Better hope you never have an issue with your ESP guitar

[Pingu]

I'm genuinely surprised how shocked folks are about wraps. Like did everyone just think anything with a graphic was hand painted?

I think for this guitar specifically, given how little information there is about it in the English market, people just assumed there was more to the price. Originally I'd thought the same.

A few years ago I was GASing hard for one of these. When I finally got better pics it just looked so low quality for some reason... Though the reason I didn't end up buying one was because I knew it was gonna sit on display all the time, and I thought it was going to fade.

How would ESP even repair that? It was a very limited run from years ago, they wouldn't have spare prints lying around and would have to reprint it or something right?

 

[MaxOfMetal]

I think for this guitar specifically, given how little information there is about it in the English market, people just assumed there was more to the price. Originally I'd thought the same.

A few years ago I was GASing hard for one of these. When I finally got better pics it just looked so low quality for some reason... Though the reason I didn't end up buying one was because I knew it was gonna sit on display all the time, and I thought it was going to fade.

How would ESP even repair that? It was a very limited run from years ago, they wouldn't have spare prints lying around and would have to reprint it or something right?

Honestly, I doubt ESP will even attempt to make this right, as in a repair, replacement, etc. They seem to be pretty apathetic about threats of online hoards or the such that usually shame companies into some sort of action.

I mean, they basically nuked (potentially) six figures in sales when they cut off a well known dealer looking to get out of the business. There was a lot of chatter, but they never seemed bothered.

They know they have the sales and that this sort of thing is easily forgotten.

But, if we're just talking about the process itself, the easiest thing to do would be to just make a new body, apply graphic (hopefully better) and send it off. Shipping both ways, stripping the damaged body, etc. seems like a lot of effort considering they still have the CAD files for the body somewhere.

If I had to do it, like if a customer brought it to me, I'd just strip it bare, go with a different finish or send it off to get painted. You can do wraps at home, but I think they're tacky and would probably just pass on the job. None of these options are especially cheap.

 

[oracles]

How would ESP even repair that? It was a very limited run from years ago, they wouldn't have spare prints lying around and would have to reprint it or something right?

You can reprint the vinyl easily enough. You'd have to sand the entire thing down smooth and re-apply the new wrap. Unless it was then stored properly, you'd just repeatedly have this issue. Wraps aren't a "permanent" finish, using them in the context of a guitar is far from what they were designed for. Even in the automotive sector which they were designed for, you only get 2-3 years out of a wrap, and thats under ideal circumstances and conditions.

The only way to "fix" this and have it be a one and done type deal is by air brushing.

 

[MaxOfMetal]

Kinda, yeah. Or that there was some kind of machine process to paint things. The OP said it was 4kCAD - which wouldn't put it outside of my expectation for "this could have been painted".

Maybe a decade or two ago, but a limited edition, Japanese made 9-string artist model is already pretty expensive before something like hand painting is even considered.

The OP clarified it was more like $3k CAD, which you can barely get any E-II for now.

Custom paint that doesn't suck is probably around that much just in it's own these days.

 

[nightsprinter]

Maybe a decade or two ago, but a limited edition, Japanese made 9-string artist model is already pretty expensive before something like hand painting is even considered.

The OP clarified it was more like $3k CAD, which you can barely get any E-II for now.

Custom paint that doesn't suck is probably around that much just in it's own these days.

That E-II pricing is ridic, especially when the hardware is the same shit as on any other number of mass produced guitars which you can get for a fraction of the price.

 

[Sacha]

I didn't expect them to send me a new guitar or anything, but I do think they could have done something more than absolutely nothing. A discount code, a t-shirt, an Arby's gift card, anything? But really this is my experience with most customer service in 2024. If you buy something and it does what's it is supposed to do for a while you're fine; if you have any issues or need help at all you are in for a world of hurt. PS my local luthier is going to strip / stain it black for $500 CAD so I guess I'll just eat shit and do that. The guitar kind of sucks anyway 28" isn't long enough for C# I just really liked the space picture.

 

[TedEH]

Kinda makes me wish I had the time and space and tools and knowhow to do refinishing myself. I'm sure I could learn to do something half decent with enough time, maybe. But custom finishes would be rad - just not $3k rad.

 

[TedEH]

But really this is my experience with most customer service in 2024

Could be worse. As a large language model, I cannot provide any service outside of reminding you that warranties only last a year, so too bad.

28" isn't long enough

I think maybe what you want is a bass. I kid. Slightly.

 

[MaxOfMetal]

That E-II pricing is ridic, especially when the hardware is the same shit as on any other number of mass produced guitars which you can get for a fraction of the price.

Eh, not for nothing, but hardware isn't what I buy guitars for. That stuff is easy to replace and if you play the fuck out of it you'll probably need to at some point anyway. I rather get good bones.

Whether you get that with one brand or another is whatever.

 

[SalsaWood]

There are correct ways to put graphics on a guitar. Vinyl wrap is not the correct way, if that is what happened. Those wraps are known for becoming brittle over time, especially the non-automotive ones.

 

[nightsprinter]

Eh, not for nothing, but hardware isn't what I buy guitars for. That stuff is easy to replace and if you play the fuck out of it you'll probably need to at some point anyway. I rather get good bones.

Whether you get that with one brand or another is whatever.

Do you have an opinion on who has the best wood pile in the business? I've had bad luck with a lot of seemingly wet wood on Indo builds that I have experience with.

 

[MaxOfMetal]

Do you have an opinion on who has the best wood pile in the business? I've had bad luck with a lot of seemingly wet wood on Indo builds that I have experience with.

Eh, under a certain price point and business model it's pretty much the luck of the draw.

You could ask 10 people the same question and you'll get a different answer, as far as brand, from everyone.

 

[Sermo Lupi]

Bummer.

My RC7's vinyl lifts up occasionally depending on the weather, but it goes back down on it's own or can be smoothed out some by hand.

I'd definitely be weary of any kind of vinyl.

I think at this point you're on your own, what do you have in mind? I'd consider peeling it and having someone recreate that graphic in airbrush.

Is that the original RC7 model?

Dean must be up there for the number of vinyl graphics out in the wild, between how many models they did with vinyl and how many they made of each model. I hadn't really thought about whether vinyl was more prone to finish issues than other types; obviously anything that can't bond to the wood and move with it through the seasons may develop problems at some point. You just rarely seem to hear about issues like OP's given how many vinyl-topped guitars are out there.

It's probably different home market.

There wasn't a single brand that offered that, like actually did, that wasn't a small boutique. Not on PRS PS, not any of the FMIC CSs, not Ibanez, and not ESP. If there was an issue, as an authorized dealer and repair center (most brands at the time) we'd handle tier 1 stuff. If something was really fucked up we'd call our rep or the distributor directly for import stuff. We did a lot of Gibson, PRS, Ibanez, and Fender so the reps usually just sent the authorization for a repair or to credit us so we could accept the full return. Jackson wasn't as high volume and was sort of a pain in the ass, which put us in a shitty spot.

Maybe things are different now, I've been out of the game professionally for awhile.

If you go to the respective brand websites you'll find what they offer in the US as far as a warranty. Stuff like regular maintenance and string changes voids most warranties. Same with swapping out pickups, even if it's a defect to the construction of the instrument. Most folks unknowingly void their own warranty within the first year.

Recently, I was reading about the colour fading of PRS Private Stock finishes (after watching a factory tour where they proudly claimed not to use colour-fast dyes...) and I stumbled across this thread. Officially, fading falls under wear and tear, which is not covered under PRS' warranty. However, the owner in that thread had a Private Stock refinished in Northern Lights after the original finish had faded substantially after only two years. He contacted PRS about it and there was no questions asked, they just took it in and fixed it straight away.

I assume work like that is taken in on a case-by-case basis, but I wasn't surprised PRS carried out the refinish. They have a reputation of working closely with dealers and being approachable. For less extensive issues, it'll go to a certified local tech.

With ESP, it seems they do the bare minimum for the export market. I swear I've been hearing about bad communication and customer service issues for like 20 years. If it wasn't for the glimpse Narad gives us of the domestic experience, I'd probably have a different view of the company as bad rather than insular.

I still find the guitar industry pretty sensible, though. In a world where customer service seems all but dead, it's easy to get a hold of someone regarding guitars and work toward a satisfactory resolution. Hell, I just had like $400 of Hercules stands replaced under warranty 10+ years after purchase with no receipt. I was amazed...I would've been happy with replacement parts.

 

[DECEMBER]

Hit us with a dehumidifier rec!

Frigidaire on Amazon
This is the one I have, the 35 pint version. There are also 22 and 50 pint sizes.

 

[DECEMBER]

Agree with 90% but guitars get taken on tour for months at a time in winter and summer and live in road cases inside a trailer and they don't just self destruct or turn into a stan mikita hockey stick. With routine assessment and maintenance, guitars can be put through a lot and still be workhorses for years. I'm also confused about there being high frets after a full level due to climate. Wouldn't that suggest lifting frets rather than high frets which would require them pressed back into place with wicking of CA glue?

Wood expanding due to excessive moisture, causing the neck to slightly widen, causing frets to get slightly closer to the strings, unevenly. A fret only needs to be like 1/1000th of an inch high to cause fret buzz.

 

[DECEMBER]

Oh shit. I've been living in a house where things are bit out of control for more than 5 years now. Humidity 80-90%, it took me years to figure out how to get it under control. I live next to the sea.
I know my guitars don't love it, one has finish peeling off but it's a really cheap guitar, others have something weird growing on the fretboard if I dont play it or clean it for a while.
But I haven't noticed any playability issues like you? All the problems my guitars have were already there before I moved here. What do you mean it was too late? What problem did you get that you couldn't fix?

Wood expanding due to excessive moisture, causing the neck to slightly widen, unevenly. I leveled the frets 3 or 4 times and there's not much fret left, and there's now fret buzz I can't get rid of, even with the action high.
One of them has a warped neck. It looks flat on the treble side and a slight forward bow on the bass side. Adjusting the truss rod does not change the unevenness. So I can't get rid of the fret buzz on the top 3 strings.

 

[budda]

I'm genuinely surprised how shocked folks are about wraps. Like did everyone just think anything with a graphic was hand painted?

I see 99% of this kind of thing on here, so ya i thought unless the poster says “its a wrap” or its clearly poorly done, its gonna be painted.

I know my quote for a hand painted finish on my tele was way below 3k but it also isnt that style lol.

@Sacha send it to Mattias Chau and make it badass.

 

[Shawn]

Damn, sorry to hear that happened. That's unfortunate. I wonder if sanding and refinishing would be better for you.