is this acceptable custom work.

[z1n]

I see now. Man that bites and he says that prestige necks are 56mm? That's wrong.. http://www.ibanez.co.jp/japan/products/eg/neck/37.html these are the specs for RG prestige models. I think the s prestige are 56mm but not the rg's

I would like to know what width he did your neck at. It should be 58mm or close to it but he says his necks are based on a 57mm heel.

[yard dawg]

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

>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

Right there is you legal grounds for him making you a new neck that fits exactly. I wouldnt take anything less. If he is a real man and a decent businessman he'd do it and put a rush on it. He said send the body so he could fit the neck to it. Nuff said. I wouldnt accept anything less than a perfect fitting neck.

[RobRR]

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.

My magic 8 ball eh? Nah... its a thing called LOGIC. Something you obviously have none of. He made it to fit a future body? Are you kidding me? This neck was made for this body, the body he HAD and REQUESTED to have so he could FIT THE NECK TO THE BODY. Its quite simple really, the neck is too small for the pocket. Period.

So says the "armchair cowboy". Hey lex, if you wanna jump all over every post I make and act like a douche, no problem, Ive got plenty of time. I find it funny that Im sticking up for us, and youre constantly defending the assholes.

[Soap]

Send it back.
I'm no luthier and even so thats clearly not right.
If he truly cares about good business practice , hence good quality customer service.
He should without hesitation redo the job right, bottomline.
If not, I'd put this whole episode all over the internet.
Run his name into the ground.
Make him regret ever doing business with you.
Thats just me though.

[lerxstcat]

Well, Gemini's email does clarify the situation a lot. It's obvious that the commission WAs to fit the neck to that body.

But Rob, I'm not jumping on every post you make. This is the second time by my count, and referring to 3 threads. You complained about bidder Ids on Ebay being hidden to facilitate shill bidding and said you were done with Ebay. So on the thread about the flipper/parter guy I made a wise crack about that and pointed out that YOU have parted out guitars, and were basically just pissed that he beat you out for the guitar.

And now we're here, where you want to have the guy jump in the luthier's shit rather than address the issue calmly. Most of us here remember the Genebaby vs Lee at GMW dispute over his custom guitar, where Lee basically blew him off because he didn't like his attitude.

Now the email that Gemini just posted clarifies the issue. So he needs to forward that email to the luthier to remind what was communicated, then get the guy on the phone so he can look at the email while they talk on the phone, CALMLY, to work it out.

You, on the other hand, believe that someone is an asshole for selling his own property in a way that you disapprove of. The same way that you did with YOUR property and felt just fine about when it was you. Who's really the asshole in that scenario?

[lerxstcat]

Send it back.
I'm no luthier and even so thats clearly not right.
If he truly cares about good business practice , hence good quality customer service.
He should without hesitation redo the job right, bottomline.
If not, I'd put this whole episode all over the internet.
Run his name into the ground.
Make him regret ever doing business with you.
Thats just me though.

The luthier still has it and sent him pics.

[gemini8026]

Yes he does....

Im all confused about everything, I really dont know what to do. I dont want tyo wait any longer (been a half year for a NECK) and now I dont know if the neck was built right. I wanted a 1 11/16 nut, who knows, maybe it was cut for a 1 5'8 nut (he used a Wolfgang neck profile, and all the orig wolves were 1 5'8)

so he claims he was going to fit it in, but he used the regular 56 orr 57 heel size. I emailed him to ask him if he tried it in any other prestige bodies, but there was no reply. (2 days ago, I also dont have a phone number)

Obviously the inlays were done to match the body, so if I get a new body, I paid extra for nothing. If he patches it using epoxy, it still wont be right, and will look like a hack job of sorts, no to mention who knows if the pocket is off or not?!?!

I really think my best option is to get him to build a nwe body for it, and I will just oil it down with a stain of sorts, and put on the neck and live with it. It's simple, not exactly what I wanted with this custom, but then again, you win some, you lose some.

I just know that Im not a rich guy, and I have 1200$ out of my pocket on this project, with nothing to show for it, and I dont know how long it will be until I have something in my hands to play, that I might be content with. Either way, I lose

Happy Easter weekend, and thanks for the support guys. It's nice to know people care to post about customer care issues and such!!!

[z1n]

If you don't want to wait on a new neck (i wouldn't either), get him to build you a new body (for free maybe?) but I bet that neck isn't going to go into any prestige RG body without a gap because it's a 57mm heel.

[Soap]

I view the whole "custom" guitar thing perhaps a little differently then most.

"Custom" means to me:
1. I've put myself in a position where a custom guitar can be acquired.
Meaning, this is a huge big deal, because larger sums of money has entered into the equation. Meaning, I clearly could with the amount of money for a custom made guitar get a very nice "in house store bought" piece and have a decent chunk of change left over. So, the money aspect is indeed a huge factor.
I want what I'm paying for to be above the common standard of build.
In other words, way much better than a store bought, cosmetically and playability, it least. Anything less were gonna have problems and when going the custom route this should be common knowledge of the luthier/builder as well.

2. I view a custom guitar as a "dream" guitar.
The guitar I've always wanted based entirely on my personal/preferred specs.
This is a pretty big deal to me and this should understood by the luthier.

3. Customer service....
Choosing a custom build automatically "within reason" means my a$$ should be kissed.
In other words, I should be catered too.

4. Waiting time:
Since I'll be waiting potentially 6 months to a year and a half, communication between both parties should be made frequently and tolerated. Cmon, its a feakin custom build, yes, I wanna know how the build is coming along, I've paid big bucks.

5. Delivery and observation of the piece once in my hands:
If its damaged in/by the delievery, be decent enough to eat the cost and make it right. It should never leave the luthier and end up in my hands NOT setup properly, including any issues with the frets.
Even though, I could set it up thats not the point.
Its the principle, that I've paid a good chunk of money and patiently waited.
The guitar should be ready to play and gig with if need be.

6. The experienced luthier should be able to recognize if there is a potential problem with my specs, and should be allowed to make suggestions and ask various questions to ensure I get a build that I will be happy with. The luthier should have this liberty and should free to exercise it without being frowned on.
Also, don't play me, with the safe "passive/back door" role.
I built what you asked, according to your specs.?
Your the luthier, you should know an issue of concern when you see one.

7. Don't assume: Directed toward the Luthier.
Don't think I won't notice or catch it, because I will.
If your trying slip one on me, think again.
I will catch it, see it , notice it and gladly send it back till you do it right.

[lerxstcat]

Bear in mind that he ordered a custom NECK only, not a custom GUITAR. A custom neck to be mounted on an Ibanez Prestige body.

Also, Gemini keeps mentioning the $1200 figure, but that figure includes acquiring the Ibanez Prestige guitar as well as paying for the neck. He hasn't said how much for the neck alone.

I still think after seeing the email that he has the right to have the neck fit the body perfectly. The lack of a telephone number is a problem because I would want to talk to the guy and not depend on email only for communication. Just because he got the email doesn't mean he even remembers that in association with this guitar when he got it in.

[yard dawg]

Note to self-- Dont use CW ever.


Sorry but you need to grow some nuts and get in touch with this fellow by phone. Calmly but assertively demand a new neck with priority rush status and it better fit properly. He said for you to send the body so he could fit the neck to it properly. It doesnt. Thats breach of contract. You didnt get the goods you paid for. i wouldnt want another body either. The matching inlays look great with that body. I wouldnt accept a "patch" job either. He should have made it right before he sent you the pics. He knew it didnt fit and that he screwed up.

[lerxstcat]

The guy doesn't provide a telephone number in the contact info on his website. I can sort of understand that because if his phone rang all day he wouldn't get any work done.

But Jeff, when you next email him, in that email you should ask for his contact phone number and state that you don't want this delay of days for each round of emails to continue. Failing that, if you have his business address you should be able to get a business phone number from directory assistance.

It's just a lot harder to ignore someone or put them off on the telephone than it is via email. The email you showed makes it clear that you sent him the body so he could make the neck to fit. But between the time he read that email and the time the guitar came in to him he could have spaced that out depending on his workloa.

That's why you should get on the phone with him, with printouts or windows of all the pertinent emails, and go mover the history of the order. Sucks for him to have to make another neck, but it also sucks for you to not get what you paid for. He is probably going to emphasize the fact that he statd in the email what size the neck heels he makes are. Reply that he also said if you sent hi8m the body he'd make the neck to fit. But stay calm; if you get angry that can be his excuse to blow you off a la Lee with Genebaby.

And as you know, even with the hack job we all saw that Lee did on Genebaby's custom, which WAS an entire custom GMW, most people still swear by GMW and Genebaby actually caught more flak than Lee did.

So insist that he make it right, but keep your cool. Hopefully you'll come out with a proper outcome.

I really don't think in the long run that you're going to be happy with a Jem body that doesn't match those inlays. They look great with the matching body, but with a plain finish body I think they will actually look kind of dumb. The whole effect is that they DO match the body, so I'd go with making that body fit that neck. He will probably not be willing to redo the whole neck, so you should reconsider letting him make it fit the pocket.

Even if you can't live with it in the end, you will at least end up with a custom piece that looks and works well enough to sell for a decent amount. That neck with a tung-oiled Jem body? I doubt you'll be able to sell it for very much, it'll be an amateur finish on the body. Just saying.... you are probably going to have to compromise, maybe the epoxy thing and a discount on the job? That neck is going to be useless to him without the matching body. You can say that's his problem, but if you end up back with the original Prestige that also has the gaps, that's gonna drive you nuts too.

Personally I would be open to him doing something to fix the neck pocket, as long as it was symmetrical and didn't clash visually and left you with a tight neck pocket I wouldn't really care. Not shims but something glued in that looks decent. But I know you're much more picky than I am!

[rhoads56]

>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.
>

I read that as "i make necks that are 57mm wide"

>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

I read that as "when ive made bodies to suit prestige necks, ive had to widen the neck pocket to suit the neck. I make necks that are 57mm wide. If I normally have to widen neck pockets to suit prestiges, and you have a prestige, there will be a gap, because I only make necks that are 57mm wide.

Of course, the photo was to show you the pocket was loose, even for a prestige. Thats my take on it anyway.

Without knowing the luthier, or even what he claims to be able to build, he does state his standard necks are all 57mm. Sure, the neck pocket is sloppy and that sux, but is it his fault, if he only makes 57mm wide necks, and your prestige obviously has a wider neck pocket?

Not all luthiers are 'custom builders', like they advertise. In fact, most aren't. Sounds like this guy builds Ibanez replacement parts, with some custom options. Maybe i'm wrong.

To have made a neck to suit that pocket, would mean it had a change in taper to suit. If you looked down the neck, it would appear to be warped (or, at least to some people who didnt understand why it was like that). Ive had to do this before to suit a guitar with a dodgy neck pocket, because the client would rather that, than a gap. I would have preferred to recut the neck joint, AND make a wider neck, but the client wanted the body to remain original (so i wrote a note on the neck hidden by the neck join to explain why it looked funny... incase anyone in the future decided to 'fix it'). Of course, I dont just make necks that are all specifically 57mm... that is what seems to be the main problem, plus a dodgy ibanez neck joint.

[Axewielder]

If it plays and sounds good, maybe you could ask for a partial refund and keep it as a beater? Maybe 50%? Or more? He may prefer to just cut you a check to have you out of his hair.

[Spivonious]

What if he just filled in the existing neck pocket and cut a new one? That way you're still using the body but it wouldn't look like a hack-job with shims filling the gaps.