sm.kralik Posted June 20, 2012 Share Posted June 20, 2012 First off I'd like to say that I'm new to guitar so forgive me for not knowing all the technical terms for it. I've had my new Les paul custom pro for about 2 months, I love it to death but one day when the jack input on the guitar became loose and the nut fell off making the jack fall a bit inside the hollowed out portion. I then removed all 4 screws on the "jack cover" I noticed that one screw hole was extremely close to the end of the wood. Sure enough I saw that the screw had been resting only about 1/8" in the hole and the rest of the screw had been pointing inboard. Additionally, it split the wood causing a 1/4" crack in the wood. I'm waiting for a response from epiphone but do you feel it is worth a repair or should I see if I can get it replaced? I plan on keeping this guitar for a really long time... Thanks for the help, Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parabar Posted June 20, 2012 Share Posted June 20, 2012 Can you post a photo? The crack may have no effect on the guitar other than the screw being loose, and it could be easy to fix. On the other hand, it could be in a position where it might have other effects too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlanH Posted June 20, 2012 Share Posted June 20, 2012 How old is the guitar, did you buy it brand new and in which country? This might affect whether or not you are covered under a warranty. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sm.kralik Posted June 20, 2012 Author Share Posted June 20, 2012 How do you save a picture to be under 500K? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Whitmore Willy Posted June 21, 2012 Share Posted June 21, 2012 How do you save a picture to be under 500K? http://forum.gibson.com/index.php?/topic/51292-the-d0-it-yourself-thread-look-here-for-tech-related-questions/ Willy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sm.kralik Posted June 21, 2012 Author Share Posted June 21, 2012 Thanks for the help guys. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlanH Posted June 21, 2012 Share Posted June 21, 2012 To me, that's a manufacturing defact that I couldn't live with and would send it back as a dud if it's under warranty. Is it new. If less than a week old and purchased over the web in the UK we can send back to the retailer with no obligation, or maybe the retailer has a no quibble return policy. If not it's a warranty job but, in either case, we (as customers) should never put up with shoddy workmanship. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gunner Posted June 21, 2012 Share Posted June 21, 2012 I agree it's a manufacturing defect and you should probably be able to get a replacement. I myself would fill the hole with a toothpick and wood glue, then redrill it, rather than go through the hassle of returning the guitar and taking the chance of getting one with different issues, or one that I just didn't like as much. That repaired hole will not affect tone or playability, or be visible. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rednefceleb Posted June 21, 2012 Share Posted June 21, 2012 So you "knocked" the phone jack a little? That's easy to do. That may not be under warranty because you accidentally broke it. It's not serious at all. From now on use a 90 degree jack cable on that guitar input and it'll be easier to deal with. That's happened to me once or twice. Did you break the plastic square that the jack goes into? They can be had @ STEW-MAC parts, or ALLPARTS, even E-Bay sells Gibson & 'Epi parts. You have 3 very good screw holes: you can get by with those and either put in the last screw for looks or possibly use a longer wider thread "grabber" screw that may grip the wood a little deeper. White glue would basically hold that screw in if it won't stay in. It would be easy to break that white glue bond. It's pretty weak stuff. Good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parabar Posted June 22, 2012 Share Posted June 22, 2012 I agree it's a manufacturing defect and you should probably be able to get a replacement. I myself would fill the hole with a toothpick and wood glue, then redrill it, rather than go through the hassle of returning the guitar and taking the chance of getting one with different issues, or one that I just didn't like as much. That repaired hole will not affect tone or playability, or be visible. +1 to Gunner's reply --- provided you like everything else about how the guitar plays and sounds, repairing the hole would be simple, cheap, and you'd have your guitar back in playing condition overnight. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sm.kralik Posted June 22, 2012 Author Share Posted June 22, 2012 I took it to my local shop today, and he said to probably just forget about it because its only cosmetic and cannot be seen unless you remove the jack plate, and said the guitar is in great shape. I got a confirmation number so epiphone said if I decide to send it back they would probably end up replacing the guitar. I probably will eventually try to fix it myself but the other three holes grip well, although it may always bother me every time I unscrew it ...I guess I have a little more deciding to do. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pin Posted June 22, 2012 Share Posted June 22, 2012 I took it to my local shop today, and he said to probably just forget about it because its only cosmetic and cannot be seen unless you remove the jack plate, and said the guitar is in great shape. I got a confirmation number so epiphone said if I decide to send it back they would probably end up replacing the guitar. I probably will eventually try to fix it myself but the other three holes grip well, although it may always bother me every time I unscrew it ...I guess I have a little more deciding to do. To me the issue is exceedingly simple - the guitar is faulty - and it goes back. End of. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RSDx Posted June 23, 2012 Share Posted June 23, 2012 To me the issue is exceedingly simple - the guitar is faulty - and it goes back. End of. ....and run the risk of getting one with a real problem. He likes the guitar, the problem borders on no problem, realistically ....to me the issue is exceedingly simple - DIY fix, couldn't be any simpler ... End of. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pin Posted June 23, 2012 Share Posted June 23, 2012 ....and run the risk of getting one with a real problem. Is the quality and reliability of Epiphone guitars so suspect that a person would be running such a risk? If so, then it is perhaps better that they should be avoided altogether. Maybe you wouldn't take it back, maybe the OP won't...but I would. So there is an end to it - mush. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Notes_Norton Posted June 23, 2012 Share Posted June 23, 2012 I think it is admirable that Gibson/Epi offered to take it back and replace it. That's good customer service. If it were me, that's what I would do. Notes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlanH Posted June 23, 2012 Share Posted June 23, 2012 ....and run the risk of getting one with a real problem. He likes the guitar, the problem borders on no problem, realistically ....to me the issue is exceedingly simple - DIY fix, couldn't be any simpler ... End of. Wouldn't this invalidate the warranty? If it's a new guitar it should be sorted out under the warranty whether repaired or replaced. Depending upon where you are, that's a lifetime warranty too so it may not need to be so new if the OP is the original owner. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lord Summerisle Posted June 23, 2012 Share Posted June 23, 2012 I know that we're talking about production-line guitars built to a relatively low cost-per-unit when they are manufactured, but still... ...looking at the OP's photos, I have to say, that's a horrible bit of woodworking - a really elementary mistake on the part of whoever gets paid to screw the jack covers on guitars in the Qingdao factory. If the guitar were mine, I'm sorry to say I just couldn't live with it - which is probably stupid, but it would just annoy me that part of my guitar contained the type of basic mistake I'd be disappointed to see in a GCSE woodwork bunny-hutch project... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rednefceleb Posted June 23, 2012 Share Posted June 23, 2012 I agree with the idea of "put it back together and play". Returning a guitar can cost the customer money. If you are liking the way the wood looks on top & the way it's playing: keep it! I've worked in several music stores out on the road gigging, and have inspected all brands of electrics for 45 years. Epiphone quality has been steady and many of their models ($400 and up mainly) impress guitarists who know their stuff. Some of The Epiphone Reps. did tell me about the "unpotted pickups" (very low cost models only.) Since then Epiphone has got onto to the competitive train of improving as much as possible. I agree that my Nighthawk will need better p'ups. I've changed to steel saddles. The fretboard has had 20 of my hours polishing frets and treating the ebony fretboard. The action is actually as low as my 1973 Tobacco S'Brst Les Paul Custom. Is it "as good" in any way? Perhaps not...just the action. An Old quality and heavy Gibson L.P.Custom is in a world of guitars that you will find in the hands of Warren H. Or Joe Bonamassa and the like. But for lower income guys (and girls) who wanna dream and own some of the classics in replica, Epiphones are an excellent choice. Dillion is another one. Those are made under the same roof as Epis. I can see better equipped Epis on the way such as the "Les Paul Tribute Plus" with upgrades all ready done. I think they are really fun to refine where needed, and I love to surprise myself at how close these low budget units can come to the Gibson target. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rednefceleb Posted June 23, 2012 Share Posted June 23, 2012 Is the quality and reliability of Epiphone guitars so suspect that a person would be running such a risk? If so, then it is perhaps better that they should be avoided altogether. Maybe you wouldn't take it back, maybe the OP won't...but I would. So there is an end to it - mush. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rednefceleb Posted June 24, 2012 Share Posted June 24, 2012 Most people are on this forum to create positive suggestion in repairing, improving, and loving The Epiphone Electric Guitar and Amps etc. Plain negativity is not in any way a solution of any type. If there is any question about why I wrote this is..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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