Shimadzu LC-MS is a Cheap Product Offering
....cross Shimadzu off your vendor list for all the right reasons!
We received the following email on 24 November 1998:
To: shimadzu-sux@bigfoot.com
From: identity withheld
Subject: Shimadzu LC/MS
I found out about your site when I queried [the search engine] Altavista for
Shimadzu. I saw an advertisement about a LC-MS by Shimadzu (in the LC-GC magazine) and
wanted more information. Any info on the LC-MS from Shimadzu?
There are many variables to consider before purchasing a LC-MS system with the Shimadzu
logo attached thereon. First, we would recommend that you peruse the dialog which has
appeared previously on our homepage (www.bigfoot.com/~shimadzu-sux) enumerating the horrors of using a Shimadzu GC/MS and GC-MS
crashes. It is important to keep in the back of your mind that a researcher has
already noted that "Shimadzu manufactures mass spectrometers of questionable
value."
Second, the Shimadzu GC-MS (aka QP-5000) has been on the US market for about six years
now while hardware and software bugs still abound. The Shimadzu LC-MS (aka QP-8000) was
introduced to the US market during Pittcon '98. Like virtually all other product offerings
imported from Japan, we'd wager that its full of bugs too. If Shimadzu tells you
otherwise, then you should dangle that "lying and denying" thing in front of
their long faces!
Third, the Class-5000 software which drives the Shimadzu GC-MS is an agonizing conundrum.
It is anything but intuitive.... expect more of the same (i.e. struggling, frustration,
down-time) with the Class-8000 software which reportedly controls the Shimadzu LC-MS
(American Laboratory, August 1998). This software offering (just like its predecessor) is
a Japanese developed and supported product. If you have ever had the misfortune of reading
a Shimadzu translated Japanese manual, then you know all about punctuation, grammar and
language usage errors. Nobody (and we repeat NOBODY) murders the English language better
than Shimadzu!
Finally, Shimadzu will tempt you with a low price for a complete LC/MS system. But
remember that you will get what you pay for.... and maybe not even that! If you buy
crap, you will have crap and then you can tell all your colleagues that you own crap (give
that some serious thought). BTW: Can you say SHIT-MADZU?
n.b. Can you risk spending $100,000 for something that may
never get the job done properly, consistently and/or efficiently? The low price and
compact size of Shimadzu's LC-MS is certain to disappoint.... don't be conned by those
smooth-talking Shimadzu sales people!
n.b. Besides the punctuation, grammar and language usage errors, how about important
terms/concepts/meanings which are lost during the Shimadzu translation process? Problems
like these will (no doubt) translate into down-time and loss of productivity if you bring
this inferior LC-MS product offering into your lab!
n.b. The Shimadzu LC/MS package is a deal worth missing. Only Shimadzu could pump you full
of so many promises. Forgo this vexing value.... you can thank us later!
Remember.... "Shimadzu manufactures mass spectrometers of
questionable value"
You'll go BLIND if you rely on Shimadzu's 20/20 hindsight!
For more information about Shimadzu, call 1-800-LIARS
This page was last 
12/31/00