AL-120 Posted September 3, 2008 Share Posted September 3, 2008 Oh and another flaw I just found... The tuners on mine are not mounted in perfect alignment --- Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wondo Posted September 3, 2008 Share Posted September 3, 2008 AL 120. Congratulations. With all the negative talk around here, I still love my AL wrong volute and all. So, I am glad you are enjoying it. Check out me playing La Villa. It is posted somewhere in these threads. It demonstrates that the guitar is still a good one despite the negatives. You can mount your trem arm upside down, but you can make the handle the correct direction. Just put a screwdriver through the screw hole on the trem arm. Put on a rubber glove to get a good grip on the handle and twist it 180 degrees and you will have it pointing in the right direction. It will take you all of 1 minute. It is safe to do with the rubber glove and screw driver. If you don't like it you can put it back the way it was. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AL-120 Posted September 3, 2008 Share Posted September 3, 2008 AL 120. Congratulations. With all the negative talk around here' date=' I still love my AL wrong volute and all. So, I am glad you are enjoying it. Check out me playing La Villa. It is posted somewhere in these threads. It demonstrates that the guitar is still a good one despite the negatives. You can mount your trem arm upside down, but you can make the handle the correct direction. Just put a screwdriver through the screw hole on the trem arm. Put on a rubber glove to get a good grip on the handle and twist it 180 degrees and you will have it pointing in the right direction. It will take you all of 1 minute. It is safe to do with the rubber glove and screw driver. If you don't like it you can put it back the way it was.[/quote'] Thanks! and Thanks! I actually checked your vid out a few days ago - great job!. I was in a Rush tribute for many years, and you do a very fine job on Lavilla. I also just ordered some Fret Doctor for AL 120 and the "Borg". Thanks for welcoming me - that is a nice feeling. If you like, here is a link to me back in 2000 with the Rush tribute playing Lakside. I was using a couple of Parkers at the time... (I couldn't seem to figure out how to embed the youtube vid) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elvtnedge Posted September 3, 2008 Share Posted September 3, 2008 From what I can see from the pictures' date=' the tailpiece looks fine. Your trem arm however, has one hell of a bend in it. Whenever I have seen Lyre trem arms with this much angle to it, it is from left to right not up and down. Call Gibson and demand a new trem arm. Send them the picture you posted here. If they give you the run around, ask to speak to a supervisor. If you still get nowhere then buy an after market arm for under $40.00 and be done with it. Then, put it behind you and enjoy the guitar. Try guitarpartsresource.com or allparts.com one of these should have one in stock. Good luck.[/quote'] I thought it might be the bar... with that said I have to basically have someone look at it and determine that its the bar and then call yorkville and get them to order the bar from gibson...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Evilmusician Posted September 3, 2008 Share Posted September 3, 2008 Oh and another flaw I just found... The tuners on mine are not mounted in perfect alignment --- See thats my point ! It's a 4000 dollar Custom Shop Instrument ,there shouldn't be any flaws! Best of luck to you with AL120 enjoy and play the hell outta it cheers! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wondo Posted September 4, 2008 Share Posted September 4, 2008 See thats my point ! It's a 4000 dollar Custom Shop Instrument ' date='there shouldn't be any flaws! Best of luck to you with AL120 enjoy and play the hell outta it cheers![/quote'] +1!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VRob8 Posted September 4, 2008 Share Posted September 4, 2008 here you go... You'll see that I cant sit the bar flush on the bridge only on an angle and the white end piece is touching the guitar. Firstly' date=' you're trying to put the trem arm on upside down. Put it on the right way up and it should fit fine. However, from those pictures, although the string anchor plate on the Maestro is correctly inclined, the arm itself has a very pronounced bend, as Wondo points out, and that will stop you inverting the arm as you're trying to do (and as Alex does on his). A correctly-angled arm looks like this (much less acutely angled), which is why it can be fitted either way up: [img']http://img57.imageshack.us/img57/4262/gibsonlifeson35515ed7.jpg[/img] Incidentally, to add to the catalogue of faults, the Maestro tailpiece on mine was fitted at an angle, so that there was a difference of 1mm distance between the bass and treble sides to the bridge. It was very noticeable and pretty sloppy workmanship for a Custom Shop piece. The guitar is history now, too many flaws for me to be happy with it. I do feel that in Gibson's history, this one will go down as a bit of a lemon. Shame. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elvtnedge Posted September 4, 2008 Share Posted September 4, 2008 thanks for the photo. I think the guy or machine that made my bar went a little over board....lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LerxstLee Posted September 4, 2008 Share Posted September 4, 2008 I hope to get this resolved . I waited and waited hoping something could / would be done to resolve most issues . Yet , they won't give me another trem arm , I was told I can get them aftermarket . Keeping it short - How in the Hell can these 24 hour a day service people still not have any idea of any problems with this guitar . It has to be just a free for all on the phones . Admin is just that , wasting time waiting for answers from a " forum / network " administrator . Nice guy and all but I doubt anything that has been posted has been forwarded . My God , they want me to pay for a trem arm . I can buy plenty of them but why would the maker "Gibson" tell me they don't have any replacements . How could the admin actually tell us Alex approved the neck . Bull I say , all these Ftards are doing is buying time . I am sick of it . I know it is pointless to continue here but where they hell can I go ? Email = nothing / Calling =s nothing / posting = nothing . I hope to send this POS back and be done with it. It has not been out of the case in about two weeks now . I play my LP instead . The LP custom is getting a trade in for a PRS :) , " There is no service / Let them eat cake " . There must be an end to what Gibson will Take . Flaunt the fruits of un-noble guitars , wash this Axe into the earth . Hey , I tried :) I will keep trying , I know those F heads are laughing out loud , 1.11 million dollars store door value . From 300 guitars . I think I know why they can't hear us :) . Posting more VOLUTE images at other sites . Fender / Mesa / PRS / Ricken / over and over until the word is out . Someone , at one of these places will eventually find a I know so and so , let me see what XX says . Let the guitar comunities see this work . The LP axxes ? My the quality is even worse than this /wink . Stay away from My Volute ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elvtnedge Posted September 4, 2008 Share Posted September 4, 2008 Lersxt I was told that if I lived in the US they would send a replacement arm out to me no problem. I contacted the tech guy at the store today and he said a replacement arm could take 6 months as Gibson is brutal that way. He asked if I looked on the forums to compare and I said from last night to today I saw a pic of what it should look like and clearly my trem bar is retarded looking. Im waiting for a call back.. Dont take no for an answer.. My only issue is the trm arm.. I can live with the volute afterall as when Im standing up its not a problem at all... will I feel ripped off in general about this guitar ...yes but I love it still.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AL-120 Posted September 5, 2008 Share Posted September 5, 2008 Don't know if anyone is interested, but it looks like this place has AL 220 for sale.... Gibson Alex Lifeson ES-355 (AL 220) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wondo Posted September 5, 2008 Share Posted September 5, 2008 Look, if you can live with the volute and there are no other major defects besides the trem arm. Go buy another one at guitarpartsresource.com or Allparts.com This way you can get the arm and enjoy the guitar. Keep the packaging. In the mean time however, hound Gibson for the trem arm. Don't take no for an answer. Ask to speak to a supervisor. Tell them you are a long time customer and deserve to be treated with respect. If Gibson sends you a new one then you can return the other one or sell it on eBay. Don't expect Gibson to jump. But, don't give up. All things considered, I like the guitar. I don't know why some have gotten rid of theirs. I can understand with some, the guitar had too many problems and that is justifiable, but the volute alone is no major deal unless you cannot play it like that or the idea of Gibson being such jerks about it has you refusing to play the thing. I was fortunate, mine is in really good shape. I have learned to live with the volute. So, I am playing it pretty regularly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Staxman Posted September 5, 2008 Share Posted September 5, 2008 I'm with you Wondo, I'm really sorry so many folks are so dissapointed to the point that they are dumping their guitars, but I love my AL-355. The volute itself doesn't bother me, just the way Gibson never answered why it's there in the first place. I got a new arm from Allparts that is a perfect fit and looks like the original, and AL-124 is very well put together. I'm keeping it and playing it often. On a more positive note here I have really been digging using the mini bypass switch for the varitone. The variety of tones is really useful. I've never noticed Alex using it live, but the switch is really very useful in getting different sounds during some Rush songs where he used different tones on the same recording. A few days ago the "Geddy" of the Rush tribute band I play with came over and we jammed a bit to our drummer's pre-recorded tracks. One of the tunes I played on AL-124 was The Pass, and on a whim I tried flipping over to position 6 of the varitone with the toggle switch for the chorus segment arpeggio runs, and it really nailed the sound. I also used the vibrola for some subtle vibrato during the verses and solo and it stayed in perfect tune. You can't dive or yank on the thing like a Floyd, but for subtle stuff it is actually quite funcional for light vibrato action if you use a light touch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PJLCC14 Posted September 5, 2008 Share Posted September 5, 2008 I don't know why some have gotten rid of theirs. I can understand with some' date=' the guitar had too many problems and that is justifiable, but the volute alone is no major deal unless you cannot play it like that or the idea of Gibson being such jerks about it has you refusing to play the thing. .[/quote'] Wondo.....I think a lot of people are bailing on this guitar because of the lousy customer service that has been associated with this guitar. The lack of acknowledgement, that there was a design flaw, and if there was....it's Alex' fault for approving it. The Misc parts of the later AL's that were produced, like different pick gaurds. The fact tha the later AL's had the correct trem arm.....even though you can't get anyone at Gibson to say the earlier ones were wrong!!!! The fact that on Gibsons own site here......Admin has been a NO show for over a month. If this is the kind of service that we get after spending almost 4K for new guitars.......what's going to be the level of service 3, 4, 5 years down the road when a lot of these guitars could perhaps have structual issues, if they were put together like I, and a lot of other people around here, think they were. When people pay above average prices for a product type.....they expect above average CUSTOMER SERVICE! I, like you, seem to have purchased a fair one........but the first sign of a finish bleed, cracked or seperating fretboard, or binding failure.....my AL is going straight to eBAY that night to get dumped! As for a future Gibson purchase for me.....nah....screw me once, Shame on Gibson......screw me twice, ....you know the rest. I'll stick to PRS's, Tom Andersons, and Nik Hubers. I have never been disappointed in any of their guitars or their Customer Service! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wondo Posted September 6, 2008 Share Posted September 6, 2008 I wouldn't blame them, if they got no response from Gibson. I might be tempted to return it after that. The guys on the customer service line don't know crap! You have to get stern with them. Don't let them give the corporate line. It should go something like this: "I am having a problem with the trem arm. It does not fit properly on the guitar. I have called before and have not gotten anywhere with this. (in a stern but controlled tone) Now look, I am a returning customer. I have bought many guitars from you guys. I own several Custom Shop guitars and probably own over $20,000.00 in Gibson guitars. Shouldn't I be treated as a valued customer? Shouldn't I be given the benefit of the doubt? (wait for an answer, don't let them run the line -if they run the line, ask them again - you want a yes for each question before moving on) I am not going to send a $4,000.00 guitar back just to get a new trem arm. Isn't there someone at the Memphis Custom Shop I can talk to? Better yet, why don't you contact them, explain the situation and get back to me. I will leave you with my number and my email address if that will be easier and expect a response in two business days, or I will follow up with another phone call. That should give you plenty of time to find a sollution." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Evilmusician Posted September 6, 2008 Share Posted September 6, 2008 Don't know if anyone is interested' date=' but it looks like this place has AL 220 for sale.... Gibson Alex Lifeson ES-355 (AL 220) Nope done with the AL Series ,better take that one off the stand too or the rubber gone mark the neck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PJLCC14 Posted September 6, 2008 Share Posted September 6, 2008 It should go something like this: "I am having a problem with the trem arm.............................................." LOL.....I appreciate your scenario.....but mainly for it's entertaining value! Here are some actual sits from the past. Hello Huber guitars......hey my new Huber didn't come with any case candy....specificly the truss rod tool! Response.....We are very sorry for that sir, can we have your address and we'll get that right out to you!!!! Hello Mesa.......hey I hink my speaker is blown in my 6 month old Lonestar. Response.....Sorry for the in convenience sir......we'll send you a replacement within 24 hrs. Hello PRS......hey my new PRS didn't come with the Trem bar. Responce: No worries sir....it's on it's way. Please accept our apologies for this oversight. And we'll contact the dealer you bought it from to make sure it wasn't a dealer induced problem. In all three cases.......I received the part within 3 days. Thats the way it's supposed to work.....you call a number, you explain the problem, they fix the problem. Getting on a website to ask a factory representative to look into a problem that the Customer Service Department won't deal with.....is BS. What about all the AL owners that don't come to this website........all they know is that their guitar is messed up....and they can't get any action thru Gibson. The only thing that this sight does, is let an individual know, that they are not alone with this problem. Hopefully, my AL won't come apart or start degrading the finish like some others have.....because I really want to keep it. But if old AL 181 gets any signs of illness......or Alex goes back to PRS and they do a Signature.......AL 181 will hit the road!!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AL-120 Posted September 6, 2008 Share Posted September 6, 2008 I finally got to plug in Al 120 through my stack last night as the kids were at their grandparents, and all I have to say is WOW! This guitar has some serious tone - especially at the neck pickup. The varitone on 5 with the bridge pickup gives me a thinner "Grace Under Pressure" sound that is very convincing. I did not buy the guitar for 4K, but even if I did, Gibson has me by the nads as I'm a sucker for this guitar. What I mean is, even with the "flaws" if you will - I had to have this guitar. Since I bought it off ebay, I have no warranty so if a major problem arises, I will take it to my luthier or send it to Freddy. There is no disagreement that this should be a more quality build - I am not bothered by that. To me they're not really "flaws", just character to a hand-built instrument. (true love - obsession or both. Call it what you will) I have my Alex Lifeson 355 that I've wanted since the first day I saw it. --"You've got to want it" Also, I went ahead and ordered the shorter trem bar, and I'll be putting on 9's after my Fret Doc gets here. A little more tweaking on the amp side and I should have some excellent Alex tones.... Play on! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Differentstrings89 Posted September 6, 2008 Share Posted September 6, 2008 I totally agree I love mine flaws and all nothing else even comes close to sounding like it and you always get the ooohs and ahhs when you play it live. I mean really in life what doesnt have its flaws. If I ever have any problems I will send it to Freddy I am never going to give this guitar up, it was a dream and now I own that dream. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Differentstrings89 Posted September 6, 2008 Share Posted September 6, 2008 It has such an open feel and puts any guitar to shame when playing La Villa and Freewill. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Staxman Posted September 6, 2008 Share Posted September 6, 2008 I can certainly understand dumping an expensive guitar if it is truly built like crap, has bad finish problems or is just falling apart or whatever, but you guys that are wanting to get rid of your AL355 only because there are minor, fixable issues, the volute issue or you are just mad at Gibson, take a deep breath and step back for a moment. Take a long hard look at your guitar and listen to what a lot of folks are saying here. Can you really live without it? Even if there have been issues and Gibson doesn't give a crap (or at least don't show that they do), at the end of the day you have to separate your anger at Gibson from the guitar itself and appreciate it for what it really is, an imperfect but still kick-*** replica of Alex's baby. Sure, you may still be able to get one here and there for a while, but with only 300 in existence they will all eventually end up in the hands of people who can deal with whatever flaws they have and will not let go of them easily, and then you will not find it so easy to acquire at any price. You don't have to love Gibson, just the guitar and what it represents. I have been as big of an Alex fan as anyone possibly could be since I was 14 years old, that's 30 years. When I was in high school I saw him open the show back on the Farewell to Kings tour with his white 355 playing Bastille Day, his long blond hair draping down over the guitar. I last saw him play the trees with it just a few months ago with short, gray balding hair, and have seen him play it live many, many times in between. And now, 30 years later, I can finally experience myself what it's like to own and play such a guitar. I may not agree with Gibson on many issues and the inconsistency of their overall quality is a mind bender, but I am an Alex fan first and to me this guitar is an irreplaceable component of the Rush guitar experience. This guitar was made for Rush fans, noone else. Who else would want one? And even if it had some flaws or issues to work out, I still have an incredible great playing/sounding instrument. As someone pointed out here, even Alex has had to have his Gibsons worked on by his own techs to get what he wanted out of them. Gibson needs to learn customer service etiquete, that is a given. And sure, Alex probably gets better customer service than we do so his experience dealing with Gibson directly is probably not as frustrating as it is for us common folk, but with a little work on our own to optimize our instruments we can still play EXACTLY the same guitars he is using, if we so desire. And I so desire, so I will deal with Gibson as they choose to be and continue to own their products despite that sad truth. All I'm saying is cool down a bit and think hard before getting rid of your AL355, unless it really is a bad example of the product that can't easily be fixed. Enjoy the guitar for a bit without the burden of your frustrations with it's manufacturer. If you still feel that way after a cooldown period, go ahead and sell it or return it, that's your right to feel that way. But be sure to ask yourself if you really won't regret it someday once they become very hard to replace. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wondo Posted September 6, 2008 Share Posted September 6, 2008 LOL.....I appreciate your scenario.....but mainly for it's entertaining value! Here are some actual sits from the past. Hello Huber guitars......hey my new Huber didn't come with any case candy....specificly the truss rod tool! Response.....We are very sorry for that sir' date=' can we have your address and we'll get that right out to you!!!! Hello Mesa.......hey I hink my speaker is blown in my 6 month old Lonestar. Response.....Sorry for the in convenience sir......we'll send you a replacement within 24 hrs. Hello PRS......hey my new PRS didn't come with the Trem bar. Responce: No worries sir....it's on it's way. Please accept our apologies for this oversight. And we'll contact the dealer you bought it from to make sure it wasn't a dealer induced problem. In all three cases.......I received the part within 3 days. Thats the way it's supposed to work.....you call a number, you explain the problem, they fix the problem. Getting on a website to ask a factory representative to look into a problem that the Customer Service Department won't deal with.....is BS. What about all the AL owners that don't come to this website........all they know is that their guitar is messed up....and they can't get any action thru Gibson. The only thing that this sight does, is let an individual know, that they are not alone with this problem. Hopefully, my AL won't come apart or start degrading the finish like some others have.....because I really want to keep it. But if old AL 181 gets any signs of illness......or Alex goes back to PRS and they do a Signature.......AL 181 will hit the road!!!![/quote'] I am glad you found my scenario entertaining. I know how it is supposed to work with other companies. I am not a newbie to the music scene. No one will argue that Gibson does not respond the way that other companies do. I was simply providing the scenario for how it might work with Gibson. By the way, I said almost those exact words to Gibson and guess what... I had my replacement part in 3 days. So, it may have been entertaining for you, but it worked for me! More than once. I was hoping others might try it and get somewhere. That is all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PJLCC14 Posted September 6, 2008 Share Posted September 6, 2008 I am glad you found my scenario entertaining. I know how it is supposed to work with other companies. I am not a newbie to the music scene. No one will argue that Gibson does not respond the way that other companies do. I was simply providing the scenario for how it might work with Gibson. By the way' date=' I said almost those exact words to Gibson and guess what... I had my replacement part in 3 days. So, it may have been entertaining for you, but it worked for me! More than once. I was hoping others might try it and get somewhere. That is all. [/quote'] Peace bro.....I'm with you on this........I was just trying to point out how it should be handled.....and not the Gibson way! Peace out, Wondo, I'm done talking about this tragedy of guitar making! Good luck to all you AL owners.........hope it satisfy's your dreams......and I hope it stays together for ya! Cheers! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wondo Posted September 6, 2008 Share Posted September 6, 2008 Peace bro.....I'm with you on this........I was just trying to point out how it should be handled.....and not the Gibson way! Peace out' date=' Wondo, I'm done talking about this tragedy of guitar making! Good luck to all you AL owners.........hope it satisfy's your dreams......and I hope it stays together for ya! Cheers![/quote'] There's no hard feelings here. Just letting you know that what you thought was funny actually worked with Gibson and I got my parts. However, no one should have to go through all of that to get a response. I too have dealt with other comapnies that bent over backwards to make things right. I could tell many such stories. I have AL 175 and you have AL 181. So, we are practically brothers. Hope to see you back here soon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AL-120 Posted September 6, 2008 Share Posted September 6, 2008 There's no hard feelings here. Just letting you know that what you thought was funny actually worked with Gibson and I got my parts. However' date=' no one should have to go through all of that to get a response. I too have dealt with other comapnies that bent over backwards to make things right. I could tell many such stories. I have AL 175 and you have AL 181. So, we are practically brothers. Hope to see you back here soon.[/quote'] No matter what serial number you have - we are all brothers... :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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