New CJ35 With Huge Defect On The Back

[michaelnel]

My new CJ35 just arrived from Chicago Musical Exchange, purchased on Reverb. It was packed better than any guitar I have ever seen. Unfortunately it has a LARGE defect running across the back of the lower bout. It's so deep I can even feel it with my fingertips. It appears to be UNDER the finish. How could something like this get out on a guitar this expensive?

As I thought it is very difficult to photograph without the proper soft lighting, but I have attached some photos where you can see some of it. The defect is a wavy / jagged line that is close to 1/8" wide, and I put down pieces of blue tape that marks the two ends of the long continous defect.

It is perhaps 1/32" deep and has smooth edges. It is not a scratch, it does not go through the finish, it appears the finish was applied AFTER the defect happened. I am simply dumbfounded that this got past Collings' and CME's QA.

I will try tomorrow to take some better photos with a tripod and natural light, but... I do not want this guitar with this defect. It would greatly devalue it if and when I wanted to sell it.







I have written to both Collings and CME about it. I want to send it back.

[michaelnel]

Further, now that I am over the shock of the damage to the back, I find there are lots of other smaller sharp scratches on the back, and pick scratches below the soundhole on the front.

This is not a new guitar, even though CME claimed it was.

[f5joe]

Agree. Send it back quickly.

[michaelnel]

Well, maybe it's new in terms of never having been sold before (the registration card is in the case), but not new in terms of condition. It looks as beat up as any $200 Yamaha hanging in a Guitar Center store.

I am sooooo pissed.

[Haasome]

I feel your pain. I had a very similar experience buying a SCGC H-13 from CME about 1-1/2 years ago. I was totally bummed when I opened the case and saw similar dent/impressions on the back of my new guitar. In my case, I was able to get a discount that satisfied me.i will add one picture below that shows one of the damaged spots,but there were several. They resemble yours. It makes me wonder if this happens in their store from rough customer handling. Still no excuse. They should inspect before shipping.

[michaelnel]

Thanks for sharing your experience. I think they are selling guitars on Reverb that have been too badly beaten up in the store to sell there. I certainly would not have bought this one had I had a chance to inspect it.

I am looping Collins support in on this too, especially because the major big defect appears to be UNDER the finish. There are lots of other scratches that are sharp and into the finish, but not the big one.

[Kris W]

What did CME say when you contacted them ?

[michaelnel]

CME has only responded with this:

Thanks for reaching out and sorry to hear you're experiencing issues like this. At this point I'm not sure how that got through our inspection, or if it happened as some point after/during shiping. I know you mentioned it may be hard to get pictures, but we'd really appreciate having a look if so!

I had already sent them pics when I received the above. I have heard nothing from them since.

[Kris W]

Then your next step is to contact Reverb. They’ll make it right and their phone reps are top notch.

[armdog]

+1 Reverb takes care of these situations, I had a somewhat similar situation with a Martin guitar.