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Post subject: New Telecaster has fret problems
Posted: Wed Feb 07, 2018 5:58 pm
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In a bit of a pickle. Bought a new Telecaster from Guitar Center in Fayeteville, GA. Had trouble tuning it in the store but that was the case for all their guitars that I tried so I figured a good set up would alleviate my concerns. Took it to one guy for set up. Sounded awful. Took it to another guy. Sounded better but still sounded horrible when playing open chords or bar chords. Also several strings won't tune exactly and always fall a little sharp or flat when being tuned. Finally took it to a guy who builds his own custom guitars and seems to be eminent in his field. He upgraded the nut and bridge, and he got the intonation really good after the fourth fret but everything before that sounded bad. He finally took a fret measuring ruler and we got to the bottom of the problem: He said the first four frets have manufacturing errors in their spacing, which is causing it to sound out of tune even when in tune (or as in tune as it can get--strings still don't tune perfectly). I was pretty distraught to hear this. I simply will not play a guitar live that sounds this bad. I was wondering if anyone knows how I would go about requesting Fender to replace the bad neck. A contact number, advice on who to speak to, etc. I can't just take it back to the Guitar Center where I bought it because I live in South Korea and I bought it while visiting home in the USA. I can pretty much only deal by mail. Thanks for any help.


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Post subject: update: I am DONE with FENDER!
Posted: Mon Feb 19, 2018 3:11 pm
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Wow, more than two weeks after my original post, it gets finally approved? It really takes that long guys? SMH. After talking to a Fender rep it appears I am out of luck. Their defective product is only under warranty in the USA, and I am now in South Korea, which means I would have to pay the shipping costs out of pocket if I wanted to ship it to a service center in the USA. We are talking at least 200 dollars. I could buy a brand new replacement neck for that amount! This is the 2nd Fender product I have bought, and definitely the last. Both have had glaring manufacturer errors. Judging from their shoddy workmanship and poor customer service, it appears they are following Gibson's downward spiral to bankruptcy very closely. If you buy Fender, you are paying top dollar for nothing more than a brand name, and not quality. This unhappy customer is done with Fender....for good! Maybe is time for this 2nd rate company to re-learn its craft.


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Post subject: Re: New Telecaster has fret problems
Posted: Tue Feb 20, 2018 8:45 pm
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A secondary issue to the warranty is that you had the nut replaced, but of course the original nut could be reinstalled prior to being sent in for service.

This is a very strange problem. Normally being out of tune on the lower frets is due to the nut being too high. It will intonate properly, but then when played in the top of the neck, the excess height results in the strings being pulled sharp.
I have never heard of a neck being improperly slotted from the factory! I would absolutely get a 2nd opinion on that, and yes, I would tell the 2nd tech what the suspicion is to save them time.

Is this a US, Mexican, Chinese, or Indonesian model?
I suppose worst case, you can buy a replacement MIM neck for $200, but that's certainly not a good solution.

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Post subject: Re: New Telecaster has fret problems
Posted: Tue Feb 20, 2018 11:51 pm
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Thanks for the reply Rich. It was made in Mexico. The thing is, the luthier who finally found the problem was the 3rd opinion. He actually took a notched straight edge and showed me that the first few frets did appear a bit off from where they should be. Still, maybe you are right; I guess a 4th opinion couldn't hurt. I am just not sure who else would know more than this guy. He has the rep for being THE guitar guy in Seoul, which is where I live. The guy I took it to before him was suspicious that the neck might have problems also, but didn't really seem to know more than that. To the average person's ear I suppose the guitar probably sounds passable but to a musician's ear you can definitely notice a few chords that sound annoyingly out of tune. Your suggestion about a new neck is what I am considering as my best option, as much as it sucks. I have no reservations about turning this into a Frankenstein monster. If nothing else, I will be glad to no longer give Fender free advertising by having their name on my neck!


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Post subject: Re: New Telecaster has fret problems
Posted: Wed Feb 28, 2018 7:18 am
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late to the party, I once had a Heritage 575, (like an ES-175) that had this same problem.

These don't need much of a mistake to make huge issues. I gave up with trying to address it, and just traded it.
it was a pretty guitar.... disappointing situation for sure.


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Post subject: Re: New Telecaster has fret problems
Posted: Wed Feb 28, 2018 7:13 pm
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Sorry to hear you're not having much luck with Fender guitars.
I have had nothing but good luck with mine but I can't fault you for feeling a little miffed.
That's how I am with Gibson products.
All bad experiences every single time for me.
Won't go there again.
Well, every time within the past 20 years or so, that is.
So I understand your position.

All that said, it is extremely unlikely the neck was slotted incorrectly.
I'd go even farther than that, actually.
It's well nigh impossible.
Fender uses CNC machining and jigs and many other means of absolutely ensuring consistency in exactly those kinds of areas.
Faulty measurements and sizing are not Fender's weakness by any standard.
If you had said the frets were seated inconsistently I could have bought that but improperly spaced is out of the question.

Your tech needs to look elsewhere if he is to find the real answer.

Good luck with your search for a solution.
When you find it, please let us know, if you don't mind.

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Post subject: Re: New Telecaster has fret problems
Posted: Thu Mar 01, 2018 1:59 am
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Incorrect fret spacing on a new neck happened to me. Unable to tune and intonate or correctly locate the neck in the body.The issue was traced to too large a space between nut and first fret ( approx. 1/8th inch too long), by downloading fret spacing dimensions and measuring the fret spacings on the neck. Photographed the issue and supplier provided a new neck. The only other options would have been to install a zero fret, custom make a thicker nut or recut the nut slot in the correct position - fill the old slot and reshape the head end of the fretboard to clear the strings. These things shouldn't have to be carried out on a new neck that was programmed incorrectly. Anyhow, replacement neck was dimensionally checked prior to shipment and worked perfectly.
Hope things work out for you, Ross


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Post subject: Re: New Telecaster has fret problems
Posted: Thu Mar 01, 2018 4:49 am
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one the beauties of a fender, my heritage was a set neck, so.....


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