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Thoughts on my recent GC repair.

#21
jmattbassplaya said:
I wouldn't of paid it.
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+1

Just try to remember when dealing with a discount house of any kind. Buy from them, but never ask them to service what they sell. When a business offers the lowest prices, it has always implied (at least to me) that no service of any kind will be offered. No knowledgeable help making a selection and most certainly no skill in the building for even the simplest of repairs or service after the sale. Low prices mean low overhead and skilled labor is always the first causality of the big discount store management plan.
 
#23
While I agree that shipping your bass without your knowledge and taking 9 weeks to make the repair was totally out of line, there is usually a minimum shop rate for repairs, whether at your local car dealer or electronics shop. Usually it is a one hour minimum. By the time you remove the access plate, desolder the pot, resolder the new one, test to make sure it works correctly, and button everything back up, you've spent probably 40 minutes if you are proficient. The extra minimum time is to cover shop overhead such as the electric bill, rent etc. $80 is probably a legit charge.
 
#25
This is why I learned to do all the work myself..... It's cool to play an instrument but guys you need to learn to work on your own stuff, it's not hard at all.... If I can build a bass from scratch I know most of you can repair one if you just take the time to learn how......
 
#26
This is one of several recent GC Tech threads, all telling a sad story.

I have no idea why GC wants to set themselves up for this kind of abuse. There can't possibly be much financial gain, they probably just want to portray themselves as the be-all end-all of everything guitar and bass related. They already take it on the chin for so many other reasons, by trying to provide tech service on basses and guitars they are just opening themselves up for even more scrutiny.

It took me years to find a couple of good techs I can communicate with and trust. What are the odds of GC having one just come through the door and ask for an application for employment?

I'd say the odds are slim.
 
#27
john grey said:
How to repair a Potentiometer in a Bass.

1.) Access the problem pot and remove (several wood screws and retention nut of the pot).
2.) There are generally only 3 lugs to the pot; of that two will be soldered, Center and one of the side lugs. So you are only un-soldering and re-soldering TWO contacts.
3.) Obtain the proper pot(s). Generally they will be 250 / 500K-Ohm and are offered by Honeywell (the GOOD ones) and Alpha (the ones that often mess up).
Honeywell stock number: 53C2250 (for 250's)or 53C2500 (for 500's).
4.) These can be obtained via Allied Electronics or Mouser electronics for $15 for the Honeywell or $6 for the Alpha. Just go to Mouser.com or Allied and place your order....get your parts & do your repair.

Total time invested will be 20 minutes. It may be a better idea to retain those stock numbers (as these are VERY common parts) & do this yourself rather than rely up the "I'll-learn-on- your-stuff 'technician'" at your local Large Retail Music Store.
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"There is always a well-known solution to every human problem - neat, plausible, and wrong." H. L. Mencken

The problem here is that this is not some run of the mill passive bass. It's a Fender Deluxe model like mine. No ordinary volume pot here. It mounts right on the PC board. Probably was special ordered to their own design by Fender and chances of getting ANYTHING like it at Mouser or other distributors are NIL! Fender probably had to order thousands to get them! So get one of those thousand from Fender, right? FAT CHANCE! Go look for "parts" on their website. They aren't going to help you out. Hey, bub, don't you know they sell NEW basses? Now here goes the quick repair out the window!

So the hapless bass player goes to GC for a repair (maybe he even bought the bass there and thus expects they can service it). Well the string jockey in the back takes one look and calls the manager who immediately realizes that replacing this pot isn't a simple wiring job but requires special PC board desoldering tools (even if Fender is willing to sell them the replacement pot). Sure a skilled guy (me) can do it with a Radio Shack soldering pencil and a solder sucker, but one mistake and the traces come off the cheap Fender PC board and it's TOAST! And THAT is really going to cost some money. Time to get scared!

So the decision is made to ship the bass to a repair facility that actually has a vacuum desoldering tool. Shipping BOTH ways mind you! And that is on TOP of the cost of the repair on top of the impossible to get part that Fender is probably charging an arm and leg for! So, 9 weeks, $80, no communication fully covers the butts of GC management who don't want to let you know how far up against the wall they are.

Yep, I"d say you did pretty good!

Of course when my Ken Smith snapped off the PC pot (which was ALL that was holding the ENTIRE circuit onto the bass) I didn't bother knowing all the above. I hate to think what KS would have charged to replace the special pot and integral tone circuit with another stupid one just like it that would snap off again. The wait would have been epic as well. So I just bought the right value pot online (after an enlightening discussion with TBers who showed me where to buy it) and soldered wires from the new pot to the circuit. Voila! Few bucks and maybe a week and I'm back in business!

Word to the wise.
 
#28
electracoyote said:
This is one of several recent GC Tech threads, all telling a sad story.

I have no idea why GC wants to set themselves up for this kind of abuse. There can't possibly be much financial gain, they probably just want to portray themselves as the be-all end-all of everything guitar and bass related. They already take it on the chin for so many other reasons, by trying to provide tech service on basses and guitars they are just opening themselves up for even more scrutiny.

It took me years to find a couple of good techs I can communicate with and trust. What are the odds of GC having one just come through the door and ask for an application for employment?

I'd say the odds are slim.
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I really don't know what to say anymore, we have many techs that are super awesome and I like to think that I'm not half bad myself.

And the guys that are really bad are on their way out as soon as good replacements are found. On a good day I satisfy many customers that will vouch for my work, and I am talking about fretwork, rewires, headstock repairs, pickup installs and just about everything else besides finish work. In a given day I might have to work on a bass, electric guitar, classical guitar, banjo, ukelele, and do everything well.

I guess what I am trying to say is we don't all suck.
 
#29
frianbisher said:
I guess what I am trying to say is we don't all suck.
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I'm sure you don't all suck. I was only saying the odds are against GC maintaining a stable of outstanding techs employed at their stores across the country.

And is your reaction the result of the complaints that find their way to this website? For every TB'er who has a bad GC Tech experience, I wonder how many non-TB'ers are going through something similar.
 
#31
electracoyote said:
I'm sure you don't all suck. I was only saying the odds are against GC maintaining a stable of outstanding techs employed at their stores across the country.

And is your reaction the result of the complaints that find their way to this website? For every TB'er who has a bad GC Tech experience, I wonder how many non-TB'ers are going through something similar.
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It's just that it seems to be bash GC tech day every other day and maybe I take it too personally. For the record it sounds like the tech the OP mentioned did indeed screw up and I'm not defending him. I guess the way of the world is upset customers will speak out and the satisfied ones aren't as inclined to let everyone know about their experience.
 
#32
As a GC tech myself, I would like to apologize for your bad experience. And I would like to re-iterate that not all of us suck. If he/she had been an "A" level tech this would not have been the case more than likely. They should have informed you that it was going to a 3rd party vendor and given you the option to go elsewhere.

All I can offer is in the future, get to know the techs in your area and find one you trust. If you were closer I'd say come and see me. I try my damndest to treat my customers right and make a point to communicate with them when things come up.
 
#34
+1. i am lucky that the gc near me has a third party co for their tech work. I brought in my lowest end guitar for a setup, met Rick, chatted with him...he gave me his attention, followed up on the phone, and did great work. after that went well I brought my whole stable in for setups. Personal touch works both ways. In the op's case, this sounds like a store that should't even offer tech.

Billnc said:
Always have a personal relationship with the group of people who support you and treat them well. Take your stuff to a repairman, talk to him/her face to face. If the repair is good, tip them. Your next experience will be very good, and you will never be overcharged.
Support/supply/repair can never be faceless, lesson learned in the army and 30 years later serves well. Just another form of networking.
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#35
frianbisher said:
Sorry to hear about your experience, I would never treat my customers like that and more than likely I would have had your bass back to you in a day or two depending on workload. Techs like that make it harder for me to convince my customers that I can provide a quality service.
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Thats what everybody I talk to says! Only a day or two depending on workload. A dude I met just recently said he'd have done it in 15 minutes for me. But, I know nothing about this dude, he could be a poser, but it doesnt take long to solder a few wires. I hope ur GC is better and more professional than my local one. I know I still have to buy gear from GC (wish I didnt) but never any tech work again, and I will always, always put them in a bad light and knock their tech service whenever I can! I sure hope ur Utah chain is a step above.
 
#36
JonnyAngle said:
Soldering gun = $15
Solder = $5
Going online to find the correct wiring (or just take good pictures before you replace it), labor, reassembly = $75/ hour

Is it a rip? Probabally.

GC doesn't want to have Bob from drums fix it because he replaced a pot way back when. THe same is true for all retailers: Best Buy, GC, Walmart, etc. Everyone has to have gone through the "company training" before they can start "fixing" customers' instruments, cars, TV's etc.

Take it as a lesson learned... Do it yourself next time.
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Im already assembling everything I need for next repair. Including schematics. Thanks.
 
#39
testing1two said:
I agree that was ridiculous. To be fair, the volume pot on active Fenders is actually soldered directly to the preamp circuit board so it might intimidate the soldering novice. Still, 9 weeks is utterly ridiculous, as is $80. Sorry you had such a bad experience. But that said I think this is a great opportunity to do some research on reputable local techs/luthiers in your area so you can get more personalized service in the future.
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How right you are! It turns out that was the case. They had to "find" the schematics for the Seymour Duncan preamp. I bought this bass from same store....theres Fenders all over the friggin' place, they offer tech service but yet, it was too much for them? UGH! Lesson learned.
 

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