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OK, I've gone from disappointed to a bit angry.

#85
I buy from both Sweetwater and MF all day long. For instruments, Sweetwater every time. I just got a bass from them. It was opened. Because they checked it on the way in and on the way out. And the one I saw in the pics is the one I got.

About Fender... I have tried hundreds and owned several. They are all different. Even the same models and all the same specs and same production runs. Music Man, G&L, even Ibanez are way more consistent.
 
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#86
Bassbubble11 said:
Buy from Sweetwater. MF is a joke.
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I agree since I started buying from Sweetwater everything I've gotten has been mint. They open the basses and inspect them before shipping them out. A lot of online dealers pretty much just act like a shipping center. They lack the quality control and the customer service sw has
 
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#91
It's very disappointing to see this about supposedly premium level instruments from well-established American manufacturers. I have an issue with nitro finish delamination on a new Gibson USA TBird that I recently bought. There is also a problem with a nitro bubble having developed in another location. I''m currently in the process of having an evaluation done on the bass for a warranty repair or exchange.

I don't have unrealistic or unfair expectations in terms of quality or performance, but when one pays a significantly higher than normal price for a musical instrument, that is touted by the manufacturer to be of superior quality, I believe that there should be a good faith effort on the part of the manufacturer to live up to their end of the deal. Sadly, it seems as if Fender and Gibson have descended to the level of business ethics and practices that we saw with Detroit car makers in the 70s, and we know how that played out with the influx of Japanese car competition.

The Gibson that I have will serve me as a good learning bass, but when I eventually transition to a good quality fretless bass it will not be from Gibson or Fender. It will probably be a boutique instrument from Warwick or Alembic. At least with Alembic I can just drive up the road to their factory and talk to the people, see their craftsmanship and have the kind of accountability and peace of mind that the instrument that I've invested that much money in will be what it should be. It's not the prestige or snob factor at work in getting one of these basses, it's more like the satisfaction that the instrument that you're going to spend so much time with and effort on to play properly has been assembled with some level of care and concern. Maybe it's that these production American instruments have their real niche as good value instruments at lower end prices and more money spent for supposed high quality is just a foolish assumption on the buyer's part.
 
#93
BazzTard said:
there is only one way to buy a brand new bass. Get your local shop to order it in for you. Inspect it before you buy it. Simple.
Buy strings and pedals online, not brand new expensive basses, it's not rocket-science.
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That's good advice if your local shop will order it without requiring full purchase price to be paid up front. Not all, including the local GC from whom I purchased this bass, will do so.

If the defect is due to a lack of or improperly done surface prep before nitro spraying, then the defect will not be apparent at purchase time and will only show up later. I'm not disagreeing with what you say in general about taking sensible precautions before shelling out lots of money for a bass, but I am saying that we, as buyers, are not getting the quality that we think we're paying for. Perhaps I am being unrealistic in my assumptions.
 
#94
you are right to expect better quality control for the money paid for those instruments. I just can't bring myself to shell out that much sight unseen. But if local shops aren't helpful then you have no choice.
I'm lucky in that I have spent heaps at my fave shop lately and they wouldn't ask a deposit, they'll order it in and if I don't like it I don't buy it. But they are really nice people.
 
#95
I've ordered from MF for 20 years, before the 'net. Ordered from catalogs over the phone! They have always provided outstanding support. Never blinked an eye on any return I threw at them and I've done more than my share.
zZounds is a super great company. I've spoken to more real musicians at zZounds than other stores. They are fast, easy, and returns are seamless. Never got a used piece of gear.
A friend of mine bought from Sweetwater and the guitar had a bad neck. He had H*ll to pay getting it returned. Then he was hounded for months after that by "his personal sales rep." I've talked to them on the phone and they're nice.

Companies like Fender and Gibson carry a great burden to produce many levels of instruments at different levels of price. They are victims of their own success. I remember in 1979 buying a brand new Fender and it had fit and finish issues. And it wasn't cheap.

In 1980 I discovered Ibanez. The quality and consistency has been dead on for me for 35 years. I just bought another one recently, and it had a perfect finish, one of the best fret finishing jobs I've ever had, outstanding build quality, and it was made in Indonesia.

Sadly, other companies besides Fender and Gibson have discovered the manufacturing secrets to consistently delivering super products at a great price point. By the way, my first Ibanez from 1980 was built in Japan and was perfect and a work of art.

I wish the top execs at Fender could read these posts and take heart. As far as MF, they sell a lot of gear every day. Shame on someone for selling this used item as new. And double shame on Fender for sending out a blem on an expensive bass.
 
#98
awilkie84 said:
Dude...what kind of 6" mark UNDER the finish could be caused by something other than bad QC?! Why are you so skeptical of the claim?
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A better question might be why are you NOT skeptical of the claim. I can give you a few reasons:
  1. I read the OPs first thread about this issue (enough said about that)
  2. I am a fairly old guy and I have worked in manufacturing for my entire life; I know the extents to which manufacturers go to please their customers (it might be noted that in both cases MF did what they could to satisfy the OP, yet he still complains)
  3. Nothing in the OPs claim represents issues that I would consider the fault of Fender. I mean, hang tags...come on! The only complaint that might possibly be a Fender quality issue would be the so-called blemish THAT NOBODY HAS SEEN, except the OP.
  4. I'll just leave it there, since I'm on the bosses time and need to get to work.
Have a nice day.
 
#100
Jughead6 said:
Some of us non-Americans have always been sceptical of so-called American quality. Give me German or Japanese quality any day.
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We Americans have always had our issues with manufacturing quality levels, just as all countries have. Still, we remain the worlds leading manufacturer and we have the most stable economy of any nation. We must be doing something right.
 

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