Another reason not buy local

[HA_DA_JA]

Spent over $4500 on a nice Taylor limited edition L30 series in 2005. New form the shop.
One tuning peg craps itself and the national distributor wont provide a new one says the limited lifetime warranty is only in USA. Cant provide a replacement of any sort.
I would have to replace the whole 6 of them to keep them the same.
No wonder not so many people are buying high model stuff in Australia with service like this.
I now need to talk to the USA maker.
Any solutions?
Venting now over

[Chris H]

email taylor USA directly with you situation re the local distributor...this situation is too lousy for words:

http://www.taylorguitars.com/contact/publicrelations/

[Gian]

I would agree with Chris, email them directly.

I have a taylor, emailed them some question years ago (can't remember what now), and they replied very promptly.

[Chinagraf]

Hmmm, I've been looking at a few Taylors. Who is the distributor? I may have to reassess, I don't think that would happen with Maton.

[Chris H]

For what it's worth, looking at this pic of one it looks like a stock gold plated Schaller with the Taylor sticker. Normally you can't buy the Schaller's as singles, only as a complete set.
Some of the local repairers often have a collection of these incomplete from previous repairs and you could pick one up and put the Taylor sticker on it.

Pic of a Taylor 710ce L30 Limited Edition 710 CE ( is this the same model as yours??)

200162422601-8.jpg

.........as an aside, look at the neck join on a $4000+ guitar....sheesh what's the world coming to!!!

[Gian]

Hi Chris

in regard to the neck join, I think I saw a taylor video of why they dove-tail the head onto the neck. The reason (given) was that it gives extra strength.
On the video, they either said they drove a car over the neck and it didn't break, or they actually did drive a car over it - cant remember which.

[Chris H]

Hi Chris

in regard to the neck join, I think I saw a taylor video of why they dove-tail the head onto the neck. The reason (given) was that it gives extra strength.
On the video, they either said they drove a car over the neck and it didn't break, or they actually did drive a car over it - cant remember which.

It would be stronger and this is a vulnerable area for neck breaks but my bet is an equal reason is cost saving on timber. My objection to it is firstly aesthetic and secondly there are other options that would give neck strength in this area with out the, to my mind ugly visible join. There is also the fact that any glue join will affect the transmission of tone and sustain of the neck from the important nut contact area to the body of the guitar through the neck join. I have seen "solid wood table tops with joins like that in them and i would could not bring myself to buy one.......it's just plain wrong

[HA_DA_JA]

No my tuners are these.
And no I dont have a neck join like that in either my 814CE or my 815CE

[Gian]

In the video, the showed a single piece of wood (for the neck) then they cut the head length off it, then milled the finger join, then glued it back at the correct angle.
So, not sure if it was cost cutting.

I know what you mean about the tables that have that finger join - I refuse to buy stuff like that too.

[Kurt]

Looks like the other machineheads but with a black handley bit. As Chris said, you may be able to sourse a gold one, swap the handley bit and sticker...

No my tuners are these.
And no I dont have a neck join like that in either my 814CE or my 815CE

[Chris H]

No my tuners are these.
And no I dont have a neck join like that in either my 814CE or my 815CE

....phew! that's a relief. And it looks like the Taylor logo is not a sticker. Dale, what side do you need, strings 1-3 or 4-6? A mate of mine has a Taylor endorsement and i might be able to drag a set out of them or ask a few of my friends who are Luthiers.

In the video, the showed a single piece of wood (for the neck) then they cut the head length off it, then milled the finger join, then glued it back at the correct angle.
So, not sure if it was cost cutting.

I know what you mean about the tables that have that finger join - I refuse to buy stuff like that too.

The finger join sets the correct angle of the headstock thereby avoiding the more labor intensive method normally used in Martins and most other top quality guitars, that of splicing an additional slab onto the headstock and cutting at the correct angle. I know the difference is minimal but it surely is a cost cutting exercise...... in my obviously not so humble opinion.

[HA_DA_JA]

I need the A string tuner. I think the ebony peg is fine. It feels like the cogs are slipping so I think it is the main tuner part not the ebony end part. Any help would be good.
I have shot off an email to Taylor USA so I will keep you informed how that pans out.
Cheers

[Chris H]

Is the Taylor logo cast into the metal or a sticker thingy?

[HA_DA_JA]

Cast into the tuner not the sticker type.
Cheers

[Dallas]

Spent over $4500 on a nice Taylor limited edition L30 series in 2005. New form the shop.
One tuning peg craps itself and the national distributor wont provide a new one says the limited lifetime warranty is only in USA. Cant provide a replacement of any sort.
I would have to replace the whole 6 of them to keep them the same.
No wonder not so many people are buying high model stuff in Australia with service like this.
I now need to talk to the USA maker.
Any solutions?
Venting now over

Ever read the terms & conditions of the 'limited lifetime warranty"?? Usually stuff such as machine heads aren't covered due to "usual wear & tear" anyway.... having said that the bigger manufacturers will usually throw you a bone anyway, but generally they word their guarantees so they're not liable for much. On the plus side, Aussie importers have to honour a 12 month warranty (set by Dept of Consumer Affairs) with just the store receipt as proof of date of purchase (no registering on-line, sending in the card or any of that other bull$hit one has to go thru to get warranty in the US)

For those that care/want to know/want somebody to blame - Taylor's aussie distributor is Electric Factory (no affiliation here - I sell MI gear, but very little of theirs... they used to put on a great party at AMAC though )

[HA_DA_JA]

I did not want to mention business names as I see this problem is not just located to one supplier.
It was a post of frustration at the whole "system".
Upon reflection I can see as you wind back the layers of buying/wanting "stuff" these are the inherent problems that arise from our capitalistic society.
Introducing or expecting "values" into an amoral monetary system can be very ambiguous.
It is a continuous self reminder of buyer beware in any purchase/agreement that you make.
Rule number 1. Always play the movie - look ahead and stay aware of how each scene contributes to the movies ending.

[Ausrock]

I don't know that there's a "correct" method but I believe the order of preference for headstock/neck construction would be 1) one piece carved out of a single blank 2) headstock and neck joined by a "scarf" joint". How taylor's method compares is anyones' guess.

Personally, I've always thought they were over-rated anyway.

[HA_DA_JA]

So the National distributor could not be bothered to make any inquiries to Taylor USA on my behalf or even provide me with any email addresses or contacts. I tried to talk with them, left my number with the service manager to ring me back, and I also emailed my request for some help contacting Taylor USA. I was not rung back offered no assistance and in the end I just located it all myself.
Taylor USA have gotten back to me with the part and as I offered to pay freight costs on a single tuning peg the process is nearly completed.
Did you realise that UPS charges US$92 to deliver. I took the $30 USPS option.
Hopefully all will be well.

[GlennS]

I personally have more faith in USPS (& Aust. Post this end) than UPS.
Shame on that distributor. The only incentive to buy international product locally is service. It seems they've provided none. Not all distributors are like this.
Hope your Taylor is perfect again soon.

[HA_DA_JA]

EDIT
Initially I was able to get through to the Service manager and tell him of my complaints. I had contacted the place of purchase I had bought the product from and they informed me I should prepare for a tough time as getting anything out of the distributor was deemed inpossible.
The service manager re-iterated the limitations of the warranty as it exists in Australia and the fact that they have no single replacement parts left. He did say they had replacement parts available as a set of 6 newer styled tuning pegs and that he was not willing to part with those as they were expensive (like my $4500 guitar was not expensive). The conversation finished by him saying he could not help me.
After reflecting upon the discussion and feeling that my expectations on a positive outcome were far short, that is when I tried to ring back to get more information and then the "sorry he is busy and unavailable" routine kicked in.
No returns of call, no returns of email assistance and now no more buying/supporting anything from them.
Sounds a bit harsh but you have to make a stand somewhere.
Maybe a short letter to the GM about the lack of service could be in order, not that it will make much of a difference to anything.
So on with life.

[Kurt]

A letter to Taylor explaining the lack of service from their local representative might get the local distributor a kick in the pants too..

Maybe a short letter to the GM about the lack of service could be in order, not that it will make much of a difference to anything.
So on with life.

[Gian]

Hi Dale

I certainly would write an email explaining your situation to Taylor in the US, and how you had little success locally.

I am sure they would be keen to hear your experience and lack of support.

[Chris H]

Hi Dale

I certainly would write an email explaining your situation to Taylor in the US, and how you had little success locally.

I am sure they would be keen to hear your experience and lack of support.

And i would include a link to this discussion if that's ok by Rick and the higher authority. It will make a difference to the local situation, as problems like this are typically middle management issues and when those higher up in the company get this sort of feedback, asses get kicked. Local distributor attitudes impact on the bottom line.

[no-fi]

wow... that's some very poor performance on supporting a $4500 guitar, from both the manufacturer and the distributor.

There's some great distributors in Australia who do deserve our support, but I'll be looking long and hard at other options anytime I'm buying something that comes through electric factory...

[Hybrid88]

...I'll be looking long and hard at other options anytime I'm buying something that comes through electric factory...

Hmm, interesting you say that, so is this a common thing? Because I had an absolute shocker of an experience when I tried to buy a $400+ keyboard stand through a local retailer using ELFA as their supplier.

Long story short, I enquired about a specific model to ELFA who told me to place an order through the local retailer which I did, after waiting three whole months with nothing, I emailed back to ELFA who told me that the manufacturer had discontinued production of that model, he then offered me a similar model. I then asked a bit more about the replacement and the differences between the two and didn't get a reply.

Now, I eventually got everything sorted out (over three months after my initial order mind you) through the local music retailer who were very good and told ELFA about my displeasure. I then got an apology from ELFA and finally ordered the replacement stand and all was good.

But here's the deal, what really pissed me off wasn't that the stand wasn't available anymore, it was more the fact that I had it on order and ELFA did not tell my local retailer that it wasn't coming?! WTF! And then the guy doesn't respond to my emails.

At the end of it all I did get an apology from the boss at ELFA but this was more due to the nice guys at the local music shop than anything. Makes you wonder though...

[rick]

this whole conversation is about respect for the end user
when a business loses respect for their customers , when the complaining customer is always apparent "wrong"
when the whole operation is just a means to get to the next years balance sheet

sombody has lost their way in business

but they are probably making more money that way then i ever will

[NYMo]

Hi there,

Dale ...write to the Gm..don't let them get away with that.

Thats why they get away with it...because they are not accoubtable for what they did(or didn't do)

People used to complain about me to the Brashs management all the time..and they used to reprimand me..
*whadya mean that customer had to have mental treatment for a week ^???(true !!)

Sorry..its been a big week...just venting ;-)
cheers
N
Y
M
O

[musikwerks]

I think Bob Taylor would be pretty interested in your story Dale.

Maybe I should write to the companies represented by a certain dealer in Australia who outright refuses to sell their product to me. The dealer in question has called me a liar and a few other things, all because I purchased some gear from the USA and not from him (and he wonders why?). He'll probably see this post and send me a pm demanding I take it down, like he's done in the past.

[HA_DA_JA]

I have moved on

[Ausrock]

I think Bob Taylor would be pretty interested in your story Dale.

Maybe I should write to the companies represented by a certain dealer in Australia who outright refuses to sell their product to me. The dealer in question has called me a liar and a few other things, all because I purchased some gear from the USA and not from him (and he wonders why?). He'll probably see this post and send me a pm demanding I take it down, like he's done in the past.

Care to throw out some hints as to who this dealer "might be".