Good luck strikes twice with Guild warranty repairs

[jcwu]

Luthier is Keith Holland Guitars in Los Gatos. He's got a website. Like I said he did a GREAT refret job on my '25 but his evaluation of the F65 was based on a quick sight down the neck and my description of the problem. He's the second guy I ran into who STOPPED being a warranty center because the factory reimbursement schedule doesn't cover the cost of rent in this place. Just trying to be fair here.

Keith was the one who did the refret on my JV52. Awesome job. Makes my DV52 feel clunky in comparison!

 

[adorshki]

Luthier is Keith Holland Guitars in Los Gatos. He's got a website. Like I said he did a GREAT refret job on my '25 but his evaluation of the F65 was based on a quick sight down the neck and my description of the problem. He's the second guy I ran into who STOPPED being a warranty center because the factory reimbursement schedule doesn't cover the cost of rent in this place. Just trying to be fair here.

Keith was the one who did the refret on my JV52. Awesome job. Makes my DV52 feel clunky in comparison!

Well alright then! Not trying to shill here, but did you know he was voted "Best Luthier" in the Metro newspaper's 2009 "Best of" awards? Yes, my '25 felt brand new again, it was even better than Mark Brown's work on the first refret, and he's the guy with the BIG reputation as the Doobie Brothers' equipment tech.
PS I'm gonna send you a PM.

 

[jcwu]

Well alright then! Not trying to shill here, but did you know he was voted "Best Luthier" in the Metro newspaper's 2009 "Best of" awards? Yes, my '25 felt brand new again, it was even better than Mark Brown's work on the first refret, and he's the guy with the BIG reputation as the Doobie Brothers' equipment tech.
PS I'm gonna send you a PM.

Yeah, I'd heard something about him being voted best luthier. That was after I'd taken my guitar there. Do you know if he does neck resets regularly? That might be a job that I'd be more comfortable with taking to Gryphon, but who knows.

The one thing I appreciate about Keith the most is that he's totally not condescending. I had some issues with the JV52 job, and took it back, and he sat down with me and listened to everything I said, and taught me a thing or two (in a nice way). I ended up realizing that the reason the JV52 was buzzing after the refret was because I play too hard. Turns out that I play hard because the action on my DV52 is about 7/64"... and it seems that it hadn't always been that way, but more because the neck is settling (and will need a reset!). So with the incredibly high action, I was used to pounding away at the guitar without fear of buzzes. Now, I'm learning to play with a little more finesse.

 

[adorshki]

Do you know if he does neck resets regularly? That might be a job that I'd be more comfortable with taking to Gryphon, but who knows.
The one thing I appreciate about Keith the most is that he's totally not condescending. I ended up realizing that the reason the JV52 was buzzing after the refret was because I play too hard. So with the incredibly high action, I was used to pounding away at the guitar without fear of buzzes. Now, I'm learning to play with a little more finesse.

I've only had the fret work done so far. It's funny but to me I considered 6-7/64th to be low because the guitar was so easy to play, and that was the factory delivered setup, but to him that was "high". Even though I play so hard, the fretting pressure to get a clean note is very low, so that's why it feels so great to me. How did Guild do that?. Sometimes I pound on it, and I've got a particular technique that I use that creates a LOT of string travel, but with what I now understand is actually "high" action, there's minimal buzz. Also when finger picking I get right in there and PLUCK so again there's a lot of string travel but I swear it's as easy to play as a classical! In some ways easier in fact because of the greater ease of hammering and other little tricks. SO it's a bit of a veer from your question, but string gauge is also important here, I actually prefer lights (.012-.053), just like it came with from the factory. What WAS the final height on the JV? How do you know the DV52 wasn't always so high? How long have you owned it? Is the neck straight, could it actually only need a trussrod tightening? Just covering the basics since I can't tell how well you know your axe yet.
As far as his neck reset capabilities, I quite honestly can't answer. I'm hoping I'll never actually need one 'cause I've never gone beyond light gauges on any of my guitars, and I think that's probably the single biggest stress generator leading to the need. That, and not messing with your trussrod TOO much. I would just make the observation that he seems to be much more electric oriented, and I think those are very different animals..
CB Perkins also has a very good rep but it also seems to mean he's got LONG turnaround times, maybe because he's got so much work, if you know what I mean?
Check some of the recent posts on neck resets, there's some guidelines about how to use a straightedge to determine if the neck's still in a good angle relative to the bridge. On the other hand, if you've never been to Gryphon it might be a good excuse to go see the shop anyway.
You ARE right about his attitude. That can count for a lot.

 

[jcwu]

What WAS the final height on the JV? How do you know the DV52 wasn't always so high? How long have you owned it? Is the neck straight, could it actually only need a trussrod tightening? Just covering the basics since I can't tell how well you know your axe yet.

Check some of the recent posts on neck resets, there's some guidelines about how to use a straightedge to determine if the neck's still in a good angle relative to the bridge.

That's the problem, I have a straightedge and lined it up on the DV52. It's hitting about 1/8" below the top of the bridge (or maybe more, I only eyeballed it). I don't know if the DV52's always been like that, though.. I've owned it since new, from sometime in the mid '90s. But I've only been learning about neck resets and how to check the neck in the last few months. It's possible the problem's been there the last 15 years, or maybe it's just developed the last few years. The JV52, on the other hand, lines up spot on to the top of the bridge.

When I brought the JV52 in, I had asked Keith to have it set up like the DV52, which played real easy for me, even with the higher action. He was surprised that I'd want it so high, but ended up doing it at 6/64th for me (a slight compromise). It buzzed, so Keith had the saddle shimmed. Then it was about the same height as the DV52, but it was HARD to play. So I took out the shim, sanded the saddle down, and now I'm floating real happy on the JV52 at around 5.5/64". And not buzzing, now that I'm not playing so hard. Oh, and I changed to medium gauge too, which seemed to help, too.

I had a bone saddle made for the DV52, and sanded it down, so now my action on the DV52 is just a tad under 6/64th. It plays a lot easier now than before! By the end of the year, hopefully when I've saved up enough money, I'm going to get the DV52 refretted and have the neck reset. It's my baby - I've owned it since new, and it's what got me hooked on Guilds!

 

[jcwu]

On the other hand, if you've never been to Gryphon it might be a good excuse to go see the shop anyway.
You ARE right about his attitude. That can count for a lot.

Oh yeah, I've been to Gryphon. First time was to have a new bone saddle made for the F4CE. That was a nice experience. Second time was to get an estimate on possible work on a FS46CE. Talked to a different guy, he didn't seem interested in investigating the work at all. Didn't want to give me a quote. Looking back, I don't blame him. The FS46CE is one weird beast! But that experience left a bad taste in my mouth for Gryphon. As for the instruments... I don't even want to try playing the other instruments there, because 1) I'll never be able to afford it, so why tempt myself? and 2) they're not Guilds, so why bother?

 

[adorshki]

As for the instruments... I don't even want to try playing the other instruments there, because 1) I'll never be able to afford it, so why tempt myself? and 2) they're not Guilds, so why bother?

I know exactly what you mean, it's why I don't really go out to shop much. Another note on action, but I suspect you've seen this too, nut slot depth is the other element of action. I think it's Frank Ford's site Frets.com that has a tutorial on measuring the clearance. I actually added a few thousandths in the A slot after it came back from Keith with some finishing grade sandpaper folded to the width of the slot, and lowered the profile of the top of the saddle a few just to get it to the last "nth" of perfection for my comfort. Interesting you have a very similar collection to mine except witha jumbo. I've been getting very curious about F30s because of the size and scale length. who knows, maybe it'll be my first used buy. Then maybe a 12er, and of course I've wanted a D25 Cherry ever since the first time I saw one..uh oh I think I caught the fever... :lol: