@4Banger4, what e-tailer are you dealing with? We need to avoid them and Fender needs to know what is going down. This should not have happened at all.
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@Linnin, this was ordered through SamAsh Direct. I have ordered through SamAsh many times online as well as locally and have never had a problem until now. They were quick to get me a return label with the first combo to send it back. They received it last Thursday and the "replacement" arrived today. Unfortunately, did not appear to be factory new. I plan on writing up all the testing and scenarios I did with the amps and pass that along to Fender. I love the rumbles, I have a V2 15 combo, 60 combo, 350 head. The V3 seems great too. Now I just want one that's as solid as my V2 rumbles.
Surely it is good customer service for the retailer to make you aware that they only have the floor model available and if you still want to have it. But its inexcusable for it to not work and not have all the correct accessories in the box. It is obvious they did not check over the amp before shipping it off. Which is especially bad considering that its a replacement for a faulty unit.
I think that's the nature of the modern retail landscape. Profits cut to the minimum needed to keep the doors open and pay the employees. One penny more and the customers click on the next e-tailer.
So they've got this B-stock in the back and no clear date for delivery of a factory-new amp. They roll the dice, ship 4Banger4 the B-stock, and hope this will solve two problems at once. It was a ballsy move; they should have called 4Banger4 and asked if that solution was acceptable.
Now they've got three problems instead of two: Some B-stock in the back collecting dust, a warranty issue with no definite delivery date, and now, a disillusioned and rightly pissed-off customer. 4Banger4's next move is to write a polite letter to the corporate office explaining how he understands that warranty problems happen, but that he sees this attempt at trying to hand off used merchandise as a major breech of the customer/retailer trust. And could he please have his original amplifier back -- the one with serial number ICA15xxxxxx (of course 4Banger4 wrote that down somewhere) -- and he will take up the warranty with Fender directly. My guess is that corporate will get in touch with the manager of that specific Sam Ash within minutes of receiving the email and tell him or her to make it right with 4Banger4 at any cost.
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I've had a few times where something goes amiss with a retail transaction so I've adopted a personal policy when picking up anything costing over $100; I inspect the outside packaging for signs of tampering (open/resealed, etc.) or shipping damage. If I see any of that, I do a full inspection of the item before I accept it.
Before I pay/sign-off, it's THEIR problem; after I pay/sign-off, it's MY problem. See the difference there?
Thanks Scott! You bet I wrote that serial number down. I wanted to make sure they didn't just send me back the same unit. I too, many years ago had purchased something online and when I received it, it still has the shipping label from the returns department. Ever since then, everything I receive is suspect. It's sad but it's exactly as you said, that is the current retail landscape.
I apologize to everyone for polluting this thread with my misfortune. The Rumble series is AWESOME! I just was unlucky enough to get one that was made on a Friday at the end of the day
I am hopefully this will all be made right and I will be enjoying the combo as much as I dream about.
~Cheers!
Thanks Scott! You bet I wrote that serial number down. I wanted to make sure they didn't just send me back the same unit. I too, many years ago had purchased something online and when I received it, it still has the shipping label from the returns department. Ever since then, everything I receive is suspect. It's sad but it's exactly as you said, that is the current retail landscape.
I apologize to everyone for polluting this thread with my misfortune. The Rumble series is AWESOME! I just was unlucky enough to get one that was made on a Friday at the end of the day
I am hopefully this will all be made right and I will be enjoying the combo as much as I dream about.
~Cheers!
Good advice Scott
Always good to see someone who sees getting a faulty unit as a unfortunate circumstance. Far too many people out there will take it personally, never buy their products again. Which results in them losing out on an incredible product.
It is indeed unfortunate. Fender isn't going to tell me what the Rumble failure rate is, but I have every reason to believe it is 1% or less. As fantastic as that may be, when that 1% happens to you that becomes a very personal 100% failure. Fender takes quality very seriously and will be on top of it.
When you push a factory to produce maximum production, quality can suffer. This is one reason why Fender contracted Eminence to produce the new Rumble 210 and 112 cabinets in China. Fender also moved production of the Rumble 410 to Mexico from Indonesia in order to relieve some production pressure there as demand for Champion guitar combos and the Rumble line continues to outstrip supply even years later. No other amp manufacturer has this problem.
When you push a factory to produce maximum production, quality can suffer. This is one reason why Fender contracted Eminence to produce the new Rumble 210 and 112 cabinets in China. Fender also moved production of the Rumble 410 to Mexico from Indonesia in order to relieve some production pressure there as demand for Champion guitar combos and the Rumble line continues to outstrip supply even years later. No other amp manufacturer has this problem.
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I sold off all my Ampeg gear a while back. Not because it was inherently bad, but there was a rash of amp failures. I believe they got that all worked out. I sold it all simply because when someone had an amp failure or didn't like something about Ampeg, they were treated very, very, very bad. I will not be party to that. Here, we have very little amp failure, and everyone is on your side when it happens.
A side note. I have noticed that if anyone is treated even a little badly here in the Rumble Club, we have and will come to their aid. I like that this is a friendly club and we should keep it that way. If you hate Fender Rumbles, it's okay. Why the heck would you though?!!
A side note. I have noticed that if anyone is treated even a little badly here in the Rumble Club, we have and will come to their aid. I like that this is a friendly club and we should keep it that way. If you hate Fender Rumbles, it's okay. Why the heck would you though?!!
I like Ampeg amps, one of my favourites for tone (with Rumbles being my favourite of course), but because I have heard of this lack of customer service before on here and elsewhere, I wouldn't buy Ampeg. Plus, the last time I bought an amp that wasn't Fender, I had withdrawal symptoms. Its not having a faulty unit that's bad for the company (unless its constant), its how they handle the customers who bought the faulty unit.
I agree that this club is very friendly, very glad to be part of it.
Indeed! With that being said, may I have a # please? While waiting for my V3 to get sorted, I still have my V2's to keep me happy.
For some reason I thought you were already a member.Indeed! With that being said, may I have a # please? While waiting for my V3 to get sorted, I still have my V2's to keep me happy.
sooooo ... Welcome to the Fender Rumble Club 4Banger4! 
You are member #509 
Rumbles Rock! 
For some reason I thought you were already a member.
Had just been a stalker
. Thanks Linnin!!
so after buying my rumble 410 i've decided to sell off my Carvin 10.4 Pro Neo cab. i bought it 4 years ago and i loved how rugged it was but i was never totally in love with the sound, but i did like it's high power handling, it could get me good live volume with my ampeg br2 head. i think the fender cab sounds a lot better and at my first gig with the fender it seemed just as loud as the carvin but with 150 fewer watts. i need the money and i've been wanting to downsize anyways, so for now the carvin's going, and i may end up adding another rumble cab to my mix later one depending on what happens (the band i currently play bass in is on the way out)
I see SamAsh has a 500 "demo" unit listed on the bay right now.
You'll probably see 2 Rumble 500 V3 combos soon
I have the serial numbers in case they come up.I saw their listing originally as my amp was being shipped from a different etailer. Being from NY I'd have to pay tax and the hassle of returning the one coming to me already so the "savings" wasn't all that much. Now hearing that people are having issues from a batch that SamAsh apparently has, I'm more than satisfied with my original deal.
Big Hoss
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It's sad to see Sam Ash passing duds off to customers instead of passing them back to Fender as defects. I am not dissing Fender on making the defects in the first place, any mass produced product is going to have a certain number of lemons, it just comes with the territory, however when you buy a factory new item, and the retailer ships you out an obvious open box / returned item, I would consider that fraud. And Sam Ash has a fairly decent reputation, I would think they would want to avoid tainting their reputation by trying to pass off open box items as new.
But it isn't like bass players have a secret place they get together and discuss these things and let other bass players know what's going on out there, is it?!!!!
Right here.Thought I'd drop by and say how much I'm enjoying both my Fender products, the Bassman 500 and Rumble 100. They've both only been played at home so far, but they sound amazing with my new ESP bass. The Rumble was supposed to go up to my parents' place as I spend long weekends there and wanted a good practice/perform for the family amp, but I can't quite bring myself to put it in the truck. I just keep thinking how perfect it would be for band practices (when I find a non-sketchy band around here that's going somewhere) and for gigs where there's a PA and I can go DI to FoH. I still can't believe how light it is. I find myself moving it around to different parts of the house just because it's so easy to pick up.
The Bassman is also amazing. I wasn't sure I'd like a sweepable mid instead of a 4 band EQ, but it's worked out so far.
Overall I'm enjoying playing at home more than ever with these new amps. Glad I pushed aside my reluctance to go Fender for metal and bought them.
The Bassman is also amazing. I wasn't sure I'd like a sweepable mid instead of a 4 band EQ, but it's worked out so far.
Overall I'm enjoying playing at home more than ever with these new amps. Glad I pushed aside my reluctance to go Fender for metal and bought them.
I have little interest in metal, but I think a good bass with nice steels on them with a Rumble would be a pretty decent. I wouldn't see why not...the rumbles are very versatile
