What corners were cut on the production models

[MakeAJazzNoiseHere]

What kind of store is that? There are many many avenues around that.

Apparently not a very good one!

I agree, I suppose I could just file a dispute with my credit card company, but to be clear they only accept returns for 24 hours, and this is printed right on the receipt... Can't say I wasn't warned.

I was so excited after setting up my black SD1 I didn't do anything with the white one but look at it for 2 weeks. That's a shitty return policy, but I'm just as at-fault for letting it sit there for 2 weeks before I really checked it out.

Exactly.
The guitar does have a warranty you know.
It is guaranteed to be free from manufacturing defects.
JCMI will repair or replace it.

That is a good point, man. The fret leveling job, I could live with it, though I would hate like hell to spend money having a new guitar leveled and dressed it could be fixed. But the neck pocket issue IS a manufacturing defect as well, and cannot be fixed (putty and a respray would be lame).

I don't think I'd be off my rocker to ask for a replacement guitar, as this one isn't really repairable. I'll give the shop a call and see how they respond to this.

[Grandturk]

Do you have pics of the neck pocket issue?

[MakeAJazzNoiseHere]

I don't, but I could take one later, if you guys want to see it. I'd kind of like a second opinion on it anyway to see if I'm just being too anal.

I could totally live with it if it was straight, and gapped. And I was planning to just slap some touch-up paint in the corner and call it "good enough" until I ran into the fretwork/fingerboard issue, now I've just gone completely cold on this guitar.

You'd think they'd at least want to pay a little attention to detail on the "limited edition" colors.

[Flatpicker]

Bring that back and have JCMI take a look.
It could just be a bad guitar. They happen in all price ranges.
Or something could have happened in shipping.

[Grandturk]

I'm not getting a good idea of what the problem is from the description. I'd like to see a pic.

[vondran]

I'm considering my options here, which are limited due to the store's "no refunds" policy.

Ask about their exchange/credit policy.

[MakeAJazzNoiseHere]

Ask about their exchange/credit policy.

No exchange, no credits, no shit.

[beachjammer]

I dealt with a warranty issue on my 2005 San Dimas and I don't have anything but good things to say about it. The hardest part was being able to get it to them and get the ball rolling. Once it was in their hands man did they take care of me right! My ebony fretboard had developed a crack and some of the clear coat on the headstock was starting to lift. They had my guitar sent to the custom shop, had a whole new neck made for it as well as fixed a clearcoat ding they found under the trem! They kept me informed during the whole process. I think my guitar was gone only for about a month from drop off to pickup. I'd recommend contacting them and seeing what they can do for you.

[Bionic]

No exchange, no credits, no shit.

If there is an issue with the guitar, get it too an Authorized Service Center. They will not only evaluate it for you, they can often fix it under warranty (if there is an issue). I only say that, because I obviously don't have it in front of me. However, we go to great pains to make sure you can get service. If the dealer won't help, make sure to allow us to try and make it right!

Now on the neck pocket issue, there is a very real chance that it's simply not lined up! it's an extremely simple fix... and adjustment ...

The guitars will shift when shipped... the materials are organic and you will find these types of issues...especially during transition from seasons...

Some dealers do a set up and some don't... again, once it's set up... and you ship it... you are bound to have neck adjustments, sometimes fret sprout (at first) etc... When my band tours, I almost ALWAYS have to adjust my trus rod. (i play Charvel's and Jackson's obviously)

Also, if the guitar isn't right... and can't be repaired, we'll replace it. Be sure and not try to do any modifications, repairs (other than normal adjustments) yourself or you can void your warranty. Also, you will need your Proof of Purchase.

Goto www.charvel.com and you can find a service center near you!

Keep me posted if there are problems...

Mike

[MakeAJazzNoiseHere]

Well, all I can find on Charvel's web site is "how to contact an authorized service center." I contacted the place I bought it (an authorized service center) and they said they didn't do exchanges, defect or not.

They said I could bring it by and they'd "have their guy look at it." I have a feeling they'll fix the frets and tell me to jump off a cliff on the neck routing issue. In which case, I'd rather have my usual "shit I don't want to try myself" guy do it for $60 and it would likely be 10x better than what their guy could do, without spending an hour and a half making a special trip to their store.

Here are pics, by the way....

The transition from neck route to heel on the treble side is pretty sloppy, and compare it to the black one below, doesn't it look really long? It's also extremely thin, looks like it could crack right off of there with a good bump!



The black one is not as bad, but not awesome. I can't complain about this, really. Well, I could, but it's not bad enough to bother me... My standards aren't THAT high.




Here's the one that I think really sucks... This is the bass side obviously. This was really hard to get a picture of. It looks like a large gap from 3 -5 feet away. Looking at it up close... It looks like the pictures.



I messed with the contrast on this one, it was way over-exposed.



This is pretty much "what you see"/life size I think:




What do you think, guys, am I counting screws here?

[skintaster]

I probably wouldn't be too happy with that gap either. Both of the So-Cals I bought were solid, and didn't exhibit those problems, so perhaps yours is just a fluke. That sucks, and you shouldn't have to deal with that. If it were me, I'd explore the options that Bionic mentioned.

[MakeAJazzNoiseHere]

If there is an issue with the guitar, get it too an Authorized Service Center. They will not only evaluate it for you, they can often fix it under warranty (if there is an issue). I only say that, because I obviously don't have it in front of me.

Thanks, Mike. Take a look at the pics and tell me... Am I being too picky?

Now on the neck pocket issue, there is a very real chance that it's simply not lined up! it's an extremely simple fix... and adjustment ...

I don't mean to come off rude at all, so I hope it doesn't sound like I am, and I understand you don't know me. I'm no master luthier, but I am a decent guitar tech and I do all of my own setups and adjustments, and wiring. I rarely do fret work and usually only on "beater" guitars, I have that done by a luthier.

I honestly wish this was just an adjustment issue. I loosened the neck screws and I'm unable to shift the neck much at all. If I even the gap up, the strings are angling off the side of the neck. As pictured, the strings are perfectly centered. This is really a cosmetic issue, a "fit and finish" thing and not a "strings going off the side of the neck" thing.

And that's exactly why I'm not clear if Charvel would cover this cosmetic defect under warranty... It IS still a defect, but doesn't affect function.

I do appreciate your reply, and if this looks like something you guys would potentially take care of, then I"ll bother to fight with the dealer.

If you think I'm being overly picky and don't think the Warranty guys will go for a replacement body (only way I can think of to fix this properly!) then I would appreciate your saving me the trouble.

Hope that makes sense.

[Flatpicker]

I'm not going to lie to you, but, to me those pics aren't showing much of an issue.
I've seen more expensive guitars with larger gaps and cheaper ones with smaller gaps.
As long as the bolts are good and tight, the neck should be pretty well secured.

It's your guitar, but, I don't see anything there that could be considered "bad".

[vondran]

I don't like the looks of the neck pocket at all - real sloppy. But I can't say it would be a defect. I would complain to Charvel and see if they replace it as something that slipped through their QC below their standards.

[MakeAJazzNoiseHere]

I'm not going to lie to you, but, to me those pics aren't showing much of an issue.
I've seen more expensive guitars with larger gaps and cheaper ones with smaller gaps.
As long as the bolts are good and tight, the neck should be pretty well secured.

It's your guitar, but, I don't see anything there that could be considered "bad".

I understand what you mean. It's not so much the gap as that "divot" towards where the heel of the neck goes. If it was a nice straight gap of that size, I wouldn't have a complaint at all.

I think I'll just have my usual guy dress the frets and slap some paint in there. It's not worth 1.5 hours of driving to take a gamble on a "free" fret dressing.