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NBD and I need to return it already!

I see. I hope that you will find one soon.


Were there scratches to the body, as well? If not, it is very strange how so many playing/using time had no impact anywhere else.

A couple frets showed a little wear and there was a nick in the bottom of the neck by the truss rod. It's weird because the pickups did have plastic covering on them. That I can't explain.
 
It really does look like the plastic is still on there.

I recently bought an Am Std Jazz and had a helluva time getting it off. It's like the longer it sits, the more stuck it gets. Mine came off in about 188 pieces. It was a major pain.

My issues were that the bass needed a fret level out of the box in order to set up properly. And that the finish appears to be really weak.

I've had American Standard Fenders sometimes for years with no discernible finish wear, even after tons of touring. Those poly finishes are just fairly indestructible. This one is barely a few weeks old, it's only been to a couple gigs, has been babied, and has visible chips and finish wear. It's more delicate than the thin skin nitro P I had for awhile.

I'd take a serious shot at peeling plastic off, assuming it's really, really stuck and won't want to come up. That's how mine was.

I'm not calling you a liar, because I can't actually put my hands on the bass in question, but it looks for all the world like it's still got the plastic on it. Even if it is still there though, it wouldn't excuse visible fret wear. I'd still want to return it.
 
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I bought an open box Jazz from them in "Blemished" condition and never did locate the blemish they were referring to.

I think they'll make it right for you.
I had the same with an Ampeg BA 115. I bought it for about 40 bucks off because of a blemish, and I only recently discovered it. It was a small bit of paint that had chipped off of the control panel, minor enough that it took me about 6 years to notice it.
 
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It really does look like the plastic is still on there.

I recently bought an Am Std Jazz and had a helluva time getting it off. It's like the longer it sits, the more stuck it gets. Mine came off in about 188 pieces. It was a major pain.

Agreed. I bought an open box from MF. The pickguard looked strange at first, and it took forever to get that stuff off.
 
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I'd certainly be scratching at a couple of corners just to be totally sure...

You're welcome to come try for me if you want :D

Gents, there is no plastic there. That was the first thing I checked for. The scratches go into the pickguard and there are other signs of wear and tear on the instrument. It's very disappointing but oh well. I'll get my refund and will be on my way soon enough.
 
Boy, I hate it when they try to sell an obviously used item as new.

They should be picking up the full return shipping too.

That's what I'm hoping for. I really shouldn't have to pay to send it back, IMO. We'll see what they say.

They have taken care of me when a mistake has arisen, including sending me a shipping label for defective/not-as-described merchandise...they have to stand by their big name (if they're good people).

I also prefer Sweetwater, like the others here...never a problem with them, and shipping is faster from them, too. Best feature of them over MF? Lots of instruments with pics of the actual one you're thinking of buying!
 
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Pics for your consideration. The scratches are much more noticeable in person, and the pickguard feels rough to the touch.


View attachment 994910 View attachment 994911

Well, you have the final word, and the bass is in your hands, not ours, but that is the dull look of a pickguard that still has the plastic on it. Sometimes that stuff is on there really good, but if you scratch at the edges you finally lift a corner and can continue to remove it. But maybe the pics are misleading.

If the plastic is off, that is the dullest tort PG I've ever seen and it's even more odd that the "Fender American Standard" sticker ended up back on.

Also, "fret wear" can be a little deceiving. This is a new bass, and in order to experience any noticeable actual player fret wear (divets) already it would have to be played many hours in a relatively short time, which is unlikely even for a bass that was tested and returned. I've seen new basses right out of the factory have funny looking lines and grades on some of the frets, and I finally realized that sometimes they just don't get a good enough polish before leaving the factory and those marks are actually from the leveling/crowning tool.

Again, not discounting how you feel about the bass, go ahead and return it if it feels like the right thing to do, but food for thought on those two points for the general well-being of all who read this thread.
 
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