Pics? Evidently that's up to the site Admin.
Anywho:
I found this guitar @ GC in Marietta GA.I noticed the price was kinda low,and the guitar was high up on the wall.I asked to see it,and I quickly noticed why the tag price was $550.There was LOTS of relief in the neck.
Sooooooo,I ask the kid working there to adjust the relief out.He tries.And tries.And tries.And tries.And still,he tries.No luck whatsoever.I tell him that I'm still interested,but we're gonna have to talk about the price.This kid was awesome and had a humorous attitude about all of this.
The neck is not moving.He asks if I'm still interested in this guitar.I say yes.He says,"Well...." ,then looks at the price tag.I tell him
politely and gingerly if he wants to sell me that guitar,the price must come down.I explained that if that guitar needs major work,by the time I sink the required money and time into it,I might as well buy one that is clean.Therefore the buying price must reflect an amount that makes the effort and/or risk worth it.Mind you,I did NOT do this whining and complaining.I told the kid this is part of negotiation,nothing more.He smiled,and said "I'll go talk to the manager."
Kid comes back."Manager says $450".I replied,"Now the fun begins", in an amiable,joking way.Kid smiles and asks'"That price ok?".I reply,"Here we go.$250."
Kid disappears ,comes back."$400".I reply "$300.Ain't this fun?"
Kid comes back, "$350 without a case." I reply,"I'm looking at this as guitar rescue.If I leave it here,will it have a good home elsewhere?" I buy it.
Month later,guitar still isn't right,but has great tone.I take it to 2 different luthiers here in Atlanta,both give me the same expensive answer.One suggested a Mighty Mite neck.My gut said there is a better way to do this right.
I fire the neck off to a famous guy out there in California.He calls me back,saying the truss rod is in great shape.He puts a new nut on the end of the rod,levels the frets,sends it back to me .Then tells me to "let him know how it turns out".Neck held for 15 minutes.But he did a bang-up job and
didn't charge me much at all.
Meanwhile a few months later....
One day I'm moving along HWY 360 to get some parts for my racebike and I see some longhairs playing hacky-sack in a parking lot.I see a glass storefront behind them with a neon Fender sign in the window.Of course,I pull in the parking lot to check out the store.I meet the owner,we get to chatting.This particular store does repairs,lessons and sale of mostly used guitars,nothing else.Not a dealer or anything.We get to talking and I tell him about my G&L ASAT and all the details.He says,"Give it to me,I can fix that."
And he
did.I'll be buried with this guitar.