I do a lot of woodworking and I can say that is not due to sanding. That is due to variations in the wood itself, very much like birds eye or flame maple which is enhanced by the finish.

It is up to you whether you keep it or not, but if every time you pick up the guitar that is all you are going to see, it becomes a distraction and you may never accept it.

When I do my wood working I am always looking for unique grain, or patterns in the wood and to me that is what makes each piece I make unique, and your guitar is unique because of it.

_________________
'05 Fender American Deluxe Stratocaster HSS
'07 Gibson GOTW week 40 1984 reissue Flying V
'08 Gibson Robot Explorer
'08 Gibson Robot SG
'09 Dave Murray Artist Series Stratocaster
'09 Gibson Les Paul Traditional
'09 Gibson Les Paul Studio

Thats in the wood and as you bought the guitar with that detail (arguably) readily visible you may struggle to get a replacement. Check out the consumer group forum to see if you waived your statutory rights by buying it with the finish readily visible. Their a good lot and help with all kinds of problems regarding purchases and banks.

http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/

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No no and no

However, the dealer's already agreed to change it.

Looking at that first photo I just couldn't live with that. Even if it is figuring (which I suspect) rather than a sanding error it is odd rather than pretty. Eye-catching in the wrong way.

It would have to go back I'm afraid, if it were me.

Look on this as a plus: a great lesson it taking time and studying all the details before purchase. Easy to say, not so easy to do. Likely most of us have one time or another found small issues on guitars we've brought home that looked fine in the shop. Been there, done that!

BTW, UK Jedi Knight: who's this dealer you speak so highly of? A good name is always worth sharing around...

Cheers - C

That's a hard one. It looks to me, (and it's hard to tell from a pic), that the marks are part of the wood itself. They don't look like any sanding errors I have ever seen. That's probably why Fenders QC let it pass.

Unfortunately, it's a bit of ugliness on an otherwise beautiful woodgrain. For me, it would not be acceptable.

Gridlok

I'd keep it. Those marks won't hurt anything. I mean, do you want a guitar that sounds and plays the way you like or looks pretty?

I was looking at the new Gibson ''Blow By Blow'' Les Paul yesterday and that has to be the ugliest guitar I've ever seen. But my god, what a tone!! Clapton and Beck could have bad any amount of beautiful flame top Les Pauls and they decided to record with that thing.

_________________
Custom Shop '59 Strat with John Cruz Master Design Pickups
Vibro King
Fulltone Clyde>Deja-Vibe>TS-808>TS-9>Boss Tuner

Jedi,
I call that a character mark... Keep it nobody can see it and it makes your guitar unique. You will always be able to identify it by this. I've seen other Siennas with character marks and this is an ash body... I've got one with a maple neck and its not as pretty as yours. (Don't tell her I said that)

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I'm not slow... and I'm not fast... just sort of halffast...

wow. See what you mean about the rest of the graining. Lovely.

But not sure I could keep it. I know that even if it is just part of the wood patterning and character, if I decide something bugs me, then it will always bug me, to the point where I probably wont play that guitar as much as I should (e.g. first chip on any guitar destroys my very soul ).
Its a gorgeous instrument, and that makes it less gorgeous to me. But I havent played it. Sometimes that is more important.

Out of interest, which dealer is it? Sounds very good and I'm really struggling to find such a place local to me in the UK.

I think it was guitarguitar or somewhere else that have ACTUAL photos on the site have a Sienna with gorgeous and even graining. Have been tempted myself.

Good luck whatever you decide. But if you decide to keep it, really really commit to keeping it and play the nuts off it!! Dont keep holding it up to the light every time you pick it up.

Hmm. A few posts ago I said that I'd feel forced to send that Strat back, because that figuring looks odd.

Just got my Tele out and was reminded that in the same situation I did the exact opposite: bought it in the full knowledge that it had markings very similar to yours. Visible on both sides, but particularly evident on the back:


If there is a difference it is that my body shows the WW marking all over, so it has a kind of intentional feel to it. Yours only seems to show it in that one spot, so it looks like a blemish rather than "character".

I think I'd still take your Strat back!

Cheers - C

Me? I think you have a gripe. That isn't "character", that is some one getting carried away with a bad sander and screwing up the finish on the wood.

Send it back, get a replacement from Fender, and get used to the new instrument. I had to do all of this last October for similar reasons, 'tho my problem was inflicted by the shop itself.

Fender owes it to you. Only way to go.

_________________
2008 Am Dlx Strat HSS
2008 Am. Std. Ash Telecaster
2009 Gibson SG Standard
Hot Rod Deville 410
Blues Jr. NOS
Marshall MG100DFX
2006 Martin HD-28
1993 Alvarez Regent

With respect, it really isn't. It is a natural figure, as in the photo of a Tele just above. Whether we think it looks nice or not is a different matter, but a QC issue this is not.

Cheers - C

Hey Guys and Gals

Thank you all very much for the responses. I know that I have remained a little quiet over the conversation developing over my little thread, but I wanted to take on board everyones opinion.

I have returned the baby and she's going back to Fender. My reasons are:

1) I couldn't pick her up without seeing it.
2) Bad juju or mojo influencing playing :0) resulting from said sightings.
3) Saw another 3 yesterday at various dealers. All flawless.
4) Somebody should have done a better job somewhere (including me at the store) ensuring that never appeared on the front of an transparent axe. Fender need this raising so they can weed it out at production line.
5) I will never have that kind of money to spend on an axe again and my Grandmother's memory deserves perfection.
6) My dealer has been ace. Wants me to be happy and has really helped me. We even have a plan for me not liking the replacement.
7) I paid extra for transparent finish (!)
I feel a hell of a lot better for dealing with it (arrghhh was stressing me)

You have all been fantastic, I'm so glad to meet you all. I will of course keep you up to date with all that happens.

Good things to you all

A currently Axeless, (God, it hurts....)

UK Jedi Knight.

PS: For those in the Uk like me, I checked with the dealer first before giving out his name :0) Trevor Durrant Guitars, Cowdray Centre, Colchester, Essex. They have never rushed me, treated me like a fool or tried to have me. I will continue to be a loyal customer.

congrats UK, best of luck and I understand the sentimental value attached to the guitar and I don't believe anyone can devalue your opinion for that.

on a side note....am I the only one that kinda liked the way it looked?? guess I like the oddities in things

With respect, it really isn't. It is a natural figure, as in the photo of a Tele just above. Whether we think it looks nice or not is a different matter, but a QC issue this is not.

Cheers - C[/quote]

You are entitled to your opinion, as I am mine. Ask this though...why is the pattern predictable and repeatable? I have yet to see a stick of wood that has such a measureable angular pattern that is repeated, like a line of set type.

Think about it, and no, I do not want to get into a flame war...

I think the original posters plan of action for a replacement is commendable!

_________________
2008 Am Dlx Strat HSS
2008 Am. Std. Ash Telecaster
2009 Gibson SG Standard
Hot Rod Deville 410
Blues Jr. NOS
Marshall MG100DFX
2006 Martin HD-28
1993 Alvarez Regent

Hi BluesDisciple: don't worry, we don't do flame wars here.

But honestly, if you were holding that Tele in your hands as I am at this very second it would be manifestly obvious that it is figuring, not sander error. It would be an asoundingly blatent error to miss, incidentally.

Mine was the only example I'd seen till the OP's, but him having it as well shows it must be a particular kind of marking that can occur with ash, albeit rarely. It's a weird world, timber figuration. Nobody fully understands how most of it occurs, or how to predict it in a tree, let alone how to cause it. (Unpleasant folk sayings about walnut trees not withstanding.)

Cheers - C

Hey... I bring peace and good karma back to my thread :0)

Rememeber, i'm still Stratless and in mourning here :0) lol.

Good things to all

Jedi