We are sick.
- Thread starter SuperSonic
- Start date
GardMan
Enlightened Member
SuperSonic said:
So sorry! What a pain! Does it look like finish checking that is typical of rapid temp changes, or flaws in the finish? Can you post pics?
To me, it sounds like you need to find a new DEALER. If the finish checking occurred from factory to dealer, the dealer should have sent it back to the factory, not passed it on to you. Is the dealer in Florida? It's hard to imagine cold-weather checking occuring if shipping was within Florida (unless you are having a real cold spell down there)... if coming from a colder part of the country, I would expect a dealer to understand how to ship a guitar, or not to ship a guitar, during the winter. Is there a shop where you can personally pick out a guitar and DRIVE home with it? That would be the best way to ensure (and insure) you are happy with your/your son's instrument, and even a 2 hr drive would be less aggravation and disappointment than you are going thru with this!
One of the complaints I heard third-hand about Corona-made Guilds was finish checking... particularly in the early years. I hope it doesn't become an issue at the New Hartford factory!
plaidseason
Senior Member
Do we know whether the new guitar was shipped overnight or not? And if so, did the dealer in the warm shop wait to open up the package/case, as opposed to rapidly exposing a cold guitar finish to an entirely new climate?
jcwu
Senior Member
jazzmang said:
jazzmang said:
You would think that a good dealer would KNOW not to ship a guitar via ground during the cold! Which leads me to the same conclusion as GardMan:
GardMan said:
SuperSonic
Junior Member
This happened between the dealer and Guild. I just received a refund. I did not get this one. Fender just notified me as did the dealer. I give up! This has almost become comical. It has become a good lesson for my son, you want something so bad one day and given enough time you forget you even wanted it at all.
In the immortal words of my progenitors... oy vey.
Sorry to hear it SS. Good luck with whatever you decide to do.
Sorry to hear it SS. Good luck with whatever you decide to do.
SuperSonic
Junior Member
Thanks, we gave it our all. Me thinks they are having problems in Guild/Fender land. It could be that it is just to darn cold.
So ... after shipping a guitar with visible, fixable, but overlooked flaws, Fender / Guild ships a replacement that ... possibly as a result of haste ... is ruined in the process. Like the police car that gets in an accident on its way to investigate an accident .... you can't make this stuff up.
Teething pains, I'm afraid.
Guild is not the only manufacturer to run into shipping problems, by the way. I don't think SS's first guitar was a shipping problem, but this one might've been.
Guild is not the only manufacturer to run into shipping problems, by the way. I don't think SS's first guitar was a shipping problem, but this one might've been.
So be it. I guess I'm getting senile. Bah... Really, this thread is a bummer. The answer is to get in your car and join us for the factory tour in April and pick up your guitar there!!!capnjuan said:
adorshki
Reverential Member
Hi SS: This is more like a TRAGEDY than a COMEDY of errors...if you have any room left in your heart for Guild after this fiasco, my suggestion would be to print out this thread, take it to a local dealer and ask them how much pricing sympathy they have for this scenario and if they'd order one for you, thus at least avoiding this constant shipping surprise problem.
In any case, I say with full tongue-in-cheek, "God'll get you for this" (you'll be compensated for the frustration somewhere somehow "somewhen".) I sincerely wish you good luck. If it was me in my business you'd be getting it at cost after so many screw-ups. Or free depending on what the actual cost was...
In any case, I say with full tongue-in-cheek, "God'll get you for this" (you'll be compensated for the frustration somewhere somehow "somewhen".) I sincerely wish you good luck. If it was me in my business you'd be getting it at cost after so many screw-ups. Or free depending on what the actual cost was...
Bing k
Senior Member
The cold weather shipping thing is a nightmare. I try not to order during the winter but it happens. I have a restriction in at Fender asking shipping to notify me when they are going to ship an American so I can stop it if necessary. Since the change to CT I haven't gotten the calls so I need to update. Hoping it is still a possibility.
The problem with shipping next day air or 2 day air or three day select besides the expense which is substantially higher than ground is the fact that they put them on a truck with an unheated cargo compartment then a plane with an unheated cargo compartment and then put them in a truck with an unheated cargo compartment. If the weather is cold we don't save the guitar from anything. Even if it's warm all the way across the country on the ground the belly of that plane flying at 30,000 ft goes to sub zero. I've found that watching the weather along the shipping route on the ground and shipping UPS ground works the best as far as temperature exposure is concerned.
We've lost some finishes along the way and I worry every time I ship one. If one gets damaged coming to us, Fender picks up the tab and we send them to Tennessee . But between us and the customer it's our baby. We have a very qualified shop capable of doing the finish so we put the money in them here and then carry the guarantee on the finish ourselves.
We only sell the finish repairs locally with complete disclosure so we have them close. We've never had one come back.
We have been designing a "case heater" idea over the last couple of years as measure to combat our climate. If I could keep that case interior at a minimum of 40 degrees F for four days and still apply the "don't open for several hours upon arrival" I would feel a lot more comfortable shipping these things in winter.
Do to the cost of the heater we would probably charge a deposit when shipped and then place a small shipping box prelabeled in the carton for the return. We would also make keeping the reusable heater a option for the customer for their own use in cold weather.
It's a hell of a financial risk for the dealers shipping in the cold and we've lost sales because we refused to ship in the middle of a cold spell when we suspect we're going to have it come back. Especially if you're under the map on the quotes and still picking up the shipping cost. It doesn't leave us much for the gamble we take. We lost several F412s here some years back and it still bites.
The problem with shipping next day air or 2 day air or three day select besides the expense which is substantially higher than ground is the fact that they put them on a truck with an unheated cargo compartment then a plane with an unheated cargo compartment and then put them in a truck with an unheated cargo compartment. If the weather is cold we don't save the guitar from anything. Even if it's warm all the way across the country on the ground the belly of that plane flying at 30,000 ft goes to sub zero. I've found that watching the weather along the shipping route on the ground and shipping UPS ground works the best as far as temperature exposure is concerned.
We've lost some finishes along the way and I worry every time I ship one. If one gets damaged coming to us, Fender picks up the tab and we send them to Tennessee . But between us and the customer it's our baby. We have a very qualified shop capable of doing the finish so we put the money in them here and then carry the guarantee on the finish ourselves.
We only sell the finish repairs locally with complete disclosure so we have them close. We've never had one come back.
We have been designing a "case heater" idea over the last couple of years as measure to combat our climate. If I could keep that case interior at a minimum of 40 degrees F for four days and still apply the "don't open for several hours upon arrival" I would feel a lot more comfortable shipping these things in winter.
Do to the cost of the heater we would probably charge a deposit when shipped and then place a small shipping box prelabeled in the carton for the return. We would also make keeping the reusable heater a option for the customer for their own use in cold weather.
It's a hell of a financial risk for the dealers shipping in the cold and we've lost sales because we refused to ship in the middle of a cold spell when we suspect we're going to have it come back. Especially if you're under the map on the quotes and still picking up the shipping cost. It doesn't leave us much for the gamble we take. We lost several F412s here some years back and it still bites.
SuperSonic
Junior Member
Bing I feel for the dealer here as he was very nice and accommodating. The original D55 did not have finish issues it was very poor craftsmanship. I know this sounds crazy but I find much better discounts online and the tax issues are very favorable. We just had a run of bad luck. I will say that fender has a borderline arrogant attitude towards there customers and seemed to shove everything off on the dealer.
Bing k
Senior Member
There is no excuse for something at this price point getting out of the factory with issues you had on the original guitar and the damage to the case and guitar during shipping.
If it had the issues when it was inspected before leaving the factory somebody was asleep. If it was caused by improper drying of materials and showed up during travel from the dealer to you, that's a production issue, my unprofessional guess would be shrinkage of finish materials.
My previous post mainly addressed the cold weather shipping issue thread veer.
If it had the issues when it was inspected before leaving the factory somebody was asleep. If it was caused by improper drying of materials and showed up during travel from the dealer to you, that's a production issue, my unprofessional guess would be shrinkage of finish materials.
My previous post mainly addressed the cold weather shipping issue thread veer.
devellis
Member
Well, this thread has taken another depressing turn. I'm so sorry that all of this happened to you, SS. I've always been very wary about winter shipping and have gone to pains to avoid it (recently driving for several hours to avoid it, in fact).
I was under the impression that finish could survive cold temperatures as long as the warm-up was gradual. Is that incorrect? If so, I'm even gladder that I've avoided winter shipping.
I was under the impression that finish could survive cold temperatures as long as the warm-up was gradual. Is that incorrect? If so, I'm even gladder that I've avoided winter shipping.
adorshki
Reverential Member
That's the impression I've had from previous reads but Bing seems to be implying that those sub-zero temps are downright murderous. Counterpoint is SouthernGuild's D25 restoration recently shipped by air with no finish problems he's reported, unless I missed something. I'm starting to suspect the age and thickness of the finish also play a big role.devellis said:
Bing k
Senior Member
I don't want to lead anybody away from the conventional theory but. We have had damage occur on numerous new instruments on which all the precautions were taken. It's my thought that the different materials, in this case the finish
and the wood, shrink at different percentages.
and the wood, shrink at different percentages.
fronobulax
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And thank you for that. I always appreciate hearing/reading your insight backed by experience.Bing k said:My previous post mainly addressed the cold weather shipping issue thread veer.