Washburn Spells Custom Shop with a "K"

[bones_19l]

I just picked up a Washburn Custom Shop Blue Quilted Soloist Guitar because it had a Floyd Rose.
I bought it online, and when it arrived, The Horror started to sink in.
This Guitar, a Custom Shop edition, had the bridge screw holes so far off, the low E was bordering off the fret board, and the Hi E was about 1/4 + inches in from the edge.
I am attaching a photo with the key elements that I found.

1) Any Company selling a Custom Shop made Axe with this kind of B.S. Should be flipping burgers down a mickey D's, Not tossing these logs out to the public. What? If this was a bone, I wouldn't feed it to my dog.

2) It says Washburn on it<Kustom Shop. (the tool holder on the headstock was something I added_You wouldn't think they could achieve that kind of convienient added accessory When they can't even drill a hole correctly on a Custom Shop Guitar.)

3) The last time I had a guitar serviced, 5 years ago, I was charged $75.00 to have a saddle replaced on my Guild 6 string accoustic. I got it back with a saddle shoved in the slot, not notched, not cut for action. I could do that in about 60 seconds with a string winder. I refuse to have anyone touch a guitar but myself since then. The same thing happened with my Guild 12 string. I had a thinline pick-up installed (different place, same time period),
and they didn't cut the saddle down to compensate for the new pickup sitting under it. I went gigging directly from getting it, and thank God I had my sharpest knife with me. I wittled it down after the first song about threw my back out excerting pressure to reach the fret board. They both now play like an SG action wise.
a) The above story was to give some history on my feelings towards repair shops. I could show you another Washburn that fell and snapped the neck. The repair was not even close and it plays like crap. You can't set the neck or anything. It has a crap Washburn tremelo as well, and with the neck ruined, it's wither way too high or way to low. No way to set it proper. BTW, it looks like the blue one (attached) but in yellow, and rosewood. I'm selling it if anyones interested in a Washburn with a bad neck. So, Now, besides Fender not replacing a neck for me on a 50th Aniversary Telecaster (sunburst and gold) that had brittle neck finish and chipped like old house paint, (I think I'll attach a pic of that neck as well. Thank You Fender!)
This is downright incompetence. But, as stated above, I will keep it and fix it myself.
4) I would send it back, but thanks to El_jalepeno, who's floyd rose post got me through my first installation, (Thank you again El_jalepeno) I am doweling this myself. I started drilling yesterday, but one of the dowels came loose. (They also oversized the holes on this guitar, so I included some tooth-pick wedges with the dowel this time, and used 3M monkey-snot instead of wood glue. ( i didn't have any gorilla.)
5) If I knew of a Washburn rep in town, I would take it to him/her and confront the problem. When I bought my HM-80 Washburn from a rep, (with a Khaler), it was set up perfect. I'd like to see a rep. carry this "Custom Shop Guitar around and try to show it off. That would be great.
Sooo, My point is, Where's the pride in a fine Custom Instrument Now-a-days? Not at Washburn, In one case, Not at Fender. I'm Still Looking.
See Attached Photos. You decide.

[VHF]

Stories like that are why I never take anything to a shop anymore. That string alignment on that blue one is fucked up big time by the photo. Hopefully you bought it with a credit card....I would call the back, reverse the charges siting a dispute, and send that POS back to them.

[MattM]

youre right..they should be flipping burgers at mcd's..and for selling you an axe like that. even though all that can be fixed easily, they would be hearing from me.

[El_jalepeno]

Glad the Floyd info posted previously helped you out Bones, but I have to agree with VHfan in that you shouldn't have that much of a problem the first place, especially from a manufacturer claiming (custom shop) status.

As for the hole being too big and the dowel too small, try to redrill the hole just a hair larger and use a larger dowel, sanded down to fit in the hole if necessary. But I would recommend you slap everything back to gether and send it back.

It is unfortunate, but I don't get screwed like that through the mail for whatever reasons (knock on wood!), so I would consider this the exception rather than the rule. And I am sure that Washburn will work with you if you talk to them about the issue. Best of luck, and keep us posted

[bones_19l]

I got off my ass and, since the dowels had dried, re-drilled and set the bridge, neck, intonation and action. It plays sweet now. the only thing was, I went to clamp the strings at the bridge, and the G little block was missing, somehow falling out of it's gig bag. I took the stem of a levi type Jachet button, and looped the string around it and pinched it in with the screw. It worked fine, I might luck out and find that little thing.
Also, I went down to one of the biggest guitar centers in the area for some 12 string strings. ( I had to re-adgust the saddle heighth a little. now it plays with no pressure,...Nice...but , I still need Gold 6 inline tuners to finish my strat copy. I just can't bring myself to pay 29.95 + shipping (the cheapest I found) when all the chrome fender/gibson type are like 9 bucks, and even the gibson gold 3 per side are like 10. What is with Fender 6 in line gold tuners? Anyways, the store didn't stock one set. They said I have to buy online.