Tony Iommi SG Special showed up today and has to go back.

[Bettyboo]

It would be nice to see some pictures of the issue.

 

[Torvald]

Yes. Pics would be nice. You're saying that the transition from the binding to the rosewood fretboard is where this chipping is happening. Seems like the transition from the clearcoat to no clearcoat should be right at the eased edge of the fretboard. I think they should have basically sanded that transition easing the edges and blending the finish to the bare surface of the fretboard at the same time. Or maybe take it back to them and they do it, since you like this number 3. It's your guitar, though and an expensive one, too.

 

[Gary Gretsch]

I’d tell them that’s 3 strikes, they’re out.
What a shame. I would call Gibson and ask them why they can’t get it right.
I mean damn, they’re basically charging an extra thousand dollars for a monkey sticker. You’d think the lacquer would be flawless.

I was thinking about calling Gibson because I wonder if they even know of this problem. I bet the company sends me another guitar and sells this as b stock. But would Gibson actually do anything? I am sure they know of the problem thinking about this.

 

[Decadent Dan]

I was thinking about calling Gibson because I wonder if they even know of this problem. I bet the company sends me another guitar and sells this as b stock. But would Gibson actually do anything? I am sure they know of the problem thinking about this.

I would get a refund, call Gibson and explain the situation. Maybe they can help.
If you want to try it again, I would go direct Gibson.com after discussing it with them.

 

[Gary Gretsch]

I would get a refund, call Gibson and explain the situation. Maybe they can help.
If you want to try it again, I would go direct Gibson.com after discussing it with them.

Already committed but if there has to be a number 5 Gibson will handle it. I have not had one long enough to fill out a warranty card. They all have had problems so soon. Two of the 3 were really nice looking. Beautiful wood.

 

[Col Mustard]

I'm sorry to say this, but this is just not the way to buy a guitar.
It would drive me crazy. And it ought to be obvious by now.
You should get a refund, stop all this nonsense and go on a quest
in person to find a good SG. They are not hard to find.

First, I would never pay so much for any guitar, no matter what sticker someone
stuck on it. Never... It's only a guitar. Skip the decal and get an excellent SG
without paying so much and without worrying about whether it's perfect.
Perfection is an illusion.

Second, if I intended to look at the guitar with a microscope, I'd do that
in a store, before I laid my Mastercard on the counter. I'd bring my microscope
(AND my amp and pedal chain) to the place where they sell the one I want
and I'd play that sucker until I was sure I wanted it.

Then I'd get out my microscope and find fault with it. Try and negotiate a better
deal if it has flaws. (good luck with that)
If I know I want it, then tiny flaws don't mean so much.
Because I want what this guitar can do.

If you play it before you buy it, then you know if the neck suits your picky fretting hand.
If you play it before you buy it, then you know if the tone does what you need done.
If you play it before you buy it, then it can be a used guitar with nicks and gouges
cigarette burns and belt rash... and you still want it because you played it and you're
sure.

After all, it's the music that matters, not the idealized perfection of some mythical
icon that doesn't exist. Tony Iommi's early guitar was a mess... left in a car trunk in the
hot California sun, it blistered and shed its finish.

And none of that mattered... the music is what was important.
Now he has plenty of guitars and it still doesn't matter if any of them have little
cracks in the finish or not.

Sorry to say this. But it's true.

 

[Decadent Dan]

I'm sorry to say this, but this is just not the way to buy a guitar.
It would drive me crazy. And it ought to be obvious by now.
You should get a refund, stop all this nonsense and go on a quest
in person to find a good SG. They are not hard to find.

First, I would never pay so much for any guitar, no matter what sticker someone
stuck on it. Never... It's only a guitar. Skip the decal and get an excellent SG
without paying so much and without worrying about whether it's perfect.
Perfection is an illusion.

Second, if I intended to look at the guitar with a microscope, I'd do that
in a store, before I laid my Mastercard on the counter. I'd bring my microscope
(AND my amp and pedal chain) to the place where they sell the one I want
and I'd play that sucker until I was sure I wanted it.

Then I'd get out my microscope and find fault with it. Try and negotiate a better
deal if it has flaws. (good luck with that)
If I know I want it, then tiny flaws don't mean so much.
Because I want what this guitar can do.

If you play it before you buy it, then you know if the neck suits your picky fretting hand.
If you play it before you buy it, then you know if the tone does what you need done.
If you play it before you buy it, then it can be a used guitar with nicks and gouges
cigarette burns and belt rash... and you still want it because you played it and you're
sure.

After all, it's the music that matters, not the idealized perfection of some mythical
icon that doesn't exist. Tony Iommi's early guitar was a mess... left in a car trunk in the
hot California sun, it blistered and shed its finish.

And none of that mattered... the music is what was important.
Now he has plenty of guitars and it still doesn't matter if any of them have little
cracks in the finish or not.

Sorry to say this. But it's true.

Not everybody has access to a Gibson dealer, thanks to Gibson. Remember they dumped the smaller “Mom & Pop” stores back in the late 90’s/early 00’s. If Gibson has to keep sending guitars at their cost, that’s on them. Maybe they should let someone sell their sh*t without having to order a zillion dollars worth of inventory.

 

[Col Mustard]

You are correct on that subject. I've had this conversation with guitar store owners who hated when the Gibson suits would come in the door and start telling them how to run their business. I don't understand this practice.

Some of the smaller dealers didn't wait for Gibson to dump them.
They told the suits to get stuffed. Then they ordered guitars from other companies that would allow them to order what they wanted. or what they thought they could sell.

 

[Gary Gretsch]

Seems like Gibson keeps cutting there own throats.

 

[Colnago]

Seems like Gibson keeps cutting there own thought's.

How so? I thought that since the new captain of the ship took over that things have improved drastically?
There are always going to be the haters and some guitars that slip through QC as well, but overall I think the new Gibson is probably as good as we will ever see.
That is of course if you meant “throats”, if you meant “thought’s” I’ve got nothing.

 

[Gary Gretsch]

Of course typing on a phone does auto spell checks. Yes Throats. Well I see it pretty bad when I went through 3 of Iommi SG's all similar problems. What would you call that. Great workmanship? Great quality control? I also just bought a new Les Paul Special That also has flaws, It's not perfect. Although I just bought a Billie Joe Armstrong Epiphone. All within the last three months and the Epiphone is perfect. No flaws and no defects. So if this is as good as we will see it's pretty sad. I would say probably not good enough. I really do not think you can call me a Gibson hater or basher because I keep buying them and the next guitar will be a SG Standard. These are not top of the line but not bottom of the barrel either.

 

[pancake81]

I am sorry to hear of this, that is super frustrating. We all expect perfection, and what a disappointment when it is not.

I learned long ago that nothing in life is perfect. It’s just how it is. You did the right thing, if you weren’t happy with them, send them back for a refund.

 

[KS 5150]

Of course typing on a phone does auto spell checks. Yes Throats. Well I see it pretty bad when I went through 3 of Iommi SG's all similar problems. What would you call that. Great workmanship? Great quality control? I also just bought a new Les Paul Special That also has flaws, It's not perfect. Although I just bought a Billie Joe Armstrong Epiphone. All within the last three months and the Epiphone is perfect. No flaws and no defects. So if this is as good as we will see it's pretty sad. I would say probably not good enough. I really do not think you can call me a Gibson hater or basher because I keep buying them and the next guitar will be a SG Standard. These are not top of the line but not bottom of the barrel either.

It really sounds like you are an Epiphone guy and hate all of these Gibsons for varying reasons. Why don't you just return the Gibson and buy an Epiphone (or 4 since they are 1/4 the cost) and have a happy life? I personally have a 2019 SG with Sideways vibrola that's great. That said, I'm not as picky I guess.

 

[Gary Gretsch]

Number 4 seriously worse than the one I was going to send back. Would any of you keep this? Hopefully the pictures show the problem. Looks like one chip was repaired. I can not get that with my camera. Every fret marker has a crack in the clear.

 

[Gary Gretsch]

This is only after opening what will happen to this in time? I won't take a picture of every marker because they are all the same.

 

[Mitchey75]

Everyone has to decide for himself how to deal with it. If i didn't notice it while playing, I would keep the guitar.

70s Gibson are famous for it and at Murphy Lab Aging you pay good money for that look.

 

[Decadent Dan]

Odd (to me) that it’s on the marker and not the fret.

 

[Gary Gretsch]

Number one looked like that but the cracks went all the way around the neck. Also on this one there is a crack at the nut just about a 1/8 into the neck. Number one also had the same crack at the nut going all the way around the neck.

 

[Colnago]

Lacquer checking is somewhat common when shipping guitars during the colder months.
I’ve had a couple show up very similar to that. I’ve kept them as the instruments sounded, felt and played really great.
I didn’t want to risk the next one being perfect in finishing but not resonant or lacking playability.
I know it’s supposed to be new and perfect, that’s very difficult to get with Gibson as each guitar has “character” and won’t be perfect in what we perceive “perfect” to be.
To each his/her own.
Gibson seems to be spraying their finishes thinner and true to form.
I once mentioned the lacquer checking and was told to get it refinished in poly if it bothered me. That stuck and it no longer bothers me.

 

[Gary Gretsch]

Lacquer checking is somewhat common when shipping guitars during the colder months.
I’ve had a couple show up very similar to that. I’ve kept them as the instruments sounded, felt and played really great.
I didn’t want to risk the next one being perfect in finishing but not resonant or lacking playability.
I know it’s supposed to be new and perfect, that’s very difficult to get with Gibson as each guitar has “character” and won’t be perfect in what we perceive “perfect” to be.
To each his/her own.
Gibson seems to be spraying their finishes thinner and true to form.
I once mentioned the lacquer checking and was told to get it refinished in poly if it bothered me. That stuck and it no longer bothers me.

I am amazed how thick the lacquer actually is on these Iommi SG's you can tell where they did a bad job taping the nut. I may have to keep the previous guitar because it is the best out of the 4. Looks good and sounds good. The one I took the picture was the supposed replacement and it was worse than the one it was replacing. It went straight back.