Guitar came back from tech with nitro burns - what would you do?

prlgmnr

Johnnyseven said:

WezV said:

Johnnyseven said:

Did you make the tech aware of the finish and thay he should be careful what stands he puts it on?

You really shouldn't need to.   I say that from the techs perspective

Well it seems that in this case he wasn't aware of what could happen, so mentioning it might have been prudent.

One of the most fun parts of finding a tech to do a job for you is trying to work out, without insulting them, if they are about to charge you a load of money despite actually having less knowledge than you about the job at hand.

darthed1981

Surely you just keep sending the guitar back to the same tech over and over.

Then sell it for twice what you paid for it as "relic'd"?

Blueingreen

This will have been carelessness rather than ignorance. The owner is an experienced player whose played Gibsons for decades. Not a chance he doesn’t know about the nitro issue.

skunkwerx

Got any pics? Am curious to see

Blueingreen

skunkwerx said:

Got any pics? Am curious to see

Since posting this I've given it a rub to get the surplus nitro that bubbled up off.  I'm left with an area of missing varnish and rough surface approx 1" long by about 1/3" wide.  That part of the guitar is dark and the damage will be hard to show in a pic.

It's not terrible, but it's bad enough that I'd have to disclose it if selling the guitar and my guess is it's knock about a hundred quid off the value.  That's academic in a sense because I love the guitar and if I had to reduce my collection to 1 it's the one I'd keep.

I get the "don't fuss" side of the debate.  Shit happens. It's not visible from the front.  You know you can't expect guitars to look pristine forever, and this one isn't all that young (guessing 10 years old although I bought it used without knowing its age so I don't know).

All the same, I can't help but be mildly pissed off that I put my favourite guitar into a reputable tech and it's come back damaged. I'd honestly think I'd be less uptight about that sort of thing than a lot of people, but I can't help but be a bit sore.

I'm about to spend a bit of money modding this and a similar guitar.  I intend to put on locking tuners and mod the electronics, although I haven't decided how much I'm going to do.  I had expected to go back to the same tech, in fact I'd already had some preliminary discussions.  I expect I'll get the work done elsewhere now.

skunkwerx

Blueingreen said:

skunkwerx said:

Got any pics? Am curious to see

Since posting this I've given it a rub to get the surplus nitro that bubbled up off.  I'm left with an area of missing varnish and rough surface approx 1" long by about 1/3" wide.  That part of the guitar is dark and the damage will be hard to show in a pic.

It's not terrible, but it's bad enough that I'd have to disclose it if selling the guitar and my guess is it's knock about a hundred quid off the value.  That's academic in a sense because I love the guitar and if I had to reduce my collection to 1 it's the one I'd keep.

I get the "don't fuss" side of the debate.  Shit happens. It's not visible from the front.  You know you can't expect guitars to look pristine forever, and this one isn't all that young (guessing 10 years old although I bought it used without knowing its age so I don't know).

All the same, I can't help but be mildly pissed off that I put my favourite guitar into a reputable tech and it's come back damanged.  I'd honestly think I'd be less uptight about that sort of thing than a lot of people, but I can't help but be a bit sore.

I'm about to spend a bit of money modding this and a similar guitar.  I intend to put on locking tuners and mod the electronics, although I haven't decided how much I'm going to do.  I had expected to go back to the same tech, in fact I'd already had some preliminary discussions.  I expect I'll get the work done elsewhere now.

Yeah I feel ya. I'm the same. 

I don't mind knocks and chips that I cause myself, theyre par for the course and don't really bother me, but a section of fucked finish would irritate me. 

Especially having paid someone!

johnl

Definitely raise it with them. I know that in theory there must exist good, careful techs who are masters of their craft and bring the best out of every instrument they service. I, on the other hand, have only ever encountered the type who screw everything down as low as it will go, give the truss rod a few turns in whichever direction they fancy at the time and, if they're having a particularly productive day, will give you a couple of decently-sized scratches / gouges in the top without any extra charge. 

skullfunkerry

Another one for raising it with them. Apart from the principle of it and letting them know that they've messed up, you never know: they may surprise you with a proper apology & some money back

TINMAN82

I’ve stopped going to a luthier based in Edinburgh as the last time he handed my tele back with a big chunk of finish missing from the body near the neck pocket. In fairness it was an AVRI so the finish is brittle but he tried to tell me it was there when I handed it in before conceding.

Also, the fact that every guitar of mine he’s touched has subsequently been sold is probably writing on the wall.

mbe

Anyone can call themselves a luthier but that doesn't necessarily mean they have had a formal training in the craft.

I know there are some brilliant self-taught luthiers but somebody can change a set of strings and instantly become a 'guitar technician' without any practical study or an apprenticeship.