Setup/Repair Nightmares

[tplyons]

Stealing an idea from our very own Bryan R. Tyler, what's the worst experience you've had giving your bass to a shop or tech to have them set it up or repair it?

My two happened at the same time.

ABG goes in, low action, crazy buzzing, can't fix it with the truss rod. Get it back, the action is crazy high, still buzzes, and they charge me $50. Note on the tag says twisted neck, un repairable, but still had to charge me. Bull.

Fender Jazz goes in. Normally I wouldn't but I didn't have the gear or the time to slot my Badass II. Goes in, comes out, and I went to try an amp that I've been looking at across the room, prefer to do it with my own bass because I know how it sounds. The strings are sliding all over the place! The tech didn't slot the grooves. Albeit it was perfectly intonated, but I made him cut the grooves, he brought it back after cutting the grooves, and I asked if he intonated it again. He said he did before he cut. Asked him for a tuner and showed him how off he was. He told me that would take a few days, so I asked him for a screwdriver and did it myself right in front of him. He still charged me $45 for it.

What are your worst?

[BurningSkies]

I had a tech do a wiring job and the nut on my USACG Tele project...which was spec'ed out pretty much 100% to stock except for the KILLER swamp ash body (even has age appropriate SN & decal). A years worth of waiting, working and sweating ALL the details. I supplied 2 feet each of black and white cloth wire, and all electronics. Supplied a bone nut ready for use.

When I picked it up, it had been wired with cheesy plastic wire, the nut was not used...instead it was a cheesy pre-cut plastic nut. So much for being 'authentic'.

Just for kicks he threw in 'at no extra charge' a bunch of chips off of the clear coat from the back, around the string ferrules.


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My 73 Fender Twin went into the amp tech because it was sounding 'off' and wheeezy. I told him to PLEEEEEEZE make it stable and dependable as it was my gigging guitar amp ...Cap job or whatever it needs...

When it came back it had been 'blackfaced' (completely unexpected) and was still erratic. I was pretty pissed that the amp had been modded without my knowledge, even though it was a mod that I would have possibly elected for.

[tplyons]

Originally Posted by BurningSkies

I had a tech do a wiring job and the nut on my USACG Tele project...which was spec'ed out pretty much 100% to stock except for the KILLER swamp ash body (even has age appropriate SN & decal). A years worth of waiting, working and sweating ALL the details. I supplied 2 feet each of black and white cloth wire, and all electronics. Supplied a bone nut ready for use.

When I picked it up, it had been wired with cheesy plastic wire, the nut was not used...instead it was a cheesy pre-cut plastic nut. So much for being 'authentic'.

Just for kicks he threw in 'at no extra charge' a bunch of chips off of the clear coat from the back, around the string ferrules.

Did you at least get the wire back and nut blank? That's really shotty that the tech obviously isn't capable of carrying the responsibility that goes with the name. Hell, I just cut my first nut ever the other day. Took forever but it came out very nicely.

Originally Posted by BurningSkies

My 73 Fender Twin went into the amp tech because it was sounding 'off' and wheeezy. I told him to PLEEEEEEZE make it stable and dependable as it was my gigging guitar amp ...Cap job or whatever it needs...

When it came back it had been 'blackfaced' (completely unexpected) and was still erratic. I was pretty pissed that the amp had been modded without my knowledge, even though it was a mod that I would have possibly elected for.

Also very sucky. If you can't fix it, don't do something else to it. Some people really need their butts kicked.

[BurningSkies]

Originally Posted by tplyons

Did you at least get the wire back and nut blank? That's really shotty that the tech obviously isn't capable of carrying the responsibility that goes with the name. Hell, I just cut my first nut ever the other day. Took forever but it came out very nicely.Also very sucky. If you can't fix it, don't do something else to it. Some people really need their butts kicked.

Yup. I did get all the extras back. I was really disappointed in the whole experience. I put so much time in to have someone 'not get it'. Even though he was talkin' big about how it was such a cool project.

The amp is still in the same shape as when returned from the shop. As I play bass full time these days, I haven't had need of it much. I think part of its problems comes from the need of at least one new speaker, if not two. Its frustrating, because there's no one around here qualified to work on tube amps.

[tplyons]

Well, that died pretty quickly.

[Bryan R. Tyler]

Here's my story from the other thread in case anyone missed it:
About eight years ago, I dropped off my Samick five-string to get a setup at the local music store. They used a repairman who worked several stores in the area- he'd pick up the instruments, bring 'em back when he was done. Took FIVE WEEKS to get my bass back. I kept calling and waiting and calling- they just couldn't get the bass back to me. I was a lot more timid/laid back then than I am now (as well as fifty pounds smaller and weaker )....I'm still a laid back guy, but if someone tried to pull that on me nowadays, I'd kill them

The really sad part is that the next year I gave them another shot, and it took three weeks to get my bass back.

[McHaven]

I sent my Ibanez in for a setup because I had tried to set it up my self and failed miserably. Anyway, I guess this is my fault. I didn't specify how I wanted the action or what new string or anything. I told them I prefer Rotosounds for new strings though.

So, I go back to the shop to pick up my bass. Its strung with Rotosound Flats, super super low. Everytime I played the strings hit the pickups(which apparently were not adjusted). I was majorly ticked off. I told them to set it up again with Rotosound Swing Bass if they ever want me to buy from their shop again. I go in there everyweek for picks and cables and whatnot so they setup it up to my specifications. Nice medium-high action so I can dig in really well, without hitting pickups.

[Philbiker]

Originally Posted by tplyons

ABG goes in, low action, crazy buzzing, can't fix it with the truss rod. Get it back, the action is crazy high, still buzzes, and they charge me $50. Note on the tag says twisted neck, un repairable, but still had to charge me. Bull.

If the neck truly was twisted and he determined this, it wasn't bull.

My "worst" experience was similar. When I brougt my brand new Palaedium which had been hanging at the local shop for many years, the tech informed me that it has a "rising tongue". Peavey planed the front of the fingerboard for me under warrantee, but years later it became unplayable, necessitating a new neck. Thankfully I got the neck and the bass is better than new now!

A few years later, I really got my worst experience with the same bass at another shop. I brought it in and instructed the tech to replace the panpot with a volume control. When I got it back, he had done just that, replaced the panpot with a volume control. Problem was, both volume controls were in series, both with both pickups! I should not have had to specifically state "I want Vol/Vol/Tone like a jazz bass". It should have been self-evident. They fixed it.

[tplyons]

Originally Posted by Philbiker

If the neck truly was twisted and he determined this, it wasn't bull.

Well it wasn't bull that it was twisted, it was bull because they knew it was twisted before working on it instead of contacting me to see if I wished to continue.

Originally Posted by Philbiker

A few years later, I really got my worst experience with the same bass at another shop. I brought it in and instructed the tech to replace the panpot with a volume control. When I got it back, he had done just that, replaced the panpot with a volume control. Problem was, both volume controls were in series, both with both pickups! I should not have had to specifically state "I want Vol/Vol/Tone like a jazz bass". It should have been self-evident. They fixed it.

Wow, and this guy calls himself a tech?

[Philbiker]

Originally Posted by tplyons

Wow, and this guy calls himself a tech?

He did it right the second time. I was lazy, I should have just done it myself.