Do i need to complain?

[curly bassist]

Last week i took my acoustic / electric bass (fender BG-29) into a local guitar shop for a simple set up. He quoted me £35 and said come back in a week. He said is there anything in particular you want doing and i said, the necks pretty bowed and the actions quite high. I also said that i have supplied strings in the gig bag so please use those particular strings. He agreed to all of this saying it shouldn't be a difficult job.

So a week later i return and the man says he will go and get my instrument, he then returns and says "did you want the strings in the gig bag on it?". I said "yes..." and he says "Ok we will quickly fit them now then.". I was a bit confused because i expected all of this to be done by now.

He then placed my guitar on the side and proceeded to remove the old strings, he had some serious trouble removing the pegs from the bridge. Eventually he reached for a pair of metal pliers and went to remove them.

He finally completed putting my new strings (fender 7060s - i love them ) on the guitar and said ok you can have it for £30 because of the wait.

As far as i am aware (not very far at all ) he could of adjusted the neck in the short time i was waiting because i was not watching him work on my instrument i was playing a bass in the shop.

When i got home i eagerly opened my instrument only to find the pegs all squashed at the top (which i assume is from the metal pliers he was using to remove them) and the pegs for the E and A strings not even fully in (granted i still can't get the E peg fully in but the A peg went in easily with a bit of elbow grease.) there is a fairly large scratch/gouge on the bridge which i also assume is from the metal pliers. The neck has been straightened but that is all i can see that has been done. The action is no lower, the instrument was definitely not cleaned, the frets/fretboard are still filthy.

I am considering complaining only i am not sure if cleaning of an instrument is expected when asking for a setup? The shop i did work experience definitely cleaned your instrument when you asked for a set up, but this may have just been this particular shop.

I am really disappointed as this particular shop was recommended to me by a friend so i had high hopes

Sorry if this is long.
So do you think i should complain?

Curly_Bassist

[Floyd Eye]

These are questions you should ask up front. I would clean the bass if I was setting it up, but I would also charge more than 30 bucks. I would complain, but I doubt it will do any good. The moral of the story is go to a reputable tech whose work you are familiar with and know exactly what to expect before dropping off your instrument.

Pliers should never be used to pull bridge pins, there is a tool for that.

[MonkeyBass]

I would.

I've worked in three music stores in my life (manager at two of them) so I've done hundreds of setups. It's easy to use peg pullers, and polish the guitar when you're done.

You also need to right down on a hang tag everything that the customer wants done along side the price quote. For example "restring using supplied strings $20.00"

This sounds like it was just plain sloppy work.

[curly bassist]

£35 is about $56 which is about average around my area. I think he dropped the price by £5 not because of the wait but because he felt bad about damaging my instrument. He also put the instrument into the gig bag and gave it to me whilst i was paying so i didnt really i have a chance to check any of it out. Looking back i probably should have so it is partly my own fault i guess.

[MonkeyBass]

Originally Posted by Floyd Eye

These are questions you should ask up front. I would clean the bass if I was setting it up, but I would also charge more than 30 bucks. I would complain, but I doubt it will do any good. The moral of the story is go to a reputable tech whose work you are familiar with and know exactly what to expect before dropping off your instrument.

Pliers should never be used to pull bridge pins, there is a tool for that.

He said 30 pounds. That's almost $60 if I'm not mistaken. I don't know he exact exchange rate though.

[Floyd Eye]

Originally Posted by MonkeyBass

He said 30 pounds. That's almost $60 if I'm not mistaken. I don't know he exact exchange rate though.

Again, you should know what to expect before leaving your instrument with a tech. Some guys clean and polish as a courtesy, some don't. It's always a real good idea to "befriend" your tech. You will get a lot of extras this way. Also any tech should guarantee their set-up and you should play it before leaving the store to be sure it is what you want.


Sounds to me like the OP needs a new tech.

[pacojas]

i would go berzerk,... then i would learn to DIY!!!

i trust myself to damage my stuff. others doing damage would make me sell so i wouldn't be reminded of FAIL!!!

[curly bassist]

Sounds to me like the OP needs a new tech.

Yea i definitely won't be going there again haha.
But do you think i have grounds to complain?

[Floyd Eye]

Originally Posted by curly bassist

Yea i definitely won't be going there again haha.
But do you think i have grounds to complain?

Certainly with regards to the damage to the instrument. Maybe they will be stand up guys and maybe they won't. Unless you can prove the damage wasn't there already you will have a hard time in court if it comes to that though.

If it were me, I would certainly go in and complain. I wouldn't let them touch it again though. If they don't rectify the situation, tell all your friends and anyone who'll listen not to go there.

Good luck bro and talk to local players and find a good, respected tech.

[Phendyr_Loon]

I'm sure you're going to hear this said a few times, whenever picking up an instrument from repair ALWAYS play it and look it over BEFORE paying and taking it home.
If the instrument plays and sounds to your liking and everything is in the same cosmetic condition in which you left it, good. If not, you certainly have a right to complain.
Cleaning the instrument is usually expected from a decent repair tech, it only takes 5 or 10 minutes and they've probably got more fingerprints on it just to repair it than you have in a whole month.

[Floyd Eye]

Originally Posted by Phendyr_Loon

I'm sure you're going to hear this said a few times, whenever picking up an instrument from repair ALWAYS play it and look it over BEFORE paying and taking it home.
If the instrument plays and sounds to your liking and everything is in the same cosmetic condition in which you left it, good. If not, you certainly have a right to complain.
Cleaning the instrument is usually expected from a decent repair tech, it only takes 5 or 10 minutes and they've probably got more fingerprints on it just to repair it than you have in a whole month.

I generally agree. I would still ask about cleaning it before I left it though, because they don't all do it.


By the way, if I were you I would ditch the new sig. There is a pretty clear rule infraction in there.

[maturanesa]

did you tell him to clean the frets and freatboard?

I wouldnt do that if the costumer dont explicit say to me.
Some people dont want his freatboard treated with cleaning products...

[walterw]

Originally Posted by Phendyr_Loon

I'm sure you're going to hear this said a few times, whenever picking up an instrument from repair ALWAYS play it and look it over BEFORE paying and taking it home.

+1, and it's not even about complaining or questioning the guy's work.

you want to play it to get a sense if the set-up he likes is the same one you like. you by definition play differently than he does, so you may want it higher or lower than he does. it should be no big deal for him to do a quick "final tweak" to your playing style.

[Jools4001]

Originally Posted by curly bassist

Yea i definitely won't be going there again haha.
But do you think i have grounds to complain?

You're being very English about this, of course you should complain. They made you wait a long time for a substandard job and damaged your bass in the process.

Having said that, as many others have pointed out, you're now on dodgy ground since you didn't take it up with them there and then and they could deny all responsibility.

But please, please learn how to perform basic setups yourself, it really dismays me to see people handing over hard earned cash for a job that is really very simple.

String changes should be something every bass player can do for themselves even on an Electro-acoustic. They're a bit more tricky than a standard solid body bridge because, yes, the bridge pins can be stubborn at times; but you dont need a special tool for them, I've used pliers on mine several times, just put something between the pliers and the pin so you don't damage the pin (I use a piece of chamois leather - dry of course). As long as you use common sense and don't go at it like a gorilla you should be fine.

While the strings are off, take the chance to give the fretboard, the frets and the bass in general a good clean - either using proprietary cleaners or something like lemon oil to clean it. I suppose that there is an arguement for replacing the strings one at a time to minimise the change in tension on the neck, but I've always replaced all my strings at once without any problems (and with seven basses and a string change every 2-3 months on average that's a lot of restringing in the last 40 years).

Adjusting the 'bow' or relief in the neck is simply a question of tightening or slackening the truss rod off, if you can tighten or undo a screw you can do it. Again, you just exercise a little common sense, go a little at a time and you will find truss rod adjustment relatively easy - there are loads of stickied threads on this site that will give you very detailed methods of how to go about it - it really is almost more difficult to describe than it is to do.

I just don't like to see people paying £30 for a 20 minute job

[mr george]

i would learn a lesson and move on.

i have never and will never take my bass to anyone for anything.know your instrument.it's not as difficult as people make out..

[jmattbassplaya]

I'd complain. That much money for a job he basically did completely in front of you AND caused damage to your instrument. If he did that to my Warwick SS1 I would of been in the right mind to strangle him over the counter.

[dbhokie]

I don't think it will do you any good to complain, but it is a matter I would complain about on pure principle.

I charge people 65 bucks for setup (I used to set up my friend's for free, but then I ended up with too many friends), but I will polish the guitar, use some lemon oil on the fretboard, cutip clean out the hardware, adjust the saddles if needed, and the action if the customer wants lower or higher, or its out of whack. Sometimes those pegs on acoustics are little devils, but once you loosen tension and I use some needlenose pliers as well that I super glued some rubber to, so they don't scratch anything, works rather well actually. I always make sure to clean off any fingerprints or skin oils I may have left on the finish or hardware of the instrument, then give it back to the customer.

[john grey]

You have received approx. a dozen reply's stating that you should complain. You missed your chance in my opinion. It's done.

You let a person with no experience "learn" on your instrument, while ruining the bridge pins. He obviously didn't know of, nor have the proper "pulling tool", he obviously didn't even know or care enough to do the work at time of order; therefore your complaint will most likely fall on deaf ears due to the time transpired after all this had been said and done.

I am sorry you experienced this issue; it's a shame to have t learn from situations like this. To complain now may give you some satisfaction, yet I doubt it; as it would be re-buffed by the time that had transpired between your receiving the instrument back and the time of complaint......."WHY did you not say anything when you received the poorly completed work"? That would be the normal query in response to your objection. Unquestionably, I would tell them I would never set foot in their shop ever again.
Next time either learn to DIY or respond with the same actions one would react with in automotive or household scenarios; when something's awry - speak up immediately. Were it me; I would never go back to that shop under any circumstances. The person who took your work order didn't care at all about the proper completion of the work. He got your money & you no longer mattered.

[curly bassist]

thanks for all the replies!

I have decided that as some of you rightly said, if he had no problem with doing such a poor job im sure he will have no problem denying accusations.

So i will complain but not expecting anything in return, just to let him know that me and my entire college music class will not be using his shop for anything again.

Thanks Again
Curly_Bassist

[Staccato]

A must for any setup is a description on a written note!

Example:

1. Lower strings action - closer to frets.
2. Install customer strings that are stapled to this note.
3. Customer will pickup guitar 5/25/11, please keep guitar in Fender HSC that was left with Guitar.

How is this not clear if written instead of some dude trying to remember what you want?