The Quilted Maple Soloist (UPDATE- Fixed and Complete). BEAST!

[vikingred]

UPDATE: SCROLL TO BOTTOM OF THREAD FOR FIXED/UPDATED PICTURES.

So incredibly disappointed.  Bought a UC quilted maple on maple soloist body with satin Warmoth finish.  Incredibly beautiful guitar.  No bridge rout because I wanted to install a Schaller Hannes bridge.  I've had some unpleasant "luthier" experiences, so I went to the "best" guy in town, 30 years experience.  Said he could do it.  Explained it was satin finished, and I'm a perfectionist and need a super-tight professional job.  Paid $350.  Then got it back and lost my f*cking mind.  Words cannot explain how sick I got.  The bridge is 2-3mm left of center, the pickup/ring is 1mm left of center.  The rear rout is insanely amateur, tons of lifts on the finish (which he claimed would never happen), right bridge anchor bolt hole was drilled too deep AND the drill wandered causing an oblong hole.  The string retention bar rout is RIDICULOUS.  I E-mailed the guy with a detailed complaint with pics and demanded my entire money back and he didn't resist.  He knew he's screwed up bad.  How can people do this?  If you're a luthier, be a luthier.  My god.  He RUINED a $815 body.  You can't just do a fill and re-drill/re-rout this without it looking like crap.  So, I'm in a bind, and I'm SICK, I tell you SICK.

Now I don't trust any of them.  Sorry.  I'm a perfectionist.  I don't even care about the money, it's about the emotional attachment to the instrument.  I don't mind paying a premium price for absolute top notch work.  So, I am now on the hunt for a short list of the absolute BEST "no excuse, no bullshyte" luthiers in the United States.  First, to fix this guitar, if it's fixable.  Second, to do all of the rest of my work.  Guitar/luthier work is a time consuming skillful art, and sometimes there are problems, I get that.  But if you can't do it properly or you mess it up, then you make it right.  Don't take the job if you can't do it.  I am so SICK right now, I can't think straight.

Anyway, here is the good, the bad, and the ugly of it:

AND NOW FOR THE SICKEST PART:

How does it play?  Meh.  The strings are so off, it's un-enjoyable.  To me it's ruined.  I guess this is just a reality of the DIY world.  There are things we have to rely on people to do, and sometimes they are incompetent.  The guy instantly refunded the entire amount, after some minor defensiveness on his part.  But he knew he messed it up.  I paid a man 350+ dollars to ruin a one-of-a-kind $815 Warmoth body.

Very happy with the neck and how it feels.  Of course I did that part myself.  The pickup and electronics are ok, but there is a slight grounding issues because there is no where on the bridge to ground it.  This is a $2000 guitar.  And I am SICK.  Anyone know of a master luthier who could fix this?

From now on, I don't care how much it costs, I'm going ONLY to the very best of the best.  So pissed.

 

[vikingred]

Here are some pics of how it's supposed to look:

 

[bagman67]

Dude, that blows.


My heart goes out to you.


For recommendations on who can get this thing back to where you want it, I put forward Gary Brawer's shop in the back end of Real Guitars in San Francisco.  This guy and his colleagues regularly rescue the most abominably effed up guitars.  They are regularly booked solid, so they aren't the place to go with an emergency, but if you want it done right, they are tops.  If you're turned on by celebrity endorsements, Brawer's is the shop of choice for major work for Joe Satriani, Metallica, and other pro musicians in the Bay Area and elsewhere.


Check the blog at http://www.brawer.com




Best of luck


Bagan

 

[vikingred]

Dude, that blows.

My heart goes out to you.

For recommendations on who can get this thing back to where you want it, I put forward Gary Brawer's shop in the back end of Real Guitars in San Francisco.  This guy and his colleagues regularly rescue the most abominably effed up guitars.  They are regularly booked solid, so they aren't the place to go with an emergency, but if you want it done right, they are tops.  If you're turned on by celebrity endorsements, Brawer's is the shop of choice for major work for Joe Satriani, Metallica, and other pro musicians in the Bay Area and elsewhere.

Check the blog at http://www.brawer.com

Best of luck

Bagan

Cool, I'll check it out.  Just so happens I'll be in SFO for a week soon, staying 7 blocks down from that shop.  Not sure about checking a Fender HSC as a check-on bag on the airline, but it might work.  Then just get 'em to mail it back.  It would be nice to hand it off to them and talk to them in person.  Thank you.

 

[pabloman]

I know it seems like it's ruined but you have some options. The mounting screw hole can be plugged and redrilled in the proper locations. Then a larger bushing or ferrule can be used to make the head of the screw bigger. Maybe Doug could whip something up. You could also have those screws shortened a bit and recessed even more then cover them with a plate similar to what Blackmachine install. For the string retainer ferrule block Texas Customs to the rescue. Schaller should use this design anyway. Good luck brother. I'm truly sorry.

 

[pabloman]

Maybe another oblong plate could be fabbed up the same perimeter as the ferrule block and the mounting screws could go through that. Sort of like a mini Tele control plate.

 

[Verne Bunsen]

That's really unfortunate man, I'm sure sorry to hear about it. I hope you find someone to pull off the perfect fix!

 

[vikingred]

Can someone just help me understand why?  Why does a mf do something like this?  "Famous luthier".  30 years experience.  Did the work himself.  Why?  :sad: 

 

[rgand]

Man, I really feel your pain. There's nothing worse than a "professional" who does un-professional work. There's no excuse for that. I hope you find the right person to fix that. Done right, it'll be a real winner. Keep us advised on how it works out.

 

[musicispeace]

Can someone just help me understand why?  Why does a mf do something like this?  "Famous luthier".  30 years experience.  Did the work himself.  Why?  :sad:

As a second time around player now who has had to navigate my local techs and supposed luthiers I have also had some real stark experiences that make me wonder how the F some people were allowed a business license in the first place. But music has its share of hacks, wanna be's, and jerks.  Sounds like the guy in SF is worth checking out. You can buy a flight approved hard shell locking case for $150 on up if you haven't got that sorted yet. Wishing you the best on this, hang in there. Don't ever lower your standards and continue to expect right work.

 

[Cagey]

Geez. That's bad. The off-centered stuff is just poor planning, and it looks like he tried to do the routing/drilling by hand.

Routers are mean beasts. You gotta have either templates (this application) or guided bits for edge work or pattern following. Otherwise, they have an awful tendency to get away from you.

A variation on Pabloman's suggestion would be fairly clean - just have a square or rectangular plate made of pickguard material to essentially cover the mounting screws and string retainer plate, with holes drilled in that to let you string it up. That would also allow the bridge to moved slightly to compensate for the mis-alignment.

The pickup doesn't need to be moved at all except for aesthetic reasons. But, if that was desirable, the existing mounting holes can be easily plugged and re-drilled to move that, and you'd never see it. The strings still won't line up perfectly above each pole piece, but the error will be symmetrical.

I wouldn't expect those repairs to cost a great deal of money, but you would end up with a plate on the back you weren't planning on. That's not unusual, though. Consider how many guitars out there have much larger plates to cover up vibrato springs, batteries, electronics, etc.

 

[stratamania]

I really feel your disappointment. I know others have suggested ways to repair it and that of course is worth pursuing.  But is there no recourse you have for the body to replaced by the guy who messed it up ?

 

[vikingred]

I really feel your disappointment. I know others have suggested ways to repair it and that of course is worth pursuing.  But is there no recourse you have for the body to replaced by the guy who messed it up ?

I just wanted him out of the equation.  He agreed to refund the entire cost.  And said he would "do his best" to find a fix.  No way.  I will likely send the final repair bill to him, but I doubt he'll care.  I could sue him but it's not worth my time.  Still sick in my gut.

 

[dmraco]

Dude that is F'd.  Because of the bridge it is not a simple fit.  I would have him purchase a new body.  I am sure W can make you one just like it.

 

[Surf n Music]

Dam brotha. Man you know before you start your in over your head yet you proceed anyways. Just baffles me. I would never practice on a new body. What are people thinking. At least practice on a few scrapes and see if you got it down. So sorry.

 

[stratamania]

@vikingred I get where you're coming from, sometimes the negative energy dealing with it is a hassle.

Wishing you positive vibes...

 

[vikingred]

Yeah I gotta let the emotional dust settle before I decide what to do.  I have half a mind to buy a router and some practice boards, learn how to do fills, and just do the thing myself.  I'm a quick study, and there are a lot of videos and materials on these things on the net.  And at least that way if I F it up again, it's on me.  Also thought about the idea of seeing if it can just be completely rerouted for a different bridge to where the holes and ruination don't show at all or are eaten up by the new bridge route.  There are options.  I'm looking at dewalt routers---heh---realize there is much practice involved.  Thanks for the support guys.  Ah, well.  The "next one" via Tonar, should more than fit the bill for a beautiful new machine.  Light, too!

 

[stratamania]

That's a good idea another bridge that might be just the ticket...

 

[swarfrat]

Drop a Kahler in? Sorry man.

 

[elgravos]

I really dig the Hannes bridge and have been muling over one for many years - despite past controversy on the subject (was it on this forum that the designer got a whole bunch of flack some years ago?) - but it sure seems like a b*tch to install compared to other options out there.  Definitely need to get a proper luthier and not some clown.  Seems like you got the latter and I'm sorry to see that. Shame Warmoth don't have it as a standard option!