Damaged Warwick :(

bassash · #1 04-03-2006, 07:15 AM

I took my brother's Warwick into my local shop for a set up, as I noticed that there was more of a neck bow than normal and the action was uncomfortably high and it was playing sluggishly. (it's a Streamer Jazzman). A week later when they got round to my bass, they phoned to tell me that the truss rod wasn't doing anything, it just wasn't reacting, just rotating on the spot. He remarked that it looked like someone had used an alan key on the thing, but my brother and I haven't touched the truss rod or made any real adjustments since he bought it from the shop in 2003, who incidentally were responsible for the initial setup. I don't know what to do - it's a gorgeous instrument and clearly I'm not responsible for the problem. Could it just happen on its own? The instrument is in perfect condition in every other way.

The guitar man said that he'd talk to Warwick and they might fix it under warranty for me but it's not certain. I'm clearly gonna fight my corner, since it wouldn't be fair to have to pay for repairs. If it did come to costing me, how much would it be? And what is the warranty on a Warwick like that - we have the receipt but I can't seem to find my brother's initial Warwick paperwork.

Many thanks for any advice.

By the way, I bought a Line 6 Lowdown bass amp a few days a go and it's awesome. A lot of growl for 150 Watts and cool effects. I just wish I was playing my Warwick through it lol instead of my beginner's oooold Yamaha.

Groundloop · #2 04-03-2006, 07:29 AM

It sounds like the truss rod is broken. If the neck hasn't taken a permanent set, replacing the rod should cost apx. $20-$30 for the rod, plus labor (if you don't feel competent to do it yourself, and the shop doesn't comp the bench time).

scuba steve · #3 04-03-2006, 07:33 AM

well i've heard that warwick is pretty good with customer service. did you think some humidity or extreme dryness could be the issue? these could cause the neck to bow. as for the truss rod not working, if you have never touched the truss rod since you bought it new, and the shop was the last one to make adjustments, i think they should pay or compensate you in the proper way if warwick doesn't help(they should though). go ahead and give warwick a call yourself and tell them your story.

bannedwit · #4 04-03-2006, 07:55 AM

Warwick is REAL good with tech support. Give them or Dana B. Goods an email (www.warwickbass.com) and worse case scenario, they send you a new truss rod for a local store to install. I have had a couple issues with my Warwicks in the past and I had the replacement part in my hands within a week.

bassash · #5 04-03-2006, 09:33 AM

Thanks for the help guys - I'll see what the local shop guy can sort out with Warwick, and if they look like they're going to charge me for expensive repairs, I'll contact Warwick personally myself. Also, this shop owes me no favours, as the shop the Warwick was bought from is a long way from my local shop. As for humidity etc, my Warwick's been inside, travelling very rarely and not near any radiators or anything! By the way, I'm glad the truss rod may just need replacing, I had visions of needing a whole new neck, or at least that's what the guitar shop guy was hinting at.

bassash · #6 04-04-2006, 08:28 AM

Well, the Warwick has been looked at and they say all they can do is replace the whole neck. And also the bass is 5 years old (2 years older than the bought price :S, must've been hanging around in the shop for a while!) and 'isn't under warranty' so I'll have to pay for repairs. So he suggested once I've got the quote, I need to talk to the shop where I bought it from (which is in my University town so I'll sort it out when I go back there) and explain that it isn't my fault.

It seems so unfair to have to pay for repairs for something that was entirely out of my control. The shop might have buggered up the bass ages ago when they made the initial setup. Anyway, won't they deny the whole thing and say that I was responsible for any of the damage? Maybe the bass just deteriorated over time. If the shop where I bought it from in Nottingham won't sort it out then I guess I'll talk to Warwick as my last resort.

All in all, this sucks!

Groundloop · #7 04-04-2006, 08:48 AM

Sucks for sure.

Whenever a tech says something like "...the truss rod wasn't doing anything, it just wasn't reacting, just rotating on the spot.", that's a pretty good indicator that the rod (or nut) is broken.

If the neck is just bowed (not twisted) I wouldn't give up on it yet. If I were you, especially if you have some time before you go back to the shop you bought it from, I'd get the bass back, remove the neck, pull the broken truss rod out, and hang the neck on the wall for a while to see if the neck settles straight (or at least straightish) again. And even if it doesn't straighten, there are (pretty drastic) ways of trying to straighten it, involving clamps and satanic rituals.

bassash · #8 04-04-2006, 08:52 AM

Lol satanic rituals :P Well, it's been a while since I've practiced.....

The neck isn't that bowed and it's certainly not twisted... well we'll wait and see. I do have time to just what you mentioned but the thought of doing such things does scare me.

bannedwit · #9 04-04-2006, 09:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bassash

Well, the Warwick has been looked at and they say all they can do is replace the whole neck. And also the bass is 5 years old (2 years older than the bought price :S, must've been hanging around in the shop for a while!) and 'isn't under warranty' so I'll have to pay for repairs. So he suggested once I've got the quote, I need to talk to the shop where I bought it from (which is in my University town so I'll sort it out when I go back there) and explain that it isn't my fault.

It seems so unfair to have to pay for repairs for something that was entirely out of my control. The shop might have buggered up the bass ages ago when they made the initial setup. Anyway, won't they deny the whole thing and say that I was responsible for any of the damage? Maybe the bass just deteriorated over time. If the shop where I bought it from in Nottingham won't sort it out then I guess I'll talk to Warwick as my last resort.

All in all, this sucks!

How are they going to replace the neck? If they plan on getting it from Warwick then you may have a hard time since the serial numbers are on the headstocks... That will be something to look out for. I know people can't but fretted or fretless necks and swap them out on their Warwick because they can't buy them.

Figjam · #10 04-04-2006, 03:30 PM

Sounds like you got ripped off when the bass was originally bought from the shop. Truss rods dont just break on their own.