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So...I bought a brand new Ibanez AS2000 from an online ibanez dealer. I received it today. Local weather is in the mid 50s today which is good for receiving a guitar...
When I received it, there was a huge amount of relief in the neck (severe bowing). I went to tighten the truss rod and it was maxed out and couldn't be turned any further. I called the dealer and asked to return it. They offered to "fix" it but I questioned how they could fix a maxed out truss-rod. They said they'd have to send it back to the factory. I pointed out that the guitar was brand new and that I didn't want to send it to the factory and that my expectation was that it was in good playing shape.
They offered to send me another one was that was a little bit heavier but that they would check out the action and the truss rod beforehand.
I told them I didn't want to deal with it and just wanted a refund. They told me I'd have to pay shipping both ways in that case.
I was a bit miffed and TBH, the fact that they sent me a $2600 guitar without giving it a simple once-over does not inspire confidence that the 2nd one would be any better.
They insisted that it wasn't their fault and that they don't check out truss rods on new guitars. I countered by saying the action was so high that if they had done even a casual inspection of the instrument they would have seen it needed adjustment which would have led them to the truss rod issue.
Anyway, really bummed and also disappointed that a "prestige" ibanez instrument would leave the factory adjusted like this...
[update]
You may have read an earlier posting about a brand new Ibanez AS2000 I ordered from Ibanez and how the neck was bowed and the truss rod was maxed out and could not adjust the bow out of the neck. The dealer will accept returns but is charging me for shipping both ways because they think it's not their fault.
Well, I contacted Ibanez and heard back from them and they are standing behind the dealer and saying that the easiest solution is to accept an exchange or send it to Bensalem PA for repair.
Pretty unbelievable treatment, particularly for a former endorser. I will not recommend or support their products any longer.
I also tried to call their support - stayed on hold for 10 minutes listening to van halen and then got transferred to a non-working number.Last edited by jzucker; 12-13-2021 at 11:47 AM.
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12-10-2021 08:10 PM
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Wow, that sucks, and pretty surprising given Ibanez's reputation for QC.
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I've recently turned down several 'GB' models for truss rod issues. It's becoming more common.
Regarding the shop; selling guitars in that condition and then making you pay shipping both ways (which is them making you pay for their inability to turn a profit on you) is disgraceful.
In their defence (although there doesn't appear to be one) they might not interfere with new guitars based on Ibanez's instructions.
They certainly aren't prepared to take any form of loss for their actions. A new guitar should be sold 'fit for purpose'. It cannot be 'fit for purpose' if it is mechanically inoperable.
Better luck going forwards, although with Ibanez, it shouldn't be about luck.
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Interfering is not the issue. It was literally a 30 second inspection that revealed the extreme relief and neck bow. If their instructions are not to make any adjustments, they should have contacted me and not sent it. It's one thing to make a human mistake - that's forgivable - but then to turn around and make me pay shipping because they were in too much of a hurry to do a 30 second inspection is negligence on their part.
Originally Posted by ArchtopHeaven
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We're in total agreement. Originally Posted by jzucker
I meant they might not even have opened the box from JP. Unless they have sent it to you in another one or the original box was already opened, when you received it.
They seem to be acting as middle men and with all drop shippers, they never want to have any financial investment or liability. Or they have money in the stock and no SOR, so need to dump it on someone who buys unseen..
Contact Ibanez and lodge a complaint as an aside to dealing with these guys.
Who where they?
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I'll reveal their name once I get the refund. They opened the box because they sent me pictures of it and the other one they had and they weighed them beforehand. I selected this particular one of the two they had because of the lower weight. Originally Posted by ArchtopHeaven
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Rrrright. No excuses then. Originally Posted by jzucker
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This is the world we now live in. How things have changed… Originally Posted by jzucker
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I know it's a new guitar, but considering the cost of returning it, perhaps adding a washer or two behind the truss rod nut would be a possible solution. That's something only you can decide.
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The problem, of course, is it you can't even give it a fair shake to see if you like the guitar before you start doing something like that, which would probably void the warranty such as it is.
This is highly disappointing news from Ibanez, which is a company with a reputation for better QC than some other major guitar brands. And in Jack's case the customer is savvy enough to spot these things.
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I hope you're not going to say it was Rich, Jack. But on another note, DAMN! What is going on lately with you and Ibbys?? Two bad necked AF200's and now a brand spankin' AS2000?!? Maybe you should just look at something like an Archtop Tribute?
Maybe check with Rich about his EKM100, it's basically a red Scofield with a more Seventy Seven sized neck and DiMarzio PAF 36's.
IBANEZ RULES - NEW GUITAR IMAGE PAGE
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Not on a new guitar. Originally Posted by sgosnell
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Nope, not Rich. Originally Posted by jim777
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One of my guitar heros (who shall remain nameless) told me he played a bunch of gigs with the AT and that it was not on the level of the prestige ibbys or the higher end seventy sevens... Originally Posted by jim777
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Alas, your recent experience suggest Ibby's not on the level of Ibby (though, let's hope it's just an unlucky streak). I got my Seventy-Seven Hawk Jazz about a year ago, I'm done buying archtops for good. Originally Posted by jzucker
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Terrible luck but even worse customer service or a huge oversight! Originally Posted by jzucker
I went and tried out that one used $600 MIC Ibanez GB40thii it’s from 2017 and not sure if factory spec or not but it plays great someone set it up with the Benson Thomastik 14’s(plays at least as well or better than my Epiphone 175 Premium I set up myself) and is a really small comfortable size for my body. I may still get that other guitar I told you about and report back! (still waiting on the bank return but I’m patient lol)
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Sorry to hear about this miserable experience.
It's just surprising that a 98- year old single action truss rod design is still being used. I get it that Gibson have an emotional investment, and maybe perceived customer value, in an "historic" design, but it's harder to understand why a company/ brand like Ibanez would copy it. Like many others here, I have seen "historic' truss rods that wouldn't get the neck straight on at least 3 Gibsons - including an L5- and a couple of Heritages. But I was surprised to see that same design on a recent Ibanez AF purchase, which I no longer own. It worked, but only after a lot of careful, slow cranking and reverse neck pressure.
The modern flat double truss rod design requires no cranking, adjusts with little pressure, doesn't need a deep curved channel in the neck, and is much more stable in use. Many luthiers use the modern design, which says something. So does Warmoth. It's not " historic", but it works well.
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not sure I understand "Ibby's not on the level of Ibby" ... Originally Posted by John A.
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Originally Posted by sgosnell
I always wondered why that suggestion wasn't mentioned more , unless I missed it. I can see, as JZ replied, maybe not on a new guitar, but adding shims would appear to be an easy fix on max'ed out tr's on used guitars. Does this repair actually work and / or do luthiers use this method, or ???
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I meant that your experience with a couple of duds could suggest that Ibanez is not living up to its reputation for flawless QC. Originally Posted by jzucker
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That method works if the rod has run out of thread. If there is plenty of thread left and the nut won't screw down, that's another issue. Originally Posted by Dennis D
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putting a washer in indicates the truss rod is close to maxed out and may not have a lot of latitude should the neck bow in the future. I had already emailed my luthier and he told me not to bother on a new instrument. Originally Posted by Dennis D
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This thread is helping me to come to the conclusion that stopping the practice of buying and selling guitars (which many of here do) is one way to avoid stress in our life.
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....So did the luthier mean ' don't even bother - just send it back ? ' Originally Posted by jzucker
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Yes, he said if it was an older instrument, he'd try putting in a washer but on a new instrument, the situation should never occur that the truss rod is maxed out so far that it needs another washer. Originally Posted by Dennis D
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