Fender Warranty Repair.. I hope this doesn’t become a problem

[Chont]

So months ago my Superchamp X2 started showing signs of a tube socket issue after only 6 months of use. I contacted support and they sent a list of authorized repair shops to take it to. Then I got Covid and wasn’t able to make the journey. Nearest one is an hour away so with the holidays I didn’t get a chance to bring it in til a month ago

I call the shop yesterday and he tells me they expect it back any day (apparently their tech doesn’t do the repairs in the store) That’s odd. I got nothing from fender even though they told me to they would contact me as soon as they heard from the technician. So I reach out to Fender again to see if they got any word. The reply back I got was “sorry but this shop is not an authorized service center”. Uhhh what ? I got it off the list YOU sent me.

So now I have to start calling the shop and Fender in the morning. Hopefully it’s an easy sort.

But ugh. I really don’t need this.

Might have to speak to the manager.

 

[Jimbo99]

I think you're safe, if one of them was from a list of authorized service centers is where you took it, where they farm it out is their issue. All you care about is getting it back and repaired properly under warranty.

The local Music store here, they sent repairs (warranty or otherwise) off site. The music store was a casualty of the Covid thing. Not so much because they sucked at what they did, they were a Mesa Boogie authorized dealer. I think Mesa Boogie streamlined their distribution channel as an opportunity and the 2020 Covid pandemic was the perfect excuse. That and Gibson bought out Mesa Boogie, so there had to be some business issues going on long before the pandemic. Otherwise I'm driving 30+ minutes to the big city South of me, an hour North. Anyway, the guy they use locally fixes them out of his garage & even closer to me than the defunct music store was located. I'd prefer to go deal with him direct since anything I have is out of warranty at this point.

Years ago I bought a Fiat 500 in Miami. That dealership was Fiat & Alfa Romeo & had their own shop for maintenance things covered under warranty. Pretty much light things like tuneups & oil changes, brake jobs & tires.If anyone needed body work for collision repair, they farmed that out to the Maserati & Ferrari collision center. That was one of the advantages of living in North Miami with a Fiat. Where I am now, the Fiat Chrysler dealership apparently doesn't speak Italian.

 

[Chont]

Called fender. The shop is not in their internal list but on the email list I was sent and their website. Hopefully they do right on it but waiting for a return call.

 

[Chont]

What a ****ing debacle

Fender just called me. Apparently the service location they sent on a list lapsed on their paperwork and was removed from the list at some point between the time they sent the list in late January and when I took the amp in February. Even though it’s still on their website.

She told me I did everything right and the shop should have known what to do about it and it would have been flagged immediately by the warranty when they called in a warranty repair. I’m actually hoping they haven’t started the work but waiting for word on that. I’m sure the damn thing is done.

Fender is going to take it up with the shop and if they haven’t started the repair, cover the shipment to the nearest authorized repair center.

Trying to keep my cool because the warranty rep was nice and is trying to help but I better not get hit with a bill.

 

[Chont]

****!!!! And I left a brand new set of JJs with the amp. I’m such a dope.

 

[Chont]

Ugh... still dealing with this.

The very next day I was considering taking Fender's offer up on having them ship it to another service center when low and behold another feller from the shop calls me and lets me know what happened with Authorized service center status and assures me they are getting the paper work in and as soon as it goes through they'd take care of the repair. I was relieved something would be done and also that he assured me my new tubes would either be installed or given back in the packaging if the stock ones were fine. This was April 5th.

I wasn't desperate so patiently waited. May was a very busy month for us so finally in the beginning of June I decide to call the shop to check on it. I get the guy I dropped the amp off with and he tells me the guy I spoked to stepped out so he'd have him call me back. No call back so tried again last Thursday. Same guy tells me he's on the other line so hold on. He gets back on a couple minutes later and tells me that they are still waiting on their application to go through but it should be any day now so call back next week and that the other guy agreed its been weeks so I should be getting an update soon... uhhh weeks?

I kinda sensed this was a little fishy so contacted the Fender rep I've been dealing with to see if they even sent in the applications. Wouldn't ya know it... she got back to me yesterday and said Fender just received the paperwork from this shop on Friday and it would probably be complete next week. She offered to refer me to a different shop but I'm over an hour away from the nearest shop and then I have to start this process all over again so I'm kinda inclined to just let it play out.

but at the same time ... a bit pissed about being lied to.

 

[arct]

It's the $1,257.83 $250 amp.

rct