Guild Warrenty

Taylor Martin Guild

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Has the new owners of the Guild line declared how far back they will honor warranties?
With so many changes of ownership, it won't surprise me to see them only honoring their Guitars.
 

adorshki

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Has the new owners of the Guild line declared how far back they will honor warranties?
With so many changes of ownership, it won't surprise me to see them only honoring their Guitars.

They warrant at least as far back as original owners of New Hartford A stock purchased from an authorized dealer.
Can't recall if they've formally declared beyond that, or under what circumstances, but TXbumper posted a good recap in the last year or so, just don't have time to search for it.
Seem to recall the primary concern was where purchased and if they're authorized or were at time of sale.
They even warranted his NOS D55 50th Anniversary model from '03 based on being bought new from dealer who'd been authorized then and still is, but he called 'em first to check, due diligence always helps.
Seems like they'll display some flexibility in reasonable circumstances.
 

Rickenmaxer

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Covering New Hartford at least...

Has the new owners of the Guild line declared how far back they will honor warranties?
With so many changes of ownership, it won't surprise me to see them only honoring their Guitars.

I can confirm Cordoba Music Group is honoring warranty work on New Hartford guitars. I have a 2011 F50 I purchased from an authorized (at the time at least) Guild dealer whose bridge was starting to lift approx. 3/4" on the bass side. I contacted CMG in Santa Monica and they confirmed a bridge re-glue should be covered. We tracked down the closest approved service center (not close but still driveable), and they took care of it for me without issue.
 

fronobulax

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I can confirm Cordoba Music Group is honoring warranty work on New Hartford guitars. I have a 2011 F50 I purchased from an authorized (at the time at least) Guild dealer whose bridge was starting to lift approx. 3/4" on the bass side. I contacted CMG in Santa Monica and they confirmed a bridge re-glue should be covered. We tracked down the closest approved service center (not close but still driveable), and they took care of it for me without issue.

Welcome and thanks for the report of personal experience.

Tangentially, it would take a lawyer with access to the sales contracts to determine whether an instrument produced by Guild under previous ownership legally had a warranty liability that CMG had to honor. That said, the interactions with CMG suggest to me that CMG might be flexible when it comes to legitimate warranty claims for instruments prior to New Hartford. While they might not be required to do so, it is a Good Will Gesture that seems consistent with my impression of the company.

And to veer, Sears is considering selling its Craftsman line of tools which for decades set the standard for unconditional, no questions asked warranties. Those days will almost certainly be over if the sale occurs.
 

chazmo

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TMG, I think it's likely (though I have no information to back it up) that CMG will continue with Fender's policy -- essentially not a policy -- where everything is case-by-case basis.

I don't even know if CMG has a repair shop/facility (yet).

We have seen CMG ante up for some current Newark Street production problems, but I don't know if we've heard much about them dealing with trouble on older guitars.

I think it's unlikely that they'll abandon the older instruments re: warrantee, *but* I would expect that things like neck resets and "normal" play wear will be very unusual to see covered. I could be wrong though. Taylor sets a very high bar here and CMG may want to see Guild be competitive.
 

Taylor Martin Guild

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With respect to Martin, not necessarily - see my thread about my experience attempting to get my mother-in-law's '51 O-15 neck reset under the Martin "lifetime" warranty.

What was their reason for not covering the neck reset?

I have 3 friends that own 70's Martins.
All three had their Martins repaired with neck resets.
The work was covered by warranty on all three guitars.
In each case though, Martin did additional work on the guitars like refret and replace bridges.
These repairs were not covered by warranty.
 

adorshki

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I can confirm Cordoba Music Group is honoring warranty work on New Hartford guitars. I have a 2011 F50 I purchased from an authorized (at the time at least) Guild dealer whose bridge was starting to lift approx. 3/4" on the bass side. I contacted CMG in Santa Monica and they confirmed a bridge re-glue should be covered. We tracked down the closest approved service center (not close but still driveable), and they took care of it for me without issue.
Wow, first post, member since 2014!
:biggrin-new:
Like Frono said, nothing like an eyewitness report!
 

gjmalcyon

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What was their reason for not covering the neck reset?

I have 3 friends that own 70's Martins.
All three had their Martins repaired with neck resets.
The work was covered by warranty on all three guitars.
In each case though, Martin did additional work on the guitars like refret and replace bridges.
These repairs were not covered by warranty.

It was in the thread: "According to the Martin rep I'm working with:'... neck resets such as the repair needed on this instrument will not qualify as a manufacturing or material defect because the reset is needed for action adjustment only. It’s a result of the string tension over the course of 60 years, not because of a failed joint or defect in wood.'"

I found similar recent reports on other forums - there now seems to be some age cutoff beyond which Martin will not do a warranty neck reset.
 

Taylor Martin Guild

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It was in the thread: "According to the Martin rep I'm working with:'... neck resets such as the repair needed on this instrument will not qualify as a manufacturing or material defect because the reset is needed for action adjustment only. It’s a result of the string tension over the course of 60 years, not because of a failed joint or defect in wood.'"

I found similar recent reports on other forums - there now seems to be some age cutoff beyond which Martin will not do a warranty neck reset.

I would try again if it were me.
That is as long as the owner is still alive.
String tension is the cause for most neck resets.
Perhaps the over 60 years old is the bigger reason but the warranty does lifetime, not 60 years.
Point that out to them.
 

gjmalcyon

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I would try again if it were me.
That is as long as the owner is still alive.
String tension is the cause for most neck resets.
Perhaps the over 60 years old is the bigger reason but the warranty does lifetime, not 60 years.
Point that out to them.

I have and with several different Martin reps. Same answer.

And yes, the guitar's owner, my 90-year old mother-in-law is still alive.

Here's a more informative thread from UMGF (sorry to sully our pure Guildovian waters with a link like this).
 

adorshki

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I would try again if it were me.
That is as long as the owner is still alive.
String tension is the cause for most neck resets.
Perhaps the over 60 years old is the bigger reason but the warranty does lifetime, not 60 years.
Point that out to them.
They're saying that after 60 years they now consider that it's normal wear and tear, call it a change in policy definitions, in any case he's probably not going to go that way, because of other issues that come up if they do the work.
It's all covered in his original thread:
http://www.letstalkguild.com/ltg/sh...ent-Martin-Guitar-Warranty-Repair-Experiences
 

gjmalcyon

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They're saying that after 60 years they now consider that it's normal wear and tear, call it a change in policy definitions, in any case he's probably not going to go that way, because of other issues that come up if they do the work.
It's all covered in his original thread:
http://www.letstalkguild.com/ltg/sh...ent-Martin-Guitar-Warranty-Repair-Experiences

The guitar's owner (my mother-in-law) wants the work done at the Martin factory. It is her guitar, so we will comply with her wishes.
 
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