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(READ IF YOU HAVE A) Fender '61 Flea Bass (Woes)


hiram.k.hackenbacker

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Can you remove the nut and examine the threads? If it's the nut thats stripped and the actual rod is OK - all you need is a new nut. In fact it's worth just trying a new nut anyway for the sake of a few squid.

EDIT: Not sure this is the right one but - for example: https://www.ebay.co.uk/p/Truss-Rod-Nut-4mm-and-10-32-Thread-Guitar-Bass-Trn-20/1181117437?iid=112090873899

Edited by KiOgon
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Thanks for all the info people, but I’ve just spoken with Status and I’m taking it up there on Friday. 

I know it’s going to cost about half of the original cost of the bass again, but I think it’s going to be an easy fix with what should be outstanding results.

I have two Status basses already, plus a NAMM Stingray which has a Status neck, and in my experience they sound fantastic and are almost bombproof.

It won’t be ready for the weekend, but it will be worth the wait.

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3 hours ago, bertbass said:

You actually have up to 6 years from date of purchase under the sale of goods act 2015.

 

https://www.which.co.uk/consumer-rights/regulation/consumer-rights-act

From that site:

 

(An expert report that complies with CPR Pt35 will cost a couple of hundred quid - and it's Small Claims so the ability to reclaim costs are very limited too)

 

Six months or more

If a fault develops after the first six months, the burden is on you to prove that the product was faulty at the time you took ownership of it. 

In practice, this may require some form of expert report, opinion or evidence of similar problems across the product range. 

Find out more about how to return a faulty item and claim a refund, repair or replacement from a retailer.

You have six years to take a claim to the small claims court for faulty goods in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, and five years in Scotland. 

This doesn't mean that a product has to last six years - just that you have this length of time in which to make a claim if a retailer refuses to repair or replace a faulty product. 

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2 hours ago, hiram.k.hackenbacker said:

Thanks for all the info people, but I’ve just spoken with Status and I’m taking it up there on Friday. 

I know it’s going to cost about half of the original cost of the bass again, but I think it’s going to be an easy fix with what should be outstanding results.

I have two Status basses already, plus a NAMM Stingray which has a Status neck, and in my experience they sound fantastic and are almost bombproof.

It won’t be ready for the weekend, but it will be worth the wait.

That is going to be an awesome bass!

 

Just an idea though - Status necks can be a little heavier than wooden ones so if you have the cash ask Rob to drill for smaller tuners and get a set of Hipshot Ultralites on it.

 

The difference between old school big plate fender tuners and the Ultralites can be as much as half a pound! 

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11 minutes ago, fretmeister said:

That is going to be an awesome bass!

 

Just an idea though - Status necks can be a little heavier than wooden ones so if you have the cash ask Rob to drill for smaller tuners and get a set of Hipshot Ultralites on it.

 

The difference between old school big plate fender tuners and the Ultralites can be as much as half a pound! 

and £160 if you buy them from Thomann...!

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18 minutes ago, fretmeister said:

That is going to be an awesome bass!

 

Just an idea though - Status necks can be a little heavier than wooden ones so if you have the cash ask Rob to drill for smaller tuners and get a set of Hipshot Ultralites on it.

 

The difference between old school big plate fender tuners and the Ultralites can be as much as half a pound! 

Dawn did mention the tuners when I spoke with her on the phone. Definitely worthy of discussion, but I decided I wanted to retain the vintage tuners it came with.

Part of the reason I’ve decided to go with a replacement neck is that the issue with the old neck is not obvious i.e. you can’t see what the problem is without taking it irreparably to bits. I did look at the replacement kit, but that just looked like grief to me.

Initially, it looked like a three week wait for Rob to make the one I wanted, however, Dawn said they had one that had been made for a named artist that had not got back to them. A quick enquiry was made to find out if they still wanted it and I’ve bagged it. The best bit is, it has no fretboard markers (other than side dots) which I’m quite taken with after getting my Starry Night Stingray. Each to their own of course, but I’ve been a bit mystified as to why everyone has been selling their Flea Sig’s because mine was a great sounding bass. I’m hoping this might make it sound even better 🤞.

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Crikey what a bummer. Sorry to hear about that but you appear to have sorted out a solution.

It sounds like the change in humidity/temperature has highlighted a fault in the bass. Whilst you'll be sorted with the bass I would definitely be taking Fender to task on this. Nothing to lose and you may get a replacement neck from them - you'll also be in a position to send the part back to them. 

However I guess there's one saving grace - at least it isn't an original stack knob shell pink Jazz bass - that really would bring tears to the eyes 😬

PS I use a Stingray HH for the ska band I play in 😉 

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Man that's some movement!

Big shame.... I would DEFINITELY email photos etc to Fender UK and copy in your dealer, be up front and say it's over 2 years, but ask them if they would be willing to help.

You may then have a spare new neck for it....

I think there is a guy called Matt Davey at Fender UK/Europe...

 

Edited by Musicman20
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14 minutes ago, Musicman20 said:

Man that's some movement!

Big shame.... I would DEFINITELY email photos etc to Fender UK and copy in your dealer, be up front and say it's over 2 years, but ask them if they would be willing to help.

You may then have a spare new neck for it....

I think there is a guy called Matt Davey at Fender UK/Europe...

 

Even if you do the upgrade to CF, you'd have a good spare neck or something to sell/trade here.

There's something to be said for giving it a go.  Even if it is just to get rid of that niggling feeling of what if? later.

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23 hours ago, fretmeister said:

That is going to be an awesome bass!

 

Just an idea though - Status necks can be a little heavier than wooden ones so if you have the cash ask Rob to drill for smaller tuners and get a set of Hipshot Ultralites on it.

 

The difference between old school big plate fender tuners and the Ultralites can be as much as half a pound! 

If you get Gotoh GB640 res-o-lites they should be an exact fit for screws and they look exactly the same - and still much lighter than the originals. Cheapest place I found was here: https://tonetechluthiersupplies.co.uk/guitar-parts/guitar-machine-heads/bass-machine-heads/gotoh-gb640-res-o-lite-bass-machine-heads-nickel-4l.html

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The bass is now at Status HQ waiting for Rob to do his magic. It should be ready some time next week hopefully. Too late for the gig tomorrow, but never mind.

I wasn't able to see the neck I've been allocated today as it was in the workshop being polished, but I saw various other necks they have waiting to go out. They do look rather fabulous, even the maple fingerboard effect variation.

A reply from the dealer I purchased the bass from has been conspicuous in it's absence 🙄. A 'message received, we'll look into it' would have been nice.

Whilst I was in Colchester, I popped into Peach Guitars. Talk about a guitar warehouse; it's huge! Mainly acoustics and guitars rather than basses, although there were quite a few basses upstairs, just not much I was interested in. The only reason I went there was to try out one of the new Stingray Specials. They only had one which was, ironically, hanging next to a Fender Flea '61. Well, at least I can say I've tried one. More on that in the MM Stingray Special thread....

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