Opinion on a recent guitar purchase, neck joint cracks

So I returned the guitar back to Sam Ash and after deep research I found another one. Id like to send a big shout out to Willcutt Guitars.
After explaining to them what happened with my previous order from SA, they gave me a better deal and no tax. I just saved almost a grand.....
Free 2 day shipping and they will double box and double protect/insulate when shipping.


Here she is





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Small retailers are the way to go on high dollar purchases. They actually care about their reputation. I'm really happy it worked out for you.
 
Willcutt is a guitar store, those guys carry some incredible instruments and know how to take care of a customer. I’m glad they’re doing you a good turn. Not impressed with EBMM at all, though. That was some BS they threw your way.

I hope you really love the new one!
 
Perspective: It’s not EBMM’s fault that wood expands and contracts with heat, cold and humidity. The original guitar was shipped by a big box store. Where a lot of manufacturers won’t ship in extreme weather, the big box stores aren’t known to be too particular. Probably because they’ll eventually charge the damaged guitar back to the manufacturer.

I’ve shipped hundreds of guitars. I won’t ship via ground in the winter if the weather is extreme between here and the destination. Even with careful planning, I’ve lost a Montana Flatiron mandolin to a collapsed top and a hollow body archtop guitar that checked like a broken mirror - which I actually thought was pretty cool. (However, the buyer didn’t...) This sounds like expansion in the neck pocket where something had to give - and it was the finish.

PS: relics continue to be the Fender Custom Shop’s best sellers.
 
Perspective: It’s not EBMM’s fault that wood expands and contracts with heat, cold and humidity. The original guitar was shipped by a big box store. Where a lot of manufacturers won’t ship in extreme weather, the big box stores aren’t known to be too particular. Probably because they’ll eventually charge the damaged guitar back to the manufacturer.

I’ve shipped hundreds of guitars. I won’t ship via ground in the winter if the weather is extreme between here and the destination. Even with careful planning, I’ve lost a Montana Flatiron mandolin to a collapsed top and a hollow body archtop guitar that checked like a broken mirror - which I actually thought was pretty cool. (However, the buyer didn’t...) This sounds like expansion in the neck pocket where something had to give - and it was the finish.

PS: relics continue to be the Fender Custom Shop’s best sellers.

...Hmmm ... EBMM could have at-least gotten involved to the point of applying pressure on the distributor, on-behalf of the customer, to take the instrument back. Since it's Sam Ash's fault. "..shipping in crap weather" (if that Was the cause).

We have dumped distributors who screw around the customer. It's the customer who will complain if treated unfairly after all, and they will have a point.. Screw the distributor then, for taking a torch to the customer/EB's reputation..

But that isn't quite what happened (it seems).

In this case, the customer reached out the EBMM looking for a little help.. Ernie Ball said "Nope!" ..and "Blaaaaaaah" ...that all I take away from this. That issue being the customer being told that the warranty clock had run out, before the customer's purchase.

???? ...What's the point in EB advertising a warranty to the customer, if it runs out before the customer receives the instrument? ...That's madness.

Taken from Sam Ash Website:

"Warranty Info: Ernie Ball, Inc. (hereafter “EB”) warrants for one (1) year from date of purchase by the initial retail purchaser that this product shall be free from defects in material and workmanship. Any material or workmanship determined defective by EB within the one (1) year term shall be repaired or replaced without charge for parts and labor provided the unit is returned, transportation costs prepaid, to Ernie Ball, Inc., 151 Suburban Road, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401, or to such other service facility authorized by EB. EB will pay shipping costs to return the unit to its owner."

Now.. I'm no rocket scientist, - or even English major, ;0) ..but, then, I don't really need to be to see the games EB were playing, since a person could EASILY argue that the neck pocket was too tight, if the finish cracked in transit due to temp or humidity.

For craftsmen of the caliber found at EB, It would have been easy to repair the finish. If it was the finish that was cracked.

Just sounds like, between Sam Ash and EB, they Both tried to avoid taking responsibility for the damage.

Hey. Let them fight among themselves who's to blame.

...But while those guys are bickering among themselves about who is gonna take the hit, they Both should have treated the guy shelling out thousands of dollars for an heirloom instrument a little more fairly than this.
 
Agreed on all points. The original issue involved the guitar being a limited release AND permanently out of stock. The buyer was wondering if he should return it or take the very slight payout. I was of the ilk that if that’s the only guitar of its kind that is available, I would probably take the money and try to overlook the imperfection. But, I buy player grade all the time and then do what needs done myself. Maybe I’m different. I dunno.

My comment regarding wood expansion was in response to the blame being cast at EBMM for shoddy workmanship. It probably wasn’t. Wood moves. Sometimes too much. Especially in winter.
 
Pay for high dollar stuff with a credit card that protects you. I had a dealer send me a new VoiceLive that buzzed like crazy. They wanted to charge me a restock fee and only gave me a partial refund upon return in spite of me contacting the manufactured myself for solutions, following all instructions, saving all packing (down to the last bread tie) and advising the vendor along the way. I turned it over to the credit card company and got the rest of my money back. I use Citi Card which extends my warranty 2 years past the OEM warranty and covers issues like Mfg. or Distributor refusing to accept a return. If you financed the product at 48 months zero interest that was probably actually thru Syncrony Bank and it is a legit credit card that might also had offered you some protections had you contacted them.
 
At the end of the day I really like how the deal turned out. Screw Sam Ash, EBMM loses some credit in my eyes, and I learned about Willcutt which I never knew existed. Brandon took great care of me and I saved almost a grand. Guitar arrives tomorrow! After learning how EBMM handles things, I will take heavy amount of pictures and document everything once I receive it tomorrow.
 
As a matter of law, a warranty begins at the time of retail sale, not when shipped to reseller. As long as the item being sold is new and being sold through an authorized dealer of the manufacturer, this is the case.
 
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