Full disclosure, I do work for Tommy. From a customer perspective... I have purchased several times from Guitar Tommy's. He has been more than courteous and extremely helpful. He treats his customers with respect. I have made large purchases including ordering a huge PA system. He was upfront about the cost and delivery date. Great shop!
*** The following is in response to FRAN L's one start rating. ***
I am the luthier that did the work on these two guitars. I would like to address this review from my standpoint. When the guitars were dropped off I was in the shop and explained my process fro setting up an instrument. I explained that it takes two weeks for a reason. The instruments are hung in a carefully humidified room where they stay for a couple days. Since Arizona is so dry and wood shrinks, it's important to get some moisture into the instrument. After a couple of days, the instrument is put on the bench, strings are removed, the fret board is cleaned and oiled, frets are polished, electronics are inspected, pots (volume and tone) are cleaned, tuning machines are inspected, strap buttons are tightened if needed, input jack is examined, nut is inspected, and the bridge and saddles are inspected. New strings are placed on the instrument. The necks radius (curve in the neck) is checked and documented under string tension and the string height at the nut is examined and the nut is filled or cut as needed. The bridge is examined and tension is changed to match the tension of the strings (in the case of a floating tremolo), The instrument is hung back up and inspected the next day. The radius is checked and compared to the previous reading to see if the neck moved under tension. Adjustments are made as needed. This process is repeated over the next several days. Once the neck has stopped moving, the saddles are set to match the curve of the fret board. And height is set. The instrument is played to check for any high frets and those are repaired. The instrument goes back to hang for another day and the tuning is tested every 24 hours for the next couple of days to assure there isn't any more movement or the neck or issues with the tuning machines under tension. That process takes about two weeks from start to finish.
This was a strange tuning and I followed the directions that were supplied by the customer. I take full responsibility for the improper tuning on one of the guitars. I believe I was looking at the diagram upside down. Again, the tuning was my fault. The second guitar was tuned correctly as I did the work at different times and there were two notes, one for each guitar. I received a text message from Tommy that stated that the customer as in the store and one of the guitars was not tuned as per the customers note. I replied as soon as Tommy sent the text and told him that I was sorry ad that I would come and change the tuning and set the correct floating bridge tension for the correct tuning. Tommy texted me right back and told me that the customer didn't want to leave the instrument for another two weeks. I texted back and told Tommy that it wouldn't take two weeks, I could come by that afternoon and make the change and make sure the bridge neck was good with the changes. Tommy informed me that the customer was screaming at him and that he left the store and paid half.
I wasn't in the store obviously, but I have known Tommy for a long time and believe that Tommy made every effort possible to assure the customer was happy including letting him know that I would come that afternoon and make the correction for my mistake. I believe that is a reasonable response for a mistake.
I was then told that the customer disputed the card transaction even given that the second guitar was setup properly and the customer paid 50%. My shop bought the strings, a set of 12 strings. Tommy told me later that the customer complained that I over charged him on the strings. I charged him $20 for the strings as the set was $18 plus tax (my cost). That is what a set of quality 12 string strings cost... I didn't upcharge or inflate in any way.
I heard later that the customers wife called and was screaming at Marcy and threatening to write poor reviews on the store. Marcy sent me a voicemail that was left for the store where the wife was just mean and rude.
This entire incident reminds me of what is wrong in the world. There is very little compassion or understanding anymore. So the customer (and his wife) are so angry that they are writing negative reviews and making threatening phone calls. Tommy and Marcy are put in a position that they have to defend their stores integrity, and I am admitting that it was a mistake and was willing to fix it and upset that it even needed to get escalated to this. Life is too short to not forgive and show compassion. All of this because the tuning wasn't correct on a guitar? read more
