What qualifies as a blem?

[D.o.S.]

This could certainly be an argument from buying from a real brick and mortar shop, though.

[plaidbeer]

The last guitar I bought (VM Mustang) was from a local independent shop and I do buy accessories there, along with GC. However money was a bit tight at the time and I used my card with this place. Also, I've always had good service through them.

[Mike]

Man, you are really passionate about a faint little scratch on something that is going to be scratched anyways. I would buy it in the store if I inspected it. I have been a customer and a salesperson, and honestly for a fainst scratch like that on a scratchplate it would be more hassle than its worth to ship it back and order another.

Meh... I don't see how I was being really passionate. I just explained a different point of view than yours. I mean, the scratch is why the original poster started this topic, right?

For me, no matter how hard I play my guitars, I don't ever scratch the pickguards with my pick. Poly guitars don't seem to wear unless you beat the crap out of them. After 20 years, a modern guitar that is taken care of will probably look pretty much how it looked when it was new, flaws and all.

All of the Squiers I bought brand new have little problems, as do the Fenders. In the past few years, I have bought a VM Jazzmaster (dark flecks and paint ripple on the back) a Cyclone (bad neck pocket paint), CV 50s Tele (near perfect), VM Jag Bass SS (dimples in the neck, crooked tuners), and a VM Jaguar (scrape between bridge and tremolo). My Fender standard strat came with a hariline crack in the neck pocket, just like my Am. Std. strat had when I bought it 20+ years ago.

These were all fine with me. You just have to decide what is acceptable to you. In an age where many guitars are bought sight unseen from retailers with extremely liberal return policies, we each get to decide when and why we send a guitar back.

Mike

[rfurtkamp]

Yep. My new production Casino has one sharp fret edge (not razor, just not like the others) I'll fix. Haven't seen any other apparent blems yet but I've had it a day and haven't hit it with a fine-toothed comb.

Sounds like I wanted, and I'm not risking the magic over a filing job I can do myself on the end in < 5m.

[masked elwood]

i don't trust people that worry about scratching their guitar. it's like complaining that your hammer got banged on.

[rfurtkamp]

Yep. As long as playability isn't affected, don't care about *any* cosmetic damage on a guitar any more. Or putting on stickers or whatever.

In my own way, I'm 16 again, and I like it.

[KaosCill8r]

In my own way, I'm 16 again, and I like it.

I think I may be going through that 16 again phase too. Yay midlife crisis. Could be worse though. We could be going through menopause.

[rfurtkamp]

I am having no crisis, I traded my health to not have one.

Just hitting the point where I give absolutely less fucks about anything that I don't like than ever before.

[KaosCill8r]

I am having no crisis, I traded my health to not have one.

Just hitting the point where I give absolutely less fucks about anything that I don't like than ever before.

Not sweating the little stuff eh? I hear ya.

[rfurtkamp]

Nope, at this point none of it matters.

It's my music, my rat, and what makes me happy as much as I have until I fall over, as often as I can.

"Have a good time, all the time" except when I'm sick, and even then...I try.

[rfurtkamp]

Nope, at this point none of it matters.

It's my music, my rat, and what makes me happy as much as I have until I fall over, as often as I can.

"Have a good time, all the time" except when I'm sick, and even then...I try.

[KaosCill8r]

I guess an illness that threatens your life really put things into perspective.

[rfurtkamp]

Yea, it does. This is a crippling slow death, all the fun of a terminal illness without any make a wish foundation or rounds of chemo. At least my hearing and hands are still intact.

[KaosCill8r]

I guess that's the plus side if you could call it one. That's the only thing I would hate is loosing the use of my hands and ears. Playing guitar is one of my favorite things ever. Really sucks to know you are going through the shit dude. I feel for you.

[rfurtkamp]

It could be worse, I can make music and do what I want without any sort of worry about money (I get enough, not a huge amount, but enough).

I just pay for it being really sick a couple days a month and being a deformed cripple worthy of children pointing.

Which doesn't happen much because I don't leave the house these days, which I'm also fine with.