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Cracked Sadowsky

#81
svtb15 said:
damage to your fingerboard is waaaay different than a microscopic hairline flaw in a finish that has nothing to do with playability
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The damage was barely visible to the naked eye (far less noticeable than the OP's finish crack), and did not affect playability at all.

It was not wrong to have inspected the bass, or have the damage corrected.
 
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#82
esa372 said:
Right... "My bass was made better than yours; that's why the paint is cracking!"

Try it with another product:
"My Porsche was made better than your Ford - see how the paint cracks? That indicates superior workmanship!"

Come on, now... we can do better than that.
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I am pretty sure there was a reasonable portion of the the commenter's tongue planted firmly in his cheek when he suggested that this crack is a sign of superior craftsmanship...you appear to be taking it too literally.
 
#83
As I see it there are two issues here, OP: the crack itself and the fact that the crack bothers you. I've had two Sadowsky NYCs that have had cracks just like the one on your bass. In my case the basses arrived this way. I spoke to Roger about it and he said that this sometimes happens during transport (because of the bass getting bumped around - although I was told by someone else at the shop that wood expansion can be the culprit). Knowing that these are just finish cracks I'm not bothered by them. As others here have pointed out, these cracks are on account of the fact that Roger makes a point of having very tight fitting neck pockets. There's nothing structurally wrong here and it really is only aesthetic. If, knowing all of this (and it might help to hear it directly from Roger - or not) you are still bothered by the crack then that is your right. Talk to Roger and see what your options are. In my experience he is a fair person who wants his customers to be happy with their basses.
 
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#84
Low town said:
Ahhh....... the big conundrum I face, the stores faces, Roger faces.
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You have my sympathies. It is disappointing that a fine instrument would have a flaw like that, whether it is cosmetic or not. I have a great NYC P/J that I ordered in 2007, IIRC. If it had shown this problem after less than 2 weeks, I would have sent it back, because Roger would want to know about it and correct it. All human endeavors have flaws, but to the extent they can be avoided or corrected, we reach higher.

Roger Sadowsky is a very busy guy, but he is a gentleman, stands by his basses, and will answer your email. Approach him with sincerity and brevity. I saw in a post above that you have contacted the store that sold you the bass, and will know more on Monday. Good. You have, IMHO, done the right thing to start there.

However, I think I would also inform Roger and include the pic you posted. Having good faith goes pretty far when asking to have a customer service/quality issue resolved, IME.

A thought: For sure you are aware that the Metro's are not built in Long Island City, but in Tokyo, by Sadowsky employees. If I were on that staff, I would strive for my work to surpass the precision and excellence of the NYC crew. The Japanese shop has a reputation for actually achieving exactly that. Yet, not everything can be made perfect, and a trip half-way around the world is possibly a factor. This will be made right, I feel certain.
 
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#86
esa372 said:
Right... "My bass was made better than yours; that's why the paint is cracking!"

Try it with another product:
"My Porsche was made better than your Ford - see how the paint cracks? That indicates superior workmanship!"

Come on, now... we can do better than that.
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I think you missed my point. I wasn't disagreeing with you. I will try to be more clear (without requiring any reading between the lines):

1) I believe the tight neck pocket contributed to the crack.
2) Many consider the tight neck pocket to be a sign of superior workmanship.
3) Looking at 1 & 2, it is a fair statement that "superior workmanship" contributed to the crack.
4) I repeatedly said "many consider" in reference to the tight neck pocket. Personally, I agree that a tight neck pocket requires very tight tolerances and more attention to detail, and therefore more time and effort from the craftsman. Is it superior? That is debatable. By the admission of many, it leads to finish cracks around the neck pocket.

So, maybe, just maybe, in some situations, superior craftsmanship, when it translates to really tight tolerances, isn't such a great thing, as it can contribute to other issues. Maybe a little bit of neck pocket gap has advantages. I can think of two: 1) it should reduce the likelihood of cracks such as this, and 2) it should increase the ability to swap necks, since the neck doesn't have to be custom fit to the instrument. It also has disadvantages: 1) the neck can shift in the pocket, causing alignment problems. 2) Neck gap can be considered ugly. 3) Some feel that the gap affects tone.
 
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#87
It's a finish crack that won't affect anything....except the value of the bass if you decide to sell it.

You'll have to disclose the crack, and many potential buyers will view it with the same trepidation that you're experiencing now. Also, don't be surprised to see the crack get bigger over time.

Those type of cracks wouldn't bother me, but there's no way I'd pay the same price as I would for one without flaws. But that's just me.
 
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#88
I once bought a Taylor acoustic guitar. Within a couple of weeks all the binding on the body was cracking. I took it back straight away. It was meant to be a step up and something I'd saved for and looked forwards to. I was really dissappointed. Got my money back and got a very nice used l'arrivee instead.
I would most definitely take the bass back whether or not people here say it's normal. If you're treating yourself to something special and it results in disappointment it's a complete waste of money whether or not it's still a good bass.
 
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#89
To OP-you did post few times that your cheaper Fenders got no same problem,but i do not take this to craftsmanship of both Fender and Sadowsky's basses.It is just your bad luck to having this very bass.I have assure you that even a Ferrari would have some fault at some point believing or not.If you have any regrets of bought this bass just do not,this could be happen to anyone and any bass.
 
#90
I think it is your right to raise your concerns with the store and then with the manufacturer, if you feel that is necessary.
I don't know why the finish crack happens there, but the instruments I have that are finish cracked in that spot all sound great and have no other issues.

I have read some interesting pronouncements in this thread as to why this thing happens in some bolt on neck basses.
I have 19 bolt on neck basses (I know.. another story)- Fenders, EBMM, G & L, Squier, Gibson. 1956 to 2013. Poly and nitro. MIA, MIJ, Indonesian, MIM. Tight neck pocket/ not so tight neck pocket.
I checked all my basses just now to see which was cracked and which wasn't before writing this post. I knew some were but couldn't remember exactly which ones, that's how much I think about the issue.
Three have a superficial crack in the finish in the same spot as your pic- they are all beautiful playing and sounding basses.
These are
82 Fullerton 57 P RI- original white nitro over ash, neck pocket tight as a fishes.
04 MIM Standard Jazz- original poly over alder, neck pocket tight as a fishes. Really hard to get this one out.
73 Telecaster Bass- original thick poly over ash, neck pocket with a mm or two gap each side and a three bolt to boot. A classic 70s Fender but the neck is very stable and she sustains for days if I want it to.

So on my sample, I see it in nitro and two different poly finishes, I see it in alder and ash bodies, I see it in three and 4 bolt systems, I see it in tight neck pockets and not so tight neck pockets. I see it in US and non US builds.
I see it in cheaper builds built with an ultra tight neck pocket (MIM) and more acclaimed ones (82 Fullerton).

Where I don't see it is also interesting. I have 16 that haven't cracked that have tight neck pockets (yes even the 70s Fenders). These include 56 nitro over ash, 69 nitro over ash, 73 poly over alder, 74 nitro over maple, 75 poly over ash, 82 nito over maple and a number of fairly recent polt over alder and ash basses.

I doubt you can be assured by some of the posts here that it as a result of a tight neck pocket and that it is an indication of a superior build.
I think you can be assured that it will not impact the performance of the instrument negatively. Have it checked out to make sure it is not structural and then make your decision as to how you wish to proceed.
 
#93
As owner of many bolt-ons, most with totally tight fit in the pocket, some 20-30 years old that are gigged regularly, never babied, and have even had the necks re-&-re'd, such cracks are not common in my experience. I do live and mostly gig in temperate climates, perhaps that matters.

As someone who started following all Sadowsky ads in the classifieds as of a couple months ago, this does seem... certainly not common but not totally surprising either. Hairline cracks at the neck pocket or tuners I've seen mention of several times.

I agree with those who suggest calling the shop.
 
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#94
veebass said:
I think it is your right to raise your concerns with the store and then with the manufacturer, if you feel that is necessary.
I don't know why the finish crack happens there, but the instruments I have that are finish cracked in that spot all sound great and have no other issues.

I have read some interesting pronouncements in this thread as to why this thing happens in some bolt on neck basses.
I have 19 bolt on neck basses (I know.. another story)- Fenders, EBMM, G & L, Squier, Gibson. 1956 to 2013. Poly and nitro. MIA, MIJ, Indonesian, MIM. Tight neck pocket/ not so tight neck pocket.
I checked all my basses just now to see which was cracked and which wasn't before writing this post. I knew some were but couldn't remember exactly which ones, that's how much I think about the issue.
Three have a superficial crack in the finish in the same spot as your pic- they are all beautiful playing and sounding basses.
These are
82 Fullerton 57 P RI- original white nitro over ash, neck pocket tight as a fishes.
04 MIM Standard Jazz- original poly over alder, neck pocket tight as a fishes. Really hard to get this one out.
73 Telecaster Bass- original thick poly over ash, neck pocket with a mm or two gap each side and a three bolt to boot. A classic 70s Fender but the neck is very stable and she sustains for days if I want it to.

So on my sample, I see it in nitro and two different poly finishes, I see it in alder and ash bodies, I see it in three and 4 bolt systems, I see it in tight neck pockets and not so tight neck pockets. I see it in US and non US builds.
I see it in cheaper builds built with an ultra tight neck pocket (MIM) and more acclaimed ones (82 Fullerton).

Where I don't see it is also interesting. I have 16 that haven't cracked that have tight neck pockets (yes even the 70s Fenders). These include 56 nitro over ash, 69 nitro over ash, 73 poly over alder, 74 nitro over maple, 75 poly over ash, 82 nito over maple and a number of fairly recent polt over alder and ash basses.

I doubt you can be assured by some of the posts here that it as a result of a tight neck pocket and that it is an indication of a superior build.
I think you can be assured that it will not impact the performance of the instrument negatively. Have it checked out to make sure it is not structural and then make your decision as to how you wish to proceed.
Click to expand...

I have a '74 Telecaster bass. IMO, that three bolt system and the loose neck pocket is not the best combination. I would bet that somewhere in its 40+ year life, the neck on your 73 shifted in the pocked and put pressure on the side of the pocket, cracking the finish.

I agree it is not a serious problem, but it is related to tight neck pockets. The finish cracks because of pressure on the side of the neck pocket. A tight pocket doesn't guarantee a crack, but it does increase the likelihood. I might be disappointed too if it happened in the first couple weeks of owning a new bass. I don't know if I would return it or not, but I'm betting I wouldn't. Nothing wrong with making the other decision, though.
 
#96
Double E said:
Having read this thread, and other threads, I have come to the following conclusion:

- there are practically no MATERIAL improvements in Sadowsky basses over Fender basses.

The depth of responses over these threads support this proposal.

Not sure why you'd spend the extra $$ in the first place.
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