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  #1  
Old 04-06-2011, 10:16 AM
ocianic ocianic is offline
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Default What should I do?? Luthier ruined my 49' J45

I am in disbelief at the horrific work that was just done to my 1949 vintage J45 by the guy at Performance Guitar in LA. I asked him to install a LR Baggs soundhole pickup for a tour I'm about to do. Without calling me, he proceeds to inject globs of resin around the beautiful vintage sound-hole, pick-guard and various areas in the top. It seriously looks like a 3 year old did the work. He let the resin dry in clumps and it looks like he rubbed the pickguard with sandpaper to get some off.

I told him it was unacceptable and he had to do something to remedy it. It was worth about $Xk before this tragedy...

It's still at the shop. What should I do?

Last edited by Fliss; 04-09-2011 at 02:43 PM. Reason: AGF rule 2 no guitar price discussion
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Old 04-06-2011, 10:28 AM
ocianic ocianic is offline
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here's a picture of the original condition...
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Old 04-06-2011, 10:29 AM
ocianic ocianic is offline
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Old 04-06-2011, 10:32 AM
enalnitram enalnitram is offline
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You should find someone else to re-repair it, and get references, and check them out thoroughly. Resin or epoxy can be removed. and scratches can (often) be worked out. Sorry to hear about this.
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Old 04-06-2011, 01:06 PM
arie arie is offline
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Ouch! sorry to hear that.. were it mine I'd just flat out take it away from him.

Take it to http://www.neelyguitars.com/

On sunset across from GC, next to the karate studio, and up the stairs. He's authorized by Gibson and Martin as well as others. Reports from the field say he's top shelf.

I remember Performance Guitar from back in the 80's I went there once to get some work done on a amp and the quote was 4x the value of the amp. I never went back. They have a reputation in rock and metal circles as being good builders of custom super strats though.

Last edited by arie; 04-06-2011 at 03:25 PM.
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Old 04-07-2011, 06:42 AM
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Kitchen Guitars Kitchen Guitars is offline
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Yes! Get this guitar away from him. It looks like you got a good local referral. After the repair if it has lost value, get that opinion by a pro in writing. Be nice, offer the bill to the store that ruined it before dragging them into court!
TAKE LOTS OF PICTURES! Get a mirror in the sound hole.
Good luck, bummer.
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Old 04-07-2011, 10:33 AM
D. Ramsey D. Ramsey is offline
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Makes me wonder if he did some damage to the sound hole while he was
installing the pickup then trying to "repair" it before talking with you....

You would have to believe he knew better than touching it
unless he had a reason.
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Old 04-07-2011, 11:05 AM
charles Tauber charles Tauber is offline
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I've looked at their website. There is not a single acoustic instrument displayed amongst the many guitars shown on their website. Nothing about their site suggests interest in anything "vintage" or acoustic. Quite the contrary.

What inspired you to take a $XK vintage acoustic instrument to a place that obviously specializes in modern electric instruments?

Last edited by Fliss; 04-09-2011 at 02:45 PM.
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Old 04-07-2011, 12:23 PM
Alexrkstr Alexrkstr is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by charles Tauber View Post
I've looked at their website. There is not a single acoustic instrument displayed amongst the many guitars shown on their website. Nothing about their site suggests interest in anything "vintage" or acoustic. Quite the contrary.

What inspired you to take a $XK vintage acoustic instrument to a place that obviously specializes in modern electric instruments?
I think the OP is looking for solutions, not questions
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Last edited by Fliss; 04-09-2011 at 02:44 PM.
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Old 04-07-2011, 01:19 PM
charles Tauber charles Tauber is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Alexrkstr View Post
I think the OP is looking for solutions, not questions
Sometimes questions are a catalyst for thinking about a problem. Sometimes thinking about a problem suggests solutions...
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  #11  
Old 04-07-2011, 01:23 PM
Alexrkstr Alexrkstr is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by charles Tauber View Post
Sometimes questions are a catalyst for thinking about a problem. Sometimes thinking about a problem suggests solutions...
Fair enough

Regarding the repair, if it was me, I would take it out of the shop and cut the losses. Call Gibson and if it is still worth even 1/2 of the $Xk, pay for shipping and repair, guaranteed by Gibson. If you're trying to stay within a budget and you have some idea of how to repair guitars, I would ask a lot of questions on how the tech will attempt to repair the guitar, make notes, share them in this forum, and after there is a solid plan, give him the OK to work on the guitar again.
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Last edited by Fliss; 04-09-2011 at 02:45 PM.
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Old 04-07-2011, 01:28 PM
enalnitram enalnitram is offline
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I used to have a performance strat neck made in the 80's. it was the absolute shiznit when I was using it and I preferred flat necks.
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Old 04-07-2011, 02:02 PM
Alan Carruth Alan Carruth is offline
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I'm sympathetic and all, and I'd really like to help, but I'm on dial-up
(as are quite a few people, actually) and downloading your picture is going to tie up my computer for about twenty minutes. Do you think you could compress files a bit in the future?
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  #14  
Old 04-07-2011, 02:17 PM
charles Tauber charles Tauber is offline
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The picture shows the "before" only, nothing particularly relevant to the discussion.
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  #15  
Old 04-07-2011, 02:23 PM
murrmac123 murrmac123 is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Alan Carruth View Post
I'm sympathetic and all, and I'd really like to help, but I'm on dial-up
(as are quite a few people, actually) and downloading your picture is going to tie up my computer for about twenty minutes. Do you think you could compress files a bit in the future?
My first reaction was that you must be kidding, Alan, but I know you are not the kidding type.

I am totally amazed that anybody in the Western world is still on dial-up in this day and age .

Presumably not through choice ...
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