The claim was denied despite the guitar showing clear signs of being dropped. While the cracks are likely only finish deep, due to their location, they have a serious impact on its value. There are ways to fix it... but each of them also devalues the instrument while doing them. I plan to keep this one as-is in my collection because it is a cool piece of history! 🔴Reverb: reverb.com/shop/troglys?_aid=growsumo&gs_partner=Trogly ❓Private Help Sessions: troglysguitarshow.com/help-appraisals/
To be clear; I'm no fan of UPS. However, any shipment from overseas is going to take a ton of abuse. While I didn't see the full condition of the box, or the Gibson case, the shipper should've added foam to the neck, within the Gibson case (shock likely created that crack). Furthermore if the box didn't have enough padding to keep the Gibson case from shifting, among other variables, I'd be hard-pressed to title the video with disparaging remarks about UPS. I'm sure you've received many guitars from overseas with similar, or less than stellar packaging without issue. All I can say is you got lucky. I worked in shipping for fragile electronic components for many years, including imports/exports. If it's not packaged well enough for a team of gorillas to pound the package into oblivion, this can happen. UPS is the worst of all carriers I had to contend with, but I don't think this matter is UPS' fault.
@@futzpah Actually, putting foam on the neck makes it more likely you get a crack. By having the headstock without any point of contact, the impact doesn't go through the foam.
@@juanmacaceres2702 I appreciate your point of view, but consider I've imported/exported semiconductor wafers, as well as electronic components, and various builds, far thinner than wood product for over 20 years. Bracing the neck with soft foam could've prevented that, stressing "could've" as it appears the shipping box was a hodgepodge of single-walled cardboard, bound with shipping tape. As I implied earlier; without seeing the full packaging, which looks pretty sad IMO, I wouldn't be trashing UPS over this. Albeit, worst carrier ever.
UPS has done some pretty abhorrent things to instruments. I used to run a shipping department for a medium sized guitar retailer, and my UPS guy took a Mesa Boogie bass amp that wasn't ready for shipping yet, and it came back the next day absolutely destroyed. I mean, Mesa Boogie amps are tough, and they are packed very well. And this box was ruined. There were punctures in the wood, bad ones. Just terrible. I made them pay for the entire thing.
I'd be surprised if that was anything more than just a finish check. I'm a retired carpenter and one of the hardest, most durable woods is maple. Being multiple laminated just adds to it's strength and it's ability to stay stable for years. Leo Fender chose maple for a reason, and that reason is the toughness of maple
Doesn't change the fact that the reason it devalues the guitar is cos of the long term risk. If it hadn't been an issue in the past, it wouldn't devalue the guitar
Greetings from Germany, great video as usual. Yes, it still saddens me to see the guitar with the damage in transit. I had never played on it. A great advertisement for UPS, which by the way did not want to pay out the insurance. My compliments to Trogly, who is a great business partner! Always my pleasure!
Here's how I view it. using random numbers let's say the guitar is worth $7K, or that's what he paid for it. it gets insured for shipping. now, you do an appraisal with the damage, and let's say it's worth $3K. somebody owes him $4K in lost value. when you can show a loss in court that's how you win.. not saying this can be settled that way, but it's how I see it. what if it were shipped to Sweetwater instead, would they just put it into stock and sell it? I hope not.
by far your personal best sound demo ever dont know what gear you used for this video trogly but you can tell this is the guitar for you nice job and that guitar is one of most beautiful you have had on the show love your chanel your product knowledge is unbelievable
That is the most awesome guitar you've ever had on the show. It's so unfortunate that it wasn't packed with more care. You have to expect that it's going to get beat up in shipping. Should've had bubble packing all around the headstock.
This is my biggest fear with ordering online. I know sweet water would probably cover it in my case but it just scares me to have a guitar potentially ruined by delivery companies.
UPS is notorious for doing this kind of thing. I have a friend that, every time he orders from UPS the package is damaged. Sometimes the contents are okay, but other times the item is destroyed. But when you see the videos people post of UPS and FedEx drivers chucking packages over fences and walls around the holidays, it's not surprising at all that this happens.
I’m lucky to be under two hours from Sweetwater and five minutes from Elderly Instruments. As long as one of them have what I need I’ll never ship a guitar.
That guitar sounds terrific - what a sound. I don’t really see true evidence that there was a break at the headstock. I would not hesitate to play that on a daily basis.
Every time he posts a video, someone makes this comment. So I guess it would be hard to not be thinking about Trogly's playing. Because it's discussed in the comments every time he posts a video. As in, multiple times a week. Comments about his playing improving. In the comments, where they are discussing how his playing is improving.
His playing has improved a lot but it does go up and down I think he has times when he is playing a lot and others where he hasn't, he has a lot of guitars to look after in his collection which must take up lots of playing and practice time, he needs to hire a polisher with some guitar tech ability and then he could learn the full on shred and tapping techniques which I am sure he is capable of doing. Also he should try to find really good tones for blues, rock and metal and be more picky about the use of both reverb and echo. I find his clean stuff is usually very pleasant sounding so it's the dirty stuff, I would like to hear him giving us an Angus clone in rock, a Dimebag sound in metal, and perhaps Pat Travers in blues. He should accomplish all this before he is seventy.*
I have worked at a UPS warehouse and will say this. Every single thing you ship through there. Expect it to be thrown, dropped, crushed, etc. They are processing tens of thousands of packages per hub every day, they don't care about any one particular package. They are tossing things on conveyer belts, being dropped onto others, stacking hundreds of lbs on top of your box, etc. If you're not comfortable with the idea that your item is going to go through that, then you shouldn't ship through them. FedEx and USPS are just as bad (worse, in my opinion). Most packages still make it through just fine, but there's always a chance. A dozen or more people will handle it along the way and all it takes is one employee getting careless somewhere along the line. If it's REALLY valuable, go with a more specialized service. They will cost more but they are worth it. Also, if you ship through a UPS store and have a claim of some sort, try and handle it through the store. Corporate will often shut you down but stores are franchised and will usually try to help as much as they can to keep your business.
There didn't appear to be any damage to the cardboard box or the guitar case, so I would think it was damaged before it was packed and shipped. I worked at UPS for 30 years and that would probably be a tough claim to win.
If you drop a box and it lands flat or close to flat. The box will not show any damage. But the force will impact the contents of the box just the same.
At around 10:39 it looks like you can see the figuring on the back continue down into the side of the control cavity, so definitely looks like a solid piece of maple to me .
Reminds me of the Ibanez AS-200, which has very similar aesthetics in a 335-style body. I have a similar model (John Scofield Signature) which is my main guitar and I LOVE it
As its a Nitro finish it can be repaired by re-amalgamating the finish (google it) with just thinners or a very weak mix of Nitro and thinner (I use Belco 555 in the UK) I first saw an article in International Musician magazine in the 1970s (I think) where a Jazz guitar that was fully crazed but was repaired by spraying thinner and using feathers to help the cracks flow back together, the finish is then lightly sanded and buffed and polished in the normal way a just sprayed finish would be. Im afraid I cannot recall the luthiers name (edit: Stephen Delft) to give him the credit he deserves (he was quite well known at the time). But I wouldn't be doing it nowadays if it hadn't been for him.
11:43 there are a lot of "Nitro Wizards" out there, at least that's what skilled repair people like Ted Woodford say, who could fill up this line and buff it out, basically a "forgery-grade" repair. You could consider something like this. I mean, it's not a guitar that you send back and can say "just take this one back and give me a different one off the shelf". So in my opinion a 150-250 finish repair is absolutely worth it. If this would be my guitar, this crack would haunt me for the rest of my life. If this would be an R9 or similar I could not care less, but this one is so unique, that you *cannot* let it pass. Otherwise it will be known as "#2 out of 2 of all "Super Customs" in the world, the one with the UPS lacquer crack".
I’m amazed more of your guitars aren’t damaged by shipping. Seems like anything over a few pounds I have shipped is destroyed. I had a Weber grill shipped once that was dropped so hard it was bent! All UPS did was tape the gaping hole in the box! Luckily the store took care of it.
@@hkguitar1984 Pristine and real patina - two things that can't be created artificialy. Reminds me of the "You can't buy love for money, but you can buy something, where you can't see the difference" - to which I will add: "But once you know, you can't unknow it".
You could absolutely fix that in just that spot, overspraying is easy but spot repairs are just as valid. If I were you I'd start asking around some of the famous luthiers and vintage dealers; see if you can get someone with experience in making the really fancy ones look like new. You've got some special guitars so preserving them with touchups is probably worth having a guy for who could do that.
As long as we're banging on UPS, I ordered a tow bar for my truck, and is what you connect the trail hitch to. This was heavy duty squared tubular steel. It arrived damanged and bent. You baically new to roll that guage steel with w/a tank to bend it.
Gibson made the SG select during that time as well, which also had a maple body and neck. They must have had access to some awesome flamed maple at the time!
I have a bass with a similar finish check on the back where the neck meets the headstock. I notice that guitar necks are not completely rigid: when you tap on the headstock of any guitar, the strings ring out. Because of this, a minor blow to the headstock, I believe, could cause a crack in the finish in that place, especially on a thin nitro finish. Also, the “crack” on my headstock is not growing, so I do not think mine is anything more than a finish check.
Disappointed with the clickbait title for this post. Agree with commenters who are players and not collectors. That finish crack is pretty darn minor and has nothing to do with how UPS handled the instrument. I’ve always been so impressed with UPS, including shipping vintage (1950’s) guitars.
@@Tony_Leonardi. you found the elephant in the room trog is a dealer that being said this was a guitar in germany with a great price or he might have not knew about it except for the buy to sell ratio was high so to get a great deal on a guitar of this caliber one has to be sceptical odds are in my book that this was a known issue hence the price break this would take this guitar from a collectors to a player instantly
Yeah, there’s definitely a difference between players and collectors. When I’m dealing a guitar, I tell people that they’re players not walk hangers. My guitar green “aged” from playing not because I spent an extra $1500!
I like Neal Schon too. And I've been looking for my own Grail Guitar. Back in 1986 Schon contracted Grover Jackson to build _Schon_ branded guitars. He built 200. (2 was for sale in the recent auction) But the Grails I want are 2 Schon prototypes built by Gibson. The prototypes were made in 1985, but the contract went to Jackson. I'd really like to find out who has the prototypes, or if they still exist.
Hi Trog ! , on a mahogany neck i would agree with you would be in a pickle but its triple maple neck . Checking in nitro is real easy to fix , just a shot of clear in one spot .
Not usually a fan of tobacco burst but this is truly beautiful, even with the worry lines. You should let yourself believe shipping it again will definitely make it worse and keep it forever ; )
I don't think I remember you saying how much this would have cost but would you possibly give me an estimate on what something like this would cost for "near mint" players grade? Like no heavy dings etc, not perfect for museum saving but beautiful to enough to play live? Or an idea what Gibson would charge to recreate this? I've always wanted a LP Custom but black white and wine red bore me. I've always wanted something more classy, something that stands out but isn't like country music loud. This just became my dream Gibson LP!
DAMN!! That guitar SINGS!! It’s got a sustain and deep resonance that reminds me of why I love guitars made with maple. This one that is practically ALL maple is just OOZING with that special sauce!! As a Les Paul, it has the BEST “Les Paul” tone I think I’ve ever heard! I can easily say, this has become, TO ME, my IDEAL Les Paul. That make it more valuable than any other Les Paul as no other would be better to myself.
I would care less about that finish check that guitar is beautiful , and I’d kill to have a Les Paul that nice !!! I do understand for a collector it devalues it, but as a player it wouldn’t bother me at all it adds character.
Seriously? Anyone that would “devalue” a guitar like this, that (lets be real) is FAR more likely to just keep it stored away in its case (POSSIBLY in a display) and isn’t likely to EVER actually play it, by 40%+ is absolutely absurd! That blemish isn’t even 1% of the total of the instrument!! Plus, because it IS maple, it won’t be structurally affected like a typical Les Paul would. As Trogly said, the cracked pickup ring demonstrates that it took a SIGNIFICANT impact. As that was the ONLY noticeable damage, I’d say the guitar is built like a tank. Considering all the work that went into it and the unique materials and construction of that instrument, I’d say that at worst, MAYBE 5%. I mean, even on display, it’s extremely unlikely that anyone would even SEE that side of the neck unless it was displayed where people could walk around it and examine every angle, but most would hang it on a wall. If it’s in a case, NO ONE is even able to look at it, effectively making the blemish NONEXISTENT!! This is why the only guitar “collectors” I admire are those that also regularly PLAY their collection. If they only just stash them away, THAT is how to truly “devalue” a guitar. A guitar is wasted in the possession of someone that refuses to let it fulfill its true purpose.
@@kidwajagstang Yes and No (IMO). While I do agree with you, guitars are meant to be played. They are designed and built to bring beauty to the world through music. That being true (again, IMO) I don't find it unreasonable that some collectors who do not play guitar may see themselves as stewards of these instruments where as they take on a custodial responsibility to preserve these instruments for future generations to enjoy. We can agree that people collect guitars for many different reasons, some good and some maybe bad (depending on your point of view). Vanity, pride, investment and sometimes simply passion, everyone is different as are their reasons for collecting. Where I ever have the resources to collect guitars I would hope to emulate someone like Joe Bonamassa, as he very much respects the instruments and also actually uses them. That said, I don't think I could fault a person because they would do something differently that I would. Again, I will agree, these instruments should be played and enjoyed, but that is just me. I just thought of something, imagine it is 2059 in the future and the current guitar virtuoso has obtained an almost mint condition 1959 burst. His using that 100 year old guitar would bring the history of what was to an entirely new generation of guitarists. Kind of crazy, I know, it was just a thought, as that won't be possible unless some collectors hold back some of the examples to be kept for future use. Sorry for the long post.
I ordered a Replica of Eric Clapton/Todd Rundgren's "Fool" SG. I was so excited as I always wanted one and when I got it I opened the case and the headstock was snapped! My Heart sank. I was at a loss for words. I called the seller and he was livid. Told me to keep the box ,the cardboard, the bubble wrap and put it all back exactly like it was and put a claim in. Thankfully UPS honored the claim but I had to wait 6 months for another one to be painted.
A beautiful example of this Super Custom! But there's today's spooky Hallowe'en creeps, when I saw the neck damage my skin crawled, my stomach sank and I was horrified.
It looks like you can see the top seam in the pickup cavity, and the top can be seen in the cutaway with the thin binding. If that were laminates along the sides it would not been showing. And with the wood grain and color being all maple looking in the control cavity I would say it's a maple body with a maple top. They probably did not make it separate top and back because of the wood but because the CNC router is set to do it so it's just a cost saving thing.
@@sgt.grinch3299 Hey, that is fantastic. Looks like your Grandson's appreciation of fine instruments is a result of the apple not falling far from the tree! I'm glad you've shared what you're planning for him. Not only will he be over the moon about his gift, but I too am am excited for both of you. It is a Blessing to know of something good happening. The gift really is in the giving Sir, thank you for sharing this.
That's why you always pack foam under the headstock where they're known for breaking or at least nestle it into a soft towel for extra cushion. That's one solid slab of flamed Maple btw.
So what is the best to ensure this doesn't happen again? I presume taking all tension off the strings and then making sure the head/neck are fully support inside the case? Other options or best pratices?
I theorize that the CNC Tooling is setup to make carved top caps only. Also, a 2-Piece top would allow weight relief of the body as well as the standard routed wiring channels between selector switch, pickups and control cavity. Such beautiful guitar.
If it’s just the finish. You don’t have to do anything other than spray reduced clear. The solvents will melt the cracks away. It would be a very cheap repair.
I ask because I have a Gibson that has a after market pick guard that does not need screws or holes drilled… it attaches With 3 extra long screws through the pickup rings.. Gibson sued the company to cease and desist I was wondering if they absorbed the company But I did not see the pic guard that you have long enough to see if it had 6 screw holes where the pickup rings would be.. Here is a picture of mine... Looks like I can't add a JPEG .. If there's a way for me to send a JPEG ..let me know
@@krisrandall3086 Gibson did (maybe still does) offer a "screwless" pickguard that clipped onto the pickup rings with a rubber spacer on the underside that rested on the guitar top 🙂
@hughjarrse That's what my pick guard does it attaches with 6 screws to the pick up rings and a spacer underneath so I guess they did buy the company out
I used to work at UPS. They are more concerned about the package volume they carry than delivering your guitar in one piece. I've had a few guitars that were damaged by UPS. I no longer use them to ship my guitars or buy from sellers who use them to ship them.
you may be able to spray some blush out that wouldl re-soften that area if nitro lacquer and MAYBE it could reflow that area is it was important... that would be a pretty hard drop to actually crack a laminated maple neck and no damage at impact area ...
I had been told that shippers can pay UPS for SPECIAL HANDLING, and I had a claim expressing my heavy box was just dropped from waste high and there was compression damage done. UPS waffled and claimed the packaging should protect from compression damage. But in the light of the added charges for SPECIAL HANDLING, I fired back. UPS responded by saying, there is no such thing as paying extra for special handling???
Now that is one Master Piece Gibson considering the maple walnut construction of the neck it should be pretty stout hopefully it's cosmetic beautiful instrument Austin 👏👍🤘
All maple body and only 10 pounds!?! Either it’s a VERY light piece of maple, or the body is weight relieved, which would make perfect sense in this case. Weight relieve it, then put the two piece top on to cover the cavities.
That guitar has great tone. I'm pretty sure that if it had black pup rings, they would have used black screws. But since the pup rings are white, they used gold. You rarely if ever see black screws on white pup rings. I have a maple 2014 SG Custom in the exact same color. It's called Dark Cherry Burst.
That first Super Custom you show is quite a revelation to me. I've always wanted to see the basic finish color of a Les Paul Studio model...only glossy. Thank you for that. Doesn't Gibson know that the flat finish just makes them look old and un-cared for? In the long run, as your "player" Paul, how much damage is that checking going to cause?
A cracked pickup ring on a guitar taken apart by someone who regularly breaks plastics, strips screws, and breaks pickups when they take apart guitars! And also doesn’t accept any returns! I’m shocked!
@@Masterfighterx The maple of the sides is a result of the full figured maple body blank, it is the same figuring, only viewed from the sides. I know that Birdseye Maple figuring is typically a surface patters. The flamed figuring can go through and through the entire body, and in this case along the sides. One of the things mentioned is that this Les Paul's sides doesn't have the horn/cut-away cap or the binding strip at the lower strap button area, that binding strip and cut-away cap are only used when figured maple veneer is used on the sides of the guitar. The fact that they are missing on this instrument suggests the solid maple figuring of the sides is the same figuring of the entire body blank.
I found the original listing and the pickup ring is cracked in the photo. Can't see the finish check though, although the picture of the back of the neck has pretty bad lighting.
I’ve a lot to learn, I thought a LP Custom meant a long neck tenon. I think chrome over gold hardware would look better especially with the ebony fretboard.
It's a shame that fine instrument was damaged in shipping. The only guitar I ever bought online ended up being a shipping relic.....haven't bought one online since. I do a fine enough job dinging them myself.
Trog, you saw photos of my Rick Beato sig that showed up with the neck joint fully compromised. I was heartbroken when i cracked the case and saw the cracks and neck angle.
Greetings and salutations Austin! That is a really awesome Les Paul! It’s super awesome that it is almost all maple except for the ebony fretboard. It has a beautiful finish too. Thank you for posting these videos! Please have an excellent and awesome day! ☀️✨🙏🏻
Thats a shame about the neck. But I would get that one fixed. The reason being, is all the parts on that are not original anyway. Like you said the pickup ring is cracked, and no cover on the bridge?
UPS completely destroyed a used Randall combo amp I purchased; the frame was broken in 3 places, 2 of the steel wheels were completely sheered off, and the proprietary footswitch was missing - likely fell out of one of the gaping holes in the box. The box was crushed, cut and punctured in several locations. The seller refunded me, but had to fight to get the shipping refunded, since he didn't insure the package. He actually had it packed by a UPS Store! I gave him half the price of the amp, so we split the loss of the amp, he did get his shipping refund. A few months later, I had a brand new Marshall 4x12 cab damaged by UPS. A few dents in the cab, and one tear in the tolex that I can reglue. I have a sticky note on it that says "Customized by UPS" and I'm giving UPS crap around here as loudly as I can. F*ck UPS = FUPS!
That is a beauty of a guitar. If I were going to drop some good money on a guitar I would have Gibson make me one just like it but with a burst headstock front & back.
In my opinion, UPS didn't cause the said damage. I did not see adequate packing for a international shipment which international shipments are at more inherent risk because the package is in the system for a longer period of time. Improper packing by the shipper is the cause for damage the majority of the time. I knew immediately that UPS would deny the claim, it's clear the shipping box has been previously used, that is all UPS needs to deny a claim. Even if a new shipping carton is used, it still needs to be the meet the correct carton burst strength. Yes, shipping damage happens but most shipping companies are not as fault as people like to think, they're a easy target, especially for buyers remorse and frequently used as a attempt to receive a partial refund from the seller. Just return the guitar to the seller, they are the shipper and the only one who can file a damage claim, not the buyer. It's the sellers responsibility to deliver the guitar in said condition, return it and let the seller deal with UPS.
People need to learn how to pack. You need to do lots of packing within the case, including paper towels between the strings and frets. Imagine it will get treated roughly and pack it accordingly.
Being such a rare instrument, the only way any kind of repair could be performed without affecting the value would be to have Gibson fix it. Finish checking is normal for a guitar and only a problem for high-end collectors who wish to own a perfect example. This is one of the nicest Les Paul Customs I've ever seen, lots of little changes that really add up to a spectacular instrument.
That is a fing shame! So cool, so detailed. I love guitars that I almost rather look at then play. How would the custom shop fix it? Neck off and full respray for the whole neck top to bottom, stinger, logo and all?
I never trust shipping companies with guitars, they are inherently fragile and aren't good at standing up to being thrown and kicked at distribution centers. No matter how well packed. I was ridiculously stressed when I ordered a $6k ESP Snapper custom from Japan, the import process ended up being the worst part besides just waiting for it. If it was a model they sold in the US, I never would have opted for international, especially for a guitar. That said, I was more worried about it being lost by Fedex or stolen than sustaining damage. Mainly because Japanese music stores don't play around with their packaging. And I bought it to play, which I do everyday. Best guitar I've ever played. Not a collector, I only own one other guitar. But I do baby it while accepting the reality when I find new scratches on it. It's a tool, but I still keep it looking as new as possible.
I bought many guitars over the years from abroad. All the guitars (2 - so statistically not significant) that UPS delivered got cracked during shipment... both guitar was absolutely well packaged
Funny seeing this title when UPS delivered my Joe Bonamassa 62 335 today. The box was destroyed. Whew. The guitar and case was still intact. Thankfully.
Would UPS compensate for that damage? And on a different note, how bad would you say a checking on the side of the nut is? I am considering buying a LP and that is the only issue it has...
This guitar replaces the 1980 Gibson La Tosca Tosca Exclusive Guy A. Brassart P90 as my new favorite guitar. The visual beauty and the tones are perfect. The color is superb. That sweet singing sustain is killer! I love it!
Honestly, that's not NEARLY enough packaging for a guitar shipped overseas. I pack all of my guitars with a bunch of padding around all sides especially the bottom. And the headstocks get padding inside the case too. I don't think you can blame UPS for this unless they packed it.
Super glue and some skilled levelling with a razor blade can make that checking disappear. Seen luthiers do it and its amazing how it blends. Maybe not under black light though.
I'm about to buy one of these, flamed on both sides, with the same inlays, 2005 (anniversary), only Custom written on it, for 3000 euros ... is it really worth it ? what's the value of it in very good condition ?
Aren't the maple necks super strong? Does everyone hold the maple necks to the same standards as the mahogany necks when it comes to finish checks? Seems odd to me, I would take that guitar as is at nearly full asking price no problem.
Yes, the maple necks are stronger, even more so when they are multiple piece as they typically run the grain at right angles between the different pieces. Yeah, I would also take that guitar just as it is, just the fact it has a full maple body it wild. I suspect the 2-Piece top was used to allow weight relief of the body, 10 Lbs. is pretty light for a solid piece of maple. Also, when Gibson builds a guitar like that they wouldn't have any trouble sourcing a body blank thick enough for the carve. The CNC Machines are tooled up to produce the book-matched caps, not a full thickness body. Between the tooling setup and weight relief it just makes sense to build it that way. Such a beautiful example too.
I only have one gibson and it's a cheap studio that I picked up used because I am a player, not a collector. I can't imagine a financial asset getting devalued by up to 100% because I slightly bumped it wrong.
id look well played examples of same make and see if their finish cracks there as standard/ if they are all cracked then its no problem. Either way even iif it was dropped in that box and case it wouldnt harm it. Iv sent a lot of paintings with a 2mm glass front from the UK to USA never had a problem
how does he use that blue tool at 7:41 to measure the neck curve?? I can't think of a possible way to get the neck to seat in that blue curve, anyone help plss
Just pay to get it x-rayed. Take all the headstock hardware off and have someone get some scans of it for you. They don't use film anymore, it goes direct to digital storage. You'll be able to document the damage 100% and be able to get UPS/insurance to compensate you for reduced value and someone is going to get a deal on an amazing guitar. Gibson really needs to do a run of plaintop maple guitars spec'd like this one but without all the gold and extra inlay features - then you could build in the US and still hit a 1800-2000 USD price point. Solid maple guitars are uncommon and sound uncommonly good (I would 100% leave this guitar passive and these pickups are voiced really nicely).
The claim was denied despite the guitar showing clear signs of being dropped. While the cracks are likely only finish deep, due to their location, they have a serious impact on its value. There are ways to fix it... but each of them also devalues the instrument while doing them. I plan to keep this one as-is in my collection because it is a cool piece of history!
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My local shop has warned me on numerous occasions that if UPS breaks your guitar, they will fight tooth and nail against the claim. Garbage.
To be clear; I'm no fan of UPS. However, any shipment from overseas is going to take a ton of abuse. While I didn't see the full condition of the box, or the Gibson case, the shipper should've added foam to the neck, within the Gibson case (shock likely created that crack). Furthermore if the box didn't have enough padding to keep the Gibson case from shifting, among other variables, I'd be hard-pressed to title the video with disparaging remarks about UPS. I'm sure you've received many guitars from overseas with similar, or less than stellar packaging without issue. All I can say is you got lucky. I worked in shipping for fragile electronic components for many years, including imports/exports. If it's not packaged well enough for a team of gorillas to pound the package into oblivion, this can happen. UPS is the worst of all carriers I had to contend with, but I don't think this matter is UPS' fault.
@@futzpah Actually, putting foam on the neck makes it more likely you get a crack. By having the headstock without any point of contact, the impact doesn't go through the foam.
@@juanmacaceres2702 I appreciate your point of view, but consider I've imported/exported semiconductor wafers, as well as electronic components, and various builds, far thinner than wood product for over 20 years. Bracing the neck with soft foam could've prevented that, stressing "could've" as it appears the shipping box was a hodgepodge of single-walled cardboard, bound with shipping tape. As I implied earlier; without seeing the full packaging, which looks pretty sad IMO, I wouldn't be trashing UPS over this. Albeit, worst carrier ever.
UPS has done some pretty abhorrent things to instruments. I used to run a shipping department for a medium sized guitar retailer, and my UPS guy took a Mesa Boogie bass amp that wasn't ready for shipping yet, and it came back the next day absolutely destroyed. I mean, Mesa Boogie amps are tough, and they are packed very well. And this box was ruined. There were punctures in the wood, bad ones. Just terrible. I made them pay for the entire thing.
I'd be surprised if that was anything more than just a finish check. I'm a retired carpenter and one of the hardest, most durable woods is maple. Being multiple laminated just adds to it's strength and it's ability to stay stable for years. Leo Fender chose maple for a reason, and that reason is the toughness of maple
Doesn't change the fact that the reason it devalues the guitar is cos of the long term risk. If it hadn't been an issue in the past, it wouldn't devalue the guitar
Hell, I don't care if it devalues it. I want it for my own collection
I heard Leo Fender would put a neck between two chairs and stand on the maple to test the strength. Could be marketing but it is rock hard.
Agreed. A guitar is a tool made of wood that is covered in lacquer, finish checking is a certainty if it is to be used.
@@JokersWild70 YEP SOUNDS GREAT
Greetings from Germany, great video as usual. Yes, it still saddens me to see the guitar with the damage in transit. I had never played on it. A great advertisement for UPS, which by the way did not want to pay out the insurance. My compliments to Trogly, who is a great business partner! Always my pleasure!
Here's how I view it. using random numbers let's say the guitar is worth $7K, or that's what he paid for it. it gets insured for shipping. now, you do an appraisal with the damage, and let's say it's worth $3K. somebody owes him $4K in lost value. when you can show a loss in court that's how you win.. not saying this can be settled that way, but it's how I see it. what if it were shipped to Sweetwater instead, would they just put it into stock and sell it? I hope not.
Hello Viktor, I took a close look at your reverb photos for the guitar and you can see that the pickup ring is definitely already cracked!
by far your personal best sound demo ever dont know what gear you used for this video trogly but you can tell this is the guitar for you nice job and that guitar is one of most beautiful you have had on the show love your chanel your product knowledge is unbelievable
Guitar is kinda ugly and tacky looking and also looks like some type of cheapy Epiphone but hey my opinion
That is the most awesome guitar you've ever had on the show. It's so unfortunate that it wasn't packed with more care. You have to expect that it's going to get beat up in shipping. Should've had bubble packing all around the headstock.
This is my biggest fear with ordering online. I know sweet water would probably cover it in my case but it just scares me to have a guitar potentially ruined by delivery companies.
UPS is notorious for doing this kind of thing. I have a friend that, every time he orders from UPS the package is damaged. Sometimes the contents are okay, but other times the item is destroyed. But when you see the videos people post of UPS and FedEx drivers chucking packages over fences and walls around the holidays, it's not surprising at all that this happens.
They have been on my list lately. Horrible services.
I’m lucky to be under two hours from Sweetwater and five minutes from Elderly Instruments. As long as one of them have what I need I’ll never ship a guitar.
Yeah FedX ..Gibson 61’ SG Vibrola Standard arrived with a busted headstock.. American Music sent me out another..which turned out perfect
Yup, I buy hands on locally only, no way I'd chance a broken heart with couriers these days.
That guitar sounds terrific - what a sound. I don’t really see true evidence that there was a break at the headstock. I would not hesitate to play that on a daily basis.
Has anyone else noticed how Trog’s playing has improved massively over the years?
Sometimes.. the tone though..
@stank nugget damn, bro. That is some teenage girl level snark.
Every time he posts a video, someone makes this comment. So I guess it would be hard to not be thinking about Trogly's playing. Because it's discussed in the comments every time he posts a video. As in, multiple times a week. Comments about his playing improving. In the comments, where they are discussing how his playing is improving.
His playing has improved a lot but it does go up and down I think he has times when he is playing a lot and others where he hasn't, he has a lot of guitars to look after in his collection which must take up lots of playing and practice time, he needs to hire a polisher with some guitar tech ability and then he could learn the full on shred and tapping techniques which I am sure he is capable of doing. Also he should try to find really good tones for blues, rock and metal and be more picky about the use of both reverb and echo. I find his clean stuff is usually very pleasant sounding so it's the dirty stuff, I would like to hear him giving us an Angus clone in rock, a Dimebag sound in metal, and perhaps Pat Travers in blues. He should accomplish all this before he is seventy.*
He’s even in tune sometimes. Tone still blows camels tho.!
Hope you keep that one Trog. One of the prettiest LP’s I’ve seen.
I plan on it!
I have worked at a UPS warehouse and will say this. Every single thing you ship through there. Expect it to be thrown, dropped, crushed, etc. They are processing tens of thousands of packages per hub every day, they don't care about any one particular package. They are tossing things on conveyer belts, being dropped onto others, stacking hundreds of lbs on top of your box, etc.
If you're not comfortable with the idea that your item is going to go through that, then you shouldn't ship through them. FedEx and USPS are just as bad (worse, in my opinion). Most packages still make it through just fine, but there's always a chance. A dozen or more people will handle it along the way and all it takes is one employee getting careless somewhere along the line.
If it's REALLY valuable, go with a more specialized service. They will cost more but they are worth it.
Also, if you ship through a UPS store and have a claim of some sort, try and handle it through the store. Corporate will often shut you down but stores are franchised and will usually try to help as much as they can to keep your business.
Yeah I loaded ups trucks a couple years ago while I was in college and I can confirm that statement
There didn't appear to be any damage to the cardboard box or the guitar case, so I would think it was damaged before it was packed and shipped. I worked at UPS for 30 years and that would probably be a tough claim to win.
Yeah I don't think this one is ups. You can also see the cracked pickup ring in the sold listing photos.
Shill
If you drop a box and it lands flat or close to flat. The box will not show any damage. But the force will impact the contents of the box just the same.
At around 10:39 it looks like you can see the figuring on the back continue down into the side of the control cavity, so definitely looks like a solid piece of maple to me .
Reminds me of the Ibanez AS-200, which has very similar aesthetics in a 335-style body. I have a similar model (John Scofield Signature) which is my main guitar and I LOVE it
That is a beauty Trogly. I wonder what the black light test on that thing would have revealed.
Hard to say if it was abusive shipping or if it was damaged before it was shipped. The guitar case didn't show signs of being smashed or even dented.
I was thinking the same thing! Could be the seller was pulling a fast one to collect insurance money. 🤔
As its a Nitro finish it can be repaired by re-amalgamating the finish (google it) with just thinners or a very weak mix of Nitro and thinner (I use Belco 555 in the UK) I first saw an article in International Musician magazine in the 1970s (I think) where a Jazz guitar that was fully crazed but was repaired by spraying thinner and using feathers to help the cracks flow back together, the finish is then lightly sanded and buffed and polished in the normal way a just sprayed finish would be.
Im afraid I cannot recall the luthiers name (edit: Stephen Delft) to give him the credit he deserves (he was quite well known at the time). But I wouldn't be doing it nowadays if it hadn't been for him.
11:43 there are a lot of "Nitro Wizards" out there, at least that's what skilled repair people like Ted Woodford say, who could fill up this line and buff it out, basically a "forgery-grade" repair.
You could consider something like this. I mean, it's not a guitar that you send back and can say "just take this one back and give me a different one off the shelf". So in my opinion a 150-250 finish repair is absolutely worth it. If this would be my guitar, this crack would haunt me for the rest of my life. If this would be an R9 or similar I could not care less, but this one is so unique, that you *cannot* let it pass. Otherwise it will be known as "#2 out of 2 of all "Super Customs" in the world, the one with the UPS lacquer crack".
I’m amazed more of your guitars aren’t damaged by shipping. Seems like anything over a few pounds I have shipped is destroyed. I had a Weber grill shipped once that was dropped so hard it was bent! All UPS did was tape the gaping hole in the box! Luckily the store took care of it.
This is why I am a player and not a collector. I wouldn't want the stress.
Exactly. In a weird way I couldn’t wait to smack my Explorer on something. After the first one it was just expected. 😂
Agreed. It would be like owning a '70s Hemi Cuda and not being able to drive it.
@@hkguitar1984 Just own a handfull, and drive the used ones. Nothing wrong with some things being saved just for pleasure.
@@CONEHEADDK Indeed, that very much explains the guitars I own.
@@hkguitar1984 Pristine and real patina - two things that can't be created artificialy. Reminds me of the "You can't buy love for money, but you can buy something, where you can't see the difference" - to which I will add: "But once you know, you can't unknow it".
You could absolutely fix that in just that spot, overspraying is easy but spot repairs are just as valid. If I were you I'd start asking around some of the famous luthiers and vintage dealers; see if you can get someone with experience in making the really fancy ones look like new. You've got some special guitars so preserving them with touchups is probably worth having a guy for who could do that.
Sure, you could fix it - but then you have to disclose it. This went from a no-excuses example to having to be explained
As long as we're banging on UPS, I ordered a tow bar for my truck, and is what you connect the trail hitch to. This was heavy duty squared tubular steel. It arrived damanged and bent. You baically new to roll that guage steel with w/a tank to bend it.
Gibson made the SG select during that time as well, which also had a maple body and neck. They must have had access to some awesome flamed maple at the time!
I have a few. 2007 and 2008 typically get left out of the "good wood" era discussions. 2013 and 2014 as well.
@@TheJeffcurran no kidding!? I had a 2014 335 and man did it siiiiiing! Such a butter 🧈 tons
I have a bass with a similar finish check on the back where the neck meets the headstock. I notice that guitar necks are not completely rigid: when you tap on the headstock of any guitar, the strings ring out. Because of this, a minor blow to the headstock, I believe, could cause a crack in the finish in that place, especially on a thin nitro finish. Also, the “crack” on my headstock is not growing, so I do not think mine is anything more than a finish check.
Disappointed with the clickbait title for this post. Agree with commenters who are players and not collectors. That finish crack is pretty darn minor and has nothing to do with how UPS handled the instrument. I’ve always been so impressed with UPS, including shipping vintage (1950’s) guitars.
He’s probably going to resale it, you gotta make that money after buying it lmao it’s a Gibson their expensive 😂
It may have been that way when it was shipped, HUGE assumption folks!
@@Tony_Leonardi. you found the elephant in the room trog is a dealer that being said this was a guitar in germany with a great price or he might have not knew about it except for the buy to sell ratio was high so to get a great deal on a guitar of this caliber one has to be sceptical odds are in my book that this was a known issue hence the price break this would take this guitar from a collectors to a player instantly
@@leo42062 agreed i just don’t like blaming someone without proof.
Ups has been good to me now FedEx a different story.
Yeah, there’s definitely a difference between players and collectors. When I’m dealing a guitar, I tell people that they’re players not walk hangers. My guitar green “aged” from playing not because I spent an extra $1500!
I like Neal Schon too. And I've been looking for my own Grail Guitar.
Back in 1986 Schon contracted Grover Jackson to build _Schon_ branded guitars. He built 200. (2 was for sale in the recent auction)
But the Grails I want are 2 Schon prototypes built by Gibson. The prototypes were made in 1985, but the contract went to Jackson.
I'd really like to find out who has the prototypes, or if they still exist.
Hi Trog ! , on a mahogany neck i would agree with you would be in a pickle but its triple maple neck . Checking in nitro is real easy to fix , just a shot of clear in one spot .
Not usually a fan of tobacco burst but this is truly beautiful, even with the worry lines. You should let yourself believe shipping it again will definitely make it worse and keep it forever ; )
I don't think I remember you saying how much this would have cost but would you possibly give me an estimate on what something like this would cost for "near mint" players grade? Like no heavy dings etc, not perfect for museum saving but beautiful to enough to play live? Or an idea what Gibson would charge to recreate this? I've always wanted a LP Custom but black white and wine red bore me. I've always wanted something more classy, something that stands out but isn't like country music loud. This just became my dream Gibson LP!
DAMN!! That guitar SINGS!! It’s got a sustain and deep resonance that reminds me of why I love guitars made with maple. This one that is practically ALL maple is just OOZING with that special sauce!! As a Les Paul, it has the BEST “Les Paul” tone I think I’ve ever heard! I can easily say, this has become, TO ME, my IDEAL Les Paul. That make it more valuable than any other Les Paul as no other would be better to myself.
I would care less about that finish check that guitar is beautiful , and I’d kill to have a Les Paul that nice !!! I do understand for a collector it devalues it, but as a player it wouldn’t bother me at all it adds character.
Ditto times 100
Seriously? Anyone that would “devalue” a guitar like this, that (lets be real) is FAR more likely to just keep it stored away in its case (POSSIBLY in a display) and isn’t likely to EVER actually play it, by 40%+ is absolutely absurd! That blemish isn’t even 1% of the total of the instrument!! Plus, because it IS maple, it won’t be structurally affected like a typical Les Paul would. As Trogly said, the cracked pickup ring demonstrates that it took a SIGNIFICANT impact. As that was the ONLY noticeable damage, I’d say the guitar is built like a tank. Considering all the work that went into it and the unique materials and construction of that instrument, I’d say that at worst, MAYBE 5%. I mean, even on display, it’s extremely unlikely that anyone would even SEE that side of the neck unless it was displayed where people could walk around it and examine every angle, but most would hang it on a wall. If it’s in a case, NO ONE is even able to look at it, effectively making the blemish NONEXISTENT!! This is why the only guitar “collectors” I admire are those that also regularly PLAY their collection. If they only just stash them away, THAT is how to truly “devalue” a guitar. A guitar is wasted in the possession of someone that refuses to let it fulfill its true purpose.
@@kidwajagstang Yes and No (IMO).
While I do agree with you, guitars are meant to be played. They are designed and built to bring beauty to the world through music.
That being true (again, IMO) I don't find it unreasonable that some collectors who do not play guitar may see themselves as stewards of these instruments where as they take on a custodial responsibility to preserve these instruments for future generations to enjoy.
We can agree that people collect guitars for many different reasons, some good and some maybe bad (depending on your point of view). Vanity, pride, investment and sometimes simply passion, everyone is different as are their reasons for collecting. Where I ever have the resources to collect guitars I would hope to emulate someone like Joe Bonamassa, as he very much respects the instruments and also actually uses them. That said, I don't think I could fault a person because they would do something differently that I would.
Again, I will agree, these instruments should be played and enjoyed, but that is just me.
I just thought of something, imagine it is 2059 in the future and the current guitar virtuoso has obtained an almost mint condition 1959 burst. His using that 100 year old guitar would bring the history of what was to an entirely new generation of guitarists. Kind of crazy, I know, it was just a thought, as that won't be possible unless some collectors hold back some of the examples to be kept for future use.
Sorry for the long post.
@@kidwajagstang Where did 40% come from?
@@hkguitar1984... you make some very good points there, HK my man!
I ordered a Replica of Eric Clapton/Todd Rundgren's "Fool" SG. I was so excited as I always wanted one and when I got it I opened the case and the headstock was snapped! My Heart sank. I was at a loss for words. I called the seller and he was livid. Told me to keep the box ,the cardboard, the bubble wrap and put it all back exactly like it was and put a claim in. Thankfully UPS honored the claim but I had to wait 6 months for another one to be painted.
A beautiful example of this Super Custom! But there's today's spooky Hallowe'en creeps, when I saw the neck damage my skin crawled, my stomach sank and I was horrified.
It looks like you can see the top seam in the pickup cavity, and the top can be seen in the cutaway with the thin binding. If that were laminates along the sides it would not been showing.
And with the wood grain and color being all maple looking in the control cavity I would say it's a maple body with a maple top. They probably did not make it separate top and back because of the wood but because the CNC router is set to do it so it's just a cost saving thing.
Beautiful guitar, I'm a fan of the 68 Tri-Burst reissue Les Paul Custom.
Hey Hey, You had me at the "Stinger"............
Good evening Sir. My Grandson loved the SG from yesterday. I have not told him what Body style I like. He chose the SG on his own.
@@sgt.grinch3299 Hey, that is fantastic.
Looks like your Grandson's appreciation of fine instruments is a result of the apple not falling far from the tree!
I'm glad you've shared what you're planning for him. Not only will he be over the moon about his gift, but I too am am excited for both of you. It is a Blessing to know of something good happening.
The gift really is in the giving Sir, thank you for sharing this.
Wow! That is such a nice guitar, thanks for bringing this to us
That's why you always pack foam under the headstock where they're known for breaking or at least nestle it into a soft towel for extra cushion. That's one solid slab of flamed Maple btw.
I have a collectable Les Paul and I actually keep foam under there because I get so nervous lol
So what is the best to ensure this doesn't happen again? I presume taking all tension off the strings and then making sure the head/neck are fully support inside the case? Other options or best pratices?
Yeah, pretty sure that’s just finish checking. And a broken pickup ring cost a few bucks to replace. I’d keep it. No big deal.
As a woodworker, i think that flame body is one piece. On the back , pick a figured line in the wood and it flows down into the cavity at a vertical
The top is 2 pieces, back is one piece
I theorize that the CNC Tooling is setup to make carved top caps only. Also, a 2-Piece top would allow weight relief of the body as well as the standard routed wiring channels between selector switch, pickups and control cavity. Such beautiful guitar.
If it’s just the finish. You don’t have to do anything other than spray reduced clear. The solvents will melt the cracks away. It would be a very cheap repair.
No black light test? How does the pick guard attach? I saw no holes on the body.. real beauty!
It comes without the pickguard fitted, you do it yourself if you want🙂
I ask because I have a Gibson that has a after market pick guard that does not need screws or holes drilled… it attaches With 3 extra long screws through the pickup rings.. Gibson sued the company to cease and desist I was wondering if they absorbed the company But I did not see the pic guard that you have long enough to see if it had 6 screw holes where the pickup rings would be.. Here is a picture of mine... Looks like I can't add a JPEG .. If there's a way for me to send a JPEG ..let me know
@@krisrandall3086 Gibson did (maybe still does) offer a "screwless" pickguard that clipped onto the pickup rings with a rubber spacer on the underside that rested on the guitar top 🙂
@hughjarrse That's what my pick guard does it attaches with 6 screws to the pick up rings and a spacer underneath so I guess they did buy the company out
That sound is absolutely perfect to me. Very nice find.
I used to work at UPS. They are more concerned about the package volume they carry than delivering your guitar in one piece. I've had a few guitars that were damaged by UPS. I no longer use them to ship my guitars or buy from sellers who use them to ship them.
you may be able to spray some blush out that wouldl re-soften that area if nitro lacquer and MAYBE it could reflow that area is it was important... that would be a pretty hard drop to actually crack a laminated maple neck and no damage at impact area ...
I had been told that shippers can pay UPS for SPECIAL HANDLING, and I had a claim expressing my heavy box was just dropped from waste high and there was compression damage done. UPS waffled and claimed the packaging should protect from compression damage. But in the light of the added charges for SPECIAL HANDLING, I fired back. UPS responded by saying, there is no such thing as paying extra for special handling???
Now that is one Master Piece Gibson considering the maple walnut construction of the neck it should be pretty stout hopefully it's cosmetic beautiful instrument Austin 👏👍🤘
One of the best sounding guitars I’ve heard on the channel! Beautiful!
All maple body and only 10 pounds!?! Either it’s a VERY light piece of maple, or the body is weight relieved, which would make perfect sense in this case. Weight relieve it, then put the two piece top on to cover the cavities.
What scale do you use to weigh guitars??
That guitar has great tone. I'm pretty sure that if it had black pup rings, they would have used black screws. But since the pup rings are white, they used gold. You rarely if ever see black screws on white pup rings. I have a maple 2014 SG Custom in the exact same color. It's called Dark Cherry Burst.
That first Super Custom you show is quite a revelation to me. I've always wanted to see the basic finish color of a Les Paul Studio model...only glossy. Thank you for that. Doesn't Gibson know that the flat finish just makes them look old and un-cared for? In the long run, as your "player" Paul, how much damage is that checking going to cause?
A cracked pickup ring on a guitar taken apart by someone who regularly breaks plastics, strips screws, and breaks pickups when they take apart guitars! And also doesn’t accept any returns! I’m shocked!
Should've taken the output jack out to see how thick the sides are
From checking the control cavity and pickup routes its pretty safe to say it is a solid maple body, a very good looking one too!
@@hkguitar1984 I mean the Maple on the side, not the main body itself. And yeah, it's almost as perfect flame as it gets.
@@Masterfighterx The maple of the sides is a result of the full figured maple body blank, it is the same figuring, only viewed from the sides.
I know that Birdseye Maple figuring is typically a surface patters. The flamed figuring can go through and through the entire body, and in this case along the sides.
One of the things mentioned is that this Les Paul's sides doesn't have the horn/cut-away cap or the binding strip at the lower strap button area, that binding strip and cut-away cap are only used when figured maple veneer is used on the sides of the guitar. The fact that they are missing on this instrument suggests the solid maple figuring of the sides is the same figuring of the entire body blank.
I found the original listing and the pickup ring is cracked in the photo. Can't see the finish check though, although the picture of the back of the neck has pretty bad lighting.
I’ve a lot to learn, I thought a LP Custom meant a long neck tenon. I think chrome over gold hardware would look better especially with the ebony fretboard.
It's a shame that fine instrument was damaged in shipping. The only guitar I ever bought online ended up being a shipping relic.....haven't bought one online since. I do a fine enough job dinging them myself.
The luthier of that gibson was Oprah "you get a flame top, you get a flame top, and you get a flame top!" 😆
Trog, you saw photos of my Rick Beato sig that showed up with the neck joint fully compromised.
I was heartbroken when i cracked the case and saw the cracks and neck angle.
This makes me want to remove my pick guard from mine haha. I have an emerald green 2019 classic and she's amazing
Greetings and salutations Austin!
That is a really awesome Les Paul!
It’s super awesome that it is almost all maple except for the ebony fretboard.
It has a beautiful finish too.
Thank you for posting these videos!
Please have an excellent and awesome day! ☀️✨🙏🏻
Thats a shame about the neck. But I would get that one fixed. The reason being, is all the parts on that are not original anyway. Like you said the pickup ring is cracked, and no cover on the bridge?
The pickup came uncovered from the factory. That’s how Neil Schon’s was
You need more reverb on that audio demo, doesn’t quite sound like the Grand Canyon !
UPS completely destroyed a used Randall combo amp I purchased; the frame was broken in 3 places, 2 of the steel wheels were completely sheered off, and the proprietary footswitch was missing - likely fell out of one of the gaping holes in the box. The box was crushed, cut and punctured in several locations. The seller refunded me, but had to fight to get the shipping refunded, since he didn't insure the package. He actually had it packed by a UPS Store! I gave him half the price of the amp, so we split the loss of the amp, he did get his shipping refund.
A few months later, I had a brand new Marshall 4x12 cab damaged by UPS. A few dents in the cab, and one tear in the tolex that I can reglue. I have a sticky note on it that says "Customized by UPS" and I'm giving UPS crap around here as loudly as I can.
F*ck UPS = FUPS!
Nice super custom! Very,very great instrument!way to sport some Journey
Great show. Beautiful maple wood, love it! Such a shame about the finish damage.
I know you come across a lot of guitars, but that one, that one is S P E C I A L!
Which will devalue the price more? Refinish it back or leaving the major blemish, crack or dings on a guitar as it is?
That is a beauty of a guitar. If I were going to drop some good money on a guitar I would have Gibson make me one just like it but with a burst headstock front & back.
Amazing guitar
Do epiphone make something similar?
You can tell that this really had Trogly shook. How? When he did the middle position pickup check, he didn't say "just for fun"!
In my opinion, UPS didn't cause the said damage. I did not see adequate packing for a international shipment which international shipments are at more inherent risk because the package is in the system for a longer period of time. Improper packing by the shipper is the cause for damage the majority of the time. I knew immediately that UPS would deny the claim, it's clear the shipping box has been previously used, that is all UPS needs to deny a claim. Even if a new shipping carton is used, it still needs to be the meet the correct carton burst strength. Yes, shipping damage happens but most shipping companies are not as fault as people like to think, they're a easy target, especially for buyers remorse and frequently used as a attempt to receive a partial refund from the seller. Just return the guitar to the seller, they are the shipper and the only one who can file a damage claim, not the buyer. It's the sellers responsibility to deliver the guitar in said condition, return it and let the seller deal with UPS.
Can you file a claim with UPS about the damage?
People need to learn how to pack. You need to do lots of packing within the case, including paper towels between the strings and frets. Imagine it will get treated roughly and pack it accordingly.
Hmm, I wouldn’t try it on an expensive example like this, but what about trying those automotive paint scratch remover pens to fix the finish?
Being such a rare instrument, the only way any kind of repair could be performed without affecting the value would be to have Gibson fix it.
Finish checking is normal for a guitar and only a problem for high-end collectors who wish to own a perfect example.
This is one of the nicest Les Paul Customs I've ever seen, lots of little changes that really add up to a spectacular instrument.
That is a fing shame! So cool, so detailed. I love guitars that I almost rather look at then play. How would the custom shop fix it? Neck off and full respray for the whole neck top to bottom, stinger, logo and all?
I never trust shipping companies with guitars, they are inherently fragile and aren't good at standing up to being thrown and kicked at distribution centers. No matter how well packed. I was ridiculously stressed when I ordered a $6k ESP Snapper custom from Japan, the import process ended up being the worst part besides just waiting for it. If it was a model they sold in the US, I never would have opted for international, especially for a guitar.
That said, I was more worried about it being lost by Fedex or stolen than sustaining damage. Mainly because Japanese music stores don't play around with their packaging. And I bought it to play, which I do everyday. Best guitar I've ever played. Not a collector, I only own one other guitar. But I do baby it while accepting the reality when I find new scratches on it. It's a tool, but I still keep it looking as new as possible.
I bought many guitars over the years from abroad. All the guitars (2 - so statistically not significant) that UPS delivered got cracked during shipment... both guitar was absolutely well packaged
Funny seeing this title when UPS delivered my Joe Bonamassa 62 335 today. The box was destroyed. Whew. The guitar and case was still intact. Thankfully.
Would UPS compensate for that damage? And on a different note, how bad would you say a checking on the side of the nut is? I am considering buying a LP and that is the only issue it has...
We used to tell the UPS driver "you PS me off dude!"
This guitar replaces the 1980 Gibson La Tosca Tosca Exclusive Guy A. Brassart P90 as my new favorite guitar. The visual beauty and the tones are perfect. The color is superb. That sweet singing sustain is killer! I love it!
Honestly, that's not NEARLY enough packaging for a guitar shipped overseas. I pack all of my guitars with a bunch of padding around all sides especially the bottom. And the headstocks get padding inside the case too. I don't think you can blame UPS for this unless they packed it.
Super glue and some skilled levelling with a razor blade can make that checking disappear. Seen luthiers do it and its amazing how it blends. Maybe not under black light though.
I’m always curious as to why some models end up with a high volume of headstock/breaks repairs?
Sweet! I love the color!
I am sure there was no damage in transit.there is no corresponding damage to the box or the case.The guitar could not move inside the case to do this.
With the way some UPS/FedEx workers handle packages, I’m surprised this isn’t a more common issue.
What a beaut of an axe! It has everything a Gibson Custom should have. Keep it, Austin!
I'm about to buy one of these, flamed on both sides, with the same inlays, 2005 (anniversary), only Custom written on it, for 3000 euros ... is it really worth it ? what's the value of it in very good condition ?
Aren't the maple necks super strong? Does everyone hold the maple necks to the same standards as the mahogany necks when it comes to finish checks? Seems odd to me, I would take that guitar as is at nearly full asking price no problem.
Yes, the maple necks are stronger, even more so when they are multiple piece as they typically run the grain at right angles between the different pieces.
Yeah, I would also take that guitar just as it is, just the fact it has a full maple body it wild.
I suspect the 2-Piece top was used to allow weight relief of the body, 10 Lbs. is pretty light for a solid piece of maple.
Also, when Gibson builds a guitar like that they wouldn't have any trouble sourcing a body blank thick enough for the carve.
The CNC Machines are tooled up to produce the book-matched caps, not a full thickness body.
Between the tooling setup and weight relief it just makes sense to build it that way.
Such a beautiful example too.
Would love to see a review of a Japanese John Sykes model
How much in its current state.. I am interested.. I would want her to play..
Almost had me until no long neck tenon and Nashville/stud bridge
It would be very interesting to hear what happens between Austin and UPS.
Is UPS going to pay for the loss of value in the guitar due to mishandling?
I only have one gibson and it's a cheap studio that I picked up used because I am a player, not a collector. I can't imagine a financial asset getting devalued by up to 100% because I slightly bumped it wrong.
id look well played examples of same make and see if their finish cracks there as standard/ if they are all cracked then its no problem. Either way even iif it was dropped in that box and case it wouldnt harm it. Iv sent a lot of paintings with a 2mm glass front from the UK to USA never had a problem
how does he use that blue tool at 7:41 to measure the neck curve?? I can't think of a possible way to get the neck to seat in that blue curve, anyone help plss
Just pay to get it x-rayed. Take all the headstock hardware off and have someone get some scans of it for you.
They don't use film anymore, it goes direct to digital storage. You'll be able to document the damage 100% and be able to get UPS/insurance to compensate you for reduced value and someone is going to get a deal on an amazing guitar.
Gibson really needs to do a run of plaintop maple guitars spec'd like this one but without all the gold and extra inlay features - then you could build in the US and still hit a 1800-2000 USD price point. Solid maple guitars are uncommon and sound uncommonly good (I would 100% leave this guitar passive and these pickups are voiced really nicely).
Gorgeous Flame! Nice Homage to Neal.