NBD Fender MIM disappointment

[fhm555]

I’ve had a couple dozen MIM J basses over the last few years and never had one crack like that and I never worried about acclimating them when they arrived, or when I was playing outside in cold weather. The lowest I exposed one to outside a case or my van was 18F.
That said, it takes less than an hour to strip the poly off an MIM body, another half hour to an hour to smooth the sealer, wipe it with alcohol, then run a tack cloth over it, and it’s ready to repaint.
if you are happy with the way it plays, keep it and play it until you can no longer tolerate the looks, then refinish it or sell it on.
If OTOH the cracks are a deal breaker, inform the seller they need to open a damage claim with their shipper and figure out a return that works for both of you.

 

[Gizmot]

I've seen instruments with finish cracks like this one has, but I've never seen those cracks happen within a short period of time. In my experience, it takes ones like this bass has some period of time to develop.

Since it's your money and bass, you should figure out if those cracks bother you a lot. The bass can always be refinished if you really want those to go away and if you like it enough to spend extra money to do that.

 

[musicman556]

Man. First, I'm sorry that this happened to you. That's a bummer on a beautiful bass. I am one who really likes my basses to be pristine as much as possible and those finish checks (if I saw them beforehand) would definitely have kept me from purchasing a bass, pretty much no matter how well it played. I would just find one without them!

Also, I understand that these are not just surface scratches. No amount of polishing or buffing compound would fix that. That is a thick finish, and those checks/cracks are through the entire depth. Can you send pictures of the back? Is there any similar damage back there?

You're in a tough spot. I haven't had to make a return due to something like this, but I did have an Ibanez arrive with the lower strap button smashed up into the body. I could have had it repaired but opted for a return. I am in the camp of probably advocating for a return. I just would not be satisfied with that finish damage, and would not have purchased the bass if it were something known beforehand.

 

[rodak]

I'd ask the seller to file a damage claim with the shipper (assuming it was properly insured), using the photos you took compared with his (hopefully he has better ones than those in the eBay listing) as evidence. I've done this before and it works. The two of you will need to work out how much the damage is "worth" to file the claim and justify that to the shipper. I had an organ shipped to me from Hawaii many years ago, and it had gotten banged around some and bent some of the trim and broke a couple of voice tabs. I pegged the damage at something around $100, and the shipper sent me a check for that amount.

I don't know if weather-induced cracking could be considered the shipper's responsibility, but it would be worth a shot.

 

[bigdaddybass12]

I feel like we all have an MIM that got away... I sure miss mine!

Yeah, sold one, bought another one, bunch of mods, the $$ spent really didn't help the sound, sold it, just bought another one, no mods for this one.

 

[bigdaddybass12]

3rd & 4th pic of scratches/cracks from pickguard looks like impact damage. Was is packaged well? Ebay photos do not show this. Unless it was packed poorly, its not really the seller's fault but his responsibility. Consider filing an insurance claim with shipper.

 

[DaveParker39]

This didn't happen overnight or in shipping or because you opened the box too quickly. Too extensive. I'd return it/seek remedy.

 

[bigdaddybass12]

That is a total disappiontment, right there. Yes, it does look like it happened in transit. I had this happen to 2 basses last year: a Squier Jaguar SS bass in Silver and a 1 year old SBMM Stingray SS in white. These finish cracks didn't show too bad due to the lighter colors, but the darker colors (I totally love the Midnight Wine) seem to magnify those cracks right through the clear coat. I'd attempt a return, but I also see the seller's reluctance to take it back.

This is after the fact, I buy my used basses from GC. No questions asked return policy. I have returned 2.

 

[Roger W]

I never get this response. With that line of thinking:

* Cars are vehicles meant to get you around it, not looked at.
* Coats are meant for keeping you warm, not looked at.
* Houses are for providing shelter, not looked at.

Having a choice, would you drive a beat up, rusted old car? Wear a dirty, discolored, frayed coat? Live in a house painted the ugliest combination of colors, in old, faded paint?

Probably not.

The car is meant to get me from A to B; I don’t care what it looks like. As long as the house keeps the weather out and has enough internal space, I don’t care what the exterior looks like. As long my coat works, I don’t care what shape it’s in. Really.

 

[Michael Stanley 2112]

This why they make buffers.

 

[CoffeeLove]

That definitely looks like a "finish crack" not a scratch. Unless he had two of them and shipped the cracked one. Check yours to confirm the serial #'s match the one in the eBay pictures, and if so, that could of happened during shipping. The guy has almost 400 feedback scores at 100%, so I strongly doubt it was intentional. I always take a picture of the serial number when selling something. You could ask to return the bass, or if scored at an amazing price keep it and use one of the mentioned methods to fix the bass, but it is doubtful there was any foul play.

 

[UnderTheRadar]

For what it's worth, here's what it will look like with s black PG. I found the bass at a pawn shop. It was dirty and had a smoke stained white pick guard. Turned out to be a diamond in the rough that only needed a cleanup and set up.

 

[Relayer71]

The car is meant to get me from A to B; I don’t care what it looks like. As long as the house keeps the weather out and has enough internal space, I don’t care what the exterior looks like. As long my coat works, I don’t care what shape it’s in. Really.

Well, more power to you. /Salute.

Some of us are a little vain.

 

[friskinator]

If the OP bought it on Ebay, sending it back for a full refund will not be a problem if he chooses to do so. Their protections are all about the buyer these days.

 

[RVRSCO]

Yeah that looks like finish checking. Which is certainly not shown in the eBay listing. Depending on where it shipped from and the route it took (and care taken) a drastic temperate change can cause that, but usually not on a poly finish. I mean, if it plays well and sounds good I’d just keep it and maybe try to get a small refund from the seller.

 

[Thebrownarrow]

I’ll have to look at the packaging again tonight. I thought the box looked like it was in good shape. The only real cushioning it has was that styrofoam blanket material that is standard. It was inside the fender gig bag. He shipped it in the thin boxes you take home from a store. No shell + box. I don’t know. It could have taken a bump without the box being damaged if it fell flat.

 

[Shindig73]

Now that I like the relic look, I’d be completely fine (although I might be opportunistic and ask for a discount).

But if the OP is like how I was earlier in my bass playing life, there’s no way in heck I’d keep it. It would have to be PERFECT.

 

[Jscriv]

D

I just contacted the seller. He got back to me. Said it was probably due to the freezing temperatures. He said it was perfect when it left his shop. What a bummer.

Definitely happened in shipping. And that is on the seller. Unless it feels and plays so good it'll haunt your dreams, I'd send it back. It obviously bothers you. This is what insurance is for and the downsideo of being a seller

 

[Ostie]

Unless I got a great deal on it, I’d ask for a discount. If the seller refuses. I’d send it back. If it was a great deal, I’d keep it, and maybe do some relic. But not on that wine red, that’s awesome. PG, bridge, tuners relic.

Edit—I have a 2001 MIM Jazz that is awesome. MIM doesn’t get much love on TB but when you get a good one, they’re awesome. I modded it with SD Vintage 62 pups.

 

[kumimajava]

I'm not much of a detective, but even though the ebay pics aren't of great quality, it seems unlikely that the finish cracks would have been there from before.

Looking at the reflections on the bass (in the ebay listing), the surface looks uninterrupted - and if there were a scratch/finish fracture like the one you posted - i would expec the 'reflections' on the ebay pics to show some ripple/disturbance. So I would be inclined to believe the seller that 'the finish was fine' when he shipped it.

What might have happened to the bass since, I don't know. I've never had a bass finish fracture due to rapid temperature changes (including going from sub-zero to heated-livingroom wihtin a minute or few), but it seems that other TB members may have had such an experience. It may also have had a knock of some sort in transit, etc.

In any case, if you & the seller decide to pursue some sort of refund/return, I hope that the shipping company will honor any insurance that there may be (though, I expect, it tends to be a hassle sorting that out). The bass looks great, and I hope it plays as nicely as well - I have no idea what a 'good deal' might be on one of these.