After being back at Leo's for a short visit, my Tiger is back home with me.
A few months after I got it, the finish began to lift off the brass binding in multiple areas around the guitar.
I never thought much about the different expansion/contraction properties of metal and wood and it wasn't something that Leo and I ever discussed during the build process. He easily could have told me that this is an simple fact of nature and that it happened on Jerry's guitars as well. Even Matt Moriarty has a disclaimer on his website stating that he can't guarantee this finish work, though neither of us knew that at the time. Instead, Leo graciously offered to take the guitar back, completely strip and respray it at no charge to me. He used a few tricks that he learned from such masters as Tom Lieber to help reduce the chances (or at least severity) of this happening again in the future.
I don't care whether you're having a house or a guitar built (and I've been through both), unexpected and often unavoidable things are bound to happen. It's how the builder handles these little "speed bumps" that truly separates the professional from the amateur. I can recommend Leo without the slightest hesitation. He proved himself the first time around to be a luthier of uncompromising quality and the second time around as a person of unmatched character.
Thanks again, man!
A few months after I got it, the finish began to lift off the brass binding in multiple areas around the guitar.
I never thought much about the different expansion/contraction properties of metal and wood and it wasn't something that Leo and I ever discussed during the build process. He easily could have told me that this is an simple fact of nature and that it happened on Jerry's guitars as well. Even Matt Moriarty has a disclaimer on his website stating that he can't guarantee this finish work, though neither of us knew that at the time. Instead, Leo graciously offered to take the guitar back, completely strip and respray it at no charge to me. He used a few tricks that he learned from such masters as Tom Lieber to help reduce the chances (or at least severity) of this happening again in the future.
I don't care whether you're having a house or a guitar built (and I've been through both), unexpected and often unavoidable things are bound to happen. It's how the builder handles these little "speed bumps" that truly separates the professional from the amateur. I can recommend Leo without the slightest hesitation. He proved himself the first time around to be a luthier of uncompromising quality and the second time around as a person of unmatched character.
Thanks again, man!
