Not very happy with Gibson right now....

[Surfthrees]

Okay, so I have a late fifties ES-175D that badly needs a new toggle switch rubber grommet. Yep, we've all seen em. The exact same one that comes on BRAND NEW archtops from Gibson. Probably an $11.00 part factoring in tooling etc.. I sent them an extremely thoughtful and praising email with my guitar's serial number and pic, requesting some help finding this rubber grommet for my "beloved Gibson". They then sent me the email below. I have a name damn-it! Keep in mind, that NONE of the parts suppliers listed carry anything close to this part. There is one that is totally manufactured in reverse with the hole chamfered on the wrong side!
What, there are no more humans selling $4000 guitars anymore???? I worked for Pelican Products for years, and not once did we not send ANY customers ANY part they required for their measly $20 protector case. Let alone a rubber grommet for an $8000 guitar. It's not like there's a massive exodus for these damn rubber grommets! There is NO excuse for a company treating a customer this way. And in turn, treating themselves this way. Just because I almost expected this, doesn't mean that I still can't be pissed.... --J isd



Hello,

At this time Gibson sells only pre-packaged parts through our Gibson Gear division. All packaged Gibson replacement parts listed online at http://www.gibson.com/en-us/Divisions/Gibson Gear/Accessories/Replacement Parts/ can only be ordered through an authorized Gibson dealer or the Gibson online Store http://store.gibson.com . You can find dealers online at http://www.gibson.com/Dealers/ .

For all other replacement parts, we suggest the aftermarket parts suppliers listed below;


WD: 1-877-WDMUSIC www.wdmusic.com www.pickguards.com
All Parts: 1-800-327-8942 www.allparts.com
Stewart-McDonald: 1-800-848-2273 www.stewmac.com
Warmoth: 253-845-0403 www.warmoth.com

Gibson Customer Service
1-800-4GIBSON
service@gibson.com

 

[Ryan Givhan]

wow, that sucks, i bet someone here at the LPF will know where you can get one.

 

[valcotone]

--

 

[Cogswell]

It sounds to me like they have no idea what you are talking about but can't say it. I couldn't even find a rubber bushing on that webpage anywhere. I wouldn't buy one from them anyway; I'd just pick one up from Allparts.
This one won't work?
http://www.allparts.com/Rubber-Switch-Bushing-p/ep-4924-023.htm

 

[Surfthrees]

Thats the one that's for some other application. The indentation or offset is actually on the wrong side of the grommet. Hard to tell if they said, "yeah this looks close enough" and never tried it, or if they actually approved a wrong part, bought hundreds and never tried it. Or decided to sell a Napa grommet as a toggle switch one. Either way, they never tried it. Definately does not fit a Gibson Toggle-switch.
Skillback, looking for a rubber grommet not a switch plate... Cannot pay $500 for a cracked one off of Ebay, when they are sitting in a plastic shop drawer by the hundreds at Gibson for pennies. :lol

 

[Gibsonian]

About five years ago I contacted their customer service division asking for a replacement PU selector for my 1988 SG double neck, because the stock switch was worn and the toggle lever kept springing back to the neutral position. They had been making this guitar model to the same unchanged specs since mid-1980’s, but they, instead of offering the part from their OE bin, directed me to Allparts who of course didn’t carry it.:yawn

 

[moonweasel]

I want their new P-90 covers for my Historic. Nope.

GIBSON, we are trying to give you MONEY.

During the great purge of the late 90s and early 2000s when Gibson killed off all of the mom and pop stores, I remember hearing a lot of them grumble about getting parts. Even back then, and they were dealers.

 

[Rev.WillieVK]

IMO you got a form-letter reply. :rolleyes

Have you tried calling and getting a live human on the phone? Memphis, Nashville, Custom Shop - I don't know. I would hope that if you explained that all of their generic options don't work and that the part they use on their current production does work...

Otherwise, I'd buddy up with a big-time store or dealer and see if they can get one for you from Gibson. A Gibson dealer with a service department might be able to get one 'for a repair'...?

 

[valcotone]

Skillback, looking for a rubber grommet not a switch plate... Cannot pay $500 for a cracked one off of Ebay, when they are sitting in a plastic shop drawer by the hundreds at Gibson for pennies. :lol

Ah, gotcha. Understood. Good luck in the search!

 

[Surfthrees]

IMO you got a form-letter reply. :rolleyes

Have you tried calling and getting a live human on the phone? Memphis, Nashville, Custom Shop - I don't know. I would hope that if you explained that all of their generic options don't work and that the part they use on their current production does work...

Otherwise, I'd buddy up with a big-time store or dealer and see if they can get one for you from Gibson. A Gibson dealer with a service department might be able to get one 'for a repair'...?

This is probably the best advice... I'll try that first Rev...

Alternatively,
Maybe I could send them my guitar for "repair" too as another option. After of course going on a lengthy waiting list I'm sure:

Shipping from Hawaii........$150
Shipping back to Hawaii....$150
Rubber Grommet..............$11
Labor...............................$50++
__________________________
Total $361

Still cheaper than the sniper on Ebay!

 

[Cogswell]

You do that & your guitar will come back w/a different fingerboard & a clownburst refin, lol! And the WRONG grommet!

 

[ckiz]

I can tell you from experience that if you make friends with a Gibson super-dealer, perhaps even one of the ones that sponsor this forum, that they can secure you OEM parts that are supposedly unavailable.

They know who to talk to at Gibson and, more importantly, they have enough pull that they won't get blown off. Again, I speak from experience.

 

[mc5nrg]

Way back in the day, Gibson dealers had repair boxes full of spare parts odds and ends to take care of sutuations like the above. I don't remember offhand seeing the rubber doohickey that goes round the 175 switch but there may have been some. I did grab a couple of the numbered plates that go with Varitone switches and used them as straplocks. You might find what you need at a long term Gibson dealer- though most of these folks aren't dealers anymore.

 

[Surfthrees]

You do that & your guitar will come back w/a different fingerboard & a clownburst refin, lol! And the WRONG grommet!

classic.

 

[Surfthrees]

I can tell you from experience that if you make friends with a Gibson super-dealer, perhaps even one of the ones that sponsor this forum, that they can secure you OEM parts that are supposedly unavailable.

They know who to talk to at Gibson and, more importantly, they have enough pull that they won't get blown off. Again, I speak from experience.

Thanks... It sounds like I should give the dealer route a chance. It sometimes just becomes too many people involved, but I'll at least give it a try...

 

[skylabfilmpop]

Try John Sprung partsisparts.com

 

[zekmoe]

Doesn't seem like an issue to me.
"WHere can I get parts for item you sold 50 years ago?"
"Uhh..try here".

Try going to a ford dealership and asking for a free air filter or door lock cover for a late 50's model and you'll get the same reply. You're acting entitled, IMHO.
Also, the reply was probably an auto reply to some keywords in your question.

 

[Rev.WillieVK]

Doesn't seem like an issue to me.
"WHere can I get parts for item you sold 50 years ago?"
"Uhh..try here".

Try going to a ford dealership and asking for a free air filter or door lock cover for a late 50's model and you'll get the same reply. You're acting entitled, IMHO.

You have missed the point: There is a current production part being used in their factories today that the OP is willing to buy and pay for - probably a $1 part to Gibson, $5/$20 to the customer - and Gibson blew him off.

He's not asking for a 50 year old part. He's asking to buy a modern part that is in their factories today.

:salude

 

[Surfthrees]

Try John Sprung partsisparts.com

Thank you, I will!

 

[Surfthrees]

You have missed the point: There is a current production part being used in their factories today that the OP is willing to buy and pay for - probably a $1 part to Gibson, $5/$20 to the customer - and Gibson blew him off.

He's not asking for a 50 year old part. He's asking to buy a modern part that is in their factories today.

:salude

Correct-a-mundo... To my knowledge, comparisons and hole sizes etc, this part has apparently never changed. It's a currently issued new part on these guitars that I know of:
L-5 CES
L-4 CES
Byrdland
Super 400
Here's a 2009 pic of the exact part...

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