Finish flaws on ASAT Tibute?

[asatdude]

1st post for this longtime follower. Just picked a new ASAT Tribute Bluesboy semi-hollow in tobacco sunburst. Absolutely love the playability and tones I get out if both pickups.

I have a question on the finish. The are some blemishes in the top that look like scratches that were filled in by the finish- they're under the poly. Is this normal/acceptable or should I ask guitar center for another?

[green swirl]

If you bought this new I would take it back for a replacement. The more shabby work that gets sold without reprisal degrades the work ethic or standard of any company. If they have to constantly replace guitars they will find the source of the problem and fix it. This benefits all future buyers and the company. You do us all a favor.
Someone will buy it used cheap and be happy because it is so playable. The used price on this particular guitar will never be high because of the scratches. My 2 cents.

[asatdude]

Thanks-I was leaning in that direction. This is actually my second round on this. The first one was so bad I didn't even bring it home.

[Craig]

1st post for this longtime follower. Just picked a new ASAT Tribute Bluesboy semi-hollow in tobacco sunburst. Absolutely love the playability and tones I get out if both pickups.

I have a question on the finish. The are some blemishes in the top that look like scratches that were filled in by the finish- they're under the poly. Is this normal/acceptable or should I ask guitar center for another?

Welcome!

Please post some photos and if possible a closeup of the areas showing these blemishes.
See Tutorial: Posting photos for details on posting photos.
Also check out this post, too (if you haven't already): Welcome! Read This First

[Craig]

Still waiting for photos showing these blemishes. I will forward them to the G&L for their inspection.
Also, what is the serial number of this guitar and which dealer/location did you purchase from?

Thanks.

[Darth Invader]

Hi asatdude,

Craig sent me the pics. I'm seeing the natural woodgrain of the Swamp Ash. Very often there are those cross-grain streaks that are part of the character of Swamp Ash. You'll find that on $2000 guitars as well including our Fullerton-made guitars, Fender Custom Shop etc. Yours also has some cool figuring in the lower area beneath the bridge. It was forming large Bird's Eye shapes, quasi-flame. I like it!

Dave

[Craig]

Hi asatdude,

Craig sent me the pics. I'm seeing the natural woodgrain of the Swamp Ash. Very often there are those cross-grain streaks that are part of the character of Swamp Ash. You'll find that on $2000 guitars as well including our Fullerton-made guitars, Fender Custom Shop etc. Yours also has some cool figuring in the lower area beneath the bridge. It was forming large Bird's Eye shapes, quasi-flame. I like it!

Dave

Here are the photos:

[zapcosongs]

Welcome asatdude!

In looking the photos over, I don't think I'm seeing a flawed finish. Looks to me like the unique characteristics of the wood selected for your beautiful guitar.

If I were you and I loved the way the guitar plays and sounds, I'd leave well-enough alone here. Just my two cents.

Have a great day. - ed

[JagInTheBag]

That is the beauty of a natural wood finish. Love the cross-grain streaks as well as the curling around the bridge. Sweet!

[suave eddie]

Maybe I am the only one who agrees with the OP that this looks like crap. It may not be "finish flaws" but this particular piece of wood should have been used for a solid color rather than a natural finish. I don't believe that this piece of wood would have been chosen for a natural finish if it were a USA made G&L. I guess this is to be expected from the import line.

You'll find that on $2000 guitars as well including our Fullerton-made guitars, Fender Custom Shop etc

I've never seen that on Fullerton-made guitars.....I could be mistaken...I'd like to see examples.

[asatdude]

Thanks to all for your responses to my posting. I personally agree most with the last posting. Regardless of whether this is or isn't/should shouldn't be acceptable on this I didn't like the wood on this guitar or the prior one I ordered from G and L. I'll chalk it up to personal preference. I decided to go with a standard Tele which arrived in a flawless sunburst alder. I am very satisfied with the Tele (though I may throw a mini humbucker in the neck). I plan to look into G and L in the future - perhaps if/when I can justify going American. Thanks again.

[willross]

I have that all over my Anderson Hollow T Classic, alder body. It's natural and it's a $4,000.00 guitar too...


Cheers,

Will

[KenC]

I think they look great. You can pick a bit of this figure up in this pic of my L-2000 fretless:



There's a bit of the figure running in line with the switches, and another line of it running above the pickups. It's much more pronounced in person. I love it.

Sorry if this pic has shown up in too many threads lately...

Ken

[suave eddie]

I think they look great. You can pick a bit of this figure up in this pic of my L-2000 fretless:

I see nothing in that picture that relates to what I see in the OP's post. What I see are blemishes that cross the grain and look like scratches that are not sanded out in the upper left bout. They probably did not show up until it was stained. The figuring in the lower part of the body does not look bad. The L-2000 has a beautiful piece of Ash with fine looking grain. The wood on the ASAT almost looks like Pine with hardly any nice grain showing except in the lower part. If I had ordered that guitar I would have sent it back also. I've seen many Tributes with fantastic looking Ash bodies--that one is not exceptional at all.

I have that all over my Anderson Hollow T Classic, alder body. It's natural and it's a $4,000.00 guitar too...

Do you have any photos of that? I would expect that more on an Alder body.

[asatdude]

In person, they really do look like scratches that weren't properly sanded that showed up after stain was applied.

[willross]

Here:



Darth is right...


Cheers,

Will

[Dave_P]

I agree that the marks are just figuring in the wood, personally, I like it but to each his own I guess

-Dave

[meowmix]

Maybe I am the only one who agrees with the OP that this looks like crap. It may not be "finish flaws" but this particular piece of wood should have been used for a solid color rather than a natural finish. I don't believe that this piece of wood would have been chosen for a natural finish if it were a USA made G&L. I guess this is to be expected from the import line.

I agree. It looks like scratches one would find on a used guitar. Hard to believe that is flaws in the wood.

[Elwood]

Hard to believe that is flaws in the wood.

Well, it's wood (flaws are relative to the human experience).
I've bought many guitars onine, but only one that I didn't see pictures of the instrument beforehand .
I can see how personal preferences and online purchasing can create situations like this.

I see it as sorta sad that the overhead costs of online vendors have to include some returns that could be avoided with a digital pic and a little more patience on the buyers side when considering a purchase.

Here's an Alembic bass with similar inclusions in the figuring, though with a bit more mineral content in the streaking.
These basses go for a couple grand and up.







el wood

[louis cyfer]

Maybe I am the only one who agrees with the OP that this looks like crap. It may not be "finish flaws" but this particular piece of wood should have been used for a solid color rather than a natural finish. I don't believe that this piece of wood would have been chosen for a natural finish if it were a USA made G&L. I guess this is to be expected from the import line.

I agree. It looks like scratches one would find on a used guitar. Hard to believe that is flaws in the wood.

it's under the finish. it is easy to differentiate from surface scratches. now, to tell the difference whether it is a surface scratch before finishing that the stain brings out, or it is figuring in the wood is more difficult, usually not being able to sand it out.

[zapcosongs]

That's a beautiful bass, Elwood. Great wood uniquely figured. Powerful stuff. - ed

[KenC]

I see nothing in that picture that relates to what I see in the OP's post.

My bad. They pretty well disappeared in the scaled down pic, and as I mentioned they didn't show as well in the original pic as they do in person. The most I can make out in my posted photo are a series of small squiggles above (that is, on the bass side of) the pickups and some in line with the control switches. My intention wasn't to show that the bass is flawed, but rather that one owner's defect can be another owner's figuring.

My swamp ash El Toro has a large area of intense flame, with a lot of stray marks and squiggles all around it. My photography skills aren't up to the task of getting it to stand out without massive reflections from the Clear Blue finish, so I don't have any good pics showing the marks. Again, I find them pleasing but could see other players thinking of them as distractions from the grain pattern.

The wood on the ASAT almost looks like Pine with hardly any nice grain showing except in the lower part.

I agree. I was referring to the cross marks, which look like a natural figure to me (or clearly a flaw to others). The ASAT has about the most flat-sawn body I've ever seen, to the point that the upper bout bout has no visible growth rings. It's pretty typical of lumber from a large tree that had no shade and grew very quickly - possibly a farmed tree? If I had bought this guitar new I would probably have been bummed about the overall lack of grain, but not the cross marks. Then again, that's just my personal preference.

I don't believe that this piece of wood would have been chosen for a natural finish if it were a USA made G&L. I guess this is to be expected from the import line.

I wouldn't expect hand-selection and matching for the relatively low-cost import line, especially considering how much value there already is in the construction, electronics and finish. There has to be some aspect of chance. AFAIK, it's not possible to specify anything about the body wood other than species and having a flamed or quilted cap for USA models. The only grain option I'm aware of is going with a quartersawn neck. The one thing I'm concerned about with my eventual purchase of an LE-2 is the possibility of being underwhelmed by the body's grain.

Here's an Alembic bass with similar inclusions in the figuring, though with a bit more mineral content in the streaking. These basses go for a couple grand and up.

Thanks for those Alembic pics. It's been hard enough containing my GAS while I wait for the LE-2 to be ready for ordering. Random Alembic porn makes it even more difficult...

Ken

[Elwood]

Thanks for those Alembic pics. It's been hard enough containing my GAS while I wait for the LE-2 to be ready for ordering. Random Alembic porn makes it even more difficult...

Ken

hhehe.. I hear ya. (You'll be happy to hear that my new to me L-2000 rivals the tone Alembics are known for..
watch for a new porn thread soon )

elwood

[JagInTheBag]

I've said it on the LE-2 thread and I'll say it here, I've asked Darth if we can swing some AAAA highly figured Ash in one piece slab bodies for LE-2. We all might be upset about a big pick gaurd if we're able to get it.

[KenC]

We all might be upset about a big pick gaurd if we're able to get it.

In that case, I'll be ordering an aftermarket pick guard that only covers the routes!

Ken

[Craig]

I've said it on the LE-2 thread and I'll say it here, I've asked Darth if we can swing some AAAA highly figured Ash in one piece slab bodies for LE-2. We all might be upset about a big pick gaurd if we're able to get it.

In that case, I'll be ordering an aftermarket pick guard that only covers the routes!

Ken[/quote]

Thanks for those Alembic pics. It's been hard enough containing my GAS while I wait for the LE-2 to be ready for ordering. Random Alembic porn makes it even more difficult...

Ken

hhehe.. I hear ya. (You'll be happy to hear that my new to me L-2000 rivals the tone Alembics are known for..
watch for a new porn thread soon )

elwood

Guys, you have hijacked this thread-the LE-2 discussion belongs in the LE-2 subforum, not here.