Not a good start

[JPAC]

Just bought my first bass guitar by mail order and it has gone faulty. The nut broke when tuning up to an electronic tuner. Shop says it needs to go back to the manufacturer.

Don't want to name names as it is an ongoing complaint but wondering if I should insist on a replacement as it's less than a month old.

[leonshelley01]

I would. They sold you faulty goods and are obliged (morally if not legally) to replace it.

[waynepunkdude]

If you're in Kent mate and they don't replace it I'll put a new nut on it for you.

[JPAC]

Thanks for the offer about the new nut but it'll get fixed I'm sure but I just wonder how long. Otherwise it was perfect, unmarked and pristine. If they mess it up like Seiko did to my watch, I'll be really angry.

I was making progress playing but it's very slow and now even slower. I might try the Citizens Advice Bureau but they're so busy, it might be back by the time I get to see someone.

[JPAC]

Update. As of today I'm still without my bass. Of the six weeks of ownership, three weeks it has been away for repair. Called Yamaha today and they said it hadn't been 'assessed' because staff had been off sick, despite putting it on the urgent list. Called the shop, they won't do anything until they hear from Yamaha. Called Consumer Direct and they said write a letter asking for a refund as the reasonable amount of time for repair had expired. I never agreed to a repair in the first place as I wanted a direct replacement. Not a happy (Easter) bunny.

[escholl]

[quote name='JPAC' post='453556' date='Apr 3 2009, 05:47 PM']Update. As of today I'm still without my bass. Of the six weeks of ownership, three weeks it has been away for repair. Called Yamaha today and they said it hadn't been 'assessed' because staff had been off sick, despite putting it on the urgent list. Called the shop, they won't do anything until they hear from Yamaha. Called Consumer Direct and they said write a letter asking for a refund as the reasonable amount of time for repair had expired. I never agreed to a repair in the first place as I wanted a direct replacement. Not a happy (Easter) bunny. [/quote]

That's unfortunate, I quite like yamaha basses so i'm sorry to hear you've had a issue with one

Really though, it's the fault of the shop, they should have replaced it for you outright.

Hope it works out for you.

[JPAC]

[quote name='escholl' post='453764' date='Apr 3 2009, 11:57 PM']That's unfortunate, I quite like yamaha basses so i'm sorry to hear you've had a issue with one

Really though, it's the fault of the shop, they should have replaced it for you outright.

Hope it works out for you.[/quote]

Thanks for your support escholl. Two or three times they said they would replace it, only to then say when I called to chase it's whereabouts "You'll have to wait for it to be repaired". With Easter coming up, they'll have another excuse to delay its return. ConsumerDirect, the government agency were quick to give an answer but they gave me so much information that when I tried to write it all down, I may have missed some things. In the end they suggested taking it up with the credit card company as that's the way I paid.

I'm getting a different story from the shop each time though, that's what's annoying. On their web site they list the same model and colour as in stock but in reply to my request for it to be replaced, they then said this time that that one is a display model. So why list it as 'stock' then?

I think I'll put it all in a letter to the trading standards when it's all done. I'll be scared to tune it if it ever comes back in case it breaks again. What an epic.

[Eight]

Have you tried speaking directly to the shop's manager/owner? Explain to him that you know your rights and you don't have to wait forever for them to repair it; and as they have been so unreasonable and unsupportive, you want your money back now or you will take it to court.

Even if I still wanted the bass, I wouldn't accept it on principal. If you buy a bass new from a shop, you expect it to be perfect out of the box, with an after-sales service that delivers peace of mind.

I don't know at what point you'd be ok with naming and shaming these cowboys, but when the time comes I can't wait to hear who they are.

[JPAC]

[quote name='Eight' post='454031' date='Apr 4 2009, 12:50 PM']Have you tried speaking directly to the shop's manager/owner? Explain to him that you know your rights and you don't have to wait forever for them to repair it; and as they have been so unreasonable and unsupportive, you want your money back now or you will take it to court.

Even if I still wanted the bass, I wouldn't accept it on principal. If you buy a bass new from a shop, you expect it to be perfect out of the box, with an after-sales service that delivers peace of mind.

I don't know at what point you'd be ok with naming and shaming these cowboys, but when the time comes I can't wait to hear who they are.[/quote]

All I've spoken to is the internet sales woman. I was under the impression that I was getting a replacement because of the form that I filled in that stated 'direct replacement'. The shop is blaming Yamaha for not looking at it sooner but I get different stories each time I call. I feel like I'm getting the runaround and just kept waiting. I have asked for my money back and they can sort the guitar out afterwards, this is in the recorded delivery letter that ConsumerDirect instructed me to send. They said they 'know' their rights and I said I know mine. It did work fine for three weeks until I tried to tune the E string with a Yamaha tuner and then the edge of the nut broke off. I've looked closely at the way the pin is located and the tighter you tune the more it pulls the string away from the guitar, but it was reading low anyway so it shouldn't have happened at all. I'm not sure I'd call them cowboys but they could have handled it better right from the start. The RMA was another farce, in that they wanted me to hand it over to the collection driver with no address on.

Oh well, you live and learn man. There's a clue to the shop there but I will say who it is later.

[henry norton]

That's such bad news, it really riles me when I hear stories like yours. If it's gone wrong within a month of you recieving it then you are absolutely within your rights to demand a replacement or a refund. A letter addressed to the company owner stating your "disappontment and disgust at your treatment" will often produce results or if you're having to call a call centre then keep demanding an answer (something like 'it went wrong less than a month after I bought it, you've messed me around for too long and I want either a repair, a replacement or my money back within a week'. The person you're talking to will not want to commit to an answer to this so you then have to 'speak to a supervisor or manager who [u]can[/u] sort this problem out NOW!'). It depends on what approach you're more comfortable with - either way a cool calm but very persistent attitude normally works. These companies rely on people's unwillingness to cause a fuss to fob us off with crap and make a huge profit. Dont let them!!!!!!!!

[waynepunkdude]

W643d y64 352e t6 b6rr6w a bass 5n the 0ean t50e/

[waynepunkdude]

Damn num lock.

Would you like to borrow a bass in the meantime?

[JPAC]

Thanks everyone for your support and advice. Waynepunkdude, I think I'd better get this sorted out out first as me and bass guitars don't seem to get along so far.

[bassbloke]

[url="http://whatconsumer.co.uk/returning-damaged-or-faulty-goods/"]http://whatconsumer.co.uk/returning-damaged-or-faulty-goods/[/url]

Phone the shop. Ask for an immediate refund. If you don't get one, phone your credit card company and tell them that you bought a musical instrument which arrived damaged and which you have returned for a refund, but the shop is refusing to replace.

Finally, name and shame.

[JPAC]

Well if anyone is still following this saga, I got a call today from the shop, Soundslive in Newcastle, telling me the RBX170 has come back from Yamaha UK and they want to send it back to me. Before this however, after talking to ConsumerDirect, they told me that the reasonable time for the item to be repaired had expired (it's three weeks and four days now) and that I should ask for a refund by letter. I wrote and sent the letter by first class recorded delivery and it took four days to arrive. They said they had received the letter but because I had had the guitar for more than seven days I could not have a refund. This is wrong as confirmed by ConsumerDirect. They tried to give me the run around by telling me that I should have sent the letter to their warehouse in Princes Way North in Gateshead, not the shop in Dean St. Newcastle.

So, ConsumerDirect have passed the matter to trading standards who should reply within five working days. I also contacted my credit card company as I paid by credit card and gave them all the details. They seemed confident I will get a refund and said I would be contacted within two weeks!.

The wait continues, but there's another story involving an Ibanez GSR200 from a different shop that I'll save for later, featuring, you guessed it, another nut problem. Me and bass guitars don't mix.

(bassbloke - the guitar was fine for three weeks until I tried to tune the E string at which point the side of the nut pinged off).

[Buzz]

I have to ask as it's the second nut you've broken, you are stringing them up correctly with the E string being towards the inside of the headstock not the outside when it meets the tuning peg?

Still sh*tty of the shops to be pulling the "7 days" crap. Faulty goods are faulty goods and you've got proof or purchase.

Edited April 14, 2009 by Buzz

[JPAC]

[quote name='Buzz' post='462513' date='Apr 14 2009, 09:43 PM']I have to ask as it's the second nut you've broken, you are stringing them up correctly with the E string being towards the inside of the headstock not the outside when it meets the tuning peg?

Still sh*tty of the shops to be pulling the "7 days" crap. Faulty goods are faulty goods and you've got proof or purchase.[/quote]

The RBX strings were the original factory installed three week old ones, I maybe turned it half a turn. I have noticed that the actual E string is not in a straight line and pulls away from the guitar when tightened. Bad design. See top of [url="http://yamahanamm.com/images/big/RBX170_OVS.jpg"]http://yamahanamm.com/images/big/RBX170_OVS.jpg[/url]

The second nut wasn't broken but either not manufactured correctly or fitted right, hence the buzz, Buzz. It OK looked to the untrained eye, like mine and it sounded like it was coming from inside the guitar but the shop identified it as the nut not performing its duties. Two of the new GSR200's knobs came off as well because they didn't bother putting any glue on them. I'm beginning to think I should have paid a little more for maybe a SR500.

Edited April 14, 2009 by JPAC

[Buzz]

Ouch, seems you've just had a run of bad luck.

Quite odd as normally Yams and Ibby's are solidly built.

[spinynorman]

[quote name='JPAC' post='462366' date='Apr 14 2009, 06:31 PM']Well if anyone is still following this saga, I got a call today from the shop, Soundslive in Newcastle ......[/quote]

Ah, their pre-sales service is good, not so sure about their post-sales support. I sent an amp back to them (out of warranty). They didn't listen to a word I said on the phone, or read the note enclosed with the amp, mis-diagnosed the problem and tried to charge me to fit a new power supply that wasn't needed, then sent the amp back to the manufacturer, again with a completely wrong description of the problem. Took ages to get it sorted, by which time I'd bought a new head and lost interest.

[JPAC]

Well the past few days I've been waiting for the Yamaha UK written engineers report about the fault, and received it today. According to Trading Standards, if the fault was a manufacturing fault, I can pursue the claim for a refund. However all the report said was that they've glued a new nut on - mmm. No mention of repairing the fingerboard that was damaged when the nut broke and the E string dug into it.

Action Taken:
Standard setup
Buff finish faults
Glue repair
Other RETURN TO DEALER
Repl. top joint top nut

What's a top joint?

Have to wait until at least Monday now to see what they say. It might be easier to accept the guitar back and sell it and put it down to experience. Run of bad luck? I must have broken a lot of mirrors somewhere. Updated my SatNav software today and the display said I was moving sideways! Pleased I made a backup first.

Edit: The lady at the shop said it was quite a common problem.

Edited April 17, 2009 by JPAC

[JPAC]

The Conclusion.

Thanks to everyone for their support.

The Yamaha RBX170 OVS is now back in my possession. I did not get a refund because according to trading standards, I would have had to prove, using an independent testing laboratory, that the broken nut was due to a manufacturing defect. Yamaha UK said they had thrown that particular part away when it was repaired and they used a replacement nut. I'm not sure how much this testing would have cost, but I don't think that it would be worth it practically. So, since Feb 16th and yesterday I have had the use of the guitar for three weeks. Yamaha UK have done a good job and looks and feels as the new one did. My credit card company failed to act at all, when I checked yesterday, they said they had sent me paperwork for extra details, (that never arrived), despite me explaining everything in detail over the phone to them.

ConsumerDirect misled me by advising that I would get a refund, based on that and the time they were taking getting my broken one fixed, I bought an Ibanez GSR200. So I now have two bass guitars.

So, I would advise caution when buying guitars, even new ones and hope you get a good one that doesn't go wrong.

[maxrossell]

Sucks dude. Sorry to hear about all this.