Here are some answers to common questions about Ground Fault.

What are my payment options?

The easiest way to pay is via credit card by using the "Add to Cart" links that are after each title. If you don't have a credit card you can use PayPal (mail@groundfault.net is the account to send it to). You can also use a credit card at PayPal by clicking on the PayPal link on the home page of my site. If that isn't good for you I also take cash (well concealed please, I'm not responsible for the jackasses at the post office), personal checks and money orders (made out to Ground Fault Recordings). These three methods can be sent to:

Ground Fault Recordings
PO Box 4923
Downey, CA 90241
USA

How long does it take to get my merchandise?

The orders get processed the same day payment is recieved. They usually are in the mail the following day. In rare instances an item will not be in stock. In this case, I will notify the customer that it's on backorder and will ship as soon as it becomes available. The actual time spent in the mail differs. Since postage is included in every order, I normally mail everything by "Media Mail". This normally takes 5-10 days. If it is a single CD or previous arrangements were made (ie. extra money was included) the order will be sent first class. There is now shipping choices availble on the web when you use your credit card. UPS and Priority Mail are available for an extra fee.

My copy of Joe Colley "Desperate Attempts at Beauty: Conceptual and Research Excercises" CD has problems playing in some CD players. Is something wrong with it?

YES. There is a recall on the original pressing of that CD. If you have experienced problems and would like a replacement copy please put the CD (CD only, don't worry about it breaking) in an envelope along with your return address and mail it to:

A replacement copy will be sent to you right away. I'm very sorry for any trouble you may have experienced. Contact me with any concerns or comments.

Can you hold some items for me?

Yes. I can place items on hold for you. I will hold them for 2 weeks unless you give me a specific date that you will send payment. If no payment comes within 2 weeks the items will be put back into stock.

How do I get the special price when buying multiple Ground Fault titles with my credit card?
There is no easy way to configure the shopping cart to recognize that you have ordered multiple GF titles. You need to use the link provided on both the "Catalog" page (at the top, under Ground Fault) and the "Releases" page in the introductory paragraph. Or you can use this link GROUND FAULT SPECIAL
How many people work at Ground Fault?

There are no employees at Ground Fault. It's just me, Erik. I do the CD production, marketing, promotion, advertising, order processing, bookkeeping, web site. I do all this after my regular 40 hour a week job as a computer/network technician. The closest thing I have to an employee is Randy Yau. Randy does all the graphic layout and design for Ground Fault. He is responsible for the look and quality of the printed part of the productions. I owe Randy infinite thanks for all the hard work he does.

How do you choose the artists that appear on your label?

From all the years of listening to this type of music and runing the old label Pinch A Loaf, I have made many contacts with artists. I had a list of people that I wanted to work with at the labels conception. Since then, many of the artists that I have admired and respected for years have approached me about releasing a CD on Ground Fault. I get tons of release submissions. I can't release them all. When chosing a submission for release I try to weigh content, marketability and current trends. After all, it is a business and it is my hard earned money on the line.

Do you accept demo tapes?

I accept them but that doesn't mean I will ever get the time to listen to them.

What happened to Pinch A Loaf?

I ended Pinch A Loaf in 1998 after 19 releases. The handmade packaging became too time consuming. I wanted to start fresh with a new look and approach. This is why I decided to end Pinch A Loaf.

I run a label. How can I get my product listed in your catalog?

The majority of the items in my catalog are obtained by trades from other labels. If you are willing to trade for Ground Fault titles, I might be interested in stocking some of your product. I prefer that you send me a copy of your product so I can evaluate it. I very rarely purchase stock from labels outright.

Is giving my credit card number over the web safe?
The credit card company that I use is CCNow. CCNow uses software that runs in Secure Mode on your browser, using SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) to encrypt sensitive data such as credit card numbers.
While selecting products and adding them to the Shopping Cart, you are in Non-Secure Mode. After you press the Checkout button, CCNow switches to Secure Mode in order to collect the billing and shipping information.
All modern Web browsers support the SSL standard, you can choose to checkout using Non-Secure Mode if necessary.
I don't trust giving my credit card number over the web. Can I call in my order with my credit card number?

No. This practice is prohibited by U.S. banking law.
CCNow's own merchant banking agreements require that customers will directly enter the sales transactions with CCNow. If I enter an order on behalf of a customer, then I would be engaging in an illegal practice known as "credit card factoring". I'm not interested in engaging in this. Please don't ask me to do so.

Do you know how I can press my own CD?

I also do CD production for many other labels. Click on CD Replication in the main menu above for more information.