Help/advice on a broken headstock

orion8472 · Nov 22, 2017

I own a Gibson Les Paul Studio and I recently took it to a local guitar store to have the pick up switch and jack socket repaired. Also to give it a good clean and re-string. When I went to pick it up they opened the case to reveal the headstock had broken in half. No one at the store knew how it had happened. I left it with them and received a phone call after I got home to tell me they would repair it free of charge and offer £100 in compensation.

Ive looked around and most places tell me that a good repair would leave the guitar in a very good condition with no effect to sound or playability. However, it would lose resale value of around 50%. Considering 12 years ago when I bought it it cost me around £900 new and aside from a couple of nicks and scratches it’s in a very good condition. Am I well within reason to ask for more compensation? To me it just doesn’t seem like a lot but I don’t want to spend time pursuing something that is not worth it.

Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks for reading!

ZIKMIDOTCOM · Nov 22, 2017

Hi,
I don't know if it's help you, but the value of a Les Paul Studio 2005 in mint condition is between 750$ and 1050$.
I actually own a Les Paul Joe Perry Signature (this model is based on a Les Paul Studio) that I paid 1750$ in 1997 ... and the last time i received an info about the value of this guitar, it was 2000$.
From my point of view, that mean that a Les Paul Studio ... don't gain value with the time like other Les Paul could gain (I would be happy if somebody told me that is just a question of time).
But if you sell it, it would definitively drop down your price !

Thundermtn · Nov 22, 2017

This is just me but I would demand that they pay the used private party value and get the neck fixed on your own.

You had a guitar when you took it in, now you don't, and they had to have seriously mishandled it to bust the headstock.

It's the exact same thing as if you bought a car and took it in to the dealer for an oil change and they totaled it when it fell off of the lift. Fixing it and giving 10% in value doesn't even get you close to square in my opinion

Unstablemedic · Nov 22, 2017

This is some BS, especially from a store. I can play devils advocate here and say accidents happen, but come on. I wouldn’t let them fix it, don’t be an ass about it either. Just be polite and respectful, say you want to take the guitar to another repair shop and get a quote on the price to fix it. Make sure the luthier you go to is someone who fixes major damage and refinishing. Refinishing is the magic part making it look like nothing happened. Bring the quote back to the original shop and say this is what it’s going to cost to have it fixed correctly and they will have to pay it. A headstock repair isn’t an end all, be all and when done correctly, you can’t even tell it happened.

orion8472 · Nov 22, 2017

Thanks for the input. At the moment they have started the repairs so I currently can’t take it back. I’ve browsed around and my particular model is reselling at around £600-£700 in mint condition. I’m probably going to be looking at less than half of that now so may ask for £300 in compensation. Would string tension cause this to happen? They did tell me that this was a probable cause but I find that hard to believe.

J.D. · Nov 22, 2017

Someone either dropped the guitar itself or knocked it over in the case. I'd definitely demand more than they are offering.

Thundermtn · Nov 22, 2017

IF you plan to continue using them, have them throw in an option to buy any guitar they stock at their cost. It will cost them almost nothing and helps make up for the lost value from the damaged guitar.

orion8472 · Nov 22, 2017

Thank you all for your input. I’ll be calling them tomorrow and asking for more. I’m pretty devastated with what’s happened to it and deserve more than that really. I’ll post an update when I have more info. Thanks again.

Shakey · Nov 23, 2017

If this was in the UK which it sounds like do you mind sharing what store it was at? DM me if you don't feel like making it public knowledge.

Sloboy7 · Dec 9, 2018

OMG, you've got to be kidding me. I realize this event has probably already been resolved, but I have to put in my to cents. If you're in a store and break something, like the sign says you break it you buy it. Sounds like the guitar store bought themselves a guitar and should give the guy a new guitar of similar value and model. Just seems logical to me.

AA00475Bassman · Dec 9, 2018

Repaired guitar + cash is not being made whole . Let the shop own the broken guitar !!

El Gringo · Dec 10, 2018

Thundermtn said:
This is just me but I would demand that they pay the used private party value and get the neck fixed on your own.

You had a guitar when you took it in, now you don't, and they had to have seriously mishandled it to bust the headstock.

It's the exact same thing as if you bought a car and took it in to the dealer for an oil change and they totaled it when it fell off of the lift. Fixing it and giving 10% in value doesn't even get you close to square in my opinion

I agree 100% with you that they should make you whole . Don't let them off the hook , they should reimburse you for the full market value of the broken instrument prior to there negligence . Do not trust this store to change and replace a string . Also if they give you any crap about making you whole . You should hire an attorney and file suit against them for negligence and damages . Don't let them off the hook . Similar crap like this happened to me as well on a simple setup and string change when the idiot/re$ar$ drilled a HOLE thru the peghead while he used a drill to remove the truss rod cover screws ? Can you believe this ? Then they had the idiot "repair " the headstock with a sharpie , because he gouged up the sides of the truss rod cover trying to remove the truss rod cover . So I immediately set out to find the tech who had previously worked for them and then he repaired the headstock . Took a whole 6 months for this to get resolved . Stores will hire anybody off the street and pay them minimum wage and then say he is a repair man/ tech . Sue them to be made whole !

Mars Hall · Dec 10, 2018

Unless you have an emotional attachment, let them buy the guitar from you at a fair market value. Take this money and find a suitable replacement.

Pellman73 · Dec 11, 2018

Mars Hall said:
Unless you have an emotional attachment, let them buy the guitar from you at a fair market value. Take this money and find a suitable replacement.

+1

sorry man. that sucks

JaanQ · Dec 13, 2018

I would have said that Ididn't have faith in them anymore, and to send it back to Gibson to have it repaired at the factory, or to replace the guitar. Once they found out how much Gibson charges, they might consider replacing the guitar and selling yours after they fix it.

Help/advice on a broken headstock

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