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How to reach Fender Custom Shop?
- Thread starter davidchampoux
- Start date
- Oct 8, 2007
- 970
- 60
- Disclosures
- Former Part-Time, Non-Commission Employee MOOG Audio
If Hipshot is really the manufacturer they would probably send you replacement parts directly. they have done for me when I worked for a Lull dealer, they were willing to get s parts to a player on the road in any country from any dealer or direct. best support I've eve seen.. on par with the type of support Suhr or Lull give.
But I also feel that your Fender Custom shop dealer really ought to step up to the plate here and get the tuners for you. I'm guessing these base have a lifetime guarantee. If you got it used I'd ask the original owner to go to his dealer on your behalf.
the other question is that these bushings may be replaceable... again a question that hipshot could answer for you directly (and probably provide you with the bushings).
But I also feel that your Fender Custom shop dealer really ought to step up to the plate here and get the tuners for you. I'm guessing these base have a lifetime guarantee. If you got it used I'd ask the original owner to go to his dealer on your behalf.
the other question is that these bushings may be replaceable... again a question that hipshot could answer for you directly (and probably provide you with the bushings).
- Oct 8, 2007
- 970
- 60
- Disclosures
- Former Part-Time, Non-Commission Employee MOOG Audio
How did the bushings get damaged? did you over tighten the tuner's tension adjustment? If they're loose you may just need to tighten them with an allen wrench. Many players replaced the tuners on old yamaha BB's because they didn't realize how to add tension...just a thought
So you think the OP should call Lakeland? Or just using this thread to get in dig in at Fender?
Just sayin'
+1So you think the OP should call Lakeland? Or just using this thread to get in dig in at Fender?
Just sayin'
and I do not think Dan would answer the phone now.
I don't get people that come on a thread just to bash a brand. You don't like Fender? NOBODY CARES.
It's an appropriate comparison.So you think the OP should call Lakeland? Or just using this thread to get in dig in at Fender?
Just sayin'
No, but the current owner, who has known and worked with Dan for decades, is sometimes the one who answers.
MusicStoreLive
Commercial User
Hey David,
I know we weren't the ones to sell you the bass, but I've helped you out in the past with some other gear. Shoot me an e-mail and I can try to get you in touch with someone from Fender Custom Shop if you'd like. I can't promise it'll work, but I'm willing to try. Let me know.
Cheers,
Brian
[email protected]
I know we weren't the ones to sell you the bass, but I've helped you out in the past with some other gear. Shoot me an e-mail and I can try to get you in touch with someone from Fender Custom Shop if you'd like. I can't promise it'll work, but I'm willing to try. Let me know.
Cheers,
Brian
[email protected]
I take that original remark about Lakland as a general comment that smaller buiders take care of their customers better. They have to.
I like Fender. They just should have better customer service, especially for those who buy their most expensive hand-made instruments.
Well, you have your opinion and I have mine. IMHO it was neither appropriate nor helpful.
Don't those masterbuilt instruments cost like $10k?
Giving that much money to a company I would expect to have a direct channel to a 1 on 1 rep at all times.
That is ridiculous to me that after spending less than $50 at Sam Ash or Sweetwater I can personally get in touch with the exact same sales rep I've worked with before (even getting admittedly annoying unsolicited phone calls and e-mails from them) and here you are forking over what might be a year's rent in some parts of the country and you can't even get someone to talk to you about what is probably a warranty repair? What can you call that but disgusting?
I assume you've been here?
Link Removed
The implication seems to be that even if they won't sell you a replacement tuner, if you send them the bass they'll install a new one.
Giving that much money to a company I would expect to have a direct channel to a 1 on 1 rep at all times.
That is ridiculous to me that after spending less than $50 at Sam Ash or Sweetwater I can personally get in touch with the exact same sales rep I've worked with before (even getting admittedly annoying unsolicited phone calls and e-mails from them) and here you are forking over what might be a year's rent in some parts of the country and you can't even get someone to talk to you about what is probably a warranty repair? What can you call that but disgusting?
I assume you've been here?
Link Removed
The implication seems to be that even if they won't sell you a replacement tuner, if you send them the bass they'll install a new one.
Last edited:
Smooth_bass88
vaxx!
- Oct 31, 2006
- 12,122
- 16,796
- Disclosures
- have been on nationally released albums, charting on the Billboard 200
So you think the OP should call Lakeland? Or just using this thread to get in dig in at Fender?
Just sayin'
Nope...definitely NOT a 'dig' toward Fender. I love Fenders! Just comparing one company's level of service to another as it seems relevant here. It'd be nice if you could pick up the phone and call the Fender Custom Shop's brass to discuss issues with their products.
We need more guys like Brian around....That's good lookin out....!
MusicStoreLive
Commercial User
One person helping another is what keeps this world spinnin', right?
I would be lying if I said Fender's Customer Service was my favorite department to deal with but I also don't see the point in saying "see, if you had gone with Lakland or a Sadowsky, you wouldn't have had this problem." So let's just tackle the issue at hand and see if we can't help David out. That's what it's all about.
I pay the president's paycheck. I can't waltz right up to him either.
I used to work for a Fender dealer. The other guy is correct. Go through them. The rep will jump through hoops to get you in contact with the guy (or they did a few years ago anyway). Don't go at them with an entitlement attitude though. Don't lecture the guy who you want to help you. (At least until after you get what you want anyway.)
I think I would put the hipshots on it and keep the originals so if you sell it they go with it. You're the only one knows they don't have the Fender logo on it.
Fender is so large that there is going to be a wall you're going to hit from time to time and not all customer service reps are created equally. Find out who the national sales manager is and contact his wife, she'll get it taken care of.
Hi David,
Even with my connections, buying a bass can take time, and yes, I DO buy basses sometimes. My red jazz that I have been touring with for the last decade took a year to get. Let's face it, it's a giant company and they're still in demand after 68 years.
Separately, Fender doesn't always have parts on hand. Besides that, with all the major changes there's bound to be some confusion. As it stands now, they are selling direct so you may very well be able to buy your lollipop tuners from them.
For ease, you would do best to call Dave at Hipshot and get your pieces. You can always part out what you need to maintain the logo on the back.
Stay groovy,
RH
Even with my connections, buying a bass can take time, and yes, I DO buy basses sometimes. My red jazz that I have been touring with for the last decade took a year to get. Let's face it, it's a giant company and they're still in demand after 68 years.
Separately, Fender doesn't always have parts on hand. Besides that, with all the major changes there's bound to be some confusion. As it stands now, they are selling direct so you may very well be able to buy your lollipop tuners from them.
For ease, you would do best to call Dave at Hipshot and get your pieces. You can always part out what you need to maintain the logo on the back.
Stay groovy,
RH
Hello guys, and thanks for all your replies, your help is really appreciated! I think I need to clarify a few things as I don't want to be misunderstood, or sound like I insulted anyone or any company here...
I really like Fender products, but also Sadowsky, Lull and others, and this is not a debate on who build the better instruments. I think they all make great basses! I've had many brands of basses in my life, and while Mr. Sadowsky, Mr. Lull, and Mr. Lakin are really on top regarding support, I can understand that Fender is not dealing with their customers the same way, probably due to a way larger demand. I'm not asking for LEO to answer the phone if I call…
The particular bass we're talking about is a 2006 '66 LTD Jazz Bass, master built by Mark Kendrick. I bought this bass in 2009 from Cream City Music, and if I remember correct, it was used, not new (I'm trying to clarify this at the moment). However, I registered that bass on Fender's 'Custom Care' program, and that bass never been registered before.
A few months ago, I realized I might have a raise-up problem at the 12th fret on this bass, so I asked for support for the neck AND the tuners. I contacted a few guys I know at Fender, and ended up dealing with Michael Roberts, which is a senior consumer relations representative. I have to say that he has been SUPER nice with me, replying to my emails pretty quickly, in a very decent way. He said I needed to bring my bass to a local dealer, which I did. But the fact that I bought that bass 'used' got lost somewhere in the communications, and they end up telling me that they will not repair it under warranty... Michael still agreed to send me a set of tuners, but the tuners I received are not the correct Lollipop ones. I don't know what happened but I received plain vintage tuners, which I will not install on this bass. I want to keep it stock.
Of course, I offered to send those tuners back, to trade for the correct replacement, and that's where he said that those Lollipop tuners are NOT available. What? How come they are not available? They use them on a few basses that are still under production, so they MUST be available somewhere?
What I personally think? I think that when you buy a Custom Shop instrument (especially Master Built), there shouldn't be any used/new stuff rules like that. I own the bass, I didn't stole it, it's legit, I paid for it, I have the certificate, the bass hasn't been modified in any way, and I'm the one who registered it with their Custom Care. At those level of quality, they should support the bass. That's my own opinion.
I even offered them to PAY for the parts I need, probably including a new a neck, and especially tuners, and there's NO way of doing such business with them. I just can't believe that, no matter how 'big' they are.
Will I have to order a complete new bass just to obtain those parts? This doesn't make sense to me.
Just so you know; I might have found some legit Lollipop tuners, I'll see how it turns, but this doesn't solve my neck problem anyway, and believe me guys, I WILL get this bass fixed, no matter what I have to do or how much it will cost!
I really like Fender products, but also Sadowsky, Lull and others, and this is not a debate on who build the better instruments. I think they all make great basses! I've had many brands of basses in my life, and while Mr. Sadowsky, Mr. Lull, and Mr. Lakin are really on top regarding support, I can understand that Fender is not dealing with their customers the same way, probably due to a way larger demand. I'm not asking for LEO to answer the phone if I call…
The particular bass we're talking about is a 2006 '66 LTD Jazz Bass, master built by Mark Kendrick. I bought this bass in 2009 from Cream City Music, and if I remember correct, it was used, not new (I'm trying to clarify this at the moment). However, I registered that bass on Fender's 'Custom Care' program, and that bass never been registered before.
A few months ago, I realized I might have a raise-up problem at the 12th fret on this bass, so I asked for support for the neck AND the tuners. I contacted a few guys I know at Fender, and ended up dealing with Michael Roberts, which is a senior consumer relations representative. I have to say that he has been SUPER nice with me, replying to my emails pretty quickly, in a very decent way. He said I needed to bring my bass to a local dealer, which I did. But the fact that I bought that bass 'used' got lost somewhere in the communications, and they end up telling me that they will not repair it under warranty... Michael still agreed to send me a set of tuners, but the tuners I received are not the correct Lollipop ones. I don't know what happened but I received plain vintage tuners, which I will not install on this bass. I want to keep it stock.
Of course, I offered to send those tuners back, to trade for the correct replacement, and that's where he said that those Lollipop tuners are NOT available. What? How come they are not available? They use them on a few basses that are still under production, so they MUST be available somewhere?
What I personally think? I think that when you buy a Custom Shop instrument (especially Master Built), there shouldn't be any used/new stuff rules like that. I own the bass, I didn't stole it, it's legit, I paid for it, I have the certificate, the bass hasn't been modified in any way, and I'm the one who registered it with their Custom Care. At those level of quality, they should support the bass. That's my own opinion.
I even offered them to PAY for the parts I need, probably including a new a neck, and especially tuners, and there's NO way of doing such business with them. I just can't believe that, no matter how 'big' they are.
Will I have to order a complete new bass just to obtain those parts? This doesn't make sense to me.
Just so you know; I might have found some legit Lollipop tuners, I'll see how it turns, but this doesn't solve my neck problem anyway, and believe me guys, I WILL get this bass fixed, no matter what I have to do or how much it will cost!
