Fender warranty changes

[DougM]

I see that Fender now offers only two year warranties on all their guitars and amps, while Martin, Taylor, Gibson, and Epiphone all still offer lifetime warranties on most of their products (Martin and Taylor Mexican made instruments being the exception). I see this move as evidence of slipping customer service on FMIC's part.

 

[Old Tele man]

Nothing lasts "...forever...", not even fidelity nor allegiance.

 

[Ira7]

Nothing lasts "...forever...", not even fidelity nor allegiance.

I should direct you to the Bad Dog forum here where we're discussing Game of Thrones.

 

[Old Tele man]

I should direct you to the Bad Dog forum here where we're discussing Game of Thrones.

If it's not on PBS NOVA, I don't watch it.

 

[Ira7]

Also, explain to me how a lifetime warranty means anything with all of us idiots out there, subjecting guitars to idiotic conditions and banging and drops...

And you think a warranty should cover this?

When I see lifetime warranty applied to guitars at certain price points, it's nonsense to me.

 

[Ira7]

If it's not on PBS NOVA, I don't watch it.

Try to expand your horizons.

 

[Old Tele man]

Try to expand your horizons.

Already done the "...from sea (Atlantic) to shining sea (Pacific)..." horizon expansion courtesy of USN.

 

[DougM]

Lifetime warranties only apply to defects in manufacturing, not normal wear and tear or customer abuse.

 

[Ira7]

Lifetime warranties only apply to defects in manufacturing, not normal wear and tear or customer abuse.

And if you make a claim, you can substantiate that it's a defect in manufacturing, and not owner abuse?

It's a freaking guitar. Not the Space Shuttle.

When I see lifetime warranty, I run for the hills. A stupid marketing ploy.

 

[DougM]

I've known people who've had finish bubbles on their Taylor guitars, Gibson's with binding peeling off, and 40 year old Martins needing a neck reset, and all were covered by warranty, so you're wrong.

 

[Lake Placid Blue]

Already done the "...from sea (Atlantic) to shining sea (Pacific)..." horizon expansion courtesy of USN.

Thank you for your service. My dad was a retired Master Chief Machinist's Mate. He said it was the best 26 years of his life.

 

[Old Tele man]

Thank you for your service. My dad was a retired Master Chief Machinist's Mate. He said it was the best 26 years of his life.

My Dad was retired Chief Electronics Technician, USN. Throughout WWII, he was a Gunners Mate aboard destroyers in Atlantic; when war ended, he went to ET-school and switched rate to electronics.

 

[Lake Placid Blue]

My Dad was retired Chief Electronics Technician, USN. Throughout WWII, he was a Gunners Mate aboard destroyers in Atlantic; when war ended, he went to ET-school and switched rate to electronics.

My dad was a Tin Can Sailor too.

 

[Flash1909]

A Fender warranty is BS.

 

[Steve Ouimette]

I'm not sure if it's been good luck or not but I've never once used a warranty on a guitar in 37 years of playing. 2 years seems pretty fair to me considering what might go wrong with a guitar by then from regular use. No?

 

[bakersfield2014]

I had a new strat that had a crappy neck. Needed to have the fret board leveled and frets leveled. Big job. Fenders warranty covered it though so I didn't need to pay anything.

 

[markeyd123]

I have found the Fender warranty to be outstanding. I have a PRRI which had some cabinet vibrations. I brought it to a Fender authorized amp tech who reinforced the baffle to get rig of the rattle - all under warranty. After another couple years the input jacks wore out - maybe it was my fault for stepping on a chord, i don't know, but he replaced both courtesy of Fender . . . no questions asked and did not cost me a dime. I still have 2 years to go on the 5 year warranty. I am confident that any problem with the amp will be fixed or amp replaced as long as it was not caused by be spilling water in the chassis, or something obviously caused by neglect or abuse. The speaker is only covered for a year, but I put a Weber in anyway, so . . . there's that. Also, the 5 year warranty is transferable. Not sure about the new terms though.

 

[Bob M]

40 year old Martins needing a neck reset, and all were covered by warranty...

I bought my D 18 new in '76 and had a neck reset and pickguard crack repaired for free at a Martin authorized repair center in 2006. One of the reasons I recommend Martins.

 

[Paul in Colorado]

I've had warranty work done on one guitar in my life, a Martin D-18 that really needed a neck reset, but at the time they wouldn't do that so they planed the fingerboard and refretted it. It was a great sounding guitar, but a dog to play. I ended up selling it after I got my first Taylor. It put me off Martins for good.

If there are no problems with a guitar in three years, it's probably going to hold together, especially a solid body electric. How long are most warranties on consumer goods?

 

[rz350]

The bridge pickup on my '79 Stratocaster has lowered output - If I take it back to 500 South Raymond in Fullerton, ya think they can fix it?