My girlfriend recently bought me a Squier Telecaster custom 2 as a present. So she hid the guitar from me and surprised me with it last week. Great right? Well, no there's a problem with the guitar. On the back of the neck there are 2 knots, the centre of them is actually missing (probably sheared out when the neck was being shaped cos as you know knotted wood is very hard).

So essentially the neck has 2 holes in it (one round-ish and a longer one) They're not big but you can feel them when playing. The shop it was bought from said that we have to have the neck replaced by Fender/Squier as it is out of their 30 day store warranty. This is really annoying as the shop salesman talked my girlfriend into buying a more expensive guitar than she was going to because "it would me of much better quality". What a joke!

How can work this bad get past quallity control? Now I'm stuck with this guitar cos the shop won't help and here in the UK I can't get a customer support number and I don't get ANY REPLY to any of my emails.

The holes in the neck are right in the middle too so I can feel them all the time when playing. I joined the forum here to see if anyone here knows of a way I can get this rectified, or put me in touch with someone who can. The holes are deeper than they look, you can stick a toothpick in them.

I'm happy to send the neck back for a replacement if that's an option. So far customer services have been of no help at all.

Heres a photo:

Take the guitar back to the shop where you bought it.
You didn't do business with Squier when you bought the guitar. You did business with the shop.
The shop does business with Squier.

Thats the way it works mate.


Now for the better news. You're completely covered under consumer law regarding this. I suggest a bit of googling the Statutory Rights act of 1974. And maybe even pose a question or two on the Consumer Action Group website. I've always received great advice there.

Don't be put off that the guitar is a week,month,year old. Shops do not want you to know your rights.


I had a problem with a laptop that was four years old, bought from Aldi. I found I could take my laptop back to the shop up to six years after the day I'd bought it. So two weeks later, I had a nice shiney new laptop. That I broke yesterday. Oh well, another trip to Aldi, nothing lost.
All because of the Consumer Action Group.
Well worth joining mate.

_________________
No no and no

Hi dinosauria, welcome to the Forum.

You're right, those knot holes don't look like they should have got through QC. It should be no problem at all making a case for replacement.

Luckily here in the UK you have multiple layers of rights and protection. If you are beyond the shop's 30 day no-quibble return period then that is only of the smallest consequence, in that it merely means they won't give you your money back. However, that 30 day period is something the shop has chosen to offer on top of all your legal rights and doesn't replace them. If the shop has put that policy in writing then it has to say words to the effect of "does not affect you're statutory consumer rights".

For starters, you also have Fender's warranty which runs for a year after purchase on this sort of thing. At their discretion Fender will replace either the neck or the whole guitar (depending which is most convenient for them). This applies in the UK just the same as anywhere else. To make this happen you have to take the guitar and proof of purchase to the shop or any other Authorised Fender Dealer and they will carry out the process. Where did your girlfriend buy the guitar? Are they an Authorised Dealer?

However, even that is just a manufacturer's add-on to your Statutory Rights. In the UK our very strong consumer legislation says that a shop has to sell you a product in good, new condition and fit for purpose. Your neck clearly doesn't fulfil this requirement and so you have an open-and-shut case for a relacement. Not a refund, mind, but a replacement. Be clear, your proof of purchase establishes a legal contract between you and the shop (not the maker, Fender), and so it is with them that you should proceed to begin with. Something else to remember is that your girlfriend bought the guitar so she is the one who has the legal rights in the matter, not you as the recipient of a gift.

On top of all of that she very likely made the purchase using a credit card and if she gives the card company a ring she'll find that they give her very strong - and from the shop's point of view, very draconian - additional protection. A last line of defence, should it come to it.

So, what you do is this. Your girlfriend takes the guitar with all it's packaging and contents back to the shop, produces the receipt and politely asks for a replacement for a defective product. If some underling tries to talk about a 30 day return period she then, politely, invokes her legal Consumer Rights, probably asking also to see the manager. Well worth looking up those rights on the internet first, so that she can quote them smoothly. At no time get angry; this stuff always works best when you are calm, friendly and well informed.

Try that: in the unlikely event it doesn't work come back and I'll tell you what to do next.

Good luck - C

PS: typed at the same time as Nick's post, above. We're both saying the same thing...

_________________

Very good advice there Ceri, well done

_________________

Thanks for the advice guys, The shop are of no help at all, they're saying it'll be easy to get it replaced but that I have to deal with the company direct. I have also phoned another local Fender authorised dealer to see it I could get it replaced via them (as per the instructions on this site) However they said It's nothing to do with them and to deal with it through the shop where I originally bought it. It seems that my girlfriend was doulby ripped off because I've been informed that the guitar is supposed to ship with a gig bag too. All I got was the hang tag, tool baggie and box.

As far as trading standards goes I've already been in to citizens Advice and the lady actually called the store while I was there and it turns out that if the shop says it is a repair that will have to be carried out by the manufacturer as it's under their warranty and the shop doesn't actually stock the part I need to fix it.

Those laws work both ways, as long as I have a warranty I can get it fixed as is my right, however as a warranty is in place with and the repair has to be carried out by Fender/Squier it's up to them to put it right.

So in effect because I have a route to get it fixed by Fender and the shop itself cannot carry out the repair the store has a loophole to pass the problem onto the manufacturer Fender, so in effect by not returning any email requests or offering a way to contact them directly legally Fender are actually the ones who are not adhering to trade laws in the UK.

I'm feeling totally let down by this whole experience. I guess buying from a bigger store and paying a higher price is def worth it when it comes to getting repairs carried out.

So it looks like the only way I am going to get this sorted is by dealing with Fender/Squier myself. Does anybody know of a way I can do this (and actually get a response from them). Or does anyone use this board who actually works for Squier that this can be forwarded to?

Thanks again for the help everyone. Fingers crossed I can get this sorted.

hi , i can offer a practical solution , get some clear nail varnish and fill the small holes with it , it won't be noticable then when you play , cheers
Alan

_________________

Yeah, I'll buy a brand new guitar and then fix the manufacturers shoddy work to make it playable. The neck on this should have never got past quality control. The issue should be put right.

These things happen and I'm not baying for blood or resorting to bad mouthing the company. I just want a solution to get this fixed.

The overall quality of Squier guitars have been great lately, I'm just disappointed that I got a guitar that seems to have fallen through a crack in the QC process.

That is absolutely not true.

Go to trading standards and Citizens Advice. Either will help you fight this battle, for free! You're only dealings are with the shop. It's your responsibility to contact the shop. The shops policy to contact Fender/Squier. That is the only way it is. It's the only way Fender do business. Otherwise they would be selling guitars direct to the public and cutting out the middleman completely. Allowing for better prices and more profit at the expense of having to deal with this kind of problem. It's exactly why they sell through a network of distributors and retailers. So they don't have to.

And the law doesn't work both ways. As a consumer it's set up completely in your favour.

End of story.

Don't be a push over mate, tell em you'll have em up before the Beak. The shop is trying to fob you off.

_________________
No no and no

I think you should get mad, drink a quart of whiskey, buy you a big baseball bat and start beating the holy Hades out of everything in sight!

That'll show 'em!

...or you could try what Nik and Ceri said...that might work, too.

_________________
Good Vibes To Y'all!



Screamin' Armadillos
Texas Roadhouse Music
Guitar/Slide Guitar/Harp/Vocals

I've been to Citizens advice as I said a couple of posts ago. She called the store while I was there, they told her it is covered by Fenders warranty as it is a manufacturing fault. They told her that Fender will replace it no problem, all I have to do is contact them for a replacement part as the store doesn't offer that service. Meaning legally that is all fair and good and as far as citizens advice and trading law are concerned it is Fenders responsibility to implement a repair/replacement.

Citizens Advice then recommended that I take it to my local Fender Authorised dealer to seek a replacement under warranty (as it stated on the website). I did that, the shop in question didn't want anything to do with it as it wasn't bought from there.

I'm sure if there was some sort of number I could call this would get sorted out very quickly but I can't find one for the UK/Europe.

No all Fender would tell you is to take it back to the shop. For reasons previously stated.
The shop are fobbing you off. You need to do some research and go back there armed

_________________
No no and no

This is bloody ludicrous, I've never heard the like of it. Your contract is with the shop NOT Fender, you didn't buy the guitar from Fender. They've sold a guitar that it could be argued is not fit for purpose which in the UK is illegal and they have no option but to either replace or give you your money back. Time to play hardball then.

I'd suggest you start by advising the shop that you'll contacting Fender and letting them know how one of their authorised dealers is acting, assuming they are an authorised dealer. I know a few dealers and becoming a Fender dealership is not easy and shops will fall over themselves to give Fender whatever they want just to be allowed to sell their guitars.

Secondly, name and shame the shop and let them know what you're going to do. They won't want the bad publicity that a bad name all over the internet brings.

Good luck with it but in my opinion there's no place for idiots like this in the marketplace and personally I hope they go bust.

Jerry

_________________
Fender Classic 60's Strat
Fender Classic Player Thinline Tele Deluxe
Fender CIJ '71 Reissue Tele
Epiphone Wildkat
Guild GAD25
Taylor 214
Ovation CC44
Takamine EG523
Blackstar Amps
Fishman Loudbox Mini
Boss FX

Hi Dinosauria,sorry for your troubles but it appears that our knowledgeable UK foum merbers have given you the info that you need to get a replacement.I have one more bit of advice for you,make sure that you print copies of the sales receipt.A relative of mine got ripped off by an unscrupulous salesman in a situation somewhat like yours and the guy went out back and in a couple minutes came back and said that he "lost" the receipt. So my uncle couldn't do a thing and wouldn't tell anyone because he was afraid as being seen as an old fool,when I'm sure one of my cousins would have gladly gone to the guy and"straightened" out the situation.

_________________
'65 Strat,65 Mustang,65 Jaguar,4 more Strats,3 vintage Vox guitars,5 Vox amps,'69 Bassman with a '68 2-15 Bassman cab,36 guitars total-15asst'd amps total,2 vintage '60s Hammond organs & a myriad of effects-with a few rare vintage ones.

It is bloody ludicrous BuzzWagon and unfortunately all too common. In all aspects of product purchase.

Shops are banking on the public not knowing the law. I've seen it plenty of times these last few years. With the advent of the internet there is no excuse for them not to.

I've even had the "sold in a condition for the purpose it was intended" stipulation work when I bought a used car from a dodgy dealer. Sold as seen be damned.

_________________
No no and no