Length of warranty for small shop builders

[MCanup]

Originally Posted by WhistlingFish

Steve, with respect, if I had the faintest suspicion that my guitars were going to need that level of warranty work I'd be devoting some serious time to a few more practice instruments before I accepted money for them. I'm assuming, of course, that you sold these guitars.

Regardless of the fact that you were true to your word and honoured your warranty, I don't believe that it's good advertising for an emerging builder when they sell instruments subsequently needing such serious repair work. No disrespect intended.

With respect to Steve, I have played several of the guitars he has built, including his first, and in fact, own one. It is far and away an excellent instrument. I'd like to clear up a couple of his warranty issues that I know of.

Steve sold his third guitar to a friend and told him up front that he wasn't really happy with the top. Steve later approached the owner and told him he'd like to replace the top and make it a better. That job was documented, with pictures, here on the forum. By the way, that guitar is the one the influenced my decision to order a guitar from Steve.

The guitar that needed refinishing? The new owner's skin had an allergic reaction to the original finish. To be honest, I'm not sure that would be a warranty issue. But Steve made it right.

Ask Dennis (iq below 2 - he has two of Steve's guitars), Jeff (foosball) or any of the other members who have guitars from Steve what they think of his instruments and work. I think you will find uniform happiness with the instrument and the relationship with Steve.

[SteveS]

Thanks Mike! That was so like you - so very nice!

Originally Posted by WhistlingFish

Steve, with respect, if I had the faintest suspicion that my guitars were going to need that level of warranty work I'd be devoting some serious time to a few more practice instruments before I accepted money for them.

Pete,
I completely agree. If I had suspected they would have a problem, they would never have left my house. The one exception being Dennis' bubinga guitar. I made that exception because he's a good friend, lives close, loved the guitar, didn't pay much for it, and he fully understood that it had an issue that would be taken care of if it got worse. That was my third build. For his top replacement, he got to go from a sitka top to a redwood with an armrest.

Those repairs were on my early guitars. I've made just 19 now and none of the last 13 have had an issue. There is a learning curve for all of us. Now that I have made some difficult repairs I don't fear any warranty work. Some builders can only build and not repair. That's not so good, but there are plenty of guys that can repair. Some builders send out their warranty work.
BTW - Some experienced builders suggest that you make 10 before you ever sell one. I think there is some good wisdom in that, although 15-20 might be a better idea. It is so hard to resist when people come to you and ask you to build for them. My early builds payed for a good portion of the materials, never for any of my time. There is a temptation to go out too early. It is hard to resist.
Pete,
Good luck with your building! If I can ever help, please let me know.

[WhistlingFish]

Originally Posted by SteveS

Now that I have made some difficult repairs I don't fear any warranty work. Some builders can only build and not repair. That's not so good, but there are plenty of guys that can repair. Some builders send out their warranty work.

I was held captive for some time by the popular notion that if you're incapable of handling any warranty work, you shouldn't sell your guitars. I now see that logic as flawed, and particularly limiting for a wannabe luthier such as myself. My current thoughts are that although I would be happy to carry out simple repair jobs myself, anything more challenging would see me farming the work out to a specialist. As a builder, there's no way I'll ever accumulate the knowledge, skills and experience - not to mention some of the specialised tools - that the best of the available repair guys have. Besides which, if a customer deserves the best guitar we can possibly build, it follows that they deserve the best possible repair job if warranty work is ever required.

Originally Posted by SteveS

BTW - Some experienced builders suggest that you make 10 before you ever sell one. I think there is some good wisdom in that, although 15-20 might be a better idea.

I agree with the sentiment, but I think its hard to put a number on it - every builder learns at a different rate. I'm on #15 or so, but my early instruments were built in an information vacuum, before the internet made the learning curve a little flatter.

Originally Posted by SteveS

There is a temptation to go out too early. It is hard to resist. It is so hard to resist when people come to you and ask you to build for them.

In fact, I fell for this temptation myself after only a few builds, in total ignorance of the potential for the guitars to come back to haunt me. They didn't, but that hasn't stopped me from becoming much more cautious. After several more years and a lot more experience, however, I think I'm nearly at the point at which I can confidently begin to sell my instruments once more.

Originally Posted by SteveS

Good luck with your building! If I can ever help, please let me know.

Thanks Steve, I just might do that!

Cheers
Pete
http://woodwithstrings.blogspot.com