Luthier screwed up my P bass

[bwoodman]

I think installing a battery box and doing the work without charging seems a reasonable solution.

And better than having the battery underneath the pick guard as it is now

 

[Slevage]

I'd have him install a battery box ( no charge to you).
Especially if you have to remove the pick guard now to change it the battery.

 

[funkmaster p]

"The bass already took a value hit just by adding the pickup" Buying a new pbass as an investment probably was not his objective.

You are 100 percent correct on this. I bought the bass with full intentions of playing the crap out of it until I drop dead.

 

[Hopkins]

Also don't forget that his profit margin is pretty low. I wouldn't get him to buy you a new body just because you can. If he can save it to your satisfaction (mostly), then I'd go for that. A new body, etc. will likely cost him a lot relative to what he's making doing this kind of work. If it's all the same to you, I'd let him fix it. If it's really unacceptable, then have him buy the new body and don't look back.

It would likely cost him more in time and material to fix the hole, strip and repaint the body, than it would to just buy a finished body

 

[DigitalMan]

I don't get all the praise for the luthier being so brave and honest. The guy's bass has a hole in it. It's not like he had the option of pretending it didn't happen.

It's both about owning it and immediately offering what appears to be the flexibility to make it right with a number of choices.

A lot of folks don't judge people by a single mistake, but by what happens next.

Calling someone a standup guy isn't the same as calling him a hero.

 

[Hopkins]

First of all, there isn't a single builder that has never done this.

Secondly, a battery box is a perfect and logical solution to this problem. It is a royal pain to remove a P pick guard and eventually its going to end up getting broken. The battery box solves two issues

 

[Nev375]

If I lived in Georgia I'd want to know who the luthier is so I can use him the next time I need something done.

Everyone screws up now and then, but knowing that a person is willing to take responsibility if it happens is priceless.

 

[dan1952]

Every luthier/repairman has made mistakes like this. Your guy did the right thing.

 

[alaskaleftybass]

No disrespect to any guitar tech out there, but unless you're actually building guitars and basses, here is the definition of luthier:

lu·thi·er
ˈlo͞odēər/
noun

1. a maker of stringed instruments such as violins or guitars.

Fender does sell authentic Fender parts but not P/J combos. You might have to buy aftermarket:

Invalid Link Removed

 

[funkinbottom]

Two weeks ago I dropped off my bass for modification by a well respected luthier in my area. He has always done a great job for me in the past. He is also a very nice human being

No disrespect to any guitar tech out there, but unless you're actually building guitars and basses, here is the definition of luthier:

lu·thi·er
ˈlo͞odēər/
noun

1. a maker of stringed instruments such as violins or guitars.

I'm kinda disappointed and confused about this entire thread. I just read through 7 pages of posts only to realize the title says "Luthier screwed up my P bass", not "Lucifer screwed up my P bass". I was expecting a story of a bass hanging on the wall and shaking violently on it's own, and a hole blow out the back.

Sorry to hear your bass was damaged. Hope it's fixed to your satisfaction in a timely manner.

 

[Eric Swaim]

one beer too many on the job.

 

[Wood and Wire]

And better than having the battery underneath the pick guard as it is now

With the battery under the pick guard, you have a lot more screws to remove, and a lot more opportunities to gouge up the front of the bass.

 

[five7]

If his name was Tenorio he would have filled it with super glue and charged you $90. And then went and hid to have his wife deal with it.

 

[Pirate Captain]

If he's that good get him to fill the hole and respray the body. That'll make it an invisible repair.

Yeah...thinking this is the way to go. Holes...shmoles....

 

[alaskaleftybass]

I'm kinda disappointed and confused about this entire thread. I just read through 7 pages of posts only to realize the title says "Luthier screwed up my P bass", not "Lucifer screwed up my P bass". I was expecting a story of a bass hanging on the wall and shaking violently on it's own, and a hole blow out the back.

Sorry to hear your bass was damaged. Hope it's fixed to your satisfaction in a timely manner.

Here is the Ampeg Devil bass, although I think you'll have to kinda shake it yourself LOL

To the OP: I'm unclear on this part: Do you WANT to add a battery compartment to your bass? And even if you did, that still is an odd looking location for one. Just my 2 cents...

 

[Altitude]

If his name was Tenorio he would have filled it with super glue and charged you $90. And then went and hid to have his wife deal with it.

Ouch. Very targeted hit right there, might be two dozen people here who know whom you're talking about.

 

[pjbassist]

@funkmaster p you are doing the right thing on many fronts. First off, the Active EMG pickups are indeed awesome, and all I have used for the past 30 years! Secondly, you're remaining cool about the entire situation. Lastly, the battery box is not only an excellent solution toy your problem, but as said already, is a much preferred method of changing out the battery in the future. Trust me, you'll be thanking this luthier for his mistake one day soon. Good luck with the P/J, we'd love to see pics when its finished!

 

[gregmon79]

Two weeks ago I dropped off my bass for modification by a well respected luthier in my area. He has always done a great job for me in the past. He is also a very nice human being, and although I have never seen him outside of doing work for me, I consider him to be a friend. He replaced the stock pickup in my American Standard P bass with an active EMG P bass pickup and I was delighted with the results.

This week, I brought the bass back to him to have an active EMG J pickup installed in the bridge position.

While at my gig this afternoon, I got a text from him saying that he was making good progress on the bass until he drilled through the back of the body. He said if I want to get another bass body, he will pay for it, or if I want him to look for one, he will do that.

View attachment 3031755


There are many different ways to approach this problem. I will start by having a couple of stiff drinks first.

While that sucks balls, he made a mistake. From what it sounds like he is a good, stand up person. He's even offering to buy you a new body. That is a hell of a lot more than I can say for some other places out there. If it was me, I'd just let it go and either ask him to do the work for free or take some money off the job. To me, things like that are battle scars. I love that stuff on basses. But I can see why some would be outraged at something like that and want their instruments as flawless as possible. If that's you, then have him replace the body.

Really though, it sounds to me like he is good people. Which are getting harder and harder to find these days in certain areas and he made an honest mistake that he was clearly up front and honest to you about it. While it sucks, it happens. It could've been a lot worse caused by a lot worse. I would just ask him to do the work for free and chalk it up to an "dammit!!!" moment. That's just me though. Plus, who's ever really gonna see that but you?

 

[madbass6]

Two weeks ago I dropped off my bass for modification by a well respected luthier in my area. He has always done a great job for me in the past. He is also a very nice human being, and although I have never seen him outside of doing work for me, I consider him to be a friend. He replaced the stock pickup in my American Standard P bass with an active EMG P bass pickup and I was delighted with the results.

This week, I brought the bass back to him to have an active EMG J pickup installed in the bridge position.

While at my gig this afternoon, I got a text from him saying that he was making good progress on the bass until he drilled through the back of the body. He said if I want to get another bass body, he will pay for it, or if I want him to look for one, he will do that.

View attachment 3031755


There are many different ways to approach this problem. I will start by having a couple of stiff drinks first.

Ouch!! Damm dude it sucks to be you & especially sucks to be him when the word gets out!! He should defenetly get you a new Bass!!

 

[funkmaster p]

To the OP: I'm unclear on this part: Do you WANT to add a battery compartment to your bass? And even if you did, that still is an odd looking location for one. Just my 2 cents...

It falls within the realm of acceptable. My first preference was no battery box, in case I wanted to switch back to passives in the future (i.e. getting a tour offer and group likes P bass, but not actives, etc.)

I'm seeing this situation as a simple $10 part being the shortest route to my satisfaction. I don't think a more labor intensive or expensive solution would make me any happier.

As others have pointed out, by making this mistake, he was actually doing me a solid. Now, if I want to break out my voltmeter and check the battery level every month or every week, I will be able to accomplish this easily.