Is my Santa Cruz Model F worth the $ to fix?

apell · #1 05-25-2018, 10:00 AM

Howdy,
I'm trying to decide if the used Santa Cruz F I just bought is worth the money to get repaired.

I purchased it online. A top crack along the seam below the bridge to the end was disclosed but I was told it had been repaired. Not so.

Arrived in a non-original hardshell used case, but it's jumbo size so the guitar sloshes around. Not disclosed.

The end pin had been removed and the hole reamed out to install a jack for a pickup. There was no jack, no endpin, but there was a 1/2" hole in the tailpiece. Not disclosed.

So, I contacted the store (obviously) and expressed my displeasure. They refunded shipping cost so I could get a NoJak endpin from Stew-Mac. Fine.
They also said their tech would repair the crack.

I contacted Santa Cruz and the repairs needed, a replacement case, and shipping costs I'm looking at a further outlay of between $750 and $1000. A chunk of change added to the $ I spent on the guitar, which wasn't huge, but the total would be about $3500 for everything.

I love the feel and sound of the guitar. But I'm ticked off. And probably wouldn't've purchased it had I known beforehand. Looking on the site, I can see that F models are few and far between.. But I can pick up a used OM in near-perfect shape for $3500.

So, what to do? What would you do? Do I NEED it? No. Do I want it? Yes. But......

hamburg325 · #2 05-25-2018, 10:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by apell

Howdy,
I'm trying to decide if the used Santa Cruz F I just bought is worth the money to get repaired.

I purchased it online. A top crack along the seam below the bridge to the end was disclosed but I was told it had been repaired. Not so.

Arrived in a non-original hardshell used case, but it's jumbo size so the guitar sloshes around. Not disclosed.

The end pin had been removed and the hole reamed out to install a jack for a pickup. There was no jack, no endpin, but there was a 1/2" hole in the tailpiece. Not disclosed.

So, I contacted the store (obviously) and expressed my displeasure. They refunded shipping cost so I could get a NoJak endpin from Stew-Mac. Fine.
They also said their tech would repair the crack.

I contacted Santa Cruz and the repairs needed, a replacement case, and shipping costs I'm looking at a further outlay of between $750 and $1000. A chunk of change added to the $ I spent on the guitar, which wasn't huge, but the total would be about $3500 for everything.

I love the feel and sound of the guitar. But I'm ticked off. And probably wouldn't've purchased it had I known beforehand. Looking on the site, I can see that F models are few and far between.. But I can pick up a used OM in near-perfect shape for $3500.

So, what to do? What would you do? Do I NEED it? No. Do I want it? Yes. But......

Will this be a story of heartbreak and redemption or of loss and moving on? I'd find it hard to bond with such a troubled guitar. But everyone's different.

Nctom · #3 05-25-2018, 10:12 AM

I really don't know the answers to all your questions, but I would recommend your taking a look at the Larrivee site for your endpin hole plug. Their metal endpin, and particularly their celluloid endpin, are much better looking than the one from StewMac.

If you truly love it, the open seam is not that big a deal. The bigger deal is that the dealer did not disclose all these problems to you.

#4 05-25-2018, 10:15 AM

Given the quality of SCGC instruments, it's certainly worth fixing. However, with the total you'd have in it after repairs I think it's a loser for you on the financial side. I'd push for a bigger refund and then have it properly repaired.

L20A · #5 05-25-2018, 10:15 AM

What repairs will cost you that much?
You stated that the company will repair the crack and send you a tail piece.
A good case is about $150.00.
The guitar is worth about $3500.00.
Fix the problems and play it for a while.
If you don't bond with it, sell it for a profit.

Kerbie · #6 05-25-2018, 10:16 AM

Wow, I think I'd be displeased too, but that's just a matter of opinion. I probably would not keep it... but if I really loved it, I bet I could live with it. Let us know what you decide.

apell · #7 05-25-2018, 10:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by L20A

What repairs will cost you that much?
You stated that the company will repair the crack and send you a tail piece.
A good case is about $150.00.
The guitar is worth about $3500.00.
Fix the problems and play it for a while.
If you don't bond with it, sell it for a profit.

Santa Cruz will repair it, and deal with the lacquer checking around it, another issue that was mentioned by the seller, but not the extent of it. They won't deal with tailpiece. That's on me. Another poster suggested Larrivee might have something better than the StewMac one. I'll check.
Given the amount of $ I'd have in it, it is a puzzlement. I'm ticked that these issues weren't disclosed before I bought it...And I wish I hadn't played it before I checked on the "repair". I love the way ti plays and sounds...

apell · #8 05-25-2018, 10:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Todd Yates

Given the quality of SCGC instruments, it's certainly worth fixing. However, with the total you'd have in it after repairs I think it's a looser for you on the financial side. I'd push for a bigger refund and then have it properly repaired.

Yeh...I think so too...I'm heading towards returning it...

apell · #9 05-25-2018, 10:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nctom

I really don't know the answers to all your questions, but I would recommend your taking a look at the Larrivee site for your endpin hole plug. Their metal endpin, and particularly their celluloid endpin, are much better looking than the one from StewMac.

If you truly love it, the open seam is not that big a deal. The bigger deal is that the dealer did not disclose all these problems to you.

If I decide to keep it, I'll do this. Heading towards returning it. It's leaving a bad taste in my mouth. If I do keep it, no way will I have them fix it. Back to SCGC it will go..

Jcamp · #10 05-25-2018, 10:45 AM

I think id send it back or tell them to issue a substantial refund for you having to go through the trouble of getting the guitar up to the point that it actually matches the description that they were selling it as. Also keep in mind a repaired guitar sells for less than one that hasn't needed any repairs.
Your still left with the part about how you will handle it. If you keep it will you be continually haunted by the aggravation when you look at it or play it (I probably would to the extent that I wouldn't play it) and if you send it back will you be haunted by the "what could have been".

For 3500$ id think there would surely be luthier that could build you a custom guitar that is exactly what you want.

Dwight · #11 05-25-2018, 10:50 AM

Absolutely return it! You’ll take a high financial hit. Let the original seller deal with it.

Mycroft · #12 05-25-2018, 11:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by apell

If I decide to keep it, I'll do this. Heading towards returning it. It's leaving a bad taste in my mouth. If I do keep it, no way will I have them fix it. Back to SCGC it will go..

Are there no competent repair people near where you live? I try to avoid shipping a guitar whenever possible.

Sponserv · #13 05-25-2018, 11:18 AM

Regardless of cost to repair I would never be comfortable with a guitar that was sold to me under such pretenses. Period.

The seller was obviously not being upfront about anything. Bad deal all the way around. Send it back and go find another.

SouthpawJeff · #14 05-25-2018, 11:54 AM

If I’m understanding correctly you bought this from a guitar store of some sort? If so they would have been, (or at the very least should have been), well aware of the guitars exact condition. More so for instance than say an individual or pawn shop etc etc.. Therefore the only conclusion I can come to is they purposely withheld information about the guitars true condition. As such they knowingly sold you something different from what was advertised. So the question becomes why did they do this. My opinion would be because they couldnt sell locally without substantially discounting, as the damages could obviously be seen in person. So instead they sell online hoping whoever bought it would accept it with little more than a minor discount given after the fact. You now have become that person, the “sucker”, as they see it.

So what should you do? I can’t help you there, i can only think of what I might do. If I really loved the guitar... I’d push them for a substantial discount. Ideally paying for whatever SC charges for the repair work. If they didn’t budge I’d demand a full refund including shipping costs. They deceived you purposely and you need to express that to them if they don’t try to resolve the situation. At the end of the day you should not have to regret a purchase you made in good faith. I hope you can work out a solution that’s more acceptable to you in the end.

Good luck,
Jeff

Wade Hampton · #15 05-25-2018, 11:59 AM

This sort of shifty behavior on the part of a private seller is bad but not unheard of, but to have a music store do that is worse. Can you tell us which store did that? If you don’t want to shout it from the rooftops and put it in your reply, that’s exceedingly polite of you, but I would like to know. Can you send me a private message with the store name? That sounds like an outfit that I don’t want to do business with.

Wade Hampton Miller