We received the following email on 8 February 1999:

To: shimadzu-sux@bigfoot.com
From: identity withheld
Subject: Shimadzu's spectrofluorometer

On Friday, February 5th, my Shimadzu spectrofluorophotometers's LCD display bleached out and became illegible after [only] 14 hours of use. That same day, I called the Shimadzu tech [support] line in Maryland for help. I was told I needed a new display for $480 dollars. The very next day I received an email from a Terry Adams describing problems with Shimadzu Scientific. How is this possible? Firstly, I never gave out my email, and secondly, I only spoke with Shimadzu representatives. Besides my curiosity how I received this email one day after contacting Shimadzu, I am now very interested to know if my [Shimadzu] spectrofluorometer is a piece of junk.

n.b. The inquiring researcher took the words right out of our mouths when he wondered if the Shimadzu spectrofluorometer (RF-1501) is a piece of junk. Anything that lasts all of 14 hours and then requires service work to the tune of $480 (and this probably doesn't include labor nor travel to the customer's site billed at ~$160 per hour.... OUCH!) is most definitely a PIECE OF JUNK!

n.b. This is not the first time that we have heard about problems with Shimadzu's LCDs (and it probably will not be the last either). Prospective customers should know that Shimadzu also uses these LCD screens on the UV-1201/UV-1601 spectrophotometers, the VP series HPLC system and the TOC-4000/TOC-5000 analyzers.

n.b. Shimadzu's RF-1501 (fluorescence spectrophotometer) sells for $12,500 dollars (Biomedical Products, February 1999). Divide this sales price by 14 hours of use (as reported by one respected scientific researcher) and that equals a per hour cost of nearly $900.00 before this inferior product offering is ready for the junk heap! Can you afford to spend this exorbitant amount while performing your important analytical measurements? Can you add the uncertainty of new instrument acquisitions and ridiculous repair costs to your laboratory budget?

n.b. Regarding the uncanny nature of this researcher's call to the Shimadzu tech support line and an email from Terry Adams the following day, the only logical explanation that we can offer is that Shimadzu has a mole (or two or three) on the inside. Question: Has Mr. Adams now resorted to stabbing the Shimadzu organization in the back while also thrusting his dagger in the backs of fellow employees?

n.b. Shimadzu proclaims "One Good Tag Deserves Another," ....your only concern should be can you rely upon Shimadzu equipment to measure the fluorescence tag used in your sensitive assay --- Don't count on it (literally or figuratively)! We could tell you unsettling stories about the Shimadzu RF-1501 and aberrant readings recorded thereon but there's no need for this when other lab researchers come forward with horrifying stories like this.

BTW: Shimadzu claims to be able to measure fluorescence at the cellular level with sample volumes as small as 3 microliters. Before you buy, request an on-site demo and have exactly 3 ul of sample ready for the Shimadzu rep when he/she arrives. If Shimadzu arrives unprepared and/or unable to back up this boisterous claim, don't accept any apologies/excuses and show the Shimadzu sales rep the exit.... and don't invite them back!