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I just got the ebony Lucille a few minutes ago. It is on the light side, which is good. It's a beautiful guitar, but there is a chip in the finish. This flaw almost certainly was there in Memphis, possibly when the hardware was put on it.
I contact CME and stated I want to return it. I ordered a 355 also, and it has not shipped yet. I've asked them to fully inspect that one for flaws before shipping it.
In the Kalamazoo Gibson days the Lucille would have been stamped a 2nd. This is disappointing.
I await CME's response.
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10-04-2017 12:50 PM
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Weren't all these CME low priced Gibson's listed as used or floor models? This could be the reason there are minor cosmetic issues or they are previous returns. Me in my player mindedness two seconds with a Sharpie and that chip disappears.
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I was told by CME that ALL the "deals" will have cosmetic flaws as did my 175 have. Still well worth the price IMO.
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So here's the scoop. These guitars are not supposed to have flaws but many do. This is how they arrive at CME.
The sales manager told me that it is pathetic how bad Gibson's standards have dropped. The USA line is the worst with more obvious flaws. She said most of the Memphis ones have minor flaws. She said they arrive with dings, chips and crazing.
The CME sale is not about floor models at all. These are unplayed.
She is sending me a return label. They will not ship the 355 unless it is in new condition.
I told her that these cosmetic issues would have been stamped 2nds previously. She agreed and said their quality has gone down hill a lot.
And people bitch about Heritage!!
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Sarah is the person I dealt with. She just messaged me that she has three more black Lucilles and asked if I'd swap for one of those if one was in "collectible" quality.
That's a big yes!
We'll see if there is one that is without obvious defects.
Once again, I'm very disappointed in Gibson. What the hell is wrong with their quality control? The Lucille has a MSRP of $6900!
CME is taking care of me.
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I'm asumming this was the Gibson clearance price guitars. So not to sound arrogant but if I'd payed 1/3rd the cost of list and that was the only flaw with the guitar, I'd be a happy camper! A little black marker could fix that easily. For me the weight, playability and tone are the most primary factors in any instrument.
The good news is there already gave you a head start on relicing, LOL!
Last edited by jads57; 10-04-2017 at 02:21 PM.
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I bought a Gibson 1963 VOS ES-335 with Bigsby from them 3 weeks ago. It was advertised as a floor model, but came in flawless. I could see no evidence that it had ever been played. $2495, and one of the bros from MLP forum got the same guitar 3 days later for $2395.
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I agree generally. In this case however, I had corresponded on Reverb with the sales guy and asked if there were any flaws or defects. He responded that it is in mint, unplayed condition. I told him I wasn't looking for a player.
The sales manager today read that message and said that they shouldn't have shipped that guitar to me. It obviously is flawed and should have been disclosed to me.
If I were looking for a player, this would be it.
Originally Posted by jads57
So not to sound arrogant but if I'd payed 1/3rd the cost of list and that was the only flaw with the guitar, I'd be a happy camper! A little black marker could fix that easily. For me the weight, playability and tone are the most primary factors in any instrument.
The good news is there already gave you a head start on relicing, LOL!
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Marty it looks like this is turning out great.
That seems like a smart ass remark, "collectable Quality" though..
Unless the term of the deal clearly reads, "item may have minor cosmetic flaws" then you should not be forced to own a guitar that you bought new - that has flaws.
A sell off like this is unprecedented and if you can get something that is in new condition, at the prices I've seen them going for, then you got yourself one heck of a deal.
Joe D
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Ask them for a further discount, or if looks is the important issue for you then you did the right thing. Just remember the best instruments just as in anything always come with some flaws, even if they aren't visable!
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I just talked with Pete Moreno. Back in his Gibson factory days he did a lot of touch ups and repairs on new instruments prior to shipping out.
The threshold for stamping something a 2nd was pretty low in the Kalamazoo days if he couldn't fix the flaw. But he said ebony is pretty easy to touch up. The trick is buffing it out in that region. He can do it though.
I'm thinking about it. It's already boxed up ready to return. But it has a great neck and balance. Maybe I do need another player.
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Don't be too harsh on her, Joe. I told her I got the guitar to display, not as a player.
She was quick to offer a partial refund, a full refund or an exchange after she read what her salesman had messaged me on Reverb about its condition.
She pointed out that many of the guitars on sale are flawless. She said I should have gotten one of those since I asked in advance.
Originally Posted by Max405
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Get CME to cough up some money for Pete Moreno to fix it. All this back and forth serves only to make the delivery companies rich.
How about $330? $180 saved on a parcel round trip plus $150 for Pete. Besides, who wants to be next in line to receive this Lucille? Win-win all round. It will be better than Gibson can finish it.Last edited by Jabberwocky; 10-04-2017 at 02:48 PM.
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CME will pay for the repair. I can't complain about their response. I am disheartened about Gibson, although I have no beef against their custom shop.
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It sounds like they have a bit of wiggle room on the price and can dish you some Pete Moreno money. If the guitar is nicely balanced and that is the flaw then take the money, and when you see Pete tell him I said hi !!
Big
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That's the eternal question.
From a practical viewpoint, that chip doesn't mean much. But from an aesthetic point of view and from the symbolic point of view, it matters.
If BB King were alive and Gibson shipped him this guitar, he'd be offended. And so am I. It's about mutual respect- pride in workmanship and respect for the customer.
I have some guitars that are beat up. That doesn't bother me. But they would if they were sold as new, mint and unplayed.
I've said this before. My cousin married a stunning woman who later became alcoholic and died of cirrhosis. Several years later my cousin remarried. He told me that the first time he married pretty. Now he's going for nice. I'd like both in a new guitar.
Originally Posted by Woody Sound
What were you looking for, a centerpiece/statue?
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BB sez Hell no, I don't give dam I just want to play!
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BB may have said that a very long time ago. I'm confident that Gibson would never have presented a flawed guitar to him and he wouldn't have accepted it. That would be rude on Gibson's part and humiliating on his.
Ren Wall told me of when Ren was delivering a guitar to BB on behalf of Gibson. He flew it to BB with the guitar having a ticketed seat next to him.
Originally Posted by docbop
BB sez Hell no, I don't give dam I just want to play!
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Gibson does know how to package a guitar.
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No matter how pretty a guitar is, if ain't got that Swing, it don't mean a Thing!
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I like black guitars. That one lookes awesome. Black is easy to touch-up, I'd keep it if it plays well and I got a good deal. Having a lot of $$ invested in new guitars is not really an investment but a loss.
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But in keeping with that analogy, it sounds like you're looking for that stunning trophy wife/guitar rather than the nice long companion. Originally Posted by Marty Grass
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both the Lucille's I owned, although 3 years apart, were well balanced. I had a hard time parting with them.
Great buy or not, any blem hamstrings you if/when you ever want to part with it, because a buyer wants a blem discount. I fully understand wanting to return or repair it. Shame about Gibson Custom shop guitars of late.
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Mark think long and hard on this one. Gibson QC is at a all time low. Even the Crimson Custom shop destroyed my new L5 on a warranty repair. Wait a minute a brand new L5 already needs warranty repairs ?
Gibson off'd all the talent and kept their minimum wage workers.
If the neck is straight and the trussrod works I would go for a finish touch up. The next one may look perfect and have a ski lift neck with a non functioning trussrod or dings on the neck.
All Gibson's have flaws now. Or at least the ones I am seeing. Even ones sold as brand new. I have seen F-holes that look like they were cut with a chain saw with a dull blade. 50/50 if the trussrod works.
I returned 2 59 VOS 175's. Both had warped necks with the neck bindings cracked at the frets. Total fret sprout.
The regular VSB 175 I just got for $2200 is a 2017. The only real flaw is some lacquer bubbling on the rim butt near where the tailpiece mounts. It can most likely be buffed out but it is in a place I never see...the bottom. That is about as good as you will get these days.
Simply put Gibson doesn't care about customer service or quality at this time. I blame the CEO.
They put 7 dents on my new L5's top and blamed me. I had to pay the shipping back plus the cost to repair the dents they put on my L5. They also oversprayed the neck so much that the neck checked everywhere especially the back of the headstock. I get to pay for that too.
Take it to Pete and cut your loss or send it back and don't replace it is probably your best move.
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Here's the update. The partial refund was quite generous and will more than cover having a touch up by Pete. It should look perfectly fine with no trace of touch up.
I weighed the guitar and it is only 8.8 lbs. The lightest one I lifted ever was about 9.5 lbs. I like it. The neck and frets are great.
I'm happy with the outcome.
Vinny, I had the same thoughts about exchanging the guitar and risking something else being wrong. I still have a 355 on order from CME. The sales manager wrote me that she guarantees there will be no flaws on that. She said if she cannot find a good one in this batch they received, she will in the next. I like her!
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