Musicman Quality ?

[hmz]

What’s going on with Musicman basses?
I have owned a couple of Ernie Ball Musicman basses over the tears I had a 1999 sterling I bought new at GC and loved it, it was my main bass for a few years. I also had a Stingray five string that sounded amazing but I could never get comfortable on a fiver. I always considered EBMM basses to be of the best quality the always look sound and feel great, but Yesterday I was at GC because I was interested in maybe getting a stingray. I was looking for one with a maple fret board and the GC near me had one. The bass was a natural finish, maple fret with a tort pick guard. I picked it up and started to play and the sharp fret ends stuck and scratched my hand. I could not believe this from a bass that was over $1200.00. This seems not too uncommon on cheap $200.00 basses but on a EBMM Stingray it’s unbelievable. The bass also was in need of a setup the strings were like ½ off the fret board and it was missing 2 tone knobs. How can GC and EB let an instrument like this hang in the store?

 

[Dees]

I think that rather gs is responsible for this than eb, because from what I've heard and experienced, EB always makes sure that the quality is top!

 

[Rod Trussbroken]

>>>I picked it up and started to play and the sharp fret ends stuck and scratched my hand.

>>>The bass also was in need of a setup the strings were like ½ off the fret board and it was missing 2 tone knobs.

The poor instrument hasn't been cared for. It wouldn't have left the factory that way.

Sounds like a second hand Bass to me.

 

[hmz]

>>>I picked it up and started to play and the sharp fret ends stuck and scratched my hand.

>>>The bass also was in need of a setup the strings were like ½ off the fret board and it was missing 2 tone knobs.

The poor instrument hasn't been cared for. It wouldn't have left the factory that way.

Sounds like a second hand Bass to me.

No brand-new.

 

[Gunk]

Hmmm?

 

[Colin]

Just remember GC have a policy where you can buy and return. Maybe this has something to do with it? Very rare to hear, but not hard to fix.

 

[adouglas]

The quality of my bongo is superb.

I'm scratching my head over the frets...IIRC this happens on cheap basses because they're built in a humid environment (China), and when they get to a drier environment the wood inevitably shrinks a bit, causing the fret ends to stick out.

But that's not the case with EBMMs. OLPs, maybe...it wasn't an OLP, right?

But the missing knobs and lousy setup...hey, that's clearly GC's fault, not EBMM's. If you didn't see it taken out of a sealed box, you don't know how long it's been there or what's been done to it since it was unpacked. For all you know somebody was fiddling around with the trussrod.

 

[Rod Trussbroken]

Bottom line is that EB can't control how an instrument is handled once it leaves the factory.

 

[hmz]

Bottom line is that EB can't control how an instrument is handled once it leaves the factory.

The setup and knobs missing is GC fault and an easy fix no question but EB should have never let that bass get past quality control with the fret issue. I bought my EB 5 string on line with out playing it and up an till now I didn’t have a problem buying a MM on line but now I don’t know if I would.

 

[Colin]

The setup and knobs missing is GC fault and an easy fix no question but EB should have never let that bass get past quality control with the fret issue. I bought my EB 5 string on line with out playing it and up an till now I didn’t have a problem buying a MM on line but now I don’t know if I would.

How do you know it's even a quality control issue from the factory? Just stop and think about it, you state that the setup and missing knobs is GC fault. Obviously this bass hasn't been shown the care or at least the attention it deserves. How long has the bass been there? Is it near an air conditioning unit? Timber moves with the climate, maybe that has a factor. Granted GC staff should have removed it to be corrected. How many cars are damaged in the lot before sold? Not many I'm guessing but it does happen. Maybe this has happened here. But to question EB quality control based on your statement is confusing to say the least.

 

[Mobay45]

How do you know it's even a quality control issue from the factory? Just stop and think about it, you state that the setup and missing knobs is GC fault. Obviously this bass hasn't been shown the care or at least the attention it deserves. How long has the bass been there? Is it near an air conditioning unit? Timber moves with the climate, maybe that has a factor. Granted GC staff should have removed it to be corrected. How many cars are damaged in the lot before sold? Not many I'm guessing but it does happen. Maybe this has happened here. But to question EB quality control based on your statement is confusing to say the least.

Good analogy between the new car and the new instrument. I work in the body shop for a new car dealer and it does happen. Something else people don't think about is the fact that there's not a car manufacturer out there that doesn't have a body shop at the end of the production line. I guess people think that if a car has been damaged in production, they just trash it and start over?!?!.

The issues brought up in this thread are unfortunate but in any way shouldn't discourage anyone from owning a new EBMM product. If someone did happen to pick up this bass, EBMM stands behind their product as well or better than any company I've ever known of. If I were truly interested in that particular bass, I would have GC make it right and then buy it.

Although I've never seen an EB with the problem described here, I did pick up an OLP bass that had that problem. It wasn't hard to repair. Since it was a fairly inexpensive bass, I fixed it myself. This is a fairly common problem with the OLP SR5 copies from what I've seen. I have seen the way the frets are installed in EB guitars and basses in person. The QC is very high in the factory but anything is possible. Like I said in the beginning, I work for a new car dealership.

 

[bovinehost]

More than a few of the guys on the forum have been to the factory and seen how the process works, from raw plank to finished instrument. The QC at EBMM has gotten better, not worse - and it's always been good, so most of us, I'd hazard to say, would rate it as excellent.

As mentioned above, wood is not static. I can guarantee you that the bass didn't leave the factory with fret sprout, but what happened to it after that is anyone's guess. Changes in climate, humidity....

I'm an online dealer and this I can promise you. If you buy a bass from me (or any of the other dealers here on the forum, really), and something isn't right about that bass, I will work with the company to make your bass right. No one involved in the manufacturing or the sale of your bass wants you unhappy. None of us want bad examples of EBMM basses out there, no matter how they got 'bad'.

Jack

 

[Rod Trussbroken]

Sounds like it's been subject to extreme climate...maybe left in a car.

That woud explain what seems to be a neck bow.

Offending fret/s....I'll bet it's from the 12 fret up. If so, then my toss is fret board shrinkage.

 

[bovinehost]

What’s going on with Musicman basses?

Wrong question. The right question is: What's going on with that retail outlet?

Jack

 

[Mobay45]

Exactly.

If they were aware of the problem before you played the bass, it should have been pulled and sent back to the factory. If you made them aware of the problem, they should have taken it off of display right then and there. If you played it, noticed the problem and didn't tell anyone about it, then someone else will come along and have the same misconception about EBMM that you had.

There are just too many folks here with positive experiences with the product to believe that this is a common issue. In fact, it is the first time I have ever seen it mentioned here in relation to a new EBMM bass.

 

[Randracula]

I've NEVER played a Ernie Ball Musicman bass with sharp fret ends.I agree with Gav about the extreme climate thing.If this was a case of "Fret Sprouting" and you actually bought the bass brand new(probably for a big discount) from GC then i'm sure Ernie Ball would gladly do the repair FOC within the 1 year warranty period.GC takes very poor care of their gear.............

 

[Big Poppa]

What’s going on with Musicman basses?
I have owned a couple of Ernie Ball Musicman basses over the tears I had a 1999 sterling I bought new at GC and loved it, it was my main bass for a few years. I also had a Stingray five string that sounded amazing but I could never get comfortable on a fiver. I always considered EBMM basses to be of the best quality the always look sound and feel great, but Yesterday I was at GC because I was interested in maybe getting a stingray. I was looking for one with a maple fret board and the GC near me had one. The bass was a natural finish, maple fret with a tort pick guard. I picked it up and started to play and the sharp fret ends stuck and scratched my hand. I could not believe this from a bass that was over $1200.00. This seems not too uncommon on cheap $200.00 basses but on a EBMM Stingray it’s unbelievable. The bass also was in need of a setup the strings were like ½ off the fret board and it was missing 2 tone knobs. How can GC and EB let an instrument like this hang in the store?

HMZ

First off, Im glad that you aren't a supreme court justice.

Please don't assume that all of our quality is bad because of one you played at Guitar Center. I can PROMISE you that the bass did not leave our factory with sharp fret ends. It is entirely possible that it can happen because wood can both expand and shrink due to the amount of moisture it is subjected to. We buy kiln dried wood and then dry it again for this very reason. Also think bigger picture when you assume that someone told you it was new. New can be one that the staff uses to beat on, a multiple return, etc.

The most important thing is for you to tell me which Guitar Center this abused child is in so we can get it straightened out.

 

[Mobay45]

HMZ

First off, Im glad that you aren't a supreme court justice.

Please don't assume that all of our quality is bad because of one you played at Guitar Center. I can PROMISE you that the bass did not leave our factory with sharp fret ends. It is entirely possible that it can happen because wood can both expand and shrink due to the amount of moisture it is subjected to. We buy kiln dried wood and then dry it again for this very reason. Also think biger picture wshen you assume that someone told you it was new. New can be one that the staff uses to beat on, a multiple return, etc.

The most important thing is for you to tell me which Guitar Center this abused child is in so we can get it straightened out.

There you are! Straight from the horses, er, um, I mean, owners mouth!

How many large corporations do you think you would have this kind of service. And from the owner of the company? And on a weekend to boot!

 

[adouglas]

How many large corporations do you think you would have this kind of service. And from the owner of the company? And on a weekend to boot!

None. Zero. Zip. Nada.

Dealing with EBMM is more like dealing with a boutique builder than a large company. This is very, very impressive.

I wish more American companies "got it" the way EBMM does. Given the competitive disadvantage we've got in this country when it comes to pricing, the only way an American company can really compete is to provide superior service and responsiveness.

This is the kind of thing that generates lifetime customers who will go out and evangelize for you.

Bravo!

 

[Randracula]

I linked Sterling's response to this issue in the same thread at TB so his response could be heard by more people than us here at the EB forum who already know what great customer service we get with our instruments.Here's the thread over there.........
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?p=2754454#post2754454