NGD: Almost!

[LittleLeroy]

The Cherry H-535 w/59s arrived Monday and was returned the next day. No chance to try it on stage and a totally disappointing experience with Westwood Music in LA.

 

The guitar was sold to me as NEW, yet it arrived with a crack in the top and various polish marks and scratches on the top and headstock.

 

A 3" long crack running parallel to the strings under the high E string which they claim occurred during shipping. I don't see how that's possible: it was packed very well in the Heritage case and the box showed no damage or dents or creases.

 

I asked for a call tag to be sent and then the owner/manager/whoever calls to tell me they're filing a claim and I need to wait for UPS to come by and inspect the guitar. I really hit the roof then.
This guy has some nerve telling me he's just trying to help me! I "mentioned" that if he wanted to help me he wouldn't have sent me a beat-up second hand guitar in the first place. Total jerk.

 

Here's the crack for your inspection. Shipping damage? I think *not*. And you can see all the pick marks on the top, too.

[yoslate]

Floor model use, looks like. The crack looks like a finish crack, maybe exacerbated by the pickup bezel screw being driven home a bit too much. And that guitar was sold to you as "new"? Nope!

[jazzalicious]

Unless UPS opens the box..... there's no way that's shipping damage

I week for a major guitar manufacturer and see a lot of issues...

I get photos of guitars arriving at dealers with cracked tops all the time due to UPS.

We send them out clean and inspected ...

Dealer gets guitar with inches long crack ..

[TalismanRich]

I think Yoslate is right on the money.

 

Sorry this one didn't work out for you, and the dealer definitely missed the mark.

[bolero]

Unless UPS opens the box..... there's no way that's shipping damage

I week for a major guitar manufacturer and see a lot of issues...

I get photos of guitars arriving at dealers with cracked tops all the time due to UPS.

We send them out clean and inspected ...

Dealer gets guitar with inches long crack ..

 

I don't understand this?

 

you start out saying there is no way it's shipping damage

 

but then follow up saying you ship guitars that get cracked like that all the time, by UPS?

 

how is UPS cracking those guitars?

 

 

thx

[Spectrum13]

That sucks. Trust you will find a better one soon.

[ironmike]

Ups won't pay a dime, they've destroyed two amps I shipped,my cousin watched the driver throw it out of the truck,watched it crash to the ground,they blamed it on the sender...screw them..

[Millennium Maestro]

Little Leroy, I know more than the general HOC member on this kind of stuff. I welcome you to call me and I will give you a full Q and A. 702 480-2828.

I will agree there is some light demo marks on the guitar, I question the Dealer missing a QC or being caught is a catch 22. Nitro finish checks, I know the Factory takes additional precautions in shipping to me as do I in shipping to customers... I would definitely like to know the serials of the guitar.

It is situations like this where a Dealer will shine or show his true colors.

 

I get photos of guitars arriving at dealers with cracked tops all the time due to UPS....We send them out clean and inspected ...

 

 

I don't understand this? ...how is UPS cracking those guitars?

 

 

My opinion, especially after talking to my local UPS guy, Guitars are shipped ground where they are subjected to temperature and climate change. I was told delivery trucks here have packages in temperatures in excess of 140 degrees... I can imagine the daily temperature variation over a 24 hour period and that is just one factor.

[holyroller]

I would say it's a demo, and the crack is a natural nitro tops. Nothing to do with ups . You were sold a used guitar not new.

 

 

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[LittleLeroy]

Thanks for your posts. the serial is AD01104

 

I have this to say: The guitar should have been marked and sold as used. Scratches around the volume and tone pots, scratches on the headstock, scratches on the top, didn't only come from the guitar being demo'd in the shop. Alex Sinclair and Mark Bookin in particular are scum, IMNTBHO. I very specifically asked, knowing it was a 2013 instrument and had been in the shop for years, if it had any play wear or "demo wear". These people deliberately lied to me. Also, the guitar arrived back in their shop Friday and I'm still waiting for the refund. Totally disreputable scum.

 

Whether the crack somehow occurred in shipping or not is purely academic to me.

 

And guys, I've been in the guitar playing, buying and selling business for 50+ years. So I would appreciate it if folks didn't chime in with posts about giving Westwood Music the benefit of the doubt and it was an honest mistake, etc. They don't deserve it and it wasn't.

 

Westwood Music is listed as a dealer on the Heritage site. I'll be writing to Heritage to tell them about my experience with Westwood.

[Polo]

Sorry to see how things have played out for you here Leroy. Hopefully, once you get all of your funds back in hand you’ll turnaround a give Graham at Wolfe's another call.

According to some quick calculations, (AD01104) was the 4th guitar finished on Friday, December 20, 2013……..which itself seems a bit strange considering that they weren’t typically working on Fridays until 2016.

Just a theory…..but it's possible that the real “magic bullet” here occurred a few days after that guitar was finished when temps dipped down to balmy 7 degrees. Maybe the guitar never cured properly and was a bit more prone to finish cracks.

 

[Millennium Maestro]

The serials reflect a very difficult time period for the factory. It effected 6 of my guitars and was extremely hard on Heritage.

 

Enough said

[Kuz]

I am sorry, but I don't care whose fault it is. But if the guitar has a finish/weather check and pick-dings then it ain't a new guitar and should not have been described & sold as such. Unless the dealer notified the seller of the "shop-wear" condition and offered a discount for the condition, then this is not a dealer I would want to deal with.

 

I would rather give my money to Guy (Millenium Maestro) or Paul.

[kidsmoke]

this baby is still showing available...and listed as NEW.

 

 

Guitar Works Evanston Il, no affiliation.

 

Sorry to hear about this experience Leroy. Here's hoping for a full refund and another beautiful 535 in your future.

[JeffB]

A guitar manufactured in 2013 and sitting in a shop for 4yrs a shop for 4yrs. technically just over 3&1/2 yrs

No guitar in a shop for 4yrs hasnt been picked up and played. It will have swirls/scuffs on it.

Even if it only gets played once a week, thats 182 plays. If it happened to be a staff members favourite for a spell then it probably got used to demo a few things as well.

I mean seriously, 3+yrs in a guitar shop. Think about that number.

That sort of thing you buy at a really good discount and only after close scrutiny to decide if you can live with a 2nd hand guitar, even if it is - new- ish.

Most guitars never saw a birthday unless they were one offs, collectables and just generally expensive, niche buyer stuff. I was embarrassed by anything that hung around too long. It meant I wasnt doing my job.

 

John is right.

[LittleLeroy]

this baby is still showing available...and listed as NEW.

 

 

Guitar Works Evanston Il, no affiliation.

 

Sorry to hear about this experience Leroy. Here's hoping for a full refund and another beautiful 535 in your future.

I spoke with GW. She's not what I'm after. But Thanks for the kind words.

[LittleLeroy]

A guitar manufactured in 2013 and sitting in a shop for 4yrs a shop for 4yrs. technically just over 3&1/2 yrs

No guitar in a shop for 4yrs hasnt been picked up and played. It will have swirls/scuffs on it.

Even if it only gets played once a week, thats 182 plays. If it happened to be a staff members favourite for a spell then it probably got used to demo a few things as well.

I mean seriously, 3+yrs in a guitar shop. Think about that number.

That sort of thing you buy at a really good discount and only after close scrutiny to decide if you can live with a 2nd hand guitar, even if it is - new- ish.

Most guitars never saw a birthday unless they were one offs, collectables and just generally expensive, niche buyer stuff. I was embarrassed by anything that hung around too long. It meant I wasnt doing my job.

 

John is right.

Which of you is "John"? ;-)

I can't tell the players without the scorecard!!

[kidsmoke]

John = Kuz

[LittleLeroy]

John = Kuz

thanks!

 

A guitar manufactured in 2013 and sitting in a shop for 4yrs a shop for 4yrs. technically just over 3&1/2 yrs

No guitar in a shop for 4yrs hasnt been picked up and played. It will have swirls/scuffs on it.

Even if it only gets played once a week, thats 182 plays. If it happened to be a staff members favourite for a spell then it probably got used to demo a few things as well.

I mean seriously, 3+yrs in a guitar shop. Think about that number.

That sort of thing you buy at a really good discount and only after close scrutiny to decide if you can live with a 2nd hand guitar, even if it is - new- ish.

Most guitars never saw a birthday unless they were one offs, collectables and just generally expensive, niche buyer stuff. I was embarrassed by anything that hung around too long. It meant I wasnt doing my job.

 

John is right.

Yup! I thought "about that number" and specifically asked about shop wear...

[LittleLeroy]

 

Sorry to see how things have played out for you here Leroy. Hopefully, once you get all of your funds back in hand you’ll turnaround a give Graham at Wolfe's another call.

 

According to some quick calculations, (AD01104) was the 4th guitar finished on Friday, December 20, 2013……..which itself seems a bit strange considering that they weren’t typically working on Fridays until 2016.

 

Just a theory…..but it's possible that the real “magic bullet” here occurred a few days after that guitar was finished when temps dipped down to balmy 7 degrees. Maybe the guitar never cured properly and was a bit more prone to finish cracks.

 

 

 

Hi Polo! just want to give you props for the research and the graphic. Thanks much.

I understand there were other concerns, too, besides the weather, at that time, which have since been sorted.

[fxdi35rider]

I bought my mrs' 535 last year. It's a 2014. It was delivered in perfect condition. If you are looking for a cherry 535 there was one in ct. Torrington I believe. It was perfect. I bought mine from another shop because we liked the trans wine a little better.

 

 

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[LittleLeroy]

I bought my mrs' 535 last year. It's a 2014. It was delivered in perfect condition. If you are looking for a cherry 535 there was one in ct. Torrington I believe. It was perfect. I bought mine from another shop because we liked the trans wine a little better.

 

 

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Thanks for the heads up. How do I find the guitar?

[fxdi35rider]

http://www.georgesmusiccenter.com/home

 

 

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[LittleLeroy]

I bought my mrs' 535 last year. It's a 2014. It was delivered in perfect condition. If you are looking for a cherry 535 there was one in ct. Torrington I believe. It was perfect. I bought mine from another shop because we liked the trans wine a little better.

 

 

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Thanks for the link, but the Cherry ain't there no mo'.