—By James Sera (Special To FutureMusic)

It all started one day last week when I received a notification from Reverb.com that Korg was selling the opsix for $329. Wait. $329? — a $420 savings off of the street price of $749?? If this was coming from eBay, I would have just assumed it was some sort of scam, but it was coming from Reverb, a company that I’ve not only bought new gear from, but also utilized to sell some of my own gear. So to say the very least, I thought I scored one of those coveted honest-to-goodness deals that’s akin to finding hidden treasure.

I immediately clicked on the link to confirm the offer was legit. Sure enough, it was listed on Reverb’s website from the Korg Warehouse with 254 units available. Wow. However, I have to admit that the opsix was not high on my To-Buy-List, so I decided to quickly immerse myself and find out as much as possible about this synth. I read and watched every review, tutorial, demo, and sound comparison I could find. The consensus was that the opsix is a modern take on FM synthesis that inspires creativity and has the ability to produce some truly dynamic sounds.

At a 56% discount? Resistance was futile! I was all in. It was a no-brainer offer I just couldn’t refuse. I immediately ordered one. For the next two days, I eagerly waited for the arrival, and I was diligent in my quest to find out as much as possible about the opsix, immersing myself in everything I could find online.  I became a Korg opsix fanboy overnight.

Korg opsix Reverb.com Promotion: FAIL!

The easiest way for electronic musicians to get their music onto Spotify, Apple Music, iTunes, Amazon Music, Tidal, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, Pandora, Twitch & much more! Click the banner above or the Go Button to save 7% off of your signup!  GO!

I did get a little lump in my throat when I didn’t hear back from Reverb after I placed my order. However, I’m no stranger to Reverb, both as a buyer and a seller, and since I was buying from the Korg Warehouse, and not some independent retailer or a dodgy individual with no reviews, I was confident that I would be receiving the opsix in a timely manner. Then on Thursday, two days after the purchase, I received an email from Reverb that the transaction had been canceled and my payment was refunded. Wait. What??!?

I immediately contacted Reverb’s customer service on their chat line and explained that there were dozens still available at the time of purchase. I politely asked, whose error was it? Was it a Korg stock problem? Was it a Reverb software issue that didn’t update the stock in real-time? The rep quickly replied back that they didn’t really know what happened and they were definitely looking into it. The rep being somewhat empathetic, apologized and offered me a $20 credit to my account. Twenty. Dollars. (Update: Aug 11, 2022 2:00pm – I was notified that Reverb.com has increased the credit to $75, but some others are reportedly getting $100 – see below.) I was extremely disappointed.  All my dreams and plans of exploration with the opsix were instantly shattered. Reverb has been around for nine years, so their reputation is still being measured in some ways, but Korg? Korg’s been around forever. I have several pieces of Korg kit that I love. How could this esteemed company let me down so hard?

FutureMusic has reached out to both Korg and Reverb.com about this poorly executed promotion and hasn’t received a response. We’ll update this story if they do decide to present their positions.

There are now unconfirmed reports of individuals receiving $100 in Reverb Credits. 

I decided to message the Korg Warehouse account on Reverb about the situation. It took them a day to respond with four sentences:

We totally understand your frustration, and please know that this was not our intention. There was an error that caused this to be oversold. We would never want to disappoint customers the way that we did. We’re sincerely sorry and hope to correct this for any future listings. –KORG USA Warehouse Outlet Aug 05, 2022 05:45 PM

That was the last I heard from Korg. I even called Korg’s Customer service number a few days later, they apologized and said that someone in the warehouse would email me in a few days. I haven’t heard back from them.

Even though I never physically had one in my possession, I now have fond memories of this synth, even though my relationship with Korg has been tainted. For instance, finding a brand new Korg synth with a 56% discount was like finding one of those “barn finds” on reality television. You know, the one where some old guy in overalls with a gray beard down to his belly button, swings open a barn door to reveal a pristine ’65 Ford Mustang. The moment I clicked the purchase button, I was celebrating. Inspiration, exploration, and learning more about FM synthesis were on the agenda. My musical instrument family was expanding. For two days, I was an owner of the Korg opsix, and I was anticipating the day of delivery like a kid counting down the days to Christmas morning.

I was disheartened, but I came to understand, thanks to reddit, that I was not the only person that got the shaft. Someone claimed it happened to him as well with over 200 units still available when he ordered. I’ve always liked Korg.  The Mono/Mini/Prologue, the Volcas, Wavestate, SV-2, my first guitar tuner when I was 12 was a Korg. I don’t know if was Korg or Reverb who fumbled the ball on this promotion, but I have witnessed how they have handled this situation afterwards and it definitely leaves a bad taste in my mouth. How they’ve responded, or lack there of, to their customers really speaks volumes about both companies.