BEWARE OF SIMS CUSTOM GUITARS!

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Add me to the list of people Sims has lied to. Has had my guitar for 2 years and said it was completed in February. After numerous attempts to get him to ship the guitar I've all but given up and think legal action might be my only option.
 
blackout68 said:
Add me to the list of people Sims has lied to. Has had my guitar for 2 years and said it was completed in February. After numerous attempts to get him to ship the guitar I've all but given up and think legal action might be my only option.
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Road trip.
 
Well, it took almost 8 months, a TON of back and forth texting, lots of being spoken down to, lied to about turn around time, etc. He shipped it back without sending me the tracking number (had to ask for it a few days later to see if he actually did ship it), seemingly no thought to if I liked it, what I think, no apologies for quoting me 6+ week turn around, MULTIPLE times would say "it's ready to box and ship next week" only to have to wait another two months, etc...

However, I am VERY happy with the outcome.... the burst is a little more subtle than I would have liked, but I'm okay with that... I picked the colors, so that's on me, but again, don't mind it at all... Plum Crazy purple on the outside, and a Lamborghini Viola Parsifae in the middle, matching headstock... (this guitar used to be white). Always wanted a purple guitar and now I have it. Nice matte finish which I LOVE.

The work seems good, but gotta say, that guy can go fuck himself. Rude, condescending, dismissive, the works... doesn't seem to give two shits about you or your instrument or how long he has it... had he said at the outset, "hey man, this is gonna take 8 or 9 months," I would not be upset. Wouldn't be upset either if his attitude wasn't as shitty as it was.

Had he put the slightest effort into the customer service experience side (just let me know you are taking care of the instrument, show that you know how valuable/sentimental it might be to me, etc), I would recommend him. But it seems this jackass has never been held accountable for his attitude or rudeness. Maybe one day one of you guys he's really screwed over will smack him senseless when you have to go get your instrument.

I mean, even Sweetwater sends a bag of candy and a follow up call and email.

So, if you can deal with being spoken down to, lied to about turn around time, irritation/condescension when you call him out on it, etc, by all means, take a chance. I'm very happy with what I have now... but his attitude sucks. And if you do take the time to read the BBB complaints against him, he always makes it sound like he was never at fault.

What's the adage? If you run into one asshole that day, it's probably them. If you run into a bunch of assholes that day, it's probably you. Speculation, I'm sure he thinks all his customers who call/text/email about their instrument being kept for so long (when he said the turn around time was going to be much quicker) are assholes...

SO, to me, at least, the work it great. But fuck that guy to the ends of the earth. I hope he falls face first into a bucket of paint.

 

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Any guys refinishing guitars in NYS?
Would love my LP jr redone.
 
Oh I hate this asshole and haven't ever dealt with him. We'll see if he responds.

guitar paint.jpg
 
I hate hearing this, there was a huge thread on Jemsite years ago about the same painter (I think).
 
McLeanAB said:
Well, it took almost 8 months, a TON of back and forth texting, lots of being spoken down to, lied to about turn around time, etc. He shipped it back without sending me the tracking number (had to ask for it a few days later to see if he actually did ship it), seemingly no thought to if I liked it, what I think, no apologies for quoting me 6+ week turn around, MULTIPLE times would say "it's ready to box and ship next week" only to have to wait another two months, etc...

However, I am VERY happy with the outcome.... the burst is a little more subtle than I would have liked, but I'm okay with that... I picked the colors, so that's on me, but again, don't mind it at all... Plum Crazy purple on the outside, and a Lamborghini Viola Parsifae in the middle, matching headstock... (this guitar used to be white). Always wanted a purple guitar and now I have it. Nice matte finish which I LOVE.

The work seems good, but gotta say, that guy can go fuck himself. Rude, condescending, dismissive, the works... doesn't seem to give two shits about you or your instrument or how long he has it... had he said at the outset, "hey man, this is gonna take 8 or 9 months," I would not be upset. Wouldn't be upset either if his attitude wasn't as shitty as it was.

Had he put the slightest effort into the customer service experience side (just let me know you are taking care of the instrument, show that you know how valuable/sentimental it might be to me, etc), I would recommend him. But it seems this jackass has never been held accountable for his attitude or rudeness. Maybe one day one of you guys he's really screwed over will smack him senseless when you have to go get your instrument.

I mean, even Sweetwater sends a bag of candy and a follow up call and email.

So, if you can deal with being spoken down to, lied to about turn around time, irritation/condescension when you call him out on it, etc, by all means, take a chance. I'm very happy with what I have now... but his attitude sucks. And if you do take the time to read the BBB complaints against him, he always makes it sound like he was never at fault.

What's the adage? If you run into one asshole that day, it's probably them. If you run into a bunch of assholes that day, it's probably you. Speculation, I'm sure he thinks all his customers who call/text/email about their instrument being kept for so long (when he said the turn around time was going to be much quicker) are assholes...

SO, to me, at least, the work it great. But fuck that guy to the ends of the earth. I hope he falls face first into a bucket of paint.

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This guitar popped up on my wall the other day when he finished it and was taking some pics before boxing it up.
 
Matt300ZXT said:
This guitar popped up on my wall the other day when he finished it and was taking some pics before boxing it up.
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Yup... nice video of it as well. Looks GORGEOUS. His work, at least for me, is great. There was one chip on the top/back that I saw when I opened the case (wasn't in the video he made), so perhaps that happened in transit. A little nail polish and can't even see it...

His attitude, lack of customer service, delays, unrealistic turn around times, professionalism etc. SUCK. The same story OVER and OVER again that you can find in all of the google, yelp, and BBB reviews. No excuse to treat people the way he has treated them. Fuck that guy.

AND, I find it odd that on page 3 of this thread, there was a screen shot from January 2022 with a BBB rating of "F." And today, 2024, it's a "B-."

To be fair, the 8 months was the entire time I was in contact with him (late December into January chatting about what I wanted, to February when I shipped it, August when I just got it back).

I hope he figures out how to treat people... these are instruments we either paid good money to have, or they have sentimental value, and he doesn't seem to care. Only about how his business looks on the surface. A little customer service would go a long way... can't say I'll recommend him to anyone.

Good luck to him, and I hope through forums like this and reviews that people are more aware of what they are getting into... DO YOUR RESEARCH, I didn't... and when I did, after I sent it in, I was horrified.

I hope anyone else waiting gets their instrument back soon and the way you want it...
 

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Since this thread has some new life, I figured I’d post an update. I did move forward with assembly and set-up of this guitar some time ago - I see I posted that a few pages back. Props to Butala Guitars - the neck is as good as anything I have ever sourced from Musikraft. As is the Body. Neck and neck pocket fit like a glove. Recessed Floyd Route is spot on. Floyd base sits near flush with the body. Pariah Pasadena White pickup sounds spot-on. It looks the part in the EVH ‘Art Series’ case. All in all, a really nice build.
 

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dcburn said:
Any guys refinishing guitars in NYS?
Would love my LP jr redone.
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CHS Custom Guitars. Craig Stofko (sp). EVH-heads go gaga over the jobs he's done. I haven't seen/read any complaints about him.

He does re-fins on the side & not full-time. Apparently there's at least a one year waiting list for EVH inspired guitar custom jobs.
 
PDC said:
Title of the thread says it all. BEWAR OF SIMS CUSTOM GUITARS!

I started a custom build a year ago and wanted a professional finish. I real all the reviews on line and Pat Sims, Sims Custom Guitars https://www.simscustomshop.com/guitars-parts-for-sale/sims-custom-shop-guitars/ Was at the top of the list. The work this guy does is nothing short of amazing Reviews were positive and said ‘just be patient.’

I emailed with Pat a year ago last October and he replied very promptly. We mapped out exactly what I wanted and he quoted a price just over $700.00. We even talked on the phone a couple of times. Pat said it would be 3 months to get the job done. I paid in full last October and the guitar body was delivered on November 3 a year ago. I have confirmation of delivery and Pat himself acknowledged delivery.

By February of this year, having not heard from him, I reached out to see how the project was coming. He said it was ‘almost ready to ship.’ Weeks went by. No guitar. No communication. I reached out again. He said it was ‘almost done and would ship soon.’ Weeks went by. No guitar. No communication. I reached out again. No reply. I reached out again. No reply. I filed a BBB complaint against him. He never replied. His FB Page (here: https://www.facebook.com/SimsCustomShopGuitars) Shows beautiful guitars going out every day to their excited owners. I have FB Messaged him over and over. No reply.

I have sent messages asking, begging, DEMANDING, that he just send the (probably bare wood) body to me and keep the goddam $700.00 he stole for the paint job. I’m ready to just bathe the body in Butcher Block Oil and play the dam thing. Of course, he has not replied.

This dude is a straight up THIEF. YES - the work he does is beautiful. But he is a THIEF! Deal with this guy at your own peril. I’m out close to a grand between the cost of the body and the paint job. I will survive. That doesn’t make it O.K.
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Eart guitars has a similar reputation in both custom and retail guitars. They've apologized publicly a few times but because they send free product to youtubers, all is forgotten and youtubers get paid to give them good reviews.

Scammers will be scammers!
 
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