I wanted a Warmoth, I will take a gibson?

[Jusatele]

CB, Adjusting your mirrors and setting the intonation on a guitar before it leaves the showroom are 2 different things.
that is the difference, you do not buy a vehicle that needs the brakes adjusted so why would you want to buy a guitar that needs the intonation set?

I do agree that a lot of guys would not know how, why or even what the intonation is until they get more versed in both music and the guitar, But that is not a reason to rip them off. Part of respecting a guys business is making it so they want to come back, a free set up would go a long way toward that you have to agree.

I am not saying to set it up every other week, but when a guy buys it. Let me ask this, would you buy a washing machine if they told you that once you got it home it may need to have the adjust the belts and seliniods to get it to work properly?

but then you think that setting the intonation on a brand new guitar is asking to much?

 

[kendog]

I 've been trolling this board without posting for a while now as I'm very interested in in building a project guitar, but this thread has really intrigued me. The bashing you're giving commercial guitar manufactures (specifically Gibson) is ridiculous.

As for quality issues and needing the intonation set and stuff like that, this is not a Gibson issue it a retailer issue. Anyone who knows anything about wood knows that it changes with the environment. When a guitar is made in Nashville and its 80 degrees and humid and is shipped to say Montreal at its 50 degrees and dry that neck is going to be all out of whack. Retailers should set up every guitar whether its a $100 squire or a $5000 Les Paul. This is why I shop at an old school music store that has been owned by the same guy for 40 years. Not to defend Gibson but as for other issues like bad grounds and stuff there could be dozen reasons they came lose. I have seen wiring and cosmetic issues on guitars from all manufactures .. Gibson, Fender, PRS, Ibenez etc...

Now I do agree that Gibson are overpriced but how much overpriced is probably not as much as you think. You can buy a Les Paul for $800 bucks at G.C. if you wanted, same with the SG but everyone wants the pretty ones with the nice maple top and pretty neck inlays. All of which takes time, materials and labor. So I can order all the part for a Les Paul for $1500 from Warmoth, Now how much is the sand and sealer, sand paper, dye, gran filler, nitro lacquer going to cost ... Then the two months to finish it, put it together, wire it. Just for fun put a dollar amount on that say $20 an hour ... now how much does the Warmoth cost?

Oh ya now I have to take it to a tech, have the frets dresses and the intonation set ...

Not trying to bash Warmoth here, I still plan to build a strat but hopefully that will put cost into perspective.

As for not liking Gibson's guitar sound/tone/designs ... its what 90% of people want, whether they are right or wrong it doesn't matter. They make what they have a demand for. Unfortunately with the state of music being what it is these days there seems to be a complete lack of desire for tone!

My advise on buying a commercial guitar, if you really like it buy it no matter what it is! I bought a Danelectro Mod 6 for $400 dollars, its the biggest pile of crap I've ever owned but it has a unique sound that I really enjoy playing once in a while


Apologies for the rant.

 

[Super Turbo Deluxe Custom]

There is Gibson bashing, but it isn't unfounded.  Take our love of Warmoth's out of the equation and the Gibson dogpiling is still relevant.  As with any manufacturer, no 2 are the same, but the QC of Gibson is fleeting.  Standards for what is ok to pass out the door have dropped.  Mind you Gibson has been synomous with quality for so many years, that's why they're held to high standards, and fall short.  Sharp fret ends, dead frets, etc. etc.  Those aren't store issues.  If they ship the thing with a set of .009s, it should be setup for that before it leaves the factory?  A more detailed setup may be required for string gauge and personal preference, but intonation is good or bad no matter who is playing it.  If it's not intonated in my hands, it won't be in yours.  Maybe the big box stores could shoulder a little of the blame because they are Gibson's biggest customers.  "Hey Gibson, quit sending us guitars that need a setup, or we will charge you for it."  You think a statement like that wouldn't get it fixed?  Do other mfgs. have the same issues.  Does PRS, Gretsch, Rickenbacker, or Fender show up repeatedly in QC threads?  Does the state of those companies show up repeatedly?  PRSs sell because of what they're doing goo then and now.  Gibsons are selling because of what they used to do.  Again, not all but many, too many Gibsons are guilty of this.  Some you may have to look harder than others to find something wrong.

Anyone remember the Gibson volute thread?  

 

[mayfly]

I remember that - the volute right under the first fret.  Gack.

For me, that would be unplayable (I do a lot of behind the nut stuff).

 

[Super Turbo Deluxe Custom]

Yes, and IIRC, there was more than one.  So either the employee(s) checking it didn't know what they were doing, or supervision gave the pass.  Either way, a volute on the playing area of the neck is lot more visually noticeable than say, intonation, fret work?