Are these 335 cracks/scratches common?

[conorn30524]

Hi, everyone! His is a lot of firsts for me, first time posting here, first time buying an epiphone and first time buying from Andertons. I received my guitar, a “new” IBG 335 yesterday. I was very disappointed to see the dreaded nut cracks. Can anyone tell me if they look like they’re just in the finish?

There is also strange, perfectly straight (although very mild) scratches on the back of the body, and some more along the bottom. I have emailed andertons, who, although usually praised on their customer service, only offered £20 store credit to make it up to me and suggested I try polish the scratches out myself. I’m awaiting their response to asking for an exchange but I already know these are put of stock. I got the guitar on sale so it would probably cost considerably more to get a refund and buy a replacement elsewhere, before even comsidering that they might make me pay to ship it back and charge a restocking fee.

There was none of the usual case candy at all (despite a big sticker warning to make sure to take it out before dumping the box), no cardboard piece in the top of the box to protect the headstock (the box has clearly taken a beating because of this, I suspect this is what caused the cracks also), and there was no card/paper wrapped around the strings as I believe there usually is. These three missing things have made me suspicious the guitar may be a return/b-stock, or am I being paranoid?

Would you be happy to keep this, or would you press for a return? Its the most money I’ve ever been able to spend on a guitar so I'm honestly a little heartbroken.

 

[Darkness]

Ouch. I wouldn't want to keep it for the price of those. The scratches wouldn't bother me but the cracks would.

 

[soulman969]

Welcome to the forum.

Sorry to hear your first post and first Epiphone experience has turned out so poorly. I don't think there's any doubt they've shipped you a demo or B-stock instrument however you did say you got a significant discount on it. Is the discount enough to compensate for the issues?

Is it Anderton's policy that such instruments are sold "as is" without recourse for a return? I'm with Darkness as far as the scratches go. That's common with demo or B-stock product. The cracks however may or may not be just finish cracks. It's tough to tell from just a photo.

My suggestions is to have a qualified tech or luthier look at them to determine if they're simply finish cracks that won't impact anything but appearance or structural cracks in the neck itself which in that case you don't want to keep that guitar. Let us know how it works out for you.

 

[conorn30524]

Hi, thank you. The discount was just a store-wide summer sale, it wasn't related to the condition of this particular guitar, so I was still expecting a totally unused instrument. Regradless, I found another store selling them for £20 more (including shipping) so I’m going to try return it and buy from them instead.

Andertons allow free returns (and cover shipping) for faulty items, but whether they would agree with me this is faulty may be an issue. If they don’t agree to a full refund PayPal may be able to force a refund if I plead my case there instead.

I’ll await their reply and if they can make it worth it for me to keep and/or make it costly to return I’ll bring it to a tech. There’s no one particularly trust worthy in that regard close by so I would like to avoid it if possible.

 

[conorn30524]

Ouch. I wouldn't want to keep it for the price of those. The scratches wouldn't bother me but the cracks would.

I think I agree. If they will agree that it’s faulty I’m going to try for a return. I’ve seen so many people say IBG guitars arrived flawless so I was happy to risk buying sight unseen but I guess I’ll try again.

 

[FrieAsABird]

I have a red IBG ES335 with similar cracks at the nut. I got it used though for pretty cheap. I’d try gettin a new one in your situation

 

[distortiondale]

Hi, everyone! His is a lot of firsts for me, first time posting here, first time buying an epiphone and first time buying from Andertons. I received my guitar, a “new” IBG 335 yesterday. I was very disappointed to see the dreaded nut cracks. Can anyone tell me if they look like they’re just in the finish?

There is also strange, perfectly straight (although very mild) scratches on the back of the body, and some more along the bottom. I have emailed andertons, who, although usually praised on their customer service, only offered £20 store credit to make it up to me and suggested I try polish the scratches out myself. I’m awaiting their response to asking for an exchange but I already know these are put of stock. I got the guitar on sale so it would probably cost considerably more to get a refund and buy a replacement elsewhere, before even comsidering that they might make me pay to ship it back and charge a restocking fee.

There was none of the usual case candy at all (despite a big sticker warning to make sure to take it out before dumping the box), no cardboard piece in the top of the box to protect the headstock (the box has clearly taken a beating because of this, I suspect this is what caused the cracks also), and there was no card/paper wrapped around the strings as I believe there usually is. These three missing things have made me suspicious the guitar may be a return/b-stock, or am I being paranoid?

Would you be happy to keep this, or would you press for a return? Its the most money I’ve ever been able to spend on a guitar so I'm honestly a little heartbroken.

I had to return two Epiphone Les Paul's before I received one without those cracks at the nut. I can tell by the boxes what the problem is. Epiphone needs to gets their packaging right.

 

[Mimmo]

Agree with the previous posts, I'd get a new pristine one

 

[ThreeChordWonder]

Contact Andertons and see what they say.

If you're unhappy I expect UK law allows you to return it for a refund. You might have to pay your own shipping though.

If you then chose to spend your refund on a replacement from Andertons, that's your choice, but IIRC, and certainly under the old Sale of Goods Act, they can't force a replacement upon you.

 

[conorn30524]

Contact Andertons and see what they say.

If you're unhappy I expect UK law allows you to return it for a refund. You might have to pay your own shipping though.

If you then chose to spend your refund on a replacement from Andertons, that's your choice, but IIRC, and certainly under the old Sale of Goods Act, they can't force a replacement upon you.

All they offered me was £20 store credit so I have just requested a refund. PMT has it in stock for £20ish more expensive including shipping so that’s not a huge difference. Andertons own policy is that they will pay for shipping for goods that arrived damaged, and them offering me £20 is as good as admitting there is something to apologise for (ie the guitar being damaged) so hopefully they won’t argue about paying the shipping. I have heard their customer service is excellent and very fast so I’m pretty disappointed in how its been so far, especially considering I’ve only had one reply from them in 3 working days.

 

[conorn30524]

I have a red IBG ES335 with similar cracks at the nut. I got it used though for pretty cheap. I’d try gettin a new one in your situation

If a discount was offered because of the cracks I may have taken it, but not at full price. How is yours holding up?

 

[imnotcreative]

Looking at the cracks in the first photo it looks like somebody dropped it on the tail end. How about around the strapbutton? Is the area around the strapbutton dented in slightly? Does it have the same cracks around it? Also, is the first photo from the front or the back of the guitar? I think it's the back, in that case it looks to me somebody dropped it first hitting the bottom near the tail end of the guitar which took quite an impact to cause that amount of small cracking, almost as if the impact caused the edge to deform enough to make the finish crack like that.
The cracks at the nut look like the headstock wanted to bend over backwardswith the way the cracks look. Not hard enough to cause it to snap off but enough to crack a pretty tough finish.
I'm not really sure what i'm supposed to see in the third photo. If you mean the slightly lighter coloured streaks going across the body, that to me looks like the slightest bit of flame in the wood. Does the colour shifft from light to dark even ever so slightly when moving it about in the light? Then that most likely is just the slightest bit of flame in the veneer.

I think someone dropped it and then it fell over backwards. I am not a detective or expert of any kind, but that is the conclusion i come to looking at the photo's.

I would return it. Especially if it's a new guitar.
I don't know Brittish law but i think you should be able to return it as damaged goods.
As far as i know here in the Netherlands you are free to return any product (some exceptions like consumables or personal hygiene products after opening the packaging etc.) within 14 days after receiving it without any questions. The product doesn't even have to be defective. This is being abused by a lot of (mostly) women ordering clothes and shoes in multiple sizes and then send back what they don't want. Causing a taxing expense for those shops who have to take it back (and pay for shipping aswell) by law and put it back in their inventory with all the extra work and costs coming with that.

Now i'm just rambling on... I apologize.

 

[Equalphone]

Those are cracks in the wood, not scratches. At least that's what it looks like from here.

The lack of case candy tells me that this guitar already went out to a customer and was returned, or that it was a demo. I'd wild guess that it took a good whack on the neck. The body photos aren't sharp enough to judge IMO but none of it is good.

Take it back. It's not worth compromising on a purchase that big.

 

[conorn30524]

Those are cracks in the wood, not scratches. At least that's what it looks like from here.

The lack of case candy tells me that this guitar already went out to a customer and was returned, or that it was a demo. I'd wild guess that it took a good whack on the neck. the body photos aren't sharp enough to judge IMO but none of it is good.

Take it back. It's not worth compromising on a purchase that big.

I’ve requested a return, hopefully I get my money back before the only place I can order from that has any sells their last two

 

[ThreeChordWonder]

Consumer Rights Act 2022. The old Sale of Goods Act, 1979 (?) " merchantable quality" condition still applies.

You have 30 days to return goods for a refund.

Call your local authority or legal advice centre for the right verbiage to use.

 

[FrieAsABird]

If a discount was offered because of the cracks I may have taken it, but not at full price. How is yours holding up?

It’s been perfectly fine for the two years or so I’ve had it. Can’t feel the cracks, only see them, tuning stability is no issue either.

 

[soulman969]

Hi, thank you. The discount was just a store-wide summer sale, it wasn't related to the condition of this particular guitar, so I was still expecting a totally unused instrument. Regradless, I found another store selling them for £20 more (including shipping) so I’m going to try return it and buy from them instead.

Andertons allow free returns (and cover shipping) for faulty items, but whether they would agree with me this is faulty may be an issue. If they don’t agree to a full refund PayPal may be able to force a refund if I plead my case there instead.

I’ll await their reply and if they can make it worth it for me to keep and/or make it costly to return I’ll bring it to a tech. There’s no one particularly trust worthy in that regard close by so I would like to avoid it if possible.

Smart approach.