Casing Problem Again! Has Anyone Else Seen This?

[Keeper]

After spending Three damn hours shoveling my car out of the snow, I finally got to go to the P.O. to pick up my THIRD Sansa Fuze in two weeks. I bought the first two refurbished and they both had problems with the front and back peaces not fitting seamlessly. I gave up on the refurbed. route (first time I had problems with refurbs) and bought a new one. I got it today and the first thing I noticed was that it came in the EXACT same packaging as both of the refurbished players - noticed something odd about the seams -nearly in the same place as I had the problems with the other... And all three players had same number on the back (wonder if this is a bad batch).

I got it home - turned on.. and BAM -- same problem with the damn space in the seams, on the side and on top of the player So, someone suggested that I ask you all if this is a quirky design of the Fuze, or if I am just getting players from a bad batch!

I am getting pissed at this now, especially since I anticipate a battle from whom I got this on Ebay. Considering that I paid an extra $26 and I got the same damn problem with the player, it is a battle that I am more than willing to fight.

If this is a bad design with the Fuze, I can take it, but I sure as hell prefer to not have it at the cost of extra money!

In the posted photos, the one on the brown pillow is the first refurbed that I sent back, and the one on the red pillow is the NEW one that I got in the mail today.

[CrowdAds]

[Marvin the Martian]

I can't say as I've noticed it with the three Fuzes I've had....and it's not there on my current V1.

[razorblader]

I have a similar problem (only on the right side) on my Fuze v2, albeit not as pronounced as it seems to be with yours judging from the pictures. Since I use a silicon cover I don't mind it so much but was a bit ticked off too when I saw it for the first time.

[Keeper]

Originally Posted by razorblader

I have a similar problem (only on the right side) on my Fuze v2, albeit not as pronounced as it seems to be with yours judging from the pictures. Since I use a silicon cover I don't mind it so much but was a bit ticked off too when I saw it for the first time.

Yes, they all had this on the right side - this one and the last one have it on the top as well - I never checked the first one for the problem on the top. They are all V2 as well. Is yours a refurbished player?

[razorblader]

I bought mine new and it had the problem right from the beginning.

The Sandisk players are pretty good value for the money but they don't exactly redefine the term strict quality control as we know it. On the bright side they sound very nice and so far my Fuze and Clip+ have held up very well.

[lestatar]

Man, that sux, but FWIW, I got 2 Fuze v2 and this is not in evidence at all...

Hope it works out man...

[Keeper]

Originally Posted by lestatar

Man, that sux, but FWIW, I got 2 Fuze v2 and this is not in evidence at all...

Hope it works out man...

Thanks for responding Lestatar. After reading Razorblader's response, I was just sitting here thinking if this is typical, then I could have just kept the very first one that I paid $49.00 for, or sent it back for a refund and left it at that. I just cannot imagine, though, that this is typical of this product! I think this is a bad batch of these, that people are now selling as refurbished and New Overstock.. All of my players fall into either of the two categories. I sent this seller an email on Ebay, and we shall see what happens. They have an exchange policy only, but bump that.. IF I go with the Fuze again, it is going to have to be straight out of a company sealed package. Target has some for $86.00. I might just have do go that route, but for now, I have to deal with the situation at hand. It has me a bit discouraged about the Fuze, though.

[lestatar]

Heya Keeper: I wouldn't look too badly at Sandisk in this case. Refurbs are generally a very good deal especially from reputable sources, but your logic is sound. Indeed, perhaps some ebay-etailers just got a bad batch...Sux, but this stuff happens as you know I am sure.

Again, FWIW, my own 2 Fuzes were bought new [RadioShack]. And yes, it seems Fuze is "officially" discontinued from Sandisk so they are:
- getting increasingly hard to find;
- possibly having their prices jump at the moment.

The Fuze is a great DAP. Really a shame that the Fuze+, while it sounds terrific, rubs many folks [including me] the wrong way with the touch navigation.

Still to be fair, some folks have and really enjoy the Fuze+. Maybe consider going that route? Hit like a BestBuy and play with it yourself [knowing that the BestBuy samples will probably be screwed up from all those grubby careless hands]. There have been some FW updates to the Fuze+ which supposedly addressed a few of the navigation/touch issues though I cannot say as I don't have one.

And then of course, the Fuze+ has no Rockbox support if you were so inclined...

Hang in there...

[skip252]

If I take the card out of mine and shine a light behind the power button there's light leaking through. If you hold up a Clip or Clip+ up to a light source you can see clear through them on the USB cable to headphone jack axis.

I'd think the openings at the headphone jack, USB connector and card slot would be much more likely entry points for foreign matter. All of them are going to show light going from the power button to the card slot at a minimum. They will probably also show light where there not a shell connecting clip to block it. It's how they're made.

You can keep trading them. That's your choice. I seriously doubt you'll find one that doesn't show any light when you test it that way.

[Keeper]

Originally Posted by skip252

If I take the card out of mine and shine a light behind the power button there's light leaking through. If you hold up a Clip or Clip+ up to a light source you can see clear through them on the USB cable to headphone jack axis.

I'd think the openings at the headphone jack, USB connector and card slot would be much more likely entry points for foreign matter. All of them are going to show light going from the power button to the card slot at a minimum. They will probably also show light where there not a shell connecting clip to block it. It's how they're made.

You can keep trading them. That's your choice. I seriously doubt you'll find one that doesn't show any light when you test it that way.

The areas on the player that you are talking about are fine on the player that I currently have, as they were on the two that I returned. These spaces are on the upper right side and on top of the player - a little less pronounced on the upper left side of the player. These openings look as if they were created after the player was opened, and then the pieces never quite fit back together; in some areas there are white specs. Glue perhaps? Who knows. The covers were definitely misaligned slightly in the first player.

Had I known that this was pretty typical, if that is in fact the case, then I would not bother to be bothered by it. But there is no way in hell I am going to believe that Sansa put out a product like this, new. I own at least ten mp3 players and NEVER have I seen anything like THIS. Even my cheap Chinese players, although they did have other problems, had properly sealed casings.

It might never interfere with the player, but, I am not going to take that risk. I just wanted to find out if others were having this problem so that I can know whether or not to bother with this again.

[skip252]

From Enzo's Sansa Fuze Review.

The total of the design has a solid once piece feel and a nice heavy weight. SanDisk has always been known for their cheaper feeling designs and they has historically cleaned up in the lower end MP3 player market, but I almost don’t want to call this cheap. I say almost because there are still some tolerance issues on the assembly, mainly between the front and back plate. Still, the construction quality of the Fuze is the best of Sansa to date.

It's the same now as it was in 2008.

[Keeper]

Originally Posted by skip252

From Enzo's Sansa Fuze Review.

It's the same now as it was in 2008.

I can only nod my head at this. I still think it is a great player - This just caught me way off guard - And I can have so much more tolerance at a lower price. Thanks for the quote. I know what to expect now. And to your first post - I wondered (when I had the first one) if this was an issue with inside clips. I thought I had posted a comment or question about it. I even started to try to open it to see, but did not want to cause any damage to the player - and left it alone. Oh well, now I know.

[Pennhaven]

FWIW, only one sample, but the refurbed V2 I just got from Newegg yesterday does not have this problem. There is no apparent light leakage.

There does appear to be a tiny cosmetic gap in outer edge of the seam at one corner, probably from the prying tool where it was opened for refurbishing, but the case still seals tightly there.

My guess is that some of the cases were just poorly molded, not enough material where it should be, and they got through quality control when they shouldn't have.

[Keeper]

Originally Posted by Pennhaven

FWIW, only one sample, but the refurbed V2 I just got from Newegg yesterday does not have this problem. There is no apparent light leakage.

There does appear to be a tiny cosmetic gap in outer edge of the seam at one corner, probably from the prying tool where it was opened for refurbishing, but the case still seals tightly there.

My guess is that some of the cases were just poorly molded, not enough material where it should be, and they got through quality control when they shouldn't have.

And I can accept this from a refurbished product, but not a new one. I am going to try to get my money back, especially since I paid more for it - Then I will decide later if I iwll try a refurbed again, walk into a store to get a new one, or just hold off and use one of my other players for now. Thanks for your input.

[selectortone]

I have a refurbished Fuze V1. I keep it in a silicon skin case that cost me the princely sum of £2.95 (about $4.00) from Singapore, including postage. I've never checked to see whether I can see daylight through any of the seams. What the eye doesn't see, the heart doesn't grieve over .

[eboyer93]

I can see light coming out right side of mine, so maybe I have this problem. Doesn't really bother me that much.

[psgarcha92]

Adjust, man
get a silicon cover and your'e done.seriously.

[coachop94]

I have 2 used Fuzes I purchased from an Ebay seller. Neither have the problem you have described.

[TuFur]

This is so funny. The fuze doesn't come with a rubber insert for the SD socket or the cable socket. It comes with a metal bottom and scratch able top. If you sail, use a Ziploc baggy. Or if you sweat or live in a snow zone...use a ziploc baggy. How is your cellphone? I don't own one, but people in Scandinavia are complaining like you. I follow friends there and read the local. So what was your problem? Living day to day with electronic devices and expecting them to operate outside the manufacturers parameters? That's like every New York City bus out of service that has an accident....the phandom complaniers come out of the wood work complaining of whiplash. Maybe you just didn't read the fine print print when you were born......It said this fellow is on fetal LSD and complaining why he was let into the world.

BTW, one of my fuzes in in a clear plastic case. I don't recomemd, but it feels good. My other is in a rubber skin with a the original plastic wrap the fuzed came in. I cut the the plastic in two to protect the screen. Neither are water proof....ziploc is your friend.

[razorblader]

Just bought refurbished black Fuze v2 on eBay and it looks brand-new and doesn't have the light leakage problem so maybe there was just a bad batch at some point.