best CB

Thanks, this is very useful. We're seeing that some folks who have had problems with this are now able to order, so some things are fixed, but clearly not all. These details are most helpful.

The "new" system of postage and shipping is costing a lot more for us over here. The old system was us having postage charged by GDM and now with the last Winterland 77 I've got the refund of the rhino shipping around 22$, but instead the shipping was charged by UPS including customs etc etc, at about 56$ !! That's quite a lot compared to the price of the box set at around 100$ !!! At amazon.fr the Winterland 1973 box set is about 105$ shipping included ! Think about this !!! Please ! So that's why the "bonus" discs are so expensive !! Anyway I will order now the new RT 3.1 at this place, without the Jerry discs because the bundle is not for us Cheers Ingo The german dead head living in France and still cruising in that '59 VW Bus

Mary Like RROT, I'm still seemingly unable to order the new Road Trips and Jerry releases via the website, being based in the UK. I had this problem with the Winterland box set, which co-incidentally hasn't arrived as yet. What goes on...??!! All I want is a hassle free life soundtracked by the Dead!! Regards Andy

making some inquiries, I find that: 1. Customer service phone folks are able to help you without your password, using guest access. No need to give out your password. Please don't! 2. Badger is correct that the system is very literal-minded in matching your account info to the billing info on your credit card. Please make sure the shipping info you enter matches your credit card billing info, especially with regard to formatting, postal codes, etc. Please PM me details if you still have issues, thanks.

This looks and sounds GREAT so far, and I am excited. These reel recordings are the best. I hope we get some more consistent Brent era releases in the future. The early '80s have been somewhat neglected...maybe 1981 or 1983??

I've tried to order both releases, and get the free shipping, but the GD website states that there is an error and I cannot order either one. Does anyone know what is up? Thanks!

I can't add either of these to the shopping cart. Never had that issue before.

are you out of the US also?

Yep - I'm outside the US. I've never had this problem before (not sure if that's relevant). Also, I found that if I went into the store (rather than the product links on the homepage) I could add the RT to my cart as it appeared as the featured product, but nothing else worked.

stay tuned for more of the continuing saga of not being able to order music from a Band, the other day I made a call trying to get some info from someone about something and got routed to India to a call center, talked to a very nice lady who could speak english and helped a lot and I was able to complete my call and get the info that I was seeking, so there are intelligent people who work at these call centers, just doesn't seem that any of them work for dead net. I guess just keep on trying, sooner or later, something's got to work. Thanks to Marye and all who do help, without you I doubt anyone overseas would get anything. So sad

They don't want my business anymore. I have been aware from the start (that is, the start of my attempts to order Road Trips 2/4 and Pure Jerry 9), that deadnetstore's new system might be very literal or sensitive (these are the euphemistic, nice terms) to card/address details. As I've said earlier in this thread, I'm in the UK. I should add that I regularly order merch from all over the world, via net commerce sites, and never, never have had the issues I have had with the new, broken (call it what it is) deadnetstore. In fact, before the redesign to break the site, I have ordered Every Single new GD and Jerry release from here with no issues. But now, no dice. I ended up getting RT2/4 and PJ9 from eBay, which most likely means that the person who originally bought those discs ripped them to their computer and resold them to me -- a lost sale to GD/Rhino. I have now spent several hours of my time fiddling with completing their web form and a half-hour international call to deadnetstore customer service, all in a vain attempt to get them to take my money for their product (RT 3/1 and Jerry Collection 2 now). The hilarity of it -- a 44 year old fan of some extinct band reading his card details to an underpaid boiler-room call center worker in India, via a UK-to-Maryland phone call, standing by while she duplicates my efforts in typing the data into the broken web interface. Then, after she inevitably gets the same message I've already seen, she apologizes that the transaction hasn't gone through and asks me to hold. Returning after two minutes, she tells me she can use an "override" and asks for my card details again. Pause. Finally, she tells me that the transaction is still "not completing for some reason." And the coup de gras, she tells me that it may yet go through, "if you recieve an email from dead.net in the next couple of days, confirming, then the transaction did complete. Otherwise, you may want to wait a few days and try to complete it again." Yes, that's really what she told me. So anyway, as I said to start, it has become transparently clear that Rhino/GD couldn't care less about losing my business. I'm taking the big hint from their clue hammer. I'll buy the releases from third parties from now on.

I just spent a couple of minutes at eBay. In less than a fraction of the time I wasted in any one of my many attempts in trying to buy from deadnetstore, I found and paid for the Jerry Collection 2, even though it's still in pre-release. Should be able to get the new Road Trips discs there soon too. I can only suppose that the cavalier (again, trying hard to be nice about it) attitude to the customer displayed by Rhino/GD will hasten the day the Rhino decides to write off their investment in the vault and we no longer see these releases. That won't make me happy, but I'll know I couldn't have done a thing about it anyway.

I remain exceedingly curious as to why the overseas shipping charges have risen so exorbitantly since the store's "redesign". Earlier this year I ordered RT 2.3 and received it here in New Zealand (after waiting about ten days, not bad) for US$6 shipping. Now the Dead.net store is quoting me a price of over US$12 for RT4.1. I fail to understand how the shipping could possibly have doubled in price, particularly for a very small and thin item. Any clarification that could be provided would be most welcome.

Just digging the heavy Easy Wind from DP 16 this morning...yeah Dig! Reading these posts its still: "...the river keeps a talkin' , but they never hear a word we say..." BREATHE SAT NAM

...Smell the tail of the dragon...So, in the past, when Dead.net offered free shipping deals, if you chose a faster shipping method you would receive a reduced shipping price (the chosen shipping method-the original cost of free shipping method). When I ordered this bundle and chose rush delivery(to avoid the common damage issues from poor packaging), the cost was not reduced from the free shipping credit. I ended up paying more for rush delivery for these items than what I paid for rush delivery on the Winterland '77 set. There's no way I will try to contact customer service about this one. The last time I contacted the new customer service I was routed to India and told that they would get back to me, which they didn't. C'mon guys, isn't there a better way to go global corporate capitalist on us? Other than what has become the expected problems with Dead.net orders, I'm stoked to hear the music! Maybe they'll get it right someday soon...

...I'll probably try and order it shortly and shall let everyone know how it goes (because I appreciate it when others report their ordering problems/successes).

Just got done jamming this show in its entirety last night. AWESOME! I loved the good ole days when we got the Almanac and the customer service people actually knew what it was we were trying to order, and the address was in Novato. I ordered the new Road Trips and the jerry Band vol. 2 and a Pure Jerry from '91. I have a confirmation number, but my account has not been charged. Wondering if I will be charged when items are available. I have an order number. Who knows. If I get it I get it, if I don't I don't. I'll survive. Now its time to prepare for 11/9-11/73. Can't wait! Plus I am going back to jam 10/20/78 at Winterland. Love the 1/2 Step>Franklins and the Egypt flavored NFA.

you should be cool for the moment at least; your card won't get charged till the item ships, i.e. sometime next week.

I'll get the Bonus-Cd also ;-) It Goes therefor without saying that I've ordered This Road Trip. It's surely the only Grateful Dead -Trip I'll ever be on. (the Taped One's - that is) The closest I've ever been to see the band live - was in Denmark in 1990 ; I nearly went - but didn't - Oh how I regret ! Oh - That's true ; I Saw Bob Weir in Norway at 'Ramme Råkk-Festival in 2007. Backed by a local band - called 'the DeadAheads'. A Killer version of 'He's Gone' was recorded and does exist 'on tape' ...(so I've Heard) Syr WyllyAm

I am beginning to wonder if you are running the whole show yourself. You are an amazing woman, I wasn't expecting any kind of response I was just making an observation. Thanks for putting me at ease. You are super cool, and it looks like you saw some great shows back in the day. Me too, although it was much later. My first show could have been Deer Creek '89, but I was only 14 and my mom wouldn't let me go with my neighbors who went to school at Purdue. Probably would have changed my life! Thanks Marye!

hope everybody gets their stuff quickly and hassle-free this time!

this morning, so hopefully that means the discs are on their way.

My set just arrived - on time no hitches - yeah!

There here. Thank You Dead.Net No problems at all. Fantastic shows...

Anyone recieve a shipping notification? Happy Trails

Err, better make that "receive" Happy Trails

So hopefully that means that the discs are on their way - rather than that someone has ripped off my credit card details!

I see people here saying they got their orders but I called customer service to try and get a tracking number and the guy said Road Trips is "on hold". I picked the fast shipping so I could get the thing today and now it hasn't even shipped out. There is no way to check orders online and he said he couldn't even give me an idea of when the order might ship.

that sounds strange to me. I'll look into it. rrussell, PM me your order number and I'll find out what's what.

Maybe they were overwhelmed by the number of successfully placed orders and have already sent out all 5 copies of the bonus disc and are having to press some more. To be fair - ordering was no problem for me this time.

Any more comment on this being delayed? Weird that some have gotten some already and the rest have heard nothing. Then again, I haven't received a shipping notice for the last 3 items I've ordered and have had to hound the customer service people to get some news on my shipment. Gotta give 'em one thing though, they are remarkably consistent.

Looks like I screwed up. I put some other things on my order and one of them (that neon clock) is backordered. So I'm screwed for now. Lesson learned.... if you want new music, whatever you do, don't order other items with it. The website won't tell you what is and is not out of stock and it will make you miss out on prompt shipping of the crispy new tunes. All that said, it does appear the new Road Trips is also on backorder. This is the email response I got this morning: We would like to inform you that, since the item "Road Trips Vol. 3 No. 1 and Skull & Roses Neon Clock" is currently out of stock.as many orders were placed simultaneously for the same, as a result your order is currently on hold. Your order will be considered to be a back order and will be shipped out on priority once the item is in stock. Please confirm if you need us to wait until the item is in stock or cancel it for now.

...Smell the tail of the dragon...Wow, even Rhino used to send status notifications about orders. This is insane. I also used rush shipping. Now I wonder if my order is on b/o. A little communication goes a long way. The Dead store is about the loose the customers they have left over after already loosing the initial group for not listening to them about the types of releases they want. "Now it's time for everybody's favorite fun game: Take a step back...Doesn't everyone feel better? What do ya mean no?" Well, they always were prophetic....

CHEERS to those involved with the creation of these releases: the band, for playing the hell out of these tunes decades ago, Blair Jackson and David Lemieux for consistently selecting great music to release, Jeffrey Norman for remastering the original tapes, and Scott McDougal for creating cool, inspired cover art. JEERS to those responsible for getting these terrific releases into the hands of the public. From shipping delays, to manufacturing problems to customer service nightmares, the folks at Rhino are doing their best to erode the Dead's tradition of reverence for their fans. I am, however, an optimist at heart. So I'm keeping my fingers crossed that the whole operation will somehow find a way to eventually run smoothly.

Just a few comments bout my attempt to gain these gems. To order one takes 3 notices of "add to cart". (Each!) To try ordering both for free shipping didn't work, so needed to select each separately. Then, of course, there wasn't free shipping anymore. When I called the 800 number to ask about this I was connected to Allen in India, who could do absolutely nothing to help. I like to be kind to most everyone, but when 10% of the country is unemployed, and this current Rhino site so sucks, I decided to save my money for my own unemployed future. Try asking a "service representative" what their favorite show is...

send me a PM with your contact info and I'll see if we can straighten this out.

send me a PM with your order details and we'll see if we can't move things along a bit.

Even the simplest gesture, like an announcement on the product page that things are moving slowly, even if it said three weeks behind (or something like that) would make all the difference. Maybe we were jumping to conclusions believing that this would ship w/ the Garcia release, but it was a reasonable conclusion based on the offer of free shipping. Yet we get nothing. I had a good laugh at all the complainers for the last couple of years or so, believing that for some, nothing is good enough. I'm laughing no more. The situation is exacerbated by the knowledge that some got their order already. Makes one wonder what exactly is going on. I might be glad that mine is shipping later if early discs had manufacturing defects or the like, but without admitting something is wrong, we are really left in the dark. Just crossing my fingers and hoping that this comes eventually, with bonus disc included, since I ordered plenty early.

sorry, couldn't resist.

I ordered the new Road Trips, the new JBG release and a Pure Jerry from 1991. I placed my order on 10/22 at 12:35 pm MST. I better not get shut out of the bonus disc if something is on back order. There is quite a monkey show going on a GDM these days, oh thats right, its Rhino.

I pre-ordered but, I have realized there is absolutely no estimate of a release date. I assume it will be some time after Jan 1, 2010 but I think there should be some kind of estimate on the product description. Sorry if this is a duplicate but there is no way to search the comments and nothing shows up in a general search other than this page.