I recently received my Read Custom bass, and sadly, FedEx must have banged it around quite a bit. There are two places where the top wood is slightly separating itself from the body wood. Just tiny cracks, but stuff like that bothers me. Now instead of sending it back to Jack, I was thinking of having someone somewhat local fix it for me, where I could just drop it off and pick it up. That would be much easier and cheaper, as the only way I would ever entrust FedEx with it again would be in my Anvil case, and the shipping costs would kill me.

Any suggestions on whom I should contact about this?

http://hometown.aol.de/Bassist/tbassgap2.JPG
http://hometown.aol.de/Bassist/tbassgap3.JPG

That is a MAJOR problem!
I would send it back.

T.

Yeah, definately send it back to Read. Especially because you most likely spent a pretty penny on it.

I wouldn't trust even the best of local repair people to my 2000 dollar bass when I could send it back to the person who knows it best.