Is this really bad? :-(

Riot_Rain

So my new guitar arrived today... and there was something a bit weird about it. There's space between the white pickguard and the black body... Is this really bad?

(sorry that the photos are a bit blurred!)
http://s243.photobucket.com/albums/ff16/Riot_Rain/?action=view&current=DCFC0002.jpg
http://s243.photobucket.com/albums/ff16/Riot_Rain/?action=view&current=DCFC0001.jpg

I've spoken to the guitar place that sold it to me and they said they'd have a look at it. I'd like to know what you guys think, so they can't fob me off!

I appreciate any wise words!

who's_pearljam?

That's a warped pickguard. What kind of guitar is it and warranty does it have?
If it's new, and it's a Strat then it's pretty easy to replace the pickguard with a straight one. The pickups and switches are screwed to it, and the pickguard is then screwed to the body.
It involves unscrewing everything and mounting the pickups to the new guard and remounting it to the body. The gap like that will tend to catch dust and beer and let it in behind the electronics. I would also be cutting my fingers on it all the time!
I would ask for a new guard. A decent basic Strat pickguard should be about $20 bucks. Maybe you can ask them to put on one of those fancy dancy "mother of toilet seat" pickguards!

ianvomsaal

- Yeah, that's not right - your pickguard shouldn't look like that!!! How did you get it home without seeing that.
- Looks like it got left in a hot car or something.
- Never leave a store if you're unsatisfied with your order. I've bought from stores who's policy was, "you leave
with it, it's your problem - how do we know that you didn't do it."
- Take it back immediately, don't live with it, it is a problem.
- If they make it out to be nothing, and say "what wrong with this, that's fine" it's time to make a fuss.
- Did you get it at a local shop or a big store like G.C.???
- Stores like Guitar Center give you a 30-day satisfaction guarantee, they'll swap it or give you a refund.
- If it's a local shop and they won't do anything about it, report them (BBB, your local news stations, ect).
- The bad press will make them think twice about doing it again to someone else.
- However, looking at that (no-matter-what) any store that sold that to you should take care of it.
- That looks like either: a simple defect, or it got left in the heat.
- Never leave your guitar in the car (a couple things can happen):
1).bad people will break in and take it (ask around on the forum - it's happend to people on here).
2).the elements like heat, cold, humidity can damage your guitar.

- Ian

Riot_Rain

Thanks for the good advice

I bought it off Ebay... From a guitar place. Have had a word with them and they're def going to take it back and repair it, it's being collected on Monday

If I stick with the guitar playing and end up upgrading, I will def go to a shop in person and will make sure the next one is spic and span!

Thanks again

All Those Yesterdays

Looked like just a single ply pickguard. Go get a 3 ply replacement.