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Date: Thu, 02 May 2024 15:22:23 +0100
From: hello@expressmusic.co.uk
To: John Hodgson <jhodgson@fender.com>
Subject: Customer complaint issue
Message-ID: <7f5f919e786b68b25726a61681600138@expressmusic.co.uk>
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Hi John,

We are currently trying to resolve an issue that one our customer has 
with his AVII Strat. His attention to detail is very sharp.

It is our understanding that he has been in touch with Fender for some 
months but he came to the shop yesterday to try and get it resolved with 
our help.

I will put a short summery of emails below for you to understand the 
customers and Fenders current position. We were wondering if anything 
could be done on the price of a new one so that we could offer him a 
replacement. We are the middle men but ultimately we want our customer 
to be happy.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Kind Regards,
Harriet, Phil & Tim
Express Music

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Our email to Fender Service GBI yesterday
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We have a customer who has a couple of issues with An American Vintage
II 57 Strat S/N V2206921 he purchased from us on 9/12/23.
The first problem is an inconsistency of depth along the headstock and
the other is where the headstock behind the top nut scoops down, it's
quite different from one side to the other.
He has already contacted customer service and here's the reply that he
received:

Alex Lucia (Fender Musical Instruments)
Apr 22, 2024, 14:09 GMT+1
Dear Ian,
Thank you for your message.
All products purchased new form an authorised dealer are covered by
warranty for manufacturing defects through your dealer. To initiate a
warranty claim, please contact the authorised dealer where you
purchased the product as an inspection of the fault will be required.
Your dealer will then work with their dedicated support team at Fender
who handles all warranty requests to provide appropriate resolution to
the case.
If you have any other questions, please don't hesitate to get in
touch.
Best regards,
Alexandra Lucia
| Fender Europe

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Email reply from Fender Service GBI
----------------------------------------
2 May 2024, 11:58 BST

Hello Tim,

Thanks for getting in touch.
We've run this one past our quality inspection team for their
assessment. They have advised in both instances, the issues raised would
be deemed acceptable. The angle above the top nut is hand-sanded on
these guitars and therefore most guitars won't have a
totally straight line here. A small discrepancy in depth at different
points on the headstock is not deemed to be a fault.
We have compared this against another model and the points raised are
similar, a replacement would likely be the same. We appreciate the
customer's concerns and feedback but given the issues reported, we do
not believe there is a manufacturing flaw here. I hope this helps to
reassure the customer. Please let me know if you have any other
questions.
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Email responce from the customer upon seeing Fenders responce:
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Good afternoon,

Thanks for the response, obviously I would disagree and believe that it 
does represent a fault in manufacturing, that shouldn’t be present on an 
instrument of this value and perceived quality.

The irregularity in the headstock thickness shouldn’t be present as I’m 
quite certain that the spec for the headstock doesn’t included it having 
a slight wedge shape.

Whilst I accept the out of line scoop behind the nut is more a cosmetic 
issue it’s one that really shouldn’t be present on a guitar of this 
value.

To be honest I am struggling with the fact that fender themselves expect 
a replacement to be the same … I mean where is the QC ?

Imagine you spend £2k on a new front door and it sticks out a bit at the 
bottom … yes it still closes and locks but it’s not right is it?  …. So 
in this case a Fender guitar as long as it plays and sounds good 
regardless of build quality and attention to detail it is fine … noted !

Guess there’s nothing else I can do then? ..but before I hit the social 
media & guitar magazines … do want to buy a guitar ? :)

Thank you for taking it up with them & the good service from you, and do 
share my response with fender.

Thank you

Ian
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