Legal help knowledge needed - Warranty right on a second hand bass

[tegs07]

On 10/05/2025 at 14:47, Beedster said:

 

Ouch, 4-string PUPs on a 5-string bass, that's a pretty amateur design feature.

 

Personally I would just get it sorted, if it was a private deal it's a case of do your due diligence or accept the risk so you can't really go back to the seller now, and if the manufacturer/builder was that inept in the first place I'm not sure I'd want the bass going back to them for a fix.

 

Assuming the PUP cavity will take the correct size 5-string PUP's I'd suck up the cost and replace it/them. At least you can sell the originally installed 4-string PUPs. Good luck

^ This 

If it was a custom order my gut feeling is that the customer would have specified the make and model of the pickups. If the bass is a keeper then getting it put right will be far easier than chasing the luthier. My honest opinion is by the time you have jumped through all the hoops you will be sick of the sight of the bass. Even if the luthier agrees to fit new pickups for free, I doubt that they will pay for shipping and taxes to and from Belgium. It would be far cheaper and far less of a ball ache to get someone locally to do the work. It’s just wood. 

[wateroftyne]

Custom order? Sorry to say it but I think you’re out of luck. 

[lemmywinks]

14 minutes ago, Beedster said:

 

If it's the bass I think it is, the sound-clips - if they're honest - don't suggest a significant issue (by 'if they're honest' I mean that, as stated in the listing, there's no compression on the audio file)? I'm sure that while this is disappointing, it is easily resolved one way or another, good luck whichever way you go 👍 

 

 

It it is the same bass you can hear a big volume drop off on the low B, I can't hear any difference on the higher notes though.

[Beedster]

1 minute ago, tegs07 said:

^ This 

If it was a custom order my gut feeling is that the customer would have specified the make and model of the pickups. If the bass is a keeper then getting it put right will be far easier than chasing the luthier. My honest opinion is by the time you have jumped through all the hoops you will be sick of the sight of the bass. Even if the luthier agrees to fit new pickups for free, I doubt that they will pay for shipping and taxes to and from Belgium. It would be far cheaper and far less of a ball ache to get someone locally to do the work. It’s just wood. 

 

I was about to agree with this but realised @tegs07 was largely agreeing with me in the first place. But yes, this is 100% the route of least pain 👍

[Beedster]

Just now, lemmywinks said:

 

 

It it is the same bass you can hear a big volume drop off on the low B, I can't hear any difference on the higher notes though.

 

It didn't seem that big to me but I'm happy to be proved wrong 👍

[triplebass]

thanks all, got my answers, mods can close topic

BC still a GREAT forum! 

[LukeFRC]

just to add - a rail/bar pickup isn't inherently not going to work with 5 strings, it's just not long enough in your case 0- if you can live with closer string spacing, new saddles on the bridge could bring them in enough that it works fine (though feels different)

 

[Geek99]

4 hours ago, Beedster said:

 

Yep, as I thought, it looks like the builder did what they were asked to do 'Custom made to my specifications, I received it in April 2024'

In uk law, unless it’s changed since my law degree anything that’s a custom order you’re pretty much stuck with unless it is manifestly useless, eg a fridge with a custom paint job but that doesn’t actually refrigerate food 

[mcnach]

 If it's the bass we all seem to think it is...

 

Cool looking bass!

 

I agree, it seems a bit silly to install those pickups on that bass with that string spacing, but I doubt there's any mileage talking about warranties with anybody, so as disappointing as it may be, I'd be looking at ways to alleviate the issue.

One would be replacing the bridge with something that will give you a slightly narrower string spacing, if you can live with narrower spacings.

Listening to the clip that was provided, I can hear the volume discrepancy and while not great, it's not huge either. Using a compressor would probably be my choice, it's simple enough and no surgery required. Replacing pickups is probably a non-starter due to the design.

 

I've had bigger volume drops (particularly on the higher strings) on standard basses (Stingray and Precision come to mind) which I just adapted to by plucking harder or softer, it becomes second nature quickly. So I suspect a compressor should work well.

 

 

[Beedster]

11 minutes ago, mcnach said:

I've had bigger volume drops (particularly on the higher strings) on standard basses (Stingray and Precision come to mind) which I just adapted to by plucking harder or softer, it becomes second nature quickly. So I suspect a compressor should work well.

 

 

 

Must admit I felt the same, E on Precisions and G on 'Ray especially so, never made the instrument unplayable, just had to modify my approach slightly 👍