Do long custom wait times usually equal quality?

Clonetool · #1 08-11-2008, 11:21 AM

I'm wondering if months and months of waiting was worth the final product.?

jem20thlover · #2 08-11-2008, 11:45 AM

I voted yes, but I would say it depends on the project. Herc Fede had my guitar forever, but there were a ton of folks in front of me.

For my particular project, he had to take a 777DY that was beat and chipped all to hell, sand it down, fill the dings and dents, sand, prime, swirl & clear. The hardest part was the prep work that it took for them to do the project.

I think the wait times is the amount of guitars these custom guys have in front of you. I couldn't see mine taking over 2 weeks (depending on clearcoat method) from start to finish, but put 15 or 20 guys in front of me, there's your wait time.

EDIT: Also, most of these custom guys don't do customs for a living. They have their day jobs, then they come home to do the guitar work. Add a nagging wife in the mix and you can add 2 or 3 months

.

toneboy · #3 08-11-2008, 11:57 AM

Wait time does not necessarily equate to quality. People make mistakes whether they complete the job in 2 weeks or 2 years. I've seen it happen to lots of folks and it's happened to me. It only takes a second to make a mistake that can take weeks to fix.

**Ayrton** · #4 08-11-2008, 12:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by toneboy

Wait time does not necessarily equate to quality. People make mistakes whether they complete the job in 2 weeks or 2 years. I've seen it happen to lots of folks and it's happened to me. It only takes a second to make a mistake that can take weeks to fix.

Ditto...

2 weeks, or 2 years, the only thing that matters is the finished product.

toneboy · #5 08-11-2008, 12:16 PM

Also, when you factor in things like builders/painters allowing rush service (if you're willing to pay more money, they'll get your job done first putting it in front of everyone else) or doing a batch of simpler/faster jobs to get them out the door while yours waits, wait times are rarely first come first serve. It sometimes boils down to who's willing to pay the most and whims (I don't feel like working on the complicated one so I'll just finish up these simple ones and get them out of the way). I personally think rush service is BS and so is shuffling jobs around. It should always be first come, first serve. If someone's job in front of yours is going to take 2 months to complete, at least that's fair to everyone. Some folks just have no clue have to treat customers.

All that matters to me is the builder/painter gives a realistic delivery date and sticks to it. I hate getting jerked around with the ol' "It will be done next, it will be shipped next week, blah blah blah". I'd rather be told it will take 6 months then be told it will take 3 months and it ends up taking 6 months.

Tubarão Guitars · #6 08-11-2008, 03:39 PM

sorry to say the most intricate painting would spend no more than:
30 days.
including an awesome multicolor swirl custom finish.
that's it.

Clonetool · #7 08-11-2008, 05:52 PM

I enjoy watching customers carefully watch their words during the wait times. I read Slash's book when he told AXL maybe he should'nt sleep on the couch when grandma wants to watch TV. Axl then proceeded to jump out of the moving vehicle. You put up with this type of crap and you get yourself an Axehole.

Zero 7 · #8 08-11-2008, 06:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Clonetool

I enjoy watching customers carefully watch their words during the wait times. I read Slash's book when he told AXL maybe he should'nt sleep on the couch when grandma wants to watch TV. Axl then proceeded to jump out of the moving vehicle. You put up with this type of crap and you get yourself an Axehole.

What...?

I'm sorry, that really didn't make any sense.

**Ayrton** · #9 08-11-2008, 08:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Clonetool

I read Slash's book when he told AXL maybe he should'nt sleep on the couch when grandma wants to watch TV. Axl then proceeded to jump out of the moving vehicle.

LOL...I loved that book. Axl is a total whack job, and the stories in that book show it.

Clonetool · #10 08-11-2008, 10:57 PM

Zero 7 here in America we have a singer named Axl Rose. He was in the band Guns and Roses. He's been known to be a real ninny as they say in England. Sometimes if you ignore bad behavior they self destruct and ruin a good thing. I was using this analogy to compare some custom builders who may have a good product but think their customers owe them. I hope you enjoy your stay at Jemsite. DM

ADA · #11 08-11-2008, 11:06 PM

normally , I think there have not any relationship between "Times" and "Quality"

NickCormier · #12 08-12-2008, 02:58 AM

if you are paying someone to build you a product, they should never sabotage the product for "annoyance" from the costumer. that is really sketchy. And they probably deserve at least some of the complaints that come up. If someone wasnt doing their job and keeping up with their word on a project, AND didnt deliver a great product in the end.. man. That's lame.

But unfortunately I bet it happens often in the "luthier" business.

bammbamm · #13 08-12-2008, 04:04 AM

It varies on a case by case basis.
There are no absolutes.

Tank · #14 08-12-2008, 04:29 AM

I just think that people that bull*** you everytime you speak to them should go out of business, but enough stupid customers fall for their act.

If someone tells you from the beginning: It will take a year to do your swirl, because there are 123 people infront of you. If you are OK with that I accept your order.
Then I am totally OK with a waiting time.

But what is wrong is: Sure it'll take a month. Than you do not hear from them in 3 months and they do not pick up the phone or return calls and emails. Then they finally phone you and tell you "it'll take another month, sorry. you know how it is buddy, really sorry... blah blah blah". Repeat the next 3 month
Then after a years wait you have a mediocre product infront of you and they tell you how impressed they are with themselves and that for such a piece of art the wait was well deserved and that he finally got to it you will owe him for live...
This people should be made to go out of business in a heartbeat....

But thankfully I found a good luthier real close, who has a solid fanbase, but not to many people know him and he does not screw you like others...

Brosa · #15 08-12-2008, 06:50 AM

The thing most vendors/ custom shops lack is good communication.

If a project can't be finished in the given time, just inform the customer about the delay.

It's bad business practice to let the customer find out the delay, when the date arrives that the product should be finished, and the customer needs to contact the vendor/ custom shop.

Somehow only a few people seem to care about their customer service. It weird because without customers, they wouldn't have a job....