If I ship this back, it's either for good or because everything's getting redone.
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A few detail problems with custom bass, what would you do?
- Thread starter lordradish
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- custom bass problem
Ouch.
1/8 off, to me that's unacceptable.
Dots on fretless aren't straight, unforgivable.
sorry about your bass my friend
1/8 off, to me that's unacceptable.
Dots on fretless aren't straight, unforgivable.
sorry about your bass my friend
100% satisfaction. Nothing less. Part of your moral duty is as a human being should be to not accept Shotty work. If the luthier is not eager to rectify the situation… Challenge him or her to a duel.
Yeah, last time I did this, my flintlock pistol jammed on me and I almost got shot. There needs to be a better way. Swords?
Being 1/8" off is unacceptable. Even the pickup on a bass sold at Alibaba is better centered.
These things aren't acceptable on a $300 bass let alone a $3,000 bass. I'd return it.
Passinwind
I know nothing.
- Dec 3, 2003
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- Designer/Toaster Tech @ Passinwind Electronics
Hire a thug from the Academy Awards?
Sorry to hear that, and certainly when it's a luthier with good credit where you put all your trust into, not to mention the 2800$. That's quite a stash of money for most people, and that amount of money should warrant perfection imo. Hope you get it resolved - for whatever reason your bass doesn't have its pickup lined up, or the dots where they should be, this guy should resolve it pronto. I can't imagine spending that amount of cash and getting a quasimodo in return. I'd explode.
I can't imagine any amount of money back will be enough to make you forget about these imperfections.
I mean, best case scenario he says "Ah, my bad, here's a 100% refund" ...and now you have a free bass that still has the pickup off-center and the fingerboard markings off-kilter! And every time you play it you'll notice those things, and then you'll have to comfort yourself by saying "Yeah, but it was free." That's no way to enjoy an instrument. That's definitely not a recipe for being able to transcend an instrument and get lost in the music.
Plus, he probably won't offer you a 100% refund.
I'd ask him to fix the problems. Sounds like it wouldn't require a complete redo, just a new fingerboard, a new pickup rout, and some re-shaping/sanding/finishing?
Haven't seen the pictures so not sure quite how it looks, but might it be that the mis-alignment of the dots is intentional? As in - looking sideways at the fingerboard vs. looking at the front of the board, there is a bit of 'parallax' difference?
Given that other imprecisions you've mentioned, this case seems unlikely, but just something that came to mind.
Regarding whether to return it or not: depends what expectations you had, and/or whether you'd seen/played other instruments by this builder. I've owned (and still own) some 'custom' built basses (admittedly - bought used), which have some such production imprecisions (from initial build, not from previous user's treatment of the instrument). Mis-aligned side-dots, rough finish patches, etc.
If the bass played and sounded great, it hasn't bothered me at all. if it didn't play great, then equally, the imperfections didn't matter: bass was on the chopping block anyway. So in my case, this sort of issue was never pivotal - but YMMV.
I think you should just tell him about the things that bother you and see what he offers as a means to rectify the situation. He should, I would think, offer to fix the things that are wrong at his cost. Have an idea in your head of what it would take to do that (whole new fingerboard, or modify what is there; enlarge PU route and re-center or change PU out for a different model and re-route the cavity to fit). Discuss all those options, but let him start the solution conversation. Weigh the options that the two of you discuss and proceed w/o making any snap decisions or getting upset.
If he offers a discount on the price, have a number in mind that you think will work for you that makes it worthwhile. He probably won't want to take money out of his pocket, but putting back on his bench may be more painful for him if he is particularly busy right now.
If he offers a discount on the price, have a number in mind that you think will work for you that makes it worthwhile. He probably won't want to take money out of his pocket, but putting back on his bench may be more painful for him if he is particularly busy right now.
The dots aren't misaligned with the frets. They're just not parallel with the length of the neck, so they look crooked.
You're justified in your disappointment, and you've had plenty of confirmation on that count.
Now you're at the crossroads between keep your disappointment to yourself, play and try to enjoy the good things about it, or craft a well-worded diplomatic letter crediting the good and outlining the not-so-good, ask the builder if you have any recourse to correct the issues, and send that letter along with plenty of high-def pics. At best, he takes it back and makes it better, or perhaps offers a partial refund or some kind of compensation. At worst, he declines any type of remedy, but in doing so, at least you won't have to live with the uncertainty.
You have nothing to lose at this point.
Now you're at the crossroads between keep your disappointment to yourself, play and try to enjoy the good things about it, or craft a well-worded diplomatic letter crediting the good and outlining the not-so-good, ask the builder if you have any recourse to correct the issues, and send that letter along with plenty of high-def pics. At best, he takes it back and makes it better, or perhaps offers a partial refund or some kind of compensation. At worst, he declines any type of remedy, but in doing so, at least you won't have to live with the uncertainty.
You have nothing to lose at this point.
- Sep 4, 2010
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- Endorsing: Martin Keith Guitars
My experience with a custom builder: if I need some adjustments of this or that, they would do that. A good builder wants a satisfied customer with whom they can build a long term relationship. And you should be satisfied with your bass. It is up to you to decide if you aren't. If you aren't, in your case, it doesn't seem to be too much of a stretch to me to just ask them to do fixes to a,b and c, rather than having to go and tell them they did a, b and c 'wrong'.
That guy doesn't get out of bed for less than ten million. For a job it's twenty. Out of reach here, I think.
None of what you describe seems even remotely acceptable to me, and as you point out, would only be corrected by a rebuild. I would want a full refund...end of story. I would ask politely and "softly", but that is what i would ask for. I would not want to wait for him to build another. It sucks but seems clear to me. Since these are objective, definite defects, I would publish pics of them with an explanation on line if he balked at the refund, then I'd sell at a big loss and move on. Best of luck.
This is one reason I don't go down the custom bass route. I want to hold and play the bass before I'll part with my cash.
