Honesty is always the best policy!

If I were that tech, I would have shown it to the owner and ask what I can do to make it right by him. This is surely S.O.P. for most competent techs. Ironically, if this tech did ask, he would have found out that he didn't make the ding in the first place and so, there is zero liability and issue here. Now, although he may have very well have had the best of intentions, because of his deception he's obviously dug a mighty deep hole for himself.

My personal opinion on this whole mess is that the body was switched and the tech (and I'm giving him the benefit of the doubt by calling him that) may not even know what's going on. It is just a gut feeling I have based on many years experience in working in music stores. No competent tech that I've ever known will take it upon him or herself to completely refinish a guitar for a little ding and this is in addition to everything I've said above.

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You dig?

Here is my take on this. The guy should have never "repaired" your guitar without you knowing what happened, especially if he thought he did something to your guitar. I think the shop who hired this technician should pay for a new factory Nitro job to be put on your guitar body. I mean: send it to Fender, and have Fender repair it at the Corona Plant where they do the paint job. If this shop wants to retain this person for employment, that is their right, but they should be liable for all the mistakes he makes. IMHO I would think twice before taking my guitar back there in the future.

This is why I learned to do set-ups and general repairs myself...keep these little accidents from happening. I had one shop try to change bodies on me, good thing I have pictures of all my guitars.

RK

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RK

2007 Fender Highway 1
2012 American Deluxe
2015 MIM Dave Murray HHH
2010 Fender Blacktop
1987 Fender Avalon Acoustic
2012 Marshall DSL 15 watt head

Thanks for all the replies and opinions guys!

Three days past the last time I contacted them and still nothing, I gave them my telephone number and nothing. I hope this is going somewhere, I want my finish back

Oh, and I'm sure they didn't switch bodies. Dead sure really. But it's always something to consider, thanks for pointing it out

Will be posting news as soon as they phone me (or I might phone them, this is getting me very frustrated...)

Once more, thank you for your support, I've found this forum extremely helpful

Hmmm... I almost sure he is not on that mailing list, that tech didn't need to completely change the guitar's finish to correct a smal dent Had a couple of laughs with that article, the tech's face on the first picture is priceless.

Hi rawnoise: we wait with interest.

BTW, maybe Forum user ZZDoc will look in. He has a story about a sneaky body switch on a Strat that would bring tears to the eyes of most of us! But I won't tread on his toes by giving my imperfectly remembered version of it...

Cheers - C

Well, to be clear, I was suggesting that, like that article, your guy probably hasn't refinned the whole guitar, just done a little spot repair. Of course, none of us has seen your guitar.

Anyway, you'll ask them and find out for sure when you collect it. Let's see what they say...

Cheers - C

Look at pictures 4 and 5 of that guitar in the link. I'd swear they are different guitars. The colour is too different and the 21/22nd fret ends look very different too.

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No no and no

You know, I thought the same thing but then I figured it must be just me. Now we have at least two ethical questions about that ad.

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You dig?

Haha! I suspect that's a little too paranoid! Look at the grain on the fingerboard in each photo. It's the same guitar.

Incidentally, (as you know) I took lots of photos of a Strat the other day. Not only did not a single one of them show the color how it actually looks in reality; it managed to look like a different guitar from one photo to another, even in the few pictures I posted.

Amazingly difficult, photoraphing guitars. For a rank amateur like me, anyhow...

- C