New Hartford Guild Warranty?

[Dadaist]

Anyone out there who has recently purchased a New Hartford guitar got some info for me?

I've been trading Emails with one of our very new members here on LTG who just happens to be selling two of His guitars (wait....do folks actually join this group of malcontents, ner' do' wells and Geezers just to sell their (gasp!) Guilds??? Tell me it ain't so..)

I answered His ad on CL, and He was trying to convince me that just because He hadn't sent in the Warranty Card, that whoever bought His Brand Spanking New F-512,...that He or She could technically send it in...and Guiild, at some later date....would cheerfully honor the Warranty work, no questions asked.

I re-read an older Guild/Fender Warranty booklet, and it was pretty specific that the Card had to be sent to Guild in ten days, and if any work was to be authorized, that the original sales receipt had to accompany the Guitar. Remember,...the aforementioned F-512 was purchased in September.

All you LTGers who only Buy New.... (you Lucky Dogs, you! Maybe one day....) is this true? Is that Warranty transferable? The second owner's name aint' gonna be on that sales receipt.... or was fsl009 just blowing smoke up my collective skirt to close a sale?

David

 

[charliea]

They don't care about, or require, owner registration. I don't think anybody does, anymore. Federal regs, I think. They caution you that, register or not, you'll have to provide proof of purchase when you make a claim. The warranty is only for the original purchaser, and the guitar must be purchased from an authorized dealer.

 

[adorshki]

They don't care about, or require, owner registration. I don't think anybody does, anymore. Federal regs, I think. They caution you that, register or not, you'll have to provide proof of purchase when you make a claim. The warranty is only for the original purchaser, and the guitar must be purchased from an authorized dealer.

YEP. That proof of purchase is going to be the deciding factor. And that "Authorized dealer" clause is new.

 

[Dadaist]

They don't care about, or require, owner registration. I don't think anybody does, anymore. Federal regs, I think. They caution you that, register or not, you'll have to provide proof of purchase when you make a claim. The warranty is only for the original purchaser, and the guitar must be purchased from an authorized dealer.

YEP. That proof of purchase is going to be the deciding factor. And that "Authorized dealer" clause is new.

Thanks, Guys...That is kind of what I thought. Warranty work will only be honored to the original purchaser....the
name on that original AD receipt.

Here's another, albeit sticky question...again for you Lucky Dogs who happen to have new, shiny unblemished guitars Technically, the F-512 in question is a "used" guitar. How much do we think that a Guild Warranty is worth....when buying a used guitar over a NOS or brand new Guiild? How much is Authorized Guild Repair worth compared to some local Talent of equal ability?

I purchased one New Guild, but that was in 1975 and that D40, in all the time I owned it, needed nothing but new strings every few months. Overbuilt? Sure...but that's how all Guilds of that Era were made. You could play 'em and use 'em for personal protection in an emergency.

David

 

[charliea]

I would expect a pretty good deal. I got my new 512 about 2 months ago for a little over $2,200 delivered. There's supposedly been a price increase, but not according to the Guild website, so who knows? You can certainly beat $2,500. How much does the seller want for it? The NH 512s are, by the way, fabulous instruments. Mine is starting to break-in, and sounds better than I thought it would.

 

[adorshki]

Here's another, albeit sticky question...again for you Lucky Dogs who happen to have new, shiny unblemished guitars Technically, the F-512 in question is a "used" guitar. How much do we think that a Guild Warranty is worth....when buying a used guitar over a NOS or brand new Guiild? How much is Authorized Guild Repair worth compared to some local Talent of equal ability?

I think this was recently discussed and valued at around $300.00-500.00, based on cost of worst case repairs: neck-reset, and cost of used instruments in Good or Very Good Condition.
As for authorized repair, quite frequently the same guy IS doing both end-user work and taking in the sub-contracted work for the Authorized Dealer who is taking in the warranty claim and handling it for the customer. At least 1 guy in this town "still" does it out of 3 I knew of. The counterpoint is that the actual designated "Authorized Repair Center" is a true luthier, family business, with about 50 years of experience. You just know there's probably all kinds of Guild-specific knowledge in that shop. Those are the guys that restored Greg Kihn's 12-string which was threaded here a couple of months ago or so with a Youtube link.
Something else to consider is turnaround time, our member Twocorgi's been without his D50 for what, over 6 months?, when they originally promised like 6 weeks? And whether you want to risk shipping your baby, AT ALL. But you're in LA right? I'm sure there's an authorized facility in the region listed on their website.

I purchased one New Guild, but that was in 1975 and that D40, in all the time I owned it, needed nothing but new strings every few months. Overbuilt? Sure...but that's how all Guilds of that Era were made. David

My '96 Westerly's holding up fine and has 2 complete refrets on her. Had a couple of knocks that scared me too. Always strung with .012's so don't really expect any future neck problems.
F65ce IS the delicate one in the family, but I realize now that's part of how it gets so much tone from a shallow body. Has a VERY slight case of bridge lift, but I kept it strung with .012's for about 5 year when it was spec'd for .010's. Even then the bridge lift may actually be the old "incomplete glue spot syndrome". Hasn't progressed in the 2 years I've been watching, that I can tell. I use a template traced on a piece of paper to see if it's getting deeper under the bridge. Neck seems fine.
Corona D40's the heavyweight, if anything that one may be the "overbuilt" one, again no eason to expect any problems there either.

 

[Dadaist]

I would expect a pretty good deal. I got my new 512 about 2 months ago for a little over $2,200 delivered. There's supposedly been a price increase, but not according to the Guild website, so who knows? You can certainly beat $2,500. How much does the seller want for it? The NH 512s are, by the way, fabulous instruments. Mine is starting to break-in, and sounds better than I thought it would.

The seller is asking $2200, and He's very firm on that price. Charliea that $2200, delivered, got you the guitar and the Warranty....which is what is lacking on this F-512. Sounds like a No-Sale for Me..

David

 

[fronobulax]

In response to a comment of mine, CapnJuan did some market research that suggested $300-$500 was the price difference between a new instrument from an authorized dealer and an unused instrument from a private seller.

Many of my consumer receipts do not have my name on them, especially if I paid cash. I can imagine cases where possession of the original receipt would be all that was available for a warranty determination.

 

[adorshki]

In response to a comment of mine, CapnJuan did some market research that suggested $300-$500 was the price difference between a new instrument from an authorized dealer and an unused instrument from a private seller.

Aha. Thanks for clarifying that.

Many of my consumer receipts do not have my name on them, especially if I paid cash. I can imagine cases where possession of the original receipt would be all that was available for a warranty determination.

Good point. Might be something to try to remember when making an instrument purchase, make sure your name's on the receipt. Was automatically done with all mine, maybe the stores were already used to the issue.