Bad Larrivee fret work on a new P-09

[jimmyb]

All,
I have a P-09 (built in July of this year) and I am getting alot of buzzing on the high E and B strings in the 1st 5 frets. I looked closer and the fret wire is not seated against the fretboard over much of the neck. I can slide a sheet of paper under the fret wire all the way to the tang in about 30% of the frets. Anyone else had an issue like this? Also, this is NOT a lack of humidity situation (I am in the South, no lack of humidity here!), I keep all my guitars in their cases in a humidity controlled closet (kept 48%-55%) and I have never had an issue like this before.

Jimmy

PS. Did you know that ANY warranty work performed on a Larrivee MUST be done by Larrivee? So, you must ship your guitar to California (or Canada). That's a good way for Larrivee to save money on warranty repairs as the customer (Me) is responsible for shipping both to and from Larrivee. So, in my case (the frets), by time I ship (and insure) this guitar across the country, I am probably better off paying my local luthier to do the repair (especially since Larrivee is the one who did the shoddy fretwork in the first place). I KNOW my luthier will get it right. Martin and Taylor don't do their warranty work this way...I will think long and hard before buying another Larrivee because of this policy.

[unclrob]

This happens to many guitar companies not just Larrivee.All new guitars should be gone over by a tech.Sometimes during shipping and just sitting in shops,guitars go thru settling periods and in some case's frets need to be reseated.This can happen in the first 6 weeks to 6 months,sometimes longer.As for them not having warranty station in different shops around the country,thats a lot of tech's to interview to see if they meet there standards of ability.

[ffinke]

This happens to many guitar companies not just Larrivee.All new guitars should be gone over by a tech.Sometimes during shipping and just sitting in shops,guitars go thru settling periods and in some case's frets need to be reseated.This can happen in the first 6 weeks to 6 months,sometimes longer.As for them not having warranty station in different shops around the country,thats a lot of tech's to interview to see if they meet there standards of ability.

So very true, Rob.

My L-03 was only 6 mos. old when I bought it and it played horribly. Took it to a tech and now it ranks with the best of 'em.

Lesson to be learned: Don't buy new but then we who buy only used would eventually run out of good guitars. If Larrivee did everything right they could be right up there with Collings, H&D, SCGC etc. but for the price (even for a new one) I'll put up with the occasional set-up or fret leveling.

f

[jimmyb]

This happens to many guitar companies not just Larrivee.All new guitars should be gone over by a tech.Sometimes during shipping and just sitting in shops,guitars go thru settling periods and in some case's frets need to be reseated.This can happen in the first 6 weeks to 6 months,sometimes longer.As for them not having warranty station in different shops around the country,thats a lot of tech's to interview to see if they meet there standards of ability.

Uncle Rob,
In all my years (35+) of playing and buying guitars, I have never had a guitar that did this. Am I incredably lucky, or does this happen alot? Some years ago, I had a Taylor NS62 that the bridge started pulling up on, I spoke with my long time luthier here in Charlotte, he spoke with Taylor, and did the repair here. If Taylor can do it.....

Jimmy

[jimmyb]

So very true, Rob.

My L-03 was only 6 mos. old when I bought it and it played horribly. Took it to a tech and now it ranks with the best of 'em.

Lesson to be learned: Don't buy new but then we who buy only used would eventually run out of good guitars. If Larrivee did everything right they could be right up there with Collings, H&D, SCGC etc. but for the price (even for a new one) I'll put up with the occasional set-up or fret leveling.

f

With all respect, having the frets properly seated is NOT what seperates Larrivee from Collings. I have a 17 year old Collings 000-2H (with it's original frets), that in spite of it's much greater size (see photo), weighs less than my P-09. I don't expect a $1500 Larrivee to SOUND like my Collings, but seated frets...

Jimmy

[unclrob]

Jimmy
I've notice this problem coming up over the past 20 years.When I worked in a retail guitar shop I had to set up every new guitar that came in.It didn't matter if it was a high end.mid price or cheap.I remember when a friend of mine bought a Taylor that he spent over 3 grand on,with in weeks frets were popping up.I called them to see how they did there install hammered,press or drawn and they told me that they used a non barbed fret tang and all I had to do is superglue them into place{which as all know I DON'T DO},anyway within 3 months I had to do a refret.Also after calling Taylor they asked if I wanted to there warranty work when asked how much they paid I declined as it was so little it wasn't worth the amount of paperwork and stamps that it cost me.
I tell everyone that when buying a new guitar to play it for a month or so before bring it to me to do a set up so that it had a chance to settle into its new enviroment.Even then I want to see it again in six weeks or so after the setup.In almost all case's while doing the setup I'll have to do some fret work.so its included in my set ups as part of the setup.

[jimmyb]

Jimmy
I've notice this problem coming up over the past 20 years.When I worked in a retail guitar shop I had to set up every new guitar that came in.It didn't matter if it was a high end.mid price or cheap.I remember when a friend of mine bought a Taylor that he spent over 3 grand on,with in weeks frets were popping up.I called them to see how they did there install hammered,press or drawn and they told me that they used a non barbed fret tang and all I had to do is superglue them into place{which as all know I DON'T DO},anyway within 3 months I had to do a refret.Also after calling Taylor they asked if I wanted to there warranty work when asked how much they paid I declined as it was so little it wasn't worth the amount of paperwork and stamps that it cost me.
I tell everyone that when buying a new guitar to play it for a month or so before bring it to me to do a set up so that it had a chance to settle into its new enviroment.Even then I want to see it again in six weeks or so after the setup.In almost all case's while doing the setup I'll have to do some fret work.so its included in my set ups as part of the setup.

Thanks Uncle Rob. I will take the guitar over today and have my luthier go over this guitar. I guess I don't understand how this seemingly (to me, anyway) really low tech part of guitar building (seating frets) can be done wrong. BTW, this guitar did not hang in a retail shop for months on end, it was completed, shipped to the dealer and then shipped to me, all in the span of a couple of weeks.

It is interesting that the frets are not seated only on the treble side, the bass side are all seated properly. Hey, maybe it's a left handed thing?!

Thanks for your thoughts.

Jimmy

PS. I should add that when I had the bridge problem on my Taylor, they (Taylor) offered my luthier $25 to re-glue the bridge. He negotiated with them and got the full amount of the repair.

[unclrob]

Jimmy in my eye's crap happens and its a shame when it does,someone thinking they did a good job of tapping down the frets and bam they diidn't.Also since the guitar sits low "E" side facing them sometime's they just assume.Sorry you had the problem.Do you know if the guitar was inspected when it arrived at the store?It should have been caught and wasn't.The main thing is are you happy with the guitar otherwise?

[jimmyb]

Jimmy in my eye's crap happens and its a shame when it does,someone thinking they did a good job of tapping down the frets and bam they diidn't.Also since the guitar sits low "E" side facing them sometime's they just assume.Sorry you had the problem.Do you know if the guitar was inspected when it arrived at the store?It should have been caught and wasn't.The main thing is are you happy with the guitar otherwise?

It's funny you say that about the low "E" side. I thought the same thing since the frets on the bass side are fine, only the treble side are not seated and we lefties get used to stuff like that (I ordered a Taylor K22 in 1989 and when it arrived, it was built right handed! Back it went and I waited another 6 months). I guess Larrivee needs to hire a lefty fret guy. Other than this, I do like the guitar. It sounds good, is a great sit in the chair guitar and hopefully when this is fixed, it (the Larrivee) can become what I bought it for in the first place; to become my main gig steel string so the Collings doesn't get any more beaten up than it already is after about 1,500 or so gigs! I'll assume (you know what happens then) that the guitar was NOT inspected at the store level, if it was and they still sent it out, well, I guess that's even worse than not inspecting it at all.

Jimmy

[unclrob]

Life is such a crap shoot sometime's you just want cry,but its easier to shake your head and just smile and move on.Glad to see your getting it taken care of.Also a note to really drive you crazy,I have a friend that use to be a tech,he's left handed and still installed like a righty.He's also the one that taught me to dry fit frets ie:one fret out one fret in,after you made sure the radious of the new fret was perfect then and only then did you tap it in middle first,treb side next then bass side.Then you inspect it thrice before moving on to the next fret.Once refretted clamp a radious bar on let it sit for 7 day's.String up and play for a few days,deliver to client and wait a few weeks so you can check your work.