G&L Order Placed...the Waiting Begins!

[Iridescentone]

The dealer was not local. The damage occurred in shipping from the dealer to me on both occasions.

Yeah that's different, and clearly the dealer's responsibility then. Like a "hot potato", whoever touched it last gets stuck.

I wonder how often neck damage occurs during shipping from the factory to the dealer. And what the damage ratio is between basses and guitars. I'm guessing it's mostly basses for obvious reasons.

 

[DiabolusInMusic]

Also looks like a bass shipped with strings under tension. Dumb.

Then every single bass manufacturer must be dumb... :scowl:

Basses are supposed to be shipped under tension as the neck can warp if you ship it without the strings at tension. No manufacturer is going to loosen every single truss rod and loosen the string tension before shipping. Doing so would make every single retailer be required to setup every single instrument out of the box and increase the cost of the item.

 

[Iridescentone]

Then every single bass manufacturer must be dumb... :scowl:

Basses are supposed to be shipped under tension as the neck can warp if you ship it without the strings at tension.

Why would the neck warp just because string tension is absent for a few days? It's not like you're leaving a cheapo bass unstrung in a damp basement for ten years.

 

[Immigrant]

I must've shipped and received at least 25 basses in the last 5 years and have never detuned a bass more than 1/2 step prior to shipping, and have never received one completely slackened. No issues whatsoever.

OP, I hope you get your situation straightened out.

 

[DiabolusInMusic]

Why would the neck warp just because string tension is absent for a few days? It's not like you're leaving a cheapo bass unstrung in a damp basement for ten years.

Shipping delays can happen and a neck can warp in a week if you leave it under tension without strings from what I have been told. It is not unheard of for a bass to be in shipping for one to two weeks.

I was told this by a professional luthier and every single bass I have ever ordered from manufacturer or private sale has come with strings to tension. I would do the same if I was shipping a bass.

 

[fourstringdrums]

OP, I hope you get your situation straightened out.

Well so far I am but we'll find out in 8-12 weeks when the rebuild comes in.

 

[adivin]

This time I am getting just the replacement neck shipped to me. I have to transfer the hardware and set up my brand new bass. It sucks but I can't chance a third broken neck and I want the bass.

 

[pedroims]

Pv

 

[Iridescentone]

This time I am getting just the replacement neck shipped to me. I have to transfer the hardware and set up my brand new bass. It sucks but I can't chance a third broken neck and I want the bass.

Don't do it! The neck is sure to WARP! lol

 

[fourstringdrums]

This time I am getting just the replacement neck shipped to me. I have to transfer the hardware and set up my brand new bass. It sucks but I can't chance a third broken neck and I want the bass.

I don't blame you. Though if it were me I'd be asking for them to use another carrier.

 

[fourstringdrums]

The first bass is done. The jack and to be replaced but the buzzing is still persistent and he wasn't able to pinpoint it. Continuity between the ground and the bridge is good. Supposedly, according to G&L, shielding should not be an issue.

I don't care since this bass is going back and I can deal with it for now, but it's still perplexing why it's happening. Again, it's the kind of hum that goes away when you touch the strings and is worse the more that the tone is rolled all the way open, but it's a lot louder and more present than should be acceptable.

Any ideas? The bass didn't originally have the problem so something must have happened during shipping back and forth that this particular tech isn't finding.

 

[Iridescentone]

The first bass is done. The jack and to be replaced but the buzzing is still persistent and he wasn't able to pinpoint it. Continuity between the ground and the bridge is good. Supposedly, according to G&L, shielding should not be an issue.

I don't care since this bass is going back and I can deal with it for now, but it's still perplexing why it's happening. Again, it's the kind of hum that goes away when you touch the strings and is worse the more that the tone is rolled all the way open, but it's a lot louder and more present than should be acceptable.

Any ideas? The bass didn't originally have the problem so something must have happened during shipping back and forth that this particular tech isn't finding.

Question; Did the tech at G&L acknowledge hearing the same noise you're hearing?

If yes, but they couldn't "pinpoint the problem", then they should have gutted the elecs, and installed a whole new harness. Everything, from the jack to the pickup, and not send it back to you until it's fixed.

There just aren't that many elec components in a P bass that can go bad. Even if the problem is intermittent, a total elecs swap could rule that out.

I'm reminded of a CS experience I had with a brand new BMW K100 motorcycle. One cylinder would quit firing after a couple hundred miles. I'd take it back to the dealer, they'd "fix" it. Couple hundred miles later, same thing.

The third time I brought it back to the dealer, the head BMW Service honcho from Germany happened to be there. He came into the waiting room where I was and asked "Is that your K100? What's wrong with it?"

I explained the issue to him. He apologized to me for the inconvenience, then summoned the owner of the dealership to the waiting room.

He told the dealer to:

1) Replace the entire fuel injection system.

2) If that didn't solve the problem, he was instructed to replace the entire engine from another new bike off the sales floor.

3) If that wasn't satisfactory, the dealer was to simply give me a whole new motorcycle.

I was blown away by BMW's "spare no expense" approach to CS, and have been a BMW rider ever since.

Maybe I'm spoiled, but something as trivial as a faulty bass guitar? I'd feel 'punked' if I got the run around that you seem to be getting from G&L. C'mon G&L...really?

 

[fourstringdrums]

Question; Did the tech at G&L acknowledge hearing the same noise you're hearing?

If yes, but they couldn't "pinpoint the problem", then they should have gutted the elecs, and installed a whole new harness. Everything, from the jack to the pickup, and not send it back to you until it's fixed.

There just aren't that many elec components in a P bass that can go bad. Even if the problem is intermittent, a total elecs swap could rule that out.

I'm reminded of a CS experience I had with a brand new BMW K100 motorcycle. One cylinder would quit firing after a couple hundred miles. I'd take it back to the dealer, they'd "fix" it. Couple hundred miles later, same thing.

The third time I brought it back to the dealer, the head BMW Service honcho from Germany happened to be there. He came into the waiting room where I was and asked "Is that your K100? What's wrong with it?"

I explained the issue to him. He apologized to me for the inconvenience, then summoned the owner of the dealership to the waiting room.

He told the dealer to:

1) Replace the entire fuel injection system.

2) If that didn't solve the problem, he was instructed to replace the entire engine from another new bike off the sales floor.

3) If that wasn't satisfactory, the dealer was to simply give me a whole new motorcycle.

I was blown away by BMW's "spare no expense" approach to CS, and have been a BMW rider ever since.

Maybe I'm spoiled, but something as trivial as a faulty bass guitar? I'd feel 'punked' if I got the run around that you seem to be getting from G&L. C'mon G&L...really?

You're probably right, that replacing the whole harness is probably the best option. But again, they're building me a whole new bass so I'm not overly concerned.

Is it still a giant pain in the ass? Yes, but since I'm getting a finish I would have preferred but didn't know existed before I ordered this one, and since it's an upgrade that I'm getting for free, that's still a win.

 

[DiabolusInMusic]

Replace the whole harness for a simple shielding problem seems like total overkill. It also could very well not fix the problem as it does not address it.

Sorry to hear the tech sucks but I could easily remedy that issue with an hour on the bench. Again, it is a simple shielding job I do not know why they checked the continuity to the bridge unless they think RF interference is the same as 60hz hum, which is most definitely is not.

Sucks that you have to go through all this hassle OP. Tell that tech to go get some training. I do not know **** about electronics and that is an extremely easy repair that I do on a regular basis.

 

[Iridescentone]

Your buying experience certainly has taken a few twists and turns. You have more patience than me, that's for sure.

In the end, as long as you come away happy, it's all good I guess.

 

[fourstringdrums]

Your buying experience certainly has taken a few twists and turns. You have more patience than me, that's for sure.

In the end, as long as you come away happy, it's all good I guess.

Well I don't really have any other choices. I was trying to fight for a refund and this is the best I could get out of them right now.

I'm a little nervous though if there is something wrong with the next bass, what then? I really don't get the impression that they will do any more than they've already done. I don't feel like a refund is ever going to be in my future if that's what I end up wanting.

 

[fourstringdrums]

Replace the whole harness for a simple shielding problem seems like total overkill. It also could very well not fix the problem as it does not address it.

Sorry to hear the tech sucks but I could easily remedy that issue with an hour on the bench. Again, it is a simple shielding job I do not know why they checked the continuity to the bridge unless they think RF interference is the same as 60hz hum, which is most definitely is not.

Sucks that you have to go through all this hassle OP. Tell that tech to go get some training. I do not know **** about electronics and that is an extremely easy repair that I do on a regular basis.

Well this guy isn't really a "tech". He's the owner of the store, he does some electrical stuff, but not much. Usually they send things out.

But like I've said, I feel like i can't trust this particular bass even if it got fixed 100%. Starting over is the best option to wipe the slate clean.

 

[DiabolusInMusic]

Well this guy isn't really a "tech". He's the owner of the store, he does some electrical stuff, but not much. Usually they send things out.

But like I've said, I feel like i can't trust this particular bass even if it got fixed 100%. Starting over is the best option to wipe the slate clean.

I don't blame you. I just hope for your sake the next one doesn't exhibit the same problems. If it does hum but it is a great player, shield it (if you don't immediately return it.) It will be fine.

 

[fourstringdrums]

Ok so I inspected the bass and discovered that if I touch the pickup poles under the D & G strings even lightly with my nail, they are dead quiet.

If I touch the middle two under the E & A strings, dead quiet.

But if i touch the poles on the outside under the E & A they buzz so bad it sounds like I unplugged without turning down.

On my Fender all the poles are quiet...

So, does that mean that the coils might be bad and contributing to the hum?

 

[Iridescentone]

Ok so I inspected the bass and discovered that if I touch the pickup poles under the D & G strings even lightly with my nail, they are dead quiet.

If I touch the middle two under the E & A strings, dead quiet.

But if i touch the poles on the outside under the E & A they buzz so bad it sounds like I unplugged without turning down.

On my Fender all the poles are quiet...

So, does that mean that the coils might be bad and contributing to the hum?

Huh. Have you posted in the Luthiers Corner, or in the Pickups Forum about this? Might find someone with that same experience.

I've had pickups go bad before, open coil, shorted coil, but not one that behaved like yours.

I'd be tempted to pull the pickup out, have a look for anything askew underneath. Just for curiosity's sake.