My experience with Music Man :(

[hunter]

On my MusicMan Axis the Floyd had a bit of friction going, so it went out of tune regularly, especially on low E and A.

Contacted MusicMan US and they were real nice and said I just needed a new Trem base plate and studs and I shall contact the European distributors to get the parts with the numbers of the parts.

Now the Germans said they couldn't get these parts but I'd have to get the full trem as replacement. Allright I thought, looked up how much a Gotoh Trem is and it's about 100-120€. So I wanted to bite the bullet and contacted them again and say, allright, so how much is the MusicMan branded Gotoh Trem? ... Reply: 310€ plus shipping.

LOL. How much?

3 times the price of a normal Gotoh. Not funny. Not at all.

Well allright, long story short, I thought "screw em" and got a Gotoh Floyd from WD in UK. Some differences made installation a bit more ugly than expected, I had to drill open the holes for the studs, cause the original ones screwed directly into the body and the new ones come with 11mm inserts. But it went kinda OK, so now the trem stays 100% in tune, works like butter and sounds better too it seems ?

Summary: You can be a decent company, but if your supportive attitude doesn't translate in foreign countries, it can still harm you. The Axis is a killer guitar, but nevertheless, this experience leaves a bitter aftertaste and has moved MusicMan down quite a bit in my own list of preferred brands. And it was quite high up there before!

[Philly Q]

It's a bit naughty of them, but I think that's pretty standard practice when you try to get replacement parts direct from a manufacturer.  I hear PRS parts are crazily expensive.

[hunter]

Well I think the actual issue is that the Europeans didn't wanna order me just the parts (base plate and studs) but wanted to force me into a full trem replacement, although the parts are available from the US.

I guess it's one of these stupidities that come with modern logistic/stock management systems (did anyone mention SAP?) - probably they'd have to create a new record in their system for these parts and the cost of managing all the database entries required to be able to order and handle the parts exceed the profits to be expected by selling one or two of these units.

Pre SAP/IBM, these things were less of an issue I suppose.

Quite often I think anyways that the systems that are being set up for retailers or distributors are far oversized and in fact don't bring any efficiencies or cost savings. They rather create intransparency, lack of personal control and inflexibility.

[Twinfan]

Yep, PRS parts are mentally priced.

[Ted 'N' Leo]

I hear PRS parts are crazily expensive.

Very true, I once specced a PRS trem for an SE guitar, and it was going to cost around £250. Not a million miles away for the price of the guitar to begin with.

[Philly Q]

I've pondered getting a "proper" PRS trem for my SE EG, never priced it up though.... I won't bother now! 

[FELINEGUITARS]

I've pondered getting a "proper" PRS trem for my SE EG, never priced it up though.... I won't bother now! 

Philly - look here
http://www.mannmadeusa.com/

[FELINEGUITARS]

Hunter - wished you'd have asked me
I deal with the UK distributors for MM every week and they are not bad to deal with, and with part numbers it should have been a breeze

[Philly Q]

I've pondered getting a "proper" PRS trem for my SE EG, never priced it up though.... I won't bother now! 

Philly - look here
http://www.mannmadeusa.com/

Blimey, that name takes me back!  I once ordered one of his stoptail bridges and never received it.  He ended up with a really bad reputation (like Vintique and some of those other small parts makers).

Have you ever ordered from him Jon?

[Ian Price]

........a really bad reputation (like Vintique and some of those other small parts makers).

I read about Vintique when doing some tele research. He (Jay Monterose) really does strike me as someone I would never want to do business with!

Some of his answers to some fairly straight forward questions give the hint of a huge ego:

"I have total command of my skills and tools. Most guitar guys don’t have the same expertise, knowledge and creative ideas. The ones that do can’t execute it in the same way. We’re all unique in our talents; I happen to be a player and a builder. I’ve never understood builders who can’t play on a professional level or push the envelope of their designs"

 :o and:

"It’s not easy to be an artist making music or to achieve a high art in manufacturing. Unless you have a golden horseshoe buried where it counts, it’s a labor of love. I’ve been dragged about with promises and been taken advantage of, and unfortunately some of my clients have had to endure the lows with me"

 :o

[Philly Q]

Some of his answers to some fairly straight forward questions give the hint of a huge ego:

"I have total command of my skills and tools. Most guitar guys don’t have the same expertise, knowledge and creative ideas. The ones that do can’t execute it in the same way. We’re all unique in our talents; I happen to be a player and a builder. I’ve never understood builders who can’t play on a professional level or push the envelope of their designs"

I hate people like that.  They make you feel like you're not good enough to even deal with them unless you're as talented as God.

Then he charges $250 for a bridge, $45 for a neck plate and can't even be bothered to send them out.  w**ker.

[Ian Price]

and a starting price of $5000. Ridiculous!

[Fourth Feline]

Yep, PRS parts are mentally priced.

Thats it, go right ahead  - blame me ...  :mrgreen:

[FernandoDuarte]

:lol:

[Twinfan]

:lol:

You're on form today Derek!