I read several guitar forums and it seems that almost every day someone is posting an article about finding a guitar in poor shape and wondering if it can be fixed.
Okay, I know some of you here are fixer-uppers and master guitar techs, so no restoration job is hopeless, but on the other side of the spectrum, you've got guys like me whose total inclination for guitar tech is to change a set of strings. And even that I don't approach with glee.
So, for the guys like me who don't have a guitar workshop or the skills or desire to pull apart a guitar into its component pieces, what makes someone want to buy a guitar that has problems that the prospective buyer can't knowingly resolve?
Personally, I want a playable guitar out of the box. Is that too much to ask? I have never even considered buying a guitar where it's known that some repairs are needed. "Hey, this is a great guitar. All it needs is a little touching up where a rhino gored it." "Yeah, I love this guitar. The neck bows like an archery competitor, but with a reset..." I even balk when I read about a guitar that has already been repaired. "The headstock broke and then fell off, but it was rebuilt by master luthier Succon Deeznutz..."
Yes, I'm trying to spark a little conversation. What's your opinion of online shopping (or even in person) where a guitar has obvious problems. Do you think you can fix it and it's truly a bargain, or do you move on to the next, perhaps regretting walking away from a "real deal?"
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