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Sticker Shock

RUFFCUT

New member
Joined
Apr 20, 2010
Messages
1,860
When my new R9 arrived and I opened the case, this is what I saw...

DSC_0147.jpg


...I thought, huh, what is that white item sticking up?...

DSC_0146-1.jpg


...when I picked the guitar up and looked, this is what I saw...

DSC_0148-1.jpg


...the sticker from the pickguard and thought, no big deal and pulled it off. Much to my surprise,
however, this was on the back of it...

DSC_0151.jpg


..when I looked at the guitar to see why the sticker had red dye on it, this is what I saw...

DSC_0153-1.jpg


...Bottom line, be careful with these pickguard stickers as they obviously react with nitro...
 
Last edited:

J T

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 20, 2005
Messages
10,501
Darn!

That should be covered under warranty.
 

PHILBERT

Active member
Joined
Nov 25, 2006
Messages
1,659
Oh $#!+, that has to hurt a little. :wah

Well at least it was not on the top. Freakin' stickers! Who needs 'em? :fc

And yes...:photos please!
 

J T

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Joined
Oct 20, 2005
Messages
10,501
As I remember, those labels don't have glue on them. they are just plastic
 

vintage58

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Joined
Apr 13, 2003
Messages
3,958
Could possibly be that the guitar is so new that the lacquer hadn't/hasn't fully cured yet, or that there is so much plasticizer in the current lacquer that it somehow reacted with the plastic of the sticker. I've unfortunately seen other instances of this same (or at least a similar) phenomenon. I remember being shipped a brand-new 2003 R-9, for example, and in the guitar's case the shipper placed bunched-up bubblewrap under the headstock, such that the bubblewrap was in direct (and rather tight) contact with the back of the headstock. The result was that there was a permanent impression of several "bubbles" from the bubblewrap, in the lacquer on the back of the headstock. It looked roughly like what happened to the finish on your guitar.
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Lenny

Member
Joined
Jul 23, 2002
Messages
967
I'm not a stickler for cosmetics but this is a drag on a new guitar. The CS will be happy to fix it I'm sure.
 

Red Baron

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Jul 14, 2004
Messages
6,774
Wow that's really pretty damn slack that the sticker wasn't noticed before packaging up the guitar... I don't blame you for being annoyed.
 

RUFFCUT

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Apr 20, 2010
Messages
1,860
Darn!

That should be covered under warranty.

Could possibly be that the guitar is so new that the lacquer hadn't/hasn't fully cured yet, or that there is so much plasticizer in the current lacquer that it somehow reacted with the plastic of the sticker. I've unfortunately seen other instances of this same (or at least a similar) phenomenon. I remember being shipped a brand-new 2003 R-9, for example, and in the guitar's case the shipper placed bunched-up bubblewrap under the headstock, such that the bubblewrap was in direct (and rather tight) contact with the back of the headstock. The result was that there was a permanent impression of several "bubbles" from the bubblewrap, in the lacquer on the back of the headstock. It looked roughly like what happened to the finish on your guitar.
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.
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I'm not a stickler for cosmetics but this is a drag on a new guitar. The CS will be happy to fix it I'm sure.

Wow that's really pretty damn slack that the sticker wasn't noticed before packaging up the guitar... I don't blame you for being annoyed.
It'll be an easy fix. Some light wet sanding and a buff should take care of it. The guy I deal with at GC Platinum is a real stand up guy. Had he noticed the problem before he shipped it to me he would have certainly made me aware of it. He offered to take the guitar back or send it to Gibson for repair. No worries there. I believe the sticker was removed for photos and was inadvertently left in the case...
 

RNELEE

New member
Joined
May 16, 2004
Messages
645
Something to think about..Maybe...Because the damage is minor you may want to keep the flaw just for identification. I don't know that I would myself, but I would think about it.
 

DoctorMO

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Mar 4, 2009
Messages
597
I would demand a new guitar or a warrenty repair Why do you have to put that stupid ass sticker on the guitar anyway Gibson.
 

dtw576

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Feb 23, 2003
Messages
1,934
Unless the warranty work can be done locally, I wouldn't risk sending it off just for that. It stinks for sure, but getting it back with worse shipping damage (been there done that) would suck extra worse. Sometimes you just have to suck it up and be thankful, as stupid as that sounds and feels.:rolleyes:
 

DoctorMO

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Mar 4, 2009
Messages
597
I sent one back once a 2003 brazilian -- the neck warped badly. I got the guitar back with a new neck in about 3 weeks and my dealer Vic Dapra paid the shipping. I would not be afraid of shipping damage. Ya if it is NOS this could be sucked up but I would not let this go on a gloss guitar IMHO
 

Axel

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Joined
Jul 24, 2006
Messages
3,510
I'm quite (very) picky with brand new stuff, I hate finish flaws.

Still, I'd leave this as is, maybe try to get some percentage refund from the seller. It doesn't look that bad, and in a few years time it will probably not be noticeable (maybe it can even be buffed out with a soft cloth). I bet buffing is the only thing Gibson would do if this came in as a warranty repair.

My dad bought a brand new 335 with a much more noticeable finish flaw, they buffed it at the shop right away and you couldn't even see it afterwards.

Your guitar is absolutely beautiful regardless. I wouldn't worry one bit about it, see it as the modern version of the hang tag fade?!
 

Uncle Gary

Active member
Joined
Oct 15, 2006
Messages
2,431
Yipes! A reminder that vinyl and lacquer don't mix.

On a different note, I remember my '01 R0 came with two distinct marks on the lower bout where, apparently, the guitar had been set on a rack after buffing at the factory, and the finish was still soft enough that the rack left marks on the finish. I bought the guitar new from Dave's in LaCrosse, so I'm pretty sure it happened at the factory.

I wet sanded and buffed out the marks and it was fine after that.
 

Trennasol

Member
Joined
Feb 16, 2002
Messages
895
I'm sorry but for what these guitars cost this is absolutely unacceptable. I don't care what a great guy so and so is, that's some incompetent packaging resulting in a very noticable finish flaw on a brand new guitar. If it were mine I'd pack it right back up and return it to the dealer for a full refund.
 
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