Crooked neck plate?

[Spectre Gunner]

Your phone make and model, including the built in camera lens, may not be the same as the OP's. Certainly the focal point distances are not all the same as either; your and theirs.

The neck plate is one of thousands blanked from an industrial punch and die. Those don't deviate from set tolerances nearly to the degree you may be thinking. Adding to how far fetched it would be for that neck plate to be so nonconforming is the fact that the plate, like the tens of thousands of others, went through a secondary milling step to add bevels to the four screw holes, tumbled to deburr, cleaned, plated and QC'd. But we'll never know for sure.

What's going on is botched neck screw holes through the body. What's amazing to me is someone in Fender's CS didn't even notice, then used a transfer punch down through those misplaced screw holes to index where to drill the pilot holes into the neck... then, then... then... QC didn't even notice either! (5 x facepalm emoji goes here)

Yes, it's unlikely the plate is not square but it is possible. We see distorted photos on TB daily and judgements such as string spacing, neck alignment, shape, etc are often made based on photos with uncorrected lens and perspective distortion. So if the photo is a distorted illusion than how do we know it's crooked to begin with? If there is no possibility of a manufacturing defect then why should that plate manufacturer waste resources on a QC department? Physically measuring is the only accurate way to tell.

But not important and what matters is that the OP deserves better quality when paying CS costs. Unless it's some obscure but intentional relic'ing detail we're not aware of. Either way, I'm happy for him/her that it's being taken care of.

 

[Mastermold]

We see distorted photos on TB daily and judgements based on those pics such as string spacing, neck alignment, shape, etc are often based on those photos. But if the photo is a distorted illusion then how do we know it's crooked to begin with? If there is no possibility of a manufacturing defect then why should that plate manufacturer spend resources on a QC department? This is why physically measuring is the proper thing to do.

What matters is that the OP deserves better quality when paying CS costs. Unless it's some obscure but intentional relic'ing detail we are not aware of.

I’ve never seen a Fender with a crooked neck plate like that before, vintage or new, expensive or not. Glad they are taking it back at least but it’s embarrassing they let it out in the first place.

 

[Grinderman]

We see distorted photos on TB daily and judgements based on those pics such as string spacing, neck alignment, shape, etc are often based on those photos. But if the photo is a distorted illusion then how do we know it's crooked to begin with? If there is no possibility of a manufacturing defect then why should that plate manufacturer spend resources on a QC department? This is why physically measuring is the proper thing to do.

What matters is that the OP deserves better quality when paying CS costs. Unless it's some obscure but intentional relic'ing detail we are not aware of.

I said the die stamped steel blank--the body of the plate--itself wouldn't be misshaped. I didn't say every aspect of the finished part couldn't involve some other defect.

For example, though unlikely, it's possible for there to be defects arising from the secondary milling step I mentioned. More/most likely reject parts would be due to the pre-plating prep or the plating itself. That's on the fabricator or vender for the plates.

BTW, if the overall shape of the neck plate blank were out of tolerance it likely wouldn't sit or fit correctly in the fixturing required to position and hold the part during the secondary milling steps. The machinist/CNC operator would/should notice that when loading the blanks in the fixture. Failing to do so could lead to much bigger problems.

I'm also pretty sure these plates meet the eyes of personnel inside the Fender factory, including the CS builder... however, after seeing this example the quality of people's vision over there that is questionable.

 

[fretno]

this was taken with a 5s lol

btw this is a '68 Telecaster bass and that is a weird bird reflection on the plate , not sure how I managed that . I think we can see on the OP's bass the right side screw just a wee hair lower than the left side.

 

[Chickenwheels]

Yikes. The “don’t put me in the bin” sticker does nothing to help, either.

 

[GIBrat51]

I hate to say it, but... given what the back of the bass looks like? I'd say that neck plate fits right in...

 

[bassdog]

unacceptable and let them know.

 

[BAG]

Was not special ordered. Got it for just under 4 grand.

Which would land here in NZ for around $8,000
And they have admitted that it is a mistake that should not have left the factory!
For that money every single aspect inside and out of the instrument should be thoroughly checked before shipping. The fact that something as obvious as that got missed makes me wonder what other issues get missed on a regular basis.

I’ve never seen a Fender with a crooked neck plate like that before, vintage or new, expensive or not. Glad they are taking it back at least but it’s embarrassing they let it out in the first place.

Embarrassing on a bottom line Fender...... for a $4,000 custom shop bass the person who did final QC checks should be sacked. They are supposed to be the best of the best that Fender makes and the staff should also be the best of the best.

 

[Grinderman]

Which would land here in NZ for around $8,000
And they have admitted that it is a mistake that should not have left the factory!
For that money every single aspect inside and out of the instrument should be thoroughly checked before shipping. The fact that something as obvious as that got missed makes me wonder what other issues get missed on a regular basis.

Embarrassing on a bottom line Fender...... for a $4,000 custom shop bass the person who did final QC checks should be sacked. They are supposed to be the best of the best that Fender makes and the staff should also be the best of the best.

One would think that but it's evident that Fender may be having difficulty with filling positions and worker retention at their factory, let alone having enough workers with adequate or better skills and qualities for the positions.

 

[FunkHead]

I saw another one of these for sale here on TB with what looks like a pretty crooked neck plate.​

 

[vid1900]

Yeah but... Shouldn't the Master Craftspersons in the Custom Shop do this?

It's a relic, it's supposed to look like junk.

Corroded screws, chipped paint, body oil stained neck.

 

[Chickenwheels]

Let’s see, you buy a CS distressed finish bass that is built to look like it’s been through the mill and a crooked neck plate is an issue?

Did it occur to you it may have been intentional by the CS builders?

Your complaint just isn’t adding up to me.

Well played ain’t Badly Made.

 

[Chickenwheels]

Until the OP takes 30 seconds to loosed the screws and try and straighten the plate, all the comments are just fodder for the I Hate Fender club and the I Love to Hear Myself Speak club. I have reassembled basses and had this exact thing happen, there is a surprising amount of play in the plate.

Yeah....but this isn’t a nice s/h CBS picked up for a reasonable price. Having come fresh from the CS, and costing a bl@&dy fortune, you’d have hoped it would have been put together carefully in the first place.

 

[rashrader]

See what happens when you don’t use a CNC Machine!!! Lol.

 

[fretno]

I have never seen a crooked plate on a vintage Fender before , this in fact is the only one I've ever seen .

 

[FunkHead]

I have never seen a crooked plate on a vintage Fender before , this in fact is the only one I've ever seen .

I have seen them. On custom shops even!

 

[Jeff Scott]

MAN, who would order a Ferrari in RED?

I certainly know that I wouldn't.
Also, forget about Giallo Modena, too.

If that is a CS replica of an early '70s CBS ... Then it is period correct.

The argument "Fender used to make some shoddy basses in the CBS era, so this is just true-to-form" argument is hilarious. You go ahead and pay a premium for substandard work because it's "authentic." I'll take a hard pass.

I’ve never seen a Fender with a crooked neck plate like that before, vintage or new, expensive or not.

I owned three 1972 (CBS era) 7enders back in the last century, and a few more recent ones in this century. I have never seen a crooked neck plate, either, vintage or new, until this thread.

You can emphasize / de-emphasize things with angles and lens selection.

Absolutely. I have decades of experience with this as my preferred camera of choice is/was a view camera.

You're way ahead of me. I'm still using an iPhone 8.

Hey, I'm still using these!

 

[Grinderman]

I certainly know that I wouldn't.
Also, forget about Giallo Modena, too.





I owned three 1972 (CBS era) 7enders back in the last century, and a few more recent ones in this century. I have never seen a crooked neck plate, either, vintage or new, until this thread.

Absolutely. I have decades of experience with this as my preferred camera of choice is/was a view camera.

Hey, I'm still using these!

View attachment 4367577

Nice Hasselblad... I mean, guitars.

 

[Rnr..........4]

This guy could fix that issue for you!!View attachment 4367373

Where's Pete Townshend when you need him?

 

[Rnr..........4]

Wow, ok folks. 0 to 60 much? Of course it's real. I wouldn't waste my time posting some bogus made up story. Created the thread to see if the slightly crooked plate would affect stability.

I took the picture as best I could centered. I should have got one at an angle I guess.

Here is the dealer picture. Judge for yourself.