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  #1  
Old 06-17-2016, 11:14 PM
cabphoto cabphoto is offline
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Default Mold inside guitar

Walked into a guitar store today and saw a Gibson L-4a with a giant crack on the soundboard. Out of curiosity I picked it up cause I want a larger sounding guitar that is comfortable so I wanted to see how it felt.

I play an OM

The crack was was terrible, large and there was actually another one as well. It had been repaired though I'm not sure how well. But I mainly wanted to see how the size felt.

Well it felt great and it sounded amazing. I didn't want to put it down, but the inexperienced guy behind the counter wouldn't leave me alone and was trying to push me to play a laminate Martin for some reason. He was literally trying to take the guitar out of my hands physically.

I tried the martin for him but wanted the Gibson back. The price was $1299 and I knew I could get the price lower because the crack was basically the worst I had ever seen, but it had no effect on the sound or maybe all guitars need a crack in the sound board. Anyhow it played like a dream and I knew I was gonna get the thing for well under under a grand.

Then I looked closely inside the guitar and Wow it was covered with green growing hairy mold on the inside. The guitar was surprisingly filthy all over for being on the floor in my opinion but it was used and obviously beat up so I was open to getting a good deal and cleaning it up myself. The mold for me was not tolerable so I pointed it out to the kid behind the desk, "oh gross" he says.

So he takes the guitar off to show his manager and he comes back saying that it's not mold its just "dust" So I ask him if there was any info on the crack repair and his manager comes out now and says it was repaired in the shop. Now I point out the mold to him and he says "not mold just dust". So I say "really, Not mold huh?" "ok well then can you clean that dust out for me?" He replies "no sorry can't do anything for you"

I handed over the guitar and told him he should google Mold.

I guess I'm getting pretty crotchety at my ripe old age of 37 but, man, so many customer service blunders on this one I don't know where to start. Generally the acoustic guy who works here is amazing. He is super cool and always friendly, he wasn't there for this one. I won't say the store because this is uncharacteristic of this place usually because it's the for mentioned gentleman who helps me.

If i would have had some help I may have bought that guitar but I just wasn't getting any. I mean at least offer to clean out what you're calling dust on a 1300 guitar with a massive crack that looks like someone tried chopping wood with it.

So am I out of line for feeling mistreated? Should I go back to the acoustic guy who is cool and make an offer ore just count this as a bullet dodged.

These guitars are not that rare does anyone know if they are consistent?
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  #2  
Old 06-18-2016, 04:16 AM
cooper59 cooper59 is offline
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so you feel disrespected? if you don't like it don't buy it
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Old 06-18-2016, 04:53 AM
brianmay brianmay is offline
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Caveat emptor
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Old 06-18-2016, 05:55 AM
Gasworker Gasworker is offline
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There's normally 2 sides to every story. Maybe you were the 3rd or 4th guy to come into the store that day to try his guitars but not buy anything. Maybe he's having trouble paying staff and bills. Maybe he thought you were low balling him and frustration may have kicked in when you started offering mold advice.
I know the retailers here won't share wacky customer stories but on that particular day you may have been the straw that broke the camels back.
I'm not sure the Google advice was any better behaviour than the mold denial.
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Old 06-18-2016, 06:00 AM
HHP HHP is offline
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Actually, you missed out on a very rare Gibson collectible. Several years ago, and with very little fanfare, Gibson released the Chia Pet Commemorative in very small quantities. The one you saw was worth a little less as it had been trimmed, but substantial collector interest exists for these.
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Old 06-18-2016, 06:04 AM
RayCJ RayCJ is offline
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I should think that any guitar with visible mold is not worth considering. It's fortunate you spotted the problem. Live and learn... Now you know that place may not be your best choice for purchasing instruments. If you go back there again, be prepared to leave with the same free will that brought you there.


Ray
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Old 06-18-2016, 06:12 AM
Brucebubs Brucebubs is offline
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Old Gibson guitars are well known for their green hairy dust.
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Old 06-18-2016, 10:25 AM
DanPanther DanPanther is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by brianmay View Post
Caveat emptor
What he said, and I'll add, "Buyer Beware".

Dan
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  #9  
Old 06-18-2016, 01:27 PM
Fire&Rain Fire&Rain is offline
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The surly store owner saved you a fortune! Don't you know mold removal requires a special technician with EPA certification working in a clean lab with caustic bleach and high-end vapor removal equipment? That kind of thing costs more than the guitar itself. Count your lucky stars, sir!
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Old 06-18-2016, 02:11 PM
Wade Hampton Wade Hampton is offline
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I agree with Fire & Rain that the guy unwittingly saved you from getting more headaches down the road. He was being a dick, for whatever reason, but it kept you from becoming the owner of what promises to be a genuine problem child of a guitar. Once you get past your justifiable annoyance at the guy, be grateful.

To answer your question about the consistency of that model, I've played several. The ones with rosewood backs and sides have tended to be more consistent than the maple ones I've encountered. But all of them display the natural variability in tone that you'll find in all-solid wood instruments.

A similar Gibson model you might keep an eye out for is the Gibson CJ-165. Again, they were made in both maple and rosewood, and again I found myself preferring the rosewood version for both its tone and consistency.

Hope this helps.


Wade Hampton Miller
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