Should I find a new guitar tech?

[Fowleri]

This is from your original post...if you said this to the tech I can see where he thought you were asking for his opinion...

I email my tech about me buying a brass block because it supposedly gives a little more sustain and I wanted to have the knife edges checked on my Ibanez original edge trem since he lowered the action on it.

I changed the wording in the op but I didn't ask for his opinion

 

[RC Mike]

Sounds like he’s not interested in doing business with you.

 

[John Hurtt]

I changed the wording in the op but I didn't ask for his opinion

What did you say to him, then? Because it's easy to see why the tech would think you were asking for an opinion based on what you wrote. Did you also change the wording of what he said to you?

This is what I was hinting at in my post about your suspension...you have to step back and take a look at what you really did...vs what you did in your head.

 

[Member 37136]

Just leave the poor guitar alone. First you're all hot and bothered about buying a Sustaniac. Then it's an Evertune. Then it's a trem stabilizer. Now it's a brass block. No wonder your tech is sick of indulging you.

Play your damn guitar and learn how to work with, work on, or work around whatever shortcomings you think it has. You need to change yourself, not your gear or your tech. Get off the Internet and get into the woodshed.

 

[Sweetfinger]

Where do you even get a milled brass replacement block for an old Ibanez trem? That seems like something so specialized as to be stoopid expensive if you could even find it.
I'd tell the OP I'll put in your brass block for $150. That's whether it actually fits or not, and if it does, and you don't like it, another $150. to remove it.

 

[what?]

I changed the wording in the op but I didn't ask for his opinion

Your tech's reply is a red flag for me. I've had dealings with these kind of people and they will make it difficult for you by not listening to what you want. I learned how to do setups myself but I still need guitar tech to do refret. I can polish my own frets and file my own nut so I have some idea of what I like/dislike and I don't appreciate someone pushing their opinions on me.

Its another thing if I dont know what I'm doing and asking for a solution.

And I just want sympathize with you. I dont know what happened in the other thread but all the attacks and mocks in this thread are unwarranted.

 

[Emigre]

The tone of the tech's response closely matches the tone of some of the posts.

Coincidence?

 

[Surfreak]

Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.

Amazing how so many around here either never heard or decided to ignore this...

To the OP: if you have already ordered the brass block and you are sure it fits your tremolo, invest a little time and patience in learning how to install it yourself. It is not difficult, and it will allow to do an A/B comparison and hear if you like it.
As for the knife edge, everything wears out eventually. If the bridge returns to zero and the guitar stays in tune, then don't worry about it.

As for your tech, if those are his words I would not want to give him my business. Courtesy in a business conversation is a sign of professionalism, lack of, the same.

 

[JonSick]

I don't know if this is helpful. Ultimately if the tech is not listening to you or treating you with any degree of respect in accord with customer service then by all means move on. I have before too.

As for your specific concerns, I too adjusted Floyd Rose bridges under full tension before I knew that was a no-no. I would say the better made bridges stood up to that perfectly fine although I have not done this in many many years. The cheaper trems on the import guitars did not stand up to it, I would say I've replaced two or three entire tremolos with OFR variants as a result of either my or someone else's monkeying around with it.

As for brass blocks, I did get on that bandwagon. Personally I don't like them. I had them on two guitars and spent a while convincing myself it was an upgrade. But I just didn't get that nice tone I was after, more it was sharp and it lost a bit of body to the tone. I switched one back out to the original block just for research and found myself much preferring it. I switched the other shortly after then sold the brass ones on eBay.

There's a way to say things, personally I really don't think a brass block does anything to help the tone at all. But that's just me. I just like my OFRs stock and as they are made. While you could argue that the original 1984 floyds had brass blocks and THAT is the original, I would say that most of my guitars (as I was only three in 1984) have never had brass blocks, hence I'm used to the sound of non-brass blocks? Who knows, ultimately I'm sure there will be plenty of people who disagree with me and that's cool.

You can easily check for wear on the knife edges yourself. Simply uninstall the strings, remove the tremolo and inspect the area. If it's pitted and damaged then you will need to replace the base plate. Personally if it's not an OFR and you have that damage then I would just upgrade the whole unit. If it's an Ibanez, then you will need to source a new baseplate as there are not many Ibanez models where an OFR will retrofit directly.

 

[nl128]

I didn't ask for his opinion. I told him that I was waiting to receive a brass block that I want him to install and that I'd like him to take a look at the knife edges and maybe lubricate them since he lowered the action of my guitar

where are you located?

 

[Suhrtainly!]

Sounds like he’s not interested in doing business with you.

Sounds like the tech has a sixth sense!

 

[Fowleri]

Nah is just he is lazy I think. He is an old school guy. He probably said that about bras block cause they are pita to change. You have remove everything basically.

 

[Fowleri]

What did you say to him, then? Because it's easy to see why the tech would think you were asking for an opinion based on what you wrote. Did you also change the wording of what he said to you?

This is what I was hinting at in my post about your suspension...you have to step back and take a look at what you really did...vs what you did in your head.

I didn’t change the wording of what he responded at all.

I emailed him before about going and he take a look if the guitar is staying in tune fine or not and said sure bring the guitar saturday so we can find if there are any issues with tuning stability. I responded with that I’m waiting to receive a brass block I ordered and that I want him to check the knife edges for wear and maybe lubricate them since he lowered the action and that ive read that lowering the action can possibly wear out knife edges

 

[johnny q]

I have encountered many techs over the years that act like this - you simply cannot tell them ANYTHING they don't already know. Any strongly held customer opinions will get debated to the 'nth degree. I would say go elsewhere, but many of them are like this.

 

[Gclef]

That's really not how one should talk to their clients. He could be the greatest tech in your area and do wonders for your guitar, idk, but judging from the way he talks you are not going to leave his shop completely happy, and he probably won't care.

So yes, find someone else

True, they shouldnt.

But this is fowleri we are talking about. Did you ever have someone argue with you when you give them advice?

Also, fowleri cant even check his own knife edges? This is like the 3rd thread about it.

Take the f'ing strings off, pop the springs, lift off the bridge and inspect.

I guess it's easier arguing with guys on the internet instead.

Did fowleri get a week off or something?

 

[jbviper4]

Sounds a little bit like my tech. Doesn't sugar coat and tells you what he thinks. You asked his opinion. I'd probably laugh at his honesty. Doesn't mean he wouldn't do it if I insisted it's what I wanted. We don't always agree on what's cool but I do value his opinion. I'm also curious as to your location.

Sounds a little like my guy in Baltimore. When I brought my LP in for a set up, he immediately pointed out that Fenders are far superior to my chosen guitar and he "would do the best he could" on my "log" - which in my case was excellent work and a significant improvement in my LP's playability and sound (Fret leveling, shielding, truss rod adjustment).

I don't care about his opinions too much and he always cashes my check. We have a good relationship.

 

[edwarddavis]

maybe he's right , I worry about changing doctors not guitar techs

 

[JPH118]

Nah is just he is lazy I think. He is an old school guy. He probably said that about bras block cause they are pita to change. You have remove everything basically.

Or maybe he’s done it before and realized the result is not worth the effort, regardless of his fee, possibly due to another customer with higher expectations than a brass block could deliver. He might just be trying to save himself or you the aggravation.

 

[moore_for_less]

Oh dear lord, congratulations. You’ve earned the lowest honor I can bestow.

My ignore list.

 

[aldridt11]

I think the in the reply from the guitar tech, he is saying that the idiots on the internet last twenty years.