MJT/Musikraft build no. 2, huge disappointment

[omfg51]

I recently (two months ago) received my second kit order from MJT, this one was a Jazzmaster build. I had Musikraft make the neck to get the Fender shape for the headstock. My current number 1 guitar is a build these guys did that turned out flawlessly.

Here is a list of all of the things that this kit has had completely wrong with it:

- neck is crooked in the neck pocket, and strings do not sit straight as they should when guitar is strung
- cavities for the bridge posts and vibrato tailpiece are not correctly aligned with each other or the neck pocket
- bridge originally had faulty saddles, since replaced
- nut slots were not filed and are at an unplayable height
-neck was not aged as ordered, recently received after sending back for correct aging
- originally I thought there was a single fret that unseated from the fingerboard, but after taking it to a luthier, he has informed me that the frets were seated while not 100% flat with the fingerboard. The only solution he can personally recommend is a level, crown, and polish, and they are stainless steel frets

Now, these individual issues are not so unbelievable in the guise of a kit guitar, or even a production guitar from a manufacturer, but all of the above for a single kit? That to me seems a bit ludicrous. The icing on the cake is that both companies have been painfully slow to respond, or have ignored my emails outright, which has been what is really making me mad this whole time. I've been given the run-around multiple times on all of these issues from both of them in the last month, and I've reserved to try to get my money back.

 

[jklotz]

I can't comment on the problems you speak of without seeing the guitar, however, nut slots should be done as one of the last steps of assembly. You really can't determine the proper slot depth without first installing the neck and adjusting the truss rod under string tension.

That is part of the assembly process.

 

[stealthtastic]

Too bad to hear about that. I've only ever had great experiences.

 

[darrenguitar]

Does this mean that buying the body and neck from the same place safer? then sending it to MJT to finish it off?

 

[willyboy]

Sorry to hear. Obviously a lot of deficiencies. I can't imagine though how you'd expect the nut to be perfect and not need a final filing during the actual setup though as string height is a personal preference.