jpb
3 juni 2005, 10:35
http://www.gitaarnet.nl/forum/viewtopic.php?t=57509
Is twee weken geleden binnengekomen. Prachtige sunburst met craquelee/barstjes in de lak; mooi vergeelde bindingen etc. Speelt lekker en een zeer goed en apart geluid. Prachtige gitaar.
Maar.....hij heeft een nek reset gehad die niet in de itembeschrijving vermeld stond. Vooral het feit dat door de reset de neck een beetje scheef staat en de hoek van de toets te klein is geworden is een probleem. Ik heb de verkoper gemaild en ben er mee naar Rikkers in Groningen geweest. Uit de onderstaande e-mails blijkt de situatie. Ik heb het idee dat de verkoper het wel best vindt zo; ik in ieder geval niet. Wat is wijsheid hier?????
Hi Jim,
Today, I received the Epiphone. Shipping went fine & fast; no problems. Guitar is as described with the excepion of the neck which seems to be a little displaced towards the left/bass side. As a result, I can't get the strings properly over the finger-board, unless I displace the bridge towards the treble side (It looks like the traces of glue under the bridge are there to keep the bridge to the treble side; normally the bridge should not be glued in these guitars). It is not a minor issue, I'm afraid, and the guitar may need a neck-reset. It did not occur during shipping, as the neck-body connection shows no signs of recent separation whatsoever. Please let me know your views on this issue. Thanks a lot.
Regards, Hans
Hello Hans:
I'm glad the shipping went well.
I'm not sure what to say about the possible shifting of the neck. When you asked me to inspect the neck for straightness, I inspected it in relation to playability, and in my examination, I found no evidence that the neck was misaligned in any way. As to the evidence of glue residue under the bridge, I assumed that it was something done by a previous owner in an attempt to keep the bridge from shifting while using light gauge strings as were on the instrument when it was shipped to you. Obviously, a heavier gauge string, such as was in common use when this guitar was manufactured, would aleviate the problem and keep the bridge firmly seated to the top of the guitar.
In examining the photos we took for the eBay auction, the strings seemed to be well in line with the fingerboard as well as over the pickup.
It could be a possibility of the tail piece having become misaligned during shipping which would cause the symptom that you described.
Although the Epiphone Sorrento is a desirable and collectable piece, it was not one of Epiphone's top-of-the-line models, and sometimes the utmost care was not taken in all the manufacturing stages. But this one seemed to me to be as good as any I've seen in my 40 plus years in the music business, and still represents a great value.
I suggest you try the heavier strings and play it for a few days and get back to me. I think you'll like it.
Sincerely,
Jim
Hi Jim,
The neck alignment is still really bothering me. The bridge can be put in place but then there's a considerable angle the strings make to the tailpiece. I'm not sure it will stay there after an evening of playing. Moreover, from a structural point I have never seen a misalignment of a neck like this, and i think it is a major issue. I can't believe it left the factory like this. I suggest that I'take the guitar to a (qualified) guitar repairman/builder and see what he has to say about it. I'll let you know this week. It is great guitar and I wish the neck was to my satisfaction. I'll get in contact with you. Thanks a lot.
Regards, Hans
Hi Hans,
I'd be interested to hear the opinion of your qualified luthier. I'll wait to hear from you.
Sincerely,
Jim
Hello Jim,
Yesterday I talked to Jakko and Ferdinand of http://www.rikkersgitaarbouw.nl/introductie.htm and they both were absolutely sure that the Epi has had a neck reset in the past. While the joint is good now they confirmed that the neck was clearly shifted during the reset. This results in the not properly aligned strings as I described to you. Moreover, the angle of the neck is too low with result that the action is too high even in the lowes position of the bridge (BTW, I do like a high action, but this one is even too high for me). They also found a small but recent separation of the back joining the cutaway. Also the glueing of the bridge to the top has resulted in severe damage to the finish under the bridge.
To make a proper reset of the neck it will cost Euro 500 (1 Euro = approx. $ 1.25) and possible a new frets and a work on the fretboard for another 200 Euro. In this case ther is a fair chance that the finish around the neck will be severly damaged as result of it (steaming the glue). They advise not to do it and I agree.
The only possible way to make it properly playable is to shift the endpin to the treble side and, consequently, the pickup has to be moved too. The tune-o-matic bridge has to be replaced with a lower (wooden) one in order to make the action acceptable. This option will cost a total of Euro 80,-.
I see two possibilities. The first is that I send it back with a full refund of the costs, including shipping. The second is, that I have it repaired to make it a "player". Then it will cost me euro 80,-, which little less than $100.
As you see, there is quite a big issue with this guitar, which deminishes its value considerably. If I had known the issues when I made my bids on this guitar I hadn't even considered bidding, as I like old guitars, but only if construction is original and without issues. However, we're stuck in this situation.
I suggest I keep the guitar and pay for the restoration (approx $100) to make it a "player", but then I'd like a refund of $400 to compensate for the neck-issue, as the value of this guitar is severly deminished, and with major issue like this neck they will go on eBay for not more than approx. $400.
Regards,
Hans
30/5/2005:
Hi Jim,
Have you already read my mail from friday? What's you view? Please let me know. Thanks a lot.
Regards, Hans
31/5/2005:
Hello, Hans,
I got your message. I'm investigating some options over the holiday weekend, and I should have an answer for you sometime Wednesday. Thanks for your patience.
Sincerely,
Jim
Sinds woensdag nog niets gehoord.... :???:
Is twee weken geleden binnengekomen. Prachtige sunburst met craquelee/barstjes in de lak; mooi vergeelde bindingen etc. Speelt lekker en een zeer goed en apart geluid. Prachtige gitaar.
Maar.....hij heeft een nek reset gehad die niet in de itembeschrijving vermeld stond. Vooral het feit dat door de reset de neck een beetje scheef staat en de hoek van de toets te klein is geworden is een probleem. Ik heb de verkoper gemaild en ben er mee naar Rikkers in Groningen geweest. Uit de onderstaande e-mails blijkt de situatie. Ik heb het idee dat de verkoper het wel best vindt zo; ik in ieder geval niet. Wat is wijsheid hier?????
Hi Jim,
Today, I received the Epiphone. Shipping went fine & fast; no problems. Guitar is as described with the excepion of the neck which seems to be a little displaced towards the left/bass side. As a result, I can't get the strings properly over the finger-board, unless I displace the bridge towards the treble side (It looks like the traces of glue under the bridge are there to keep the bridge to the treble side; normally the bridge should not be glued in these guitars). It is not a minor issue, I'm afraid, and the guitar may need a neck-reset. It did not occur during shipping, as the neck-body connection shows no signs of recent separation whatsoever. Please let me know your views on this issue. Thanks a lot.
Regards, Hans
Hello Hans:
I'm glad the shipping went well.
I'm not sure what to say about the possible shifting of the neck. When you asked me to inspect the neck for straightness, I inspected it in relation to playability, and in my examination, I found no evidence that the neck was misaligned in any way. As to the evidence of glue residue under the bridge, I assumed that it was something done by a previous owner in an attempt to keep the bridge from shifting while using light gauge strings as were on the instrument when it was shipped to you. Obviously, a heavier gauge string, such as was in common use when this guitar was manufactured, would aleviate the problem and keep the bridge firmly seated to the top of the guitar.
In examining the photos we took for the eBay auction, the strings seemed to be well in line with the fingerboard as well as over the pickup.
It could be a possibility of the tail piece having become misaligned during shipping which would cause the symptom that you described.
Although the Epiphone Sorrento is a desirable and collectable piece, it was not one of Epiphone's top-of-the-line models, and sometimes the utmost care was not taken in all the manufacturing stages. But this one seemed to me to be as good as any I've seen in my 40 plus years in the music business, and still represents a great value.
I suggest you try the heavier strings and play it for a few days and get back to me. I think you'll like it.
Sincerely,
Jim
Hi Jim,
The neck alignment is still really bothering me. The bridge can be put in place but then there's a considerable angle the strings make to the tailpiece. I'm not sure it will stay there after an evening of playing. Moreover, from a structural point I have never seen a misalignment of a neck like this, and i think it is a major issue. I can't believe it left the factory like this. I suggest that I'take the guitar to a (qualified) guitar repairman/builder and see what he has to say about it. I'll let you know this week. It is great guitar and I wish the neck was to my satisfaction. I'll get in contact with you. Thanks a lot.
Regards, Hans
Hi Hans,
I'd be interested to hear the opinion of your qualified luthier. I'll wait to hear from you.
Sincerely,
Jim
Hello Jim,
Yesterday I talked to Jakko and Ferdinand of http://www.rikkersgitaarbouw.nl/introductie.htm and they both were absolutely sure that the Epi has had a neck reset in the past. While the joint is good now they confirmed that the neck was clearly shifted during the reset. This results in the not properly aligned strings as I described to you. Moreover, the angle of the neck is too low with result that the action is too high even in the lowes position of the bridge (BTW, I do like a high action, but this one is even too high for me). They also found a small but recent separation of the back joining the cutaway. Also the glueing of the bridge to the top has resulted in severe damage to the finish under the bridge.
To make a proper reset of the neck it will cost Euro 500 (1 Euro = approx. $ 1.25) and possible a new frets and a work on the fretboard for another 200 Euro. In this case ther is a fair chance that the finish around the neck will be severly damaged as result of it (steaming the glue). They advise not to do it and I agree.
The only possible way to make it properly playable is to shift the endpin to the treble side and, consequently, the pickup has to be moved too. The tune-o-matic bridge has to be replaced with a lower (wooden) one in order to make the action acceptable. This option will cost a total of Euro 80,-.
I see two possibilities. The first is that I send it back with a full refund of the costs, including shipping. The second is, that I have it repaired to make it a "player". Then it will cost me euro 80,-, which little less than $100.
As you see, there is quite a big issue with this guitar, which deminishes its value considerably. If I had known the issues when I made my bids on this guitar I hadn't even considered bidding, as I like old guitars, but only if construction is original and without issues. However, we're stuck in this situation.
I suggest I keep the guitar and pay for the restoration (approx $100) to make it a "player", but then I'd like a refund of $400 to compensate for the neck-issue, as the value of this guitar is severly deminished, and with major issue like this neck they will go on eBay for not more than approx. $400.
Regards,
Hans
30/5/2005:
Hi Jim,
Have you already read my mail from friday? What's you view? Please let me know. Thanks a lot.
Regards, Hans
31/5/2005:
Hello, Hans,
I got your message. I'm investigating some options over the holiday weekend, and I should have an answer for you sometime Wednesday. Thanks for your patience.
Sincerely,
Jim
Sinds woensdag nog niets gehoord.... :???: