Serge_L Posted March 8, 2013 Share Posted March 8, 2013 Received a brand spanking new Epiphone Les Paul Custom Pro yesterday that I ordered from one of the online big guys in the US, using a discount coupon they had sent me to lure me back as a customer. To say I was disappointed would be an understatement. I felt there was something wrong when I noticed the truss rod cover bulging, instead of lying flat. I took my screwdriver, removed all three screws, and lo and behold, the truss rod nut (aluminum-coloured cylinder)was completely visible, on top of a black cylinder. Sticking out so much that it prevented the cover from being flat. I pushed down on the truss rod nut gently with my finger, and it started sinking! I tuned the guitar, the action was pretty high, the bridge nearly all the way up on the bass side. Buzz, buzz, buzz! Neck seemed dead flat, truss rod nut would not turn! I am trying to arrange an exchange, no mean feat since the guitar will have to go through customs again, and I don't want to be stuck paying duty and taxes twice. Funny thing is that Epis sold in the USA are apparently inspected and setup in Nashville and come with a lifetime warranty (unlike Epis sold in Canada, that do not bear those inspection stickers, come with a one-year warranty and no tag or booklet). Can't believe that this guitar had been inspected, and that someone slapped a sticker on it bearing his or her ID (I won't say which number appears on sticker and tag. Unless you insist). Anyone else had a similar bad experience with those "inspected" brand-new Epis? PS: I think I will revert to buying only used Epis from the USA. Meanwhile, all the brand new ones I bought in Canada were A-OK... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcgruff Posted March 8, 2013 Share Posted March 8, 2013 Sorry to hear that. I'd kind of expect some less than perfect fretwork, a bad nut, or minor flaws in the finish from time to time but it looks like you got really unlucky. Hope you get it sorted out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigneil Posted March 8, 2013 Share Posted March 8, 2013 Hooo boy! I am a strong believer in buying from local stores...you might pay a little bit more that you do online, but in my humble opinion its worth it. I hear these "i bought a guitar online" horror stories far more often than I aught to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gunner Posted March 8, 2013 Share Posted March 8, 2013 Sorry you got a lemon Serge, and I hope you get it resolved. If it makes you feel any better I bought a Gibson once that was MADE in Memphis that was so bad the factory took it back, destroyed it, and made me another one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amx05462 Posted March 8, 2013 Share Posted March 8, 2013 probably stripped out. had the same problem with a new sg i bought my grandson a few years back. could also be the washer is missing that the nut pushes on so when turning the nut originally it cut into the wood so they put that other thing in there.. stewart mcdonald sells a kit to repair this but its very expensive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
amx05462 Posted March 8, 2013 Share Posted March 8, 2013 probably stripped out. had the same problem with a new sg i bought my grandson a few years back. could also be the washer is missing that the nut pushes on so when turning the nut originally it cut into the wood so they put that other thing in there.. stewart mcdonald sells a kit to repair this but its very expensive. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ArgonautIOI Posted March 8, 2013 Share Posted March 8, 2013 Bummer, Hope you get it replaced, I usually will only buy a guitar if I have had it in my hands first to check it out and do an inspection (new or used). ArGo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vinlander Posted March 8, 2013 Share Posted March 8, 2013 That sucks big time. I hope you can get things sorted out as smooth as possible... I always fear to buy guitar online even more when I have to pay duty on top of that. I got a nice deal on Ebay for a Pod XT back in the days and ended up screwed by duty fees/UPS at my door... In the end I paid almost the same as if I would have buy at Ital or Steve's but without the service that could have provided my local shop... For a guitar that is even worst as without playing it first it is a guest in the dark... Was not aware of the difference in Q/A between Canada and USA when it comes to Epis...in that case it doesn't mean much that it was US inspected Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
filthypit Posted March 8, 2013 Share Posted March 8, 2013 major bummer. i have bought & sold many guitars online and, for the most part, have had good experiences. yeah, many guitar stores will price-match ~ i always try to find the guitar i want locally then try to haggle them down (before buy sight unseen). you never know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MistaSnowman Posted March 8, 2013 Share Posted March 8, 2013 Hooo boy! I am a strong believer in buying from local stores...you might pay a little bit more that you do online, but in my humble opinion its worth it. I hear these "i bought a guitar online" horror stories far more often than I aught to. I have to agree with this! When I did my homework in choosing my Epi, I came across many a horror story of how guitars arrived damaged due to shipping and that scared me off from buying online. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keesee54 Posted March 8, 2013 Share Posted March 8, 2013 I bought a new Desert Burst about three weeks ago over the phone to the local Guitar Center and I made sure I got answers to any returns that might arise. Since that particular color is considered Special Order, it isn't stocked at local stores and had to be shipped from the Kansas City warehouse. I live about five miles from the Brownsburg Indiana warehouse but they didn't have it, so that's another story... The guitar Center salesman explained that if there were any problems with that guitar, all I would need to do would be to bring it in with my recipt. I had the sale documented with the online order and the salesman personally sent me an email thanking me for the order.. Blah... That I ould use for further documentation. My understanding was that it could be returned to any store with the paperwork. The Guitar arrived about a week later and was in the best condition I could hope for considering it is a $500.00 mass produced instrument. My finish was outstanding and I still haven't ound a flaw after three weeks altho the color is a tad darker than what I was hoping for. I have noticed a crooked pot or two on literally every guitar I've looked at with the coil tapping system installed, and mine has one that is noticibly tilted. My string action was way high with at least 1/8" at the 12th. fret, so I tweaked on it a couple of days before I ot the action where I wanted. I agree that the inspecters are signing off on a lot of junk. They have also changed the way serial numbers are read sometime around 2010. They now have number designations for the plant of manufacture as the 5 and 6 digit. I thought it was a lot easier with the letter codes at the beginning. Hope this helps, Mark Keesee Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mgrasso Posted March 9, 2013 Share Posted March 9, 2013 I have bought two online from Guitar Center. The first was the Epi ES-355. They shipped it to the house instead I'd the store as I had asked. Finish problems so it had to go back. They had me take it to a local GC to expedite the return. The next two were worse so they went back. The fourth was a keeper. I just bought the 62 Sheraton Reissue. Had it sent straight to the store. Perfect right out of the box. I see no problem with ordering online from GC. They will price match, ship for free, and handle all returns and shipping until you get what you want. This way you can get to play your online purchase before you take it home. This is the only way I will purchase a new guitar online. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Serge_L Posted March 13, 2013 Author Share Posted March 13, 2013 Thanks for all your replies. The latest news on this: I got on the phone with one of the local Epiphone dealers' tech. According to him, they have some guitars like that every now and then. He said there shouldn't be any problem, unless I hear some clanking or rattling when holding the guitar in a vertical position. He also agreed that the best thing was to push it all the way in, it shouldn't be an issue. And that the LPC Pro has a dual-action truss rod. I thought I would try this, and see what gave. Then my wife disagreed with this, saying: "Look, this is not some used bargain you got, might as well get your full money's worth and exchange it". And in addition to this piece of wisom, I think I will buy (again) from this local dealer next time around, the Canadian one-year Epiphone warranty notwithstanding. Oh, and 1-800-4GIBSON wouldn't know, referred me to the Canadian distributor, whose service extension seems out of service! And two emails to Gibson customer support are still unanswered 6 days later. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Serge_L Posted April 11, 2013 Author Share Posted April 11, 2013 Final update. I shipped the guitar back, and got a new one as an exchange. WOW! Night and day! The new guitar was absolutely flawless, well intonated and adjusted. The particular tech who adjusted this guitar did an excellent job, I find. I'm very happy with this guitar, it almost feels like it was made just for me ! (I know, along with umpteen hundreds of them). Keeper. Thanks for your comments! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bender 4 Life Posted April 11, 2013 Share Posted April 11, 2013 Final update. I shipped the guitar back, and got a new one as an exchange. WOW! Night and day! The new guitar was absolutely flawless, well intonated and adjusted. The particular tech who adjusted this guitar did an excellent job, I find. I'm very happy with this guitar, it almost feels like it was made just for me ! (I know, along with umpteen hundreds of them). Keeper. Thanks for your comments! i'm very glad you got it sorted out properly ! there are retailers in the US that DO inspect the guitars before shipping them..... the one I use is Sweetwater Music.....they do a 55 point inspection, set up (for your playing style) and even test drive it.....for no extra cost whatsoever ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluemans335 Posted April 11, 2013 Share Posted April 11, 2013 Final update. I shipped the guitar back, and got a new one as an exchange. WOW! Night and day! The new guitar was absolutely flawless, well intonated and adjusted. The particular tech who adjusted this guitar did an excellent job, I find. I'm very happy with this guitar, it almost feels like it was made just for me ! (I know, along with umpteen hundreds of them). Keeper. Great! Epi really does make nice guitars. Like every manufacturer, there's always a few lemons that make it to the public. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Aster1 Posted April 11, 2013 Share Posted April 11, 2013 Received a brand spanking new Epiphone Les Paul Custom Pro yesterday that I ordered from one of the online big guys in the US, using a discount coupon they had sent me to lure me back as a customer. To say I was disappointed would be an understatement. I felt there was something wrong when I noticed the truss rod cover bulging, instead of lying flat. I took my screwdriver, removed all three screws, and lo and behold, the truss rod nut (aluminum-coloured cylinder)was completely visible, on top of a black cylinder. Sticking out so much that it prevented the cover from being flat. I pushed down on the truss rod nut gently with my finger, and it started sinking! I tuned the guitar, the action was pretty high, the bridge nearly all the way up on the bass side. Buzz, buzz, buzz! Neck seemed dead flat, truss rod nut would not turn! I am trying to arrange an exchange, no mean feat since the guitar will have to go through customs again, and I don't want to be stuck paying duty and taxes twice. Funny thing is that Epis sold in the USA are apparently inspected and setup in Nashville and come with a lifetime warranty (unlike Epis sold in Canada, that do not bear those inspection stickers, come with a one-year warranty and no tag or booklet). Can't believe that this guitar had been inspected, and that someone slapped a sticker on it bearing his or her ID (I won't say which number appears on sticker and tag. Unless you insist). Anyone else had a similar bad experience with those "inspected" brand-new Epis? PS: I think I will revert to buying only used Epis from the USA. Meanwhile, all the brand new ones I bought in Canada were A-OK... Had many posts on a thread that dealt with just this. It got zipped & removed off the forum after it grew too intense (battle between Epi & Gibson on how Epi was MUCH better made than a Gibby). The only thing with buying on line is don't be disappointed. Just have them send a call tag (shipping on them), get it back & they replace it. I've have 4-5 gits sent back & forth that way until I got a great one. If I don't like it, and they have a 30-45 day return policy, then I exercise it until it's right. I won't rip them off, but if the the online dealer won't bother to open & inspect when I request it, then so be it. I'll do it and let them know what's wrong with the guitar or if it's "right" then keep it. All the Epi's that have been sent to me were from USA & had the inspection stickers. (some good, many bad). I did find keepers on all however!! Less work for me anymore, in the long run, than traveling around and not getting to preview in my home. Aster Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thomse Posted April 11, 2013 Share Posted April 11, 2013 Send the junk back and get a good one. This happens even to the music stores you buy a guitar from them its just you don't see it. They see this they all buy them from the same place . Buying on line is a good way to buy guitars. Just don't fall in love with it until you check it out I have bought 12 Epiphones on line last year and two of them were bad .What i like about buying on line is that when i open my guitar i am the only one that has played it not like in a guitar store many people play it they get scratched and played a lot . i like new Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Serge_L Posted April 11, 2013 Author Share Posted April 11, 2013 I should add it actually turned out to be faster satisfaction than buying online from here Canada! I bought a US-made Jag online, that was supposed to be in stock. Took almost two months to get it (merchant had rung it through PayPal on day 1, to be sure). I spotted a lousy finish job: the plush pattern of the case lining had somehow transfered to the finish on the neck and back of the guitar where there was contact with the case lining, to the point of being rough to the touch. :angry: I contacted the vendor, who took a while to respond, then asked for pictures. I also contacted the nearby (50 miles) Fender service center, who would not even look at the guitar, admonishing me instead for not buying locally (they are a Fender reseller), and suggesting that I return it to the vendor (who had already cashed the sale two months earlier) . The original vendor was heeing and hawing about next steps; I wrote directly to Fender, cc'ing the vendor; that seemed to get the wheels in motion, the vendor then agreeing to accept the return. Being a special edition, I had to wait some more for the exchange (more than a month); it got to the point that I would call 2-3 times a week, and the guitar was always "in the next shipment". I got back to Fender, who checked to see that they had yet to receive an order for that type of guitar from that particular vendor! Suffice to say that somehow the guitar micraculously appeared at the vendor's shortly thereafter... So, given the price of the guitar, and the speed and efficiency of service, I rate my US online friend much higher than the Canadian vendor I dealt with... Again, thanks to all for your comments and insight! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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