Flaws in Custom 24

[infreaks]

Ok, i've been contemplating posting this because might open a can of worms.

but, here goes :
i bought a brand new PRS custom 24 in may 2017, it was made
07-16-2014, the guitar just sit in the store with zero sunlight exposure.

When i arrive at home and inspect the guitar it has cloudy finish in the back near the electronic cavity cover, will this cloudy finish spread like a plague sooner or later ? i store guitars in my room protected from sunlight.







around 2 or 3 months ago, i opened electronic cavity cover just to check the wiring, shockingly its a mess, they didnt do a properly wood carve in it, just like someone smack the wood with hammer to make a hole for electronic/pickup cable, is this common for PRS ?



Another custom 24 in that store have cloudy finish in the neck near the side dots in several locations.

Lesson learned, always do a thorough inspection when buying guitar.

 

[dmatthews]

Absolutely not normal. I do know that a couple of people had some small anomalies with early versions of the V12 finish. Get ahold of PTC with pictures.
Not sure about the wiring cavity.

 

[infreaks]

Absolutely not normal. I do know that a couple of people had some small anomalies with early versions of the V12 finish. Get ahold of PTC with pictures.
Not sure about the wiring cavity.

sadly, i'm not in the states, it would be very expensive to ship it to PTC

I just chat with owner of the shop where i bought this from, he said that his shop is humidity controlled and its never happened before which is not true because i saw another custom 24 blood orange in that store have cloudy finish in the neck near the side dots in several locations. He suggest that i email PRS customer service.

What i'm concern is if I send it back to PTC for a fix, when PTC send it back to me i have to pay 35% import tax

So, should i keep or sell it & wait for a cheaper used custom 24 to pop up that hopefully wont have any issue ?

FYI, i dont have quite attachment to it though and not in crazy love with this finish, the blood orange, cherry charcoal and blue charcoal burst is what i'm drooling over now

 

[bodia]

Man, those pics look weird. Might just be the perspective. Can you post some of the rest of the guitar? Front and back.

 

[walrus]

You say you don't have an "attachment" to it, so why would you repair the finish? If you have not bonded with the guitar after 6 months, sell it and find one you will love!

 

[C&M Music - Lafayette]

Need some better pics. I dont like the look of the lower horn or the heel cap. Those things plus the wiring cavity, I am concerned.

 

[bodia]

Need some better pics. I dont like the look of the lower horn or the heel cap. Those things plus the wiring cavity, I am concerned.

Exactly this

 

[Screamingdaisy]

From what I've read the clouding comes from humidity at high temperatures. Causes problems between the topcoat and basecoat and can't be repaired without a refinish.

Sorry for the bad news.

 

[infreaks]

Man, those pics look weird. Might just be the perspective. Can you post some of the rest of the guitar? Front and back.

here's the front pict :






i'm on the way to work now, i'll take pics of the back when i'm home

FYI, theres no cloudy finish on the front
sorry its hard to type from mobile when in train

 

[clcwarlock]

I have the same color and mine was a 2012. It was refinished under warranty. If you let it go it will spread all over. Bite the bullet pay the shipping and wait for it to come back. Mine has been good with no issues for a few years now since the refinish.

 

[infreaks]

You say you don't have an "attachment" to it, so why would you repair the finish? If you have not bonded with the guitar after 6 months, sell it and find one you will love!

its a killer guitar for sure, plays great. i havent sell it because everytime i see musicforce youtube video of someone demoing prs doublecut i always drool over it, so having one keep my GAS under control.

 

[infreaks]

I have the same color and mine was a 2012. It was refinished under warranty. If you let it go it will spread all over. Bite the bullet pay the shipping and wait for it to come back. Mine has been good with no issues for a few years now since the refinish.

if i may ask, when did you refinish yours ? where the cloudy finish happens, in the back, side or front of the guitar ?

and did you paid for shipment from PTC back to you ?

 

[RonHal]

I have a guitar at PRS right now for a similar repair. Go back to the store and have them open a warranty claim. You will need good pictures.
As for the import tax, the dealer paid that on import. You would be sending something in the country for repair and return. But I may be wrong bigly.
If your guitar has rosewood you will need a CITES II export permit. Thats an experience. Or you could take the hit and sell.

 

[Elliot]

I have the same color and mine was a 2012. It was refinished under warranty. If you let it go it will spread all over. Bite the bullet pay the shipping and wait for it to come back. Mine has been good with no issues for a few years now since the refinish.

I have a guitar at PRS right now for a similar repair. Go back to the store and have them open a warranty claim. You will need good pictures.
As for the import tax, the dealer paid that on import. You would be sending something in the country for repair and return. But I may be wrong bigly.
If your guitar has rosewood you will need a CITES II export permit. Thats an experience. Or you could take the hit and sell.

I agree. If you dig the guitar, and was genuinely new when you bought it, bite the bullet and go to your dealer to help you fill out a warranty claim.

On a related note, the wiring in the cavity is shocking. I would bet hundreds of dollars that it didn't leave the factory like that. I wouldn't be surprised if this was pre-owned (and modified) and the dealer didn't bother to tell you.

 

[clcwarlock]

if i may ask, when did you refinish yours ? where the cloudy finish happens, in the back, side or front of the guitar ?

and did you paid for shipment from PTC back to you ?

I honestly don't remember paying shipping but the cloudy part for me was buy the volume know and along the neck where the rosewood joins the fingerboard. It may be easier to just plan a trip to the PRS experience 2018 and drop it off.

 

[dogrocketp]

I agree. If you dig the guitar, and was genuinely new when you bought it, bite the bullet and go to your dealer to help you fill out a warranty claim.

On a related note, the wiring in the cavity is shocking. I would bet hundreds of dollars that it didn't leave the factory like that. I wouldn't be surprised if this was pre-owned (and modified) and the dealer didn't bother to tell you.

Unfortunately, I think Elliot is right about the used and not told part. Is the store owner someone you know and can trust?

 

[infreaks]

I agree. If you dig the guitar, and was genuinely new when you bought it, bite the bullet and go to your dealer to help you fill out a warranty claim.

On a related note, the wiring in the cavity is shocking. I would bet hundreds of dollars that it didn't leave the factory like that. I wouldn't be surprised if this was pre-owned (and modified) and the dealer didn't bother to tell you.

Unfortunately, I think Elliot is right about the used and not told part. Is the store owner someone you know and can trust?

I have done several deal with the Store owner, currently ordering my suhr custom modern through the store...
he is a guitar collector and love guitar very much, he sell lots of expensive guitars, amps, suhr, suhr custom, prs custom 24 and 22, wood library, private stock, gibson, musicman, jackson, esp custom shop, taylor, dangelico, you name it & he only sell new guitars and bass, he didnt sell another instrument...

Is it possible that someone at production department screw up & QC department just ignore it ? because if I google "prs custom 24 electronic cavity" the routing would be very neat and round shape, in my guitar theres no trace of round shape routing.
heres control cavity from google :


as far if I can trust him, i dont know, he is quite straight forward guy, sent him the pictures about cloudy and routing disaster and he said that he didnt know anything about it and suggest that i contact PRS customer service, i ask him about shipping fee its about $300 and he also said theres a high chance that i have to pay 35% import tax, so i'm looking at $1450 in total if I sent the guitar to PTC for refinish, considering if i dont have to pay for shipment from PTC to me

Did anyone could take a photo of their rear electronic cavity that show how neat the routing done in custom 24 ?

If i sell the guitar i might get $2200 and if i decide to buy a used one in nice condition its around $2200, so i take a hit $550 from the new price, it might scare me if i sold it i would end up buying a used quilt top wood library $3000, just because they look beautiful or a HB II, OMG, GAS....

 

[Elliot]

I have done several deal with the Store owner, currently ordering my suhr custom modern through the store...
he is a guitar collector and love guitar very much, he sell lots of expensive guitars, amps, suhr, suhr custom, prs custom 24 and 22, wood library, private stock, gibson, musicman, jackson, esp custom shop, taylor, dangelico, you name it & he only sell new guitars and bass, he didnt sell another instrument...

as far if I can trust him, i dont know, he is quite straight forward guy, sent him the pictures about cloudy and routing disaster and he said that he didnt know anything about it and suggest that i contact PRS customer service, i ask him about shipping fee its about $300 and he also said theres a high chance that i have to pay 35% import tax, so i'm looking at $1450 in total if I sent the guitar to PTC for refinish

If i sell the guitar i might get $2200 and if i decide to bought a nice condition used one around $2200, so i lost $550 from the new price,

How can there be a 35% import tax if you are not shipping the guitar via a transaction? Since you are not selling or exporting the guitar, the rules should be different. Right?

Also, I don't think you will be able to exercise your warranty privileges if this "dealer" was the first owner, or if there was an owner before him. Buuuut since this seems to be a known issue, I'd call the PTC and ask; just in case

 

[infreaks]

How can there be a 35% import tax if you are not shipping the guitar via a transaction? Since you are not selling or exporting the guitar, the rules should be different. Right?

Also, I don't think you will be able to exercise your warranty privileges if this "dealer" was the first owner, or if there was an owner before him. Buuuut since this seems to be a known issue, I'd call the PTC and ask; just in case

Welcome to third world country my brother, where import regulation unclear

 

[Michael_DK]

Where do you live, infreaks?

There might be consumer protection laws that can help you out. In Denmark, it's the responsibility of the dealer to take care of these problems - NOT you.

If you don't have such consumer protection, I'd mail customer service to hear what the options are.