New G-3!

[Barklessdog]

Denis has a (not yet quite deep) purple wall at home.  These days anything goes.

Happy you got this sleeping beauty/ugly in Gibson's canon. That wide body Ripper shape is endearingly uncompromising whether you like it or not. I do, it has become a classic (and wasn't really copied by anybody else).

Actually Carvin copied it in the 80's with their LB40-60 series basses. The Koa bodied ones are pretty nice looking. Not sure how good they were though.

[neepheid]

Awesome! Let us know what you think of it!

Well, it has arrived.  On the plus side, it sounds really good with lashings of deep, meaty bass coming from it.  Did a bit of setting up (lowered the action and the pickups).  On the not so good side there are a couple of flaws - there's a small blob of finish on the back of the body (which I can probably ignore) and they've managed to screw the bottom strap button in at a rather jaunty angle and tightened it so that it has compressed some of the wood around it.  Bit of a rookie mistake, that.  I've never managed to attach a strap button squint yet, and I'm no professional.

Is it enough to warrant sending it back?  I've got a few days to have a think about it.

[godofthunder]

 I'd see if they'd knock off some $ first if they won't then I'd send it back. Or store credit maybe.

[Denis]

I second the idea of trying to get them to knock some $$ off. I know you shouldn't have to make a repair to a brand new instrument. However, it would be a shame to send it back for something so small.

On mine, same as the one Mark picked up for Uwe, the fret ends could have been smoothed out a little better but it's certainly not enough to warrant me sending it back. I like it too much.

[Dave W]

I would definitely ask them to make an adjustment. No excuse for letting it out of the factory like that.

[neepheid]

Well, I phoned the shop to make them aware of the issue and they straight away offered to pick up the bass at their expense and replace it with the one other they have left in stock.  Can't really argue with that as a first attempt to solve the problem.  I'll play along with this - it's not as if I'll be left bassless in the meantime   Also we have pretty good distance selling regulations here in the UK so it makes sense for me to use them to my advantage.

If there's a problem with the replacement then we'll see about value adjustments.  Or I might just bin the whole escapade.  Can't help feeling a bit miffed - this is the first brand new Gibson I've ever bought.  Not a stellar start, but surely I can't be hit with two duds in a row?  It is a small issue, but even if I got some money off I think it would annoy me.  Also I could theoretically kiss any warranty goodbye if I fix it myself (the only fix being attempting to steam out the compressed wood, then filling and redrilling the pilot hole.)

This is what I'm moaning about:




It maybe doesn't seem like much but I don't expect to find a mistake like that on any bass these days, regardless of brand or cost.

[Denis]

That is inexcusable. Awfully good of the shop to offer to pick it up AND replace it. I doubt you'd find a shop here that would pick the bass up at their expense. That said, go for it and give the new bass a try.

[patman]

Sloppy workmanship is inexcusable, but...if it sang like THE ONE in my hands, I would keep it.

[Denis]

 

[uwe]

It might have fallen on its butt, looks like it, seen that before. The fin thing is just Gibson being Gibson. 

Whenever I have sent a bass back for little thing and got a flawless one that somehow didn't sound as good as the old one. 

[Dave W]

The last new Gibson bass I bought was an LP Faded about 6 years ago from American Musical. I wasn't thrilled with the sound but would have kept it except for the awful prep and finish work. The front and back were okay but the sides weren't properly sanded and the single cut area wasn't sanded at all. The finish looked like it was applied by a monkey on his first day on the job. Returned it and didn't order a replacement.

My newer Melody Maker guitar has a finish flaw on the back of the neck -  a dirt spot that appears to be under the finish -- but it was a special at half the usual street price.

[clankenstein]

i think i would want to try the other bass first in case its not quite as good...

[Highlander]

I'd probably get the blow torch out and refin, after two years hanging on a meat-hook in the shed to mature, but you know me by now...

[Denis]

It might have fallen on its butt, looks like it, seen that before.

Considering these come with a crappy soft bag it wouldn't surprise me. When it's in the bag the whole bass sits on that strap button. I'm real careful about how I put mine down when it's in the bag. Out of the bag it's on a stand.

[neepheid]

i think i would want to try the other bass first in case its not quite as good...

I hear you, but I don't live in an ideal consumer world with low hanging fruit .  I live in Aberdeen which is at least 3 hours away from anywhere which might stock a Gibson bass.  Driving 6 hours just to go try a bass doesn't sound like fun to me.  In the UK we have strict distance selling regulations, including the right to send back within 7 days of receipt anything (with a few minor, mostly hygiene or intellectual property related exceptions) you have bought for a full refund as long as it is undamaged/unused.

This one is being replaced because it is faulty.  If I'm not happy with the other one, even if it isn't "faulty" then I can still return it within 7 days for a full refund (although I'll probably have to pay postage in this instance).