Recently a turn of events so outrageous has occurred that has thrust me back into blogging.
 | ||||||||
| The Problem Item |
OK I admit this is partly my fault. I removed the tremelo arm on my guitar because I did'nt ever use it. Then fast forward 14 years and I want to play a song that requires one. Now someone the original arm got swallowed by the house and I need to acquire a new one. No problem, Jeff Bezos to the rescue. $8 and 2 days later the new part arrives..and it does'nt fit, the thread size is too big.
An hour of internet research later I find out that fender produced 3 different thread sizes for guitars manufactured over the last 14 years. I return the item to Amazon and amazingly they return my money and tell me to keep the item:) It must cost them more to receive it back than the $8 refund.
So after my internet research and some engineering measuring I think I have located the correct part at Guitar center. Run to Guitar center No luck. Wrong sizes again, this time too small:(
Now I am really frustrated. I realize I can re-machine the last possible thread size onto the Amazon arm. Voilo, it worked. So here's the bill, I will send it to the Fender Guitar Company. I will estimate using methods similar to any business (car repair shop, appliance repair my company's service department etc.) Service rate is $100 an hour.
1- hour diagnosing problem - $100
1 - hour driving to guitar center to acquire and return part - $100
36 miles at 0.60 a mile - $21.60
30 minutes to machine new threads + shop charge - $50 + $25 (Now I am forced to provide a solution because the customer is mad and I cant leave without fixing their issue)
Total $296.6
Cost of brand new guitar $299
Fender could have just shipped me a new guitar and come out even.
This cost could have been avoided if Fenders Design department could have just standardized on a single thread type. Imagine if 1000 guitars a year ran into this problem and its a warranty item. It would cost the company $100,000s dollars a year every year because 3 engineers couldn't agree on a thread size.
In my case I spent 2 1/2 hours of my time and only $3 in gas and I got the part for free.Thanks Jeff Bezos. Jeff can afford it he is worth $30 B dollars. It brings to mind what would Jeff Bezos have done in this situation...Probably just chucked the entire guitar in the rubbish bin and told his assistant to order him a new one. Alas the $299 solution. But I saved a guitar from ending up in a landfill.
