Deluxe Players Strat

[blueswaite]

I just picked one of these up yesterday. The fret edges are rather sharp.I talked to a couple of GC and they told me the same thing. That being winter is over and in the store during winter that the fret board will shrink and that when the humidity gets back up it should expand. that they have alot of guitars over the winter months because of the dry humidity this happens.
After playing it alittle bit your hand will get sore from the fret edges. Should I buy what they are saying
Other than this issure I love the guitar it is heavier than alot of deluxes which I like I also really like the feel of the neck on this one. The rest of the guitar is very beautiful and nice. No buzzes ect.
Thanks

[ChrisK]

I saw this a couple/few years ago on some American Deluxe Strats, also at GC. The fret edges were rather sharp. It gave a new meaning to "shredding".

I presumed that this was from humidification (or the lack thereof) in the store (although unlikely, since the AmDlx's were the ONLY ones with this issue, and only certain models on clearance), or more likely, in a storeroom somewhere. I asked the GC (guitar clone) salesmen about this and they resoundingly responded with a firm "huh?".

Perchance these were made during the monsoon season somewhere, eh?


In Asia, the symbol for danger is an inverted triangle.

/\

It's also the symbol for opportunity. In this case you have the opportunity to have the fret edges redressed before the "plank doth swell".

If you got a good deal on it (I never pay retail), or it's a particularly appealing specimen, go for the redress of the frets. If it's neither, go seek redress of the issue.

[sumgai]

bw,

I'm with Chris on this one - if'n you like it, then mess with it until it's good to go. If'n you don't like it, mess with the sales drone's head until you're good to go.

In the way past, I had a shopful of tools (that I didn't own, or I'd still have 'em ), and the skill set to do this kind of work. I'm of the mind that it's not very hard to trim the fret ends flush with the fingerboard, but you do have to be careful, with a capital C. Remember, one "aw crap" resets all attaboys!

Or, as has been noted on these boards in the past few years, nothing you buy off the shelf (hanger hook) is really ready to go. One should expect, no matter what the final price out the door was, that said newly purchased axe is gonna need some "dialing in". If you're not comfortable with doing that, then you might (emphasis on the "might" part) discuss the guitar's needs with the sales drone, and attempt to get them to have their on-site guitar wizard straighten it out for you, as part of the deal.

Even though you've already bought the axe and taken it home, you can still negotiate with them - GC has a 30-day no-questions return policy (on most new stuff). If need be, you can threaten to return it, then repurchase it with a new agreement that would include a "touch-up" to make the thing work according to Hoyle. (Who probably never played guitar, but he played a lot of other stuff. : It's up to you - do it yourself, or have them do it, but either way, you can't play it now if'n it's bad enough to carp about on the innerwebs.

HTH



sumgai

[ChrisK]

Of course, with you being a blues player, it will help you in making "soul slaw".






( ;D ;D ;D )

[blueswaite]

I took it back and got a VG Strat they had them on sale for $999
Very nice guitar.
Thanks

[blueswaite]

Not having much luck lately. I had to take the VG Strat Back the truss rod had no adjustment left. GC didn't have anymore.
I have wanted a Highway One and they are on a close out at GC.
They set the guitar up real nice for me put lemon oil on fretboard cleaned it adjusted neck set intonation and it plays great and sounds great. My problem is on the rose wood fret board I was taking off the strings that were on it and putting the ones I like on and noticed some cracks in the rosewood fretboard. Am I doomed. I can't take it back because it was on a close out. I think Fender is discontinuing them. Love the guitar and it plays great and sounds great just concerned about the cracks in the rosewood because I don't think this is something Fender covers.
Thanks for any help

[ChrisK]

I bought a VG recently meself.

I had to take the VG Strat Back the truss rod had no adjustment left. GC didn't have anymore.

Did you first adjust the micro-tilt?

I got this for a song brand new since the micro-tilt adjustment was GeFooey and the GC (guitar clone) salesmen are frightened by screws.


So, did you/you did buy a Highway-1?

Post some well-focused pics of the cracks.

[blueswaite]

I took it to a local tech which is real well known for quality work in northeast ohio. And he said truss rod was definatley bottomed out.
yes I got the Highway One Nice guitar. I e-mailed Fender hope they can help
Thanks

[sumgai]

bw,

It's highly unusual for a Fender neck to have the truss rod installed so far out of whack like that. Not impossible, but not easy to find such, if you get my drift.....

If you really wanted the VG axe, then you might have been able to negotiate on the replacement of the neck itself. After all, it was under warranty. Might have meant doing without the axe for awhile (up to two months, Fender can be slow at times), but a new neck shouldn't exhibit the same problems.

As for cracks in your newest fretboard, certain kinds of rosewood develop minor cracks almost right away (after construction), then hold their shape for seemingly ever. Your good-guy luthier can better determine if there's gonna be a problem, and how to avoid it, but for the most part, I think you're OK.

BTW, if your newest axe, the Highway One has an issue, GC can't fob it off on you with an excuse like "closeout". Presuming it's new, there's a manufacturer's warranty on it, and most states have laws that, more or less, give you (the consumer) the warranty of merchantability. This translates to, if it can't be used for it's obvious purpose, then the person/company selling it to you has to take it back. (That's predicated on the assumption that they are an agent of the manufacturer.) IOW, no one can force you to part with your money for an item that's unusable the way the manufacturer intended, and the way you intended to use it when you bought it.

If the sales drone wants to argue, get the store manager. If he wants to argue, ask him if he's a weasel lawyer, and if not, then perhaps he'd be really wise to get the company lawyer on the phone, muy pronto. That won't happen, but he'll certainly think twice before giving you any lip. In scenarios like this, the potential for hard feelings, raised voices and threats is quite high - take along a friend or two to act as witnesses, and to keep you from making a fool of yourself in front of them.

HTH



sumgai

[blueswaite]

Thanks This morning I looked at it and there is about several more. Some a fret and a half long I'll call GC and see what they say. Shame it is one of the best playing guitars I have owned and I am 63 years old and have had alot of them. I have taken a few guitars back because didn't like them but 4 guitars I took back had issues. Now this one. They have a 30 day policy but I guess they felt I brang to many back. But I agree if it is going to be not playable they need to get me another one.
Thanks

[cynical1]

Jun 7, 2009 6:43:06 GMT -5 blueswaite said:

...I have taken a few guitars back because didn't like them but 4 guitars I took back had issues. Now this one...

Not trying to cast aspersions here, but 5 out of 5 guitars with issues tends to make me raise and eyebrow...

I would be less concerned about how the manufacturer is building them versus the way the retailer is buying, shipping and warehousing the instruments they sell.

While it is possible for any of the 5 different problems you've recently gone through to surface from one retailer, it strikes me that there may be an endemic problem with your particular retailer.

If the store gives you grief then the suggestion of tracking down the manufacturer's regional rep. would be your next best option. Kindly explain to the store manager and the factory rep that you're are a member of an Internet forum, with members worldwide, that have been tracking this issue through your postings for some time. It would, therefore, be in everyone's best interest to provide you with a favorable solution. You will be more then happy to post this favorable solution...or the one detailing how you got screwed...it's up to them now.

Like the rule states: Every happy customer tells 3-5 people, every unhappy customer tells 20-30 people. The Internet makes this corollary exponential.

Just my 2 cents.

Happy Trails

Cynical One

[blueswaite]

Well this evening the fret board looks better. Darker in color and cracks don't seem nearly as bad. I put more lemon oil on it. I looked at my acoustic it had them but not as long and called my son to look at his guitars and his had it to. He also has a HW1 and said of 5 guitars with rosewood necks the HW1 had the more noticalbe cracks.Maybe everything settled in because it may have been really dry. Still going to take it to the tech tomorrow to make sure it is ok. It is a nice sounding and really nice playing guitar.
Thanks

[ChrisK]

the suggestion of tracking down the manufacturer's regional rep. would be your next best option.

Uh, I used to know the Fender OEM rep for the east coast (it's been a few years). Let me know.

in northeast Ohio

Uh oh, that make three of us. newey's near Akron and I'm (in) near Earth (orbit), but often in Independence.

Which GC was this (there's only three in NE Ohio)?

Unless specifically stated in writing;

If it was sold as new, it has a 30 day warranty.

If it was sold as used, it has a 14 day warranty.

I bought a VG after the fire sale started. It still had the store warranty and the Fender warranty (it wasn't GC, I usually can do much better elsewhere).

I have taken a few guitars back because didn't like them but 4 guitars I took back had issues. Now this one.

This might be why I usually can do much better elsewhere.


If you get a really good deal on a guitar with a sketchy neck, you can get a replacement neck for about $200. These cracks might be able to be filled if needed.

[blueswaite]

The neck was alittel dry and the cracks were from the grain. After the lemon oil soaked in it was much better some fine cracks but I took it to the tech and it is common with rosewood. I looked at some other guitars with rosewood and they had the same thing.
Neck looks alot better. Tech said to make sure and put the lemon oil on the neck every string change. The cracks are common when rosewood starts to get to dry.
Thanks

[blueswaite]

Basic rule is rosewood is will crack. The nature of it. If it affects the playing GC will take care of it. If it doesn't effect the playing it is considered cosmetic and Fender has to make the call.

[sumgai]

Jun 13, 2009 14:10:49 GMT -5 blueswaite said:

Basic rule is rosewood is will crack. The nature of it. If it affects the playing GC will take care of it. If it doesn't effect the playing it is considered cosmetic and Fender has to make the call.

Get that in writing!!!!

[blueswaite]

Fender has been really nice in this situation. On the VG Stat they would have replaced the neck if it was a problem.
On the Highway One I am going to take it EARCOS who does Fender Service this is what Fender suggested. I am going to take it next Monday.
I talked to a guy at GC tonight said he tried an American Fender Strat used for $700 and said you could see duct tape by the tremelo said it was one of the worst Fenders he has played.
I saw the VG Strat I had also saw it last week I think they put it back on the floor knowing there is a problem with it. Or if they fixed they could have told me.
I am going to take it Monday and see what they have to say.
Also I think I'll call GC corporate and ask if they can tell you you have to keep something when they have the 30 day satifaction.
I have tried alot of things and took back but I have also bought alot. If GC Corporate tells me they can't do that then I think I'll take the guitar back and do business else were.
Thanks for all your support.

[blueswaite]

I e-mailed corporate for GC and they called the GC I buy from and they called me and said corporate said I could return the guitar but I couldn't shop GC anymore because I had basically to many returns. i told GC no problem I can bring the guitar back and have another the next day from down the street. They told me to call corporate make sure they understood the situation but they don't have a number just e-mail so I e-mailed them again and told them if I miss understood I was sorry but if taking guitar back I could not shop GC any more so it will be.I sure miss the MOM and POP shops.
Gentlemen I who called was a very nice young man but he is just a department manager gets not main say.
I know alot of people whom have taken alot back no problem. i think it depends on the manager never had this problem ordering online and returning things and I ordered online for years.
Again thanks for everyone's support I'll let you know the out come.

[blueswaite]

Well the manager would like me to talk to him monday when he gets back from califorina.
Thanksw

[ChrisK]

So is the issue that you order these guitars online, but return them to the local store?

Or, are you just returning guitars that you buy in the local retail store because you find problems with them after you play them for a while? If you're buying these thru the local store from the GC online site (with their active participation), it's the same as buying it in the store.

I could see why they'd have some issues with the former example, but if it's a matter of you "refusing to take their crap(py) products" within their stipulated warranty/return period, you then have a basis (IMHO) for a legal action against them if they "ban" you for following their guidelines.


Times are tough. there are many lawyers out of work. I know, I see examples of standard fees for prescribed legal work dropping.


I'd go after them just for fun.......

[newey]

they called me and said corporate said I could return the guitar but I couldn't shop GC anymore because I had basically to many returns.

There are many GC locations. What're they going to do, post your photo in every employee lounge? Bar you at the door?

As far as suing them, if they did actually bar you at the door, you might well have a cause of action.

Sounds to me like an idle threat by some suit. But, if it were me, I would have gone down the street long ago anyway.

[sumgai]

My thoughts on GC and its return policy, etc.......


First, as in all things commanded by a chain of commanders, the final decision is "subject to the local commander's discretion". IOW, the store manager has the final say, and a customer usually has Hell to pay to override him/her.

Second, while I'm a lawsuit-happy kind of guy, this isn't the time. More to the point, you can be 'banned' without being formally told to leave the premises, merely by no employee ever stepping up to help you, and they beg off with an excuse when you acost them. It's not a fun game for the victim, and proving such behavior would be more than difficult. But if you were to be actually prevented from entering the store, there's really nothing you can do about it - it's a private enterprise that normally allows members of the public to enter, browse, shop, and leave, all by-the-bye. But being private (it's not a government funded facility), they do have the right to refuse service to various would-be patrons. Unhappily, they don't have to have a reason, valid or otherwise, they can be as capricious as they wish.

Third, just as the safest time to eat hamburgers at Jack-in-the-Box is right after an E. Coli scare, the best time you can have as a customer at a store is right after they've "threatened" you with some kind of punishment. Ultimately, the store manager knows (or should know) that it takes only one "aw crap" to reset all attaboys, or IOW, it takes only one customer to bad-mouth away all the good vibes the store might have otherwise. A wise manager (I admit, not all of them are in this boat) will make sure you don't have an "aw crap" moment at his store's expense.

Fourth, anybody you talked to at "Corporate HQ" is a drone hired solely to dish out what you wanted to hear. His job is to deflect the complaining customer away from the real powers-that-be. If you ever did get past him (or her) and into the Inner Circle, they'd look at you like you're a Kylehead in the punchbowl. They figure "we hire people to take care of that sort of thing", and if you somehow slipped past them, then someone will soon be standing in the Unenjoyment Line. And your complaint will still fall on deaf ears.

Fifth, you can always vent your spleen on the District Rep for the product(s) in question. Some outfits may care, or at least the Rep may appear to care, others don't. Still won't affect anything, but it's one more avenue of safe revenge. (Meaning, it shouldn't backfire on you.)

Ultimately, if you don't get satisfaction, the best revenge will be to give your dollars to someone else down the street. If it's a high-ticket item, make sure the word gets back to GC somehow. ;D

HTH



sumgai

[blueswaite]

I told the submanger of the store that I would bring the guitar back and go on my merry way and get one else were. They seem unhappy with me and me unhappy with them. The main manager is in calif. and will be back monday and the guys at the store say he really wants to talk to me. I'll hear him out.
Bottom line for me. If i like what transpires fine If not they can have there guitar and I'll move on down the road and buy my stuff else were. I have no problem with that. It really doesn't matter me if they bar me from the store. It's not the end of the world. Plenty of stores around that want business. Overall the guys at the store have been pretty nice to me. I have done nothing wrong or out of there policy. My opinion is there was probably second guessing on both parties.
Thanks
Thanks

[sumgai]

bw,

Good attitude! ;D It's always a good idea to listen to all the input from all the parties before making up your mind. Anyone who faults that is sure to be in the unhappy camper crowd.

One more thing we haven't mentioned.... As it happens, if you are in the habit of paying for things with cash, I'm happy for you! I feel that if you can't pay for it right now, without going into debt, then you don't need it, period. However....

Buying someting on a credit card (NOT a debit card), particularly a big-ticket item, gives you the ultimate "ace-in-the-hole" - you can renege the charge, after physically returning the item whether the store likes it or not. (Meaning, it doesn't matter what the store policy might be, or what they told you personally.) Be sure to take along at least one witness (not a family member), and ask for a receipt (but don't expect it).

Now some folks will tell you that the card company won't back you up if the store says "no dice", but that's simply not true. Credit card issuing banks know one thing - where their money comes from. And it's a sure bet that they can do simple arithmetic: 425 million customers that are making interest payments every month, versus 28 million merchants that don't pay diddly-squat, compared to all those monthly interest payments.*

Trust me, your card will protect you in cases like this. Merely pay the whole bill at the end of the month, and there you go!

HTH



sumgai


* Figures are for worldwide major card issuers, as of mid-year 2008. Probably up from there by now.

[blueswaite]

Well I talked to the manager and he said I could buy what ever I want but to make sure it was what I want because I have to keep it.
I told him about the bad neck on the VG and took it to a repair tech and even they said it was bad plus GCs own set up guy. He said that it didn't matter. In my opinion I believe they put it back on the floor and sold it.
So doing business like that I will be moving on. I think I made people nervous questioning things. Also have been in there and people complaining about the play ability of new guitars.
Everyone Thanks Again

[ChrisK]

So, which Guitar Center location was it so we know to avoid them?

[sumgai]

Good job, 'waite!!

Chris is correct, we all benefit by knowing which stores to bypass in our striving to satisify our G.A.S. ;D

As I've said before, the local manager is pretty much a Gawdlet in his own fiefdom. It'll take a raft of complaints, not to Corporate HQ, but to other store managers, before HQ starts paying attention, and maybe doing something about this particular joker.



sumgai

[blueswaite]

Akron based one.Most consider it Fairlawn Store. Also the Mayfield Store is where I got the nasty comments. That is in Ohio
I feel I am doing the right thing. Again in my opinion a neck on a guitar they knew was bad should have never left the store.
Thanks

[ChrisK]

I've been to the Fairlawn store a number of times. It can be on my way if I pass thru Akron rather than go on 80 east. I don't seem able to leave the office until 8 pm or so, so I rarely get to it. I've never bought anything much there, but have never had any depth of conversation with the staff either, so I can't pass any judgment.

Their sale deals seemed OK.


I've been to the Mayfield store (322 east) perhaps 10 times. I bought an Epi there a few years back, but that's about it.

Their sale deals seemed OK.

The main issue is that it's out of the way to visit even though there's a Sam Ash around the corner. I'm not overly impressed with either of these Mayfield stores.


The Boardman store (south of Youngstown) is good, I've bought guitars there. When you visit there, you get to go to New York Music too, which is nearby (no, it's not in that New York)

Their sale deals seemed OK.


I like the North Olmstead store about the best, with the best sale deals, but it's out of the way to visit.


I can speak highly of the GC west of Pittsburgh (Robinson town square). Most of the GC staff that I respected over the years (and still do) have migrated there. The good ones that could not just plain quit.


I've been frequenting GCs since 2001 when I decided that I needed a hobby that wasn't work related. In the early part of this decade, there were some really good salesmen at their stores. Unfortunately, most of them are gone, and the only reason that I do visit GCs is to look for situational deals or novel used items.


When I want to visit a good guitar store with some really fine vintage stuff, I go to Rudy's or Manny's (or Sam Ash) on 48th and Broadway (in the real New York). I was there last month (I cheat, my son lives and works there) and am happy to report that the Fender vintage rosewood Telecaster is still available, but they're now asking $4,999 for it (I didn't buy it this time either).


When I want to go to a good local guitar store, I go to PnS in Pittsburgh. They actually know how to set up a guitar, and tend to send the bad ones back and not just try to sell them. They generally beat the GC price also.

[blueswaite]

I think sometimes we think that GC or Sam Ash have the best prices. But I am finding out there are alot better deals out there.
I am going to be going to a mom pop shop in Wooster they said they would match any deal GC has. Plus you get the personalized attention to. most of there staff have been there for years.
GC I think alot of the problem is all they pretty much stock is on the wall for guitars or in a display for amps. Probably tons of people play these everyday and unlike a mom and pop store that will care for the guitars ect. GC or a Sam Ash doesn't there only enterest is sales. So I don't think a mom and pop shop is going to let a bad guitar go out of the store. I am an older person and I guess I am just use to being up front whether it is me or a salesman. Alot of time the sales person doesn't even know how to hook up say a modeler you want to try.
I am not saying GC is bad but there not my cup of tea as far as business.
Thanks