rjames1973 Posted May 18, 2011 Share Posted May 18, 2011 Hi, I just brought home the Slash AFD Epi Les Paul. I had played this guitar in the music store near my home a couple of weeks ago and fell in love with it. Unfortunately, the case that came with the one I played was missing, so we decided to just order a new guitar and case. The guitar came in today, so I picked it up at the store and opened the box myself. The first thing I noticed is that the back of the guitar was scratched in three places. The salesman told me not to sweat that, since it might have been caused during the sanding and buffing process. Never mind that, as there are some other issues that bother me more. All of the speed knobs are misaligned. In other words, when you turn them, they are not straight. The worst part is that the tone knob for the neck and neck/bridge pickups does not work. I messed around with it for quite a while this evening, but it just doesn't work. Also, the guitar sounds muddy to me -- almost like the Epi Les Paul I traded in to get this one. It doesn't have that crisp crunchy bite that you would expect from the Slash Seymour Duncan Alnico II Pros. Last, the pickups are loose. I've never owned a guitar where the pickups were loose like the ones in this guitar. Anyway, I'm sorry to gripe, but I am just not satisfied with the level of quality of this particular guitar. I'm probably going to take it back to the store tomorrow to see if they can order a new one. Has anyone had these issues with this particular guitar? It isn't the Gibson version, but I was expecting better quality, considering all of the great reviews I've read about this guitar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brianh Posted May 18, 2011 Share Posted May 18, 2011 Bottom line - if you don't like it (for any reason), return it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
musicmaker99 Posted May 18, 2011 Share Posted May 18, 2011 Return it, return it, return it!!! .......and have them replace it until you get it e-x-a-c-t-l-y as its supposed to be.\:D/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
midiman56 Posted May 18, 2011 Share Posted May 18, 2011 Back it goes!!! "Sanding and buffing process"??? Jesus! Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gypsyseven Posted May 18, 2011 Share Posted May 18, 2011 Give it back! For that price i would get another Tokai MIJ...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rjames1973 Posted May 18, 2011 Author Share Posted May 18, 2011 Thanks for the replies! Yes, I'm definitely going to take the guitar back today. I'm still amazed at all of the great reviews this guitar got considering what I ended up with. I guess it's the luck of the draw, though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gypsyseven Posted May 18, 2011 Share Posted May 18, 2011 ...I'm still amazed at all of the great reviews this guitar That´s because 90% of the buyers are Slash fans and for them nothing matters more than his f... name on the guitar.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RaSTuS Posted May 18, 2011 Share Posted May 18, 2011 That´s because 90% of the buyers are Slash fans and for them nothing matters more than his f... name on the guitar.... It could also be that the units they received had none of the issues addressed in the OP, for the most part Epi produces excellent quality instruments given their price point and the vast majority of them are delivered issue free, the occasional bad egg will emerge, if you've ever seen transport workers handling freight and wonder how many times it must be handled, then the method of freight, most by sea in 40' shipping containers, the number of temperate zones it will pass through in rather rapid succession, it's really a wonder any turn up playable at all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Berserker Posted May 19, 2011 Share Posted May 19, 2011 I have one. Took 3 weeks to get shipped from the US to Australia, but that was because it accidentally went via Canada. But back on topic, get another, mines exceptionally well made, a great player, and sounds great. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gwak Posted June 7, 2011 Share Posted June 7, 2011 Hi, I also read many good reviews and back in Fenruary bought one of these guitars back from Japan for a price I couldn't refuse. Also the guitar was fantastic to play. However I didn't notice until I got it back to Sydney that one section on the veneer looks a little cloudy - upon closer inspection it looks as though the wood/veneer underneath had been carved a bit too deeply and extra lacquer was added to fill in the gap. A bit disappointing but only superficial in the end, the guitar plays great. I went to practically all the guitar stores that stocked them in Tokyo and I did find that there were a few that didn't play that well and sounded a bit murky also. (On an aside note, from what I saw, guiutar stores in Tokyo did not take very good care of their guitars and often had them hanging up so close together that it was inevitable they would get bumped anytime someone wanted to try one out - and when the Slash Epi AFD first came out one store had about 20 on a stand they had set up just next to the entrance, it was heated inside and 0 degree temperatures outside so the guitars were constantly exposed to hot and cold changes - I wasn't at all impressed). I am am also aware of a store here that ordered 3 and 2 of the 3 had wiring issues and had to be returned. I agree with one of the earlier posts that it is amazing they get here in one piece at all after all those baggage handlers get through with them - luckily the case is very good, but the case still ended up with a few bumps and scratches despite bubble wrap etc. So I'm sure you have taken it back by now for another one, I would hope anyway, guitar vendors unfortunately are salesman at the end of the day and 'its just a few scratches' is an all too common line when really you should accept nothing less than what you expect, a guitar in brand new condition. Anyway, I hope you managed to get a new one that sounds as good as the first one you played, as it is a great guitar I think. Cheers~ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Farnsbarns Wunterslausche Posted June 7, 2011 Share Posted June 7, 2011 Why don't you swap it for the one you liked, just keep your case? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wardog Posted June 7, 2011 Share Posted June 7, 2011 That´s because 90% of the buyers are Slash fans and for them nothing matters more than his f... name on the guitar.... I am not a hugh fan of slash, or signature models. I got my afd due to quality issues I had with another epi lp i ordered. The quality was horrid, dents, scratches, the nut was set at least an 1/8th inch offf. not very happy at all and it was right out of the box. 700.00 with a very nice epi case. To make me happy, the mgr switched it for a slash afd new still in the box --300 comp!!!. He opened it on the stop and WOW. quality was great, and the pups have some killer tone. So, I think gwak was a vitcum of payday quality at the plant Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fl00dsm0k3 Posted June 7, 2011 Share Posted June 7, 2011 just take it back Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gwak Posted June 8, 2011 Share Posted June 8, 2011 I am not a hugh fan of slash, or signature models. I got my afd due to quality issues I had with another epi lp i ordered. The quality was horrid, dents, scratches, the nut was set at least an 1/8th inch offf. not very happy at all and it was right out of the box. 700.00 with a very nice epi case. To make me happy, the mgr switched it for a slash afd new still in the box --300 comp!!!. He opened it on the stop and WOW. quality was great, and the pups have some killer tone. So, I think gwak was a vitcum of payday quality at the plant Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gwak Posted June 8, 2011 Share Posted June 8, 2011 Haha this is probably true. I think 95% of them are very well done, as I think for mine too, aside from that very minor thing I mentioned and for $700 it is the best deal I've ever got (price of guitars is ridiculous in Australia). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RaSTuS Posted June 8, 2011 Share Posted June 8, 2011 Haha this is probably true. I think 95% of them are very well done, as I think for mine too, aside from that very minor thing I mentioned and for $700 it is the best deal I've ever got (price of guitars is ridiculous in Australia). Do what I do and import them yourself, I've bought 40 - 50 geets this way and have never had a problem with any of them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gwak Posted June 8, 2011 Share Posted June 8, 2011 But you still pay the import tax right? I assume that even though you do pay the import tax, you save on the extra added on for RRP. This guitar was going for $1899 here at one point. Naturally it is not cheaper to fly o/s and get one (so from this perspective importing is safest and thus cheapest too) - but I got it for $700, and the issue I mentioned before is inconsequential really, just a comment overall on the production quality (which I think otherwise was very high). I wonder how much it would cost to import this guitar yourself...$1300-1400?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RaSTuS Posted June 8, 2011 Share Posted June 8, 2011 But you still pay the import tax right? I assume that even though you do pay the import tax, you save on the extra added on for RRP. This guitar was going for $1899 here at one point. Naturally it is not cheaper to fly o/s and get one (so from this perspective importing is safest and thus cheapest too) - but I got it for $700, and the issue I mentioned before is inconsequential really, just a comment overall on the production quality (which I think otherwise was very high). I wonder how much it would cost to import this guitar yourself...$1300-1400?? Anything under $1,000 is free from duty and tax, the price is calculated as item+shipping+insurance(if any), anything over $1,000 costs %10 GST + %3 Duty + about a $30 fee, there are exemptions for anything coming from the US that is US made because of the Free Trade Agreement and they usually aren't that strict on the US made part either, you have to fill out an exemption form though. Shipping can cost anywhere between $80 and $200, depending on the shipper, never use UPS, they are stupid doing the customs thing, better off with USPS or Fedex, always have them declare it as an "Electric Guitar", that way customs won't worry about any quarantine bs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gwak Posted June 8, 2011 Share Posted June 8, 2011 Thanks a lot for that information, I will do that in future. Based on that information it would probably be possible to import this guitar for around $1000 which almost half RRP! Thanks again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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