It is currently Mon Mar 16, 2020 8:34 pm

All times are UTC - 7 hours



Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 30 posts ]  Go to page 1, 2  Next
Go to page 1, 2  Next
Author Message
Post subject: Purchased a Used Tele from an online store...
Posted: Tue Sep 11, 2012 3:10 pm
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist

Joined: Wed Jan 26, 2011 3:55 pm
Posts: 21
I'm looking for some feedback. Some of this post was included in another posting. If you are reading it twice, my apologies.

I picked up a used Telecaster online from a shop on the east coast. It was shipped to Denver. It was packed well and the strings were loose.

The good news...the guitar arrived and everything is working correctly. So, I took it to my local shop to get it set up since the intonation was out and the action was high.

The bad news...the neck is so bowed and the truss rod is very tight. The luthier is concerned about stripping the rod. He's looking for the Fender wrench that fits exactly.

So, here are my questions.

Is it possible that the heat would affect the neck this dramatically? It took about 5 days to ship.

If it's not the heat, where does the shop come into play? What's fair?

I do not see any warranty or return policies. That said, it's an online business that's been around for a while. They have lots of high end used gear, sell on ebay and have been around for a while.

I have reached out to the shop to get their feedback. Curious to hear what everyone thinks.

Thanks for your help,

Matt


Top
Profile
Fender Play Winter Sale 2020
Post subject: Re: Purchased a Used Tele from an online store...
Posted: Tue Sep 11, 2012 8:50 pm
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist
User avatar

Joined: Tue May 15, 2012 4:44 pm
Posts: 71
Location: The PNW - where it rains!
What I think is that if it were me in this situation, I would insist on my money back on the guitar if your luthier tells you the truss rod shouldnt be tightened anymore or risk breaking it. I wouldnt send a guitar back for a blemish or some minor wiring issue, but the trussrod and neck have to work correctly.
Hopefully the place you bought it from will understand the situation and want to fix this, if not I would contact my credit card bank and dispute the charge.

Editing to add, no I dont believe the heat from shipping the guitar would do this, and I really wonder if the place you bought it from knew about the issue and just hoped you'd play it as is and not adjust the neck?


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Purchased a Used Tele from an online store...
Posted: Wed Sep 12, 2012 6:51 am
Offline
Rock Star
Rock Star
User avatar

Joined: Tue Jul 24, 2007 7:33 am
Posts: 8461
Location: Mars, the angry red planet.
soneedaze wrote:
...The luthier is concerned about stripping the rod. He's looking for the Fender wrench that fits exactly...


This sends up two HUGE flags in my book.

First off, a "luthier"? Secondly, "looking" for the exact wrench?

_________________
You dig?


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Purchased a Used Tele from an online store...
Posted: Wed Sep 12, 2012 8:47 am
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician

Joined: Sat Aug 23, 2008 2:01 pm
Posts: 1598
well, these are just some random thoughts...please take them as such with the appropriate grain of salt...

If the instrument was purchased used, it's unlikely the shop you purchased from is going to honor any warranty. Some places will for the sake of good customer relations...but I wouldn't hold my breath either. That said, if the neck and instrument are otherwise original and unaltered and there is indeed a problem with the neck, Fender -may- be willing to talk to you about it...as they say, it never hurts to ask.

Now to answer your question about if this was caused by "heat" (during shipping), it seems most unlikely. Aside from the -MANY- personal transactions that take place every day with Ebay, Amazon, Craigslist, etc., guitar companies such as Fender (et al) ship guitars to various guitar shops all over the world (such as Sam Ash, Guitar Center, et al) EVERY DAY. Not like this is a common problem or anything at all.

Okies...that said, -if- this were virtually any other guitar than a Tele (with the possible exception of a Dobro or a National), I would be tempted to suggest there's something wrong with the neck if it's really bowed that badly. However...being a Tele, there's another possibility here; someone may have set it up that way intentionally for playing slide. I mention this because of a comment you made...

"The luthier is concerned about stripping the rod. He's looking for the Fender wrench that fits exactly"

That comment set off a huge alarm bell in my head. The fact that this luthier didn't have a "Fender wrench that fits exactly" seems to suggest that this luthier/shop are not actually Fender authorized? I would strongly suggest that before you have ANYTHING done to this instrument (including returning it for warranty/repair/replacement) you take it to a proper Fender authorized dealer and have THEM take a look at it. Seriously...if you're just taking this to a local Ma & Pa shop, do -NOT- trust the tech to have ANY clue what he/she is actually doing (no matter how many years you've been doing business with them or how well you think you know them)! Get a second opinion from someone who is qualified!!! Without seeing the instrument personally and without knowing the tech you took it too, there's no real way to know if said person would actually know the difference...again the guitar could just have been setup that way.

Okies...again just some random thoughts...use them as you will...
Jim


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Purchased a Used Tele from an online store...
Posted: Wed Sep 12, 2012 2:18 pm
Offline
Rock Icon
Rock Icon
User avatar

Joined: Fri Feb 05, 2010 4:31 am
Posts: 14049
Location: Province de Québec, Canada
" The luthier is concerned about stripping the rod. He's looking for the Fender wrench that fits exactly. "
_________________________________________________________________________________
Sorry this is not a luthier . This tool is a standard tool that every good guitar shop or luthier have. 1/8 inch allen wrench is a must.

Better to find a real luthier and have a second opinion. I guess he don't know how biflex truss rod work if it's an American Standard.

What kind of Telecaster , American made , Japan , China ?


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Purchased a Used Tele from an online store...
Posted: Wed Sep 12, 2012 8:01 pm
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist

Joined: Wed Jan 26, 2011 3:55 pm
Posts: 21
First, thanks for all the responses.

Before I throw anyone under the bus, I spoke with the shop that sold the guitar. They are concerned as well and want me to follow up (which I'm going to do after this post). The luthier is not a Fender authorized repair center. Most of his work is acoustic instruments and he has worked on my instruments in the past. I just figured it was an easy intonation/ lower the action deal. Anyhow, he found the correct alley wrench, removed the neck and still cannot get the truss rod to release. He's concerned about stripping it and I don't blame him too much. Anyhow, he's been working in his trade since '94 and does repair work at very reputable store.

I could take it to an authorized repair shop but I'm already out 150 after the 1450. It might be a used instrument but there's an expectation that it works. If you bought a vehicle but couldn't open the hood to work on it...you get the idea. I'm fairly confident that the shop/ seller will do right. At the end of the day, I'm more bummed than anything.

Thanks again for the responses. I'll let y'all know how it shakes out.

Matt


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Purchased a Used Tele from an online store...
Posted: Thu Sep 13, 2012 2:10 am
Offline
Rock Icon
Rock Icon
User avatar

Joined: Fri Feb 05, 2010 4:31 am
Posts: 14049
Location: Province de Québec, Canada
Yes , used or new a truss rod nut must work .


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Purchased a Used Tele from an online store...
Posted: Thu Sep 13, 2012 7:46 am
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist

Joined: Wed Jan 26, 2011 3:55 pm
Posts: 21
I realized that I did not answer all of the questions on this instrument. Since everyone took the time to read and respond, here ya go.

94 Telecaster Plus v1
Lace Pickups

Aside from the pickups and the reviews, I figured these guitars were made after the employees bought back the company. I figured there would be a closer attention to quality. I could be wrong but that was my thinking.

Thanks again for the input.


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Purchased a Used Tele from an online store...
Posted: Thu Sep 13, 2012 8:57 am
Offline
Rock Star
Rock Star
User avatar

Joined: Tue Jul 24, 2007 7:33 am
Posts: 8461
Location: Mars, the angry red planet.
soneedaze wrote:
...I figured there would be a closer attention to quality. I could be wrong but that was my thinking...


There is a popular trend where the masses blame the manufacturer(s) for their lack of quality control. Granted, some situations may be totally justified but where an 8 year old, used instrument (and a high end one) at that is concerned, I doubt very strongly the fault lies with Fender.

As always, this is merely IMO where YMMV.

_________________
You dig?


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Purchased a Used Tele from an online store...
Posted: Thu Sep 13, 2012 10:01 am
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician
User avatar

Joined: Sun Feb 15, 2009 3:52 pm
Posts: 2005
Martian wrote:
soneedaze wrote:
...I figured there would be a closer attention to quality. I could be wrong but that was my thinking...


There is a popular trend where the masses blame the manufacturer(s) for their lack of quality control. Granted, some situations may be totally justified but where an 8 year old, used instrument (and a high end one) at that is concerned, I doubt very strongly the fault lies with Fender.

As always, this is merely IMO where YMMV.



+100

How would Fender be liable for a used instrument?

_________________
-T

"You can't spend what you ain't got, you can't lose what you ain't never had" ~ McKinley Morganfield


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Purchased a Used Tele from an online store...
Posted: Thu Sep 13, 2012 10:37 am
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist

Joined: Wed Jan 26, 2011 3:55 pm
Posts: 21
Man, I keep writing posts and then not seeing them show up. Sorry if it's out there twice.

So, just to be *very* clear, I called Fender for advice and because some people said that Fender *may* offer a warranty. In fact, Fender does offer a lifetime warranty to the original owner with receipt. I think that's pretty cool. Never was I blaming Fender for the condition of a used instrument. Rather, I am looking towards the shop that sold it to me and told me that the instrument was checked out. It clearly was not.

One of the buying decisions for me for this guitar was the fact that Fender was purchased by the employees in '85. In my experience, when employees share in accountability and profits, they care more and produce better products and services. That's just the way I look at the world.

Now, the shop that sold me the guitar told me this morning that since I put the instrument on layaway, they did not offer a warranty or returns. (I made two payments within two weeks.) I very politely expressed that everyone from the Fender forum to the repair shop to someone a large manufacturer in the guitar industry said that the shop should take the guitar back. At that point, he said that he would call the repair shop and get back to me by tomorrow.

Ya know when you have a gut feeling and you go against and then feel like a fool, that's the way I feel right now. I have always been reluctant to purchase instruments online but after several conversations with this shop, I felt comfortable. I should have been my usual cynical self.

Regardless, I will be rockin' with my band tonight and playing my 99 epi sheri2. 12 years of sweat and abuse with very little issues, it's a work house. No real issues to speak of...and I bought it used for 500 bucks from same shop that's working on the tele. Go figure.

So, I'm fired up to play! That's for damn sure. No bad deal can take that away!

Thanks again for everyone's insight.


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Purchased a Used Tele from an online store...
Posted: Thu Sep 13, 2012 11:55 am
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician
User avatar

Joined: Sun Feb 15, 2009 3:52 pm
Posts: 2005
Don't feel a fool yet. They may and should help you out!

The "lay-away" claim sounds like BS to me. What does that have to do with it?
Unless the item was sold "as is" then I'd make myself a pain in their you know where.

Lots of folks purchase over the Internet so I wouldn't condemn all of them but these folks sure don't sound nice.

Can you give us a name of the outfit?

_________________
-T

"You can't spend what you ain't got, you can't lose what you ain't never had" ~ McKinley Morganfield


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Purchased a Used Tele from an online store...
Posted: Thu Sep 13, 2012 5:09 pm
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist

Joined: Wed Jan 26, 2011 3:55 pm
Posts: 21
Thanks for the optimism. Before I give out the shop's name, I want to give them more time. I am trying to take the high road. Once I have a final resolution, I will let y'all know. Have a good evening.


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Purchased a Used Tele from an online store...
Posted: Thu Sep 13, 2012 6:43 pm
Offline
Aspiring Musician
Aspiring Musician

Joined: Wed Jun 20, 2012 12:39 pm
Posts: 721
I hope the situation is remedied! I find the layaway excuse highly questionable..that guitar ownership is not technically yours until you recieve it..I hope you do continue to follow up!

_________________
Mona
"Music is What Feelings Sound like"


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Purchased a Used Tele from an online store...
Posted: Fri Sep 14, 2012 7:25 am
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician
User avatar

Joined: Sun Feb 15, 2009 3:52 pm
Posts: 2005
Fair enough in giving them time to rectify the situation.

But do keep us posted.

_________________
-T

"You can't spend what you ain't got, you can't lose what you ain't never had" ~ McKinley Morganfield


Top
Profile
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 30 posts ]  Go to page 1, 2  Next
Go to page 1, 2  Next

All times are UTC - 7 hours

Fender Play Winter Sale 2020

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 2 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum

Search for:
Jump to: