Testing the Definition of Insanity - NGD Redux - Squier 40th AV Vntge. Edt. JM

[DeathJag]

What a bummer Steve! Dang it! After such a long wait - wtf?!!

This is almost worthy of the "End Of The Republic" thread because in my opinion, it's related. Companies and employees just not giving a shit about customers.

[Sonichris]

What a bummer Steve! Dang it! After such a long wait - wtf?!!

This is almost worthy of the "End Of The Republic" thread because in my opinion, it's related. Companies and employees just not giving a shit about customers.

I hardly think a messed up Squier signals the end. It's just a messed up Squier. There are lots of messed up Squiers. There are lots of messed up guitars. Our job is to find the good ones.

[DeathJag]

What a bummer Steve! Dang it! After such a long wait - wtf?!!

This is almost worthy of the "End Of The Republic" thread because in my opinion, it's related. Companies and employees just not giving a shit about customers.

I hardly think a messed up Squier signals the end. It's just a messed up Squier. There are lots of messed up Squiers. There are lots of messed up guitars. Our job is to find the good ones.

You missed the point; it wasn't just about Squiers.

[Sonichris]

What a bummer Steve! Dang it! After such a long wait - wtf?!!

This is almost worthy of the "End Of The Republic" thread because in my opinion, it's related. Companies and employees just not giving a shit about customers.

I hardly think a messed up Squier signals the end. It's just a messed up Squier. There are lots of messed up Squiers. There are lots of messed up guitars. Our job is to find the good ones.

You missed the point; it wasn't just about Squiers.

I didn't miss anything.

[ManFromMars]

FWIW the two satin 40th anniversary JM's I've played were great (loved the necks). They still needed a proper setup but weren't as wonky as the photos here.

The glossy 40th Ann. JMs on the other hand...played three and they were all duds.

QC on Squiers (factory and retailer) varies wildly.

[Surfysonic]

What a bummer Steve! Dang it! After such a long wait - wtf?!!

This is almost worthy of the "End Of The Republic" thread because in my opinion, it's related. Companies and employees just not giving a shit about customers.

Thanks, Daniel!

[sugarandopium]

You can always just grab a set of new pickup covers too just to be safe…..

They look like regular white ones?

The 10$ might be well worth it for piece of mind

[Maggieo]

You can always just grab a set of new pickup covers too just to be safe…..

They look like regular white ones?

The 10$ might be well worth it for piece of mind

Those pickups have the covers epoxied on and really can't be removed. You have to do a swap of the entire pickup. I know this from my 'burst Squier JM.

[marqueemoon]

Saw one of these in store the other day. The neck pocket situation is a huge bummer. What on earth were they thinking?

[Zork]

Saw one of these in store the other day. The neck pocket situation is a huge bummer. What on earth were they thinking?

People in the internet complained for ages that a Jazzmaster is "unplayable without a shim" (yes, I'm looking at you, TGP!) - I guess they decided to do something about it and went slightly too far?

[LeamanCrews]

Any word from CME? Are they going to take it back? I wouldn't worry about the pickup screws, as that was another part wrong with your guitar. It's just another reason to return it.

I haven't seen one of these in person yet, but from the Sweetwater photos and YouTube videos I've seen, the neck pocket issue is not there on other examples. Pickup and bridge heights look very normal in those photos and videos. It looks like you simply got a dud and there's no reason they shouldn't exchange it, at a minimum.

[Surfysonic]

Any word from CME? Are they going to take it back? I wouldn't worry about the pickup screws, as that was another part wrong with your guitar. It's just another reason to return it.

I haven't seen one of these in person yet, but from the Sweetwater photos and YouTube videos I've seen, the neck pocket issue is not there on other examples. Pickup and bridge heights look very normal in those photos and videos. It looks like you simply got a dud and there's no reason they shouldn't exchange it, at a minimum.

Heard back from CME and they offered me the option of getting a replacement or a refund. CME CS guy said:

While we do have some more of these available for an exchange, I do want to be transparent that, since these Squiers are machined and assembly-line built, it is likely that the neck pocket and heel of the neck may be almost identical on any replacement that we send out.

Because of this, I've decided to go ahead and return it for a refund. They already sent me a UPS shipping label. I'll ship it out on Monday. I don't want to prolong this experience by risking another dud (or more). I've got a couple of spiffy guitars coming in the near future and the refund will help cover those costs.

Still, a bit of a bummer as I love the desert sand finish and I quite liked the neck. On the plus side, I'll just make a similar build of my own some day with a Musikraft neck with my preferred specs. So in the end, it all works out.

[sugarandopium]

Yeah man I’m with you. I’m building my own until I see things spec’d to exactly what I want as a fender.

After the neck I got on my “late 50s” JM I’m pretty much done with squires. It had a big gap in between the maple and the laurel on the heel end. How it made it out of the factory like that is beyond my comprehension.
It doesn’t effect playability at all, but still, I don’t see that as fine and dandy to ship and sell….

I bought it used via Craigslist and my own fault not inspecting it closer, but the fact they shipped it out like that is crazy.

[bessieboporbach]

Yeah man I’m with you. I’m building my own until I see things spec’d to exactly what I want as a fender.

After the neck I got on my “late 50s” JM I’m pretty much done with squires. It had a big gap in between the maple and the laurel on the heel end. How it made it out of the factory like that is beyond my comprehension.
It doesn’t effect playability at all, but still, I don’t see that as fine and dandy to ship and sell….

I bought it used via Craigslist and my own fault not inspecting it closer, but the fact they shipped it out like that is crazy.

I have suspected for a few years now that they're working really hard to nail the finishes on these Squiers because they are meant to look good in photos, not to be played.

The whole thing seems to be based on the assumption that consumers of "Classic Vibe" and other "vintage"-style instruments are not particularly discerning about build quality, and will pay whatever, which is probably true. It's stunning how awful the post-2019 Classic Vibe guitars are compared to the Contemporary Series ones, at the same or higher prices and from the same factory floors.

OP's email from CME is funny though. They seem to be under the impression that the necks and heels and such are carved out by CNC, which is absolutely not how those machines work. These things are still almost completely hand-shaped after the outlines are roughed out by CNC. My CV Jazzmaster seems to have had the fretboard shaped by someone suffering from severe tremors.

The Vinteras are expensive, but at least they seem to be made with a measure of pride and care and aren't just for display.

[Surfysonic]

Welp, all packed up and ready to be shipped out tomorrow. Thanks again for everyone's input - much appreciated!