NGD ... fail?

I found this on Reverb and it's a seller I've researched before as they are in my region. It's pretty typical for them to make a disclaimer about a conditional return to cover their butts if the guitar is not as it was sent out. They have a 14 day return policy minus return shipping. Unless not as described, then return shipping is covered. They offer free standard shipping to the customer. Rather that is somehow deducted out on return I don't know. They do have an expedited shipping for a $165 charge. I'm surprised at the condition of the guitar since this shop has a pretty strict playing policy on their gear to protect instruments for future owners. They also have a really nice shop with high end gear, full store humidity control, and not a lot of UV exposure.

The reverb listing does have the guitar as new and it looks nothing like the OPs pics. They all look like the black background pics. Its a strange one for sure. I'm looking to forward to hearing more as it unfolds..
 
Personally, I’m.disappointed in what seems to be an overreaction to a bad situation. One out of three of the guitars is bad, so they all must go? I would never hang a guitar on a wall for display. I value my tools too much. I’ve had both shoulders operated on and 4 hand surgeries. While I still have my 16” non-cutaway just because, all my archtop playing is now on a PRS Se Hollowbody. I understand being upset. I just got screwed on eBay because they removed shipping on a guitar I sold for free pickup, and I had to ship. Send it back if you don’t like it. There are other fish in the ocean. Even though I had bad tuna once, I’ll still eat it.
 
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I've had a lot of PRSes. A couple of them needed a warranty repair. I've never paid a cent in shipping; my dealer (Northeast Music, Jack Gretz) sent me prepaid UPS pickup labels, and the turnaround time was quick.

This isn't on PRS, it's on your dealer.

As far as fading goes, organic stains are used because they're transparent, so you can see the wood grain come through. Organic stains are photosensitive. They fade when exposed to any light source. Some colors fade faster than others.

This isn't a PRS thing; look at a vintage Gibson burst, and they're all different in the way they've faded.

So hanging up a guitar in a shop under the lights designed to attract the shopper's eye can fade stains. It doesn't have to sit in a window exposed to sunlight to fade. It's all about photons acting on organic chemicals.

The wear on the hardware looks like shop wear to me.
 
^^^ What he said. I've never heard of sunlight damaging PRS hardware...

But the top fading more than the back? Most certainly due to the guitar sitting out, either under sunlight or florescent light for 8-10 hrs/day...

And this IS a dealer issue. THEY are the ones who should make this right...
 
I see some windows, but I really wouldn't say they're hanging guitars in them. Although, I do agree the finish has been faded by UV. The hardware seems to be more play wear. Since this shop has some strict playing policies there has to be more to the story...
 
SinSir said:
I see some windows, but I really wouldn't say they're hanging guitars in them. Although, I do agree the finish has been faded by UV. The hardware seems to be more play wear. Since this shop has some strict playing policies there has to be more to the story...
Click to expand...

You have the wrong shop then. The shop that sold THIS guitar hangs them directly in front of the windows.
 
bodia said:
Agreed
Click to expand...

I'll double check the shop when home tonight. I saw windows in front but not guitars hanging in them. I thought of this too, wouldn't a guitar shop use some sort of UV windows or film?

A beloved major shop near me that we'd all know, always has high-end guitars in the window. I've never looked but you'd think they use some sort of protection.
 
That's a poor show to miss-sell that, it's clearly changed from the black background new photos.

If the dealer doesn't take care of you, please call them out on here. PRS have a great reputation you know. Leaning into reverb small print to save dealer costs is cheekily against that company spirit.

I don't think you should have to wait on a refinish, use a different dealer for another one.
 
Huggy B said:
As several have mentioned, this is clearly a dealer issue, and one that is well warranted as the finish & hardware aren't new quality. Expecting PRS to rectify this is like expecting the Ford plant in Detroit to deal with defective car directly, the local dealership that sold it is the one that deals with it. So washing your hands of the brand and selling off guitars you do like is a little emotional and rash.

As a Jazz player with shoulder & spine issues that has been thru a lot of physical therapy over the years, I have had to sell off my archtops and acoustics because therapy will not give you the ability to hold your arm in that position for extended periods of time. The PRS HB and other small hollow body guitars are the only way to keep playing and get the sound you desire.
Click to expand...

The Ford analogy provoked some thought. I think a more accurate analogy would be expecting Ford corporate to be responsible for damage done to a car from a dealer joyriding their inventory then delivering that car to a customer saying "Ford will repair the paint and replace the bumper". PRS offering to refinish this guitar for me appears to be going above and beyond PRS' obligations which casts PRS in a far more favorable light (the DGT's and McCarty's have been upgraded to a 'time out' in their cases under a bed).

Re. the shoulder, arm and hand injuries: These were traumatic and not age/arthritis. Hopefully I'll make a full recovery someday (it's a lot of hard work) and be comfortable with the big jazz boxes. But yes, the Hollowbody II is really comfortable and sounds surprisingly 'big' for it's size. Mixing in the piezo adds a lot for jazz.

I appreciate all your input, I'll keep ya'll posted. For now I'm trying to get my fingers moving, hand stretching and arm rotating enough to play Chet Atkin's arrangement of Mr. Sandman on a Gibson Tal Farlow (25.5" scale on a 17" jazz box, Chet played on a 24.6" Gretsch). Not the online TABs but the way Chet played it on the 1954 TV show which has a couple really big stretches on the intro.
 
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Well, here's an update: The guitar arrived at seller/dealer Monday at 8:55am, it's end of day Thursday and I'm still waiting for seller to complete the return. Reverb has been monitoring the situation and contacted me this afternoon to let me know Reverb will be 'reaching out' to seller/dealer to 'complete the refund request'.

To those that say this is a dealer issue not a PRS issue: Dealers who represent PRS like this are a PRS issue.
 
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I have given this seller the benefit of the doubt, as I often do. I believe there is typically two sides to a story and the truth is somewhere in between. In this instance I have lost any benefit towards the seller. The item has been relisted on reverb with the same photos and zero mention of any fading. I'm not usually one to call out sellers by name but in my mind it is warranted. I thought about doing it but as I have no dog in the fight I will leave that up to the other parties to decide.

As.stated earlier this seller is sort of in my region and have thought about purchasing from them. They have just moved to my no buy list.

I'm sorry you had to go through this OP and although I do understand your logic of a dealer representing PRS is a PRS problem I still would not hold a bad apple against them. PRS is a fine company that builds outstanding products. Don't give up on them. Good luck!
 
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