Military grade subsonic weapons, though I’m tempted to get one if my neighbor cranks up his leaf blower before 8:00am again.
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…oh tell me about it…I got a neighbor that has a dog that barks at ‘everything’…drives me nuts >>. Half why I wanted to get a Bass and amp…
I would recommend Gallien-Krueger. It’s the only way to be sure.
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You might get kicked out of here for that statement. Or at least suspended…
Or maybe just a STERN FINGER SHAKING AT 
Guess that will have to do.
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Yet another update…
So Mr. Pickguard Luthier apparently decided to set up my bass for me (which was set up exactly the way I wanted it. The G string hits the pickups when fretting higher on the neck!
Easy enough to remedy, but WTF?
And, the active circuit didnt work today.
Granted the crap is packed in there, and no one asked him to go in there and look, he was supposed to make a pickguard! Anyway he pushed a couple board connectors into each other.
So took 3 deep breaths and kissed his ass goodbye forever.
Piezo luthier - crickets so far, he gets a call tomorrow to check on status.
I need to just keep learning more and more how to do all this other stuff myself.
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@John_E , Frank wrote this just for you.
You can stab ‘n’ shoot ‘n’ spit
But they won’t be fixin’ it
They’re lyin’ an’ lazy
They can be drivin’ you crazy
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I respectfully disagree with Mr. Zappa on Cali having the ‘most of them’, otherwise, he’s spot on.
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He was from Cali. He just didn’t have experience with the NY variety.
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Oh I was thinking Florida. Ha!
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The continuing story of the Fender HMT - which, is still NOT HOME.
Came home for the weekend from ‘lovely’ Indiana, called up the famous ‘Rudy’s Music” in NYC to find out why no one has called me to tell me the HMT piezo )that was dropped off on October 1st and was supposed to be a 2 day job) is fixed.
To remind, it had to go from their shop in Westchester where the luthier there screwed it up more than it was before I brought it there, down to their main NYC shop where apparently someone who knew more would sort it.
The guy at the shop said ‘yes it’s here, on the schedule for next week. I was none too happy.
Did a little rant about how a two day job is now a month and a half and the NYC luthier assured me he would get it fixed 3 weeks ago. The guy on the phone then did what I call a ‘tell tale sign’ of a lie. In my experience, any time someone gives you multiple excuses for why something isn’t how it should be they are lying, over compensating for ineptitude or outright nonsense. Excuse #1 was they were remodeling and the repair shop got backed up. Excuse #2 was they had to order a tool to level the areas under the saddle so the piezo and saddle were level across. Later in the day, the owner, Rudy himself called me, and reiterated both excuses above, and, added a third… “We got really busy”.
All delays miraculously were finished the exact same day I called to see what was going on, and was assured my bass would be fixed this week. I have seen this many times before with repair shops for saxes, they fix yours next if you complain loud enough.
I went on a bit of a tear (politely) about how I don’t mind waiting my turn, I don’t mind unforeseen delays but I do mind not doing what you say, not updating me and not informing me that you can’t repair something for weeks when you said you would do it that week IF there was in fact a remodel. I told him this is my first experience with his shop and so far, zero was good about any of it. I let him give me his diatribe about how he will make it right, and then, he said it….the one thing he shouldn’t have said….”Please be patient”. I said I have patiently awaited a 2-day repair now for a month and a half. Patience is gone.
Back to Indiana today, return Friday, and hoping my bass is ready some time before I get back. Also hoping it is perfect. Also hoping I don’t have to argue paying for only the work that made it right and not the two first attempts that made it worse. We shall see….
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All that sounds really annoying, @John_E . . . 
Well, best we can do is wish you good luck this time around . . .
. . . and remind you to be patient 
Cheers
Joe
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I agree, you should only have to pay for what you expected in the first place, not for them to correct their screw ups.
I certainly hope it’s ready and waiting for you when you return from Indiana.
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If you had any more patience, you’d be a doctor!
Sorry, couldn’t pass that one up.
I hope this long ordeal of yours ends soon. I surely wouldn’t have had your restraint after all those delays.
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My lack of restraint will come out during the reviews I leave online once I have my bass back (and replacement for the broken pickguard from the other luthier).
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So the nonsensical saga had come to a conclusion.
Jeremy and Rudy’s Soho in NYC is amazing. He really knows his stuff and did a great job on what came out to be a very complex problem under the saddle/piezo area of the Fender HMT bass. This was a happy ending to the garbage their ‘luthier’ in their Westchester location had done.
So the bridge on this had no material under the piezo and saddle. The piezo rests on the body of the guitar. There was also a giant hole (compared to the size of the piezo wire) coming up through under the G string which gave some imbalance. The piezo slot was much longer than the piezo as well which allowed for movement when strings come off. Jeremy made up a wood shim for under the piezo so it had something more rigid to be level against and added a ‘hole filler block’ to the shim, and also recut a new bone saddle. He re-setup the whole thing with much lower/nicer action across the fretboard (and also added a shim under the neck). Net/net, the bass plays really really well now.
Because of all the delays and issues with the first location, they only charged me for a setup. Jeremy said he ultimately spent about 4 hours on it troubleshooting and fixing properly. I think they did me right and am very pleased with the compensation for the troubles and his workmanship. I would go back there with complex issues but with some hesitation, as the setup fee alone is $150!!!
Rudy’s is sort of a NYC institution. Pictures of every famous guitar player on the wall with the owner from Dave Grohl to Paul McCartney himself! Their guitars are super vintage, rare and super pricey. Their bass selection is not the same, pricey, but not rare and vintage to the same extent.
Either way, the whole family is now home for the first time.
Now, back to practicing (well, ok, a little modding still to do).
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Glad you finally got it fixed, and it appears they treated you fairly on the bill as well.
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Awesome!
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