New Guitar Problem

[jackcooper]

I was down south recently trying to spend the remnants of some money from the sale of my Rhodes collection (which at the time were still on Ebay), and I noticed a Guild D55 50th Anniversary hanging up. I tried it and instantly loved it. It had perfect balance and a tone to die for. Nice bass but more equal across the board than the nice Martins I recently acquired.

It had been reduced by £500 and actually looked second hand, but there was no label stating this.

After playing it for a while, I noticed some chipping on the binding, I informed the salesman and he said that they could maybe knock off another £100 for that.

I ran out of time, so put the guitar back, and left.

After a few days I decided I needed that guitar, so I rang up and put down a deposit. The guitar was taken off the shop floor and put in a case.
By chance I was down in the city the next day, so popped in to try out the guitar again. This time I noticed the nut was cracked so informed a salesman, he said another was on order and it would be replaced.

Anyway, I got the guitar shipped and it arrived today. Excitedly I removed it from the case and played it for a while. It had been restrung and sounded even more pretty than before.

I took it through to the bathroom (nice reverb) and under the bright lights I noticed a one - two inch long crack (or a deep finish scratch - I don't know how to tell the difference) near the binding half way between soundhole and bridge.

The crack is about as wide as a thin E string. I can't see it in duller light, but I can feel it if I run my finger along it.

Is this something to worry about? I love the guitar and am so disappointed it's not in perfect condition. Part of me wants to return it, but am torn because it sounds like a dream come true.

Usually if i'm looking on Ebay and notice the word crack, I don't buy, but here I am in this situation of not knowing what to do.

How serious does a crack like this sound? Maybe it's just a finish crack (is that serious?).

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

(I haven't contacted the store yet, but will be sending an email tonight)

Thanks.

Jack.

 

[frettedstrings]

Did you say this is a NEW GUITAR ?

 

[dapmdave]

I was down south recently trying to spend the remnants of some money from the sale of my Rhodes collection (which at the time were still on Ebay), and I noticed a Guild D55 50th Anniversary hanging up. I tried it and instantly loved it. It had perfect balance and a tone to die for. Nice bass but more equal across the board than the nice Martins I recently acquired.

It had been reduced by £500 and actually looked second hand, but there was no label stating this.

After playing it for a while, I noticed some chipping on the binding, I informed the salesman and he said that they could maybe knock off another £100 for that.

I ran out of time, so put the guitar back, and left.

After a few days I decided I needed that guitar, so I rang up and put down a deposit. The guitar was taken off the shop floor and put in a case.
By chance I was down in the city the next day, so popped in to try out the guitar again. This time I noticed the nut was cracked so informed a salesman, he said another was on order and it would be replaced.

Anyway, I got the guitar shipped and it arrived today. Excitedly I removed it from the case and played it for a while. It had been restrung and sounded even more pretty than before.

I took it through to the bathroom (nice reverb) and under the bright lights I noticed a one - two inch long crack (or a deep finish scratch - I don't know how to tell the difference) near the binding half way between soundhole and bridge.

The crack is about as wide as a thin E string. I can't see it in duller light, but I can feel it if I run my finger along it.

Is this something to worry about? I love the guitar and am so disappointed it's not in perfect condition. Part of me wants to return it, but am torn because it sounds like a dream come true.

Usually if i'm looking on Ebay and notice the word crack, I don't buy, but here I am in this situation of not knowing what to do.

How serious does a crack like this sound? Maybe it's just a finish crack (is that serious?).

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

(I haven't contacted the store yet, but will be sending an email tonight)

Thanks.

Jack.

Jack, was this sold as a new guitar? Guild has a lifetime warranty. But if it's used, you are probably stuck.

I'd just have a luthier take a look and evaluate it. Maybe the store you bought it from will help with that.

Dave

 

[jackcooper]

Thanks for your replies.
It was sold as a new guitar. I'm in the UK, so not sure if the Guild Lifetime Warranty applies here.
Also because it's a limited edition, I'm not sure how that would affect things.

I really want to keep the guitar, but I don't want to be worrying about the crack for it's lifetime.
I'll try to take some pictures of the crack tomorrow.

 

[dapmdave]

Thanks for your replies.
It was sold as a new guitar. I'm in the UK, so not sure if the Guild Lifetime Warranty applies here.
Also because it's a limited edition, I'm not sure how that would affect things.

I really want to keep the guitar, but I don't want to be worrying about the crack for it's lifetime.
I'll try to take some pictures of the crack tomorrow.

IMHO, it being a "limited edition" should have no bearing on it, either way.

The warranty is posted here:
http://www.guildguitars.com/index.php/support/warranty/

To my untrained eye, you have a solid case for warranty repair. Especially if you approach the shop you bought it from promptly.

Dave

 

[GardMan]

Have a luthier look at it... if you can post a pic, someone here MIGHT be able to tell whether it is a crack or just a finish check (can be hard from a photo). Or, get an expensive inspection mirror (many automotive stores sell them), and look inside (use the mirror to direct light from a flashlight... or you might say torch). If it's a finish check, there's nothing that needs to be done. A good luthier might be able to repair it, but it''s not worth the bother IMO. If it's a crack, it would be a simple and inexpensve repair to glue and cleat it (from the location you give on the top, I'd guess <$100US?)... but it might still be visible.

I think there is a shop in the US (CA?) with a "new" 50th Ann D-55 for close to US$9000... Perhaps that will help you establish the value relative to what you paid, relative to the 600 pounds discount (that's more than US$1600?).

I am sure we'd all love to see pics...
Dave

 

[adorshki]

I guess you'll have to check on Guild's overseas warranty, but it sure seems to me that they'll stand behind it. IMHO, it being a "limited edition" should have no bearing on it, either way.
Dave

Hi Jack, and welcome aboard! I'd suggest you go register it on Guild's website right away. Get something in writing from the seller that it is being sold as new. Discounts for existing flaws should have no bearing on the warranty if the guitar is sold as new. In fact the itemization of the flaws will help demonstrate the flaws weren't caused by the purchaser.
Or maybe you might just want to make sure Guild DOES have a warranty recourse available to you. Not sure what they'd think about having to handle a guitar overseas. Hopefully they have an authorized repair facility for those needs so you don't have to start dealing with the pitfalls of international shipment. The current website's warranty statement specifically denies warranty coverage if purchased from a NON-AUTHORIZED DEALER and only lists service centers in the US and Canada.
Even though they offered the less-constrictive Lifetime warranty at the time of manufacture of your instrument, I suspect you're in for some frustration trying to get coverage no matter what the end results are. You're going to start by dealing with Fender corporation spokespeople/service reps who very likely will not even have any awareness of what the waranty was when it was made, even if you finally get someone to honor it.
That's the bad news. The good news is if that crack was really a crack as wide as a treble E string, you'd be able to get your thumbnail in there and KNOW it was really a crack. I suspect it's just a deep finish scratch. I see Gardman was thinking the same thing whiile I was writing this.
He's also correct about a NEW NEVER SOLD 50th anniversary D55 on display at a major dealer here in the San Francisco Bay area with an $8900.00 price tag. :lol: :lol: :lol: Mainly that's because they don't actually want to sell it, and probably insurance reasons too, but that'll give you an idea of the extreme end value scale.
I think it makes your purchase sound like a pretty good deal by comparison. Hope that helps to ease your mind.

 

[West R Lee]

I'd like to see a picture of the "crack".

West

 

[dapmdave]

I'd like to see a picture of the "crack".

West

I'd just like to see a picture of a $9000 Guild.

Dave :shock:

 

[West R Lee]

I'd like to see a picture of the "crack".

West

I'd just like to see a picture of a $9000 Guild.

Dave :shock:

I'll bet it's a nice one.

West

 

[jgwoods]

Hmmmm a 7 year old new guitar with a crack in it. The Guild warranty doesn't cover cracks due to humidity, drying out etc.
I'd say if there is any recourse it will be on the shop owners dime.

 

[frettedstrings]

I just did the math. Has It Been 57 Years Already ?!

 

[dane]

Hmmmm a 7 year old new guitar with a crack in it. The Guild warranty doesn't cover cracks due to humidity, drying out etc.
I'd say if there is any recourse it will be on the shop owners dime.

Yep. I think that's the stand Fender/Guild may take.

 

[jackcooper]

Thanks for the helpful advice guys. I'm still not sure about the scratch/crack but going to get it checked out next Saturday (any comments about the scratch/crack in the pictures would be helpful)

Anyway here are some pics of the guitar

 

[jackcooper]

And some pics of the crack/scratch

 

[dapmdave]

I gotta get a higher-end Guild. What a beautiful guitar.

It's kind of hard to see the crack clearly in the pictures. A look inside the body would be helpful.

But, assuming that you are unhappy with the guitar, as it is now... I would obtain a written evaluation of the guitar from a luthier (independent of the shop). It'll cost a bit, but you need to have it. Then, I'd take it back to the shop where I purchased it, and have a very serious discussion with the owner to learn about repair options under the Guild warranty. I don't think I'd register the guitar with Guild, yet. You can do that prior to requesting service, if necessary. But leaving the guitar unregistered at this point might leave a few more options open.

I'd be willing to bet that any repair would be done by someone local, with reimbursment back to the dealer from Fender.

Good luck.

Dave

 

[kokotele]

What a gorgeous guitar!

It's real hard to tell what's going on from those pictures. If your camera has a macro mode (usually indicated by an icon of a tulip) it will let you focus at very close distances, and that will let you get a clearer picture.

My gut reaction based on what can be seen in those close ups makes me think it's just damage to the finish. If it were a crack in the wood, it wouldn't cross grain lines so easily.

 

[GuildsSing]

Jack,

You are a lucky man. Crack, split, mark, finish check..... you are still a lucky man. Wow, that is beautiful. It does look perhaps like finish checking or crazing but as others have said, best to have a luthier see it. Some of my guitars have finish checking which only shows when I hold the guitar at certain angles and certain light. Often when I look at the guitar dead on straight and not in sunlight, you can't see the checking, or at least very well. Anyway, congratulations and thanks for sharing the pics.

Dan

 

[capnjuan]

Hi Jack, welcome to LTG, and congratulations on your new guitar. I don't think that's a crack or a split ... a separation of the wood fiber ... they're usually parallel to the grain. Can't be sure from the pics but it looks like it runs at an angle slightly across the grain. It also doesn't look like thermal shock or conventional finish checking either ... it looks like a scratch of some kind. Very pretty guitar!

 

[adorshki]

I'd like to see a picture of the "crack".
West

I'd just like to see a picture of a $9000 Guild.
Dave :shock:

Dave:
http://www.guitarshowcase.com/
Scroll down 'till you see the link "at Gbase!" (next to the Gibby headstock). Click on that and put "Guild" in the "Make" box under "Search inventory". It's the only one they have.
Although they ARE listed as an authorized dealer on the new website. :?
But they'll order a new one for you!
In case you don't want that D55. :lol:
It only lives about 5 blocks away from me in a special display case.
But I don't go to visit it because I know I'll leave feeling just a little bit inadequate somehow...
I go a couple of miles down the road to the vintage Ferrari dealer and try to get them to give me a test drive in the $300,000.00 F55 instead. It helps, a little. :lol: