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Official Elrick Club Thread!

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#384
Elrick guys, I have a problem and would like some advice or help or whatever. I bought an NJS and didn't really play with it for a while after I got it. Once I did, if i could describe the neck, I would say crappy a best. The frets were rough and it was impossible to set up. It seemedto have a few high frets in the 12-15th fret range. I assumed this had to be just me and my inability to set it up, and that the frets weren't all that rough. I triedto trade it and I told the guy he oculd try it out before he sent his trade to me and he verified everything I said even after he set it up. Judging by the list of gear he had he is much more experienced with high end basses than I am. Now I have it back and I can't decide what to do. I guess my questions can be summed up as
1: Is this abnormal?
2. Will Rob Elrick help me? Any body can claim awesome customer service, but is it possible that he will fix this bass even though I have had it a while?
3. Has anyone else had similar problems and what did it cost to get them rectified? I am pretty broke, and I almost want to just unload it and wait for another opportunity in the future, but if I can get it taken care of on a budget I would prefer that.

Basically I don't want to get another bass, I just want this one to be what I thought it should be. Is it worth it?
 
#386
lousybassplayer said:
Elrick guys, I have a problem and would like some advice or help or whatever. I bought an NJS and didn't really play with it for a while after I got it. Once I did, if i could describe the neck, I would say crappy a best. The frets were rough and it was impossible to set up. It seemedto have a few high frets in the 12-15th fret range. I assumed this had to be just me and my inability to set it up, and that the frets weren't all that rough. I triedto trade it and I told the guy he oculd try it out before he sent his trade to me and he verified everything I said even after he set it up. Judging by the list of gear he had he is much more experienced with high end basses than I am. Now I have it back and I can't decide what to do. I guess my questions can be summed up as
1: Is this abnormal?
2. Will Rob Elrick help me? Any body can claim awesome customer service, but is it possible that he will fix this bass even though I have had it a while?
3. Has anyone else had similar problems and what did it cost to get them rectified? I am pretty broke, and I almost want to just unload it and wait for another opportunity in the future, but if I can get it taken care of on a budget I would prefer that.

Basically I don't want to get another bass, I just want this one to be what I thought it should be. Is it worth it?
Click to expand...

A few things to go over here.

1. Yes, it is abnormal to get a new Elrick with bad fretwork. I've never purchased or played a new Elrick that didn't have fantastic fretwork. No, it is not abnormal if the bass is used and has been in the possession of someone who didn't take great care of it or kept it in an unhumidified area. What year is the bass? If you're not sure, the last two digits of the serial number are the year.

2. "Awesome customer service" will have nothing to do with Rob Elrick at this point. You bought the bass from Bass Central, so either the bass had the issues when you bought it (in which case you should have Bass Central take it back and repair it) or the issues happened while in your possession (drastic climate changes, not keeping the bass in a place with enough humidity, etc.). If the issue occurred while you had it, it's all on you to fix it. If the issues were there when you got it, then Bass Central should take it back if it hasn't been long since you purchased it. This is something you really should have noticed right away though- it would have been glaringly obvious from the first time you played it if there are multiple high frets, etc. I don't see any reason why Rob would do an unpaid fret dressing unless the issue was with a brand new bass and you contacted the store you purchased it through first. Shipping to and from Chicago alone would likely be pricier than having it repaired locally unless you're a Chi-town resident. Your first classified ad didn't mention any fret issues though, so as a regular buyer in the Classifieds I urge you to make sure you mention if there any issues BEFORE listing an item for sale, otherwise you could pass on problems to other TBers.

3. It's unclear about the state of the neck- you first say "crappy at best," but then say that it may just be a few high frets. There's a vast difference between the two. Are the high frets the only issue? Having a fret dressing for a few frets will not be too costly- I've had dressings done for a couple basses over the years and they ranged from $50 to $200 depending on how much work needed to be done.
 
#388
I said crappy because I thought it needed an inordinate amount of setting up for a new bass. This was compunded by me thinking that it didn't get better because I was just to inept to set it up to where there was a comfortable action and no fret buzz. The fret sprout was there when I got it but got worse, so I am accepting responsibilty there. I just never had that issue with any of my other stuff and they are all stored together. My house is very dry this time of year, but I try to keep them as humid as possible. MAybe it is just more sensitive than my lesser instruments (the Ric could care less)? I can file the frets myself, they aren't that bad, and I plan to oil it up and try to replace some moisture, but (idiot question alert) will this have any impact on the high frets I have? Basically I went from thinking I was an idiot, to thinking I had a lemon, and now back to my original thought, it was my fault and I am an idiot. I appreciate your help and any tips you have for me to maintain and care for this bass that are abve the normal stuff I do for my other basses. I am not getting rid of it. I have it 50 percent fixed already and upon plugging it in again I realized I can't part with it. Even if it costs a few bucks, the things that made me want this bass are all still there and I do want to love it as much as my other, more sentimental basses.
 
#389
If you're in Chicopee Mass, (I went to UMass Amherst), then take it to Matt Schmill (FBB Basses) in Amherst, or track down Karl Hoyt on the Cape. Both do GREAT work, and can make it play better than new.
PM me if you need their numbers.
 
#390
Possibly the only Elrick at the just concluded 2009 IBC in Memphis TN. I checked out a lot of bands, but didn't see another Elrick. It earned its keep, for sure. In my venue I had to play through a GK 800RB and a Hartke aluminum-coned 410. The sound I got wasn't too bad, thanks in part to this great sounding bass. This shot was taken at our venue, Club 152. :)

Memphis2-1.jpg


M. M.
 
#391
im in the north jersey are and am buying an elrick calssic 5 neck thru....if anyone has one that i may be able to meet up with and play it would be greatly appreciated...i want to try this bass out before spending $3500 on ordering one
 
#392
As I mentioned in your thread, I have an e-volution neck-through (singlecut) that you're welcome to try, although southeast CT is a few hours from north Jersey. Any reason you've decided on the Classic as opposed to the e-volution without trying them?
 
#395
yea i thought the classic looked just a little more my style....very slight difference but there is a samll one....bryan i actually found a bolt on evo 5 string at rudys in new york city....do you think playing that will give me a good idea as to what my classic neck through 5 string will play like?
 
#396
It shouldn't be too different. The body styles are pretty similar- just keep in mind that the Classic won't have the rounded edges that the one at Rudy's will have and the neck-throughs have a different feel at the neck joint (obviously). Everything else- neck shape, reach to the first fret, weight, etc. will likely be the same.
 
#398
You can see how the edges on the Classic are pretty straight in this one, particularly in the lower left-hand corner. Note that they are still slightly rounded at the edges.
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Here's an e-volution, and you can see the much rounder, smoother curves:
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