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Should I run my mouth?


ledzep59

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Well my luthier said it was going to take 2 weeks to do a bunch of stuff to my R9. As of yesterday it has officially been 5 weeks. I have stayed in touch with him the entire time, and last week he said it should/will be done by the weekend, which of course did not happen. Here is the last email he sent me:

 

"Just want to give you an update on your Les Paul. First of all it is coming out awesome. I had a little trouble finding the right size and color binding. The jumbo frets push the size of the binding needed just higher than the standard binding. Also Gibson used a different binding on the reissue so I have had to basically make a custom binding. The board is killer. In the delay I was able to find some cellulose nitrate from 1959. So the inlays are real. I also had to custom make those. If I could have had it sooner I would have but it will be worth the wait."

 

Should I get pissed at this guy and give him a piece of my mind? I has been a while, but as I mentioned in the response to him, I would much rather have him take his time and have it done right rather than rush through it and botch the job. My friends have been telling me to raise hell, but they don't own R9's... What do y'all think?

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Sounds like he's preparing you for a whopper of a bill... Make sure he sticks to the original quote. You did get a price quote first didn't you? Might have been a good idea to have had a penalty for being late.... maybe a $100 a week. That tends to speed things up.

 

Don't feel bad though, my Luthier has had my LP project guitar almost a year now and he messed up the gold leaf which I am having redone now... Hopefully when he gets the guitar back he will finish it up quickly.... Yeah and monkeys might come flying out of my a$$....

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Well he can't hardly work on your guitar if you pester him. It sucks that it's been over the quoted time, but at least he's staying in contact and it sounds like it's going to turn out nicely.

 

I agree with Dave about the price... I think that's the thing you're going to need to get pissed about.

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He quoted me $800' date=' and I already paid $500. If he asks for more money it would be completely absurd, so I would then throw a fit and refuse to pay a cent above what he quoted me. [/quote']

 

If you have an agreed price there should be no problem. If he did any work or used any materials that would increase the original quote he should consult you first. If he didn't he did it for arts sake and pride in his own work which is very admirable but should not cost you a penny....

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Watch what you say for as long as the guitar is in his possession.

Did you also get rid of the truss rod condom?

Why don't you just call him and say (not in these exact words) - tell me when it'll be done...don't keep saying soon or next week, just give me a date that I will have it by.

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Sounds like a LOT of stuff is going on with it...

Are you sure it was 2 weeks worth of work and not 5 or 6 to start with?

Have you called and made changes to what you want done?

Is he supremely busy or is your project likely the only one he is working on?

 

There are many considerations I'd have to look at before I lambasted the guy who had my guitar...

 

(But if I was pretty sure he's just jerking me around, I'd treat it as a learning experience, never give him my business again and steer everyone I could in a different direction.)

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What those guys said. It sounds like he's really doing his best to do some nice work on your guitar so give him the benefit of the doubt; the saying goes "You can have it done fast or you can have it done right, but not both." Just be mindful that the final bill doesn't skyrocket.

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Sounds like he's doing it right and that takes time but is almost always worth the wait. Might sound weird but if he's a luthier that makes him a artist time flows differently for artist than it does for technicians he sounds like he want's it perfect and so do you, so try to be patient the email was more than most get from their luthiers

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I don't buy it. Where you rate in the, 'scale of importance' as a customer determines when he gets done. Been there. Too late now, it is in his hands so stay a big pesty sweetie and keep your fingers crossed [lol]

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Deep breaths and repeat after me...Serenity Now. You can't rush a craftsman/artist.

 

 

+1 So true. Let us hope such is truly who/what he is and you get a good job. Because' date=' you are going to pay more as previously mentioned. Swallow hard. [biggrin

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So anywho what are ya having done to your R9?

 

 

Brazilian board installed w/ hot hide glue

Custom bone nut

cellulose nitrate inlays

tortoise shell side dot inlays

Stainless steel jumbo frets

 

 

AreNine, I didn't get the truss rod sheath taken off b/c he said it would be a huge pain. I definitely have given him plenty of space as an artist/artisan. He also runs a luthier school, so I'm sure he is busy teaching classes part of the time. He was able to look at it when I gave it to him and he said around two weeks, so I just believed him. Serenity now...

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Deep breaths and repeat after me...Serenity Now. You can't rush a craftsman/artist.

 

Too true. If someone was taking care of one of MY babies, I'd refrain from getting pissy with them, not only out of paranoia, but mostly because I don't know what it takes to get something done right. I would feel wrong rushing the dude.

He's not working on a car, he's working on the baby. A few extra weeks of fine tweeking is better than having to take it back with a frown.

 

Long as the price deal is upheld.

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Brazilian board installed w/ hot hide glue

Custom bone nut

cellulose nitrate inlays

tortoise shell side dot inlays

Stainless steel jumbo frets

 

 

AreNine' date=' I didn't get the truss rod sheath taken off b/c he said it would be a huge pain. I definitely have given him plenty of space as an artist/artisan. He also runs a luthier school, so I'm sure he is busy teaching classes part of the time. He was able to look at it when I gave it to him and he said around two weeks, so I just believed him. Serenity now...[/quote']

 

 

That doesn't sound good. One is his 'real' employment; the other a supplement.

 

I realize I am cynical. It is because I had a 5 star kill one of my acoustics last year. Six weeks became 3 months and a take back with a neck needing Viagra.

 

I am sure you are in a better boat than I found myself.

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