is this acceptable custom work.

[El_Kabong]

Give him a choice: Build a new neck or provide a more than respectable discount due to shoddy measuring.

[z1n]

OK you guys are crazy. Just get a neck for a 7string and route the pocket bigger! ha seriously tho, my money is on a bad pocket. Ibanez prestige necks are already wide at 58mm. If he built a neck for that pocket it would be too wide for me. I mean both necks are too small for that pocket. It's the pocket! ggz

[surfreak]

Let's face it, cutting a new neck is not exactly the pinnacle of luthiery, and a competent luthier must be able to do a decent job and measure correctly the neck pocket.

If I were you, I would politely but firmly ask him to return my guitar body and original neck, at no charge, and simply look elsewhere.

[KevinDguitar]

Just from looking at the pic and comparing it to my RG with the same body and finish sitting here in the studio, its not the same neck.. the newer Prestige series the last few years haven't had the "tick"/checkmark on the headstock, only the Ibanez logo in a Pearl appliche'. It looks like he inlaid a lesser series neck OR an older neck. The pocket's demensions and angles have changed slightly from year to year and model to modle as the designed is modified/refined. I know sometimes Chris re-works older pieces/parts to keep the cost and turnaround time down. I'd definitely be inclined to make a noise about this one judging from what I can see here in the pics you posted.

[RobRR]

Yeah man, I would NOT let this go. Bad pocket rout or not, he had the body, he could have made it fit. I firmly believe he reboarded another neck... do NOT let him keep the body or anything like that. Either ask him to make a new neck the fits right, or send you your body and old neck back and be done with him.

[Flatpicker]

If he reboarded another neck, it's really crappy work. If it's something that shifty, I'd get my parts and money back and call Ron Thorne.

[Robert Burns]

I would add shims to each side paint to match and call it good thats about all you can do.Its a very easy fix really.Oh and get a new luthier.Killer looking piece tho'.

+1 on that too... i have a "CWoods" neck, on my swirl..but its' about 4
years old...i guess back when he was a bit better at quality control?

Here it is... very nice imo..but again about an 03' neck from him.






Real tight neck pocket on this ebony board. maybe i lucked out?

[skorb]

I'd be pissed.
The whole purpose of you sending the body was to ensure a tight fit.
This is far from "tight".
Tell him it's unacceptable and NOT what you paid for.

+1
it's clearly subpar work.

he needs to make you a new neck, or expect only about $100 for this one.

[Axewielder]

Maybe you can ask for a partial refund of 50%? Man I know you feel bad taking money out of a luthier's pocket, very few of those guys are rich.

[lerxstcat]

Yeah man, I would NOT let this go. Bad pocket rout or not, he had the body, he could have made it fit. I firmly believe he reboarded another neck... do NOT let him keep the body or anything like that. Either ask him to make a new neck the fits right, or send you your body and old neck back and be done with him.

You firmly believe based on what? Your magic 8-ball? Let's say he DID make the neck, since it's a 5-piece neck I'm going to guess that'd be hard to fake on a cheap Ibanez neck. Now he quoted a price to make a custom neck to standard specs - not to custom-fit a neck to a body whose neck pocket is off. Having to adapt the body is not part of that quote. More work = more money, I'm sure you tell your boss that when he asks you to work overtime.

In fact maybe that's why he sent pics of the body with the cards in the gap with the original neck on it. It's the sign language version of "You have gaps here; what do you want to do about it?"

Now if he made the nexk to fit a wider gap, then Gemini wants to put that neck on a different body later, and it's too wide to fit the pocket of another identical Ibanez with identical finish, then what's Gemini gonna do? He's gonna complain because his custom neck doesn't fit a standard Ibanez body that IS to spec. If he makes a neck to standard Ibanez specs, then making the body's neck pocket tight for it is not part of the original job and would be extra.

In reality, shimming the pocket is the proper solution, because the body is wrong and that's not the luthier's fault, nor should he have to fix it for free.

Gemini, I hate to remind you, but I told you you'd never be happy with a custom order when you mentioned it - because you have never been satisfied with a single guitar you've told us about here. There's always at least ONE thing.

If you're not gonna be happy, at least don't pay custom prices to be unhappy.

Like I said, it's easy for all the armchair custom shop cowboys to tell you to nut up, but I would ask him about it and not throw an ultimatum. I know you don't want to hear it but this MAY not be his fault. If you call him up and jump his ass right off, you might just get a FU wheras if you discuss it calmly you may end up still getting a solution you're happy with.

I definitely suggest a phone call and not doing it by email. You'll save a lot of time over delays of who knows how long between each round of emails.

[gemini8026]

Good post LErx, BUT, I cant be happy with this guitar until I play it. IT has all the features I want on it..... The neck is totally done to my preferred specs. So, lets say the neck pocket was perfect, I would be happy......

Either way...

I sent him an email telling him to make me a new body (Jem) that will fit this, and I will do the finishing on it. I just want something to play, the cosmetics can wait!

I'll bring the parts home, and sell them for a loss.

I will be out $$$, and I wont blame the luthier. I wont say he is in the right, because I cant get an email from him, it usually takes 2-3 days to get a reply because he is so busy.

In the end, I dont know anymore, I just know that is already not going smooth, and it has soured my experience. Ive been playing the same guitar straight for 6 months now, and I dont mind it, but I wanted this custom to be my main (im more into making music now that GASsing)

It hasnt worked out, thats how thigns go, it could be worse. I'll wear the losses.

I'll say one thing though, I'll take a loss on that 1200$ rather then playing that abomination above (as beautiful as it looks.....)

[yard dawg]

I have a question or two.

Did you send the body with instructions to make the neck to fit it or did you just say make me a neck? If he knew the body was sent so the neck would match then demand a new neck or a refund.


What does CW say about the issue? is he claiming ignorance of the neck pocket issue before construction of the new neck?

[z1n]

I have a question or two.

Did you send the body with instructions to make the neck to fit it or did you just say make me a neck? If he knew the body was sent so the neck would match then demand a new neck or a refund.


What does CW say about the issue? is he claiming ignorance of the neck pocket issue before construction of the new neck?

Good questions yard dawg.

Also you keep mentioning the neck was made to your specs. What exactly does that mean? Did you give him widths to go by?

[gemini8026]

From: Jeff Wizniak <[email protected]>
Date: Fri, 19 Oct 2007 18:27:48 +0000
To: <[email protected]>
Subject: Re: custom neck

Chris, I forget if I emailed you back in reponse to this or not?!?!?


I can have the guitar sent to you , I just bought it, and the guy will ship
it to you, however, how long do you think the process would take?!?!
Shoot me back with your address, if all is fine, I'll get him to send it
to you so we can save time. However, if the waiting time is like half a
year, then I would send it here to play in the meantime!




>From: Christopher Woods <[email protected]>
>To: jpod <[email protected]>
>Subject: Re: custom neck
>Date: Wed, 17 Oct 2007 16:43:55 -0700
>
>Jeff,
>
>That’s cool about the body. Prestige huh? Well I have had some
>discrepancies with
>The Prestige stuff.
>
>My necks and bodies are cut based on a 57mm heel.
>
>On the Ibanez website the RG prestige specs are listed as a 56mm heel.
>
>However, Of the few prestige necks that I have had here, The necks
>Have always been too wide for my pockets. I have had to oversize them
>To something like 57.75mm to 58mm
>
>So, do you have a set of digital calipers? Don’t even try to use a ruler,
>It wouldn’t be accurate enough. If you don’t have any way to measure,
>You could send the body to me to fit the neck to it.
>
>Let me know what you think.
>
>--
>Christopher Woods
>http://www.christopherwoods.com - Custom Guitars


After that email, the body / complete guitar was sent to him

[gemini8026]

I regret not having that guitar sent to me first. Im trying to imagine how OUT of whack that neck pocket would have been with the original neck. The seller had great feedback, and never mentioned it.....