Bought Used G-Dec Now Fender Won't Replace It

**Retro Hound** · December 17th, 2009, 04:49 PM

I bought a G-Dec off ebay for $125 on 10/19/09, and unfortunately the receipt says "pawn shop" on it. The wheel jumps all over the place and Fender won't cover the warranty on it without the "original" receipt. Is there anything I can do? I've taken it to two stores and neither will deal with it. How can this be repaired? Fender doesn't even repair them, they have the store send them back and then Fender sends a replacement. Am I just out my money? Any advice other than buyer beware?

**sumitomo** · December 17th, 2009, 05:03 PM

That's a bummer,but I think that is becomming a policy of most companies.Well if you can't fix it you can always break out the 5 lbs. precision adjuster and go to town on her,That should make ya feel better anyway.Sumi

**Retro Hound** · December 18th, 2009, 08:09 AM

The kids loved that when I let them do that with old toasters and VCRs.

**Zip** · December 18th, 2009, 09:04 AM

Before you Pete Townshend-it into oblivion, Google amp repair services in your area. Make a phone call for an estimate, it may only be like 50 bucks. If it's more like $150, hand the kids that mallet.

**wingsdad** · December 18th, 2009, 11:07 AM

The warranty is only valid to the original owner w/ original proof of purchase receipt from an authorized Fender (or any other mfr, AFAIK) dealer.

You bought a used amp in as-is condition. Like a car or anything else, you've accepted responsibilty for its condition & for any repair needed.

Zip has given you the best advice. Hopefully, it's just a minor issue and when all is said & done, the cost of the amp plus repair will still net you a good deal, and you'll have survived a (sle)e(ze)-bay pitfall.

**jim p** · December 18th, 2009, 11:34 AM

I guess by the wheel it is the shinny knob on the front? Looking at the amp on web I would guess it is a digital encoder with luck it could just be a bad solder joint or if it is plugged into the main PC board a loose contact. So you could open it up and have a look around for something like that. An encoder is like a push button so if there is a bad solder joint or loose contact every time the contact breaks and makes it is like turning the knob which sounds like your problem.

**sumitomo** · December 18th, 2009, 03:25 PM

HAMMER!HAMMER!HAMMER! Sumi

**Radioboy950** · December 18th, 2009, 07:51 PM

I feel for ya.
If that seller represented the amp as being in working condition, tested, and free of defects, then I'd be having a talk with the seller.
Ask lots of questions...live & learn.

**ZMAN** · December 19th, 2009, 09:30 AM

I would definitely try to get the money back from the seller, or at least put a very negative feeback on his Ebay listings. I checked and the G-Dec Junior is only 149 at MF. So 125 is a pretty high number to pay. There might be something very small wrong with it but I wouldn't put a lot of money out for a repair. If it came through a pawn shop, they almost never check the things out totally. My friend owns one and he has a lot of issues with broken electronics. He has to had to hire a person to check these things out, because he got burned so many times.

**jim p** · December 19th, 2009, 11:07 AM

On the Fender web site they have a download that maybe a firmware update for the G_Dec 30 maybe your problem is the firmware? So if you can hook it up and load the update it might solve the problem.
http://www.fender.com/support/gdec30_downloads.php

**just strum** · December 20th, 2009, 10:00 AM

I'm an advocate of "beat the manufacturer into submission". I become relentless with email and phone calls. I tell them of my disappointment in their product, I go on various websites and locate the "review" section (you don't have to buy it there to review it there). I found that the manufacturers read those reviews and the good ones address the problem.

This past summer I received a free grill (an upgrade of the one I purchased) and few gift certificates. Make sure your facts are straight, don't embellish.

The saying is - The squeaky wheel gets the grease. You don't make noise, you don't get results.

Now go kick some butt.

**oldguy** · December 20th, 2009, 11:09 AM

"squeaky wheel" is the term here in hillbillyville.........

**just strum** · December 20th, 2009, 11:24 AM

Originally Posted by oldguy

"squeaky wheel" is the term here in hillbillyville.........

Yes, squeaky - a slip on the grease.

**Retro Hound** · February 6th, 2010, 03:59 PM

I sent the amp into them care of the guy I talked to, and about 3 weeks later I had a brand new one in the mail. I did have to pay $20 shipping.

I haven't opened it yet, I figured I would try to sell it. I have 3 amps and I just started playing last summer, so it's not like I'm good enough to need all this stuff. But it looks like they are releasing an updated version of the G-DEC and the bottom has dropped out of the market for this old version. So I may just let my brother-in-law use it.

I'm very pleased with Fender and will certainly look at them for my next amp, but it will probably be either brand new, or something non-digital.

Thanks for asking.

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Bought Used G-Dec Now Fender Won't Replace It

open it up?

Firmware update?

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