'Case candy'?

[The Admiral]

[size=4]Just noticed this listing on eBay - for what the seller describes as 'case candy' - a frankly God awful Yankee bullshit name for all the tags, allen keys etc which one gets with a new guitar/bass.[/size]

[size=4][url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Fender-Jazz-Bass-Luxury-Manual-Case-Candy-Blank-Inspection-Card-/280860653469?pt=UK_Guitar_Accessories&hash=item416499779d"]http://www.ebay.co.u...=item416499779d[/url][/size]

[size=4]You can read his blurb yourself, but basically - he's buying this stuff in as a job lot from a dealer in the USA who dismantles new Fenders for parts allegedly, and selling it on. The UK guy's rationale seems to be that you can replace your guitar's lost stuff. I love this bit - " [color=#000000]If you just want a manual and case candy that looks nice my standard packs will suit your needs at much cheaper prices but if you you are looking to replace lost or stolen documents for your genuine Fender instrument you will need one of these packs with blank cards so that you can enter your own serial numbers in the relevant space." Or of course, you could also use it to provide provenance for a Squier which you've lashed up as a genuine USA Fender and sold to an innocent and perhaps inexperienced buyer on eBay. Not for a moment am I suggesting that this eBay seller is involved in this activity - but the item for sale certainly makes that possible for the unscrupulous, and you only have to see how many he's shifting to see that there is a ready market.[/color][/size]

[size=4][color=#000000]I'm very uncomfortable with this, and I wonder what Fender would think of this practice? Am I alone in thinking this is less than desireable as a practice?[/color][/size]

[size=4][color=#000000]A [/color][/size]
[size=4][color=#000000] [/color] [/size]

[Big_Stu]

All very true, but it's a situation that Fender allowed to happen by not having restrictions in place. BUT even if they did, in this day or forged everything, from Duracells to trainers there's no guarantee that the sellers items are genuine - and until someone nails someone to a door in court for it it'll keep going on - and even then many will see it as a risk worth taking.

Caveat Emptor as always - there's not much else you can do.

[icastle]

I cannot think of a single legitimate use for the case candy packs so, IMO the seller is providing nothing more than the means to enable a con in exactly the same way that others sell Fender decals to those who 'accidentally took mine off in an industrial sanding accident' or 'want to put a Fender logo on my cheapo bass for fun and I'll definately take it off if I decide to sell it...'
.

[icastle]

[quote name='Johnston' timestamp='1334096155' post='1611003']
Well why do people buy original owners manuals to go with their classic cars? So they have all the glarb that goes with it if they have bought it second hand and some is missing. I know guys who have spent silly amounts to have that original Ford 1/2" spanner to go in that sell a kidney priced leather pouch to put it in.
[/quote]
I can sort of understand it with classic cars but on a Fender bass a couple of years old?
They're not exactly hard to come by and if a buyer was that anal about having all the bits and bobs then they'd probably buy a new one anyway.

[quote name='Johnston' timestamp='1334096155' post='1611003']
Some people just like having all the little things that go with it, either keeping or the original stuff or hunting it down if they don't have it. some people even believe you need fender Special tool Part No. FST 710 rather than a Draper Allen key to adjust things.
[/quote]
Now that'd make me laugh - someone handing over a bass with a fake pack and suddenly realising that Fenders use of whatever grubscrews are the cheapest means that the allen key in the pack doesn't fit...