What corners were cut on the production models

[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.

[MakeAJazzNoiseHere]

Ask about their exchange/credit policy.

No exchange, no credits, no shit.

[vondran]

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

Ask about their exchange/credit policy.

[Grandturk]

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

[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.

[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.

[Grandturk]

Do you have pics of the neck pocket issue?

[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.

[rjohnstone]

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

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

[Grandturk]

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

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

[rjohnstone]

And then you have the Ping, which still is allowed to have the Floyd name without being "licensed by." And you have the Korean made, with the Floyd name without being "licensed by." Then you have all of the "licensed by Floyd" models made by God knows who in God knows where.

FYI... the Ping made Floyds DO say "Licensed... " on them. Look by the fine tuners.


The Korean ones are made by Floyd Rose, so the "Licensed Under..." tag is not required.
Same thing applies to the Floyd Rose Special... it is not a licensed product. It is still manufactured by Floyd Rose.

[MakeAJazzNoiseHere]

OK, now I'm kind of pissed. Buyer be warned, these guitars are TOTALLY hit or miss.

As it turns out, my black SD1 is a decent guitar. Action is .06 and it plays great, no dead notes, the finish is a little "scratchy" but nothing I couldn't take care of with a little rubbing compound if I cared to, and the lower neck pocket isn't super smooth and rounded off, but this again is nothing I couldn't fix with a couple of swipes with some 600-grit. I'm not "screw counting" on this one, I'm perfectly fine with it for $1000 and I like it a lot.

FYI, the serial number is very low (1100-ish).

My white SD1 (serial number 4700-ish) is a piece of shit, which is unfortunate because I really like the white/cream/chrome look.

1. Aforementioned neck pocket gap with "oops" in the top corner of the heel area of the neck pocket
2. Lower neck pocket curve into the heel looks like a 4th grader finish sanded it
3. Action at .06 has dead notes on the first 3 strings from the 14th through 19th frets.
4. So I raise it up to about .09 (a quarter slides under the 1st string at the 12th fret with no contact) and the dead notes are gone, then I bend the 2nd string a step and a half and "sqeeeeek" the note dies. That's bullshit!

I'm considering my options here, which are limited due to the store's "no refunds" policy. I don't really want to pay for a level/dress on a brand new guitar and esp. when the neck pocket route looks like shit anyway.

[85 San Dimas]

One comment I will make about these.... The neck pocket route and finish sanding is pretty crappy on both of mine.

My white one has a pretty good size gap on the bass side, and the treble side wood is thin as paper, and the radius isn't nice and smooth where it curves into the body. The bass side gap is actually not even, the corner towards the heel is even slightly bigger, like someone got a little over-zealous with a Dremel or something.

The black one has the same issue on the treble side ("choppy" radius) but not much gap on the bass side.

However I loosened the neck on the white one and it's in there good and solid; I couldn't get it to move much at all, so it seems to be "cosmetic."

I guess you just ended up with a visible "cut corner". As long as it plays out right then you're okay but yes it does blow when the quality control guys go on coffee break for like....all day. Sorry to hear about it, but glad its solid. That's a good example of "can't see it from MY house" quality control.

[MakeAJazzNoiseHere]

One comment I will make about these.... The neck pocket route and finish sanding is pretty crappy on both of mine.

My white one has a pretty good size gap on the bass side, and the treble side wood is thin as paper, and the radius isn't nice and smooth where it curves into the body. The bass side gap is actually not even, the corner towards the heel is even slightly bigger, like someone got a little over-zealous with a Dremel or something.

The black one has the same issue on the treble side ("choppy" radius) but not much gap on the bass side.

However I loosened the neck on the white one and it's in there good and solid; I couldn't get it to move much at all, so it seems to be "cosmetic."

[85 San Dimas]

so I ordered a Pocket POD instead (goddamn money was just burning a hole in my paypal pocket).

:ROTF::ROTF::ROTF::ROTF::ROTF: I'm like that too.

Note on the other thread (LP's) . Walk into a Pawn Shop...Korean Epi LP Std. from the late 90's/ Insane burst......110 bucks. Now, I don't want no Epi..but I had a hundred bucks in my pocket.....so I bought it for 90 (it had a broken tuner easily fixed). Fire it up through the JCM800 and did the comparo with my R8 and my '87 LP Custom Lite...uh, the Epi ain't as good.

So for the Epi guys I'd save the 899 or whatever they are now. The one got is Korean, I can't imagine the Chinee ones. I mean, its okay but I think the set neck Electras and Ibanez Lp's of the late 70's were better-especially the electronics and workmanship. And they can be had for 300-700. Hell, you can buy a 1981 or 82 hamer for the price of an Epi.

My advice...avoid Guitar Center and you'll avoid a lot of overpriced (as well as bad) guitars. I'd have to vote for buying the Gibson at twor three times the price or buy good used rather than cut rate new.