Quote:
Originally Posted by DystonicBlues
Hi guys first post here so hello. Just want to get your opinions on what's happened to me and what you suggest.
Have you guys ever had anything like this where a repair butcher has done a number on one of your prized instruments?
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Butcher implies destroyed beyond repair. All you likely need is a correctly compensated saddle.
Yes this happened to me on a sentimental favorite (but not necessarily prized) instrument. About 15 years ago I discovered what intonation was and that both my guitars did not intonate correctly when comparing fretted and harmonic notes at the 12th fret. One was a cheapie Applause 6 string (sentimental, my first guitar) and my Ovation 12 string. Took them both to a local shop which was once the largest (by volume and dollars) Gibson dealer on the US west coast. Sure, they could fix them both up with new compensated saddles. It would take two weeks.
I called after two weeks. No, they weren't done yet. One more week. Called after another week - no we can't do the Applause because of the aluminum neck. Give us one more week on the Ovation. Picked up the Applause. Called back in another week. "I'll get on it right now" he says. "Don't bother" I say, "I'll just come pick it up and take it to someone who has the time."
I go to pick up my 12 string. Unplayable. Zero action on the high E and B strings. They just buzzed. I refused to pay. They no longer had the original saddle.
I took both guitars to another local luthier. In one day he made and installed new saddles for each guitar. They both intonated perfectly.