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Fender P-Bass s/plate - Problems but no refund from Absolute Guitars in Bristol.

xilddx

By xilddx,
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xilddx Veteran

xilddx

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I agree with Observer's statement of facts. However there are many soft issues that confuse the situation. The PG arrived in a large box, I would have had to return this, pay the cost of postage (recorded I might add with all this Royal Mail sh*te), and have the hassle of waiting a while for new one to arrive.

I'd just got home from picking up my first Fender Precision, a MIJ 62 RI, from another BCer, I was excited. I took it apart, did a full fret level and dress, set up, clean, etc. Put it all back together. Then finally, the finishing touch, a lovely new Fender 62 RI dark tort PG, my very favourite! I open the bag, pull out the PG, mmm a little warped but no problem when it's screwed down, and remove the film. Oh dear, what's all this crap on it? Never mind, it should come off with acetone-free solvent. Hoorah, twenty minutes later it's off. Give it a bit of a polish with polishing cream, cool! Lay the plate on the bass. Bollocks! What's this little gap here? All the screw holes line up, neck pocket flush, all good, except for a gap near the jack exposing the 'leccy cavity. All that work cleaning the PG is a waste of time, what me gonna do now? It couldn't bend it enough to fit. Damn.

Not once, until the next day, did I think of returning it to the shop. My fault? probably, but I don't bark and squeak if things aren't perfect, but I really should have checked fit first and should have thought [i]"I just paid £40 for this piece of warped overheated sh*t! It's going straight back[/i]!". I was also impatient to get this bass looking beautiful. That obviously clouded my reason. Nevermind, I will fill the screw holes and drill new ones and see if I can slightly reposition the PG and make good.

Safe in the knowledge I won't be shopping at Absolute Guitars again.

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Clarky Grand Master

Clarky

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[quote name='silddx' post='632411' date='Oct 21 2009, 02:41 PM']Nevermind, I will fill the screw holes and drill new ones and see if I can slightly reposition the PG and make good.[/quote]
FWIW, Nigel, I bet it will look the dog's doodahs after you have gone to all that trouble

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xilddx Veteran

xilddx

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[i][b]Oh dear, I think he's getting well pissed off with me now .. I think I'll leave it at that, no point pursuing this any further.[/b][/i]

The terms and conditions are on our web site and printed on the back of your receipt. I’ve read the comments on the chat forum and see that a large number actually agree with us that once you have applied solvent and car polish to it the warranty is void.

You mentioned nothing about it being warp in your original mail to us and again if this was present you should have contacted us before applying solvent and car finishing polish. At this stage we would have happily replaced it or refunded your costs. As you didn’t do this we have no way of knowing if the damage was caused during the polishing process or during fitting to a guitar that it was not designed for.

We offer a lot under good will and try to assist our customers with advice and support however we do not tolerate bulling or threats (to flame us on web sites).

Regards
Chris

--------------------------------------------
[b][i]My final reply ..[/i][/b]

Thanks Chris,

I admitted from the start I should have checked fit first. I have not flamed you, bullied you or threatened you, my emails to you have been nothing but polite and factual. On Basschat, I recounted the process I went though (I have been nothing but truthful) and asked what my rights were. I have ascertained I have none since I removed the adhesive myself. Fair enough. I was foolish and should have simply sent it back. I didn't really even consider that warping was an issue until later.

I still think you could have been more understanding and met me half way, but I see your point of view given the current economic climate and that you can't simply trust all customers to tell the truth. I do a lot of work on my instruments so removing a bit of glue and seeing things that aren't perfect is not a big deal to me. I made an assumption that a 62 RI P-Bass pickguard would fit a 62 RI P-Bass, MIJ, MIA or MIM. That'll teach me.

I'm sorry you feel bullied, flamed and threatened because of little old me with a dodgy pickguard, but I will reiterate, I have done none of those things.

I'll get my drill and files out and try to fit the PG to cover the gap. It won't be perfect, but nothing ever seems to be anyway.

Kind regards,
Nigel

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xilddx Veteran

xilddx

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[quote name='beerdragon' post='632509' date='Oct 21 2009, 04:20 PM']The guys not going to move, so i guess it's a lesson all of us can learn from this. take up the Piano. no i mean check everything and check again.[/quote]
Yep, that is the lesson.

I suppose I should have mentioned in my email to him that the shop obviously didn't think warping was an issue either since they sent it to me like that, but what the hey.

Cheers all. I'll post a picture of the finished article.

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xilddx Veteran

xilddx

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[quote name='thedonutman' post='632541' date='Oct 21 2009, 04:45 PM']If you paid by credit card perhaps you could just just retract the payment and let your bank and the shop sort it out?[/quote]
Nah, I paid by paypal. Anyway, it IS my fault I can't get a refund, I fired an exocet into my own foot by not taking a step back, as it were, and appraising the situation properly before cleaning it up. However, I am miffed they sent it me in that condition in the first place.

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xilddx Veteran

xilddx

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Happy ending from my point of view. I did what [b]bumnote [/b]suggested (thanks mate :)) and it worked. Also, my Switchcraft jack had arrived today so I fitted that too, works beautifully of course.

Thanks everyone for your very valuable contributions. I will NEVER interfere with a faulty item again. Chris from Absolute Guitars could have handled this better, but from a legal point of view he is most likely right.

I now LOVE my first ever Fender Precision, the dark tort helps it look so classy :rolleyes:

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GreeneKing Mentor

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I'm glad this is sorted and that's one nice looking P bass.

If it was me I may well have gone down the same route in my enthusiasm and I wouldn't have asked for a refund.

If I had of done I'd have expected the response that you got.

But it looks the dogs now..

Peter

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xilddx Veteran

xilddx

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Thanks chaps :)

[quote name='waynepunkdude' post='632688' date='Oct 21 2009, 07:14 PM']Looks good mate, thought about a black pick gaurd?[/quote]

I thought about it, I also thought about a white pearl, but I've had Strats in all these schemes before and I always went back to dark tort on Oly white. There's just something soft and chewy, kind of Country about it. I saw Clarky's Oly and Black USA P that MM20 had bought, in our mini-bass bash exchange in the pub, I did look lovely, but not quite as good as the dark tort, for me.

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Musicman20 Veteran

Musicman20

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That looks amazing! Im really impressed. The reddish tort was the only thing I never was 100% keen on, so that has made the bass look perfect!

Yep..Olympic White or Sunburst are officially my favourite colours. Oly White on a P just WORKS...

Re: Clarkys now ex-P, here she blows....but still with the Fender Black guard. Im keeping it on until i fancy a change back to the stock Tort, which Clarky has looked after and kept it mint.

[url="http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=56307"]http://basschat.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=56307[/url]

I think an Oly White P Bass bash in London is in order. Clarky's P5, my P4 and Nigel's P4 :)

Edited by Musicman20
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xilddx Veteran

xilddx

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Cheers Gareth, just popped over to your gear page and couldn't find my way out :rolleyes:

[quote name='Jean-Luc Pickguard' post='632743' date='Oct 21 2009, 08:02 PM']It would look even better if the bass was sunburst :)

I'm really going to have to get a brown tort guard for mine now. Not sure where I'll buy it though...[/quote]

You could try Reliable Fender, otherwise known as The Stratosphere, they're on ebay, and based in the States. I've used them a lot in the past, they do stuff cheaper than Fender, lots of Jap gear. Their service is excellent. [url="http://stores.shop.ebay.com/The-STRATosphere__W0QQ_armrsZ1"]http://stores.shop.ebay.com/The-STRATosphere__W0QQ_armrsZ1[/url]

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bumnote Proficient

bumnote

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[quote name='silddx' post='632677' date='Oct 21 2009, 07:05 PM']Happy ending from my point of view. I did what [b]bumnote [/b]suggested (thanks mate :)) and it worked. Also, my Switchcraft jack had arrived today so I fitted that too, works beautifully of course.

Thanks everyone for your very valuable contributions. I will NEVER interfere with a faulty item again. Chris from Absolute Guitars could have handled this better, but from a legal point of view he is most likely right.

I now LOVE my first ever Fender Precision, the dark tort helps it look so classy :rolleyes:[/quote]

Snap, great colour combination

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