UPDATE AUGUST 24TH 2015: AMERICAN MUSICAL SUPPLY MADE A FAIR OFFER – I ACCEPTED
Announced on twitter that I accepted AMS offer
I bought and eagerly awaited the arrival of my new Guild F-150RCE Jumbo Acoustic Electric guitar from AmericanMusical.com and the guitar has serious neck problems, so I need to send it back.
Video review showing extent of the problems is below.
(EDIT: UPDATE BELOW – I adjusted the truss rod, and it improved the guitar dramatically, but did not fix the dead high-E string, nor of course, the crack at the 12th fret. You can see the new video below the original to hear how it sounds after adjustment.)
I know that from time-to-time, problems occur, and the way in which a company deals with the problem is an indication of their commitment to customer service in a very competitive online environment.
American Musical Supply readily offered to exchange my guitar for another when their next shipment arrives in two-weeks, exchange it for the “scratch-and-dent” guitar they have in stock, or to refund my money.
It would be three weeks until I would receive a replacement “new” guitar, so I asked what they would be willing to do to make me a happy customer….nothing beyond replacing/refunding.
Suffice to say that I am not happy with their customer service.
Guild Guitar is now owned by Cordoba Music Group, after their purchase of the company from Fender. This is a Chinese manufactured guitar, but at $1250, it is not inexpensive. This should never have been shipped.
I’ve purchased from zzounds.com, what they call their “sister” company, and they’ve quickly resolved any quality related problems to my satisfaction..and sadly, there have been a few.
So, here it is, an unplayable Guild guitar:
THE NEW VIDEO – After adjusting the truss rod:
Thank you for watching!
Rick McCargar
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I would be furious. It would be hard for me not to just get back my money and never go there again. People are so money hungry they lose sight of customer service. Hope it ends well sir.
Thanks Justin. First I was really disappointed, then I was upset. Personally, I don’t understand their position, but it’s their company. They not only didn’t “go that extra mile”, they didn’t go an inch beyond their duty to resolve the problem.
The way I see it they offer you your money back or a replacement. Why should they give anyone more than what they pay for? Maybe I’m just not understanding the whole guarantee thing. Maybe it was a hot item and people are buying them like crazy and they were out of stock, that happens. The shipping company, most likely UPS screwed it up. And you more than likely got free shipping. So I’m just curious how you could’t be satisfied with what they post as their policy before you buy it…. just saying… sorry if it’s not the feedback you wanted to hear… did you do the “3 easy payment plan”? thats a bonus right there…….
I see it differently Dave. There was no damage to the guitar case, nor the shipping box. This guitar was shipped defective. I mentioned that they agreed to do the minimum, return/replace.
That they don’t have one to replace it with, means I have to wait three weeks.
They made a deal they can’t keep, and did the absolute minimum customer service when a problem came up.
Do they have to offer something extra for delivering a faulty product and being unable to replace it for one month from the time I paid? No. And I don’t have to do business with them in the future.
By the way, if they offer payment plans, that isn’t a “bonus”, that’s an offer made to get you to buy from them rather than someone else.
If they attract you with an offer (they all offer something), then fail, the original offer no longer seems like much of a deal, because they failed to deliver.
In a very competitive business, they failed to do anything more than the absolute minimum, and that can’t be a good long-term strategy.
I don’t see the absolute minimum as sufficient, because by the time they get more and ship one to me, I’m out a guitar for a month from the time they drafted money from my account. That seems like bad customer service.
yes I understand about the payment plan. Its to lore you into the purchase but that helps if you don’t have the money up front. I’ve used it. Maybe bad inspection practices at the factory. But a money back guarrantee is part of the deal right? Understood your unsatisfied and won’t be using them again….. you get yer money back?
I received the guitar Saturday. It won’t be taken to a shipment facility until later this afternoon.
If you happen to be lurking the comments, please note the top of the post has changed. AMS offered 5% off a new guitar when their next shipment arrives, and to ship it next-day-air, no charge. I am satisfied with that offer, and accepted it.
Very cool…
Yeah, I’m a happy camper now. It isn’t clear to me that the on-duty supervisor Saturday realized the mistake being made. So far, I’ve spent over $6K on their “sister” company zzounds, and was happy to use AMS this time, until it went south.
But, all’s well that ends well, and I’m pleased with the gesture they made to keep my business. Makes me feel more secure about using them again in the future, and now I’m sure that I will.
I love gear, and I respect companies that go the extra mile for their customers.