miles'tone Posted March 8, 2019 Share Posted March 8, 2019 (edited) I would contact customer services again and demand your replacement neck immediately (replacement bass even for your trouble!) or you will hound Fender over every social media post with your story and a link to this thread which actually has pictures of your original neck. Also say that if they block you, one of your fellow basschatters will then continue posting on your behalf. Remind Fender that there are a lot of us! Let me know if you need my help and I'll happily oblige. Edited April 24, 2019 by miles'tone 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BassBunny Posted March 8, 2019 Share Posted March 8, 2019 16 hours ago, hiram.k.hackenbacker said: They also seem to be sticking quite rigidly to the "it's over a year, so it's out of warranty' approach. I questioned whether Fender basses are supposed to last longer than 12 months. Ignored. Apparently they're doing me a favour and as a good will gesture have offered me a box of strings. Woo hoo! Go me 🙄 The 12 month warranty thing really gets to me. One of the more useful piece of EU legislation is EU Directive (1999/44/EC) which states that "a two-year guarantee applies for the sale of all consumer goods everywhere in the EU. I have successfully used this directive to challenge the "standard" 12 month warranty currently offered by everyman and his dog and to great effect. Fender could argue that a musical instrument is not a consumer item, but you are a consumer and it is an item so it's still worth a shot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zranyard Posted March 8, 2019 Share Posted March 8, 2019 Such a shame they are dragging this whole thing out. Definitely keep this thread up to date with any progress, speaking purely for myself, as someone who was weighing up getting a new fender in the next 12 months, this sort of thing makes me thing twice, mainly down to how they have treated you. I only have 2 basses and I play for a living, if this happened to me and I was without one for 5 months, I'd be in a bit of a predicament! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
White Cloud Posted March 8, 2019 Share Posted March 8, 2019 7 hours ago, Chris2112 said: It would suggest to me the wood wasn't properly dry and stable. Even a top builder can fall foul of bad materials. I've been told that such was the sudden dramatic demand for these instruments at the time (Mark Kings fault!) that production escalated rapidly and new staff were taken on. For the same reason larger quantities of materials were required toot-sweet. A classic case of becoming a victim of your own success. I was mightily whizzed off at the time, but over a period of thirty years or so, I am admitedly beginning to get over it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jrixn1 Posted March 8, 2019 Share Posted March 8, 2019 (edited) I'm not a lawyer, but my layman understanding of the Sale of Goods Act is that your grievance is with the seller (Kenny's), not the manufacturer, since it is the seller with whom you made a contract - and they breached it by selling you goods which were not fit for purpose. I've seen good legal advice given at https://www.reddit.com/r/legaladviceuk Edited March 8, 2019 by jrixn1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jrixn1 Posted March 8, 2019 Share Posted March 8, 2019 5 minutes ago, jrixn1 said: I'm not a lawyer, but my layman understanding of the Sale of Goods Act (... which has since been replaced by the Consumer Rights Act... I said I wasn't a lawyer!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AndyTravis Posted March 8, 2019 Share Posted March 8, 2019 4 hours ago, 4000 said: I bought a new Fender Roadworn Jazz a little while after they came out. When I got it home I tried to straighten the neck only to find the trussrod was maxed out. Thankfully Dawson's (big up for Andy) were extremely helpful and replaced the neck immediately and without fuss. Sold it a short while after though. Haha thanks mate - I’d like to announce I’ve been gone from Dawsons for 4 or 5 years now and am now the artist formally known as that bloke who used to work in Dawsons... 2 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hiram.k.hackenbacker Posted March 8, 2019 Author Share Posted March 8, 2019 Can it be any coincidence that I have today received an e-mail from Fender UK, an unsolicited one this time, rather than a reply to me chasing them? Good news - they have a neck for me. Bad news - the nut is uncut and they want me to either send the bass to them or they’ll ship it straight out to me and I can get it done myself. Mmm 🤔 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpondonBassed Posted March 8, 2019 Share Posted March 8, 2019 (edited) 13 minutes ago, hiram.k.hackenbacker said: Can it be any coincidence that I have today received an e-mail from Fender UK, an unsolicited one this time, rather than a reply to me chasing them? Good news - they have a neck for me. Bad news - the nut is uncut and they want me to either send the bass to them or they’ll ship it straight out to me and I can get it done myself. Mmm 🤔 I wouldn't personally like them to have it back but that is out of spite on my part. It would surely be different if I was in your shoes though. It's not a bad result but it is a shame that it takes a public pestering to sort it out. Where's Esther Rantzen's That's Life team when you want them? Never mind, the BC collective has stepped in. I am interested to know where you end up getting the nut and set-up done. My feeling would be to have it done independently. Then again, I have been called a total 4rse for behaving like that on several occasions. I admire your stiff upper lip my friend. Me? I have a trembly bottom lip with issues like this. I struggle to be objective sometimes. Well done. Edited March 8, 2019 by SpondonBassed 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
White Cloud Posted March 8, 2019 Share Posted March 8, 2019 10 minutes ago, hiram.k.hackenbacker said: Can it be any coincidence that I have today received an e-mail from Fender UK, an unsolicited one this time, rather than a reply to me chasing them? Good news - they have a neck for me. Bad news - the nut is uncut and they want me to either send the bass to them or they’ll ship it straight out to me and I can get it done myself. Mmm 🤔 Get it done yourself... at their cost. Fender can afford it. I had a Lakland Skyline neck issue - the neck developed an inch long deep crack behind the third fret. Within two weeks I had the new neck ... and they footed the bill for a local luthier to fit it and cut the nut. All without a hint of push back or any quibbles on their part. Big shout out to Lakland here! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shambo Posted March 8, 2019 Share Posted March 8, 2019 I'd just take the neck, sell it as new with a quick explanation of why the nut isn't cut, and use the proceeds to recuperate the cost of the Status replacement. Then it's finished with. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hiram.k.hackenbacker Posted March 8, 2019 Author Share Posted March 8, 2019 4 minutes ago, Shambo said: I'd just take the neck, sell it as new with a quick explanation of why the nut isn't cut, and use the proceeds to recuperate the cost of the Status replacement. Then it's finished with. Yes, that what I’m leaning towards. If I decide to keep it, I could get Rob Green to fit it and I’ll have a ready spare. Not that I’ll need it with the graphite one in place though. I’m definitely leaning far away from sending my bass to them. They haven’t exactly inspired confidence in me thus far. They’ll have toddled off home for the weekend by now, so I’ll give it until Monday morning and have a think about it until then. Thanks for your input one and all. You’ve been very helpful and supportive. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mudpup Posted March 8, 2019 Share Posted March 8, 2019 I had a truss rod fail on a Nate Mendel that I had sold to someone on here a few months previously. The new owner got in touch with me and fortunately we manage to sort it out as it was just within the 2 year warranty period that Fenders have. But it did take months...... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hiram.k.hackenbacker Posted March 9, 2019 Author Share Posted March 9, 2019 In respect of batch nimbers and when my bass was made, here is the serial number. I don’t know how Fender’s number system works, or even if they have a system, but if it helps anyone who is worried about their bass, here it is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drTStingray Posted March 9, 2019 Share Posted March 9, 2019 (edited) 20 hours ago, hiram.k.hackenbacker said: Can it be any coincidence that I have today received an e-mail from Fender UK, an unsolicited one this time, rather than a reply to me chasing them? Good news - they have a neck for me. Bad news - the nut is uncut and they want me to either send the bass to them or they’ll ship it straight out to me and I can get it done myself. Mmm 🤔 I suppose you need to think about what would happen if you wanted to sell the bass. I think I would insist on them sending a replacement Flea Jazz neck from the factory. At least then you can reassemble the bass and sell it as original with factory replaced corrected neck if you ever want to. I'd certainly want to keep that Status neck. If they insist on you sending them the broken neck I'd copiously photograph it and send it them - but only on condition it's replaced with a factory OE serviceable one (needs to be Flea spec including relic job). Just my ten penworth - you wouldn't expect Ford to replace your broken Focus RS engine on warranty (there have been loads of recalls) with a partially complete different version? So why Fender. Frankly it'll cost them virtually nothing except shipping, if the UK distributor/retailer can be asked to get their fingers out. Its called aftermarket customer services - something most firms (Lakland was mentioned) do well. You get the feeling Fender is just not geared up for this. I have heard of broken truss rods on CS basses - it appears to be the vintage spec that sometimes causes them an issue. Thank goodness this wasn't an original 61 Jazz.......... Edited March 9, 2019 by drTStingray Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hiram.k.hackenbacker Posted March 9, 2019 Author Share Posted March 9, 2019 1 hour ago, drTStingray said: I suppose you need to think about what would happen if you wanted to sell the bass. I think I would insist on them sending a replacement Flea Jazz neck from the factory. At least then you can reassemble the bass and sell it as original with factory replaced corrected neck if you ever want to. I'd certainly want to keep that Status neck. If they insist on you sending them the broken neck I'd copiously photograph it and send it them - but only on condition it's replaced with a factory OE serviceable one (needs to be Flea spec including relic job). Just my ten penworth - you wouldn't expect Ford to replace your broken Focus RS engine on warranty (there have been loads of recalls) with a partially complete different version? So why Fender. Frankly it'll cost them virtually nothing except shipping, if the UK distributor/retailer can be asked to get their fingers out. Its called aftermarket customer services - something most firms (Lakland was mentioned) do well. You get the feeling Fender is just not geared up for this. I have heard of broken truss rods on CS basses - it appears to be the vintage spec that sometimes causes them an issue. Thank goodness this wasn't an original 61 Jazz.......... Sorry, I probably didn't explain the chain of events very well. Fender UK collected the faulty neck back in September. During the initial flurry of emails with Fender I decided I needed the bass back in action quicker than it looked like it was going to take dealing with Fender, so got Rob Green to fit the graphite neck. I've never had to replace a neck before. Would they need the body back? Can't the nut be cut without the body? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpondonBassed Posted March 9, 2019 Share Posted March 9, 2019 1 hour ago, hiram.k.hackenbacker said: I've never had to replace a neck before. Would they need the body back? Can't the nut be cut without the body? The neck must be attached to the body for the nut to be properly cut and preferable it should be with the same strings that you intend to gig. As far as I know that is. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodinblack Posted March 9, 2019 Share Posted March 9, 2019 1 hour ago, hiram.k.hackenbacker said: I've never had to replace a neck before. Would they need the body back? Can't the nut be cut without the body? Of course it can. They are fender, mass producing necks. They hardly attach a neck to a body and then cut it by hand before shipping them new do they? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SpondonBassed Posted March 9, 2019 Share Posted March 9, 2019 3 minutes ago, Woodinblack said: Of course it can. They are fender, mass producing necks. They hardly attach a neck to a body and then cut it by hand before shipping them new do they? Don't they? How crude. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drTStingray Posted March 9, 2019 Share Posted March 9, 2019 1 hour ago, hiram.k.hackenbacker said: Sorry, I probably didn't explain the chain of events very well. Fender UK collected the faulty neck back in September. During the initial flurry of emails with Fender I decided I needed the bass back in action quicker than it looked like it was going to take dealing with Fender, so got Rob Green to fit the graphite neck. I've never had to replace a neck before. Would they need the body back? Can't the nut be cut without the body? Yeah I remember you saying that was your plan and going ahead with it. I wouldn't accept anything less than a fully serviceable neck of the same model or equivalent. And no the bodies and necks are done separately - I can't imagine them attaching a fully painted and finished body to a blank neck and then fitting the nut and frets etc - these are mass production instruments!! You could argue they want to fit your tuners but if they're that cheapskate that they can't afford to send you a fully finished neck then I'd be amazed. Car dealers have been known to take unobtainium parts from new showroom cars to deal with existing customer's cars promptly - then get the replacements for the showroom cars as there's less hurry. It sounds like they're not trying very hard (and I'm sure if HQ Fender customer services knew, they'd sort it out much quicker). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stub Mandrel Posted March 9, 2019 Share Posted March 9, 2019 Fitting a nut isn't hard. Plenty of guides on You Tube. You'll probably benefit because you can get it exactly how you like. The neck has no tuners on it and with no body, they can't check the slot depth properly without strings fitted. You could ask them to fit the nut but not slot to full depth. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LukeFRC Posted March 10, 2019 Share Posted March 10, 2019 You’ve already shelled out for an an upgraded Status neck, I would Take the neck uncut, and either flog it or build a second bass with it. Then move on, yes Fender should have done more to help, but life’s too short and the lesson for all of us is buy Status not fender! I think I wrote on here years back whenever it was the AVRI ‘75 model (which I wanted) got replaced with the AVRI ‘74 model ... I tried all the new fenders in the shop and thought the necks were poor. I had been researching a custom build at the time and done a load of reading on how luthiers pick wood for necks... the Fender necks I tried didn’t meet any of the basic advice I was reading interns of straight grain lack of knots etc. And they were covered with a very thick layer of laquere ... while they do make some good basses (you have to try a lot) but honestly don’t know why you would buy a Fender vs the great value Squier stuff, anything G&L are making (now they have their new distribution with PMT Dawson’s GuitatGuitar etc) or even a early 80s Japanese copy bass... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LukeFRC Posted March 10, 2019 Share Posted March 10, 2019 Rant over! 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hiram.k.hackenbacker Posted March 26, 2019 Author Share Posted March 26, 2019 I now have a brand new Fender Jazz neck (with cut nut). After the last rather curse e-mail exchange, someone a little higher up the food chain decided it might be a good idea to give me a call and apologise personally rather than batting this back and forth. Sensible move and good on them for making the effort. So, I'm now thinking what I could do with the neck: 1) Sell it 2) Leave it in the box. Should I ever decide to move the '61 on, I can then keep the graphite neck and sell the bass with the neck it should have. 3) Build something. When I sent the defective neck back to Fender, it was stripped of hardware (it's now on the Status neck). The new Fender neck came loaded with relic'd tuners and string tree, so all I really need is a decent four bolt body. I've never put a bass together from parts before, so this is what I'm leaning towards at the moment. What are the potential pitfalls of doing this? 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drTStingray Posted March 26, 2019 Share Posted March 26, 2019 Id go for a combination of 2) and 3) - fit it to a Jazz body as another bass. If you ever sell the 61 refit the neck. Im glad Fender sorted out correctly for you 👍 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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