Custom Shop quality control

[KBMelb]

Ok so since the new year (Jan 2015) I've bought two CS Les Paul's. First was an R8 from local Guitar Center which had a defect with the high E slot in the nut being filed too deep.

I recently bought a '54 Custom Black Beauty from Sweetwater and it has a bad bridge (saddtle screw doesn't lock in and it buzzes and pops out when adjusted)and this is a $6800 (asking) guitar.

 

Why gives? Am I just really unlucky or does Gibson not care about there obscenely expensive guitars. Are these just meant to hang on a wall and not to be played. I don't think you should have to go throught all the hell I have to get a guitar right when you spnd $4k and $6k respectively for a guitar. I think they should come our pretty damn perfect for those prices. This is very frustrating.

[CR9]

Sorry that you are having issues and I wish you good luck in getting them resolved. In the many Gibsons that have gone through my hands, I have only had one issue and it was with a broken screw in a bridge and unable to be seen.

 

Although yours may have slipped past quality control at Gibson, you should put much more complaint with the dealers involved. They are supposed to inspect each guitar and not send a faulty one on to the end user. I am guessing these dealers did not even open the original boxes. I am not am employee of Gibson but do understand the way the dealers are supposed to operate. They are supposed to order them, when recieved, inspect them and set them up and then inspect them again before shipping them. When the mom & pop stores were the only way to buy, they inspected each guitar and set them up for you. Some of the big warehouse stores do not seem to do this any more justifying it by saying they are passing the savings on to the customer. The savings they claim you are getting relates to just putting the aggravation of resolution if something is not right back on the customers shoulders. What they are doing is receiving the guitars, putting them on the shelf and them shipping them out again without inspecting them. If you get a defective instrument, you are to contact the selling dealer and they should arrange a return or a local repair. Luckily you can request a new bridge to fix the Black Beauty and fix that one yourself without returning it. The nut issue is a bit more involved and the dealer should arrange something for you. Since it is a local dealer, take it back to them and educate them on how to check a nut. I am not bad-mouthing these dealers but they should be inspecting the instruments especially at the those prices. Some Guitar Centers have their own factory authorized repair techs that could replace the nut. I would be worried about that repair as it can cause finish damage if not done correctly. My advice: Contact both dealers about the issues. If they do not take responsibility, contact Gibson Customer Service by phone (get the persons name and email address) and follow up with an email with photos of the defective part to the person you talked with.

 

Again, sorry you have to deal with this.

[stein]

True story.

 

Inspection, and the quality of what you buy, is the DEALERS responsibility.

 

Many people don't get this, often requesting guitars in unopened boxes, thinking they will get a perfect guitar. And then those that are surprised when the box IS opened, thinking they have been somehow jipped in not getting a new, fresh guitar.

 

But seriously, if you really want something with no defects, it HAS to be inspected. If the dealer you buy from has sent something with flaws, they should be charged with making it right.

 

But then also, it gets back to the mail-order thing. It really is the worst way to buy an instrument.

[KBMelb]

The R8, it was loud in the GC I got it from and I missed the buzz on the evening of the purchase and noticed it the next day at home. They did offer a new guitar or repair. I opted for repair since I thought the guitar was exceptional in every other manner. Unfortunately the tech at the Orlando GC is quite hamfisted and put several scratches and dings into headstock during the repair. He did fill the slot and refile and it appears to be holding well.

 

As far as mail order on the 54 BB, not a whole lot of option there. I'm not a fan of mail ordering guitars but the 54 BBs are getting sparse so I took the chance. Great guitar except the bridge. Sweetwater is in the process of taking care of it. It is disappointing that it made it's way to my hands considering their "55 Point Inspection." They should have called me an said the serial # you chose is problematic would like to select a different one. Sadly this did not happen.

 

I'd just like to know what Gibson is thinking letting this stuff out of the door like this. These are custom shop guitars. Just shocking.

[charisjapan]

Treading lightly ... as this IS a forum sponsored by Gibson.

 

But yeah, it's not unreasonable to expect a manufacturer to maintain quality control at the factory. Assigning responsibility to the dealers wastes both customer's time and Gibson's profit, as well as lowering brand image. The OP's beef is a valid one, and should be addressed here ... so that our beloved brand can listen and do a better job.

 

QC is an issue that has become "wrapped in it's own underwear," IMHO. By allowing QC to slip at production ... i.e. materials, prep, assembly, finish, final inspection, packing, then shipping ... then expecting dealers to unpack, inspect, adjust/repair, the either return or display (and in the case of online dealers, repack and ship again), is just plain too many places for stuff to go wrong! In addition to all this, dealers providing a money-back guarantee (for poor QC) and trial period (for customer whimsy) is a recipe for disaster ... to me, disaster means Gibsons built offshore.

 

True, legally and contractually, dealers are responsible to check things before they go to a customer (and they should), but it is a shame that such guitars got out-the-door at all ... especially a Custom Shop guitar!!

 

I consider myself brand-loyal, and though living in Japan, patriotic ... so complaining about QC is not bashing, but constructive.

 

cj