So the honeymoon with my LP is over and we're now enjoying the ups and downs of life together.
It was my first pukka Lester so I'd sit there for hours staring at the thing and hiding in plain site were a bunch of scratches, tooling marks and gouges in the inlays and some weird scratches on the fretboard running 45 deg across a number of frets (you could only see at certain angles). The fretwire is fine so that suggests that the damage occured (or was not spotted) prior to installation of the wire. I say this because of the direction of the scratching. They simply cannot have been caused by bending or excessive pressure. I contacted the dealer, who contacted Gibson who said - the client's had the guitar for six months, nothing to do with us. End of.
What I can't believe is just how both dealer and Gibson locked down on the matter. To be fair, the dealer did offer some options (for a price!) whereas Gibson's suggestions ranged from insane 'put some lemon oil on it' - on an inlay - to the practical 'just play it'. So I'm thinking, is it me, my style of play? I checked, documented and photgraphed every guitar I have (some less expensive some considerably more) and every single board is fine - even the SG . Ironically, best of all was an old Epiphone LP whose board and inlays were off the scale, so the excercise wasn't wasted.
So. Is it obvious - no, not from above; does it affect playability - no; would I have the kahunas to try and style it out if I'd caused the damage - equally, no. I'm best part of 60 yrs old, work in a professional capacity as a desk jockey ie: not touring or musician, and maybe used it 24 - 48 hrs in TOTAL. I don't really have time for this sort BS (I guess Gibson are saying the same about me), I just thought they've gotten to be No1 (arguably) by being the best. so it will be played, lightly oiled and wirewooled every string change and it'll go away (hopefully before I shuffle off this mortal coil ). Until then I need to live with it. It's not a piece of junk, I bloody love the guitar. I just can't figure out why Gibson are being such a-holes? By their logic, it seems they'd expect your fretboard should resemble that after 6 months of occasional play. It's a shame.
Made me think, having read through the warranty, they have it sewn up good and proper! Damage to wood, clients fault - fair wear n tear; electrics - warranted 1 year; failed tuning peg - not their problem...
I genuinely cannot think of ANY occurence that could ever trigger a warranty after you walk it out of the store, or your obligatory (UK) 14 days distance buying regulations are over. So here's the challenge...Can anyone? (For their next round of cutting costs maybe they should save themselves some ink and paper and get some proper QC at final inspection).
It was my first pukka Lester so I'd sit there for hours staring at the thing and hiding in plain site were a bunch of scratches, tooling marks and gouges in the inlays and some weird scratches on the fretboard running 45 deg across a number of frets (you could only see at certain angles). The fretwire is fine so that suggests that the damage occured (or was not spotted) prior to installation of the wire. I say this because of the direction of the scratching. They simply cannot have been caused by bending or excessive pressure. I contacted the dealer, who contacted Gibson who said - the client's had the guitar for six months, nothing to do with us. End of.
What I can't believe is just how both dealer and Gibson locked down on the matter. To be fair, the dealer did offer some options (for a price!) whereas Gibson's suggestions ranged from insane 'put some lemon oil on it' - on an inlay - to the practical 'just play it'. So I'm thinking, is it me, my style of play? I checked, documented and photgraphed every guitar I have (some less expensive some considerably more) and every single board is fine - even the SG . Ironically, best of all was an old Epiphone LP whose board and inlays were off the scale, so the excercise wasn't wasted.
So. Is it obvious - no, not from above; does it affect playability - no; would I have the kahunas to try and style it out if I'd caused the damage - equally, no. I'm best part of 60 yrs old, work in a professional capacity as a desk jockey ie: not touring or musician, and maybe used it 24 - 48 hrs in TOTAL. I don't really have time for this sort BS (I guess Gibson are saying the same about me), I just thought they've gotten to be No1 (arguably) by being the best. so it will be played, lightly oiled and wirewooled every string change and it'll go away (hopefully before I shuffle off this mortal coil ). Until then I need to live with it. It's not a piece of junk, I bloody love the guitar. I just can't figure out why Gibson are being such a-holes? By their logic, it seems they'd expect your fretboard should resemble that after 6 months of occasional play. It's a shame.
Made me think, having read through the warranty, they have it sewn up good and proper! Damage to wood, clients fault - fair wear n tear; electrics - warranted 1 year; failed tuning peg - not their problem...
I genuinely cannot think of ANY occurence that could ever trigger a warranty after you walk it out of the store, or your obligatory (UK) 14 days distance buying regulations are over. So here's the challenge...Can anyone? (For their next round of cutting costs maybe they should save themselves some ink and paper and get some proper QC at final inspection).