New Acoustic......12th fret kink (or ski jump)

[Voxman]

I got a replacement for an Ibanez aw54ceopn and at the neck joint looks like a rise.

The guitar plays fine up to the 11th fret than a few frets are pretty bad, obviously a Hugh fret causing it to not ring out.
I've checked the level of the frets and they are good upnto the 12th, then after a bunch are uneven.

In the pic it looks like ski jump (i jnow this may not be the exact right term)or the 12th fret kink.

Is this a deal breaker? Should I send this back?

 

[Butcher of Strats]

Common enough on cheaper guitars.
Return depends on price range.
If you love it and do not play up that high, you can just level that humped area.

 

[PonyB]

If it's a solid wood guitar, humidify it in its case for a while.
I like the D'Addario in-hole humidifiers myself.

 

[Voxman]

I got it for $280. It's a cheap guitar.

I do play up that high, or at least want the option. I bought it mainly for recording, maybe some gigs too.

I can do the fret leveling on my own, I've got the tools and knowledge.

Am I asking too much from a $300 guitar?

 

[davidKOS]

I got it for $280. It's a cheap guitar.

I do play up that high, or at least want the option. I bought it mainly for recording, maybe some gigs too.

I can do the fret leveling on my own, I've got the tools and knowledge.

Am I asking too much from a $300 guitar?

I think in that price range the frets should be better....but it depends how much you like the sound and value your time leveling the frets.



New price is not much more than you spent.

 

[dspellman]

I got a replacement for an Ibanez aw54ceopn and at the neck joint looks like a rise.

The guitar plays fine up to the 11th fret than a few frets are pretty bad, obviously a Hugh fret causing it to not ring out.
I've checked the level of the frets and they are good upnto the 12th, then after a bunch are uneven.

In the pic it looks like ski jump (i jnow this may not be the exact right term)or the 12th fret kink.

Is this a deal breaker? Should I send this back?

Yeah, send it back along with a copy of that photo. I've found this same kink on brand new Gibsons as well. It's actually probably too much to expect a PLEK job to fix, so I'd return it. If that's already a replacement, they may be screwing with you... <G>

 

[Robins]

It looks like it is not only the neck but the fretboard itself is warped in a strange way.
You could get away with a lot of fret leveling but I am afraid it is not that easy fixable.
I would return it ASAP.

Take care,
Robin

 

[dspellman]

I got it for $280. It's a cheap guitar.

I do play up that high, or at least want the option. I bought it mainly for recording, maybe some gigs too.

I can do the fret leveling on my own, I've got the tools and knowledge.

Am I asking too much from a $300 guitar?

It's not the dollar amount that makes the fretwork; I've got a bunch of relatively cheap guitars that have straight fretboards. I'm willing to spend the bucks (and actually have done) to get a PLEK setup and fret superglue (about $315 from my tech) if the guitar is otherwise worth it in the end. I'm just thinking that's going to be a PIA.

 

[dirocyn]

An average priced guitar is well over $500 these days, so this is definitely a budget guitar. But this is one of the worst I've seen. The hump is higher than the frets--humidity isn't going to help that at all. This is going to need the upper frets removed and the fretboard planed, re-slotted, and re-fretted. That's a big job. Something like this should not have passed QC on a guitar that cost more than $100. If sending it back is an option, that's the move.

 

[Voxman]

I'm sending it back and getting another replacement

 

[rolandson]

Is this a deal breaker? Should I send this back?

Yes.

 

[JustABluesGuy]

I'm sending it back and getting another replacement

Good luck. That was a new guitar?

 

[Voxman]

Yeah. I got it new in box. The dealer didn't even open it.

 

[davidKOS]

Yeah. I got it new in box. The dealer didn't even open it.

I see - the dealer didn't even bother to check the instrument before sending it out?

 

[Will Lefeurve]

There's no way I could live with that, its appalling. Its not so much a ski jump, more a downhill bobsleigh.. You're making the right decision sending it back..