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Musicman Pre-Amp Problem

tunewriter

tunewriter

Jul 26, 2012
108
26
#1
I play a few notes and then the guitar sounds like it's a plane taking off. Till I pull the jack and re-insert it. Then just repeat line one. How difficult is it to install a Pre-Amp in a Music Man Stingray HH? Thanks, in advance, for the help gang.
 
#5
Update on Music Man Stingray Slo Special PreAmp problem. The guitar was about 30 days out of warranty when I contacted Music Man about the problem. They said they were sorry but offered no consideration regarding the repair. It's a one year warranty and that's it. Said they would sell me a new pre-amp if I sent them the old one. Offered me a T-Shirt. I guess I was expecting more. I'm not a guitar technician, I'm a guitar player. It's an $1,800 bass, after all. You'd think they would not build a Pre Amp to fail just after the warranty expire's and if that did happen they would want to make things right. In truth, it had been acting up for more than a month before it went up all together but I kept thinking it was amp interference. So much for Made in America quality gang. It's down right depressing.
 
#6
Their QC is usually very good. I've owned several Stingrays, the oldest of which is a 92, and it's preamp works fine.

Have you had a tech look at it? It's possible there's a simple fix.

If not, then I completely understand your frustration, that really is not normal for them.
 
#7
Thanks for understanding. I was really taken back by their lack of concern over the equipment failure and their eagerness just to sell me something else. I emailed a customer service address to explain my problem and a salesman emailed me back. Guess I should have known then I was in trouble. Not a simple fix. Having Guitar Center do the repair. No more Music Man products in this house.
 
#9
That really stinks, but it IS out of warranty. Still though, I figured Music Man was the type of company that might work with you. You chose to support them, but they don't seem to want to help you. Guess I was wrong about Music Man. I'd call them and talk to someone different.
 
#10
I say this as an owner of several Stingrays.

Given how robust their basses are, and they're extremely tough possibly the toughest, the preamp should carry a lifetime guarantee without question if you send in the faulty part. They should especially not want to risk having their instruments out there with someone else's preamp in them, which is a much greater risk if they don't willingly replace for free preamps when they, very rarely, fail.

In the online age, it's a chance for free publicity by doing good. Well, "free" bring the price of a preamp but that's very little.
 
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#11
How much did they want for a new preamp?

Depending on how much it is....here's what I'd do. Keep in mind it's a jerk thing to do, but them not fixing the preamp in the bass you spend your hard earned money on is also a jerk thing to do....I'd order one from Guitar Center or Musicians Friend and swap the pre's. It would only cost you return shipping of the bass. Like I said...kind of a jerk thing to do but I'd sure be upset enough to do it. Especially if I had bought the bass brand new a year earlier.
 
#13
JaminDyer said:
I'm no expert in soldering, would a re-solder be obvious to a trained eye?
Click to expand...

I've never worked on a Stingray, but post #4 said it's just a couple of wires. It wouldn't be any different than getting one directly from Music Man, other than having to do two of them :)
Like I said...jerk thing to do. But I'd do it...depending on how much they want for a new one.
 
#14
mmbongo said:
I've never worked on a Stingray, but post #4 said it's just a couple of wires. It wouldn't be any different than getting one directly from Music Man, other than having to do two of them :)
Like I said...jerk thing to do. But I'd do it...depending on how much they want for a new one.
Click to expand...

It's a smart idea haha. Would the music shop be out of pocket if you did this? That would be the only issue I'd have with it.
 
#16
I would think a company like Music Man would have a graduated response for out of warranty service. It could be 60% coverage on a combination of parts and labor up to six months past the warranty,50% coverage at 6 months to 1.5 years past the warranty and anything past that could be at their discretion. I would understand if they excluded necks and bodies from that extension because they are so susceptible to climate and user errors but the electronics in most basses aren't overly complicated and when you go the extra mile to make a customer happy they usually return. I also think they may have lost the OP or anyone else that comes across this thread for not very much money.
 
#18
Posts here have expressed my feelings very well. I wanted, so desperately, to have a positive Customer Service experience with Music Man. I wanted them to be just as aggravated as I was that a preamp failed in one of their premium products just 1 month out of warranty. Instead, I felt they just saw it as an opportunity to make another sale. Technically, legally, I know they owe me nothing. But the Music Man brand will never again carry the same magic it once did for this bass player. Guess I was crazy for expecting more.
 
#20
Rather than attack, why not send them a link to this thread and allow them to step up and make the righteous decision?

Possibly you communicated with someone new, or who only feels confident enough to follow procedure. Almost EVERYTHING is negotiable in life, and certainly this is.

Thank the person on the phone for their help and say you understand and respect their position, however would like to speak with a supervisor to discuss this further. Every time I've ever done this I've gotten a different answer, except for with cops of course but that doesn't stop me from telling them *** I think of their BS. :) Sometimes that's all the satisfaction you'll get, but it's worth the effort and just miiiight make them think twice and make a change down the line.

Alternately, maybe someone can explain their position and it turns out to be defensible. It's not about it being one month out of warranty, it's that there are thousands of these basses that have been played daily for 30 years or more and never failed so the preamp "should" be covered for life. However, maybe they have insurance against, say, mass component failure like a bad batch of op-amps, and that insurance demands they limit liability.

Who knows unless you ask?
 

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