A Guitar Tech Ruined My Guitar In The Process Of Changing The Pickups To Fishmans

[Randy]

Why is the tech not paying for it...?

Meh, I mean keep in mind it was an 80 Euro deal. Would be a risky venture if any chance something went wrong, you were footing the bill for hundreds of dollars more than you were getting paid because your customer got to choose who fixed it and how.

To the OP, total sympathies on the whole thing and tbh, I don't blame you for how you handled it (including running off in a rush without a receipt). Fwiw, I can understand distrusting having another tech/luthier do this kind of work again but it IS an accident that happens, so you're just as likely to make the same mistake. If it's just about the peace of mind and not having to pay if something DOES get fucked up, I can understand that. Just some food for thought.

Anyway, I think the bigger issue is how the tech resolved this. The repair job was lousy (especially the wandering drill bit), and he shouldn't have charged you anything, that's the start. If he was competent and this did happen, he could have reglued the chip and hidden the seam better, and if necessary (especially the wandering drill bit), he could've sanded it out and reshot the clear on the back. I'm not necessarily down for expecting the guy to swing hundreds of dollars in repair fees but if he's a competent repair guy, he should have swung the extra few hours and materials to do a legitimate fix.

Which brings me to my last point, which is a pet peeves about small repair operations that don't have the resources to fix something like this, if it DID happen. Even if all you do for a living is changing strings adjusting action, there's a mountain of shit that can go wrong on a customer's guitar. If you don't have the tools or skill or whatever to fix it in house, at least have someone you work with who does.

No blame on the customer here at all but I've always thought this was stuff you need to be watchful of when picking your tech, otherwise it's always "buyer beware".

 

[Acme]

Anyway, I think the bigger issue is how the tech resolved this. The repair job was lousy (especially the wandering drill bit), and he shouldn't have charged you anything, that's the start. If he was competent and this did happen, he could have reglued the chip and hidden the seam better, and if necessary (especially the wandering drill bit), he could've sanded it out and reshot the clear on the back. I'm not necessarily down for expecting the guy to swing hundreds of dollars in repair fees but if he's a competent repair guy, he should have swung the extra few hours and materials to do a legitimate fix.

I think this was my fault. I got so disgusted with the guy - his incompetence and all -, that I didn't want him to do anything on my guitar anymore. I wanted to leave before getting so angry that I would do something I would regret later. At the same time, I was still confused, I kind of believed that the damage may have been done by myself somehow, even though I felt that it was most likely him.

Which brings me to my last point, which is a pet peeves about small repair operations that don't have the resources to fix something like this, if it DID happen. Even if all you do for a living is changing strings adjusting action, there's a mountain of shit that can go wrong on a customer's guitar. If you don't have the tools or skill or whatever to fix it in house, at least have someone you work with who does.

No blame on the customer here at all but I've always thought this was stuff you need to be watchful of when picking your tech, otherwise it's always "buyer beware".

I asked him if he has installed Fishmans. He said he installed loads before, hence I was confident that there would be no issue. However, when I went there to collect the guitar, he admitted, that he only istalled Fishmans on acoustics and these were the first electric Fishman pickups he installed. I get that it was a new situation for him and I feel sympathy towards him, so as time passes, the less I blame him.

 

[Lemonbaby]

The screw you're showing is used for PU rings, not for direct mounting. The threads in machine screws aren't meant to be used in wood directly...

 

[mnemonic]

This is why I have trust issues with independent contractors of all kinds, and I’d rather do the job myself if I can, no matter what it is.

The screw you're showing is used for PU rings, not for direct mounting. The threads in machine screws aren't meant to be used in wood directly...

For what it’s worth, my mayones from a few years ago has inserts in the body for machine screws, I assume they still do it.

 

[Lemonbaby]

For what it’s worth, my mayones from a few years ago has inserts in the body for machine screws, I assume they still do it.

Nice, didn't know that.

 

[MSS]

For what it’s worth, my mayones from a few years ago has inserts in the body for machine screws, I assume they still do it.

Mine have inserts as well. Unfortunately, this part of why they went through IMO, they provide solid purchase on the screws.

 

[guitaardvark]

Damn dude, you got ripped off. I got a killer deal when I paid my tech $40 to destroy a DiMarzio Ionizer.

Seriously, I'm very sorry this happened to you. Like others have said, I'd recommend learning to do it yourself. After about a half hour on YouTube, I was able to do it myself with a $5 iron (less than ideal but it works). It's difficult to fuck it up to the point of permanent damage, especially to the point that your guy did.

 

[USMarine75]

 

[Hollowway]

Yeah, the bar of entry for declaring yourself a "tech" is exceptionally low. I'm sure there are incredible people out there, but it's not all that easy to find a good local person. I'm also of the opinion that it's easier to just learn to do it yourself. I'd go so far as to say it's better to just build yourself a custom, as I'm pretty sure I wouldn't steal my own money and disappear. And my history has proven that others are fully willing to do that to me!

 

[777timesgod]

Yeah, the bar of entry for declaring yourself a "tech" is exceptionally low. I'm sure there are incredible people out there, but it's not all that easy to find a good local person. I'm also of the opinion that it's easier to just learn to do it yourself. I'd go so far as to say it's better to just build yourself a custom, as I'm pretty sure I wouldn't steal my own money and disappear. And my history has proven that others are fully willing to do that to me!

Unfortunately, this is true all over the world. As soon as someone manages to tackle setting up a neck/intonating and changing pickups, they feel that they are qualified techs. Makes me wish there were degrees required to work as one.

To the OP, sorry to hear of the damage, lets see what Mayones will do.

 

[elkoki]

I'm sorry this happened to your guitar man! In my experience most techs really don't know everything there is to know about guitars. Unless they've experienced fixing and repairing just about every guitar, which is impossible with all of their different dimensions, routing,wiring, string configurations etc... This guy probably mostly did pickup swaps with the traditional pickup rings , had little to no experience with direct mounting and just fucked everything up. Techs really don't know it all. Sometimes you come to them with a job, and they're learning something new, same as if you would've done it yourself. If you can somehow leave a review for him somewhere, do it. Or demand your money back... Fortunately it's not an enormous amount of damage and it could probably be fixed fairly easily. My last experience with a tech was terrible too. Took my 7 string in for a fret level, he destroyed the edges of the fret board, and was pushing me aside,ignoring me, being a complete dick. So I wrote a review with PICTURES on his YELP, Google, and posted it up on different guitar forum... Long story short he was pissed, I coudln't care less though. He end up buying the guitar off me & in exchange he made me remove the reviews and forum posts. In my opinion he got off waaay too easy. My first and probably last time dealing with a tech

 

[Emperoff]

Sorry to hear, bud.

This is why I only lend my guitars to REALLY skilled luthiers (you know, people that actually builds guitars), and not "repair techs". I've had my share of those in the past. If I can't do it myself, then I'll pay to someone who really knows his/her shit and works legally with invoices and stuff.

I really hope the Mayo guys can fix it for ya!

 

[Jason B]

the bar of entry for declaring yourself a "tech" is exceptionally low.

And they all want to be referred to as “luthiers”, rather than draw pride from their work.

 

[Randy]

I'm pretty sure I wouldn't steal my own money and disappear

That's exactly what you'd WANT you to think.

 

[Descent]

There's no evidence he did it. No paperwork, nothing.

Why not?

You should have a document when you leave your guitar somewhere, work order, etc. How can you prove some guy has your guitar?

Could've asked him to sign a note or call the cops. Something in the tune of:

"I performed such and such setup, for such amount on date whatever".
That's legit...and could be taken to court. You should've held up and called the police if he refused to do it.

At least it is not uncommon mistake by the looks of it. Ouch.

At least post pictures of this damage and link it to his website, yelp reviews, what have you. This guy doesn't deserve to get more work as luthier.

 

[Ordacleaphobia]

That's exactly what you'd WANT you to think.

Yeah I've dealt with Hollowway before.
@Hollowway, don't send your money to that dude he's a crook! I bet he'd just spend your money on buying himself a guitar. Shame.

 

[bostjan]

Man, that's a heartbreaking story. I hope this gets sorted out the best way possible.

 

[pablometal]

you should paint it

 

[Acme]

Mayo will tear off the lacquer, fill in the hole and re-apply the lacquer on the guitar, inspect the whole guitar and if there's anything else that needs to be fixed, they will take care of that as well. It will cost 250 Euros, but at least I'll get a brand new guitar back. I'm thinking about asking them to repaint the back to black or to some other funky colour, if the back will be refinished anyway.

 

[eddiewarlock]

Considering the amount of work that has to be done, 250 euros is not expensive at all. Last year a bought a used Jackson RR1. Came with a hardshell case, but the shipping guys dropped it and the case broke and the guitar too. A whole refin for that guitar is around 600 euros. Lucklily it was insured and i got paid, but i spent those 600 euros in a new amp, hehehe. So i have a Jackson with a broken tip. If i was told 250 euros, i would have sent it.