Neal
Senior Member
My new F-250 arrived today in a Guild box that looked like it had been chewed on by an alligator. Not a good sign.
Upon opening the box, I discovered that Guild doesn't ship the Westerly Collection guitars in a case. Not a hard case, nor a gig bag. Nothing, but a thin plastic bag, surrounded by the least amount of cardboard packing I have ever seen. No bubble wrap, no packing peanuts, absolutely nothing protecting the lower bout but the box itself. What could possibly go wrong on its way all the way across the Pacific Ocean, and then all the way across the country?
As might be expected, the guitar had suffered an impact that shattered the finish on the back, which is really a shame because the maple itself was beautiful.
Before I put it back in the box to return it, I thought I'd give it a strum to see if I might like to order another. The neck was so over-set that the strings were literally sitting on the fretboard. Sighting down the neck, the top of the bridge was probably 1/4" below the plane of the fretboard.
So, had it arrived undamaged, it would have had to go back anyway, because it was completely and hopelessly unplayable.
Wow. I was not expecting USA Guild quality, but how that thing left the factory with a neck like that is beyond comprehension. It wasn't even close, and one good strum was all it would have taken to reveal that.
Upon opening the box, I discovered that Guild doesn't ship the Westerly Collection guitars in a case. Not a hard case, nor a gig bag. Nothing, but a thin plastic bag, surrounded by the least amount of cardboard packing I have ever seen. No bubble wrap, no packing peanuts, absolutely nothing protecting the lower bout but the box itself. What could possibly go wrong on its way all the way across the Pacific Ocean, and then all the way across the country?
As might be expected, the guitar had suffered an impact that shattered the finish on the back, which is really a shame because the maple itself was beautiful.
Before I put it back in the box to return it, I thought I'd give it a strum to see if I might like to order another. The neck was so over-set that the strings were literally sitting on the fretboard. Sighting down the neck, the top of the bridge was probably 1/4" below the plane of the fretboard.
So, had it arrived undamaged, it would have had to go back anyway, because it was completely and hopelessly unplayable.
Wow. I was not expecting USA Guild quality, but how that thing left the factory with a neck like that is beyond comprehension. It wasn't even close, and one good strum was all it would have taken to reveal that.
