My Blem CV-1 Arrived - Trainwreck Neck

It's OK to start a new thread...they're free! :lol:

Michelle,

Welcome aboard!

I wouldn't steer you away from the Contemporary Series, BUT I would steer you away from any of the reclaimed ones and the ones from the last year. Those are usually clearly marked wtih a bastardized label and a USED stamp on the back of the headstock. And, even if it's an original label, avoid it if it has the prefix TL200 or higher in it (which means it was built in 2008 in Tacoma sometime after mid year -- a tough time for Tacoma).

Welcome Michele, and good luck!

MsRN said:

Hi, all! Newbie here...

I've been shopping for a 'new' guitar to replace a Taylor 612CE I parted with when funds were scarce. As I'm a novice--and hardly wealthy--I set a price range of $500-$1200 as a reasonable range. I'm not huge, so I prefer small-bodied guitars; strangely enough, i also prefer their voices to those of dreadnoughts. I like strumming and fingerpicking. I've done Web searches, reading reviews and listening to audio or video clips (plus going to local guitar shops to get ideas). My favorite is an all-mahogany Collings OM-1A, which made me weak-kneed; it's hardly in my price range, though. Of all the remaining models I've heard or auditioned, the other two I most like are the CO Series guitars and the Seagull SWS Mini Jumbo. I was thinking the CO models that are still floating around must have seasoned by now, so the wood wouldn't be so prone to movement. Then rebelhippiechicks post proved me wrong on that count. (Really? Who the h#@l makes a guitar neck out of green wood? Even I know better than that!). Prior to reading of rebels woes, I seriously thought to pick up a used/'re-furbished' CO-1; they truly sound that good to me. Now I really have to wonder. Making a new neck isn't rocket science, but I'm also not eager to take on such a challenge. Is the track record of the Contemporary Series really as bad as it seems? Are the F30 Aragon or F40 Valencia anything like the CO and CV guitars in terms of sound? Or should I just buy the Seagull and bide my time til I can afford the Collings of my dreams?

Any input is, of course, most appreciated.

Thanks,

Michele

Click to expand...

Sent you an email.

Bernie

PTC Bernie said:

MsRN said:

Hi, all! Newbie here...

I've been shopping for a 'new' guitar to replace a Taylor 612CE I parted with when funds were scarce. As I'm a novice--and hardly wealthy--I set a price range of $500-$1200 as a reasonable range. I'm not huge, so I prefer small-bodied guitars; strangely enough, i also prefer their voices to those of dreadnoughts. I like strumming and fingerpicking. I've done Web searches, reading reviews and listening to audio or video clips (plus going to local guitar shops to get ideas). My favorite is an all-mahogany Collings OM-1A, which made me weak-kneed; it's hardly in my price range, though. Of all the remaining models I've heard or auditioned, the other two I most like are the CO Series guitars and the Seagull SWS Mini Jumbo. I was thinking the CO models that are still floating around must have seasoned by now, so the wood wouldn't be so prone to movement. Then rebelhippiechicks post proved me wrong on that count. (Really? Who the h#@l makes a guitar neck out of green wood? Even I know better than that!). Prior to reading of rebels woes, I seriously thought to pick up a used/'re-furbished' CO-1; they truly sound that good to me. Now I really have to wonder. Making a new neck isn't rocket science, but I'm also not eager to take on such a challenge. Is the track record of the Contemporary Series really as bad as it seems? Are the F30 Aragon or F40 Valencia anything like the CO and CV guitars in terms of sound? Or should I just buy the Seagull and bide my time til I can afford the Collings of my dreams?

Any input is, of course, most appreciated.

Thanks,

Michele

Click to expand...

Sent you an email.

Bernie

Click to expand...

Bernie--

I sent you one back. It's definitely interesting; I still really love the maple sound!

Michele

I was wondering why this old thread appeared again. :lol: Cool.
Another Welcome to LTG Michelle.

Scratch said:

Arrived Monday. This is one of the prettiest guitars I own.. A real looker... That's the good news...

Now the bad: The bolt on neck is a washboard. I tried working with the truss rods; but I knew it was useless. This one had to go to Ross the Magic Luthier for major surgery. I dropped it off with him this evening; he'll remove the neck; shave the heel and reset it. Then a full fretboard shave, refret, replace compensated saddle (this is a new guitar) and nut and recondition the fretboard. Price 380 to 420. I'll get it back in a few weeks.

I paid 900.00 for it after seeing several other CV-1 blems go for between 1200.00 and 1400.00. I'll be around 1300.00 when I get it back and with Ross doing the work, it will be done right.

These Tacoma-built blems are no doubt guitars that did not pass QC and my guess is they were in some back storage room then released without warranty to eBay retailers once they moved operations to New Hartford. Unless the retailer offers return, stay away...

I'll close with good news: Stopped by New Braunfels Music last night and the owner, also the Southwest US Fender Field Representative, received a new D55 from the New Hartford plant. What a beautiful guitar. Not a hint of glue; perfectly balanced and when Eric tested it, everyone in the store stopped; turned and listened. Absolutely gorgeous and worthy of the D55 mantra. Eric said he'll let me have it for 2250.00. If I had the dough; I'd have bought it on the spot...

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First off....sorry to hear about all those problems...ouch.

I own the C0-2C Bolt on neck Tacoma built. The guitar is stamped "used". Rather than pay the $2800 list, I bought it for around $1200 in what I would call NEW condition. No one had owned it previously, but to my knowledge it was a demo or a second of some sort. Pick guard in case and mint condition....Mint.

So I took mine to my guitar guy and he about fell over with the quality and build of it, not to say the sound...he set the action where I wanted it and I've been playing it for a few years now without any problems....all I get is...(mostly from Taylor guys) ....Where did you get that guitar!..........Yeah, its that nice.

I assumed all the graphite bolt ons were as nice as mine...but maybe not. Either way, I wouldn't be afraid of purchasing another. Mine has Dtar system, which I'm not a huge fan of, but I'm keeping it in the guitar....I couldn't be happier with the sound, look and feel...

Hopefully when yours gets back to you, it will sound as amazing as mine does.

Thanks for the feedback on your experience.
Ralf

John is well aware of the post date. The thread material remains relevant for those who purchase/are considering purchasing 'used' CV-1 guitars (and other contemporary series instruments) that Fender released via second party (eBay Wholesaler) to a buyer-unaware market from mid 2008 to late 2008. During this period, Fender was in process of moving production/operations to the current NH facility. Former member John Henderson and I conducted research that revealed nearly 80% of those 'used' contemporary series guitars were negatively affected when in-house stocks of 'green' wood were used in construction of bolt-on necks asociated with the 'contemporary' series instruments. John (C70man) was one of the lucky 20%...

For those considering purchase of Guild Contemporary series guitars marketed during the transition period from Tacoma to NH, please be aware that most guitars labeled 'Used' during this period (mid-late 2008) were constructed with resources of questionable-quality as they rushed through/expedited the process of 'cleaning house' during the transition to NH.

Returning these guitars to playable condition required significant additional expense and time for the necks to properly age before they could be properly attached. In my case the immature wood problems were compounded when assembly technicians overtorqued the attachment bolts in an effort to offset the warp-prone green woods (see applicable pictures; this thread)

Also note that there were no documented problems with Tacoma-era Guild guitars from 2005 thru early 2008 nor have there been similar documented cases from NH or previous Guild manufacturing facilities (Corona CA, Westerly RI; Hoboken NJ, Manhatten NY). Of five Tacoma era Guilds I owned from 2007 - 2009 (D-40, D-55, F-512, F-40, CV-1), the CV-1 was the only subpar-quality instrument...