Jump to content
Gibson Brands Forums

How does warranty repair work affect resale?


Mr.Woody

Recommended Posts

Hi all, My J-45 is being worked on this week at 3rd Coast in Chicago. It's a warranty-covered bridge re-glue. Just curious how stuff like this affects resale? Do you disclose those things in the listing? Is it like it never happened? Do you have to lower the price? Not currently looking to sell, but i've never had warranty work done before and it made me curious 🙂

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My feeling is, it doesn't affect resale value at all if its an authorized Gibson warranty repair. Gibson made the instrument and an authorized factory repairperson repaired it.   Keeping the receipts showing it was repaired by an authorized Gibson repairperson can serve to prove it was an authorized repair.   Don't get me wrong...a repair by a reputable luthier also does not affect the resale value.  Its the lousy repairs that are done to a guitar that can affect a resale value.  Not the good repairs that are by authorized Gibson repairers or those done properly by a reputable luthier.   Repairs are needed sometimes, that's why there are authorized Gibson repairpersons and reputable luthiers.    The question is really are the repairs good repairs.  An authorized Gibson repair works to ensure that it is a good repair by having their oversight over the repairperson and their repair, ensuring their repairs meet Gibson's standards.   A non-Gibson repairperson who is a good luthier will also make sure its a good repair and their work demonstrates its a good repair.      But, knowing its an authorized Gibson repair under warranty is like taking your GM vehicle to a GM dealership's mechanic to ensure GM stands behind the repair that was made, and if it was done under their warranty, GM incurred the cost, not you.    Likewise a Gibson warranty repair is at their expense and they stand behind it (and the repair doesn't void the new guitar warrantee.)  That's my take on it.   

 

QM aka "Jazzman" Jeff

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well, unfortunately, the guys at Third Coast took it upon themselves to use wood glue instead of hide glue as discussed with the owner. Pretty frustrated about it, and discussing with Gibson what the next course of action is. I'm glad it's playable, though.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

19 minutes ago, Mr.Woody said:

Well, unfortunately, the guys at Third Coast took it upon themselves to use wood glue instead of hide glue as discussed with the owner. Pretty frustrated about it, and discussing with Gibson what the next course of action is. I'm glad it's playable, though.

Well. Wood glue is strong. If its tight and dried well , it will last.  Hyde glue should of been used if that was in the talks.  I doubt the bridge will lift again though. If it does. The repair shop has some work to do.   

Link to comment
Share on other sites

So, if you were me, would you seek to have it put back to the original specs with hide glue even if it meant Gibson putting a new top on it? They agreed it would be too risky to try and fix it now. I understand the practical side, but on the principle side, I wanted a guitar with hide glue construction and that isn't what I have any longer. I'm usually very laid back, but this one has my feathers ruffled, mainly because someone is lying to me about what happened and I think the tech is trying to cover his butt because he rushed to get it done.

Edited by Mr.Woody
Link to comment
Share on other sites

My thinking is as long as the Gibson  authorized work keeps the original new guitar warrantee work under warrantee, I wouldn’t worry about it.   If it’s a Gibson authorized repair, it’s really their call with Gibson under their determination and contract on how to best repair it.   That’s my opinion.  If Gibson will stands behind the workmanship of the repair to preserve their warrantee, I wouldn’t fret over if hide glue or wood glue was used.  
 

Plus, the tonal folklore about hide glue,  if my memory serves me correctly, seems to pertain to glue used  to attach the braces, plus if it originally had hide glue on the bridge and the bridge pulled up...well,  that doesn’t exactly seem to speak wonders about it being used again on that spot.

I wouldn’t worry about any of this.  If they reattached the bridge and it plays well, that’s the main thing.   On my 2006 Gibson J45 1964 Custom Shop Reissue when it’s bridge pulled up and a Gibson authorized repairman repaired it, I couldn’t tell you what glue it originally had on it or what glue was used to repair it...all I care about it is that it was repaired and plays great, again, and it was repaired under their warrantee.   When I asked the repairman why it pulled up to begin with he told me that the bridge must not have had an adequate amount of glue on it when it left the factory, thus the reason it was covered under their warrantee.  He said if it was something I did to cause it he bridge to pull up, such as from neglect by my not properly humidifying the instrument, then it would not have been covered under the warrantee.   I was there when he inspected it for excessive dryness and when he called Gibson and I overheard him getting them to approve the warrantee work for a factory glue error and telling them his inspection showed there being no humidity neglect on my part.

 

QM aka “Jazzman” Jeff

 

 

Edited by QuestionMark
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Any kind of repair work impacts the resale value if it's badly done or otherwise bothersome or noticable to the buyer. What kind of strong woodworking glue is used (be it hide glue, fish glue, or aliphatic resin glue like Titebond) is almost irrelevant as long as the glue-up job is done professionally and right.

Edited by Leonard McCoy
  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well, I got word back from Vince with Gibson customer service. He reached out to the acoustic division and they responded with this

“Please let our customer know that we use wood glue for all of our bridge applications. When we refer to hide glue use it is:

 

 

On bracing of Historics where the original year of production used it

On ALL dovetail neck joints

 

 

I hope this helps. Wood glue is better.”

 

I guess that settles it from my end. Picking up the guitar this afternoon, and I'll be glad to have it back.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

41 minutes ago, Mr.Woody said:

Well, I got word back from Vince with Gibson customer service. He reached out to the acoustic division and they responded with this

“Please let our customer know that we use wood glue for all of our bridge applications. When we refer to hide glue use it is:

 

 

On bracing of Historics where the original year of production used it

On ALL dovetail neck joints

 

 

I hope this helps. Wood glue is better.”

 

I guess that settles it from my end. Picking up the guitar this afternoon, and I'll be glad to have it back.

Good to know,  you got your answer.  Have fun with your guitar.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...