What would you do?

[762willdo]

If you can live with it, ask for some money back. If you can’t send it back, you didn’t pay for a cat hair.

 

[Thud]

So recently I bought a stock from a well known manufacturer who is known for making quality stocks. I paid around $1350 plus shipping for said stock. Upon inspection, I notice that there is a foreign object underneath the clear coat in a very conspicuous spot so now it’s all I see.

I have called the manufacturer and the person there claimed that “it is unavoidable” and the best they could do it “paint over the clear and then clear over that” but that does not actually fix the issue with there being a rather noticeable flaw in the stock, it’s just covering it up. I assume they don’t want to eat the cost of a complete refinish, but it is not my fault that QC was not followed and that it was allowed to be shipped to me like that.

I have not posted what it is because I am messaging the owner of the company personally to see if there is another avenue of getting it fixed through him. I just am irked by this initial response. These things are not cheap to buy, and I feel like some of these companies just taking us consuming their expensive products for granted. For $1350 it should not have those kinds of issues, and they should do an entire refinish and eat the cost.

Would you be upset if this was the case? Or am I overly critical. Is this a proper response from customer service?

Why did you also post this on another site. Did you expect a different set off answers.

I don’t understand why people do this.

 

[tthomp302]

Why did you also post this on another site. Did you expect a different set off answers.

I don’t understand why people do this.

Different people, different crowd, maybe someone has dealt with them before or that issue. Just casting a wider net.

 

[markT]

The fact that the company actually shipped it to you should tell you something/ everything.
Full refund or enough of a discount that you can live with it.

 

[Eagle Six]

After the first customer service reply I would insist they give me a full refund and I would shop elsewhere.

 

[Bottom Fodder]

If they refunded half my money back I could live with and grin

 

[Bc'z]

I see a pin hole!!
Just sayingnone of us are perfect

 

[tthomp302]

I see a pin hole!!
Just sayingView attachment 1524314no of us are perfect

I definitely understand that no one is perfect. I deal with it in my Industry as well. If my shop messes something up, we eat the cost because it shouldn’t have left. We had a customer fail a roadside inspection because something got out that we shouldn’t have let get out, we covered the costs of the ticket and the repair. My deal is with the response of the customer service initially.

 

[freebird22/250]

That is very poor quality control, if i paid that much for a stock it should be top notch and not a reject like that!!

 

[Ccrider]

I see a pin hole!!
Just sayingView attachment 1524314none of us are perfect

Looks like some sanding and refinishing got left out.

My question is, what is going on here:

 

[Bc'z]

I definitely understand that no one is perfect. I deal with it in my Industry as well. If my shop messes something up, we eat the cost because it shouldn’t have left. We had a customer fail a roadside inspection because something got out that we shouldn’t have let get out, we covered the costs of the ticket and the repair. My deal is with the response of the customer service initially.

Perfection creates stress and anxiety and possibly a slight drinking problem.
I get your frustration, I wish I had the $1300 for a new action myself.

If it were my issue to deal with as a technician working for this outfit, I would scuff the stock down sponge in a lil cover up re clear whole stock.
I'd probably use a lil CA glue and fill any pinholes prior to sponge and clear.
The hair will still be there, you'll just never see it.

FWIW I can clearly see where the hair landed in thier layup it passes in and out of the sponge paint as it's covered up with gold

 

[Bc'z]

Looks like some sanding and refinishing got left out.

My question is, what is going on here:
View attachment 1524326

My guess it's a Manners with thier metallic sponge techniques which are random in application.

 

[Ccrider]

Bret, I have seen your work. I would take bets and give odds that you could sand the area around the hair, blend/burn in the clear and no one would ever no the difference.

 

[GuitarmanNick]

Having finished stocks and guitars in my apartment while owning a dog that sheds, hair does not belong in a finish, and is unacceptable.

For that price point, I would expect better quality control and customer service.

 

[Bc'z]

Having finished stocks and guitars in my apartment while owning a dog that sheds, hair does not belong in a finish, and is unacceptable.

For that price point, I would expect better quality control and customer service.

Agreed
The individual who is laying up these stocks is probably working on multiples at the same time, I know I'll primer or clear as many as 5 in a batch. I scrutinize them all just in case I gotta go fishing for knats,dog hair, buffer fuzz, or just a chunk of shit had nothing better to do than land in my finish.
That was in the technicians defense...
QC dropped the ball on this 1

 

[M-61]

Was trying to be slightly discreet about it since I am still working on resolving it in another means

So it’s posted on other sites as well.
I would have waited until I heard from the owner of the company. Do I think the reply you got was acceptable? Not a chance. But in today’s world just getting an employee to show up is a task, never mind how they will handle a customer.
When you speak to the owner, and if it’s not to your satisfaction, by all means post on every gun site there is.

 

[Keith Glasscock]

Here is a bit of a different take:

You can pay people to work but you can't pay them to give a crap. The only person in a company that can be counted on to give a crap is the owner. Their blood sweat, tears, and future are all embodied in the business.

I'm not saying that there aren't good people working in the businesses out there. What I'm saying is that the great ones that I've worked with chose to be great, to have pride in their work, and to treat the customer like family.

I'd say contact the owner directly. Show that person the stock, and ask them if they would want that one leaving the door. A replacement will take time, but the vast majority of small business owners will make something like this right.

 

[BlueWater]

Upon inspection, I notice that there is a foreign object underneath the clear coat in a very conspicuous spot ... I have called the manufacturer and the person there claimed that “it is unavoidable” and the best they could do it “paint over the clear and then clear over that” but ...

They are certainly capable of providing what you actually paid for.

They simply don't want to go to that effort of fulfilling their contractual obligation.

I suspect that, if it came to it, you'd win that argument in any court, so long as their "solution" or "fix" could be reasonably seen as insufficient.

Ditto, on the suggestion to speak directly with the owner of the shop. I wouldn't tolerate a bad error. Depends on how "bad" bad is. If it can't be easily corrected to the point the defect isn't readily visible, I'd fully expect replacement. I'd push for that, else a refund and return of the item. This shop risks a quite bad review if they refuse to fulfill their commitments, though; and they know it.

 

[David Milisock]

So recently I bought a stock from a well known manufacturer who is known for making quality stocks. I paid around $1350 plus shipping for said stock. Upon inspection, I notice that there is a foreign object underneath the clear coat in a very conspicuous spot so now it’s all I see.

I have called the manufacturer and the person there claimed that “it is unavoidable” and the best they could do it “paint over the clear and then clear over that” but that does not actually fix the issue with there being a rather noticeable flaw in the stock, it’s just covering it up. I assume they don’t want to eat the cost of a complete refinish, but it is not my fault that QC was not followed and that it was allowed to be shipped to me like that.

I have not posted what it is because I am messaging the owner of the company personally to see if there is another avenue of getting it fixed through him. I just am irked by this initial response. These things are not cheap to buy, and I feel like some of these companies just taking us consuming their expensive products for granted. For $1350 it should not have those kinds of issues, and they should do an entire refinish and eat the cost.

Would you be upset if this was the case? Or am I overly critical. Is this a proper response from customer service?

Research and find out if you're dealing with a peon or the owner. If a peon, contact the owner, if it's the owner who says they can't or won't warranty their product your choice is to fight and lose even if you win, last choice, find someone to fix it and bad mouth the original company everywhere.

If you do the latter save all documentation as if you get people's attention expect a cease-and-desist letter from their attorney so you may have to prove your point.

 

[Richard Jones]

"If my shop messes something up, we eat the cost because it shouldn’t have left." Mine as well.
@tthomp302 I believe this should be the norm, but we all know it's not.

I see more pinholes than the one. Unacceptable, at the very least.