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Would like your opinion on this issue


Steve2112

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Hello fellas...and gals. It's been awhile since I last visited...good to see you all again. Here's my deal:

 

Just bought an Alvarez AF66CESB. And I am VERY happy with it.

 

AAF66CESB-P.fpx?cell=540,400&qlt=90&cvt=jpg

 

 

 

It's really an outstanding guitar, but upon changing the strings I found this:

 

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May be hard to see but it looks like a bit of a larger crevice in the naturally occurring grain...and some sort of substance covering it. Like...glue. It may have seeped out from the nut? Or sealed up the crevice. Either way I am not too happy.....it's no Taylor or family heirloom but still, shouldn't be there. Not at "First" pricing. 2nd or factory blemish, sure.

 

I realize some will say well if you aren't happy return it. I might. Just taking a survey for what you have done or what you might do or think. And go.

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If I liked the guitar, I'd ask to be compensated and if happy with offer, would fill it and keep it. It won't effect how it plays and if you get another, it might not play/sound as good.

 

Does it bug you that it's there? It might always and then you should return it.

 

It should have been sold as a 2nd or blem no matter what, that's pretty obvious.

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Either way I'd be a bit bummed about it and would probably at least mention it to the dealer as well as to the manufacturer. I'd be polite and include the pictures when I emailed the manufacturer. I might decide to keep it - after all, it's in a spot where your fingers will rarely, if ever, land... but OTOH, it shouldn't have gotten past the quality control inspections, and the dealer and manufacturer should both know YOU are the one who is taking the hit here, and accepting something with a blemish when you paid "first" price for the instrument. Might not get you anything, but maybe the next time you go to buy they'll give you a bit of a break that they might not have otherwise... :idk:

 

For me, it would come down to how exceptional the guitar is. If it was head and shoulders above similar models / instruments from the same manufacturer, you may have a "honey" that you might have a hard time replacing with another of equal exceptionalism. If it's fairly representative of the model, then you might be happier with a cosmetically perfect new instrument replacement while still getting a guitar that sounds and plays as well as your current one does.

 

I'd put the value highest on sound quality and playability; cosmetics are nice, but truly exceptional sounding and playing instruments trump minor cosmetic flaws IMHO. YMMV

 

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if it was noticed back in the stock warehouse they would have tried to bodge it somehow or sell it to a damaged goods dealer .if you bought it from a shop they obviously didn`t see it and they will have paid top wack for it, if you take it back i doubt you will get a discount from the shop cause they will want to send it back to the supplier and get their money back and like others have said if you like the feel of it you might lose it forever boo hoo, if it don`t get in the way i wouldn`t bother .i got a damaged stock acoustic that had been dropped on its head it only cracked a bit of lacquer near the nut and i got £350 knocked off the full price

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It is very common for there to be chips and small flaws in fretboards, particularly were inlay, frets or the nut slots are cut. When a guitar is refretted there are always damaged places in the board. Most luthiers will fill these with a mixture of the parent wood (ebony or rosewood) and CA or epoxy. Done properly you can't tell its there. I would have that done and forget about it.

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Hey thanks for the reply guys. Mr. Keller...I am not sure things like THIS are "common". It's like a big splotch of glue or resin. I've had a LOT of guitars over the years...and never saw anything like it. I do understand there are baby flaws we might not even notice...or accept. Maybe even BIG flaws that have been expertly covered. This looks like a child finger-painted on it.

 

I'm going to take Phil's advice and ...gently....take it back to the vendor. Politely discuss any options. I will try to send the pic and comment to Alvarez, but they have a very simple "contact" form and no real email- probably not until their vendor assesses the instrument first.

 

Thanks again...will keep you posted!

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This is the part of your post that jumps out at me...

 

Just bought an Alvarez AF66CESB. And I am VERY happy with it.

 

Personally, I'm not nearly as concerned about the return on investment regarding cosmetic issues as I am about the ability to connect musically with the instrument.

 

In this case, if it was my instrument and it really bothered me, I would keep the guitar as a player and have a luthier I respect and trust examine the flaw and suggest a fix.

 

Based on your being "VERY happy with it" I wouldn't want to loose what's good about the guitar in an effort to attain 'perfection.'

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A "honey" is rare among mass produced guitars like Alvarez. You'd probably be equally happy with another identical specimen. I've owned a few Alvarez guitars over the years and none of them were all that special. OTOH, for nearly $500 and a new guitar I'd expect something that was essentially perfect. I've seen guitars with far less noticeable flaws sold as "seconds".

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A "honey" is rare among mass produced guitars like Alvarez. You'd probably be equally happy with another identical specimen. I've owned a few Alvarez guitars over the years and none of them were all that special. OTOH, for nearly $500 and a new guitar I'd expect something that was essentially perfect. I've seen guitars with far less noticeable flaws sold as "seconds".

 

Hi Deep. I've had an Alvarez 5013 in tobacco burst, bought new in 1984...maybe 5 for 148 dollars. Still have the tag. Still a very nice guitar. PArt of why I went with Alvarez. Maybe it's the rare honey you speak of? Other than that I fully concur. I went a "step up" from say the Yamaha 299 guitars for this very reason. We'll see what they say.

 

Man....I looked long and hard at this guitar...I never saw the flaw. I guess you have to drive it off the lot to see the dent? :(2

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This is the part of your post that jumps out at me...

 

 

 

Personally, I'm not nearly as concerned about the return on investment regarding cosmetic issues as I am about the ability to connect musically with the instrument.

 

In this case, if it was my instrument and it really bothered me, I would keep the guitar as a player and have a luthier I respect and trust examine the flaw and suggest a fix.

 

Based on your being "VERY happy with it" I wouldn't want to loose what's good about the guitar in an effort to attain 'perfection.'

 

I WAS "perfectly happy"...until I saw this. I am not totally sure what it is. A natural yet rather large wood grain crevice? A crack? I am concerned that it isn't purely cosmetic, which I am not afraid of. About the time you get obessive about that is the time you put a dent in it. I like how some stuff just appears out of nowhere for no reason. :bangheadonwall:

 

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It looks to me like there was a flaw in the board or someone dinged it while doing the nut, they filled it with some epoxy but didn't scrape it back. I'll say it once again, if it were my guitar I would scrape it with a utility knife (box cutter) blade, then finish it with some 0000 steel wool. However if it bothers you obviously you should return it.

 

fwiw almost any time custom inlay is done, unless you happen to have a pantograph or a cnc the recess will be a little sloppy for the pearl. It is common to set the pearl into a mixture of epoxy and powdered wood, once it is scraped and sanded you can not tell that the fit wasn't perfect.

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It looks to me like there was a flaw in the board or someone dinged it while doing the nut, they filled it with some epoxy but didn't scrape it back. I'll say it once again, if it were my guitar I would scrape it with a utility knife (box cutter) blade, then finish it with some 0000 steel wool. However if it bothers you obviously you should return it.

 

fwiw almost any time custom inlay is done, unless you happen to have a pantograph or a cnc the recess will be a little sloppy for the pearl. It is common to set the pearl into a mixture of epoxy and powdered wood, once it is scraped and sanded you can not tell that the fit wasn't perfect.

 

No no! This is EXACTLY what I was looking for! I know that most options are "return", "try to get a few bucks back even if store credit"...."shut up and play your guitar".

 

I can certainly take a sharp blade and gently go across the surface there. Free...I know you see a TON of guitars and do lots of good work yourself...but swear to god I've never seen THIS before. I've seen touch-ups, cover-ups...and I am SURE I've missed many.

 

But I think you're SPOT on. If done carefully, the blade will cull off the excess while sealing the interior of the...crevice lol. I know you have sympathy for the craftsman....but....kinda think this one shouldn't have gotten to the shelf at retail price. Also think I should have noted it at the store. :0

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Not trying to be a ...d*@k....and Alvarez has not been able to respond just yet (and I know mistakes happen!)...but let me quote them:

 

Why Alvarez?

 

 

"While I agree that other acoustic guitar brands make great guitars, where I think Alvarez is unique is that we make great guitars more accessible to more people. Making a great quality or professional guitar that sells for $4000.00 is not that difficult, making one that sells for $400.00, is. And in that statement I think lies our difference. I believe we make the best value guitars available. Truly designed instruments that we go the extra one hundred miles on to make them as accessible to as many players as possible."

 

 

So...let's see what happens here. I hope my experience will benefit others...no matter which way it turns out.

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They're not all mass produced.

 

That's like saying "a "honey" is rare among mass produced guitars like Fender."

 

Just like Fender, Alvarez make guitars up and down the price spectrum.

 

Pretty sure a "honey" is about all you'd get every single time from an MIJ Yairi Alvarez.

 

Maybe your personal experience is only with the brand's lower end and that's fine, but a comment like yours is misleading.

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Take a box cutter blade and wrap a piece of tape over part of the edge. Then hold it vertically and scrape over the goop. You aren't trying to cut it, you want to simply scrape it off level with the reset of the fret board. Use the point of the blade right up to the nut - scrape both with the grain and across it. The scraper will make it pretty level, take some steel wool or 400 grit sand paper and do the final smoothing.

 

Here is a headstock inlay - there are tiny voids next to the pearl that was filled with a mixture of ebony powder and epoxy. The scraper is next to it. This is very common and perfectly normal

 

IMG_1646_zps561b8ac3.jpg

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Sorry but no. A typical Alvarez--which is what we're talking about, not a Yairi--is far less likely to be exceptional than a USA Fender. Even among MIM Fenders, which are also mass produced, a "honey" is rare. Please don't muddy the issue by comparing an under $500 Alvarez with a $2000 Yairi or a $1500 USA Fender. Steve2112 knows exactly what I meant and so does everyone else.

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I agree with the OP that it is a poor and incomplete job. I do, however, belive that the musical connection with the guitar is more important and worth hanging on to.

 

I also think Freeman is right on with his assessment and his suggested repair.

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Took it back to Sam Ash and he scrubbed it with steel wool. It came out pretty good. Will complete the job at the next string change. Will also post a pic ASAP.

 

A fellow named Ton Kruszka at St Louis Music replied to me...and I have sent him information. Stay tuned!

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Again....YOU are muddying the issue by not clearly stating that you were referring to LOW end Alvarez and not high end. Because they HAVE high end products. You just said "mass produced guitars like Alvarez".

 

That implies that all Alvarez are the same level. They aren't. There is no such thing as a "typical" alvarez just like there is no such thing as a "typical fender". They each have a TON of guitars at a TON of different price points.

 

Not sure why you are having an issue with that logic.

 

And no...not everyone knows what you mean. I'm sure there are plenty of people reading who aren't familiar with the Alvarez brand. Quit making assumptions.

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Yes, Alvarez makes various tiers of instruments. Last time I checked, there were, from lowest to highest, Regent, Artist (which is what Steve2112's guitar is), and Masterworks. It's debatable whether Yairi's are Alvarez guitars at all. The Masterworks series goes up to a MSRP of about $1150, about in line with a low-end Martin, which isn't a spectacular guitar. In any event, we're taking here about a mass produced guitar that retails for under $500. The odds of it being a proverbial ''honey'' are slim. Frankly, the odds of any mass produced guitar being a ''honey'' are slim, but especially a budget model. I've owned and played Alvarez guitars at various price points and I have yet to encounter one--other than a Yairi--that was particularly special. Please understand, they're ''okay'' but that's about all from my perspective and experience. At this point, you're the one making assumptions.

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