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My Bad Experience ordering a Salvador Castillo Guitar
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crooksj5
Posts: 106
Joined: Jan. 7 2014
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My Bad Experience ordering a Salvado...
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Hi Everyone, I wanted to share my recent experience ordering a guitar from Salvador Castillo in Paracho. I contacted Castillo around June 15th this year to make me a Blanca. I sent him the entire amount up front via western union, which all went fine. Actually everything looked like it was going fine he was sending me pictures and updates. I sent him a pickup to install in the guitar which went okay although it costs $100 to mail a pickup, DHL yikes. He sent me an email August 6th that the guitar was done and on its way to me. I thought wow that was quick, but none the less still quite excited. Now the day comes that the guitar arrives (this is when it goes downhill). The guitar arrived this past Wednesday from DHL, I let it adjust to the temperature in the house for a few hours, took all precautions. I finally open up the case and see that the French polish has stuck to the case in multiple areas and left dull, bumpy, case fabric imprints on the guitar. Needless to say I was pretty disappointed, it was obvious to see and to the touch. Then I go to play the instrument and the neck has 0 relief and a slight back bow, this made it so the open strings through the second fret buzz and fret out! Needless to say at this point I’m pretty heartbroken. So I email Salvador right away and let him know, thinking he will be able to help me fix this huge problem. His response paraphrased was “sorry this happened, the shipping company didn’t take care and the guitar got too hot. I hope you can find someone in your city to fix the polish”. When I brought up the warped neck and that because of it the strings buzz everywhere and the action was not even close to what we discussed. He told me it will fix itself with time. (Umm). So currently I spent what is for me A LOT of money on a new guitar that arrived damaged an warped. In my last email to Salvador I let him know that I was sorry for both of us this happened but I cannot accept the guitar like this as I paid full price for a damaged guitar that I can’t play. He has not responded to this, nor has he offered any help or retribution on this matter. Yes I do understand that having a pickup installed for me probably added a wrench to the equation. I know that ordering direct from a builder internationally is always a crap shoot but I thought there would still be some sort of guarantee. I have learned a very expensive lesson from this and will not be ordering any guitars internationally again (or even sight unseen for that matter). My purpose in writing this is not just to take revenge, but so people can hear an honest review that’s not just gushing about how amazing so and so is. I find that is a big problem in the guitar world, people always want to rave about how great their new guitar or builder is or talk about how they made such a great decision and justify their purchase. Then other people research the topic and see oh wow not one negative review this must be great. But sometimes people are either too embarrassed or afraid to admit that things didn’t go well with their purchase or they weren’t happy with it. Anyways, be careful out there guys!
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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE |
Date Aug. 11 2018 2:55:19
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gerundino63
Posts: 1743
Joined: Jul. 11 2003
From: The Netherlands
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RE: My Bad Experience ordering a Sal... (in reply to crooksj5)
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To me, the only question here is; when you order a guitar, who is responsable for the transport? If I order a pair of shoes, and they are broken, even trough transport, I send them back and it is replaced. Is not the shop, builder, watchmaker etc. the one who eventually have to get the money back from for instance DHL or another transport company? Any guys gere with a law degree? If so, send the guitar back to the original owner, the builder, and ask for a replacement or your money back. The guitar you have now is not the thing you ordened.
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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE |
Date Aug. 11 2018 8:10:37
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BarkellWH
Posts: 3458
Joined: Jul. 12 2009
From: Washington, DC
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RE: My Bad Experience ordering a Sal... (in reply to crooksj5)
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quote:
So I email Salvador right away and let him know, thinking he will be able to help me fix this huge problem. His response paraphrased was “sorry this happened, the shipping company didn’t take care and the guitar got too hot. I hope you can find someone in your city to fix the polish”. When I brought up the warped neck and that because of it the strings buzz everywhere and the action was not even close to what we discussed. He told me it will fix itself with time. (Umm). If Castillo's responses are as you describe them above, and he hasn't bothered to reply to your follow-ups, It doesn't seem like he much gives a damn. The idea that the warped neck and action will "fix itself with time" is a particularly egregious blow-off. Did Castillo choose DHL for shipment or did you? Was the guitar insured? If so, by Castillo or by you? It seems to me that if Castillo chose DHL then he should be dealing with DHL regarding the damaged guitar. As for the warped neck, buzz, and lack of correct action, it could have been in that condition coming out of Castillo's shop. I suppose it could have occurred in DHL's hands while being stored or shipped, but that would really take some heat/pressure for it to back-bow. The polish can probably be fixed, but the neck's back-bow is problematical, and you shouldn't have to deal with that on a new guitar. I would try to approach Castillo again to work with you on solving this problem, either with his shop or with DHL. If he refuses to accommodate you, he will have shown himself to be something less than his reputation suggests. On the other hand, if he works with you to resolve the problem, his reputation will remain intact. As to suggestions of legal action, your only chance for that would be if you have a case against DHL. If the fault lies with Castillo, forget any legal action against a Mexican business in Mexico. You will be fleeced by Mexican attorneys and any court case will automatically be stacked against a gringo. Hope you find a solution. Bill
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And the end of the fight is a tombstone white, With the name of the late deceased, And the epitaph drear, "A fool lies here, Who tried to hustle the East." --Rudyard Kipling
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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE |
Date Aug. 11 2018 13:44:57
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