The bridge studs were not set down all the way in my Les Paul, so I went to a local guitar shop that is known for some pretty good work on vintage instruments. I also wanted to get a quote on a refret, as it is a 1991, and I’ve worn the frets down significantly with how hard it’s been gigged and rehearsed and practiced. What I can tell happened, the repair guy made a jig with a block of wood to put on the bridge stud, and then he would hammer the wood rather than stud directly. The wood block ended up impacting the top. There’s the major dent, but then there’s also a smaller dent where you can tell the wood block impacted to the right of the right bridge stud. I did not get a great photo, but you can tell that it is fairly deep, and there is raw maple poking through. I want to be fair, and I don’t want to be vindictive about this. The guitar is of course is all beat up, but all the scratches and marks are from gigs and memories, not careless workmanship. I don’t think I want to repair the finish, as I don’t see how it could look good to fill it in, and then have a section of pristine finished surrounded by 30 year old worn finish. My current thought is that they could do the refret I was looking for, maybe at a significant discount. Might be a fair exchange, as long as the the other repair guy does it. They’re a good guitar shop, I’ve seen them do stellar work. I don’t want to boycott them, and I don’t want to smear their name over this, but I want this to be made right. What would y’all do? Should I ask for some work in exchange, ask for some cash, maybe should I get the finish repaired? Thank y’all! The pics are the dents, then the guitar in action.
A guitar repair shop put some dents in the top of my Les Paul, any idea what I should do about it?
HelpYea I don’t think it’s worth it to refinish it or attempt to fill the dent in any capacity of the guitar is already pretty beat up.
However, that’s not an excuse for the luthier to have returned the guitar to you like that. I’d be pissed.
People’s fuses tend to be way shorter in 2024, so if you go back and are angry, most likely they will just deny deny deny, and bar any discount for future work.
Your best bet is to go in person, show the guy the mistake he made in a nice, polite manner, but be stern that it was not like that prior to it touching his hands. Then just hope he’s a rational, level headed person who will own up to his mistake and try and make it right.
If he doesn’t, chargeback on CC, leave shit review on Google with pictures. I’ve stayed away from several repair shops because of reviews from people who had similar stuff happen.
So the guy actually told me he’d do the original work I asked for for free as it was a simple job. I think he was either excited to get to work on this kind of guitar, or maybe excited to see me. It’d be better off if he didn’t touch it at all.
Exited to work on a Les Paul? If he’s excited by that, I’m not sure he’s the person for the job.
Lmfao exactly! You know they are good when you pull out a rare bird and they act nonchalant lol
I’m always terrified. Why are you showing me this and why is it broke