Terrible experience with a "Pro" setup

[jdfoosh357]

I bought a tele from Willis Music in Louisville, KY. I took back in to have 10's put on. When I got home there was a huge dig/scratch on the 4th fret (1mm deep). It was extremely obvious, it was the first thing I saw when I opened the case. Anyway, I took it back up there and complained, and the tech, Chris, offered to throw in a free pair of strings and send me home
..............haaaaaaaaaaaa. Anyway they had to order a new neck for me. When I got it back, there were buzzes all over the place, 3 open strings, everywhere past the 12th fret. And the strings sound quieter and almost dead, I don't know if its from buzzing or if the neck is on loose or what. Anyway, I don't know what to do because I don't want Chris touching my guitar again and they say he is the only tech at Willis who can do setups. I think I got screwed out of a good neck and a setup, and now I'm gonna have to go pay for another one.

P.S. I'm gonna post a thread in the tech section, and see if I can work this out myself. Thanks.

And if you live in Louisville, KY, don't go to Willis at Oxmoor.

[PeterUK]

You've let them off the hook too easily!

Just clear something up for me. You're PAYING for a new neck??

Here in the UK we have something called the Trading Standards Department who will get involved with a retailer if they have failed to deliver a quality product and/or service and ensure you are suitably compensated.

Man, you're being ripped off here! BIG style. I hope some of our US-based brothers offer advice and help because this is just not right!

C'mon guys. Help out our TPD brother out.

Peter

[Bill]

Yep, I tend to avoid techs unless I know someone who's used them in the past. Sad but true.

My first electric guitar was a new Les Paul. When I brought it in for the free three-month tuneup the store offered, I got it back with the entire face covered in scratches and a set of sharp dings on the neck. The tech dismissed the dings: he said that he always clamped a guitar's neck in a metal bench vise (without any padding) to hold it in place while he worked on it!

Anyways, I later found out that he was notorious for this sort of stuff. I went to other guitar places within a 50 mile radius, and without even mentioning who did the work, all I had to do was tell people the problem and they knew who'd worked on my guitar.

Live and learn.

[Oskar]

It seems anyone can hang out a shingle and call themselves a guitar "tech". I've seen my share of really bad ones.
Of course I've also seen some prima dona techs that will charge you your first born for a basic setup. Sure, they do a good job, but hey. let's face it, this stuff ain't brain surgery.
I guess it's just one of those things in life. Gosh, you even need to get a license to go fishing, but any doofus can work on your guitar. Sumthin' wrong with this.

[Sidney Vicious]

Thanks to this Forum and other resources on the 'net I have learned to tech my own guitars - cheaper, faster, funner.

[SteveY]

Originally Posted by Sidney Vicious

Thanks to this Forum and other resources on the 'net I have learned to tech my own guitars - cheaper, faster, funner.

Exactly!

Never let anyone else pack your parachute (or stay off tall stages)!

[Brother Chub]

I live right across the river in southern IN the guy that works on my guitars does a great job if you want info
e-mail me at dennyparker@yahoo.com

[jwells393]

I think every player should learn to do their own set-up. There's plenty of information on the web and in books on how to do it. Like the saying goes ........ "It ain't rocket surgery".

[riggergreg]

It was an experience very similar to yours that convinced me to start doing my own work on my guitars. I've had two so called "pro" setups come back in worse shape than when I dropped them off.

I bought a couple of Dan Erliwine's books and now I do all my own work....

[stantheman]

NINETYFIVE PERCENT OF THESE GUYS ARE HACKS. I'd like the name of the store so people can be forewarned that it's a HACKSHOP.
The next time I go into a store where nobody knows me to try out an Amp (I always bring my own guitar) I'll be
praying that the salesman tells me they do "pro setups"
so I can say "Gee I heard your guy really sucks ....pro-setup oh jeez That's rich.
"Pro" the prefix of procreate as in: You're gonna get procreated now baby.
Wait...wait "Certified Tech"
I gotta go pee

[Scotland]

And demand a full refund. That guitar is under warranty and it is now neither the guitar you paid for or of merchantable quality. You have a stonewaller case for a refund / replacement.

[Captain Simian]

If they do give you any static, I'd drop the Better Business Bureau and Fender a line. Hopefully they'll do right by you.

I've said it before and I'll say it again, I'm incredibly lucky that there are 3 guys here in town that I absolutely trust to work on my guitars. They each have their weakness' but they will flat out tell you what it is and send you to the other guy(s).

[5965]

Very unfortunate.

They probably just stuck the neck on the guitar and restrung it without setting it up at all. There's not necessarily anything wrong with the neck.

[jdfoosh357]

Thanks for all the advice. I'm gonna take care of this situation pretty soon. I just ordered two Dan Erlewine books. Thanks a lot.

[5965]

That's a good approach. There's also some good info on the web. If you have questions when you get ready to do the work, just post them. Meanwhile, just raise the saddles of the affected strings until they stop buzzing. If a string seems dead, it's probably still dragging on the frets.

Sorry for the unfortunate experience, and as has been said, some of the people doing the repairs are unqualified and unmotivated. That's a dangerous combination.

[jhundt]

it is sad that the tech messed up your guitar. But did you need a tech to change strings? That's a pretty easy thing to do, and most guitar players do it regularly. Maybe you should change the strings yourself next time, there are plenty of FAQs etc. on the internet to help you.

[Doug 54]

ALOT of hacks out there!!!
True!

I learned about set-ups/repair 20 yrs ago after buying a 60's Tele from a fellow I 'knew'---and his brother did 'work' on it.
Took it to get it re-fretted, the main repairman in a large city----and found out the whole area under the pg had a huge chiseled out hole....with still SOFT WOOD PUTTY!!

THEN, the repairmen did a poor fret job................
**I was forced to learn about repair/set-ups, and who is good for major repairs.

[tele1]

I have had many bad experiences with guitar techs over the years. I am a lefty and could never find anyone who could setup or work on my lefty stuff. I learned to do it all myself.(Still learning). The worst one happened years ago.....I had a late 60's Walnut Lefty SG Standard that needed re-fretted. I took it to a music store to have it done and the guitar had a couple of small nicks on the back of the neck. The repair man said he could touch up those nicks if I wanted him to. I said sure and left the guitar. When I went to pick it up he had completely stripped the neck. It no longer matched the rest of the guitar. The neck must of been mahogany and when he stripped the walnut finish off it was quite red looking and had a terrible rough satin finish on it. The fret job was terrible, it buzzed everywhere, the frets were real low and wide. I went ballistic. I raised so much of a fuss that he didn't charge me for anything. Shortly after I traded it off. It was my first new guitar that I ever had and I still get sick when I think about it.............

[Dana]

Originally Posted by stantheman

NINETYFIVE PERCENT OF THESE GUYS ARE HACKS.

Stan is being kind in his estimate. It's probably around 99%. Of course he and I go to the same guy for set ups, and that's Jim Mouradian in Cambridge Mass, who is in the 1% of amazing guitar repairmen. Just my $.02.

[stantheman]

Dana, I wouldn't bother "The Doctor Of Style" for a setup
these days - BUT if it comes to ANYTHING SERIOUS like
Frets or going into a Thinline for a "cap&resistor" or a
tempermental Jack on a Semi-Hollow I'm like a goshdarn
homing pigeon looking for landmarks to Mass Avenue.
Absolutely The Best. A gazillion years ago it was Jimmy
who recommended Lindy to me when VanZandt was ailing. I'll let a Guitar sit and gather dust before I'd let anyone else go near it. 8)

[Fendher Bendher]

I see 3 listed on Amazon.com. "Trade Secrets" is out of stock. The other two seem similar. "Guitar Player Repair Guide: How to Set-Up, Maintain, and Repair Electrics and Acoustics," and "How to Make Your Electric Guitar Play Great!: The Electric Guitar Owner's Manual (Guitar Player Book"

Anyone own all 3 or the later 2 and know the difference between them?

Do they get specific on Tele's?

I've had some bad experieces as well and would really love to be not dependent on these guys. I'm new to Teles but they seem fairly simple. Although curves in the neck etc... still is out of my minds grasp.
FB

[Rob DiStefano]

Originally Posted by Fendher Bendher

I see 3 listed on Amazon.com. "Trade Secrets" is out of stock. The other two seem similar. "Guitar Player Repair Guide: How to Set-Up, Maintain, and Repair Electrics and Acoustics," and "How to Make Your Electric Guitar Play Great!: The Electric Guitar Owner's Manual (Guitar Player Book"

I recommend Dan's "Guitar Player Repair Guide".

Also, do check out luthier Frank Ford's fabulous <a href="http://www.frets.com" target="_xblank">www.Frets.com<a> website!

If yer serious about yer guitars, you should be able to at least set'em up to your liking.

[Furd]

Originally Posted by Rob DiStefano

Also, do check out luthier Frank Ford's fabulous <a href="http://www.frets.com" target="_xblank">www.Frets.com<a> website!

Rob,

Is that the CD (ver 4.0) you're talking about? There's a little too much info there to sift through.....

Furd 8) 8)

[Rob DiStefano]

Originally Posted by Furd

Rob,

Is that the CD (ver 4.0) you're talking about? There's a little too much info there to sift through.....

Furd 8) 8)

Website or CD, it's all the same. Fabulous info - Frank's a Master.