NBD and I need to return it already!

[KickingBass]

I was dumb enough to send a bass back to GC and wait a long time for another one because the pickguard looked used. The next bass looked the same way, then I realized that the pickguard film is very tight to the pickguard and really hard to get a grip on to peel. Once I realized this, everything made sense and I still feel like a big dummy. I know you tried to lift the plastic already but I'm pretty sure that that is the issue.

 

[Killed_by_Death]

When I first got my G&L Comanche, I noticed a scratch on the backplate.
So on a Saturday afternoon I decided to polish it out, and got to work.
When I finally got down to the bottom of the scratch, I realized I had been using rubbing compound on the plastic covering, and it all peeled off.
It was REALLY on there good!

 

[bassstrangler]

Ok, this seems to be an alarming trend with MF. This has happened two times to me this year. They take care of it, but I'm afraid this is a huge SNAFU in their warehouse or they are just becoming shady and shipping returns and their warranty returns out as new.

My most recent purchase arrived with poor QC, and maybe it was damaged and sent as a returned product. It appeared to be new in the box though.

It's a shame as I remember MF being a great mail order catalog company back in the 90s.

 

[SanDiegoHarry]

Demand your money back and go to a store to make sure you are getting what you paid for.

I will never deal with MF. Sweetwater - for hardware & keyboards, sure. But not MF. Once GC bought them, they were dead to me.

 

[FrenchBassQC]

I bought the last one they had in Olympic white so there's no replacement to be had.

That's too bad because I bought one (a couple of weeks ago in fact) just like yours I suspect since mine is also Olympic white and I wanted the rosewood fret-board and man, this is an amazing bass. Hope all goes fine with getting a full refund and all...

 

[Joe Nerve]

Musiciansfriend prices beat everyone else's by a long shot. I've saved thousands by shopping with them over the past 10 yrs as opposed to any other online store. It's worth the occasional return and exchange for me. Not that big a deal really, and they've never ever given me any problems with that.

 

[petrus61]

It's not really a recent phenomenon with GC...it's been going on for years, or at least stories of such cases have. All of my bass purchases from MF have been flawless, except for a James Johnston sig jazz that came new in box with a perfectly stripped truss rod nut...try explaining THAT one to customer service

At the end of the day, they refunded me (less shipping) and honored their end of the deal, but the person I dealt with (like an adult, not a petulant brat who didn't get his new toy for Christmas) basically gave me the over the phone eye roll, in that infamous "Ok, noob. You just don't know what you're doing and stripped the truss rod nut on a brand new bass, but we'll refund your money because your account shows you've spent a gazillion dollars with us." kind of tone, lol.

 

[JGbassman]

I have ordered a few basses from them in the past. It was around five years ago, but the bass came perfect, sans a set up because I am so picky and do them myself.

My only experience with a defective item was a 212 cab I bought, that was clearly mishandled by the buffoons in brown, and had been dropped so hard a magnate had fallen off. I called customer service, and they had another in the mail the next day, before they even had the broken item back. I simply have had nothing but good luck with them.

As stated, this was about five years ago, and was the last time I bought anything major from them.

After touring the Sweetwater campus, I was so impressed by the level of commitment to the customer, this is the only store that I will ever buy major items from.

 

[CGremlin]

I buy stuff occasionally from MF, but Sweetwater is usually my go-to place for online ordering when I can't get something locally. Service has always been second to none, the candy's good, and I've occasionally e-mailed Chuck Surack to put in a good word for my salesman and he (or his secretary) has always responded quickly.

 

[Dodge B]

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.

You're gonna open it up someday and find that only one of the pickups has any wiring at all.

 

[Hevy T]

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

I bet this bass has sit in the shop window for a while, or just old stock, and the plastic melded to the pg! Same thing happened and I had to replace the white pick guard because it discoloured and everything

 

[KevInDaBassment]

I hadn't had issues with them in the past, but this is admittedly my first purchase through them in over two years (sans strings and miscellaneous stuff).

I have actually done the majority of my shopping for pricey stuff through Sweetwater. I freaking love those guys and that company. The only reason I went elsewhere was because they didn't have the color that I wanted and my sales engineer told me they weren't expecting any more AmStd Fenders to be coming into stock.

Sorry to hear about your purchase being a bum deal, I'm fairly positive they will front you the shipping. I sent back an Ibanez SR650 because of buzzing issues and they gave me a return label, no further questions asked.

Yeah don't let this discourage you from doing business with them. For how often I hear people bashing them, there are probably 5-10 more experiences that are positive. I bought a blemished Les Paul from them and as the dude above said, I still can't find that "blemish" they were referring to LOL. GL man, hope the next one will be up to snuff.

 

[bassstrangler]

I bet this bass has sit in the shop window for a while, or just old stock, and the plastic melded to the pg! Same thing happened and I had to replace the white pick guard because it discoloured and everything

I don't think MF has shop windows.

 

[ReviveBass]

The cut lines for the plastic are really clear in this picture.

 

[Spidey2112]

MF will take care of you.

Agreed...

 

[Spidey2112]

That is really strange because it looks like the plastic is still on the pickguard. You said it's not. I bought one recently, and the Custom Shop pickup sticker was on top of the pickguard plastic.

Don't the pickups also have plastic still covering them?

 

[knigel]

Am I wrong, but if the sticker is on the pickguard, it's still covered with plastic film? Right? Fender wouldn't put the sticker directly on the pickguard would they?

 

[Hevy T]

I don't think MF has shop windows.

you could be right, but wouldn't heat also have the same effect? Also age, could it be old stock?

 

[Hevy T]

Am I wrong, but if the sticker is on the pickguard, it's still covered with plastic film? Right? Fender wouldn't put the sticker directly on the pickguard would they?

That's exactly how my Hwy 1 was

 

[knigel]

That's exactly how my Hwy 1 was

Huh, I'm surprised I've never run into that, but I rarely buy brand new any more. Ok, carry on!