jackduran Posted December 28, 2011 Share Posted December 28, 2011 (edited) Popped into a music shop this afternoon on a whim whilst I was waiting for the train back to mine. I hadn't been in there for a couple of months, so I wasn't looking for anything in particular, but hanging on the wall is a white/white/maple Japanese Fender P Bass for the bargain price of £299. Asked if I could have a go on it, and it's suitably strung with old rounds for that dull, fat sound (I don't know too much about P's in the first place, but it didn't sound as nice as I'm sure it could have). A closer inspection reveals that the maple around the nut is sanded down a bit, and there's a few cracks in there too. Where the neck joins to the body, the neck doesn't quite sit in the pocket correctly- there's a larger-than-usual gap on each side. So I asked the staff if they'd be able to tell me a bit more about the bass by taking the neck off. At first they told me it wasn't their policy to do that, but they relented and took the neck off revealing 8 shoddy screw holes (overlapping, with the thread on the screws worn), a shim made of sheet music paper, various stamps (the one I remember just saying "P Bass"). At this point the member of staff who had previously claimed that the bass was 100% Jap Fender now told me the bass was a commission-sale job with a Japanese Fender neck on an old Squier body (with unidentifiable, crap electronics/pick-up), possibly worth £100 in total (rather than the £299 it was on sale at!). The price ticket hung on the instrument said, "Japanese" Fender P-Bass' - note the inverted commas around Japanese - so was this deliberate mis-selling or an honest mistake? Glad I swerved it, but had I been in more of a rush or had a bigger case of GAS (I'm currently fawning over Jap Fender Jazz/P's with maple necks online) I might have snatched it up. Just goes to show it's worth asking in the shop if you suspect anything is amiss! [EDIT - typo!] Edited December 28, 2011 by jackduran Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gareth Posted December 28, 2011 Share Posted December 28, 2011 get yourself a pucker one here [url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/180782530546?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649"]http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/180782530546?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649[/url] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
icastle Posted December 28, 2011 Share Posted December 28, 2011 [quote name='jackduran' timestamp='1325105948' post='1479964'] At this point the member of staff who had previously claimed that the bass was 100% Jap Fender now told me the bass was a commission-sale job with a Japanese Fender neck on an old Squier body (with unidentifiable, crap electronics/pick-up), possibly worth £100 in total (rather than the £299 it was on sale at!). The price ticket hung on the instrument said, "Japanese" Fender P-Bass' - note the inverted commas around Japanese - so was this deliberate mis-selling or an honest mistake? [/quote] I was asked to sell a fake Les Paul many years ago when I worked in music retail and I point blank refused. I do wonder what goes through some retailers heads at times - their entire reputation could go down the drain for the sake of a couple of hundred quid... total madness. If the guy in the shop was able to give you that level of detail then it was deliberate mis-selling regardless of the fact that it was a commission sale job. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grand Wazoo Posted December 28, 2011 Share Posted December 28, 2011 All I can say, well done for not falling into a trap and buy a moody bass. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Immo Posted December 28, 2011 Share Posted December 28, 2011 That's sad... But, who knows, maybe it WAS a good instrument, after all? Not for the price, but still... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wylie Posted December 29, 2011 Share Posted December 29, 2011 [quote name='gareth' timestamp='1325107010' post='1479972'] get yourself a pucker one here [url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/180782530546?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649"]http://www.ebay.co.u...984.m1423.l2649[/url] [/quote] Wow. Intense G.A.S pains ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jackduran Posted December 29, 2011 Author Share Posted December 29, 2011 [quote name='gareth' timestamp='1325107010' post='1479972'] get yourself a pucker one here [url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/180782530546?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649"]http://www.ebay.co.u...984.m1423.l2649[/url] [/quote] Wow, that's nice. Watching it... [quote name='Immo' timestamp='1325115678' post='1480069'] That's sad... But, who knows, maybe it WAS a good instrument, after all? Not for the price, but still... [/quote] I may have taken a chance on it to soup-up with new electronics and hardware etc, but it would have taken too much time/effort/money considering the ill-fitting neck joint and the cracks in the wood around the nut. The pickguard was missing several screws, with the holes on the body misaligned underneath. All in all a really bad, flimsy-looking thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daz Posted December 29, 2011 Share Posted December 29, 2011 I really think you should name the music shop it was in. To lessen the chance of a basschat member buying it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lozz196 Posted December 29, 2011 Share Posted December 29, 2011 [quote name='daz' timestamp='1325128651' post='1480137'] I really think you should name the music shop it was in. To lessen the chance of a basschat member buying it. [/quote] Quite agree. £299 is a good price for an MIJ, someone may well pick it up thinking they`ve got a bargain, and never actually know any difference, including when/if they sell it on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fender73 Posted December 29, 2011 Share Posted December 29, 2011 I find it shocking that a retailer would be that dishonest. Music shops are going out of business left right and centre at the moment, and i firmly believe one of the things that shops should have over buying on the internet is a level of trust.....which this shop appears not to have. Shame on them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean-Luc Pickguard Posted December 29, 2011 Share Posted December 29, 2011 reminds me of the '1970s musicmaster bass' I saw for sale in denmark street not long ago which was mostly squier bronco. The neck was the only bit that was from a 70s musicmaster but that had been smashed & glued together badly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve-soar Posted December 29, 2011 Share Posted December 29, 2011 [quote name='daz' timestamp='1325128651' post='1480137'] I really think you should name the music shop it was in. To lessen the chance of a basschat member buying it. [/quote]Same here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Musicman20 Posted December 29, 2011 Share Posted December 29, 2011 (edited) Name and shame! I can't stand music stores acting like that. It's almost happened to me before, although not on that level, (PMT Music Leeds, hopefully they sacked him). Edited December 29, 2011 by Musicman20 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Machines Posted December 29, 2011 Share Posted December 29, 2011 [quote name='fender73' timestamp='1325148111' post='1480164'] I find it shocking that a retailer would be that dishonest. Music shops are going out of business left right and centre at the moment, and i firmly believe one of the things that shops should have over buying on the internet is a level of trust.....which this shop appears not to have. Shame on them. [/quote] I think there's also a reasonable level of ignorance too. A lot (but there are a few notable exceptions) of shop staff I find work there because they think it's cool rather than they have good product knowledge. In this case however, it sounds like they were caught out. My Dad once saw a 'Musicman Stingray' for sale at £800 in a well known converters of cash store. It was clearly an OLP that had the headstock logo changed. He told the shop it was a fake and they didn't do a thing. It turns out they thought it was genuine and paid more than they should and didn't want to lose out. Maybe the shop the OP went to experienced similar ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean-Luc Pickguard Posted December 29, 2011 Share Posted December 29, 2011 The cash converters website currently lists a 1975 Thinline Tele for £600, but is an obvious fake. They've reduced it from £1000, and £600 would be very cheap for a real one, so I wonder whether they know it's fishy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jackduran Posted December 29, 2011 Author Share Posted December 29, 2011 (edited) [quote name='Machines' timestamp='1325151857' post='1480196'] My Dad once saw a 'Musicman Stingray' for sale at £800 in a well known converters of cash store. It was clearly an OLP that had the headstock logo changed. He told the shop it was a fake and they didn't do a thing. It turns out they thought it was genuine and paid more than they should and didn't want to lose out. Maybe the shop the OP went to experienced similar ? [/quote] I'll bet that that is a similar situation to the one I experienced. Although when I asked to try the bass and before I'd flagged up any issues, the staff played innocent towards it. Fair play- they probably wanted the sale. I think the main issue is the incorrect labelling on the bass, as any unsuspecting bass player could walk in and, not knowing any different, walk away with a "Japanese P Bass" that isn't quite what it seems. The shop was Curly's, for those asking. I've never had any issues with them before and I've always found the staff helpful. Indeed yesterday they were very helpful too, except I believe they should have signposted the bass' faults more clearly or priced it more accordingly. They knew who had sold them the bass, and before putting it on sale must have given it a check-over. Edited December 29, 2011 by jackduran Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
icastle Posted December 29, 2011 Share Posted December 29, 2011 [quote name='Machines' timestamp='1325151857' post='1480196'] It turns out they thought it was genuine and paid more than they should and didn't want to lose out. [/quote] That may be a suitably defensive statement for a retailer to make to someone querying the authenticity of an item on sale, but I don't think Trading Standards would accept it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Immo Posted December 29, 2011 Share Posted December 29, 2011 [quote name='daz' timestamp='1325128651' post='1480137'] I really think you should name the music shop it was in. To lessen the chance of a basschat member buying it. [/quote] Or maybe do the quite opposite thing - go there and tell them you told about the whole situation on web board, but wanted to give them another chance an not told what the store's name is. And quote several posts from here. Maybe they'll get converted to the 'Light Side' and you'll get a permanent discount? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daz Posted December 29, 2011 Share Posted December 29, 2011 (edited) [quote name='Machines' timestamp='1325151857' post='1480196'] It was clearly an OLP that had the headstock logo changed. He told the shop it was a fake and they didn't do a thing. It turns out they thought it was genuine and paid more than they should and didn't want to lose out. Maybe the shop the OP went to experienced similar ? [/quote] This is disgraceful. If the store got ripped off then they should have the grace to take the hit and learn the lesson. Which of course is: [i]if you dont look before you leap (or look over before you buy) then if you get caught with a duff item then its just tough. [/i]Describe it honestly, sell it on and learn the lesson. Edited December 31, 2011 by daz Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jackduran Posted December 30, 2011 Author Share Posted December 30, 2011 [quote name='daz' timestamp='1325194553' post='1480902'] This is disgraceful. If the store got ripped off then they should have the grace to take the hit and learn the lesson. Which of course is: [i]if you dont look before you leap (or look over before you buy) then if you get caught with a duff item them its just tough. [/i]Describe it honestly, sell it on and learn the lesson. [/quote] Exactly. I think in a lot of cases (I'm trying not to generalise here, but music shops do have a certain reputation...) they try to save face a little bit. Rather than try and admit any mistake that might hurt their self-image or any delusions of product knowledge etc., they'll try and keep it under wraps and take the money when the opportunity arises. What you say about honesty is spot on, music shops should pride themselves on customer relations and product knowledge when so many of them are competing head to head with the 'net. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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