Bongo bubble burst

[RobertB]

Bummer. For a few days, I've been eagerly awaiting a trip to GC tonight, to pick up a Stealth Bongo 5 on clearance. When I was there the other day, I had my 2 young ones with me, so I wasn't able to really check the bass out thoroughly. So I get there tonight, ready to snag it, and found a crack from front to back on the body end, shaped as if you grabbed the bass by the end with your thumb and index finger, just below the bridge. Yeah, it was a clearance item, so some issues are to be expected, but that one was a bit severe, and the deal wasn't quite as stellar as some I've been hearing about from some of the forumites these past few days (you know who you are).

Major buzz-kill. But I'm on the Bongo prowl now, for sure.

~Robert

 

[Colin]

wouldn't warranty cover that?

 

[RobertB]

Hmmmmmmm ... excellent question. Would it? How would that be handled - sent to SLO for repair?

Thanks alot - you've got my eyebrow of curiosity raised high.

~Robert

 

[Colin]

great sounding bass either way

 

[PzoLover]

someone call the BONGO Police

Hey Robert, that does sound severe *and * a bummer ... having processed lots of warranty work in another trade altogether, I pretend no expertise on BONGO damage and repairs, but something tells me that between EBMM and GC, the right thing (whatever that is, ) , will be done, I can't imagine EBMM knowingly shipping seriously damaged goods and all I can really imagine, is some GC employees being a bit nervous about calling a supervisor for guidance on how to proceed in arranging proper repairssomewhere in GC is a supervisor tapping his/her fingers waiting for the phone to ring so he/she can swoop down and push the right buttons and in the end you'll have a brand spankers newStealth BONGO, probably with a new body, minus one severe crack
hang in there,
ATB,
/PL

 

[RobertB]

Thanks PL. Yeah, I'm sure it most definitely didn't arrive at GC that way & that it happened there on the floor at GC. The question of what to do about it didn't really come up between me and sales boy. I just said nevermind & he tried to sell me an SR5 instead (always a great option, but I'm not in the market for one o' them at the moment).

Anyway, I'll email EBMM Cust Svc about the situation tomorrow morning & see what they say. If it's indeed the case that something could be done about it under warranty ... well heck, that changes everything & I'll be headed back to GC tomorrow.

Peace, Grace & Bass!
Robert

 

[Colin]

the damage has happened in the store for sure. The QC at the factory is too good.

 

[bovinehost]

It's finish damage and there's no good solution other than a refin - or, if it isn't structurally affected, you learn to live with it.

Physical damage to a bass unsold in a retail outlet wouldn't be covered by warranty.

If the store in question won't come down to a price that reflects the damage or, if they will and you're thinking that SLO will repair it, either way - walk away.

That's my opinion.

 

[oli@bass]

Crack on a new bass sounds suspicious.
If you're not into having a "project" bass, I'd look out for another deal.

 

[bovinehost]

Crack on a new bass sounds suspicious.
If you're not into having a "project" bass, I'd look out for another deal.

Suspiciously like someone dropped it, maybe.

 

[slow roasted]

Attention shoppers,

Clearance Stealth Bongo 5 available at the Arlington Heights, IL GC!

 

[mynan]

Attention shoppers,

Clearance Stealth Bongo 5 available at the Arlington Heights, IL GC!

That's a nice one. It's been there for a while, but there's nothing wrong with it.

 

[oli@bass]

Suspiciously like someone dropped it, maybe.

Can't be. Your 30th's the proof. EBMM's don't crack, even if you drop them... I guess someone rolled an eighteenwheeler over it....

 

[timmy5strings]

Attention shoppers,

Clearance Stealth Bongo 5 available at the Arlington Heights, IL GC!

I'm really diggin the Stealth 5 I picked up, I will post pics tonight if I can stop playing it long enough. My drummer told me his wife was running around the house last night moving all the knick-knacks back to keep them from falling while we were practicing .
Bongo is good yes ?

 

[RobertB]

Can't be. Your 30th's the proof. EBMM's don't crack, even if you drop them... I guess someone rolled an eighteenwheeler over it....

But the outermost layer on the Bongo isn't just polyester gloss over the body wood, as on other EBMM's. I'm not sure exactly what it is (little help Bongo gurus?); but whatever it is, in this case, the crack goes completely through that layer. It's not a scratch, it's a crack ... along with some indention, so the surface is unlevel on either side of the crack.

Anyway, the fact that it obviously happened there are the store is the reason the possibility of warranty coverage never occurred to me. Just didn't seem like anything EBMM would or should be responsible for.

One thing I've learned about myself is that learning to live with it is not something I do well with basses when it's an issue I regard as "severe", and when I could have a pristine one for a few hundred $$$ more. Like I said, it wasn't that stellar a deal ... $1150.

Thanks for the input, guys. And thanks for the headsup about the one in IL.

Robert

 

[Dargin]

Not sure how this is a warranty issue...I bet you could get a great sounding bass (use it for recording) for next to nothing...

 

[RobertB]

Update: Arlington Heights, IL GC's Stealth 5 Bongo ... mine! On the way via UPS Ground. Cheaper with case and shipped than the one I was looking at here in San Diego (without a case).

Edit: AND a set of super slinkys thrown in.

Score! Thanks a load slow roasted & mynan!

Pics in about a week,
Robert

 

[bovinehost]

Anyway, the fact that it obviously happened there are the store is the reason the possibility of warranty coverage never occurred to me. Just didn't seem like anything EBMM would or should be responsible for.

All your neurons were firing correctly, then.

 

[carpedebass]

All your neurons were firing correctly, then.

HA! I fired my neurons. They were getting on my nerves!

 

[slow roasted]

Update: Arlington Heights, IL GC's Stealth 5 Bongo ... mine! On the way via UPS Ground. Cheaper with case and shipped than the one I was looking at here in San Diego (without a case).

Edit: AND a set of super slinkys thrown in.

Score! Thanks a load slow roasted & mynan!

Pics in about a week,
Robert

My pleasure Robert! I have had incredible luck with the EBBM basses at GC lately, and it's nice to spread the love around. Damn, this place is fun!!

On a related note folks, don't be put off by ordering a bass from an out of state GC. The shipping is WAY lower than Ebay or Craigslist etc., and you have your usual 30 days to let it shake out and inspect it. If you don't like it, bring it to the nearest GC for a refund. I've had great luck, and more importantly the sales folk have been stellar.. and no, I don't work for GC. And not affiliated in any way with 'em either...