D-55 on its way to Guild for warranty service

[davismanLV]

As @Boneman says, although it's been a lengthy process for you, if it's cold when you get it make sure you follow the procedure for acclimation and slow warm up or you'll be super unhappy with what happens. That lacquer will just shatter!! Looking forward to your NNGD!!

 

[bobouz]

Well that's interesting. I actually had no idea what nitro Collings uses, or that there were a variety of nitrocellulose lacquers for that matter. I do know that Collings applies it very, very thin. Like .004" I think.
West

This is why, in a recent thread, I mentioned that one's personal care & feeding experiences regarding nitro finishes is best applied only to instruments from the same maker and from a similar era. Nitro formulations have been and remain a moving target!

 

[chazmo]

It is cold here now, and I brought that up to Chris, who gave me some pointers on how to acclimate the instrument and avoid finish crazing from thermal stress. But that was why I was trying to keep it out of being parked over a weekend.

Hey, dwasifar, there's some risk (but not a ton) with the cold re: shipping when a guitar is properly packed in a HSC within a box that's insulated with all kinds of airy packing material. The real risk to the guitar is rapid temperature change. So, if you haven't heard this already, acclimate the box and then the HSC first before you even consider taking the guitar out. If the box been subjected to freezing outdoor temps, I do at least 12 hours to let the box sit in my house -- usually I open one end of the box right away but everything stays where it is. After (at least) those 12 hours I remove the HSC from the box. Then I let the HSC sit unopened for (at least) another 12 hours or so (maybe more). If the latches on the case feel at all cold, wait longer before popping them. It's at that point that an unacclimated guitar would get blasted by warm air and craze the finish.

Good luck!

 

[GGJaguar]

I have used the acclimation method without fail. However, I also burn sage in the "acclimation" room to purify it. That may also be help.

 

[GAD]

Acclimation is key because it’s the rapid change in temp that leads to cracking and crazing. The big vendors ship nitro guitars in the cold all the time - with the strings at pitch! - and they’re fine.

I think we like to be extra cautious and that’s OK but sometimes I think we as guitarists can be a bit nutty (says the guy with 100+ guitars)

 

[fronobulax]

Sounds like Guild has redeemed themselves. When we allude to this episode in the future we will note that Guild finally did The Right Thing.
They took longer than reasonable to do so and failed at communications but there are steps someone with necessary warranty work can take to reduce the chances of that happening to them.

 

[jeffcoop]

It sounds like you made exactly the right choice, and I hope that all proceeds as planned and that the replacement is as good as described. Breaking in a new guitar is part of the fun!

 

[Stuball48]

It didn't happen without pictures!
Looking forward to your take on the new D55. Correct choice in my opinion.

 

[D30Man]

Yes, that is the real news here. How does it feel? How does it sound? I am thrilled you have a new one on the way and I can't wait to hear about it. I am also glad they finally stepped up.

 

[chazmo]

I'm afraid to ask, but can't resist...

What's the latest, dwasifar?

 

[fronobulax]

I'm afraid to ask, but can't resist...

What's the latest, dwasifar?

What's the word (besides fronobulax) for when a moderator stirs the pot?

I too have been patiently waiting but figured if there was something to tell we'd hear it unless there was a non-disclosure agreement involved ;-)

 

[chazmo]

What's the word (besides fronobulax) for when a moderator stirs the pot?

duck soup.

 

[dwasifar]

I was waiting for an issue to settle out before I posted with the update.

You'll remember I had instructed Chris at Guild not to ship late in the week if there was a chance the instrument would spend a weekend sitting on a truck or in an unheated warehouse. That turned out to be what would have happened, so with my approval, Chris waited until today to ship, and he called me with the tracking number they'd generated.

At that point, while on the call, both of us simultaneously realized we had forgotten about Thanksgiving this week. A ground shipment leaving today would probably not arrive until next Monday, basically doubling the very problem we were trying to avoid.

Chris asked me if I wanted to delay shipping another week. I had a different idea, and asked him, "Out of curiosity, how much would it cost to upgrade this shipment to two-day and get it here Wednesday? I can reimburse you for the difference if that's necessary." Of course, I was quietly hoping it would not be necessary, and Chris didn't let me down in that regard. He said it was a good idea and he would try to just get it handled for me.

A couple of hours later he called me back. He "did some talking" to some people and got the shipment upgraded to two-day at no extra cost to me. He said FedEx is not guaranteeing two-day over the holiday week, so it could be Wednesday, or it could be Friday, but no later than Friday, and provided me a tracking number.

When the tracking number first registered in the FedEx system, it said the shipment was late for pickup and would be delivered Friday. But when I returned to the tracking site just now, I saw this:



So it looks like it will be a happy family Thanksgiving in the Dwasifar household. Can't wait for Wednesday.

 

[Stuball48]

Hope it is even better than what you imagined it would be. Excited to see this D55.

 

[West R Lee]

You deserve the very best that Guild can build after all of this, and I hope it is.

West

 

[Boneman]

Yay! A Wednesday delivery will be something to be thankful for no doubt! Can’t wait to hear the outcome.

Interestingly enough, I had a package shipped via Fed Ex last week, got a tracking showing arrival on the 22nd. Next thing I know on Sunday morning I get a text from FedEx saying it’ll be dropped off on Sunday! I thought hmm, wow, they deliver on Sundays? Sure enough found a huge box leaning up against the front door yesterday afternoon. Hope you get yours in no time.

 

[West R Lee]

Yay! A Wednesday delivery will be something to be thankful for no doubt! Can’t wait to hear the outcome.

Interestingly enough, I had a package shipped via Fed Ex last week, got a tracking showing arrival on the 22nd. Next thing I know on Sunday morning I get a text from FedEx saying it’ll be dropped off on Sunday! I thought hmm, wow, they deliver on Sundays? Sure enough found a huge box leaning up against the front door yesterday afternoon. Hope you get yours in no time.

That's always been my experience with Fedex......always on time or early. And we've had them deliver here at 8:30 pm before.

West

 

[bobouz]

Hope it‘s wonderful in every way!

 

[GGJaguar]

Hurray, Thanksgiving is saved and NGD report is on its way!

 

[Rayk]

I was waiting for an issue to settle out before I posted with the update.

You'll remember I had instructed Chris at Guild not to ship late in the week if there was a chance the instrument would spend a weekend sitting on a truck or in an unheated warehouse. That turned out to be what would have happened, so with my approval, Chris waited until today to ship, and he called me with the tracking number they'd generated.

At that point, while on the call, both of us simultaneously realized we had forgotten about Thanksgiving this week. A ground shipment leaving today would probably not arrive until next Monday, basically doubling the very problem we were trying to avoid.

Chris asked me if I wanted to delay shipping another week. I had a different idea, and asked him, "Out of curiosity, how much would it cost to upgrade this shipment to two-day and get it here Wednesday? I can reimburse you for the difference if that's necessary." Of course, I was quietly hoping it would not be necessary, and Chris didn't let me down in that regard. He said it was a good idea and he would try to just get it handled for me.

A couple of hours later he called me back. He "did some talking" to some people and got the shipment upgraded to two-day at no extra cost to me. He said FedEx is not guaranteeing two-day over the holiday week, so it could be Wednesday, or it could be Friday, but no later than Friday, and provided me a tracking number.

When the tracking number first registered in the FedEx system, it said the shipment was late for pickup and would be delivered Friday. But when I returned to the tracking site just now, I saw this:



So it looks like it will be a happy family Thanksgiving in the Dwasifar household. Can't wait for Wednesday.

Wow ! And congrats . This is one heck of a tail one well deserving of the Guild archives!

Looking forward to pics and final inspection and possibly a audio sample ? Lol

Now if they would just build a d55’ish OM with a Florentine cut away I’d be a puff of smoke dancing across the stage ! Lmao