So my guitar is broken, but EA refuses to replace it becaue I'm Canadian?

[Snapshot]

What the hell am I supposed to do? My guitar that I got on DAY ONE is completely busted, and due to the warranty system not wanting to send me a new one due to my being canadian, my only real option is to return it to a best buy near me for either credit or a new one, which the warranty specifically advises me not to do. What in the world am I supposed to do here?

[Snapshot]

That's great and all, but do you at least have a partial ETA on when I can expect an answer? I have a busted guitar sitting behind me that I'd rather be playing with.

[foolosophy]

Hopefully there will be a solution to this because I may be getting Rock Band this week from the States.

[Zanaflex]

I am sure HMX will take care of you guys. They had to have thought that people on the border would come over and try to snag a copy.

[intvgene]

I'm in the same boat. I'm hoping something can be done to help us out.

[CrazyDegu]

I too have a busted strummer (downward) and found that the warrantly support program website said I had to have it replaced. Then after going though the entire process and choosing Canada and Ontario, (which were in the list of choices) of where to send it, of course as you know, it said "States Only".
Like you I'm wondering "Are we screwed?!" How long do we have to wait before this is resolved? And here I thought I was lucky to have the game at all thanks to that disappointing Canadian Delay.

[HMXJohnlok]

We're looking into this.

[DrBeau]

I too have a busted strummer (downward)

Make sure you get the patch (asuming you have a 360 and an internet connection). This seems to have fixed a lot of the "down strum" problems.

[rockbandforever]

fixed mine i have no problems now

[Snapshot]

Patch didn't fix my problem at all, still have broken down strums, and I still have no reliable way to get my guitar replaced. Hopefully we'll get an actual response sometime soon.

[Snapshot]

problem is though, the american have options in exchanging defective products. If I return the entire thing, then I most likely won't be able to get the game until right before christmas, and if not then, then until much later next year.

[Nevermore]

Canadians can haz Rock Band? Seriously though, that really stinks for you guys. I could *maybe* see them wanting you to pay for shipping. In that case, what difference does it make if you are sending it from Hoboken, Calgary or even Sydney for that matter?

It's not a great solution, but perhaps you could send the thing to an American friend and have them send it on to EA for you? Just an idea, eh.

[Snapshot]

So, after trying the express option, it gave me an AVS error for an invalid billing address with the card, and then a duplicate error message. The heck is goin on here harmonix? I just wanna play the game.

[Angel-Jin]

It's not a great solution, but perhaps you could send the thing to an American friend and have them send it on to EA for you? Just an idea, eh.

be wary of doing that. it's warranty fraud. you can get in trouble for that. seriously.

[k_luva]

Don't worry...looks like the guitars are all fubared...double strumming, stuck buttons, etc...so you are not at a loss...unfortunately we all are.

[Scynthe]

Interested to hear a response about this. It's the only thing holding me back from buying a copy right now.

[intvgene]

Any update on this issue?

[artyen]

Don't worry...looks like the guitars are all fubared...double strumming, stuck buttons, etc...so you are not at a loss...unfortunately we all are.

yup. they're gonna eat so much cash on replacing so many guitars. If it turns out they skimped on production quality to save some cash, it's definitely going to bite them in the butt.

[chasenmusky]

Damn...I have this same problem but with my drums, the red drum pad doesn't work...pretty much if you are Canadian you are screwed until it comes out here...all EA told me to do was to hopefully know someone in the States I could send it to...sigh...funny how that pink EA support sheet in the rock band box was half English and half FRENCH...

[NickBalto]

I'm importing the ps3 version to australia, im actually startin to freak out here, what am i supposed to do if it has problems?!?

[espher]

funny how that pink EA support sheet in the rock band box was half English and half FRENCH...

I honestly laughed out loud when I pulled that out of the package.

[Snapshot]

Well I called EA and they told me that I could get a replacement when the game came out in Canada, so at least I'm not totally boned. Still though, what a shoddy guitar and what a shoddy way to do buisiness.

[DaMan12]

yea its really stupid, i just bought a copy off ebay and now im worried. I have my 360 guitars to use so I wont mind if the guitar goes on me but if the drums break im gonna call ea's office and snap on somebody.

[Voneahhh]

Why is it EA's fault that you bought it in your country before they sold it there? If I imported something from a different country before it was released in mine I really dont expect them to help me out.

[vyse12012]

well I don't know if it has been fixed, but in the tech support site, we can selected canada now.

[DaMan12]

Why is it EA's fault that you bought it in your country before they sold it there? If I imported something from a different country before it was released in mine I really dont expect them to help me out.

because its still their product and they should be responsible, its not like since i play in a different country its got more chances of breaking or something. and if the exact copy of rock band i bought was purchased off ebay by someone in buffalo they could have it replaced no problem. Why should 2 people with the exact same product get treated differently. Its not like when the Canadian version comes out ill be returning it to some "canadian ea warehouse", it'll be the same one it is now.

[ShadowOfEden]

Why is it EA's fault that you bought it in your country before they sold it there? If I imported something from a different country before it was released in mine I really dont expect them to help me out.

Well, US and Canada are both in the same region as far as gaming goes. Every other games come out on the same day, except a few delays due to shipping, but that's a day or two. Beside, you can select Canada in the form, it's just as the very end that it tells you that it cannot ship outside of US.


well I don't know if it has been fixed, but in the tech support site, we can selected canada now.

As I just said, yeah, you can pick Canada, but it will wait until the very end to tell you that it cannot ship outside of US.

[Voneahhh]

because its still their product and they should be responsible, its not like since i play in a different country its got more chances of breaking or something. and if the exact copy of rock band i bought was purchased off ebay by someone in buffalo they could have it replaced no problem. Why should 2 people with the exact same product get treated differently. Its not like when the Canadian version comes out ill be returning it to some "canadian ea warehouse", it'll be the same one it is now.

which is not their problem at all, their product is not made available in your country, if I import a japanese wii i certainly dont expect NOA to help me at all.


people have to realize thats the risk you take when you import.

edit: if I may add this is much like the Orange Box incident through that taiwanese site, its a fully legal copy of the orange box game through steam, but through a taiwanese store, those copis of orange box were locked out as they were not for the american consumer.

[Nevermore]

be wary of doing that. it's warranty fraud. you can get in trouble for that. seriously.Yeah, I'm not a lawyer, so don't take my thoughts as any sort of legal advice. Hehe. It does seem to me though that a company has a responsibility to support their DOA products. Unless the outside of the box says something to the effect of, "warranty coverage does not extend outside of the United States," I don't really see how they can defend their decision to refuse warranty coverage until it is officially released in Canada. Even if they can, I doubt that they'd want the bad press it would surely generate if they tried to sue or press some sort of charges. But then again, I'm not a PR person either. ;)

[DaMan12]

which is not their problem at all, their product is not made available in your country, if I import a japanese wii i certainly dont expect NOA to help me at all.


people have to realize thats the risk you take when you import.

edit: if I may add this is much like the Orange Box incident through that taiwanese site, its a fully legal copy of the orange box game through steam, but through a taiwanese store, those copis of orange box were locked out as they were not for the american consumer.

but a japanese wii and an american wii are completely different. A canadian rock band and an American rock band are identical. Canada and the USA are the same gaming region, produced in the same manufacturing plant and distributed by the same company.

[JackBNimble]

Hey there are guys in the TECH FORUM telling people how to fix the strum problem!!!!


And I believe the reason Canadians can not return the strat for a new one is the game has not been released in Canada yet.When the Canadian release date comes around this should change, at least I hope so.

[LoneSteele]

I'm really hoping for a quick fix to this. I'm glad HMXJohnLok says a solution is on the way. But it'd be a little more comforting if he'd elabprate a bit. I seriously love this game. But I've had enough of HMXs cryptic PR.

[xCHRISx]

My Rock Band is in the mail, and if it turns out it's broken and EA won't honor the warranty until December I will have words with EA. It wouldn't take much bad press to create a situation where they don't sell as many bundles the week before xmas when it comes out as they are probably expecting. Surely replacing one guitar would be cheaper than losing out on all the income from bad word of mouth about their policy.

[Voneahhh]

My Rock Band is in the mail, and if it turns out it's broken and EA won't honor the warranty until December I will have words with EA. It wouldn't take much bad press to create a situation where they don't sell as many bundles the week before xmas when it comes out as they are probably expecting. Surely replacing one guitar would be cheaper than losing out on all the income from bad word of mouth about their policy.


EA is not losing sleep over the .2% of canadians who imported rock band and didnt prepare for the consequences of importing.

[xCHRISx]

EA is not losing sleep over the .2% of canadians who imported rock band and didnt prepare for the consequences of importing.

The consequences of importing? Either they stand behind their product or they don't. I don't see how living 100 miles north of an imaginary line should mean somehow my Rock Band bundle isn't subject to the same warranty. Especially if they're going to replace it on Dec. 20th when it is released up here, what is the difference?