GuitarFranks Repair

Review: [redacted], doing business as Guitar [redacted]'s in Spokane, Wash., worked on four of my guitars, for total charges in excess of $750. I have detailed invoices indicating that he polished frets, straightened necks, etc. However, when I got the guitars home, they were unplayable.

Specifically, my Taylor T3/B had strings that fretted out (open high E, first fret of high E). Upon examination by a luthier, I was informed that Mr. [redacted] had A) "torqued the neck to the danger point," meaning that the guitar's neck tension rod had been so tightened as to threaten the integrity of the beck; B) frets Mr. [redacted] indicated were polished were in fact left with file marks and also left uncrowned; and C) the action had been lowered so much that all the strings had some buzz in open or lower positions. I never asked Mr. [redacted] to lower the action on this guitar.

My Dean Palomino Solo has a metallic ringing that I asked Mr. [redacted] to address. I said that I thought the problem was that the action was too low. He said, "You're crazy! There's no such thing as action too low." At the time, I thought he was joking because, as any qualified and professional luthier will tell us, there is in fact optimal action for a guitar. When I got the Dean back from Guitar [redacted]'s and had it examined by another luthier, it was pointed out to me that A) the metallic ringing sound had not been addressed; B) frets were marred with file marks and C) frets were left uncrowned.

My G&L ASAT had similar problems: file marks on frets from incomplete fret job; uncrowned frets; and action lowered because the tension bar in the neck had been torqued, again, to the danger point, resulting in action so low it caused string buzz.

My 1980 Yamaha SG2000 was treated the worst by Mr. [redacted]. The guitar was completely unplayed below the 5th position: notes were completely fretted out. All I had asked Mr. [redacted] to do (and his invoice reflects this) was to polish the frets and adjust the intonation. But he took it upon himself to torque the neck and lower the action. File marks were left on frets, and frets were left uncrowned.Desired Settlement: So far, I have spent $250 having the damage Mr. [redacted] did to my guitars repaired. While I acknowledge Mr. [redacted]'s offer to make good on his warranty and perform the work himself he is, as my complaint makes clear, unqualified and cannot be trusted to perform such work with integrity and professionalism.

Therefore I seek a $250 refund, payable by check and mailed to my home address.

Business

Response:

? Mr [redacted] brought in 3 guitars to have work done. We went through each guitar,

issue by issue what he wanted done and he signed a work order authorizing work

for each guitar. When he came to pickup the guitars we went over each repair and

adjustment step by step playing each guitar so I could make any fine adjustments

that he may need to help them play better for his particular style (of playing). We

do this for everyone. He loved them and they seemed to play great for him. I gave

him a written 30day Action-Adjustment Warranty slip for each guitar. He not only

paid me for the work, he brought in his Taylor and we did the same thing as far as

going over the repairs and adjustments on the work order and he signed it also.

I didn't hear anything at all from Mr [redacted] after he left that day, till the day

before he was to pickup his Taylor. He sent a friendly "E" mail letting me know

he's picking it up the next day and he also called to set pickup time. Everything

seemed fine till he walked in the door and he just came unglued. Started yelling

that his guitars all played like [redacted]He said he was going to get even with me for what

I'd done and I hadn't heard the end of him.. I asked what's wrong several times

but he wouldn't respond.. He also refused to play the Taylor so we couldn't dial

it's playability. I asked several times but he just yelled for me to do the paperwork

and get him the **out of there. Very unprofessional..So..I did just that and in the

process I pulled his "warranty slip" on the Taylor.. If I can not sit with a customer

and dial the action I can not Warranty the setup.. ( unless other arrangements

are made ). We had agreed to dial any of the other guitars, if needed, when

he picked up the Taylor.

If I was picking up 3 of my guitars and they played that bad " I wouldn't pay for

the repair". If I was picking up 3 of my guitars and they played that bad " I wouldn't

leave my $1800 Taylor to be repaired". And...... If I had picked up 3 of my guitars

and took them home and they were that damaged "I would have called to stop

the work on my Taylor". We had that Taylor for 3 1/2 wks.

So,...........when Mr [redacted] took them to have work done somewhere else.... he...

negated his Warranty with us. I'm sorry he feel's ill of us and am glad he found

someone else. Sometimes you make life decisions and I'm sure this is the best

decision for him. However, trying to bring down or tarnish a 13 yr old established

business with a clean record for actions that "he took"...??

We believe we did everything right and have all the documents to prove it..

We never saw any of these issues, on any of the guitars, at anytime after he

picked them all up. This was his choice !!

Almost every one of those complaints are not only covered on our warranty

but can be attributed to action & truss rod adjustment issues. We have been an

Authorized Service Center for 17 companies...for...13yrs and have been adjusting

truss rods on guitars ( for the public/for money ) for over 28yrs. I also use a gauge

(Top Deflection Gauge) that puts the neck within "one thousands of and inch"

of zero, which is where we start all our neck setups. Then, we write the settings

on your Warranty receipt so if the neck does settle or shift ( welcome to the NW )

we can put it back to where you liked it when you tested it.

"Fret leveling file marks on top of frets"? ( on all four of his guitars )?

Most shops use metal files to level frets and crown frets and 3 grades of sandpaper

for buffing. We do not use Metal Files for leveling frets. I find them way to aggressive

and they can loosen frets. We use 3 grades of sandpaper that's pressed glued onto

14 inch aluminum plates for leveling, diamond chips for crowning, 10 grades of

sandpaper ( 320 to 3000 ) and ZAM jewelers paste for buffing.. They look like

chrome when done.. An example of the level of workmanship we offer..

Among other discrepancy's, we only fret leveled 3 of his guitars, not 4.

Consumer

Response:

[To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, you must give us a reason why you are rejecting the response. If no reason is received your complaint will be closed Administratively Resolved]

Revdex.com:

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint. For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.

[To assist us in bringing this matter to a close, we would like to know your view on the matter.]

Regards,