Fender Authorized Service Center qualifications
David Axt
Thanks,
David
Marc Mulay
Dave Curtis
Marc Mulay typed:
Ask 'em how much they pay for warranty work. ;o|
-Dave
Marc Mulay
Dave Curtis splatted plastic pants:sk 'em how much they pay for warranty
work. ;o| -Dave
Ed Cregger
"Dave Curtis" <dwavetoneATyahoo.com> wrote in message
news:nv4j9054e0aupd75k...@4ax.com...
The answer should quench any thirst for acquiring warranty work. <G>
Ed Cregger
Robert M. Braught
?
Their rate, albeit not the highest in the MI equipment industry, beats
several others we do work for (FYI it went up last year.) *And* their
ability to process claims (without losing them or taking three months
to get credit for) causes me to defend them.
IMO if a shop's worth it's shit, Fender's worth doing work for.
As to the original question (paraphrased 'what's required to become
authorized?'):
An authorized Fender Dealer needs to recommend/request an independant
shop's authorization.
Techs need to 'register' (kinda like resume w/references) with Fender
to do warranty work; the shop's authorization level is dependent on
the highest tech's registration level (Gold, Silver or Bronze.)
-Robert
Fender Gold Level Electronics Tech
QTS
Fender Gold Level Electronics Shop
http://www.Braught.com
real email addy: Rob...@NoSpamBraught.com (remove NoSpam to reply:
Duh!)
RonSonic
>"Ed Cregger" <ecre...@homtail.com> wrote in message news:<c7ckg...@enews2.newsguy.com>...
>> "Dave Curtis" <dwavetoneATyahoo.com> wrote in message
>> news:nv4j9054e0aupd75k...@4ax.com...
>> >
>> >
>> > Marc Mulay typed:
>> >
>> > >Call Fender in corona, CA
>> > >
>> > >David Axt wrote:
>> > >
>> > >> What does it take to become an authorized Fender Service Center?
>> > >>
>> > >> Thanks,
>> > >> David
>> >
>> > Ask 'em how much they pay for warranty work. ;o|
>> > -Dave
>>
>>
>> The answer should quench any thirst for acquiring warranty work. <G>
>>
>> Ed Cregger
>
>?
>Their rate, albeit not the highest in the MI equipment industry, beats
>several others we do work for (FYI it went up last year.) *And* their
>ability to process claims (without losing them or taking three months
>to get credit for) causes me to defend them.
Ditto. Speaking for a shop that dropped them a few years ago and then signed
back on more recently, we are very happy to work with them. The rate is
competitive for warranty work; they handle claims and parts shipment in a timely
manner and have been generally a joy to work with.
>IMO if a shop's worth it's shit, Fender's worth doing work for.
The benefit of being a service center for any company is rarely the big bucks in
doing warranty work. It's in the promotion and referrals from the company and
access to parts at discount and information for out of warranty work. With
Fender, that IS a big deal. Besides I really like their strings.
Ron
Ed Cregger
"RonSonic" <rons...@tampabay.rr.com> wrote in message
news:p0nk90psmj2qspug2...@4ax.com...
Stop it! You're cheering me up...
Ed Cregger
Sam Byrams
warranty work. They discount the fact that if they're good and fast
they will get all they can handle and they can keep a shop busy and
covering their own costs, and the cash jobs are what supplies the
profit-if you are getting the good paying customers and not the
shitburgers. When I was in it we were doing a lot of acoustic work
because we had a phenomenal guitar guy-but he had to be kept away from
customers because he'd alienate them.
It helps to have a specialty and be the lead dog in it, at least in
the region. Today, I'd be doing something like Buzz Feiten or
re-trussrodding vintage Fender necks-profitable once you build the
fixturing to do it invisibly.
El Kabong
Amazing enough, I've been using Fender strings consistently since the 60s.
Tried all sorts of others at the time and Fender strings held their
twang the longest and didn't break as easily. Haven't tried some
of the new recent brands, but don't care. I'm happy staying with
Fender strings. Sure, this sounds like a kiss-ass endorsement,
but even though I get to buy Fender strings at cost, I rarely need
to replace strings since my Strat has a Graph Tech bridge so
they never break at the bridge anyway. Not only that, I have no problem
playing with dead strings. Robbie Krieger of the Doors sez
he prefers 'em dead. Can't say I prefer them that way, but I certainly
like 'em broken-in yet can tolerate them dead.
Regarding doing warranty work for Fender: for years I was silver
level and just last year they promoted me to gold along with a $10/hr
raise for all of their techs.
Doing warranty work for Fender not only gives one better credentials,
but they're making their amps more reliable these days, so any problems
you come across should be minor unless the amp was abused. Not only
that, one gets to buy their parts at cost and they have excellent tech
support,
superb schematics AND layouts.
And this is cool. Last year I did so many warranty jobs and accumulated so
much credit, I was able to use the creds to buy a '52 reissue Tele body,
a '52 reissue Tele neck and later on the bridge and machine heads after
already having in stock a set of Vintage Noiseless Tele pickups,
pickguard, control plate and 4-way Mod Switch. And it was fun to
assemble. Let my brother do the set-up since he's a wiz at that.
Now what a cool guitar! Plays great - sounds exceptional. Everyone
who sees it and plays it wants to buy it.
It's really worth applying. Fender is the best guitar and amp company
to be associated with.
Kabong!~!~!~!
Rich Koerner
Well, as a former triple gold rated service center, who started with Fender back in 1971, I think I
have a little knowledge of the Fender company.
What is WAS, and what it IS today.
I've been in touch with the original Fender salesman, who opened me up way back when, and we talked
about those old days when Fender was a REAL for the musician type of company. The Fender, who
really cared about the product, and was scraping to get it out there.
Yeah, we laughed on the phone over some of the funny stories from back then.
Yeah, there was some turning points that Fender went through, because of the powers that be at the
time.
Through the Leo days, to the CBS days, and back to the Fender days.
Even in the worst of times under CBS, NEVER was the Fender product owner NOT given extended
consideration when there was any doubt about the integrity of the product. MANY MANY MANY MANY
times warranty work was performed outside of the warranty period. Or, and replacement provided.
MANY times, I was able to get done for them, what a dealer would, or could not. Fender WAS a great
company for doing so. It said something about the people who ran the company. It said something
about their integrity behind the product. It said something about the people they had on board as
service centers.
In total, it made for great feelings on the part of everyone in the Fender SERVICE chain, all the
way down to the Fender owner with an out of warranty guitar or amp, where the product failed due to
no fault of the owner.
Fender ALWAYS picked up the tab, because it was just good for Fender, good for the Service Center,
and SHOWED Fender really CARED, after the sale was made.
Not so in recent years. New company policies, was the reason I was told, was the reasons why such
cases of quality and workmanship issues of warranty were declined to be honored by Fender.
One example was a Deluxe 112, where parts fell from the PCB due to poor construction methods. The
owner is outside the warranty period by a few weeks. Back then in the old days, it was no problem.
Today, no way.
A second example is actually on my site, though in the text I don't mention it a being a warranty
issue, is a long tale where again, the same rejection of warranty coverage was ruled. WHich flew in
the face of the fact, that the Fender web site said the warranty period was 3 years for the serial
number of the instrument. Fender claimed it was only one year. This message I refused to deliver
to the customer, but had to, and supply the phone number and extension number of the person who
would explain the reasons why. A real nice place to find yourself in, and Fender didn't care about
the position this put me in.
After a few more cases like this where bad feelings were created, I had the weigh up the benefits of
remaining a Fender Service Center. I don't like being placed in the middle of a situation like
this. I value my customers more than Fender apparently does. It now effected MY customer
relationships because I promoted getting Fender in the first place.
I've then found that other Fender benefits, to be no longer benefits too.
You can get Fender parts from a lot of places, cheaper too I may add, because Fender doesn't really
want to be in the parts or service business.
BTW, most all the MI companies really don't want to have an in house repair department at all. It's
an overhead they want the independent service centers to absorb, at cheap ass rates. Hey, they are
NOT going to sell you their part at bulk rates. I get parts from Mouser cheaper than I get them
from Mesa Boogie directly.
Who's side are these MI companies on!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
If you need Fender parts, you can get them easy enough.
For the vintage amp and instrument parts, Fender is no longer a benefit anyway.
LOL, try to order a truss rod, or an inlay for an old Strat.
They have them, but won't sell you any.
Why,... because they were declared non consumable items, and are not available for sale.
So, now you are hung out to dry on a truss rod replacement job for one of your customers.
I can't tell you how many times this has happened in resent years. They have what you need, and
they can't sell it to you. Or, you need the part, and they don't support that product any more.
Or, get this!!!!!!
Tell you the original vender they used for the part you NEED, to get a job out your door.
I can't tell you how many times I was told, that is proprietary information, and I can't help you.
You'll get tired of hearing that one over the years!!!!!!
Or, you can get the, "we are in business of making NEW things, not making parts for the old things"
line handed to you too.
<thinking>
If you have a love affair with Fender past, as I do, you are not going to like the NEW Fender.
If you just are looking for the means to make money and get parts, there are other options.
If you don't care about any of this, go for it.
As for qualifications, I'm freaking over qualified with my years of experience and Fender
knowledge. But when it comes to the bottom line with the NEW Fender, it won't mean shit to them in
the least.
You'll find in time that the rating system is just a sales PR thing, and the qualifications are a
joke.
When you call tech support, and you find out you know more than they do, what does that tell you.
It's when they finally patch you through to the ENGINEER in R&D and he has to get back to you on it,
that you begin to wonder what's up with that. Is there anyone left in the company that is on top of
the Fender products BOTH old and new.
This is not the Fender of the old days when they ALL knew their shit!!!!!!!!
It's a totally different company now. Not even close to the Fender I once knew.
Today, they are no different than any other corporate giant.
It's that uncaring depersonalized high power corporate mentality with high tech system of voice
mail, e-mail,
internet glitzed public image, etc.... that is the Fender of today.
I remember the days when I called in, and the person on the other end knew me, and cared how I was
doing.
Then, when it came to the reason for the call, which was for a dozen each of guitar and bass neck
truss rods, the answer was NO PROBLEM. They then hand wrote an order slip, pulled the stock, packed
it, and shipped it the same day.
Why,..... because Service Centers had a separate system they were in, and had priority over
DEALERS when it came to parts and materials orders.
My advice, get opened as a Fender retail dealer, with your own service center in house.
Then, you can do both. You'll make money.
Years ago, Fender protected their Service Centers from dealer advantages. They wanted to see you,
the service center, make money, and succeed.
Now, they don't care. They give the dealer every advantage that you have. You will NEVER see
Fender profile the Service Center for the public to find your door. They seem to think that there
is an endless supply of people who will want to be Fender Service Centers in the on going future.
So, what really is the benefit to being a Fender, or any other MI companies Service Center today.
Hey, I've let go of Fender. Do you really think I miss them.
Now, I just thread the ends of some steel rod, and I have all the truss rods I need!!!!!!
Do you think the owner really cares where the rod came from.
<thinking>
If I were you, get your parts from an outside source, do the out of warranty work, and feed your
face.
Let the young bloods who don't know better, fix the modern polished turds of today, for cheap labor
rates.
<thinking>
I have a problem with having to repair cheap disposable JUNK, for cheap prices, and put my shop
warranty on that same piece of JUNK.
NO WAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Get that CRAP out of here!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
THAT, is the future for the independent service center today.
I want no part of it.
The MI companies can, for all I care, all choke on the turds they make!!!!!
<thinking>
For all those years I promoted the products the MI companies in the past, I now find I can no longer
do the same, and maintain MY integrity!!!!
To do that, I no longer promote ANY of the turds they produce today.
Sorry, it's just how these eyes see it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Regards,
Rich Koerner,
Time Electronics.
http://www.timeelect.com
Specialists in Live Sound FOH Engineering,
Music & Studio Production,
Vintage Instruments, and Tube Amplifiers
Kearney
El Kabong wrote:
>
> It's really worth applying. Fender is the best guitar and amp company
> to be associated with.
>
> Kabong!~!~!~!
LOL! Is that why they want to have nothing to do with you?
Robert M. Braught
Rich Koerner <ri...@timeelect.com> wrote in message news:<409B0ED3...@timeelect.com>...
<snip>
> As for qualifications, I'm freaking over qualified with my years of experience
<snip>
> When you call tech support, and you find out you know more than they do, what does that tell you.
LOL We're getting OLD, Rich, that's what it tells me... I used to puff
up under that circumstance, and think, "Gee, what a smart guy I am!!!"
but the reality is "Gee, what an old fart I am, and the drugs
evidently DIDN'T wipe my brain completely!!!"
It's not that unusual in my experience to call *any* manufacturers'
tech support line and find out that 'I know more than they do' about
some particular failure/fault mode... (OK, OK, I can still get my ego
puffed up.) ;-)
>
> It's when they finally patch you through to the ENGINEER in R&D and he has to get back to you on it,
> that you begin to wonder what's up with that. Is there anyone left in the company that is on top of
> the Fender products BOTH old and new.
I've seen quite a few MI engineering professionals retire over the
last twenty years... it's the KIDS today, Rich, darn it, they don't
even know what a drugstore tube tester LOOKS like... darn kids, making
me learn computers and stuff, why couldn't they leave well enough
alone.
Yea, I seriously doubt there's anyone at Digidesign today that knows
how to align an 8 track record/play head...
;-)
<snip>
> Regards,
>
> Rich Koerner,
> Time Electronics.
> http://www.timeelect.com
>
> Specialists in Live Sound FOH Engineering,
> Music & Studio Production,
> Vintage Instruments, and Tube Amplifiers
Cheers,
-Robert
QTS
Rich Koerner
"Robert M. Braught" wrote:
>
> Hi Rich!
>
> Rich Koerner <ri...@timeelect.com> wrote in message news:<409B0ED3...@timeelect.com>...
>
> <snip>
> > As for qualifications, I'm freaking over qualified with my years of experience
> <snip>
> > When you call tech support, and you find out you know more than they do, what does that tell you.
>
> LOL We're getting OLD, Rich, that's what it tells me... I used to puff
> up under that circumstance, and think, "Gee, what a smart guy I am!!!"
> but the reality is "Gee, what an old fart I am, and the drugs
> evidently DIDN'T wipe my brain completely!!!"
>
> It's not that unusual in my experience to call *any* manufacturers'
> tech support line and find out that 'I know more than they do' about
> some particular failure/fault mode... (OK, OK, I can still get my ego
> puffed up.) ;-)
>
> >
> > It's when they finally patch you through to the ENGINEER in R&D and he has to get back to you on it,
> > that you begin to wonder what's up with that. Is there anyone left in the company that is on top of
> > the Fender products BOTH old and new.
>
> I've seen quite a few MI engineering professionals retire over the
> last twenty years... it's the KIDS today, Rich, darn it, they don't
> even know what a drugstore tube tester LOOKS like... darn kids, making
> me learn computers and stuff, why couldn't they leave well enough
> alone.
COMPUTERS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Throw them freaking things in the garbage!!!!!!!!!!!!
Waste of time.
Waste of money.
For what!!!!!!
Bushing buttons, and have the right answers pop up on the screen.
Is this some sort of monkey test!!!!!
TRON!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
> Yea, I seriously doubt there's anyone at Digidesign today that knows
> how to align an 8 track record/play head...
> ;-)
Belly up behind one of these 8088's, and FEEL It!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
http://www.classicelectronics.com/Photo8088.html
I can't tell you the amount of hours I've clocked on one of those.
Nothing like the feel of a Studer controller in the morning!!!!
Jam those fingers on them buttons!!!!!!!!!!!
http://www.economik.com/Stockshot/studer_a820/studer_a820.htm
Listen to that tape FLY on rewind.
After it hit LOC, PUNCH that mistake RIGHT out of there!!!
Love the sound of hot oxide in the morning!!!!!!
A MOUSE, just doesn't do it for me!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
http://www.iprschool.com/pages/programs_protools.html
Pro Tools!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
FU_K DAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
DAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
What's DAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
<thinking>
Some KATS, NO where it AT.
<thinking>
Even a rack full of Sony PCM-800's or Tascam DA-88's is better that a MOUSE!!!!!
http://www.gearpreview.com/music/reco/da88.html
http://www.sweetwater.com/publications/sweetnotes/sn-summer95/Sum95_03.html
<thinking>
This place flashed me back to 1957 when I was in Regent Studios in New York.
I don't know what became of that studio, but when I saw this, I was back doing a session with the
Angels.
http://www.concertmedia.com/studios.htm
Damn, I miss doing the old school studio work.
John S. Shinal
>last twenty years... it's the KIDS today, Rich, darn it, they don't
>even know what a drugstore tube tester LOOKS like...
They think they know everything - why back when I was
seventeen, we really *DID* know everything !
>darn kids, making me learn computers and stuff, why couldn't
>they leave well enough alone.
The slide rule has gone the way of the buggy whip.
A shame, too - I've never had the batteries run out on one.
This week on This Old Tube Amp Shop, Rich builds a Pentium
using 3,000,000 McIntosh monoblock amps...
jjb...@gmail.com
Lord Valve
when the post was written? You might have a look
at the headers before you hit the POST key...
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NoName
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