Just Received my New LP Studio, Not Happy

[Canadian_Charlie]

Just received my new studio from Germany, it was well packed in its case, in a gibson box and then in a bigger box with bubble wrap. I found a few scratches on it, near the rear strap button, on the side and a few light scratches here and there. Now this is a brand new guitar that has never seen the showroom floor.

 

Plays nice and everything but the scratches bother me a bit as I paid 1000 euros for it. I'm going to e mail Thomann (where I ordered it) and see what they can do. To ship it back will be a fortune so I'm hoping maybe they can give me some credit on my next purchase.

 

 

Gibson quality control sucks and being this is my first Gibson it may be my last

[BigKahune]

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Was the inside Gibson factory box sealed at the factory, or by Thomann?

 

 

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[Kaiser Bill]

Something is "fishy" there. It could never have left the factory with that many scratches. Sounds like somebody in Deutschland "road tested" you geetar.

[Wild_Rose]

definitely send it back. they have good customer service, so they will ship you a new one back.

 

btw, which one did you buy?

[L5Larry]

I would be much more concerned with sound and playability than a few scratches. Every new guitar will eventually "acquire" some scratches, and the first one is always emotional. You are already past that point.

[BigKahune]

I would be much more concerned with sound and playability than a few scratches. Every new guitar will eventually "acquire" some scratches, and the first one is always emotional. You are already past that point.

 

Larry makes a great point. If the sound and playability are much to your liking, you might want to keep it. Doing an exchange might bring you a guitar in perfect cosmetic shape, but which might not satisfy you in it's sound and playability.

 

 

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[Wild_Rose]

but guys, when you pay that amount of money, scratches are not expected. Would you buy a Corvette with scratches, even if it kicks *** on the road? sorry but for the prices that Gibson charges, scratches are not acceptable. At least not to me.

[AXE®]

If it was shipped internationally, the box was opened at customs.

 

Customs employees are buttbags.

 

[stein]

Couple things:

 

For one, why the blame for Gibson? It actually doesn't make any sense to suspect the damage would have come from Gibson, as this is the LEAST likely place that a guitar would have got any damage if it has any. What is HIGHLY likely is that whatever scrathes or use the guitar has came from the dealer. Why not assume the more likely over the least likely?

 

What is important isn't where the scrathes came from, but where the guitar came from. Gibson didn't send you the guitar, the dealer did. It is the dealer's RESPONSIBILITY to inspect that package as well as insure it gets to you. So regardless of what damages or mistakes were made along the way, it is really all on the dealer anyway.

 

I don't mean any of this in a way that anyone involved tried to screw you or should be punished for any mistakes. Just trying to lay out the obvious of where the responsibility lies.

 

I think you are on the right track of getting an appropriate discount from the dealer, as this is the least damaging to all involved and the most fair.

 

L5LARRY makes a good point about the important aspects of the guitar being what really matters.

 

The other thing you have to consider is that when you order something from so, so far away from where you are, if you choose an option that involves sending it back that you have to pay for, that's really a choice you made by ordering from a dealer so far away in the first place.

[chilton100]

International mail does not necessarily mean that the package or guitar case is opened in customs. If you buy from Thomann the paperwork is complete and reliable. And if the buyer lives in another EU country there shouldn't be any customs tax to pay anyway. That's one of the advantages of the union.

 

Thomann should make it right with the buyer no matter where the damage occured. A return/trade for another guitar shouldn't be a problem and then Thomann can sell the scratched Studio as a B stock instrument.

[Canadian_Charlie]

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Was the inside Gibson factory box sealed at the factory, or by Thomann?

 

The Gibson box was fully sealed and placed in a Thomann box

 

 

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[Canadian_Charlie]

The Gibson box was fully sealed and placed in a Thomann box

[Canadian_Charlie]

Does Gibson no longer put felt between the guitar and strap buttons?

 

Does Gibson no longer give out a truss rod adjusting tool like an allen wrench?

[BigKahune]

The Gibson box was fully sealed and placed in a Thomann box

 

Does Gibson no longer put felt between the guitar and strap buttons?

 

Does Gibson no longer give out a truss rod adjusting tool like an allen wrench?

 

From what you're saying, Thomann apparently ships out guitars without inspecting them - that's a highly questionable practice and certainly a strong reason to avoid spending money with an online retailer with such practices.

 

Yes - for some time now - no strap button felt and usually no truss rod tool.

 

 

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[Wild_Rose]

When I received my Les Paul from Thomann, the Gibson box was sealed as well, but I'm pretty sure that they had opened it to take out the Gibson warranty and do an inspection.

 

btw Thomann allows 30day return of the product and refund or they will ship you another package if you want, with no extra charge.

[Eracer_Team]

Sorry Charlie.

Sounds like standard mail order blues. almost every other day on this users web site someone talks about something not right with a new guitar.

The usual answer here is go to a guitar store and pick the one you want up, then you know what you're getting.

The response to that is; the guitar store is too far away.

 

So we pay our dues and take our chances.

 

if its just a surface scratch then maybe the Nitro can be buffed

hmmm I wonder if Gibson is giving the Nitro enough time to cure before boxing???

 

Pictures would be interesting to see.

 

Mail order places usually have good return policies, I suggest you take advantage of that.

[Canadian_Charlie]

I received an e mail from Thomann saying that I can send back my Les Paul Studio and they will send me another one. They also told me that they'll cover the postage from Malta to Germany just as long as it doesn't exceed 70 euros. I'll be mailing it back Monday morning.

 

 

Now thats customer service

[LarryUK]

I had a studio 60's reissue delivered from Andertons that was in a sealed box (straight from Gibson) and had a whole corner of paint missing.

Heaven knows how it got out of the factory.

[kidblast]

I had a studio 60's reissue delivered from Andertons that was in a sealed box (straight from Gibson) and had a whole corner of paint missing.

Heaven knows how it got out of the factory.

 

maybe a Friday afternoon paint job,, AFTER a few beers at the local watering hole?

 

but ya man -- YEESH!

[BigKahune]

 

I had a studio 60's reissue delivered from Andertons that was in a sealed box (straight from Gibson) and had a whole corner of paint missing.

Heaven knows how it got out of the factory.

 

FIY: those were "worn" finishes - a few more so than others. Some buyers didn't realize that when they made their purchase and so made complaints. Apparently you're one of the the customers that didn't completely read the product description.

 

Here's the Gibson marketing description - . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ( http://www2.gibson.com/Products/Electric-Guitars/Les-Paul/Gibson-USA/Les-Paul-Studio-60s-Tribute.aspx )

 

In honor of the final incarnation of the original Les Paul, Gibson USA is proud to present the acclaimed Les Paul Studio in an exciting new package. The new Les Paul Studio ’60s Tribute model embodies the look and tone of the great original Les Pauls from the 1960s, at a price that fits the wallets of today’s hardworking musicians. Ever since its introduction in 1983, the Les Paul Studio model has been enormously popular with players seeking the power and versatility of the original Les Paul Standard in a ready-for-action package, with a price to match. The Les Paul Studio '60s Tribute sticks to the script entirely, but its five worn '50s-style finishes reflect the wear of a well-played guitar and its meaty dual single-coil P-90 pickups give it a look akin to classics from the decade of the Les Paul's birth. Meanwhile, its fast SlimTaper™ neck profile reflects the feel of Les Paul Standards from 1960, the year before this legendary solidbody was deleted (temporarily!) from the Gibson lineup.

 

Body and Finish

 

A solid, carved maple top and chambered mahogany body give the Les Paul Studio ’60s Tribute the same tonewood combination that has been helping Les Pauls rock for nearly 60 years. Five authentic vintage-style finishes — Worn Gold Top, Worn Honey Burst, Worn Heritage Cherry Sunburst, Worn Ebony or Worn White—present a guitar with the look of a well played original, while the instrument’s unbound body and neck keep it in line with the popular Les Paul Studio line.

 

 

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[Angellus]

Thomann are great i went over to get a 335 from them, I had issues with my card being used over there so spent awhile with the guitar guys.

 

 

80% of their stock remains in the warehouse (i had to wait an hour for them to bring them from the warehouse to the showroom the site was HUGE) they said that they do open them when they receive them give an inspection then seal them up again until they are sold or someone wants to specifically play that guitar.

 

 

customs do open them.

 

 

thomann have a great returns policy, no two guitars are ever the same even if they are the next number in the serial, thats the difficult decision when in this situation, i learnt my lesson with an SG, so i always go to the store wherever it is to try 3 or four and pick the one that sounds best, i check the truss and look for damage then buy

[LarryUK]

FIY: those were "worn" finishes - a few more so than others. Some buyers didn't realize that when they made their purchase and so made complaints. Apparently you're one of the the customers that didn't completely read the product description.

 

Here's the Gibson marketing description - . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . ( http://www2.gibson.com/Products/Electric-Guitars/Les-Paul/Gibson-USA/Les-Paul-Studio-60s-Tribute.aspx )

 

In honor of the final incarnation of the original Les Paul, Gibson USA is proud to present the acclaimed Les Paul Studio in an exciting new package. The new Les Paul Studio ’60s Tribute model embodies the look and tone of the great original Les Pauls from the 1960s, at a price that fits the wallets of today’s hardworking musicians. Ever since its introduction in 1983, the Les Paul Studio model has been enormously popular with players seeking the power and versatility of the original Les Paul Standard in a ready-for-action package, with a price to match. The Les Paul Studio '60s Tribute sticks to the script entirely, but its five worn '50s-style finishes reflect the wear of a well-played guitar and its meaty dual single-coil P-90 pickups give it a look akin to classics from the decade of the Les Paul's birth. Meanwhile, its fast SlimTaper™ neck profile reflects the feel of Les Paul Standards from 1960, the year before this legendary solidbody was deleted (temporarily!) from the Gibson lineup.

 

Body and Finish

 

A solid, carved maple top and chambered mahogany body give the Les Paul Studio ’60s Tribute the same tonewood combination that has been helping Les Pauls rock for nearly 60 years. Five authentic vintage-style finishes — Worn Gold Top, Worn Honey Burst, Worn Heritage Cherry Sunburst, Worn Ebony or Worn White—present a guitar with the look of a well played original, while the instrument’s unbound body and neck keep it in line with the popular Les Paul Studio line.

 

 

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I knew it was a worn finish. But I've never seen a guitar that worn. Even a 50 year old one. Unless they had a glasspaper sleeve.

[BigKahune]

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Yes, Gibson has what they call "faded", "worn" and "aged" - but there seems to be a lot of room in each those descriptions to go less or more. I've seen some of those 60s with "wear through" like yours in other places on the top, and I've seen some that look practically pristine.

 

 

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[AlanH]

Both of my Gibbies are of the worn/faded variety but are nothing like that goldtop. In fact, they are pristine.

 

The worn idea is to give the look of a more vintage instrument. There are other guitars on sale which are advertised as "distressed" (from LTD) and "road worn" (from Fender) which have the removed paint look.

[LarryUK]

My idea of worn on a goldtop is 'Greening' to the finish. But on a budget guitar you can't fake these finishes. So why even try?