I am pleased with the customer service on an issue with my Silver Sky (Core) maple neck

[Revelation]

I had a Fender American Stratocaster for 42 years. I had zero problem with the guitar with the exception of changing the saddles in all that time. The neck was solid and after playing it for so many years on stage and outside, the guitar was a champ.

I purchased a Silver Sky Core brand new less than 2 years ago and the finish on the neck on the 4th fret is damaged. This guitar is only in my studio has only been played on stage in a church maybe 3 or 4 times. I contacted PRS about it and shared these photos. To repair it, I have to pay $700 for them to refinish the neck and that it will take 3-6 months to repair. Should this be something covered under warranty?

 

[RC Mike]

What did the dealer tell you?

 

[Faded]

Looks like play wear.

 

[Revelation]

Looks like play wear.

In a 1 1/2 year guitar when I have been playing my McCarty 594 and 335 more than this guitar? I got it from Sweetwater but I don't think they get involved with warranty's.

 

[Rider1260]

Your purchasing dealer is your best resource for PRS warranty work , that said finish wear is not normally covered under warranty , there was a time when they were fixing V12 finish guitars even out of warranty.
On the plus side it is a pretty easy repair for any competent luther , PRS does not do spot repairs that I know of.

 

[RC Mike]

In a 1 1/2 year guitar when I have been playing my McCarty 594 and 335 more than this guitar? I got it from Sweetwater but I don't think they get involved with warranty's.

PRS is an old model of doing business. Everything is supposed to go through the dealer who sold the guitar. If you can’t reach a resolution with the dealer, ask the dealer to escalate it to the regional PRS rep.

 

[deathworlder]

I'd be more pissed with the flat frets.

 

[RobRiggs]

Doesn’t “crown” follow “level”?

 

[Maertl513]

As RC Mike stated: Responsible for any warranty issue is your official PRS dealer - and no one else.
He purchased PRS items from PRS Sales to sell it to customers. The only direct address of PRS factory is their webshop to buy accessories.

A few of the crucial prerequisits to fall under warranty are being the original owner and that the guitar was new, not second hand.
You reported it new, you'll hopefully likely show the bill as a piece of evidence to the dealer.

Wear is excluded from warranty, therefore the dealer's expertise is necessary, that confirms that this damage didn't occur by your usage predominately but by faulty coating/manufactoring.

Though you state the guitar is played very rarely, that doesn't answer, if the damage was already there or in which circumstances or when it happened.
Less playing asumes, that you would like exclude yourself (or a third person) from responsbility. The damage appears like a dent, which is typical for having hit in unconciousness a hard item (corner of a table, sideboard). This is not caused by fingers on the fretboard.
Less playing doesn't prevent from severe accidents, does it?

In the honeymoon period of my first 2011 PRS 513 MT I played it upright, the PRS strap was attached. While strumming the strap slipped off the pin, the guitar dropped. I was reactive to grab the neck within a glimpse of an eye but I wasn't quick enough to prevent it from ground contact. Good was, between marble tile and wood (frame) was the angle connector of the guitar cable, bad was, that the connector dented the coating/wood.
My fault, not covered by warranty. The first scar is always painful.
A few weeks later a pistol magazin fell off my bookshelf, and accidently the 513 stood in a stand in the fall line and was hit slightly, but enough to earn a chip on the edge of the frame.

That all been said: As long there is no evidence of the dealer's or manufacturer's responsibility for the damage, it's first no warranty coverage, second a repair on your own expenditures, and third to blame PRS Customer Service for an answer, that made you disappointing.

https://support.prsguitars.com/hc/en-us/articles/4408305180315-Our-Limited-Lifetime-Warranty

I agree that this damage affects playability and function more than my mentioned damages (on a way more expensive core model ), hence the need for damage repair is obvious.
Asuming the damage isn't falling under warranty cover, take it to a skilled luthier or your dealer for repair. It's cheaper and faster.

 

[Birdsofprey]

Not sure how to advise or decide for you. I would leave it but it’s not my guitar. I wonder how Fender would address this on one of there guitars. My guess is they would call it play wear be it normal or not. As mentioned above a good luthier can fix that up rather quick and inexpensive I would think. Ultimately though it is your guitar and choice and I do get where you’re coming from.

 

[Faded]

In a 1 1/2 year guitar when I have been playing my McCarty 594 and 335 more than this guitar? I got it from Sweetwater but I don't think they get involved with warranty's.

Yes. It looks like play wear.

 

[Revelation]

The neck never hit a table or anything in my studio. No one plays it but me. Again, no issues with my Fender maple neck that I had since I was I high school all these years. The only strings put on my guitar are PRS 10 gauge strings.

To me, this is a manufacturer defect.
I will reach out to Sweetwater, send them photos and see what they say.

 

[Stephen J.]

I think you will end up with a discoloration after it is repaired, so unless it bothers you while playing or you are worried about it spreading, it is better to leave it alone. A drop fill would be as far as I would go to level it out. By the condition of the frets, I suspect play wear. You can argue that the guitar should have a more robust finish, but that comes with trade offs in tone and feel. If you don’t like the guitar, you can probably get a fair price out of it. If you do like it, ask yourself why and if that next to nothing finish on the neck has anything to do with that.

 

[Spudman]

If it were me I'd just find a qualified luthier and have them do a little touch up on that spot. You might still see it, but probably never feel it.

 

[bodia]

If it were me I'd just find a qualified luthier and have them do a little touch up on that spot. You might still see it, but probably never feel it.

Ditto

 

[Faded]

The neck never hit a table or anything in my studio. No one plays it but me. Again, no issues with my Fender maple neck that I had since I was I high school all these years. The only strings put on my guitar are PRS 10 gauge strings.

To me, this is a manufacturer defect.
I will reach out to Sweetwater, send them photos and see what they say.

Your poly fender is very different than a nitro PRS.

It’s play wear, it happens and it’s not a warranty issue.

 

[Revelation]

So, most likely if I leave it alone, will it get worse? When I rub my finger against it, I don't really feel it much.

Many guitar players like the key of A or G (5th and 3rd fret). It's a little odd is on the 4th fret.

By the way, my Silver Sky I just absolutely love it. It is my favorite Stratocaster type of guitar out of all the ones I ever played.

 

[tedtan]

Doesn’t Sweetwater add a two year warranty through their shop? Even if it’s not covered by the PRS warranty, it be covered through Sweetwater.

 

[Maertl513]

It's unclear, how this "chip" in the fretboard occured. But I keep my asumption alive: player's responsibility.

If we crashed our car into a tree, why this should be covered by the manufacturer's or dealer's warranty?

It is going to be a warranty issue, when the damage of the fretboard is a reason of faulty production.
And the chip doesn't appear like that, then it would have been present at purchase date, wouldn't it? It even doesn't appear like wear. How much finger pressure was necessary to "achieve" this dent?

That said: Damage repair is up to the expenditures of the owner.

 

[Revelation]

It's unclear, how this "chip" in the fretboard occured. But I keep my asumption alive: player's responsibility.

If we crashed our car into a tree, why this should be covered by the manufacturer's or dealer's warranty?

It is going to be a warranty issue, when the damage of the fretboard is a reason of faulty production.
And the chip doesn't appear like that, then it would have been present at purchase date, wouldn't it? It even doesn't appear like wear. How much finger pressure was necessary to "achieve" this dent?

That said: Damage repair is up to the expenditures of the owner.

Didn't hit a tree or even scratch it with my finger nail, just finger pressure