Guild warranty

[xuthal]

How long does a Guild guitar hold it's warranty for?Excluding the usual fret wear and humidity issues what is covered under the warranty and for how long?

 

[twocorgis]

How long does a Guild guitar hold it's warranty for?Excluding the usual fret wear and humidity issues what is covered under the warranty and for how long?

Hoo boy, is that ever a loaded question!

The short answer is It depends...

 

[xuthal]

say it has some major structural damage to the top and you're not the original owner.

 

[capnjuan]

Hi xuthal and welcome to LTG. The warranty generally covers instruments that have been subject to normal wear and tear only ... then to the benefit of the original owner who registered the guitar/warranty ... and then further to the extent that Guild / FMIC choses to honor the warranty.

Think of it this way: if you had made that guitar and somebody showed it to you with structural damage not associated with normal wear and tear, would you honor your warranty? If your answer is no, then Guild's answer would be no.

Did you buy a Guild with undisclosed damage?

 

[West R Lee]

It can only be claimed by the origional owner, but if you were to have proof of origional ownership, it's good for life......or at least it used to be.

West

 

[twocorgis]

say it has some major structural damage to the top and you're not the original owner.

Forget it. You must be the original owner and have proof of such (original receipt). Even then, FMIC was reluctant to warranty the neck reset on my '73 D50 (of which I am the original owner and still have the receipt), and I still had to pay for the fretboard planing and fret work.

 

[West R Lee]

say it has some major structural damage to the top and you're not the original owner.

Forget it. You must be the original owner and have proof of such (original receipt). Even then, FMIC was reluctant to warranty the neck reset on my '73 D50 (of which I am the original owner and still have the receipt), and I still had to pay for the fretboard planing and fret work.

HMMM.....times change.

West

 

[twocorgis]

say it has some major structural damage to the top and you're not the original owner.

Forget it. You must be the original owner and have proof of such (original receipt). Even then, FMIC was reluctant to warranty the neck reset on my '73 D50 (of which I am the original owner and still have the receipt), and I still had to pay for the fretboard planing and fret work.

HMMM.....times change.

West

They sure do West. I'm just happy that it's only $280 instead of $700. :shock:

 

[xuthal]

Thanks guys,i was thinking about buying one that was damaged,leaning towards fixing it up but hey,it's a guild,and thought of having it sound the way it was intended instead of re topping it.
Capnjuan
Been here since last year,just haven't posted much ,i still drop by from time to time,looking for that elusive lefty Guild

 

[capnjuan]

... Capnjuan; Been here since last year,just haven't posted much ,i still drop by from time to time,looking for that elusive lefty Guild

Hi X: I feel your pain; I play golf left-handed ... I can relate to the gear thing.

 

[West R Lee]

Thanks guys,i was thinking about buying one that was damaged,leaning towards fixing it up but hey,it's a guild,and thought of having it sound the way it was intended instead of re topping it.
Capnjuan
Been here since last year,just haven't posted much ,i still drop by from time to time,looking for that elusive lefty Guild

Any particular model Xu? I keep seeing a left handed beauty, but she might be more than you want.

West

 

[fronobulax]

I'm late again which means I'm re-late which makes all my Guild brothers and sisters relatives.

Once again the issue of warranty was mentioned by Dave "Mr. Guild" G. of Fender at LMG 2010. First you must be the original purchaser and able to prove that you are. Second the problem must be a manufacturing defect or similar problem and not just normal wear and tear or routine maintainence. If you get that far then Dave said Fender would need to inspect the guitar and would make a warranty determination based upon their inspection. Dave admitted that warranty policy for pre-Fender Guilds has been inconsistent. He explicitly said that the belief that 1980 was a cutoff for honoring warranties was false. He alluded to, but did not elaborate on, the possibility that Fender was not even legal obligated to honor pre-Fender warranties. (It's called buying assets but not liabilities. See the GM bail out for an example). He did say that Fender wanted to do The Right Thing and expressed hope for a future when Guild warranty issues and repairs went directly to Guild in New Hartford and not through the existing Fender warranty and service network.

 

[twocorgis]

I'm late again which means I'm re-late which makes all my Guild brothers and sisters relatives.

Once again the issue of warranty was mentioned by Dave "Mr. Guild" G. of Fender at LMG 2010. First you must be the original purchaser and able to prove that you are. Second the problem must be a manufacturing defect or similar problem and not just normal wear and tear or routine maintainence. If you get that far then Dave said Fender would need to inspect the guitar and would make a warranty determination based upon their inspection. Dave admitted that warranty policy for pre-Fender Guilds has been inconsistent. He explicitly said that the belief that 1980 was a cutoff for honoring warranties was false. He alluded to, but did not elaborate on, the possibility that Fender was not even legally obligated to honor pre-Fender warranties. (It's called buying assets but not liabilities. See the GM bail out for an example). He did say that Fender wanted to do The Right Thing and expressed hope for a future when Guild warranty issues and repairs went directly to Guild in New Hartford and not through the existing Fender warranty and service network.

Very well said, Frono. That's the long answer!

I wish my guitar was in New Hartford getting repaired right now instead.

 

[xuthal]

Thanks guys,i was thinking about buying one that was damaged,leaning towards fixing it up but hey,it's a guild,and thought of having it sound the way it was intended instead of re topping it.
Capnjuan
Been here since last year,just haven't posted much ,i still drop by from time to time,looking for that elusive lefty Guild

Any particular model Xu? I keep seeing a left handed beauty, but she might be more than you want.

West

Sent you a PM!