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Once again I was not looking for a rock bottom price. That is what he quoted me. As a professional at anything one should not cut corners.

Yeah I am kinda confused as to why whisperer keeps saying that over and over again considering you have said that wasn't what you were after. Even if it were what you were after, squier can make a guitar that doesn't have cavities filled with wood putty for 200$, it's not unreasonable to expect a "professional" that quoted you a price six times that to be able to do the same.

The buyer called around, he says he was looking at a $3800 guitar, until the guy called back with the $1200 guitar. Obviously he was shopping around for the lowest price, since that's what it took to get his business. Nothing wrong with that. My point (AGAIN, since you are still confused) is that if you are going to talk someone down to their absolute rock bottom price (which I believe he did since I can read between the lines) expect them to cut corners somewhere. The reason I'm making that point is that the buyer seemed confused as to why someone would put wood filler in a supposedly custom instrument. Well, that's why, because it was let go of super cheap.

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Old growth, shmold growth!

Yeah I can see how it would look that way, but not the case. Once again there was no talking down the price. There are no between the lines. If I were to build something for sombody regardless of price that $1200 would be just as good as $3800. Never really called around. I went with the builder because of his design not his price. With the $3800 I had spec out a totally different guitar. Just like going with Fender or Gibson the price has alot to do with the name not the build quality.The guitar I had built had no volume or tone knobs, alder body, maple neck, ebony board, diamond inlays one pickup. For that type of guitar the price was perfect and far from rock bottom. I see your focus is repair and being a professional, I would like to believe would not cut corners. I="theguitarwhisperer"]

The buyer called around, he says he was looking at a $3800 guitar, until the guy called back with the $1200 guitar. Obviously he was shopping around for the lowest price, since that's what it took to get his business. Nothing wrong with that. My point (AGAIN, since you are still confused) is that if you are going to talk someone down to their absolute rock bottom price (which I believe he did since I can read between the lines) expect them to cut corners somewhere. The reason I'm making that point is that the buyer seemed confused as to why someone would put wood filler in a supposedly custom instrument. Well, that's why, because it was let go of super cheap.[/quote]

Watch out Lance. This builder is a serious contender for the "Cleanest Shop Award"

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Beautiful and unusual tone woods at a reasonable price.
http://www.rctonewoods.com/RCT_Store
The Zootman
1109 Military Rd.
Kenmore, NY 14217
(716) 874-1498

Wow, did he really fill in those huge cavities? Even a poly or vinylester-based automotive filler is gonna shrink back and any filler will eventually show if you don't feather the edges of a hole.

[/quote]

I never cut corners, ever. I've been accused by longtime customers of being massively OCD, I think they're trying to give me a compliment.

I understand that you weren't looking for the lowest price. However, that is the result of your actions, you went with the lowest price, it seems, or at least pretty close to it. This is not a criticism, simply an objective observation and factual description of what I perceive to have happened. I guess I'm just trying to explain that, since it's part of your OP, from my experience, the only reason that a guy would cut corners like that is if he priced himself down to the point where he didn't feel the full job was worth the money he's being paid. He's not going to tell you he did that, either, he'll say "The other guy's ripping you off, I'll do the same thing for less!!", and then do a half-a$$ job. I've been undercut by guys that are out to get business no matter what, and this is what happens. Part of your OP was questioning why a guy would do that in the first place, and that is why. He's undercutting, and then slopping. In my opinion there's absolutely no excuse for this style of business. I never do that. I also tell people when that happens is they get what they paid for.
I'm just trying to be helpful and tell you that, for the future, a fair price will be more likely to guarantee a quality job then the cheapest job. If the price spread seems to be $1000 to $4000, the $2500 job will most likely be adequate, and the $1000 will be a debacle. My prices are closer to the higher end, but my process is slower and more detailed, and my materials cost can be up to $1500 or more for an electric, although I've built them for a materials cost as low as $600 before.

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Old growth, shmold growth!

I have to respectfully disagree. Even if he did price shop and talk the guy down to rock bottom, which I think he could have done, but I also think the builder shot him a super low price to earn his business. Either way, I think you mist certainly use cheaper woods and hardware, but you don't "cut corners" in regards to construction and build quality. I doubt you would be happy if you bought a new camaro and they cut corners by giving you a bent frame because it doesn't cost as much as a corvette. Low price or not you don't cut cavities then fill them with putty and send that out to someone. The customer is at zero fault in this, whether he tried to get the lowest price or anything else, a true professional builder should never do something like this, and now he won't even stand behind his 100% money back guarantee. He hasn't acted professional, nor did he build this like a professional. The customer has absolutely zero fault in all of this.

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Old growth, shmold growth!

I agree. After reading your last post, I get where you are coming from, the entire buyer beware aspect, you were just coming across to me as seeming like it was the customers fault. Cheap price or not, this builder is putting a bad image out there for all independant builders by pulling this sort of stunt.

I think were on the same page now.

Yeah I see what you mean. You would think that someone would not price himself down then do a chop job. But, all the emails we sent back and forth while the guitar was being built I never got that impression. I would like to believe he really put his heart and soul into this guitar. The only thing I could not let go was the filler. But again price was not why I went with him. This could have happened if he or someone else charged me $5500. A fair price does not always mean better. Plus there is just no way of knowing. I read his reviews, looked at his pictures and a couple of you tube videos. Nothing there to indicate that he would have done what he did. This time I was wrong. This will be my last post, so I want to thank all of you for your help and wisdom. I am ready to try it again. I ordered a custom amp, it will be here mid October, do you think I will have go through this again!! Thanks.

I never cut corners, ever. I've been accused by longtime customers of being massively OCD, I think they're trying to give me a compliment.

I understand that you weren't looking for the lowest price. However, that is the result of your actions, you went with the lowest price, it seems, or at least pretty close to it. This is not a criticism, simply an objective observation and factual description of what I perceive to have happened. I guess I'm just trying to explain that, since it's part of your OP, from my experience, the only reason that a guy would cut corners like that is if he priced himself down to the point where he didn't feel the full job was worth the money he's being paid. He's not going to tell you he did that, either, he'll say "The other guy's ripping you off, I'll do the same thing for less!!", and then do a half-a$$ job. I've been undercut by guys that are out to get business no matter what, and this is what happens. Part of your OP was questioning why a guy would do that in the first place, and that is why. He's undercutting, and then slopping. In my opinion there's absolutely no excuse for this style of business. I never do that. I also tell people when that happens is they get what they paid for.
I'm just trying to be helpful and tell you that, for the future, a fair price will be more likely to guarantee a quality job then the cheapest job. If the price spread seems to be $1000 to $4000, the $2500 job will most likely be adequate, and the $1000 will be a debacle. My prices are closer to the higher end, but my process is slower and more detailed, and my materials cost can be up to $1500 or more for an electric, although I've built them for a materials cost as low as $600 before.[/quote]

You know, instead of sending the body/neck back to the guy who's not gonna give you your money back, you could've sent it to one of us on the forum here instead.

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