Music Man Y2D Steve Morse (Not So)NGD as it turns out...

andy1839

I can't believe I hadn't even tried a Music Man up until a month or so ago when I bought a Luke II.

Today a Y2D arrived courtesy of my darling wife.
Quilt top trem in De-Purple burst with purple pickup bobbins.

It plays and sounds amazing. The necks feel so good.

http://i63.tinypic.com/5ccaiu.jpg
http://i66.tinypic.com/28s7epf.jpg
http://i66.tinypic.com/205bl0n.jpg

http://i65.tinypic.com/52nodi.jpg


Edit: now I thought this was a new guitar day but not so.

When it arrived it looked pristine, it was sold as new old stock from a well known and respected shop.

The only thing I noticed was that there were fingerprints under the clear scratchplate and the only way to put them there would be to take off the control knobs and unscrew the whole guard.
I was certain there would be no way EBMM would let the guitar out of the door with even this small issue.

After taking the back plate off to install a Tremol-No I found the name 'RAY had been scratched into the trem cavity. 

http://i65.tinypic.com/2q9dydf.jpg
http://i67.tinypic.com/2eajnkh.jpg

I emailed the shop and they said they couldn't understand it. As far as they were concerned the guitar was new but old stock, they had received it direct from the distributor.
And they also said it had never been sold or returned.

I contacted Music Man direct and they stated that Ray is certainly not one of their master builders  and it would have never left the factory like that.

Interestingly they did say the guitar has already been registered by someone in the UK on 31st October 2017. 
So, genuine mistake or dishonesty?
Brand new, old stock with warranty, or used and damaged without warranty?

Am I being too picky?

The shop has offered a full refund, and will collect it, but I doubt I'd get anything as good for the price I paid.

Would it put you off buying a used guitar, that was mint except for someone scratching their name into it?

Has anyone ever felt the need to scratch their name into a brand new guitar?
I can't understand it.

So I'm waiting to hear back from the shop. 
Although I'm not hopeful for any recompense, they'll probably just take it back into stock and flash some black paint over the cavity and sell it on as used but as new if I return it. 

So Caveat Emptor.

All sorted, GAK have made suitable recompense.

Good stuff 

Moominpapa

Looks sweet - love the colour. That's an unusual bridge pickup arrangement - what's going on there?

grungebob

Nice. I do like musicman guitars. The necks are some of the best. 
Enjoy. 

andy1839

Moominpapa said:

Looks sweet - love the colour. That's an unusual bridge pickup arrangement - what's going on there?

The previous Steve Morse one was even more quirky with an additional slanted single coil between the neck and the single coil near the bridge with a fair few switches.

On this one it's a low powered single coil that drops the volume off quite a bit.
The five way is wired:
1. Bridge HB
2. Bridge HB plus the single coil
3. Single coil only
4. Both HB 
5. Neck HB

It is a good way to clean up a distorted guitar quickly. 
I absolutely love this and the Luke.  
I'd love to try a Valentine and a St Vincent next.

Moominpapa

Got it - thanks for the explanation. Gonna go to YouTube and see if there's an example of the Bridge HB + Single Coil in action.

bazxkr

Superb snag, congrats. EBMM make top stuff. I've lusted after a hardtail De-purpleburst for a while. Not many around now cites have taken the USA out the game

I have the purple sunset Y2D hardtail (with purple bobbins too) and the original blueburst with floyd rose. Go on the EBMM forum if you not already there. You have a set up query quite often Steve Morses guitar tech Tommy will answer your query ! How good is that …. one guy there has about 30 Y2Ds LOL 

The Morse with FR stays in tune better than any other guitar I have (out of 30 !). Surprised me as was dreading a FR and that was my first. You are right, necks are sublime if they suit you, some guys with big hands will cramp up though so best to try first preferably like any purchase

andy1839

bazxkr said:

Superb snag, congrats. EBMM make top stuff. I've lusted after a hardtail De-purpleburst for a while. Not many around now cites have taken the USA out the game

I have the purple sunset Y2D hardtail (with purple bobbins too) and the original blueburst with floyd rose. Go on the EBMM forum if you not already there. You have a set up query quite often Steve Morses guitar tech Tommy will answer your query ! How good is that …. one guy there has about 30 Y2Ds LOL 

The Morse with FR stays in tune better than any other guitar I have (out of 30 !). Surprised me as was dreading a FR and that was my first. You are right, necks are sublime if they suit you, some guys with big hands will cramp up though so best to try first preferably like any purchase

I'll have a look over there, cheers for that.

I'm lucky that the only necks that make my wrists ache are the super thin ones.
The Luke is quite chunky but feels a bit narrower at the nut than the Y2D but both are really nice to play.

I really like the sunset burst colour too, the purple on mine pops a bit more in artificial light.
http://i64.tinypic.com/25urv4k.jpg

I'd love a rosewood necked one.

bazxkr

Love it, thks for posting that pic, I'm with you on the solid RW neck, Pro Music Tools have about 4 and I have been sorely tempted a few times but always seems like bills take all my money

drwiddly

It's a wow from me.

axisus

Nice! I lusted after one of those for years. They finally got one in the old Machinehead shop but it was a hardtail so not for me. 

Wonky

Lush

andy1839

drwiddly said:

It's a wow from me.

Mate I thought this would be right up your street!

axisus said:

Nice! I lusted after one of those for years. They finally got one in the old Machinehead shop but it was a hardtail so not for me. 

I haven't put it down all weekend.  Usually a Floyd sends me running for the hills but I'm slowly beginning to embrace the wobble stick.

imalrightjack

Who did you buy this from?  That's unbelievable!  Disgraceful that they would try and pass it off as new.  And I imagine they will do so again?

grungebob

If you like the guitar I’d be asking for a further discount. 

Lesgrandepotato

I’d get the warranty clarified if that’s important to you. Other than that does it actually matter? It’ll have been played in the shop before? So it’ll never be new new. 

Lesgrandepotato

In fact I’d keep it and call it ‘Prince’ 
’... purple ray, purple ray....’ 

Musicman20

This was from GAK I assume? I saw it in the sale and thought the price was too good to be true. 

I think it's a customer return or exchange demo, possibly even second hand having barely used it ?! No way EBMM would ship it like that. 

If it is that shop, I'm not surprised.

andy1839

Musicman20 said:

This was from GAK I assume? I saw it in the sale and thought the price was too good to be true. 

I think it's a customer return or exchange demo, possibly even second hand having barely used it ?! No way EBMM would ship it like that. 

If it is that shop, I'm not surprised.

Yes and yes.
They stated that it's new, but old stock.
They were adamant it had never been sold before, and definitely wasn't a return.

I've only ever had really good service from GAK which is why I was surprised.

I take it you've had less than sterling service?

Musicman20

andy1839 said:

Musicman20 said:

This was from GAK I assume? I saw it in the sale and thought the price was too good to be true. 

I think it's a customer return or exchange demo, possibly even second hand having barely used it ?! No way EBMM would ship it like that. 

If it is that shop, I'm not surprised.

Yes and yes.
They stated that it's new, but old stock.
They were adamant it had never been sold before, and definitely wasn't a return.

I've only ever had really good service from GAK which is why I was surprised.

I take it you've had less than sterling service?

Unfortuntely yes. Twice I've had ex display / returned stock sold as new to me. Last one had the accessories missing.

dbphoto

I have spotted GuitarGuitar listing stuff mates have traded in as new a few times now.

The thing is, if you are happy with it and the price you paid does it matter?

I would personally be asking for a partial refund.

p90fool

Great guitar. Demand a partial refund, or just change your name to Ray.