NBGD - Surprise and Dismay

[Chris Pile]

Here's what came in the mail about 2 hours ago....
https://imgur.com/lzZyeIb

It's supposed to be one of those Chinese Strandberg copies with a fan fretted neck and a horrible TransTrem copy.

The Squeebay page said it was damaged, but showed the neck....
Instead it was this...
https://imgur.com/vTAHe1a

I bought this pretty cheaply, but even if it wasn't damaged - it would be a wreck. The neck is bent backwards and the truss rod doesn't seem to be working. Someone already removed the neck and drilled new mounting holes in it with a nail or something. Total butch job.

I have no idea how the bridge came to be in such a position, and I haven't yet figured out the whammy system is even mounted. There are no visible mounting screws.

I have asked for a complete refund on what I am calling the Wuhan Virus Special. Most of it should be tossed in the nearest trashcan.

 

[DankStar]

Re: NBGD - Surprise and Dismay

damaged before the sale, then damaged in shipping too? that box is atrocious.

 

[Chris Pile]

Re: NBGD - Surprise and Dismay

The seller says China, but the return address on the box is Staten Island, NY.

 

[beaubrummels]

Re: NBGD - Surprise and Dismay

So seller is in China and any returns go to Staten Island, the port of entry? "We no take you return. It you problem now. Just put face mask on. It sound better and you no see defect."

 

[Mincer]

Re: NBGD - Surprise and Dismay

Wow, that really is a mess. Return? Or is it fixable?

 

[Chris Pile]

Re: NBGD - Surprise and Dismay

Wow, that really is a mess. Return? Or is it fixable?

I asked for a refund. As for fixable, first I have to figure out how to take the bridge off. The neck came off easily - it has 8 holes in the neck, and 6 in the body.

 

[Chris Pile]

Re: NBGD - Surprise and Dismay

Update: Seller offered to send me a new guitar, with pictures first to prove it's not damaged..... (yeah, that worked last time - right?).

I finally got the bridge off... and then disassembled the bridge. Someone has been inside it already to try to fix some of the broken parts. Tuner springs replaced with stuff out of fountain pens, etc.

After studying the seller's feedback, I think I have it figured out. This factory damaged guitar was sent from China to Staten Island. The buyer tried to fix it, but didn't know how. In frustration, he asked for another guitar. He then packed this unfortunate guitar up, doing a horrible job of it, and the seller issued a "will call" to have it drop shipped to me from New York. On the way - it got trashed AGAIN, and the poor packing job allowed more damage. Sound reasonable?

The instrument is now laying in multiple pieces on my bench, and it has occurred to me that I should check the electronics to see if they operate.

 

[Mincer]

Re: NBGD - Surprise and Dismay

Is there anything you can salvage from it? Care to take a pic of all the pieces?

 

[Chris Pile]

Re: NBGD - Surprise and Dismay

Here are the parts of this ridiculously engineered bridge.....
The parts on the right, are upside down - are mounted onto the plate of the middle portion with the saddles.
The far left is the frame which is screwed onto the body.
The whole shebang is held together by the long screw (with the big knob) threaded through the big spring (which is bent from being dropped). When assembled, you cannot tell what holds the complete whammy system to the body.

https://imgur.com/6OlYCi8

 

[Mincer]

Re: NBGD - Surprise and Dismay

Here are the parts of this ridiculously engineered bridge.....
The parts on the right, are upside down - are mounted onto the plate of the middle portion with the saddles.
The far left is the frame which is screwed onto the body.
The whole shebang is held together by the long screw (with the big knob) threaded through the big spring (which is bent from being dropped). When assembled, you cannot tell what holds the complete whammy system to the body.

https://imgur.com/6OlYCi8

Wow, that looks like hell.

 

[ehdwuld]

Re: NBGD - Surprise and Dismay

heres a new one from Aliexpress

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/330...000&pvid=f2c69c4f-3fe7-48d5-987d-b9ed858b26a6

 

[The Dali]

Re: NBGD - Surprise and Dismay

What did it look like when you bought it? I know you said it was cheap., but why did you buy this in the first place?

 

[Chris Pile]

Re: NBGD - Surprise and Dismay

The photos of the auction page showed what appeared to be a new guitar, with only a small gap between the neck and the body (which could be easily fixed by doweling the holes in the neck and redrilling). It did NOT show the bridge all jacked up, and all the dings and bent metal parts. The strings were flopping right out of the box, not so on the photos.

As for your second question - I think you answered it yourself. I made a dirt cheap bid, and won. And if the seller wasn't shining me on - I'll get another new guitar within the week.... Thus having TWO guitars for the same money. Eventually, I can fix the broken one...

Here's the photo from the auction page.

 

[ehdwuld]

Re: NBGD - Surprise and Dismay

I was looking at a purple one like that on the Aliexpress site last month
it was only $145 new
and the Aliexpress site is the manufacturer
they will customize it for next to nothing

would you like the link?

just asking

 

[Chris Pile]

Re: NBGD - Surprise and Dismay

Thanks, but I only bid on it to try out the fan fretted neck. This thing is strung with eights!!! If I can resurrect it, I'll have to put some tens on it.

I think this one came from there, but the seller had some stupid name that sounded like a women's fashion boutique. In the little bag of allen wrenches there was a card from Ali Express....

 

[ehdwuld]

Re: NBGD - Surprise and Dismay

yeah
the site has repriced them anyways
they are now $250
guess they making up for lost sales

the one i saw wasnt fan fretted

but keep us informed

EBAY sellers stock the NK brand I think

those are kinda nice

curious what you you think about the replacement

 

[The Dali]

Re: NBGD - Surprise and Dismay

The photos of the auction page showed what appeared to be a new guitar, with only a small gap between the neck and the body (which could be easily fixed by doweling the holes in the neck and redrilling). It did NOT show the bridge all jacked up, and all the dings and bent metal parts. The strings were flopping right out of the box, not so on the photos.

As for your second question - I think you answered it yourself. I made a dirt cheap bid, and won. And if the seller wasn't shining me on - I'll get another new guitar within the week.... Thus having TWO guitars for the same money. Eventually, I can fix the broken one...

Here's the photo from the auction page.

View attachment 104046

Yeah seeing the actual auction photos helps. Wasn't sure what you were bidding on to begin with. Good luck! Looks pretty wicked!

 

[Mincer]

Re: NBGD - Surprise and Dismay

Does that have a copy of the crazy Strandberg neck? That is really hard to get used to.

 

[Chris Pile]

Re: NBGD - Surprise and Dismay

Does that have a copy of the crazy Strandberg neck? That is really hard to get used to.

No, but that would be cool....

I could carve one pretty easily. Maybe on the 2nd one?

 

[ehdwuld]

Re: NBGD - Surprise and Dismay

whats this crazy neck ya'll speak of