scratch and dent

[Justin89]

has anyone ever order anything used from musicians friend
i was wondering how the quality was

 

[Drewbacca]

Haven't ordered there myself, but From what I understand, the scratch/ dent is typically pretty small, the type of thing that's pretty much inevitable if the instrument is played. Doesn't ever affect playability IIRC.

 

[dean owens]

sometimes it's just when someone buys something... plays with it a little... and sends it back for a refund.

 

[Justin89]

ok cool,
and i love the murdoc avatar wyrdo

 

[Drewbacca]

Dean, if I'm not mistaken, I think that when that happens they call it "B stock" (and usually stamp USED on the back of the headstock.

EDIT: thanks!

 

[bongomania]

I ordered a scratch'n'dent MIA Fender from MF and the only thing wrong with it was a tiny dimple in the end of the headstock. Even if you receive what you order and decide that the damage is too much, you can send it back for a full refund. It's an easy deal.

 

[The Dave]

I got a Reggie Hamilton J that a UPS guy apparently dropped. There were three bad dings along the bottom, two were all the way through the finish, dented into the wood. A Scratch n' Dent special showed up right after I sent it back.

 

[Justin89]

i like what a hear
a used ibanez may be in my future

 

[SanDiegoHarry]

never forget: MF is just GC on line (which makes one wonder why GC has its own web site...)

 

[Justin89]

yes but thats the best option for me
not really any good music stores around me

 

[B String]

I once ordered a Fender American deluxe Jazz from MF as
a scratch & dent. One of the tuning keys was bent.
The neck was just barely screwed on, with scratches on
the back of the neck. I called Musicians Friend about two
minutes after I opened it up to say I had no interest in
the bass. They gladly sent me an RA number to send it back.
Easy! I just wish the bass hadn't been such a looser.

 

[lousybassplayer]

A friend of mine ordered a S&D Les Paul Gold top. He stil ahsn't found the damage

 

[Bongolation]

I've probably bought fifteen or so S&D instruments from Musician's Friend over the past few years.

It is a total crapshoot. Though there's some differentiation between S&D and "B Stock" in their listings, this is pretty meaningless. I have received S&D items that were warranty repaired items back from the service centers, which fit the site definition of "B Stock," but were in the S&D listings.

I've gotten some stuff that was utterly destroyed, but they not only took it back at their expense, but replaced it with a new A-Stock item in one case, free of charge.

I believe a lot of S&D is FMIC new stock that didn't pass QC or was refused by dealers. Fender will officially deny this, but evidence strongly points to the contrary.

Some stuff was nearly perfect. For example, Link Removed [four pages of thumbs] S&D that was missing a vibrato crank, which Fender sent me free of charge.

I got it for about 80% off MSRP.

 

[MooseLumps]

Got a peterson strobe tuner for 80 bucks... had a rash on the top. I love it!!!

 

[Bongolation]

never forget: MF is just GC on line (which makes one wonder why GC has its own web site...)

Same reason Music123 does.

 

[mandolinwalt]

Has anyone here bought a B-Stock item from Musician's Friend that was listed as backordered? MF has several B Stock Eden amps that say they will be available on March 12th. By definition, I would think that B-Stock items would have to be in stock. I ordered one anyway, but I'm skeptical that it will show up in March.

 

[Bongolation]

Has anyone here bought a B-Stock item from Musician's Friend that was listed as backordered?

YES...several times, and they were almost all electronics.

I also see it frequently on low-end instruments, particularly Epiphones.

These are the "B-stock" factory repairs I mentioned earlier, with a known delivery window for a known shipment quantity. Why they often call them S&D and not "B-stock" is anyone's guess. Makes no sense to me, but I don't think there are any consequences of calling it one thing over the other. I notice that they don't refer to such stock as "refurbs" any more, either.

 

[mandolinwalt]

Thanks Bongolation. It makes me feel better to know that there will be a definite shipment of amps coming in. From what the guy at Eden has told me, B Stocks are anything from refurbs to equipment picked up from music stores who wouldn't pay their bills. The Eden B-Stocks come with full factory warranty, so I figure I can't go wrong.
Matt

 

[cassanova]

I'm having a hard time getting past the latter part of MF's B line description. "Factory B-Stocks may have been returned to the factory by customers or retailers, or they may have failed to pass quality standards during the manufacturing process.

 

[bongomania]

That's nothing big at all. "Quality standards" can include superficial stuff like a spot or drip in the finish, or a discoloration on a fabric part, or a metal rack chassis where the lid doesn't exactly line up with the body, etc.