NBD...I'm kinda pissed...what would you do?

[casualmadness]

Sigh...so yeah, I just got my long awaited Modulus Graphite 6 Quantum. Been wanting one of these for a while. Finally arrived today. First, the idiot UPS guy literally left it almost on the curb in front of my house. Luckily I was home and saw on the Ring camera that he was out there. I went out and confronted him for leaving it literally just a few feet from the curb rather than bringing it to my door and ringing the doorbell and getting a signature, as is required. His excuse? "Oh I heard your dogs barking and I was afraid they would get out." Really?!? But UPS is another rant...

So anyway, I bought this bass used on Reverb. Lots of back and forth with the seller. He talked about how immaculate this thing was. He described it as "perfect." I asked in convo if there were any issues...anything I should know? "Nope! It's perfect!"

So I pulled the trigger. Today I find, that right out of the bo, the action is high enough to drive my truck under. I mean it's like cheap Squire Guitar Center high action. It's crazy But not a big deal. As I'm holding it and moving it around in my hands giving it a once over, I hear something tumbling. After not seeing anytjing obvious, I open the cavity.

The tumbling was the battery tumbling around in there. The gross, little corrosion on it battery has nothing to secure it. Next I see that the foam is brittle and broken into a thousand tiny, microscopic little pieces. It seems this bass has been neglected. So I cleaned out all the foam pieces and put a new battery in. Plug it in and am delighted to hear it sounds wonderful-like a Modulus sounds. But the pots are very scratchy. Like I'm playing and the volume just decreases on its own. I touch the volume pot and the volume comes back. Turning any of the pots, its very very scratchy.

I immediately reach out to the seller. He's being cordial but he did suggest that maybe this happened during transit. Nope! Try again dude. We're going back and forth at the moment. I will say, he seems to be very cooperative and seems he genuinely wants to make things right. As I type this, I'm cooling down.

So my first thought is; this is a bass I've wanted for a long time. The price I paid is much cheaper than what I see other quantum 6 strings selling for on Reverb. So there's a part of me that say's "Just fix it and drive on" The finish is immaculate-no scratches, no dings, nothing It looks amazing. And it has that Modulus piano sound on the notes that I can actually fret. I really am enamored with this thing. On top of everything else, the finish matches my Fodera 6 Emperor. Sending it back would be a hassle and his store policy is the buyer pays to return and refunds are minus shipping. So I'm out a couple hundred $$ if I return it. If I keep it an fix it...I haven't had electronic work done on basses so no clue what this would cost to fix. But my assumption is, maybe it would be cheaper to fix than to return.

So what would you do?

eta: pics or it didn't happen...

 

[Bikeguy57]

Replacing a couple of pots should be minimal. Sounds like a keeper.

 

[4sight]

I'd set it up to make sure the neck is OK, then fix the electronics if so. That's probably the reason it was cheaper, sellers lie all the time.

 

[casualmadness]

Replacing a couple of pots should be minimal. Sounds like a keeper.

It isn't something I know how to even begin doing. Do you think it would be expensive? As long as I've been playing, (over 30 years) it isn't something I've ever encountered.

 

[echo008]

You said the action was high... is there wiggle room on the bridge saddles still? Check to make sure the neck is not warped I have had that happen on a modulus 6 I bought.

 

[murphy]

As long as you have the neck stable and action secure...
I would buy a Sadowsky preamp and throw that in

If you want original...just get an EMG or Bartolini whatever preamp was in there.

Pay what you have to to make it perfect for you....and know you now have what you wanted and are not still stressing over mailing back and forth or trying to get more discounts.
See if he will return $200 but leave it and walk away with your new bass if he refuses

 

[murphy]

If you are in Toronto, I'd be happy to install a preamp for you

Sadowsky sells directly

All others can be bought at Best Bass Gear
www.bestbassgear.com

 

[Bikeguy57]

Never paid anyone to work on my basses. 2 pots and an hour labor should be <100.00 I would think.

 

[LowEndOperative]

If it were me, I would be lamenting that the price at the time of purchase is not the total cost (that is, I would have to get it to a bass tech to get it setup and the electronics fixed). If it's flawless otherwise, that may cost you no more than the shipping costs forfeited were you to return it (I do think $200 is a rather steep shipping price, too). I'd consider it far less of a hassle to fix it than to return it, personally.

 

[LBS-bass]

All minor issues that would be expected on a bass that sat unused, which is probably why the guy sold it. He hasn't played it in a while, never plugged it in after deciding to sell but said it was "perfect" because it probably was fine the last time he played it three years ago.

The setup means he's heavy handed; you should be able to set it up to your liking fairly easily. The rest is just internal cleaning and replacing that foam, there probably is no reason to replace parts unless the pots are actually bad, but what you describe is common when they just need cleaning.

If you don't know how to handle these issues take it to a good tech for a once over. I'd expect to do that with any used bass. Tech should be able to get it cleaned up internally and set up to your liking.

 

[AboutSweetSue]

Just keep it. It's kinda a crap situation but it ain't that crap of a situation given that, other than some scratchy pots, the bass is wonderful.

Maybe the seller will reimburse the price of new pots and labor. Who knows, though, maybe someone can give info on cleaning pots. I've heard it can be done.

 

[casualmadness]

If you are in Toronto, I'd be happy to install a preamp for you

Kind offer but I'm in the states

 

[Turnaround]

You need to determine what it would take to get the action where you would like it. First check the neck relief. If it needs adjustment, check to see if the truss rod is working. Set the relief to between 10 and 15 thousandths of an inch. Then see if you can lower the saddles to a comfortable playing level. The rest is easy -scratchy controls probably only need some cleaner spray which will probably also cure the volume drop problem.

 

[sleddogn]

Who is responsible for return shipping costs?
If the item you purchased arrived damaged or not as described, and you reported the issues to the seller or Reverb within 7 days of delivery, the seller would be responsible for the return shipping costs.

On a preference-based return, typically the buyer would be responsible for purchasing the return shipping label.

 

[casualmadness]

Never paid anyone to work on my basses. 2 pots and an hour labor should be <100.00 I would think.

It's not just the Squiers that have high action, the price of an instrument means nothing about the setup:

View attachment 3915923

Not the point dude

 

[Dark Horse]

Pots get dirty. Shoot a little cailube electronics cleaner in them and rotate back and forth for a minute.... should clean them out. If not, then the pot is bad and will need replacement. But electronics cleaner normally does the trick.

As for the other stuff, sounds like you have it handled.

 

[tekhedd]

Sounds like a generous shot of Deoxit F5 and some setup should have you up and running. And I'd probably oil the fingerboard and wait a day before doing setup--if it's been this neglected the fingerboard will probably also expand as it soaks in.

Pretty fingerboard. I like.

[edit]Pro tip: Do not use calilube, deoxit D5, or any form of electrical contact cleaner on your pots, unless you plan to follow with a fader lube like Deoxit F100. You have been warned.

 

[BigBigGuy44]

You said the action was high... is there wiggle room on the bridge saddles still? Check to make sure the neck is not warped I have had that happen on a modulus 6 I bought.

I'll echo this. Get it setup to see if the action can be lowered and will stay put. That's really the biggest issue. If the neck if good, you should ask for a $150-$200 refund to put a new preamp in. I wouldn't let the electronics bother you if everything else about it is good.

 

[Shlabotnik]

Do these graphite necks have truss rods or some other adjustment process?

 

[JGbassman]

All minor issues that would be expected on a bass that sat unused, which is probably why the guy sold it. He hasn't played it in a while, never plugged it in after deciding to sell but said it was "perfect" because it probably was fine the last time he played it three years ago.

The setup means he's heavy handed; you should be able to set it up to your liking fairly easily. The rest is just internal cleaning and replacing that foam, there probably is no reason to replace parts unless the pots are actually bad, but what you describe is common when they just need cleaning.

If you don't know how to handle these issues take it to a good tech for a once over. I'd expect to do that with any used bass. Tech should be able to get it cleaned up internally and set up to your liking.

this. the bass sounds like it sat without being played for awhile. I have bought basses with scratchy pots, I can usually get them cleaned up with a little deoxit! and turning the pots. I have an old amp I seldom use that needs to be cleaned up if its not used for more than a year. take it in an have it professionally set up, cleaned and brought back from dormant if you cant do it yourself. Im guessing it will be fine then.