Majesty 6 Piezo Issue - Returned from Warranty Repair with EXACT same issue.

[Spikeyxx]

I'm feeling pretty hacked off at the moment. I'm wondering if anyone else has, or has had the same issue as me?

I bought a Majesty 6 Copper Fire (Serial MO5347) From GuitarGuitar (Glasgow, UK) on 28/9/16

I love the guitar, but it had a problem so I took it back to my nearest GuitarGuitar (Newcastle, UK) to be repaired under warranty. This was on 17/10/16.
Target date for the repair was 24/10/16 through the UK distributor (Strings and Things)

It's been gone for nearly a month, I got the call to pick it up today (14/11/16) and upon getting it home I've found it still has the exact same fault!!

The problem is when playing on the Piezo saddles, the G string distorts and becomes dull, dampened and has an electrical whine or fizz. If you play the string hard, or tap on the saddle the sound clears up only to become distorted again after a short while.

Through a Guitar amp it isn't immediately noticeable. I didn't notice it in store, but through headphones or a Full PA system it's pretty obvious.

By my reckoning the guitar has been out of my hands more than in them and I'm feeling pretty disheartened. I had it less than 3 weeks before sending it in, then it was gone for nearly a month!

I just want to play the thing, not have to loose it again to have another repair done when it should have came back perfect the first time!

Frankly I'm wondering what has been going on for the last month. Has it been tested, has the saddle been changed, has it sat in the case the whole time? It's pretty disheartening.

Wondering what my options are now. I love Ernie Ball Instruments, I own 3, but I'm beginning to wonder whether I'd be better off letting this one go.

I paid a lot for it (almost double what I have for any other guitar) and I could do without the inconvenience.

 

[beej]

Sorry to hear about your troubles. Why don't you call or email the EBMM customer service guys directly- link is in my signature.

 

[DrKev]

Oh man, what a pain! Yes, contact EBMM CS directly, or contact String & Things UK directly, and do also talk to the store again. Your warranty and legal rights do not limit you to "one attempt at repair".

I've been in similar situations as both a customer with a warranty issue (different brand) and as a guitar tech in the warehouse of a very large music store, testing instruments and verifying problems and repairs before they get sent back to the customer or distributor. Allow me to mention something...

You mention that you didn't notice the problem in the store. That means they didn't either. I promise you this is the biggest pain in the arse for both customers and store staff - the problem that's not reproduced. Any problem they can't be reproduced by the people who need to, without you being present, is a problem that can't be fixed.

And what sometimes happens is a guitar that sits in a corner for a week, in a queue of other things to be done, perhaps waiting for transport to somewhere else, where it sits again for a week in another queue, then has somebody's full attention for 20 minutes, tests perfectly and is queued for transport back to the store with a report that says "can't reproduce problem, guitar tests perfect". I've written those notes myself. The end result is a disappointed customer running out of patience who may have dropped a lot of money on a big ticket item that comes back still faulty, and then effs and blinds about how crappy brand X is, or how crappy store Y is, when both of those charges might be unfair.

You can help solves the issue by doing everything possible to help them reproduce the problem so that they can hear it every time. Don't assume what you tell the person in the store will be reliably transmitted down the line. If the issue does not appear through a guitar amp, tell them exactly that. That's important because it may have been tested only with a guitar amp (I didn't have had a PA next to my workbench). If it only appears through a PA, or headphones tell them that. What's the signal chain? Tell them all this in writing, put it in the case with the guitar, thread it through the strings. Include a list of all the dates of when you reported the issue, gave it to the store, expected return date, actual return date (X weeks late), problem still apparent this date, etc.

Hang in there, I know how frustrating this is.

 

[orion_21]

Dr Kev - you deserve a raise.

 

[jones4tone]

Dr Kev - you deserve a raise.

Agree! Great feedback and advice.

 

[Spudmurphy]

It's all great advice from Dr K. The saving grace is that in the UK, the guitar is shipped back to S & T free of charge - however I do understand your grief at the length of time out of your hands! Because the return policy here in the UK is different to that in the USA, I bleeb the correct protocol is to send it back to S & T without the need to make a costly call to the USA, or trying to resolve the issue with a string of e-mails. Try phoning S&T- they are great guys - i worked with them in the past at exhibitions and they are passionate about the brand. Maybe you ask them if you could speak directly with Guitar tech?
anyways, let us know how you get on?

 

[Spikeyxx]

It's getting collected again on Monday. I included an a sheet with a full explanation and photos to highlight the issue.

Having had a good look at it to try and replicate the issue consistently I have found the pickup itself sits too low in the saddle on the G string causing the string to bottom out against the string guide rather than the pickup. This causes it to loose good contact after whammy use, or a string bend resulting in either low quality sound or a total drop out. After a good slap of the string it then makes good contact until the next bend or when playing with fingers rather than a pick.

The A string saddle is also low compared to the others, but is not presenting the same problem with being a thicker string.

Hoping to hear some good news back from strings and thing / guitarguitar soon. Looking forward to getting it back and enjoying playing it again. Other than the pickup issue it's and unbelievably well made guitar. Frequently caught myself saying "10 more minutes then I'll go to bed" only to still be playing it hours later.

 

[DrKev]

Frequently caught myself saying "10 more minutes then I'll go to bed" only to still be playing it hours later.

Yeah, we all know that problem!!

 

[Norrin Radd]

Please let us know what you find out when get her back! I'm curious about this one.