What's Up With The People At SD?

[Chistopher]

Re: What's Up With The People At SD?

Yeah, the P-Rail is definitely a pretty nice pickup if you work with it. I had a set a while back that I spent about two months getting to agree with my Telecaster. What I finally ended up with was the bridge with an A4 on the P90 side an A8 on the rail side with the rail closest to the bridge (this was recommended by another forum member) and the neck with a short bar degaussed A5 on the P90 and I still don't know what I put on the rail, I also cut the screws about 1/4" shorter.

So long as they don't have any shorts or feedback issues, I think you should try and put a little more work into them.

 

[Obsessive Compulsive]

Re: What's Up With The People At SD?

Complaining to SD directly for a product customized by another party is like calling SD cause the JB/ 59 that come installed in an ESP M-II, do not work.

The reason that silly-ass bloke told you to contact the dealer was since the pickguard was assembled by the dealer (not SD), there was a possibility that something went wrong/ had been altered in the process.

 

[SJ318]

Re: What's Up With The People At SD?

SavageRiffer,
I get it. I am a shut in. No car, can't drive. Spent a total of 10 hours over three days to get my computer fixed. Couldn't take it "in" to be fixed. First call ruined all my tech related stuff, iPhone, iPad, Apple Desktop- such a long story I had to retell 50 times. If I had a bigger income than my fixed, I swear I would have hired someone to take me to Apple and thrown it in THEIR GARBAGE. Bought a new one and started over.
I agree with all the folks with positive suggestions and if you can afford it, toss it as hard as you can at a wall, or give it to some kid who you know would really love it.
I really like your idea if you don't do any more on the dealer front, to make a Hybrid. You have the knowledge, I bet you could make a killer Hybrid, or several, as I am not familiar with the insides of a PRail (I'm guessing it has just two bobbins in each) from the top I can't see how they are all wired up, but I do understand how to make a Hybrid. Just thought I'd say that is a great idea. Good luck.
Steve Buffington

 

[Clint 55]

Re: What's Up With The People At SD?

I keep all my Duncans. The only one I've thrown in the trash was a used Invader neck lol.

 

[Chistopher]

Re: What's Up With The People At SD?

I keep all my Duncans. The only one I've thrown in the trash was a used Invader neck lol.

Ew... you keep the bridge Invaders?

 

[Kamanda~SD]

Re: What's Up With The People At SD?

SavageRiffer - Not much to say that hasn't been said. But first mistake was calling the wrong person to begin with. And I get you're frustrated, but that's no excuse to be giving attitude to everyone here who was willing to help (including an SD representative).

GtrJunior - Don't be an *******. Seriously.

SJ318 - and that's why you don't go Apple

 

[Gtrjunior]

Re: What's Up With The People At SD?

SavageRiffer - Not much to say that hasn't been said. But first mistake was calling the wrong person to begin with. And I get you're frustrated, but that's no excuse to be giving attitude to everyone here who was willing to help (including an SD representative).

GtrJunior - Don't be an *******. Seriously.

SJ318 - and that's why you don't go Apple

Are you serious? What did I say that made me an a-hole?

 

[Mincer]

Re: What's Up With The People At SD?

Have you contacted the dealer? What did they say? If you still don't have any kind of resolution, please PM me and I will see what I can find out.

 

[Kamanda~SD]

Re: What's Up With The People At SD?

Are you serious? What did I say that made me an a-hole?

When you admitted to being one:

Call back and be a huge A-hole. That's what I'd do. Seems to work pretty well.

 

[Gtrjunior]

What's Up With The People At SD?

When you admitted to being one:

Ok...
The OP is completely getting a raw deal from Duncan. He bought Duncan's product from Duncan's Authorized Dealer.
So the OP should forfeit his right to the return policy because the Dealer removed the pickups from the packaging?
Then he is expected to do the footwork to try and get the packaging? Thats BS.
Duncan either stands behind their product or they don't.

A couple months ago I ordered some Dimarzios from Authorized Dealer. The pickups I wanted weren't in stock so I filled out the online order form. I didn't receive the pickups until after their 30 day return policy ended.
I called them and explained the situation and they told me not to worry about it. And they swapped out a new set of pickups within 10 days. No questions asked no hassle.
That's how it's done...


Again, the OP shouldn't have to jump through hoops to be satisfied after spending $230 on Duncan's product.
So yeah, if I were the OP you'd better believe I'd be an A-Hole about it.

 

[Joey Voltage]

Re: What's Up With The People At SD?

I like how we have two threads going about how awesome Duncan is for having forum support from employees, and another about how much duncan sucks.

 

[JB_From_Hell]

Re: What's Up With The People At SD?

SD's 21 day exchange policy does specifically mention stock pickups in guitars as being exempt from the policy, same with anything modified or damaged. It doesn't say anything about pickups mounted in a pickguard by an authorized dealer, but it does say "Other restrictions may apply."

I manage one of the big chain auto parts stores. Most of the parts we sell carry a "limited lifetime warranty." The limits of said warranty are typically manager's discretion. Anyone coming into my store likely had at least two other options on where to shop, plus countless online sources. When a customer brings in worn out brake pads, my company wants me to say, "The warranty only covers defects, not wear and tear." I want the customer to shop with me again, so what I really say is, "No problem. Do you want the same pads again, or would you like to pay the difference for the better ones?"

Customers have these same options for every product they're buying. Killer service is what keeps them coming back. Exploiting "other restrictions may apply" loopholes is the antithesis of good service, and ensures the customer will explore the other options next time.

 

[Mincer]

Re: What's Up With The People At SD?

Let's not leap to conclusions here about this. Either his dealer will sort this out (I have yet to hear that they won't) in which then we can figure out how he can be helped.

 

[SavageRiffer]

Re: What's Up With The People At SD?

OK, first I want to thank you guys for the support. I posted this thread out of frustration because the guy I was talking to kept explaining the same thing over and over and then asked if I wanted him to explain it again. It's seemed kind of condescending. It was pointless to have to call the dealer to ask those things when he could have just said that the policy doesn't cover it. The dealer has always been good to me, so I have no complaints, but it would have been good to see a little disclaimer or something about the return policy.

One of the reasons I buy Seymour Duncan pickups even though I could buy other quality pickups for lower or similar prices IS because of the exchange policy. I don't take advantage of the exchange policy, but being that I build a lot of guitars, there are times when I exchange for something that works out better in a certain guitar. I didn't even assume that because they're an authorized dealer that new pickups are new pickups and therefore should be exchangeable. That's why I called SD to ask. It was the explanations I was getting (repeatedly) was getting me frustrated.

It's never a good idea to post something when you're frustrated, so it would have gone over better if I was less confrontational in my thread title. I didn't deserve to be attacked, but there are always those kinds of people. I admit thinking that it it was Dimarzio or something, they'd exchange the pickups, but it's not fair to expect every company to have the same policies. I don't care about the pickups anymore. In fact, anyone who wants to pay shipping can have them or they'll just go into my junk drawer and I'll find a use for them later. Next time I'll just have to make a wiser purchase.

By the way, P-Rails aren't bad pickups. They're just not my style. They sound best when split to P90 or in parallel. They're pretty versatile and have a good output. The only problem I have with them is the low end shape just isn't right for my taste.

 

[Gtrjunior]

Re: What's Up With The People At SD?

Hell...I'll pay shipping for them

 

[Discharged]

Re: What's Up With The People At SD?

The OP didn't bought sealed, RETAIL products from Seymour Duncan. He bought an OEM, finished product made by a third party, with SD OEM parts. That's why it didn't qualify for the 21-day warranty exchange period, that's honored when you buy RETAIL products, NOT OEM.

Being an OEM product, the burden of dealing with the warranty and aftersales support is on the shoulders of the OEM manufacturer, as stated in the interpretation of the regulations in Manufacturing and Commerce Law. Ergo, it's the responsability of the finished product's Manufactuer and NOT SD's. Being an official Duncan dealer, I'm pretty sure they would've taken care of the issue in no time flat, but the OP misplaced the blame, didn't want to hear any voice of reason and decided to stay butthurt just not to recognize being wrong.

/Peter

 

[jeremy]

Re: What's Up With The People At SD?

honestly i basically use my prails for the p90's, i have them wired to get other sounds too but 90% of the time im just using the p90 setting. hopefully someone can get use out of them and you can find a set of pups you like better.

 

[Masta' C]

Re: What's Up With The People At SD?

This is the most painful thread I've read in a long time.

 

[dave74]

Re: What's Up With The People At SD?

The OP didn't bought sealed, RETAIL products from Seymour Duncan. He bought an OEM, finished product made by a third party, with SD OEM parts. That's why it didn't qualify for the 21-day warranty exchange period, that's honored when you buy RETAIL products, NOT OEM.

Being an OEM product, the burden of dealing with the warranty and aftersales support is on the shoulders of the OEM manufacturer, as stated in the interpretation of the regulations in Manufacturing and Commerce Law. Ergo, it's the responsability of the finished product's Manufactuer and NOT SD's. Being an official Duncan dealer, I'm pretty sure they would've taken care of the issue in no time flat, but the OP misplaced the blame, didn't want to hear any voice of reason and decided to stay butthurt just not to recognize being wrong.

/Peter

^^^This is 100% correct.

 

[Masta' C]

Re: What's Up With The People At SD?

Agree, the OP simply should have gone through the supplying dealer in the first place. Arguments about "waste of time" are irrelevant and writing off SD based on a confused first-tier customer service rep is childish. Contacting them rather than the dealer was the true "waste of time" in that regard.

That said, SD should be more clear about this circumstance in their policies or offer to help since the situation wasn't clear and most companies want to keep their customers happy. I get the OEM explanation and that might apply moreso if the company is buying the pickups as "oem" rather than retail stock. However, the average consumer who is paying full price for "new" Seymour Duncan products sold by an authorized dealer and simply paying extra to have them pre-installed in a pickguard assembly would most likely assume that all product warranties would still apply.