how bad is this?

air_leech · #1 11-11-2010, 01:34 PM

I found out on my month old '62 reissue Jazz that the bridge screw closest to the E string saddle was probably overtightened in the factory (I opened the cardboard box myself at the music store I bought it) which caused the rear of the bridge to sink a litte a bit into the finish and cause a hairline crack in the finish as well as raising the front corner of the bridge plate high enough above the finish that I can stick a piece of paper underneth... :-/
the bass plays flawless as far as I can tell and sounds great, I don't seem to hear or feel anything abnormal so if there is any affect it's nothing I can notice.

nevertheless, I'm looking for opinions whether this is an issue that should be addressed - by a luthier or by me if possible (I'm quite handy and technical), whether I should return the bass for a replacement or whether I can leave it as is.

thanks in advance for any educated reply.

air_leech · #2 11-11-2010, 01:35 PM

this picture shows how far a piece of paper can go in the gap created by the countersinking of the bridge into the finish.

tdub0199 · #3 11-11-2010, 01:44 PM

IIf it is new and still under warranty I would take it back and exchange it.... just my .02...

Smokin' Toaster · #4 11-11-2010, 01:57 PM

You say it plays flawlessly and sounds great. If you take it back and get another one and find the second one has a perfectly installed bridge but in other areas is not as great as this one whatcha gonna do?

Just food for thought....

BigOldHarry · #5 11-11-2010, 02:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tdub0199

IIf it is new and still under warranty I would take it back and exchange it.... just my .02...

+1

not because it plays bad, but because that flaw will impact your resale value - Buying a Fender isn't like buying some other bass - It will be "Vintage" before you know it, so accepting what looks like a factory flaw is a no go for me...

If not under warranty, then I'd not sweat it - you'd likely do more damage than good trying to fix that tiny flaw.

Hugh Jass · #6 11-11-2010, 02:42 PM

Have you tried backing that screw off half a turn? Though I guess the wood underneath has been compressed already. I'm gonna have to side with taking it back if you still can. Or, if you really love that particular bass, see if they will pay for a pro repair.

Man, they must have really torqued that sucker down

You would think with the volume they sell that Fender would use drills with torque settings......

walterw · #7 11-11-2010, 08:42 PM

if you like the bass, exchanging it may leave you with one you don't like as much!

i would take the bridge off and bend it ever so slightly concave so that it lays flat when re-installed. it's not a big deal, i do this all the time on tele guitar bridges (which also mount with a row of screws right at the back edge).

i also wouldn't sweat the re-sale angle, after a few years the soft nitro finish is gonna have a lot more bruises and bumps than that!

Yerf Dog · #8 11-11-2010, 08:49 PM

If it's gonna bug you, swap it.

T-Bird · #9 11-11-2010, 10:13 PM

Hi.

That's perfectly normal for any Fender product IME. There are an occasional diamond in the rough, but they're hard to come by.

As Yerf Dog said: "If it's gonna bug you, swap it."

Regards
Sam

air_leech · #10 11-11-2010, 10:23 PM

frankly I expected better QC on an American Vintage Series instrument as these alongside the Deluxe series are supposed to be their flagship american serial production instruments. guess I was spoiled by my EBMMs.
it doesn't bug me though as I see it as mojo and the bass makes up for it with wonderful playability and excellent tone and resonance plus - it's light, very light.

however, I want to make sure this small flaw doesn't pose any future potential problems as the legitimate time scale to inform the distributer is running out.

JLS · #11 11-12-2010, 08:15 AM

It won't.

KayXero · #12 11-12-2010, 12:37 PM

I dont mean to hijack but this is similar to my issue and I thought another thread would be pointless.

The bass I just sent to the shop to have work done has a hairline crack from the middle screw of the 5 bridge screws...its about 3/12 of an inch in length. Apparently the original bridge was screwed on too tight. The bass is 5 years old and way past any warranty.

I am scared about the new bridge being too tight now and causing the crack to spread when I get the bass back. Is this something I should have fixed or mention to my tech?

or is it NBD as some have said

JLS · #13 11-12-2010, 02:06 PM

It's a finish crack.

FunkMetalBass · #14 11-12-2010, 02:21 PM

If it bothers you, replace it. Easy-peasy.

If it bothers you, but only from a structural standpoint, you can put a small drop of super glue underneath the crack, and put the bridge back on. It should hold just fine and the bridge (especially if you loosen up the screws a bit so that it's flatter/angled forward just a little) will give you the pressure you need for a tight seal.

You can probably also take a q-tip with some lacquer thinner on it and run it along the crack. With any luck, the finish will melt together and re-harden to cover the seam.

scott123 · #15 11-12-2010, 02:29 PM

Did the store discount the instrument at all? If I saw that hanging on the rack in the store I would expect a discount due to a cosmetic flaw. If you paid full price I would want it replaced.

air_leech · #16 11-13-2010, 10:16 AM

I had a major discount due to my mom being a music teacher.
The bass never was on display, it was a completely new bass which I had taken out of the box myself.

Anyway, I'd rather keep it if the flaw has no influence on sound, playability or stractural integrity. I have some experience with the laquer thinner method mentioned as I repaird dents on my reissue PBass that way and will probably fix it this way next time I change strings to prevent future flaking of the finish. I find that doing these small repairs myself adds a sentimental value to the instrument, it's a mojo thing.

Thanks all!

darkstorm · #17 11-13-2010, 11:45 AM

You just bought it found it had workmanship defect and accepted it? Return it for refund or replacement.

air_leech · #18 11-13-2010, 05:51 PM

I can see why it may look like a no brainer but if you check my previous posts you'll learn I've waited for this bass for 7 months and had to face a good share of heart and head aches. I really don't want to have to wait for a replacement and I'm afraid the new one may play or sound (or weigh) less to my liking, still we're talking Fender here.

if the implications of the flaw are purely cosmetic and are easily fixable I see no reason to give up on an otherwise perfect bass which meets my expectations in every category.

Fenders have some quirks, I guess it's part of their being the Ford Model Ts of the guitar industry - now that I think of it I know two local guys who have Am.Deluxe Jazzes (one of which is an FMT), both had some manufacturing defects which had to be addressed and both bought them new in the US. it's just that I enjoy setting up and maintaining my basses by myself and I recognize that while Fender doesn't have the best fit, finish and QC in the business they are still the best way to get THE Fender sound. I see it as a part of the magic. I guess if I paid two-three time the money and got a CS or Alleva Coppollo I would expect it to be above and beyond any production bass I played.

zombywoof5050 · #19 11-14-2010, 01:48 AM

I certainly wouldn't recommend loosening any screws to try and make it lay flat again. Loose bridge screws can change the vibrational properties and have an adverse effect on the sound. Then again, if the bridge plate right underneath the saddle is not laying flat on the body, it could have an effect on the vibration of said string (though it looks like your saddle is not sitting on the raised part). But if it sounds good and doesn't seem to cause any problems, I'd leave it alone.

JLS · #20 11-14-2010, 08:49 AM

Uh, yeah!