First Post . Looking for Advice before sending back a 620

[Bendem]

Hello everybody.
First Post here and I am in dire need of an advice.
I just bought a brand new 2007 620 jetglo (made Week 25 of 2007) through an ebay boutique in Ireland.
On arrival the neck PU was dead. The seller made arrangement to pick up the guitar and send it to Rosetti in England.
When it came back Rosetti had put on non-adjustable polepiece pickups on it (Bridge and Neck).
I voiced my displeasure and the seller made another arrangement to exchange it with a 2007 620 he had in stock.
When the second one arrived (Made in week 5 of 2007) I notice that the 1st E-string ,on some frets, was upon where the fret break.
Basically when you make a chord the string slip out of the neck.
Strangely the first one except the neck PU was flawless, setup was great, etc.
The second had fret buzz, bridge rattling,the bridge was at the maximum height,
the allen keys were missing, the neck chunkier...
I wanted to know if you guys have noticed that kind of 1st string and frets problems on brand new Rickenbacker.
What action have you take to correct it?
Should I send it back?
The seller proposed me a refund.
What should I do?

Thanks a lot

Ben

[wj350]

Hi Ben, welcome! There are some very gifted craftsmen here who may chime in with what they think might be needed to get your Ric in proper order. Not being very technically gifted myself, I'd just guess that the problem your describing points to the need for a very good set up, perhaps including work on the nut and bridge saddles. But I'm just guessing.

Bottom line, you are the only one who knows what will make you happy--if the guitar you have is not what you want or expected, I would return it. If a guitar tech can take a look at it and assure you it can be tweaked without compromise, it might be worth keeping.

Bill

[jingle_jangle]

Welcome, Ben.

I have heard stories very occasionally of Ricks "not being right". though they were brand new and from dealer's stock. Since you did not order either Rickenbacker instrument, their histories prior to arriving in your possession is a matter to question. It sounds to me like you may have, in both cases, gotten stuck with somebody else's returns, buit after they had been meddled with by person or persons unknown. And you wanted new!

Was the "boutique" from which you purchased the 620, a Rick-authorized dealer? 25th week of 2007 means that the first 620 was a few months old when you took possession. Again, I'll point out that we don't know for sure if the guitar had been lying around, in another's hands, or even possibly taken apart before you got it. Obviously, all Ricks are tested for all functions before leaving the factory, at the same time they are strung up, tuned, intoned, etc.

The second one was even older, with a longer unknown history. The same observations apply.

If this one is under warranty, I'd make sure it goes to Rosetti with a note as to what needs work. If it came without a warranty (as from an unauthorized third party "dealer"), I'd get a refund and look for one from an authorized dealer.

New Ricks are known for their quality, although setups can be a personal thing. This is not "the usual" way that things are.

[wj350]

And Mr. Jangle would be one of those gifted craftsmen I mentioned in my post!

Good luck Ben, hope it works out for you--

Bill

[Bendem]

Thank you Bill and Paul for your advices.

I was too busy to came back to you as soon as i was hopping.

Well I asked the seller for a refund and he made an arangement to pick it up.

In fact the first one (with the dead PU) really went back to Rosetti, as i have the receipt from them with the name of the tech who made the change.
Maybe they have a shortgage of new higains so they decide to fix the guitar with what they had left in stock.
I was not pleased with this fact but I would have reconsidered my position if they had tell the seller what was going on and at least give me the choice.
Wait a month (or maybe one year !) for the 07 PUs or the old stock right away...
Maybe they thought I didn't know anything about Rickenbacker.
I don't have any doubt in my mind that the PU was working before leaving the RIC factory, but anything can happen after, during the travel across the pond.
Maybe the PU was just "borderline" and didn't stand the trip.

In retrospect I should have keep this one even with the old PU...
But I didn't envision for a minute that a "brand new" 620 could be that bad.

This second one with the bad setup and the frets problem really bummed me.
According to a sticker on the card box, the guitar left Rosetti just a month before I received it.
So I tend to think that the seller really didn't mess with it.
I really think he's only "guilty" of not testing and taking a good look at what he is selling.
He should have send it back right away to Rosetti.

You are right, Paul, to think that the guitar was indeed refused by someone else,
and I think that she went back to Rosetti,and they send it to another seller without fixing it.
I find it unacceptable but I might be wrong! Who knows it's just seculation.

What i noticed on this one is that there was no the little bit of binding at the edge of frets, like the one i have on my 4001 and ,as i recall, as it was on the first 620.
It seems to me that the frets was "sanded" too much at their edges, plus the bridge look a little bit of axis, the E string is not right upon the center of the pole pieces.

But, again, I might be wrong...

For the records, I have been playing a 76 Fireglo 4001, since 1986, have been enjoying a 100 beige speckle lap steel from 1955 since this fall...
And to sooth my frustation just bought a Jetglo 660. She should arrive in a week. Fingers crossed.

Oops, and I live in France

Regards and Happy Holidays.

Ben

[johneek]

Ben, Any resolution?