Jump to content
Why become a member? ×

Advice on damaged finish please


juliusmonk
 Share

Recommended Posts

Well it seems I just got unlucky with couriers lately... after many perfect shipments. So a perfectly ok bass arrived at its destination with this:

[IMG]http://i1285.photobucket.com/albums/a592/juliusmonk/3FA5CB6E-D5FE-418B-9DF2-544F3F0628DE-429-0000003943ED610C_zps5be675ec.jpg[/IMG]

For clarity, the area in question is the joint between body and neck, on the rear of the body. It looks like a lacquer crack? Apparently, the hard case and the external cardboard box arrived intact... I bubblewrapped the bass inside the case and the case inside the box as usual.

So to shake away my stress over the whole situation, I thought I would take advantage of your wisdom: does anyone know how can this be produced in transit?? Package mishandled? Sudden temperature change? I have no idea... Anyone that can shed some light on what it is and how it can happen? It would help me in my discussions with the courier.

Many many thanks!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Almost impossible to prove or disprove but yes a dramatic change in extremes of temperature could cause it but my money would be on a sudden shock - enough to travel down the neck and cause movement enough to break the lacquer.

Edit - were the strings detuned? And was the hard case one where the neck is actually put under tension when shut?

Edited by Moos3h
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I had a bass sent to me wrapped ONLY in bubblewrap, nothing more, and it arrived without a scratch... I doubt you could have put too much on the instrument before it went inside the hard case. I'd go with the rapid temperature change idea, particularly if it spent a couple of days in transit in very cold temperatures and then somebody opened up the case in a warm room immediately after receipt.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Only in bubblewrap! I am usually uber protective when shipping and not used to these mishaps. So it seems that my initial impression could be correct - either mishandling or temperature? - however impossible it might be to prove that it wasn't my fault 😞

Do you guys know if this type of thing can be repaired without too much trouble?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If temperature change was the cause then it seems odd to me that the only cracking of the lacquer would be at the neck joint - and indeed one side of the neck joint only, which suggests stress in one direction.

To me, neck joint suggests a bump of some kind.

What is the purchaser asking for? I might give them what they wanted if it could be better than the trouble of telling the purchaser to return the item in my original packing and then give a refund so that I could sort the problem myself, which would probably be my preferred option.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Looks more like a 'shock' crack to me, too. Any decent luthier should be able to 'flow' the lacquer back to almost, or completely, invisible, I'd say. A pain in the b**, certainly, but nothing to cry oneself to sleep over. Where is the bass now..? Maybe someone could recommend a local luthier to look it over..?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I wouldn't trust any courier. I sent a combo in a box with very adequate packing. The guy mailed me and said the tweeter was hanging off and one of the main speakers was blown. There was a big bash in the grille too. I had to get him to send it back to me. I was royally cheesed off. There was a programme on telly a while back that showed the lack of care that some of these places have. They don't give a f***!

Edited by ubit
Link to comment
Share on other sites

[quote name='ubit' timestamp='1421514216' post='2662165']
I wouldn't trust any courier. [/quote]

You do know that these products get to the stores by courier also, right?

The Status in question looks like the bubble wrap created a high point inside the case, and the result is the lacquer crack. But yeah easy fix.

Edited by mikeswals
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

 Share

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...