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adriangrizzly

Member
Joined
Jul 13, 2019
Messages
8
Location
Germany
Hello!

One month ago my beloved Valentine had an accident. I leant it against my amp and it slipped right into the metal edges of said amp and left a scratch in the back of the neck. I was totally heartbroken. Since this is my number one guitar I would like to get it fixed by the fabulous humans which created this guitar once.

So, last month/4 weeks ago I wrote the Ernie Ball customer service ([email protected]), told them the whole story, sent pictures, a youtube-link so they can judge if they can repair it. I also asked them if it's possible to buy a new neck in case mine could not be repaired. Sadly I received no answer. I waited a little bit because in times like these (covid) everything takes a little bit longer, so that's totally fine.

A few days later I found another email address and I tried to contact Music Man ([email protected]) but didn't get a response either.

My questions: Is there a new email address where I can contact them that I don't know of? :)

Cheers and thank you in advantage,

Adrian
 

WillyD

Ernie Ball, Inc.
Joined
Apr 7, 2010
Messages
610
Location
San Luis Obispo, CA
Hi Adrian,

Thanks for playing Music Man.

We're sorry your email was missed.
Unfortunately, we do not offer cosmetic repairs and recommend finding a local luthier to inquire about fixing that scratch.
 

tbonesullivan

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 24, 2012
Messages
2,250
Location
New Jersey
Seeing as you are in Germany, it would hardly be cost effective to send it back. I'm sure you can find someone excellent over there who specializes in repairing instruments, which often is quite a bit different than making them.
 

adriangrizzly

Member
Joined
Jul 13, 2019
Messages
8
Location
Germany
They have a phone number on their website. I'd try giving a call.

Yup. If you don't get a response to email, call.
Thank you for your replies! I'm located in germany and because of the time difference and the costs of the call, I was looking for way to write them.

Hi Adrian,

Thanks for playing Music Man.

We're sorry your email was missed.
Unfortunately, we do not offer cosmetic repairs and recommend finding a local luthier to inquire about fixing that scratch.
Oh, okay. Thank your for the reply even it wasn't the reply I was hoping for.. ;-)

Seeing as you are in Germany, it would hardly be cost effective to send it back. I'm sure you can find someone excellent over there who specializes in repairing instruments, which often is quite a bit different than making them.
Yeah, I had this on my mind too but wasn't sure if I can trust another luthier since this guitar is a very emotional thing for me but I'll try to find someone!

Thank you guys for the help!

Cheers,

Adrian
 

tbonesullivan

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 24, 2012
Messages
2,250
Location
New Jersey
Yeah, I had this on my mind too but wasn't sure if I can trust another luthier since this guitar is a very emotional thing for me but I'll try to find someone!

Thank you guys for the help!

Cheers,

Adrian
Do you have any pictures of the scratch? Was wood removed when it happened? Is it an oil finished neck, or one with a satin poly finish?
 

banjoplayer

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 8, 2007
Messages
2,683
Location
Ulm, Germany
Hi Adrian,
I´m not a luthier, but from Germany.
rein aus Interesse - woher kommst Du? Ich bin in Ulm? Viele Deutsche sind hier nicht aktiv, aber ein paar...
LG
 

TheSash

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 30, 2020
Messages
77
Location
Germany
Hi Adrian,
I´m not a luthier, but from Germany.
rein aus Interesse - woher kommst Du? Ich bin in Ulm? Viele Deutsche sind hier nicht aktiv, aber ein paar...
LG

Hi,
I‘m from Germany too.
And I have worked for a luthier and I did many repair jobs.
But I have lived in Erftstadt and everything is lost in the flooding.
A picture from the damage would be nice.

German:
Moin, ich bin aus Deutschland und wohne aktuell in der Nähe von Bonn, komme aber aus Erftstadt. Ich habe einige Zeit lang für einen Gitarrenbauer gearbeitet und auch viele Reparaturen gemacht.
Aktuell kann ich nichts machen, da bei der Flut erstmal alles verloren gegangen ist, aber ggf. kann ich vermitteln?
Ein Foto von dem Schaden wäre auch nicht verkehrt.

Grüße
Sascha
 

TheSash

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 30, 2020
Messages
77
Location
Germany
Bei mir iss immer Moin, oder Tach, egal wo oder wann, auch wenn ich gebürtiger Rheinländer bin :)
 

adriangrizzly

Member
Joined
Jul 13, 2019
Messages
8
Location
Germany
Do you have any pictures of the scratch? Was wood removed when it happened? Is it an oil finished neck, or one with a satin poly finish?

Hi Adrian,
I´m not a luthier, but from Germany.
rein aus Interesse - woher kommst Du? Ich bin in Ulm? Viele Deutsche sind hier nicht aktiv, aber ein paar...
LG

Hi,
I‘m from Germany too.
And I have worked for a luthier and I did many repair jobs.
But I have lived in Erftstadt and everything is lost in the flooding.
A picture from the damage would be nice.

German:
Moin, ich bin aus Deutschland und wohne aktuell in der Nähe von Bonn, komme aber aus Erftstadt. Ich habe einige Zeit lang für einen Gitarrenbauer gearbeitet und auch viele Reparaturen gemacht.
Aktuell kann ich nichts machen, da bei der Flut erstmal alles verloren gegangen ist, aber ggf. kann ich vermitteln?
Ein Foto von dem Schaden wäre auch nicht verkehrt.

Grüße
Sascha

Hello and once a again thank you (+dankeschön!) for your messages.

Here are the photos and videos that show the scratch, it doesnt look like a big one but you feel it everytime you play the guitar, which is heartbreaking.

YouTube Link 1: Valentine Neck #1 - YouTube
YouTube Link 2: Valentine Neck #2 - YouTube
Images: Music Man Valentine Neck - Album on Imgur

Any help is appreciated! Thank you! :)
 

tbonesullivan

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 24, 2012
Messages
2,250
Location
New Jersey
Hello and once a again thank you (+dankeschön!) for your messages.

Here are the photos and videos that show the scratch, it doesnt look like a big one but you feel it everytime you play the guitar, which is heartbreaking.

YouTube Link 1: Valentine Neck #1 - YouTube
YouTube Link 2: Valentine Neck #2 - YouTube
Images: Music Man Valentine Neck - Album on Imgur

Any help is appreciated! Thank you! :)
Oh, I totally get that, I really do. It's right where you feel it.

That looks like an oiled neck though, which is actually good. That looks mostly like a dent, so it can probably be steamed out using distilled water, a towel, and an iron. Then a bit of tru-oil should be able to make it like it never even happened.
 

adriangrizzly

Member
Joined
Jul 13, 2019
Messages
8
Location
Germany
Oh, I totally get that, I really do. It's right where you feel it.

That looks like an oiled neck though, which is actually good. That looks mostly like a dent, so it can probably be steamed out using distilled water, a towel, and an iron. Then a bit of tru-oil should be able to make it like it never even happened.

Thank you for your response! TheSash recommended me the same technique. Sadly I have two "left hands" as we say in germany. I have the tendency to make things worse as soon as I put my hands on something... But it's great to know it can be fixed by someone with knowledge. Thank you once again for your help, guys!
 
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