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Musicians friend stupid deal of day: Fender American Vintage '64 Jazz Bass Black Rosewood

#141
dju said:
in case you haven't seen it yet and wanted one, the musicians friend stupid deal of the day (3/1/16) is a
Fender American Vintage '64 Jazz Bass Black Rosewood Fingerboard for $1299.99

Stupid Deal of the Day | SDOTD | Musician's Friend

just sharing if anybody is interested :)
Click to expand...

Mine just arrived and looked stunning. Took it to the luthier for a setup and the neck is bowed. He's going to check it in detail tomorrow to verify, but he says it's not likely the bow can be remedied. So I'll be having to send it back, and am not sure I'll get a substitute. I'll post a follow-up for those interested. Hope I'm the exception.

Joel
 
#143
Billyzoom said:
Mine just arrived and looked stunning. Took it to the luthier for a setup and the neck is bowed. He's going to check it in detail tomorrow to verify, but he says it's not likely the bow can be remedied. So I'll be having to send it back, and am not sure I'll get a substitute. I'll post a follow-up for those interested. Hope I'm the exception.

Joel
Click to expand...
I am sending mine back as well due to a substantial finish flaw on the neck where there is a wood splinter which was sanded, leaving an ugly scar along the 3rd fret side dot. The neck on mine was bowed too when recieved.
it is disapointing that QC seems so questionable on a supposedly 2k instrument. I'm trying for an exchange but kinda wish now I never even bothered with the purchase.
 
#148
TMARK said:
I think so.

I wonder if their warehouse is fully climate controlled. I also wonder about gear being returned and resold as new, not as a plot but due to confusion and general negligence in inventory management.
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I got a '74, last month from MF, that needed nothing. Perfect in every way.

As I mentioned above the '64 I got, and returned for an exchange, did appear to me to possibly be a return. But MF said it was not. I too wonder about their climate control due to finish issues I saw.
 
#155
I've always suspected that GC/MF resells their returns (and factory blems) as new, and that's how they offer their 30 day no questions asked return policy and don't go out of business (although lately it seems that staying in business is pretty sketchy for them). I mean, it would be pretty easy to take a return in California and ship it to New York and sell it as brand new again without anyone knowing. If it has scratches or issues, they could just keep doing that until they inevitably find someione who doesn't care, doesn't notice, or just doesn't feel like complaining about it. I don't have hard proof of this, but stories like the ones on this thread are pretty common. In reality "stupid" deal of the day might be more of an insult to their customers' intelligence than a cute sales strategy.
 
#156
The Bass Clef said:
I've always suspected that GC/MF resells their returns (and factory blems) as new, and that's how they offer their 30 day no questions asked return policy and don't go out of business (although lately it seems that staying in business is pretty sketchy for them). I mean, it would be pretty easy to take a return in California and ship it to New York and sell it as brand new again without anyone knowing. If it has scratches or issues, they could just keep doing that until they inevitably find someione who doesn't care, doesn't notice, or just doesn't feel like complaining about it. I don't have hard proof of this, but stories like the ones on this thread are pretty common. In reality "stupid" deal of the day might be more of an insult to their customers' intelligence than a cute sales strategy.
Click to expand...

I have "proof" that that is exactly what MF has done (and probably still does today). In my instance, I bought a "brand new" Reverend Rumblefish w/teardrop case from MF. It arrived sans case or bag, bouncing around in an empty box (no packing materials). The bass had obvious play wear areas on the pick guard. The kicker was that the bass smelled like cheap cologne. It reeked really bad. The smell was actually in the rosewood fretboard, impossible to remove. Of course, they took it back and refunded me. Okay no big deal, but what irked me was that I phoned MF about this particular bass before buying it and was assured that it was brand new with the case.

Logic dictates that probably all the big box joints with super liberal return policies do the same thing. One can hardly imagine all the stuff that must get returned, along with all the possible reasons. Where do all these items go? Add blems and factory seconds into the equation, and you can never be sure exactly what you're going to get.

Still all things considered, it beats having to physically set foot in a store like GC....which is almost always a nauseating experience for me.
 
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#157
Update for those who care:
So I finally recieved my replacement '64 jazz bass after exchanging the original, which had wood splintering on the edge of the fretboard.

The replacement is great. All around perfect jazz bass. No blemishes on this one. Over the course of the last few days, I did a full set up on it, and cranked the truss rod about half a turn to get the neck straight and action low enough for my liking. No maple flame stripes on the back of the neck for this one though(as was on the previous blemished one)!but I guess you can't have it all. This one is also a clunker. I didn't weigh it. I don't know where the myth came from that fender chooses lighter woods on their higher end models. my guess is 9-10 pounds.

Brought it out to band practice tonight and this bass held its own. I typically use a Nate Mendel sig. P bass for jamming with a full band. The tone on this jazz has more sizzle and character than the P(I play w bridge 100%, neck 80%) but a less "fatter" tone. I still love my P, but I have always been more of a jazz guy(played an MIM FSR jazz bass for most of my playing "career"). This jazz bass is a lot "hotter" then my '03 jazz and feels great. It's a quality instrument.

Would I pay 2k+ for one? Hell no, in that range id go boutique or used CS Fender without a doubt. For 1299? Yea it was worth it for me. The fit and finish is great and I look forward to breaking her in and truly take it through its paces...

Obligatory crappy iPhone pic:
image.jpeg
 
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