Lost It

[Freddy G]

The back story.

I had a new client come by yesterday with two guitars. He dropped one off for set-up and fret work. He asked me to look at the other guitar. I quickly identified that the nut was badly cut and needed to be replaced. He told me he just had a music store cut the nut...so he was going to take it back to them. Fair enough.
Client just called this morning and said he brought it back to the store and told them of my evaluation....they recommended he take it to another local guitar tech.
So he starts asking me if I've heard of this tech and is his work good.
This is when I lost it. "Let me get this straight, you are calling me to ask if I think another guy's work is good and should you take it there after I gave you the diagnosis .....and for no charge I might add?"

What sheer balls. Who does that?

 

[fatdaddypreacher]

there's one in every crowd. some customers we are better off without. years ago i had a woman try to buy some plumbing goods from me when i ran a small operation. she wanted no advice, was doing it herself, and told me she already poured her concrete, had the house framed, and was ready for her 'rough in stuff'. after double checking that no underslab work was done i told her i was going to do us both a favor, and followed it with ' i ain't gonna sell you anything'.

 

[brokentoeswalker]

Could be the guy is just stupid. Ive gotten pissed off with people due to their lack of consideration etc . Only to find out later i was giving them way too much credit.

 

[Roxy13]

Did you tell him to pick up the other guitar too? He sounds like a client you don't want.

 

[BadPenguin]

I agree with Roxy! My next comment to your former client would have been along the lines of..."Now, you'll be here today to pick up your other guitar, right?"

 

[failsafe306]

Offer to replace the nut on the other guitar free of charge, (assuming you have the time), and have him compare your nut (he-he) vs the other guys nut. He will never question you again!

 

[Skit]

That's messed up. Show him this.

 

[monty john]

should have charged this dude for a diagnosis??? who is the store that smeared yoU???? that's who I would be mad at....they did shoddy work then capped on you

 

[redking]

When you come across a clown like that, you can't try to comprehend what the hell they are thinking based on the logic of an average decent person - because they obviously do not have those qualities in the first place. Almost worth "firing" them as a customer to save any current and future aggravation.

 

[SlingBlader]

The back story.

I had a new client come by yesterday with two guitars. He dropped one off for set-up and fret work. He asked me to look at the other guitar. I quickly identified that the nut was badly cut and needed to be replaced. He told me he just had a music store cut the nut...so he was going to take it back to them. Fair enough.
Client just called this morning and said he brought it back to the store and told them of my evaluation....they recommended he take it to another local guitar tech.
So he starts asking me if I've heard of this tech and is his work good.
This is when I lost it. "Let me get this straight, you are calling me to ask if I think another guy's work is good and should you take it there after I gave you the diagnosis .....and for no charge I might add?"

What sheer balls. Who does that?

Yeah, the depth of cluelessness is sometimes staggering. My mother owned and operated a successful furniture store for many years. More than once, she was asked by a customer to go to a competitor's store to help pick out furniture.

SMH

 

[judson]

you know you cant fix stupid....

i would give him a call and tell him that you dont work with nuts

probably would go straight over his head...

or his reply would be "so should i take it to the guy they told me to?"

then tell him he needs to pick up his other guitar as well

see if that sinks into his pea brain


dont let idiots ruin a minute of your day......its not worth it

 

[edro]

I wouldn't give him anything free. I would imply tell him what I could do and how much it would cost to be done correctly.

Then the ball is in his court. He can do as he wishes.....

Don't beat your head against a closed mind.....
tao of edro

 

[SWeAT hOg]

This dipshit just fucked his opportunity to have the best luthier he will ever meet work on his guitars.

 

[Skyjerk]

Offer to replace the nut on the other guitar free of charge, (assuming you have the time), and have him compare your nut (he-he) vs the other guys nut. He will never question you again!

I wouldnt offer to do anything for this guy for free. I wouldn't be interested in getting his business when he is so clearly a putz

 

[Spotcheck Billy]

Life is too short and time too precious to let things like this get to you. Just smile and wish him the best of luck. He will be gone from your life and you can get on with your day.

 

[LtDave32]

Before I ever got into building, my best friend had a Gibson F series mandolin that needed nut and bridge work.

He was recommended to take it to Tru-Tone music in Santa Monica, where the "tech" there was reputed to be savvy about such things.

We needed a new nut cut, and the bridge slotted to match. Slight indents on the bridge hold the courses of parallel strings together.

Note I said courses of "parallel strings".


What we got back was an abortion done with a butter knife. String courses at the nut were not evenly spaced from each other, also not parallel, and the bridge notches made the string courses taper out wide.

It was ridiculous. Like a 9 year-old kid did it.

Steve complained immediately. It was obviously screwed-up badly.

..We were thrown out of the store. By the owner.

We took the instrument to Buffalo Brothers in Carlsbad, CA who does the work on all of Chris Hillman's (Byrds) mandolins. Great reputation.

They took one look at it, then the luthier shook his head and said "I'm not going to knock another man's work, but that's all I'm gonna say"...

And they fixed it up beautifully.

No "moral of the story here" and nothing to do with Freddy's situation, obviously. It just reminded me of this story.

 

[LtDave32]

The back story.

I had a new client come by yesterday with two guitars. He dropped one off for set-up and fret work. He asked me to look at the other guitar. I quickly identified that the nut was badly cut and needed to be replaced. He told me he just had a music store cut the nut...so he was going to take it back to them. Fair enough.
Client just called this morning and said he brought it back to the store and told them of my evaluation....they recommended he take it to another local guitar tech.
So he starts asking me if I've heard of this tech and is his work good.
This is when I lost it. "Let me get this straight, you are calling me to ask if I think another guy's work is good and should you take it there after I gave you the diagnosis .....and for no charge I might add?"

What sheer balls. Who does that?

What is this guy, a "bargain hunter"?

I"ve had a few people low-ball me on work and builds. I showed them the door.

Funny thing is, I routinely undercut my prices for custom, hand-crafted builds in the first place.

 

[LtDave32]

Yeah, the depth of cluelessness is sometimes staggering. My mother owned and operated a successful furniture store for many years. More than once, she was asked by a customer to go to a competitor's store to help pick out furniture.

SMH

Go to another store and help her pick out furniture?

 

[SlingBlader]

Go to another store and help her pick out furniture?

Yeah, it's one of those moments where you just don't know what to say. At first, you think they're kidding; but when you realize that they are serious it just leaves you gobsmacked.

 

[failsafe306]

I wouldnt offer to do anything for this guy for free. I wouldn't be interested in getting his business when he is so clearly a putz

If I already had his guitar in my shop for other agreed upon work, I would do it (with customer’s permission) to show him these other guys don’t know what they are talking about. Worst case you waste a couple hours of your life, best case you make a loyal customer for life. That’s just me though and I’m sure Freddy is not hurting for work!