Would you accept bad quality from Warmoth? Picture included

[mayfly]

To the OP:  If it's unacceptable to you, then it's unacceptable.  Doesn't matter what other people think.

As others have said, get them on the phone and negotiate the returns time.  They are reasonable people; if you don't behave like a jerk they'll work something out. 

Then get something that will make you happy.

Trevor

P.S. I'd personally be cool with it.  But I'm not you.

 

[rgand]

To the OP:  If it's unacceptable to you, then it's unacceptable.  Doesn't matter what other people think.

I agree with Trevor. You're the one who has to live with it.

 

[DarkPenguin]

Hostility alone would cause me to return it even if doing so was ridiculously expensive.

 

[BigSteve22]

To the OP:  If it's unacceptable to you, then it's unacceptable.  Doesn't matter what other people think.

I agree with Trevor. You're the one who has to live with it.

Exactly! If it's unacceptable to you, then it's unacceptable. You paid for it, you are entitlled to be happy with your purchase. I don't know which way I would go, but I know I would not be pleased. That said, there was some paint imperfection in my black satin Telecaster body. Visible after completion, but to me, not a deal breaker. I will say that it would have been nice for W to have mentioned it, instead of me finding it on my own. Transparency goes a long way towards creating good customer relations......

 

[bagman67]

Yeah, two different issues in play:  Quality of workmanship on the one hand, and transparency of communication on the other.  For me, in most instances, if it's a flaw that won't see daylight such as the tearout inside the pickup or trem cavity the OP's body has, I'd probably shrug my shoulders and move on. FOR ME.  I know my values are not those of others.  I personally see Warmoth parts as high-quality parts, and I have no expectation that resale value will be retained, so a flaw like that is no biggie.

The point that Warmoth should have identified the issue and communicated about it is, in my view, a valid one.  For me, knowing in advance with perhaps an offer of a discount would be sufficient in its own right.  For the OP, it would have given him the opportunity to decide whether to accept the body or to let it go into the Showcase and wait for a replacement.

All that having been said:  I don't know what Warmoth's volume looks like.  It may be that QC standards in the shop are such that the tearout in the OP's body is just deemed a QC pass.  Maybe throughput is such that communicating with each and every special-order customer about comparatively small flaws is seen as more cost than its worth.  I reckon Aaron could tell us, but that also might be specifically sensitive info he's not at liberty to disclose.  I dunno.

Anyway, that's my random string of thoughts on this point.  Y'all have a nice day, ya hear?

 

[Axl12]

Thanks for all the feedback guys.
Yes I will build the guitar. Yes it will cause no sound issues.
My issues is a company who doesn't treat the customers right!
You guys all rock on this Forum and thanks for taking the time to share this issue.

 

[aarontunes]

All that having been said:  I don't know what Warmoth's volume looks like.  It may be that QC standards in the shop are such that the tearout in the OP's body is just deemed a QC pass.  Maybe throughput is such that communicating with each and every special-order customer about comparatively small flaws is seen as more cost than its worth.  I reckon Aaron could tell us, but that also might be specifically sensitive info he's not at liberty to disclose.  I dunno.

Below is what I posted in the TGP thread that the OP started. That thread has gone berserk, which explains the first paragraph of the post.

------------------------------

"Hey everybody...for me this thread is a Kobayashi Maru scenario. And I ain't James T. Kirk. It's probably really stupid of me to even venture into this thread. I don't want to talk about axl12's order specifically, because I don't think that would be appropriate or productive on a public forum. What I can tell you is how Warmoth handles things like tear-outs.

Tear-outs like this are going to happen from time to time. When they do, Warmoth evaluates what to do with that part based on these criteria:

Does it effect the structural integrity?
Does it effect the sound?
Does it effect the playability?
Does it effect the appearance when assembled?

If the answer to all those questions is "no", then the part is considered to meet standards. Places like the insides of the input jack hole, pickup cavities, and trem cavity are areas that are meant to be covered and won't be seen once the part is assembled.

Unfortunately for Warmoth, unlike full guitar builders we get judged on the naked parts. A new Warmoth body arrives with all the ugly bits - all the parts that are meant to be covered - in plain view. I know with certainty that there are plenty of guitars out there, from manufacturers of all stripes, with tear-outs that nobody knows/cares about because they arrived hidden behind pickguards, pickup rings, and metal plates. Warmoth doesn't get that luxury.

I know that explanation is not going to make everyone happy, but I thought some of you might appreciate getting our view on things."

 

[bagman67]

Thanks, as always, Aaron, for your rational explanation.  I totally understand where Warmoth sits in the universe of guitar stuff, and Warmoth's rationale makes perfect sense to me.

 

[aarontunes]

Thanks, as always, Aaron, for your rational explanation.  I totally understand where Warmoth sits in the universe of guitar stuff, and Warmoth's rationale makes perfect sense to me.

Thanks.


On TGP I have become the anti-Christ, so being called rational is a nice change of pace.  :icon_thumright:

 

[rgand]

Thanks, AA. That explains a lot.

 

[Cagey]

I haven't even read through that thread yet, but I've already gotten two phone calls about it this morning. For what it's worth, the callers brought up precisely what Aaron has talked about, and are in agreement with the reality of parts manufacturing and Warmoth's position.

I know from long experience of disassembling factory guitars that if people could see what the major OEMs have hiding under the hood of what they ship, they'd be variously shocked, amazed and disgusted.

Simple fact of the matter is, as I understand it, Warmoth was/is perfectly willing to take the thing back. It's not their fault the shipping costs are high. That's something the buyer has to contemplate when dealing with suppliers from long distance. The alternative would be for Warmoth to develop a zero tolerance policy, which would be difficult at best knowing some of the complaints I've heard over the years, so that such things would never leave the plant. Or, they could offer free return shipping on defective/unwanted parts, which will undoubtedly punish everybody to some degree as the general public would have to absorb that cost as it's baked into sell prices. Might even mean no shipping to expensive destinations - yet another general customer punishment.

Hell of it is, it's a really nice body that 99.999% of the market would love and cherish, since there isn't a damned thing wrong with it.

 

[Hendrix]

I remember some post on our forum about bad quality on pickup cavities, and trem cavity etc  from big manufacturers :

MIM fender

SUHR

for that's saying, I have more than 10 warmoth body, don't have anyone like the one "bad quality" like this post show, so I think it an individual example of overlook QC that not that hard to fix before painting, as it not a transparent finish.

 

[Axl12]

I would like to thank Warmoth
Since 2007 I spend around $1k per year buying Warmoth gear
I'd get in trouble from the Wife for spending too much time on their website designing the next fun build.
Bore my friends to death talking about Warmoth and how great they are.
Now I'm free to enjoy and play the guitars I've build.
After being brushed off like a customer wanting to return a hamburger. The desire is gone, there is a world of great guitars out their to play and fix.
It's given me the skills to repair other customers guitar with plenty of know how.
Goodbye Warmoth. I may of been nothing to you but you were the world to me!

 

[DarkPenguin]

Well, so long as you're happy.

 

[Cagey]

Hehe! I could've lain awake all night and not thought of a better response than that.