Service at Gibson?

[Dotneck]

Have any of y'all tried to access service at Gibson? Their website says to write to service@gibson.com. I've tried twice and never got a response...

[RBSinTo]

Dotneck,

Unless your instrument requires replacement parts that can't be sourced anywhere else, why would you spend extra time and money to crate, insure and ship (both ways) a guitar to Gibson, if there are reputable, local Luthiers that can service it in your part of the world?

RBSinTo

 

[kidblast]

13 minutes ago, RBSinTo said:

Dotneck,

Unless your instrument requires replacement parts that can't be sourced anywhere else, why would you spend extra time and money to crate, insure and ship (both ways) a guitar to Gibson, if there are reputable, local Luthiers that can service it in your part of the world?

RBSinTo

 

To be fair, he included nothing to tell us the nature of why he is trying to make contact... 

Dot...  have you tried calling them??? 

 

[Dave F]

The last time I needed warranty work I went through my dealer (Chicago Music Exchange). After sending them pictures they decided it was not something they wanted to fix and it should go back to the factory. They arrange everything and sent me the shipping label and kept track of it. A very pleasant experience with an excellent outcome that did not cost me anything. 

[RBSinTo]

49 minutes ago, Dave F said:

The last time I needed warranty work I went through my dealer (Chicago Music Exchange). After sending them pictures they decided it was not something they wanted to fix and it should go back to the factory. They arrange everything and sent me the shipping label and kept track of it. A very pleasant experience with an excellent outcome that did not cost me anything. 

Dave F.,

Fair enough.

But it all depends on the circumstances.

I am the third owner of a 2001 j45, and it is currently in for some repairs at The Twelfth Fret, a very reputable guitar store and Gibson dealer here in Toronto.

According to their inspection ( which verified what I suspected) it needs labour but doesn't require Gibson proprietary parts, so I am having the work done here in Toronto. No crating, no insurance, and no shipping costs.

Had my situation been similar to yours, my course of action would have been different. 

However, Dotneck's comment that Gibson Service hasn't replied to his two requests speaks volumes about them.

RBSinTo

 

[kidblast]

19 minutes ago, RBSinTo said:

Dave F.,

Fair enough.

But it all depends on the circumstances.

I am the third owner of a 2001 j45, and it is currently in for some repairs at The Twelfth Fret, a very reputable guitar store and Gibson dealer here in Toronto.

According to their inspection ( which verified what I suspected) it needs labour but doesn't require Gibson proprietary parts, so I am having the work done here in Toronto. No crating, no insurance, and no shipping costs.

Had my situation been similar to yours, my course of action would have been different. 

However, Dotneck's comment that Gibson Service hasn't replied to his two requests speaks volumes about them.

RBSinTo

 

Well..  The warranty is not transferable, and I also believe the Warranty setup varies once it leaves the U.S.

Anyway, even in the U.S. the warranty ended on that guitar with the original owner parted ways with it.  

and.. a phone call will probably get more results than an email...  until that that happens, I don't make any assumptions.

 

Edited September 16, 2020 by kidblast

[dhanners623]

I'm surprised (then again, not) by the number of companies I email who never reply. The coronavirus has just made things worse.

[Dave F]

8 minutes ago, dhanners623 said:

I'm surprised (then again, not) by the number of companies I email who never reply. The coronavirus has just made things worse.

Ditto on that. I should have had my ‘42 SJ by now but with the stuff going on, I figure it will get here when it does. I remember one of our Aussie members has been waiting far longer than me. 

[RBSinTo]

13 minutes ago, dhanners623 said:

I'm surprised (then again, not) by the number of companies I email who never reply. The coronavirus has just made things worse.

You really shouldn't be. Customer Service has become an Endangered Species, all but extinct, and wasn't any better before Coronavirus arrived.

RBSinTo

[fortyearspickn]

Dotneck,   I'm curious.   When exactly did you write to them?    If, for example, you wrote them Friday night and Saturday morning -  I could understand them not having gotten back to you  on Monday.    On the other hand, if you wrote to them 10 days ago,  and again 7 days ago,  I would be disappointed.    

[northcntryblues]

18 hours ago, RBSinTo said:

Dave F.,

Fair enough.

But it all depends on the circumstances.

I am the third owner of a 2001 j45, and it is currently in for some repairs at The Twelfth Fret, a very reputable guitar store and Gibson dealer here in Toronto.

According to their inspection ( which verified what I suspected) it needs labour but doesn't require Gibson proprietary parts, so I am having the work done here in Toronto. No crating, no insurance, and no shipping costs.

Had my situation been similar to yours, my course of action would have been different. 

However, Dotneck's comment that Gibson Service hasn't replied to his two requests speaks volumes about them.

RBSinTo

 

Hey RBS,

I'm in the GTA as well, and have bought guitars from the Twelfth Fret in the past.  I've never needed repairs on my guitar, but its good to know where to get work done if needed.  Have you had a lot of repair work done at 12th Fret?

[RBSinTo]

2 hours ago, northcntryblues said:

Hey RBS,

I'm in the GTA as well, and have bought guitars from the Twelfth Fret in the past.  I've never needed repairs on my guitar, but its good to know where to get work done if needed.  Have you had a lot of repair work done at 12th Fret?

Northcityblues,

My four guitars were all purchased used, but Twelfth Fret has worked on my 1974 D-28, and currently on my 2001 j-45.

Their Luthiers are very skilled, and their prices fair and reasonable.

And just so you know the repair department at Cosmo Music in Richmond Hill is also first rate.

RBSinTo

[Boyd]

"Northcityblues"? LOL 😂

 

[fortyearspickn]

DotNeck,   any word yet from Gibson?   How long have you waited ?   

[Jinder]

If at all possible, go through the dealer first and a local luthier second. I can't speak to Gibson Service in the US, but Gibson Europe came up short when I was caught in an odd situation a few years ago. I bought a Dove new in a store locally to me, which after a year or so developed an odd problem with fretboard shrinkage, causing several of the frets to fall out onstage at a gig (awkward to say the least!)

I went back to the store, but they told me that they were no longer a Gibson retailer as they had fallen out with the company over their distribution policy, and couldn't honour the warranty, so suggested going to a local luthier. I then took the guitar to Manson's, a Gibson dealer and approved repair centre, who said that it was a material fault due to improperly cured wood, and that I should contact Gibson for a replacement instrument.

Ultimately, I contacted Gibson Europe who asked me to send the guitar to their base in the Netherlands for appraisal. I did this, and they kept it for some time, before telling me, when I chased up the job via email, that they had decided that there was nothing wrong with the guitar and that I had caused the frets to fall out by "banging" the guitar on the back of the neck, and insinuated that I was being dishonest about the issues with the guitar. They refused to repair it under warranty and insisted that if I wanted them to fix it, I would have to pay.

I was aghast...I'm a former Gibson endorsee artist from my major label days and have played these guitars for my entire professional life. I worked closely with Gibson to develop the "flubber" pickguard design and have never mistreated an instrument in my life. I was insulted by the suggestion that I had broken my Dove through carelessness, and contacted both Don at Bozeman and David at London HQ to elicit their help. 

Both Don and David (good men and true) came to my aid and agreed that I had been treated poorly. They spoke to Europe and set it right, thankfully. The guitar was repaired and sent back to me after being in the care of Gibson Europe for several weeks, but sadly arrived with a 14th fret hump that you could jump a motorcycle over, which made it unplayable above the 7th fret due to choking.

This wasn't present before I shipped it out... whoever's fault it was is irrelevant, but even after a couple of weeks of humidifying and general care, it was still unplayable.  I was at the end of my tether by this point, and totally dispirited. I sold the guitar, with full disclosure, as spares/repair, and lost a huge amount of money on it. 

It was one of the most miserable and upsetting experiences I've ever had as a guitar buyer. If it wasn't for Don and David's keen and kind response, and my abiding love for Gibson instruments, it would have been the end of my relationship with the brand entirely.

Seek out a local luthier if you can...spare yourself the heartache.

[QuestionMark]

With Jinder posting his horror story with Gibson in Europe, I feel compelled to post my story about Gibson in the US., which had no drama.   A couple of years ago my 2006 Gibson 1964 Custom Shop J-45’s bridge pulled up from the body on the bass string register during a  gig.  I managed to finish the gig, though I distractedly kept looking at the pulled up bridge for sure, wondering if the whole thing would just pop off (which it didn’t).  After the gig I called an authorized Gibson repairman in my region (who I’ve known for a number of years) and told him what had happened and he had me bring the guitar to his house, rather than have me drop it off at one of the big box stores he picks up Gibson and Epiphone warrantee work from to service.  I went to his house, gave him my new guitar purchase receipt from some years back and he called Gibson in Montana while I was there , describing the lifted bridge and providing them with the serial number and vouching that he was looking at my new guitar purchase receipt.  Over the phone they gave him authorization to repair the lifted bridge under their warrantee.    Three weeks or so later, he called me to pick up the warranteed repaired guitar.  No drama at all.

Just my experience.  

 

QM aka “Jazzman” Jeff

 

[Jinder]

1 hour ago, QuestionMark said:

With Jinder posting his horror story with Gibson in Europe, I feel compelled to post my story about Gibson in the US., which had no drama.   A couple of years ago my 2006 Gibson 1964 Custom Shop J-45’s bridge pulled up from the body on the bass string register during a  gig.  I managed to finish the gig, though I distractedly kept looking at the pulled up bridge for sure, wondering if the whole thing would just pop off (which it didn’t).  After the gig I called an authorized Gibson repairman in my region (who I’ve known for a number of years) and told him what had happened and he had me bring the guitar to his house, rather than have me drop it off at one of the big box stores he picks up Gibson and Epiphone warrantee work from to service.  I went to his house, gave him my new guitar purchase receipt from some years back and he called Gibson in Montana while I was there , describing the lifted bridge and providing them with the serial number and vouching that he was looking at my new guitar purchase receipt.  Over the phone they gave him authorization to repair the lifted bridge under their warrantee.    Three weeks or so later, he called me to pick up the warranteed repaired guitar.  No drama at all.

Just my experience.  

 

QM aka “Jazzman” Jeff

 

That's lovely to hear...exactly as it should be!

[bobouz]

My only first-hand experience with Gibson customer service was handled very professionally back in 2012.  I dealt initially with an authorized Gibson repair person (as specified by the company).  Sent him photos of a separated body glue joint on a five year old LP Double-Cut purchased new.  He contacted Gibson, and they asked to have it sent to them in Nashville.  I was given the contact info for a customer service rep in Nashville, and from that point on was in communication with him.

The guitar was deemed not repairable by Nashville, so they offered me my pick of any current model of similar value. 

[fortyearspickn]

Dotneck,  did you ever get a response ?   

[Sgt. Pepper]

1 hour ago, fortyearspickn said:

Dotneck,  did you ever get a response ?   

He's #2,234,754 in queue with an estimated wait time of 3 days 40 minutes.

[BluesKing777]

 

I have a different outlook on things to everyone else. After warranty problems like above in my youth with cars, electrical equip, houses, blah, blah, blah...there is not one thing on this planet that would get me to personally ship and return anything anymore! 

I have been lucky to search and find the best luthier, mechanic and guitar shop possible for my circumstances. Any problem with guitar or electronics and the shop has taken things back immediately. Guitar goes to my luthier for a setup and check usually as soon as I buy one...circumstances permitting...the Covid is making it tricky with lockdowns. Car goes to the mechanic - last car I bought, he found a number of warranty items but I just got him to fix it, paid.

Now, the luthier also is told to fix it, paid! Don't care - I want it fixed and no hassles. And I have been very, very, very, very pleased....mostly....he is human after after all.😁

But I was there waiting recently for a repair or something, while another poor chap had brought his new guitar in for a problem to be looked at and the diagnosis was 'BAD'. The luthier is the Authorised Repairer for most guitar companies and lessened the blow to the sad chappie by offering to contact everyone involved and box it up to return it. And that carries way more weight to a manufacturer than Bill or Bob or Jan or Jane emailing them with a problem! (which to me is like emailing them saying they owe you money - good luck hearing from them ........ever.....).

 

 

BluesKing777.