WITHDRAWN - P/X'd at Guitar Shop: Gibson Memphis ES-275 Figured 2017 Montreux Burst

boston909 · February 2019

Gibson Memphis ES-275 Figured 2017 Montreux Burst (in UK)

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WITHDRAWN - P/X'd at local shop...

I have loved the Gibson Memphis ES-275, specifically in Montreux Burst as opposed to any other colour/finish, since they came out a few years ago. Being in the UK, it seemed as though I couldn't find this model & particular finish anywhere when I finally decided to buy one towards the end of 2018.

I found this beautifully figured ES-275, though, on the 23rd of January 2019 on the website of the guitar shop: Music Force Global Networks, located in Seoul, Korea for £3,100 plus £320 shipping plus ~£600 customs/handling charge. It is a new guitar, so it is still in new/mint condition and plays great. I'm selling it on straight away though.
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It's a rather lengthy story as to why I'm selling this guitar, but I have ended up with two of these, so one has got to go:

I found and bought the same model ES-275, also in montreux burst (although that one was a B-Stock model having had some slight binding issues at the bottom of the guitar), from a guitar shop in Germany at beginning of January 2019. They promptly shipped this out to me and, upon arrival, I had this first one set up. The guitar tech said that that one's truss rod nut was stuck when he started the work on it, almost a week after I left it with him. I sent that one back to Germany for a possible refund, but they simply applied some heat to the truss rod nut and freed it from being stuck, so they then sent that one back to me.

In the meantime, however (while that first one was still back in Germany), I was panicked that the first one I bought might not ever be fixable. So, rather impatiently and impulsively, I purchased this second one from Music Force.

This one that arrived from Korea is perfect in every way - i.e. the binding is all in perfect condition, no swirls or marks in the lacquer, it is actually the 'prettier' of the two that I now have, sounds great amplified and unplugged too, no rattles that you sometimes get from full hollow body guitars, keeps perfect tuning, the truss rod's nut is not stuck tightly like my first purchase was.

The reason that I am selling this 'prettier/perfect' one from Music Force in S. Korea, instead of the first one from MJ Guitars in Germany, is that I'm perfectly happy with that 'B-Stock' one from Germany - even though the flame/finish isn't quite as nice on that one compared with the one I'm selling. I just wouldn't be able to sell that one for very much due to the slight binding issue at the bottom of the guitar.

I did ask Music Force Global Networks guitar shop about simply sending this one back to them for a refund, but they said that they would charge a 15% re-stocking fee as well as another £320 to have it shipped back to them. So, along with the ~£600 duty invoice that I also have to pay, I would be much more out of pocket compared to simply selling it on myself - hopefully to a UK / EU buyer.

So this 'perfect in every way' ES-275 is the one to go to a new home. I know that I would be out of pocket either way, but more so if I were to send it back to Music Force for a refund. Hopefully, this way, a UK/EU buyer can greatly benefit from my loss/impatience! I'll have to learn to be more patient in future though - even if it has been a rather expensive lesson.

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I had this second one fully set up by my guitar tech again. He only needed to do a slight adjustment to the truss rod to get the neck perfectly straight. The guitar tech didn't actually oil the fretboard, despite including this on the worksheet, as the fretboard on the Montreux Burst model is richlite so it doesn't need oiling.
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As you can see from the pictures, if you want this shipped to you by UPS, this will be double-boxed and has plenty of bubble-wrap and box inserts to keep it completely still and safe for being posted.
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