Empty Box Blues

[peztrip]

Ok, so I applied for the express return on the web on 11/22, and gave EA my credit card number. A $100 pending charge hit my account soon after. Cool, new guitar on the way via 2 day shipping.

Over a week goes by, no guitar, no word from EA, $100 still pending on my account. At least I have my GH3 Les Paul to play with. On 12/1 I get the free game email. Cool, that's a nice gesture for the inconvenience. I'm still waiting for the details to follow. On 12/4 my guitar ships (6.5 lbs.) and the pending charge disappears.

Yesterday my Les Paul craps out, the red button stops working.

So today I get a box, and...it's empty. No guitar.

I'm trying to be cool about this, but it's infuriating. I stood in line at midnight at Best Buy to get this. The overdrive activation was broken out of the box, and the strum broke two days later. What was supposed to be 2-5 days on a replacement has turned into over two weeks. A $100 charge was tied up on my credit card during the one time of year I really need it. I've got a $170 game with half of it's functionality, and a $100 game I may never play again. And I still haven't heard anything more about that free consolation game.

So what's my best course of action? Does EA think they've already sent me a guitar? I'm afraid if I send my guitar in, I won't get another one back. And now I'm reading on the forum that the replacement guitars are just as broken. What should I do?

[DanTheMan39]

So today I get a box, and...it's empty. No guitar.

I'm gonna have to call shenanigans on this one...

[Storybook77]

I'm gonna have to call shenanigans on this one...

I would too if a guy hadn't youtubed himself receiving an empty box for his drumkit instead of the replacement.

[HMXJohnlok]

I will look into this since there have been multiple reports. Either way, my guess is that the wires were crossed somewhere along the lines.

As I've mentioned to others in PMs, there are two types of replacements; a 2 step and a 3 step.

2 step: requires a credit card which is charged. A replacement is sent right away. You use the box it was sent in to return the broken peripheral; once EA receives the guitar I believe the holding charge is removed.

3 step: no credit card required. EA sends empty box >> user returns peripheral in empty box >> EA returns replacement once broken peripheral is received.

Somehow I believe you ended up with the 3 step process. My suggestion is to contact EA to make sure - once you have confirmation from them, you can probably send your guitar back and initiate the rest of the 3 step. Like I said, your best recourse is to get in touch with EA since they will have a more detailed account of your particular case.

[peztrip]

Thanks, I appreciate it.