Custom Shop Lifetime Warranty

[MjrPaynendaz]

Has anyone else had a problem getting a response from Gibson Custom Warranty Department about a major problem with their instrument? I own a 2015 Nick Lucas Koa Elite that recently (Oct 2022) developed a through body crack in the upper bout around mid width and roughly 8 inches long. I’ve been in contact with Customer Service and the Repair and Restoration Department and have been passed back and forth, and now, all communications are being totally ignored. They stated they were going to send me a  RM number and have yet to receive it and NO ONE will any longer reply to my emails or online requests for repair, or even address my attempted warranty claim. I’m just trying to either get it looked at by their warranty Dept. And fixed under what they ‘call’ a Lifetime Warranty, or if deemed not a Warranty Issue, have it fixed at my own expense. It’s next week it will be SIX MONTHS since this process started and I’m no where closer to having my issue addressed than I was the  day BEFORE the issue arose.

Anyone else having issues with the Custom Shop addressing a Warranty Claim? I’ve never been totally ignored when trying to file a warranty claim by ANY company, much less, a company I’ve purchased products from for OVER 50 Years. I’m deeply saddened if this is their new business model. I was told by one of the first people I contacted (I won’t mention names at this point) that, “It’s 7 years old so I doubt it can be a material or workmanship defect”. I’m sorry if I misunderstand the term LIFETIME WARRANTY. I own three other Gibsons, Yamahas, and Fender Electrics and have never had an issue with wood separating in my, now, 68 years. I’m trying my best NOT to escalate the issue beyond Gibson and myself but, am running out of patience at this point. Any advice, names in management I can contact or relevant issues/experience any of you guys may have had with Gibson “LIFETIME WARRNTY” claims? I’m still dumbfounded with their lack of concern with my issue and ghosting me now. Thanks guys (and gals, of course)!,

[Larsongs]

Try Phoning them direct & review your experience with them. Ask for them to email the RM Number while you wait. Just to make sure it gets through to you.. 

If that doesn’t work send a letter to the CEO of Gibson…

Doing a Gibson Warranty Repair has always been challenging.. Once you get through the process their Work is excellent…. I’ve had 2 Guitars Repaired under the Lifetime Warranty… Both came back perfect..

Good luck..

[QuestionMark]

You might want to try and contact the Gibson dealer from whom you purchased the instrument for assistance, if you have not yet done so.  Just a suggestion.  

I have had Custom Shop warranty repair work done on my 2006 CS J-45 when the bridge suddenly lifted.  But first they had to inspect that it was not a proper humidification  issue on my part, and they determined it was not.  They determined it was not properly glued down by the factory.  Then there was no problem at all.  

Keep us posted.

 

QM aka “Jazzman” Jeff

 

 

 

[slimt]

Where are you located? Lifetime warranties only apply in the USA   Any only applies to the  original purchaser  of the Gibson from a Gibson  Retailer.    Canada is only a year.  Via Yorkville . 

so hopefully your in the US  and the Original owner.    
 

and if its a Top crack. I wish you  luck .  

[MjrPaynendaz]

I’m in the US, Florida, original owner and it’s a top bout crack (side) on a right handed guitar. The guitar is pristine, well cared for, no scratches, no dings anywhere and purchased from Musicians Friend. Crack starts and runs mid-side from high point of front bout, down through the valley and up into the back bout and is cracked all the way through. The guitar is wider at nearly 7 inches than normal and back and sides are Koa. I don’t know if the width and material made a weak spot or what. Case kept unless playing then I’ll use the stand but never left out of the case otherwise. I’m baffled. I appreciate the response!

[slimt]

I would talk to the dealer and see if they can guide you in a good direction   .  Gibson has a policy not to back guitar cracks for the reasons of neglect.   Not saying yours is that way.   Just in general.   
 

 

[QuestionMark]

Musicians Friend is owned by Guitar Center.  You might ask Musicians Friend if you can take it into a local Guitar Center an assessment if it qualifies under Gibson’s Warranty.  Many times Guitar Centers work with their local authorized Gibson Repairperson to facilitate warrantee repairs, whether by their local Gibson warrantee person or by shipping warrantee work to Gibson.  Although I would think Musicians Friend has a similar  process.   Call Musicians Friend about your issue and see what they say about getting it repaired by Gibson or through them or through Guitar Center and either Gibson or through a local authorized Gibson Repairperson they utilize if it works that way for them.   Both sell a lot of Gibsons and since you bought it through MF, contact them for what you should do.

QM aka “.Jazzman”  Jeff

 

[Larsongs]

I wouldn’t waste my time dealing with Guitar Center or Musiciansfriend with regard to a Warranty Repair or Replacement.. Been there done that & it was a waste of time..

They are a 3rd Party whose primary interest is Selling Instruments..

Your Warranty is with Gibson not Musiciansfriend.. A third party will slow down the process & or more than likely deny repairing under Warranty or Returning for refund or doing an Exchange.. 

The only course of Action for me was dealing directly with Gibson & demanding all Repairs be done at the Factory level..

It was a lengthy process. I’m sure it’s designed to slow you down, wear you out & hopefully make you give up… Don’t..

Gibson will honor their Warranty but it requires time & effort….

[zombywoof]

I have never owned a new Gibson so have been spared having to deal with any kind of warranty issues.    

But from a business perspective Gibson is a pragmatic and conservative company for whom warranty repairs are a major drag on their bottom line.  In the past ten years they have probably sold 175,000 guitars.  If just 1% of those were returned for warranty service it would inundate the shop.  Mind you, I am not saying any of this is a good excuse but it is understandable in terms of mass production and why they are not coming forward as quickly as you may want.

I guess what I would do though is to keep after them.  I have had cracks and open seams on more than a few old Gibsons repaired and even with cleating and a top notch finish touchup they were a fairly easy fix and based on what I have paid not all that an expensive a repair to undertake.

[Larsongs]

He didn’t buy a Used & worn Guitar.. As he stated he bought & paid for a New Custom Shop Guitar. He deserves it to be a Custom Shop quality Guitar... That doesn’t include a crack in the Body.. And he definitely shouldn’t have to be taking it to a Repair Guy, have to pay out of his own Pocket & run the risk by doing so voiding the Warranty.. 

No…. OP, deal direct with Gibson, eliminate the Middlemen & all that aggravation…  Get it done right or tell them to replace it.. You acted in good faith & so should they.. And they will if you stay on top of them….

[Dave F]

Just my experience.

I've had three Gibson Montana returns, all with good outcome. All three times I went through the dealer albeit all three were new guitars within the store's return window. Besides those three, I had two that I took to local Gibson authorized repair shops. They reported the issue and were approved to do the repairs and did an excellent job. One of the repairmen was a luthier friend of mine.  He told me they document and report the issues and they either repair it or get the RM authorization. The only problem I see you may run into is that it is eight years old and if it was a manufacturing defect it should have showed up before now.

One of the Montana repairs was on a Nick Lucas. The bridge plate need replaced.

One of the authorized repairs was done at a Guitar Center.

Good Luck with the outcome.

[Larsongs]

I bought a brand new Fender Jazzmaster from Guitar Center Online.. Their Stores mostly carried entry level which was not what I was looking for.. When I got it had several small issues that I could’ve overlooked & taken care myself.. However it had a twisted Neck.. 

I took it to my Guitar Center went thru their Team of Professionals & was directed to their In House Factory Certified Warranty Repair Guy.. Bear in mind I’d only had the Guitar a few days.. too..

He said Fender wouldn’t Warranty it! I said, It’s not a Set Neck it’s a simple Bolt on Neck.. What the ……..! He said, I can install a new Neck but I’d have to pay for it.. He was kinda obnoxious.. They said Sorry Man… So, I returned it.. Then I bought another from a Competitor Company & it came perfect….

Good luck to anyone who wants to Jack around with Guitar Center…

I also have a 1975 Martin D-35 I bought new.. It’s almost as old as me! About 10 years ago I sent it to Martin as the Neck was lifting… It had to be repaired whether it was covered by the Warranty or I had to pay for it… They called me said they’d reset it under Warranty.. They suggested I refret it which isn’t covered by Warranty & I said ok.. However, there some things we recommend having done while they had it which were covered by Warranty.. In addition to Resetting the Neck they Reset the Bridge & Pickguard. They also reset some of the Bracing all under Warranty.. I was blown away.. I asked them to also add Electronics as it wouldn’t affect the Warranty since it was the correct System & installed by them… 

My experience dealing with Gibson on 2 different Guitars was similar.. Although, they were relatively new with Factory flaws… 

[MjrPaynendaz]

Just to clarify the response I received from Gibson Custom Shop Warranty and Repair. I was told, “the guitar is a little over 7 1/2 years old so it’s past the time for a manufacturing defect to appear”. That doesn’t sound AT ALL like a Gold Non-Transferable LIFETIME WARRANTY. Has Gibson Custom Shop fallen this low to no longer honor their Lifetime Warranty for the original purchaser and to not even look at the guitar? I mean, if they found it’s NOT a defect in materials/workmanship or even the design (due to the extra width of the body and Koa back and sides).
 

I have NO problem paying for a repair myself, since I’d also like to get an acoustic pup installed at the same time as the repair. I’d  hate to have to get my attorney or a Specialist Warranty attorney involved but no one will respond to my issue. I’m passed back and forth between departments with each sending me back to the other. This has been going on since October 2022. 
 

This is NOT the Gibson I’ve  been loyal to and dealt with for over 50 years. I can only assume there’s something going on internally with Gibson to just ignore a documented Warranty Issue/Claim. I can’t send it without a RM number and no one will send me the RM# they promised to send. 
 

Just wanted to let everyone know about the 7 1/2 year “Lifetime Warranty” Gibson is now covering their Custom Shop Guitars with, according to Terry at the Custom Shop. (hate mentioning names but I’m over what appears to be a, now, very sketchy “Lifetime Warranty” and their failure to even look at the guitar)

I’ll update if anything new transpires once the Breach of Warranty gets addressed. Thanks for all the input, guys!
 

 

[AnneS]

It never hurts to put in writing something like “I believe many states have consumer protection laws that provide for treble damages when a warranty is breached or misrepresented, but before I contact my attorney…”

[Larsongs]

Write a detailed written letter to the President & CEO of Gibson.. Send it it Certified… Be sure to detail how Guitar was maintained, kept & stored.. Cracks can be caused by abuse & or neglect.. Particularly lack of humidity. Be sure to let them know they weren’t caused by neglect or abuse..

Edited April 18, 2023 by Larsongs

[rct]

lolz.  Gibson doesn't care how many guitars you bought, traded, owned, gigged, or otherwise did their advertising for them.  For free.

Take it to your local Gibson dealer, that's the only entity they will even pretend to listen to.

rct

[slimt]

How many  times has Gibson gone Bankrupt?    They just about sunk the ship again not long ago.   Lifetime really means nothing .

[Dave F]

Just my opinion, but I would not expect Gibson warranty to cover a crack 7 -1/2 years after getting it. I've sent three guitars back for warranty work all within a few months of buying them.

Even Martin quit their lifetime neck reset policy. 

[Gibson29]

After 7-½ years I wouldn’t expect a crack to be covered.  That’s insane, due to humidity issues most likely.  You can spend all the money on lawyers you want, but that’s a losing battle, and frankly, I’m in their camp on this.

edit:  a crack in the upper bout 7-½ years after it was built IS NOT A MFG. ISSUE.

Edited April 19, 2023 by Gibson29

[slimt]

Any solid wood guitar has to be looked after.   Gibson only covers faulty workmanship .   
Not neglect.  Finish cracks, wood cracks , sinkage is mostly due to not enough humidity.   
 

any guitar that gets to much humidity will swell. Parts will pull away.  
 

Its on the owner to look after there musical instruments. 

[MjrPaynendaz]

This guitar is home kept, never outside, 72 degrees, in a/c so over humidified isn’t the issue.  I have assorted Gibson, Martin and Fenders (elec) and have owned acoustics for 50 years and never had this issue. This guitar is showroom perfect… except for the bout crack, now. I’m just shocked and disappointed how they treat their customers once that sale is made. My post is just a warning not to believe their BS “Lifetime Warranty”. Don’t claim it if it ain’t so. That’s just false advertising and now, Breach of Warranty . We’ll see. I’ve already wasted too much time on this and am leaving it to others to sort it out. I don’t have a problem paying for the repair, especially if it’s something I’ve caused but, want to know how I caused the crack so I can correct the ‘error in my ways’ so it never happens again.  Thanks for the reply and advice!

[Murph]

3 hours ago, MjrPaynendaz said:

This guitar is home kept, never outside, 72 degrees, in a/c so over humidified isn’t the issue. 

A/C in Florida is like 10 months a year.

It's under humidified. 

[MjrPaynendaz]

12 months a year, and it’s humidified BECAUSE of my guitars. Just to clarify.

[MjrPaynendaz]

50%, forgot to mention. Never over 55, never under 45. NEVER.

[Dave F]

I had the same reasoning and used to think identical to you until I got my first J200. It was in a room with 20 other guitars. I immediately started having high string action that could not be adjusted away. Sent it back and they said it was over humidified. Gibson kept it for a few months then returned it and it was perfect but immediately moved high again. I sent it back again and they replaced it with a new. One that I never had an issue. That got me thinking so I set gages around the room and soon found out that 72 degrees and a/c did not prevent high humidity. I started looking closely at my Fender soils bodies and noticed a very slight movement in the finish at the body glue joints. Some guitars are more sensitive than others. Usually aging makes them less sensitive. 
I now keep a humidifier and dehumidifier in the guitar room and keep it between 45-55.