New Member from Australia

[reb]

i'm glad it was something simple. hopefully, that is the only thing that is out of whack, and it plays like a dream.

that's even more trouble than i have to go to to get a new guitar. aint there anyone in Oz that makes guitars and amps that're worthy, MLJ?

i can say this, also...there are a lot of 'parts places', and soldering aint a big deal, nor is finishing with tung oil, or even some spray paint. if i couldn't find what i wanted 'on the shelves', i personally wouldn't hesitate a minute to start building a tele or strat from scratch. might get a better unit for less cost....ever been to 'Stewmac.com', as an example? warmoth and a lot of others have bodies and necks.

http://www.stewmac.com/

[diaper head]

as soon as you said what it was doing i knew it was grounded wrong.  i think you became the ground when you touched the switch.   but look at it this way. you still got a sweet guitar. while the tech has it, let him go through it and do a complete set up.  it's worth it.   you already know the store didn't do it, and they should have.  i would cal them up, and calmly tell them what happened.  then tell them that your having a guy fix it,  as well as do a set up. ask him to compensate you with a store credit.  you can offer to fax him the receipt when you get the guitar back.   anyhow, even if he only meets you half way on the store credit thing,  you can get some cool stuff for that, and at the end of the day, you still got a sweet guitar.  good luck, and make sure to write down names and times. that way if there is any problem in the future, you have clear records. hey you never know. a store credit might get you a 10 pack of strings, or a nice strap or even a nice high end cord.

[Memory Lane Jr]

Thanks guys I hope i didn't come on a bit strong with my post but this is the second guitar I have paid good money for & had problems,
the last one came with a twisted neck & it cost me to fix , I am just a bit cheesed off with guitar shops at the moment.
I did send the shop an email telling him about the switch problem & it was a polite email but he has not replied, when I get the bill from the tech I am going to send it to the guy but I won't hold my breath waiting for a cheque from him. What really gets me is I told him to check the guitar out before he sent & he assured me it would be, it's not like its a small shop he sends plenty of guitars internationally.
The tech told me it was lucky the head of the guitar didn't get broken off too as it was touching the bottom of the guitar case & they are weak at that point where the truss rod inspection point is, so that is one good thing. Yeh there are heaps of real good custom guitar makers in Oz but they start around the $2500 mark, the tech that is fixing mine builds them, but that is out of my price range, as for building myself I am hopeless at making things out of timber, I can fix anything mechanical but give me a piece of timber & I will make a real mess of it. I will post some pics when I get it back, oh yeh I did not like the pickguard & the tech said the same so he took it off & guess what? Yes there is a nut underneath the guard & something heavy must of been thrown on the case in transit & it left a nice indent on that lovely maple top. Cheers.

[diaper head]

that's a shipping thing then. you could pursue that as well, but i that's one i wouldn't expect results from. but as for the other thing, i would call. on the telephone.  take the name of the guy you talk to. if you get no results, ask to speak to their supervisor.  always names, date and time.  it also establishes a chronology of events.  if you get no where, contact hagstrom and let them know you are having problems with a dealer. i would think the last thing hagstrom wants is a dealer who will ruin the branding they have worked so hard for.  something to think about.

[Memory Lane Jr]

Hey Thanks diaper head if this guy is not going to pay for the work I have to get done to make a brand new guitar usable I will go to Hagstrom direct, you are right they will not like a dealer pulling that sort of thing on a customer.

[reb]

MLJ,

i have observed (being nearly 60) that, over time, service has gone to...uh...whatever the word for excrement is in Oz. we were supposed to become 'a service economy', and we have become a 'non-service' economy instead. for that reason, companies who do me right nowadays have my loyalty, and others never hear from me again.

i just put up a link for Carvin guitars website (their kits specfically) for diaper head. it's:

http://www.carvinguitars.com/kits/

i'm not totally fumble fingered when it comes to doing mechanical things, so i'm not going to say building one of their kits was really 'super' easy...but it was pretty darn easy. i think a guy or gal who paid a little bit of attention to Carvin's directions could have a sweet looking and playing instrument for a little time and not much money.  i tung oiled mine, and the pups were prewired except for hooking to the output jack. the tung oil is a really easy finish, and looks good with the body wood i got.

i hope you get your Hagstom sorted out. to complicate matters, it's a semi-hollow if i remember right. those pots in there are not real easy to get at on most semi-hollows.....some companies will play off of 'this guy is in a foreign country, so he aint gonna come back on us...ship him the bad one, Sammie!'. i would note down their name in my memory for future reference. if you call 'em, and they won't give you at least a store credit (to me, being honest would be...they would pay for your repair, AND for a setup), then i might note their name for others to put in their memory 'to not do business with in the future'. for that matter, if they don't do you right, if you would be kind enough to pm me with their shop name, i will sure as heck remember to never do business with them.

we got to stick together when someone gets treated shabby. i don't like that, and i won't put up with it. we have an area shop here that i don't think much of....but you will never deal with them, i imagine...so i won't out 'em.

[Memory Lane Jr]

Thank reb, If the shop does not give me a credit or send me a cheque for the repairs to a faulty guitar I will pm you with details of the shop no worries mate. I still haven't got the guitar back from the tech yet, he is generally booked a couple of weeks out but he promised to get it done fast, I will then email the Invoice to guitar shop. The Hagstrom Super Swede has a solid mahogany body with a 10mm flame maple top & mahogany set neck.

[reb]

i think i was thinking of 'the Viking'.  i hope this gets worked out well.