JD Kustom @ Marshall Sandton

NorioDS

Took my Ibanez JS-100 and Ibanez Roadstar bass to these guys for a full "professional setup".

They had issues galore. Crackling in the pots, coil tap that didn't work right, a jack coming right out the bass, action a bit too high for my liking and the list goes on.

I also love light strings. D'Addario 9s. And since I got the JS-100, it's had 10s on it. Which seriously affects how much I play.

So I put my instructions in the case of each guitar and sent them off with wifey.

Couple days later, Edwin from JD Kustom calls me to say they're ready. I couldn't pick them up right away but I eventually got a chance this past weekend.

Verdict? Wow! Great service.

The bass has been completely re-wired. EVERYTHING works as it should on there which is GREAT because I can finally experiment with all the settings and tones.

It feels just as nice to play as before but with the added benefit of the jack not dangling out the damn bass ?

The JS-100 is now super easy for me to play. I feel like I'm "back".

The last time I enjoyed playing this much was when I had my purple RG470 which was also set up with "dangerously low" action and was professionaly set up.

So after 4 hours on Saturday and 1 or 2 hours today, I feel like I might actually get back into playing like I've wanted to for so many years.

They also warranty their repairs for 3 months which is great because they blocked the tremolo in the JS-100 for me with a custom-cut piece of wood. I'm LOVING the sustain I'm getting from that axe now. It's jaw-dropping. But I might end up missing the tremolo eventually.

Edwin said, "That's fine! Just bring her back and we'll put her back to normal for you."

So that's nice.

All in all, I'm very happy with the whole experience. Edwin was very communicative and helpful over email. Which is important to me as I hate the phone ?

Next up, I have at least one electric and 2 acoustics that need some professional love. Gonna chat to Grant Fouche about those and let you know how it goes. (But I'll need to save some $$$ first. I've spent all my "setup" money for a while. Hehehehe.)

Stoffeltoo

Nice Norio.
Nothing like a good setup to bit some sparkle back in the fret board. ?

ear-bud

Glad you're happy with your guitars.

Maybe Sandton JD is different than Woodmead? But I am very unhappy with them...

My wife bought me a Martin DRs-1 acoustic through Marshall online a couple of years back. They charged full retail price and then you get free delivery and 'setup' by JD Custom.

When I tuned it the first time it was obvious nobody checked the nut - the g string would jump from flat to sharp the whole time.

We contacted them and let them know I was driving through from Witbank to bring the guitar (R300 petrol on my expense).

When I got there, nobody even hinted at "hey sorry" or "our mistake" or anything. I was taken up to the JD section and greeted by a cocky young guy with a stinking attitude. JD himself was cool and he filed the nut and fixed the guitar up quickly. Meanwhile the young foreign accent dude was making my blood boil dissing one of our top (if not THEE top) builders.

They handed me my guitar and that was that!

Not even a pack of strings or anything to compensate! Not even a "sorry".

NorioDS

Sandton, Woodmead, all the same to me ? I'm directionally challenged ?

StefStoep

I had a very mixed experience at JD Kustom earlier this year, when I took one of my guitar in for work to be done. I had quite a lot of things that I requested to be done.

I ordered new tuners, nut, tailpiece, pick-up covers from Stewmac and after quite a long wait the items finally arrived. On my next business trip to Gauteng and took the guitar and all my goodies with to JD K and booked the guitar in at Woodmead (Think the Woodmead/Sandton shop discussed above is the same shop). After about 3 weeks Edwin phoned me to inform me the guitar was ready. On arrival not one of my extras from Stewmac was fitted, and I made them understand that I am very unhappy and that I want to speak to JD. They asked if i can collect the guitar the following day, I am from Nelspruit and was almost heading back, that wasn't an option. I told Edwin that I would return in a couple of hours. I received a call from JD soon after I left the shop, he apologized for the mess up and told me he would have the guitar ready when I returned. I returned to the shop and as promised my guitar was ready, JD once again apologized and when I asked about Les Paul pick guard, he gave one to me as part of the apology.

I probably did over react in the shop, when the guitar wasn't done, and Edwin got to experience me loosing my temper......which was wrong of me and I am sure we could have resolved the issue without me being an ass.
Even though I behaved like an idiot Edwin and JD treated me as good as their best customer.

As the above was my first experience with JD, I decided to "test" them again....... everybody makes mistakes and we all need second chances. My Strat is currently with them and so far so good.....actually excellent. Edwin has phoned me yesterday to ask a question on my preference with the setup/frets and today he phoned me again just to give me an update on the progress. Communication is crucial in any customer service industry and Edwin is getting that right.....in my experience.

If the work done on my guitar is good and correct this will be the best experience I have had from any guitar tech in the past 10 years and I have used the other guys in Gauteng a couple of times.

I have heard other complaints about JD, but none in the past year. It's seems like the issues that was there has been resolved.

I have another 4 guitars that all need some attention and if all goes well they all will go to JD.

IceCreamMan

ear bud wrote: Glad you're happy with your guitars.

Maybe Sandton JD is different than Woodmead? But I am very unhappy with them...

My wife bought me a Martin DRs-1 acoustic through Marshall online a couple of years back. They charged full retail price and then you get free delivery and 'setup' by JD Custom.

When I tuned it the first time it was obvious nobody checked the nut - the g string would jump from flat to sharp the whole time.

We contacted them and let them know I was driving through from Witbank to bring the guitar (R300 petrol on my expense).

When I got there, nobody even hinted at "hey sorry" or "our mistake" or anything. I was taken up to the JD section and greeted by a cocky young guy with a stinking attitude. JD himself was cool and he filed the nut and fixed the guitar up quickly. Meanwhile the young foreign accent dude was making my blood boil dissing one of our top (if not THEE top) builders.

They handed me my guitar and that was that!

Not even a pack of strings or anything to compensate! Not even a "sorry".

That's probably more a Marshall issue than a JD issue to be honest.

NorioDS

@Stef, I agree. Edwin was great. So communicative, friendly and knowledgeable as well.

And what can beat that 3-month warranty? That's a relief for me coz I hate playing in shops. But after 3 months of playing at home, I'll be able to tell if it's "not quite right" and take it back. (To be honest, maybe other people offer this too. I don't know. Haven't had any gear serviced in years and years!)

GuitarDoge

I had to wait more than 2 months for a bridge reglue for my taylor.

However the work was/is very good and JD did apologize quite a bit for the wait time.

GuitarDoge

Norio wrote: @Stef, I agree. Edwin was great. So communicative, friendly and knowledgeable as well.

And what can beat that 3-month warranty? That's a relief for me coz I hate playing in shops. But after 3 months of playing at home, I'll be able to tell if it's "not quite right" and take it back. (To be honest, maybe other people offer this too. I don't know. Haven't had any gear serviced in years and years!)

As far as I know all repair work for anything is covered by a 3 month warranty by the CPA ?

NorioDS

GuitarDoge wrote: As far as I know all repair work for anything is covered by a 3 month warranty by the CPA ?

I didn't know that. Useful info!

V8

Norio wrote:
GuitarDoge wrote: As far as I know all repair work for anything is covered by a 3 month warranty by the CPA ?
I didn't know that. Useful info!

News to me too, thanks GuitarDoge!

Your right to a warranty on repaired goods
Suppliers are obliged to warrant every new or reconditioned part installed during any repair or maintenance work, and the labour required to install it, for a period of three (3) months after the date of installation or a longer period, as the supplier may specify in writing.

NB! Warranties are null and void if consumers are found to be misusing or abusing goods or property, while under warranty.

I guess that excludes drummers and dj's then... :roflmao:

Squonk

I had my guitar in for a full setup at JD's at Marshall music in the west rand.

Left it in for a week as they were busy. Was ready on the day that they specified and they did a great job.

Was my Peavey T-60, Fixed up some frets, came back as good as new and it's a 1979 model