Trouble with a custom build

[Jonithen]

Hey TB

Not intending to name and shame, just polling for opinions. Long anticipated build came in. Looks ok but discovered bridge is in the wrong spot and I can't intonate it as is.

Notified builder, no response but benefit of the doubt it's a holiday here in the US.

I've got a guy that can put the bridge where it should be. I don't feel too happy about popping money down for something that should have been handled before it arrived.

The repairs would probably be less than shipping it back. I'd feel like a bit of a jerk doing that to a smallish builder. If the dude covers the cost of the fix I'd just shrug it off and move on with my life. I'm hoping he steps up.

What do you think? No mercy, if it doesn't rock back in the box and see what CC company will do? Suck it up and eat a repair bill on a new build?

 

[mikeoso]

Me, I say wait and see what the builder says. Any planning or deciding before that seems unnecessary at best.

 

[FunkHead]

I am not a fan of extra holes being drilled in my bass. So I’d be pretty unhappy. That’s a bad indication of the guys work.

 

[ddnidd1]

Assuming the builder made such a very basic, obvious mistake, it should be his responsibility to cover shipping and his repairs.

Why would you feel bad for asking him to correct his mistake? He didn't feel bad about charging you good money for the build.

And if he has any sense of ethics and professionalism, he should be happy to make things right.

 

[Bassist Jay]

The builder should cover all costs. Shipping both ways of to him and then back to you. He should then patch the holes and refinish the body before attempting to reset the bridge in its proper location. Anything less, would be unacceptable to me. I get that mistakes happen but when they do, they need to be corrected. They also need to be corrected properly, and not half done. I’m not saying this guy will do that but hopefully, he will.

 

[Christine]

May I ask how far out the bridge is?

 

[Jonithen]

Christine, I'll find out tonight. My local luthier / pick up wizard will help me give it a hard once over and identify anything else we can find. I maxed out the saddles on D and G and it's still flat something like 30 cents. E is actually pretty darn close but I'd like to be able to use all my strings.

 

[bass12]

Speaking from experience, any luthier worth his salt will accept full responsibility and make things right.

 

[DigitalMan]

What does the tape measure say?

 

[mdogs]

What does the tape measure say?

The answer to this is the only answer that matters.

 

[buldog5151bass]

That's the only mistake you know of. I would hope the builder would cover the cost of getting it done right, at the very least. I also don't know how much you paid. I would expect any custom build to be checked, set up and intonated.

 

[wmhill]

I would fully expect the builder to cover any costs involved with this, or he could expect to issue a refund. That being said, if someone else touches it, all bets are off as far as warranty work.

 

[MMiller28]

Don't feel bad about putting the shipping costs on a builder that failed to produce a properly functioning instrument.

 

[fakeneckplate'65]

Inexcusable.. full refund, no questions asked.

 

[Goatrope]

The answer to this is the only answer that matters.

Yup

 

[Ghastly]

I'm surprised that YOU had to determine the issue with the bridge. I would have thought the builder would do that.

 

[Engle]

On the face of it, that’s pretty bad.
What kind of bridge is it? Have you changed strings to something radically different from what it shipped with?

 

[Jonithen]

No string change, it has what it shipped with. Hipshot toploading bridge.


Took it by my trusted local guy, we did some measurements he helped me understand the issues and I'm going to collect my thoughts, take a day to breathe, and reach out to the builder. Here's hoping he makes it right one way or another.

 

[ModuMan]

The builder should take care of it, (hopefully) end of story.

Though I am curious how *they* did the intonation...

I've had some personal experience with a similar situation. Not handbuilt or boutique but a bass that showed up with a few problems including being completely unable to set up the G string since it was missing the saddle screw. So how did that pass "inspection"? Who knows.

Sent it back, it was taken care of. Hopefully yours will be as well.

 

[WardEarth]

Multiple issues? That's too bad. I'd say don't stress about it too much, the builder will probably help you out.