MickeyNJ Posted November 6, 2009 Share Posted November 6, 2009 Hi folks, I took my FT-165 Bard 12 to a local luthier for a set up, nut, saddle and a neck shim or two. This is my first go around with having some work done. I was told to check back in about 2 weeks and it should be done. I called 2 weeks later and was told he was out sick for a week and fell behind. Having been a small business owner at one time myself I was more than sympathetic. However now it's 6 weeks later. Is this typical of the artisan type?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TommyK Posted November 6, 2009 Share Posted November 6, 2009 Seems to be a never ending gripe, "The luthier's got my guitar and it isn't done yet." It must be feast or famine with these guys and difficult to give achievable dates. If his shop is indeed swamped, there should be guitars stacked up along the wall. Keep checking in every week, the squeaky wheel usually gets the grease. A personal visit usually garners more attention than a phone call. And don't, don't email. It's too easy to get ignored. Remember too, they are now laying in their Christmas stock of new guitars and he may need to do a set-up on all of them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jwalin Posted November 6, 2009 Share Posted November 6, 2009 Poor time management is a poor business practice. If he lets other work, even his own, get in the way of his customers, then I would look for another luthier. They are out there, and will appreciate the work. 6 weeks is way too long for anything, except waiting on parts! and maybe refinishing work... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MickeyNJ Posted November 8, 2009 Author Share Posted November 8, 2009 Well since it's tough from me to get out during the week another weekend has come and gone. I called Sat and he was closed for the day - at the Great American Guitar show in Valley Forge. Maybe I'll make an effort Mon or Tues. Thanks for the feedback guys Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peeper Posted November 8, 2009 Share Posted November 8, 2009 Does this guitar have a bolt on neck? If not then shimming an acoustic neck can be a time consuming process, and then you have to fix the finish where you removed the neck. We're talking hours spread over days to do it properly. It can be hard to fit it all in especially amongst all the other guitars and still have time to play yourself. That being said, six weeks is a little long for near anything short of major restoration work or builds, but I wouldn't fly off the handle about it. I would however suggest giving your repair person a call and drop a friendly " how's it going?" in his ear. Tell him you miss your guitar and ask if they know when it will be ready? By now even under the worst case it should be at least most of the way there. Ask if you can come get it on the following thursday or something, that could fast track you out the door. As I can attest, in this line of work, things don't always go as planned, and the longer I do this the more I learn that. Sometimes the easiest little thing can be a real pain in the keister, and drive you INSANE for hours staring at that hunk of wood and wire. I seriously doubt he's been lying on a beach sipping cool drink with beautiful women, laughing at your broken guitar lying in the sand. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freak show Posted November 9, 2009 Share Posted November 9, 2009 Six weeks for the work you needed is way too long. If I were you, I would nicely (and firmly) remind him that he had said it would take two weeks six weeks ago. If that doesn't get you your guitar within a week, you should pick it up and look for someone more dependable. Good Luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TommyK Posted November 9, 2009 Share Posted November 9, 2009 The FT165, most definitely, has a bolt-on neck. 2 minutes and it's off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ship of fools Posted November 9, 2009 Share Posted November 9, 2009 It really does sound like he doesn't want your money and its not a luthier who is working on your guitar but a tech, more then likely. Luthiers are the guys who can and do make guitars and some do work on the side to help support their bad habits ( like making guitars ) but most shops don't have them in house and if he hasn't managed to get you your guitar back after 6 weeks , for god sakes dion't sit here reading this, go and get your guitar and look and ask a lot of folks who have had work done in your area. The word is more often ther best you can find, this is the kind of work that should have taken no longer then a week all together.Ship Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peeper Posted November 9, 2009 Share Posted November 9, 2009 Sounds like it is taking a bit longer than it should. If they told you 6 weeks up front that would be another story, or if it was a set neck guitar then there would at least be a good excuse. Call them up and ask when you can come get your guitar, but be polite about it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MickeyNJ Posted November 11, 2009 Author Share Posted November 11, 2009 Well I got'er back today, and quite happy with the results. Action is great and sounds sweet. One question though - Do the Gs look close together or is that the way 12's are designed? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
freak show Posted November 12, 2009 Share Posted November 12, 2009 Well I got'er back today' date=' and quite happy with the results. Action is great and sounds sweet. One question though - Do the Gs look close together or is that the way 12's are designed?[/quote'] Glad to see that it worked out, that's a nice looking 12-string! Yes, those strings are slightly too close together, but it doesn't look like that's because of the spacing at the nut. Just try loosening them a bit and sliding them apart at the saddle with your thumbnail. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ship of fools Posted November 12, 2009 Share Posted November 12, 2009 Is the wound G string sitting against the pin, way to close together, take it back and have him do it right, and maybe you can take some side profile pics of the new saddle as I don't see any compensation in it what so ever and especially on a 12er there has to be some somewhere on those strings.Ship..........string spacing is equally important especially for a 12er Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peeper Posted November 12, 2009 Share Posted November 12, 2009 A little hard to tell from that pic, but I would say the others are kinda spaced too far apart, the g looks good. Like someone said, just try moving it with your finger. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MickeyNJ Posted November 12, 2009 Author Share Posted November 12, 2009 Old Scratch - took your advice and actually had to turn the bridge pin a tad to line it up straighter. It looks more uniform now - Thanks. Ship - I checked the contact line along the top of the saddle and it definitely has some compensation there - not sure if I could pick it up in a photo though. Thank you all for your input Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sjael Posted November 13, 2009 Share Posted November 13, 2009 I was just about to suggest turning the bridge pin as it looked pretty off in that photo. As for the saddle compensation, if you look very closely at that photo, you can see very slight shadowing where the compensation is happening. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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