erisu Posted September 30, 2009 Share Posted September 30, 2009 Hi guys! For those who have bought expensive basses (£800+ is expensive imo) did you expect the bass to be perfect and to your satisfaction with 110% perfect build/construction quality with not even the slightest smallest blemish? Would you phone up the retailer and say you want to return/exchange the bass because you spotted a really small unnoticeable blemish on your bass? Or perhaps you noticed one of the screws that bolts the body and neck together (if it's a bolt-on bass) is screwed in at a slight angle and not straight down? Well... here's my story... I received a new Lakland Skyline 44-02 from Headline music today (the distributors of Lakland in UK) which is a piece of find timber and plays like butter... lovely grain on the body and neck! HOWEVER there are two things that just kinda bugs me (mainly because I spent a hell of alot of a money on this bass). I noticed one of the neck screws on heel is screwed in at an angle. If you look straight down at the bass, it doesn't seem bad... but if you look at the back of the bass at a slight angle, you can see the screw has a bent on it at about 10 degrees? Also there is a really small pin size blemish on he heel of the neck as well. I really don't mean to be picky but this is the first time I'm spending £1,000+ on a new bass so I do kinda expect it to be 110% perfect =/ Am I just a picky nutcase or are these a good enough reason to actually exchange for another? Thanks all! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRadford Posted September 30, 2009 Share Posted September 30, 2009 If you arent happy.. send it back. If you bought a Ferarri and it had orange peel paint, you wouldnt accept it would you? I think if you are spending that sort of money, it should be perfect. It shouldnt even leave the factory if bolts arent straight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Burpster Posted September 30, 2009 Share Posted September 30, 2009 As all my PRSs would class as expensive using your criteria, I would expect then to be well put together but small blemishes or marks are usually down to where and how they have been stored post factory. 2 of mine were bought new but had 1 or 2very minor dinks in the paint from the shop that had had them for sale.... I was perfectly happy to accept that. So in your case I would say the neck bolt is unacceptable but the blemish is a bit picky...IMO. Have you tried undoing the neck bolt a couple of turns to see if it is actually put in at an angle, or if the screw is bent? If its the second of the 2 I'd just ask them for a new neck bolt. If its in at an angle I'd say that was a bit of shonky workmanship, and worth questioning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erisu Posted September 30, 2009 Author Share Posted September 30, 2009 [quote name='TRadford' post='613272' date='Sep 30 2009, 08:59 PM']If you arent happy.. send it back. If you bought a Ferarri and it had orange peel paint, you wouldnt accept it would you? I think if you are spending that sort of money, it should be perfect. It shouldnt even leave the factory if bolts arent straight.[/quote] I agree but I can't help but feel somewhat stupid/silly that I'm complaining about a small dot and a bent screw Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRadford Posted September 30, 2009 Share Posted September 30, 2009 [quote name='erisu' post='613282' date='Sep 30 2009, 09:09 PM']I agree but I can't help but feel somewhat stupid/silly that I'm complaining about a small dot and a bent screw [/quote] True, I see your point, but still, you have paid your hard earned money for something, it should be put together properly especially that amount of money. If one bolt is bent, what else might be wrong? We have all heard of the expression, "friday afternoon guitar" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OutToPlayJazz Posted September 30, 2009 Share Posted September 30, 2009 All of my Status basses have arrived in A1 100% perfection. But you expect that. Every single bass goes through one man's hands for final build, setup and inspection. I think my Fender was pretty good when I got it, but it was about the 10th new American Standard I'd looked at. That's what you get with mass production though, no matter what the price. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EssentialTension Posted September 30, 2009 Share Posted September 30, 2009 I'd say if a neck bolt is at an angle it's not acceptable unless you were informed about it in advance and got a discount. This is always a risk when you buy unseen though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve-soar Posted September 30, 2009 Share Posted September 30, 2009 [quote name='OutToPlayJazz' post='613291' date='Sep 30 2009, 09:19 PM']All of my Status basses have arrived in A1 100% perfection. But you expect that. Every single bass goes through one man's hands for final build, setup and inspection. I think my Fender was pretty good when I got it, but it was about the 10th new American Standard I'd looked at. That's what you get with mass production though, no matter what the price.[/quote] Status basses are pretty special. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_b Posted September 30, 2009 Share Posted September 30, 2009 [quote name='erisu' post='613282' date='Sep 30 2009, 09:09 PM']....I can't help but feel somewhat stupid/silly that I'm complaining about a small dot and a bent screw....[/quote] If the positive aspects of the bass outweigh the negative then keep it. Only you can decide that, but you'll soon put more wear and tear on it than a pin size mark. I would be focusing on what I could play on a bass that sounds that good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Musicman20 Posted September 30, 2009 Share Posted September 30, 2009 I'd be annoyed, simple as that, and complain. When Fender were going through a rough patch, I ordered a natural USA Jazz. Hated it...heavy, lots of blemishes, didnt sound bright and jazzy....it sounded weak. FFWD to now, my 09 is perfect. Exactly what I expected. Id get a refund or exhange. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erisu Posted September 30, 2009 Author Share Posted September 30, 2009 To be honest... the positive outweighs the negative by far... I mean this bass just looks amazing in person... I was abit skeptical looking at pictures on the net for a 3-tone sunburst but once I see it in person... it's definately 100 times better in real life! Even though the positive outweighs the negative... when I'm playing the bass, im still thinking about the darn screw and the tiny blemish at the back of my mind Musicman20... ouch! with all those fault on the natural USA jazz... I would complain no questions asked But the Lakland isn't as close to what you experienced with the Fender... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Jack Posted September 30, 2009 Share Posted September 30, 2009 Just wait until the first time you lean it against your cab ... and it falls over. You can stop worrying about the finish then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erisu Posted September 30, 2009 Author Share Posted September 30, 2009 [quote name='Happy Jack' post='613341' date='Sep 30 2009, 10:00 PM']Just wait until the first time you lean it against your cab ... and it falls over. You can stop worrying about the finish then. [/quote] Oh I'm really careful I have never ever leaned my bass against a cab before... I've always either put it back into my gig bag or put it in securely on a chair... Maybe I'm just abit TOO careful Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chris_b Posted September 30, 2009 Share Posted September 30, 2009 Get a good luthier to replace the screw and wait until the guitarist turns around on a small stage and clatters the bass!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bumnote Posted September 30, 2009 Share Posted September 30, 2009 Ive just looked fairly closely at my made in china squier vintage vibe 50 precision £220 and there is not a mark or a bent screw. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lorne Posted September 30, 2009 Share Posted September 30, 2009 I got a Brand new Customshop B.C.Rich Widow bass in 2007,retail price in the U.S.A. is $5,895,I paid way less than that,but,it is NEW,and,it has overspray marks and it looks like it was placed down somewhere when the paint wasn't 100% dry (Very minor paint issues on a pointy bass),my verdict,GREAT,now I don't have to be worried about playing it and scratching it However,on a bolt on bass,like yours,I would expect the screws to be put in straight!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erisu Posted September 30, 2009 Author Share Posted September 30, 2009 Cheers for the replies all! I think im going to get another one as I was just checking the bass again and decided to give the bass a nice wipe and damn.... the paint on the blemished part of the bass flaked off as I wiped over that area! It was a flat blemish before but now it's a dent! grrr! As for the neck screw.... I took the neck off and the screw isn't bent... it's the hole that the circular washers fit to to surround the screw that has been drilled bent thus making the screw bent! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
budget bassist Posted September 30, 2009 Share Posted September 30, 2009 (edited) My bass would have cost over £800 new, gladly i didn't pay that much for it, but i wouldn't be THAT bothered about some minor blemishes if it was used, as long as it played and sounded ok and wasn't totally trashed, after all, they're meant to be used and i'm only going to put more blemishes on it. If it was a brand new bass, i wouldn't mind too much if there was a small blemish on there from the factory, as i say, i'm only going to put more on there. Though if it was particularly noticable then i would be bothered. Also, unless it was a custom bass, i wouldn't expect any bass to be exactly how i wanted it to be. Thankfully my corvette is pretty much that, if it had a mid knob, it would be perfect In your case, i wouldn't be too bothered by the blemish, after all, it will have been handled by actual people in the factory and humans aren't perfect. Though i would at least expect them to be able to sink a screw straight.... i might be inclined to say something about that. Edited September 30, 2009 by budget bassist Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rayman Posted September 30, 2009 Share Posted September 30, 2009 Send it back. You'll never be happy until you do, it'll drive you mad. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kiwi Posted September 30, 2009 Share Posted September 30, 2009 800 quid for a bass doesn't get you beyond the threshold for mass produced instruments to be honest. And I've seen worse issues on far more expensive hand made AND mass produced instruments but I wouldn't say you were being picky. If manufacturers claim their instruments are better than the rest then it's not unreasonable for you to expect that and hold them to account it it proves otherwise. I would be thinking to myself about whether the faults are likely to affect the resale value of the instrument or not and then taking a view about whether I could live with them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
7string Posted October 1, 2009 Share Posted October 1, 2009 You bought new instrument and, by law, it should be free of flaws in the finish or how it's put together. I found this out earlier this year when I took advice from the CAB about a resonator guitar I bought that was rusty inside (no kidding!!). You shouldn't have a problem getting a replacement bass. However, they might offer to refund some of your money to get you to keep it. Then you have to make the decision whether the refund is worth the annoyance of the blemishes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lozbass Posted October 1, 2009 Share Posted October 1, 2009 (edited) Given what you say about developments (flaking etc.) I'd send the bass back. To be honest, you do sound picky (but probably not as picky as me!) and you're not likely to ever be fully happy with bass you have. That said, two things occur: first, minor initial blemishes are often forgotten following a few months/years of playing; second, nearly every new bass will have some flaw if you look sufficiently carefully. I've had a good number of 'expensive' basses (Status, Fodera, Overwater, Fender Masterbuilt, Pangborn, Sei etc.) and only a couple arrived without any blemishes. Hand-builts are a real issue - nearly all of the boutique, hand crafted basses I've had have some 'quirk' (quirks that some might call imperfections). Oh, and my Status, ordered new and delivered in '86, didn't arrive without some (very minor) quirks/blemishes! Perfection is a highly subjective and fluid term - I simply don't expect it any longer - that way I don't experience so much disappointment Edited October 1, 2009 by lozbass Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erisu Posted October 1, 2009 Author Share Posted October 1, 2009 I do agree on it's like a hit or miss with no blemishes on expensive instruments. I guess the sole reason why I'm being nitpicky is it's my first time spending £1,000+ on a bass. Maybe if I have more years of experience buying more expensive instruments (good thing I don't have a credit card!) I will learn to be less demanding and come to terms on nothing is perfect especially with the world of mass produced instruments? I just rang Headline music and spoke to Nick who has been a great help throughout the order of my 44-02 (As well as Gary at Promenade Music!) and Nick has agreed to exchange for another 44-02. I asked him to inspect the new one before it gets sent out to me to avoid the same thing happening so just waiting for him to call me back Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JTUK Posted October 1, 2009 Share Posted October 1, 2009 (edited) I don't call £800 expensive, but that aside, if you think the bass has a bad flaw, then you shouldn't accept it unless this was all part of the deal. I tend to think of things like this in terms of how it will effect resale, so for that reason alone, it will come up in the price and you'll possibly have to sell cheaper. If these are issues, then deal with it now Seems like a result.... so that is good Edited October 1, 2009 by JTUK Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peted Posted October 1, 2009 Share Posted October 1, 2009 (edited) You're a picky nutcase, yes I think as long as there's nothing stopping my expensive basses from being fit-for-purpose then anything cosmetically wrong with it is my own fault for not spotting it before I handed over my money in the store. It's going to get plenty of blemishes with use over the years so I wouldn't worry too much. Instruments are there to be played, not polished. Edited October 1, 2009 by peted Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.