D-55 on its way to Guild for warranty service

[dwasifar]

To be sure the situation sucks, but you ought to be able to get a completion date from them, just be more of an a-hole when you call back. Take it from Alice:

Yeah, but it got Alice a punch in the nose.

 

[dwasifar]

Are published specs such as bridge material contractually obligated? Might there be some fine print reserving the right to make changes?

If that were the case, they would never have taken the warranty claim in the first place.

 

[chazmo]

Are published specs such as bridge material contractually obligated? Might there be some fine print reserving the right to make changes?

Specs for the F-512 (may have changed over the years) don't include an ebony bridge nor a maple neck but mine has both. No idea why, no special order, it's just the way it came. And I'm not sending it back!

My guess, 'Strang, is that they took this claim primarily because of the finish flaking. I'm convinced that dwasifar's bridge is rosewood (as it's supposed to be), and that the staining of the pins -- which he was worried is due to some sort of stain -- is actually likely oil or just rosewood being rosewood. I suppose the factory will decide for him.

[edit: WHOOPS, we're talking about dwasifar's D-55 here, not an F-512 ^^^ So, my apologies... the bridge is supposed to be ebony... So, I've struck-thru the incorrect comment above about what it's supposed to be. SORRY! ]

But, 'Strang, are you saying that your F-512 has a maple neck? I think you mean that the center strip is maple, right? If that so, well, the center strip changed from maple to walnut back in the New Hartford days (and that was never a "guarantee"). And, are you saying that your F-512 has an ebony bridge? Are you sure about that? That would be unlikely.

 

[dwasifar]

I'm convinced that dwasifar's bridge is rosewood (as it's supposed to be), and that the staining of the pins -- which he was worried is due to some sort of stain -- is actually likely oil or just rosewood being rosewood. I suppose the factory will decide for him.

That is not accurate. Everyone agrees it's rosewood (including Guild), but it was supposed to be ebony.

From Guild's website:

 

[12 string]

But, 'Strang, are you saying that your F-512 has a maple neck? I think you mean that the center strip is maple, right? If that so, well, the center strip changed from maple to walnut back in the New Hartford days (and that was never a "guarantee"). And, are you saying that your F-512 has an ebony bridge? Are you sure about that? That would be unlikely.

Absolutely sure, Chazzers.

We addressed the maple neck a while back, maybe I'll be able to find that thread. Somebody (I think it was you) had me post a pic without the TRC showing blond on the outsides with a thin dark stripe down the middle. Like a 412. Hans confirmed the existence of 512s with maple necks. As for the bridge, well, it is what it is.

' Strang

 

[12 string]

Guild 12 string necks

To sum up some things from a recent thread, early F-512s had a padouk neck with maple center strip, later changing to mahogany and maple. 1990-92 saw some rosewood 12ers with a maple neck and mahogany center, like those found on older F-412s and JF-65 12s. My 1990 F-512 is one of these. In the...

letstalkguild.com

 

[chazmo]

That is not accurate. Everyone agrees it's rosewood (including Guild), but it was supposed to be ebony.

From Guild's website:

My apologies, dwasifar. I thought we were talking about the F-512, not the D-55 here (lost track). My error. Yes, that was supposed to be an ebony bridge on your D-55 guitar (which I switched gears on when I saw 12 string's post). Anyway, good luck. I suppose they are trying to decide what to do about it.

 

[fronobulax]

Are published specs such as bridge material contractually obligated? Might there be some fine print reserving the right to make changes?

Published specs of items sold as new are generally considered contractual although you may have to get lawyers involved to enforce that.

This is a reason why Guild and other guitar companies are becoming less specific when they call out woods. (Spruce instead of Red Spruce or Sitka Spruce or Adirondack spruce).

This is also why portions of the Guild web site say something like "this is a running spec" which means they reserve the right to make changes or substitutions in the spec without notice.

 

[dwasifar]

I finally did get a timeline. They say two more weeks.

When I first got this instrument, it took me a while to get in the groove of it, because I was used to a Taylor, and the D-55 wears lighter strings and has a more pronounced neck radius. I had to adapt. When it went in for this work, I went back to the Taylor, and it took me a while to adapt back to that. When the D-55 comes back it will have been three months gone, and I imagine I will have to relearn it again.

 

[GGJaguar]

I hope they stick to their estimate and the guitar meets or exceeds your expectations when it is returned to you.

 

[12 string]

Okay, @chazmo , I know it's a bit late, but here's that earlier thread I referenced. Good stuff here.

dating this JF55-12

hi, i'm new here. i have several (not Guild) 12 strings, and am thinking of purchasing a nice JF55-12. can anyone tell me what year it was build please?

letstalkguild.com

Cheers,

' Strang

 

[West R Lee]

Wow, what a thread. I don't often read through 5 page threads, but I read this one in it's entirety. dwasifar, I feel your pain, though it sounds as if you are well on the road to recovery.

After reading all of this and having a little experience with other manufacturers, I can sure venture a guess as to what went on there. Keeping in mind that I am by no means a "businessman", personally I think most, if not all guitar manufacturers are having to adjust priorities given present business conditions, which have been covered several times in this thread.

Since they are all struggling financially, and I think that to be the case with obviously some builders more than others, they have to determine if their priority lies with customer satisfaction, or in new guitar sales. Obviously they can make money in new guitar sales, but warrantee work costs them money, both in material and man hours.

There's so much uncertainty in the entire world, let alone the guitar world right now, that I'm a little surprised that any of them can stay afloat. Especially considering that a guitar is a "luxury", as opposed in comparison to say people keeping the lights on.

I sincerely hope when you get this thing back it just blows you away, and will be looking forward to reading about your great satisfaction at how pleased you are with the repair.

I've got very mixed emotions reading this thread, first and foremost, I can absolutely relate to your frustration, they have your $3000-$4000, and you've been left without a guitar. There's no way to sugar coat that. At the same time, I feel for Guild as I can only imagine what they must be going through. Hopefully in the end, you are ecstatic and have only been out time and frustration, and Guild will shine as a company that honored their commitment and will strive to improve what they can in customer service with the limited resources they have.

It's a tough, tough world out there right now my friend.

West

 

[dwasifar]

I hope they stick to their estimate and the guitar meets or exceeds your expectations when it is returned to you.

Well, as I'm sure is obvious by now, they did not stick to their estimate.

 

[GGJaguar]

they did not stick to their estimate.

Dang, very sorry to hear that.

 

[dwasifar]

Dang, very sorry to hear that.

To be fair, I did call them and tell them not to ship to arrive last week, because I was out of town. But that would already have been three weeks since I received the two-week estimate, and now it's four weeks; and as of today they are not ready to ship. So we'll see.

 

[dwasifar]

They've had it four months now.

 

[davismanLV]

So why say "ship it to us" if they're not able to perform the repairs in a reasonable time? And honestly, if it gets shipped to a guitar factory, how long would those repairs take? They build guitars for a living. It's what they do. Why not say, "Hey Gomez, replace this bridge and then take it to finish for repairs to the lacquer."? I know all the issues and lay-offs and such, but 4 months? It's getting a little ridiculous. Just throwing that out there.....

 

[jeffcoop]

This does not make me want to buy an Oxnard Guild. Not that I need any more guitars, but you understand my point.

 

[chazmo]

That's a huge bummer, dwasifar.

 

[West R Lee]

So why say "ship it to us" if they're not able to perform the repairs in a reasonable time? And honestly, if it gets shipped to a guitar factory, how long would those repairs take? They build guitars for a living. It's what they do. Why not say, "Hey Gomez, replace this bridge and then take it to finish for repairs to the lacquer."? I know all the issues and lay-offs and such, but 4 months? It's getting a little ridiculous. Just throwing that out there.....

I agree Tom, and I understand several manufactures will tell you to send it to them, then take 6 months to do a repair. Why don't they simply say, "send it in 6 months"?

West