Complaints

The complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:03/14/2025

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I contacted ******* through ********* about getting my ******* Explorer body stripped and painted in a vintage white. Was quoted $670, which I paid via card on 2-25-2024. I was told the project would take about 6 or 7 months via phone call. I shipped the guitar body the next day on 2-26-2024 via *** and provided the tracking number. I confirmed on *** website that it was delivered. On 9-04-2024 I had contacted him about a change of address which he confirmed; I also inquired about the ETA on when to expect the guitar. He told me it was painted and still needed to be sanded, buffed and polished, but he was sure it would go out that month. The month passed and I still hadn't heard anything from him. I contacted him again on 12/02/2024 asking for another update to which he said it would be going out later that week. At the end of the week there was still no further communication. I contacted him again on 01/08/2025 asking when my guitar was going to be shipped and he told me again it still needed to be sanded, buffed and polished. Fast forward to 03/11/2025 I messaged him "Any update? I was told it would be shipped out the end of the week in December." To which he replied, "Let me check on it." It has been two days and I have yet to hear anything back from him. At this point I just want my refund and guitar body back.

  Business Response

  Date: 03/21/2025

  Hello, this guitar was completed/painted as the customer requested and was shipped. It has already been delivered to the customer.

  *** tracking # ******************

  Customer Answer

  Date: 03/24/2025

  
  
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  
  
  
  Sincerely,
  
  
  
  ****** ********

• Initial Complaint

  Date:11/07/2024

  Type:Delivery Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  Paid to have a guitar painted. I mailed the guitar in May 2023. ******* Sims told me it would take 12-14 weeks. It is now 25 weeks. He does not communicate.
  
  I paid $500 for the work and he kept my guitar. He did not return it.

  Business Response

  Date: 11/07/2024

  This is entire statement he made is completely false. And I’ll be glad to explain why.
  Mr ****** contacted me approximately 6 weeks ago (which is the last time he has called) inquiring about the guitar and the turnaround time. I explained to him this is a laborious process time consuming process and it would be a while still yet before it would be completed and ready to ship, I offered if he did not want to wait any longer I would gladly ship it back to him that very same day and refund him his money so he could send it elsewhere if he thought it could be done faster elsewhere. 
  This infuriated him that I offered to return him his guitar and refund him. He refused to have me return it and requested that I finish the refinishing process and “send it back when it’s completed”. I agreed. He sent this in a text message:
  “I'm now blocking your number. Send me the guitar when it's done.”
  
  
  I have attached/unloaded the screen shot of this text message. Therefore, this has rendered it impossible to call Mr ******. He cut off that form of communication, not me.
  I emailed him just yesterday, which is prior to me getting this complaint from the BBB. I have attached a screenshot of this email, which states:
  “Hello,
  
  Good to hear from you. I’ll send you the tracking Friday. Can’t wait to to add it to the list of completed & shipped guitars.
  
  PS”
  The guitar has been completed and painted as requested and as I stated in my email to him yesterday it will be shipped out tomorrow (Friday).
  #1. I don’t know what else I can do. He didn’t like the turnaround time so I offered to return the guitar and refund him his money. He refused. *Avg turnaround time in the guitar refinishing business is anywhere from 3-6 months depending on how much volume that business does (which is why he didn’t want it returned.,,,he knew he couldn’t get it done anywhere else any faster).
  #2. He says I cut off communication when in fact he’s the one that blocked me from calling him or sending text messages, due to not liking what I had to say on the phone about returning him the guitar (not to mention he made numerous personal attacks against me on the phone that were quite rude which I did not stand for). 
  #3. I emailed him just yesterday informing him of the ship date of his guitar PRIOR to getting this BBB complaint today
  
  
  #4 This comparing is based on 2 things: Communication and turnaround time. He blocks me my number on 9/23…..and on 5/13 he tells me both on the phone and in email “take your time, I’m in no rush whatsoever”. I have also attached this email from 5/13 where he states that.
  
  
  #5 He didn’t pay $500, not that it matters, but the actual amount he paid was $450.
  
  
  Therefore, I was taking my time & was honestly caught off-guard when he called me on 9/23 raising cain about it not being finished yet.
  
  
  As I stated earlier in this complaint, I will be shipping it tomorrow as my email I sent yesterday to him stated. I take a lot of pride in my work & my quality is second to one, which is what has kept me super slammed with order over the last 24-25 years. I do not rush my work and I ensure every guitar is absolutely flawless before it’s returned to the customer. Honestly, this type of work cannot be rushed & this is why there are only a handful of guitar refinishing shops in the entire USA. My BBB reviews attest to the quality of my paint work being among the best in the industry( 100’s of BBB reviews)
  
  
  If I could have finished this guitar any earlier I absolutely would have. It benefits me in no way having a disassembled guitar here any longer than necessary.

  Business Response

  Date: 11/08/2024

  Hello,
  
  This order (refinishing/repainting a Fender Jazz bass) has been completed and shipped as of today. The BBB website will not allow me to post an updated comment since the customer has not replied to my previous comment.
  
  Tracking number for the bass guitar is *** ******************
  
  I have also sent the tracking # and pictures of the completed instrument to Mr. ****, however he has not responded.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 11/08/2024

  
  
  Complaint: ********
  
  
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  
  
  There are many falsehoods in the businesses above statements. I have information collected and will be taking legal action by the end of the day if I do not receive confirmation my property has been shipped by 3:00pm 11/8/2024.

  
  
  Sincerely,
  
  
  
  ***** ******

  Business Response

  Date: 11/11/2024

  # 1 - Tracking information was emailed to the client on Friday 11/8/24 @ 11:23 am, which as of 11/11/24 he has not responded to.
  
  
  #2 - The tracking information was also emailed on 11/8/24 @ 11:35 am to the BBB specialist who is over this complaint in case the client claimed he didn’t receive my email. BBB emailed me back on 11/8/24 confirming tracking information I provided would be added to the complaint. BBB also confirmed receiving the email & text message screen shots where the client stated he was “in no rush whatsoever” as well as a text message stating he was blocking my number over a month ago (9/23/24) and to “send it when it’s done”.
  
  
  #3 As of Monday 11/11/24 *** is showing a delivery date of tomorrow 11/12/24.

  Business Response

  Date: 11/12/2024

  Thank you very much. In regards to complaint ******** filed yesterday, it has now been completed and shipped today. 
  
  *** tracking # ******************
  
  Email has been sent to the customer with the tracking information and pictures of it painted as requested.
  
  ******* 

• Initial Complaint

  Date:11/04/2024

  Type:Delivery Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I sent an unfinished bass guitar body and a pre-made bass neck to be painted in December 2023. ******* Sims (owner) quoted me 9-12 weeks if I got it to him before new years, or closer to 16 weeks if after new years. The job was paid in full before the guitar was shipped out. Sims received the guitar on Dec 22 2023.
  
  April 30 2024 (Week 18) - I inquire about the guitar and am told it has been painted and is currently curing, but 2 more weeks until polishing.
  
  July 9 2024 (Week 28) - I inquire again and was told 2 more weeks.
  
  Today is November 3rd, we are going into week 45 of the year.
  
  I started a discussion on a guitar forum about this business and within a day, I had a dozen people reach out to me with the same story. The people reaching out to me provided many sources (including this page) showing that this is what Sims Custom Guitars has been doing for years and continues to do so with no remorse. Some stories ended with never getting their guitar back, being blocked online, no refunds...

  Business Response

  Date: 11/04/2024

  I apologize for not getting this shipped out sooner, completely my fault for not realizing this hasn’t been boxed up and shipped. Being a 1 man shop and always having 100+ instruments in progress at any given time sometimes 1 can slip between the cracks once in a blue moon if I havent heard from the customer in a long time (last email from customer was approximately 4 months ago, which responded immediately back to….7/9/24)

  I’ll get this boxed up and shipped out this week. I will update the BBB complaint with that information as well.

  And only bc he brought up past work let me say……I’ve been in business since 1999 & painted over 7,000 instruments in that time frame. I have hundreds of 5 star reviews both on ****** and BBB website with a 4.9 rating on ****** & nearly that on the BBB. My reputation for top notch & unmatched quality is what I’m known for worldwide (the BBB reviews attest to that). This is time consuming laborious work, which is why only a handful on people in the USA even specialize in musical instrument refinishing.

  Again, I dropped the ball and I apologize, but a simple phone call, text or email to me anytime in the last 4 months have been sufficient to touch base and check in. Not an excuse, but it is helpful when your super slammed with orders to have the occasional call or text to just check in.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:04/15/2024

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  Paid $1093.50 on 8/26/2023 for custom paint on guitar body. At this point the business will not respond to my Emails. I want him to complete the order or refund it.Since I made this purchase almost a year ago, I searched for problems with Simms Custom shop and found several complaints about this individual.

  Business Response

  Date: 04/25/2024

  First let me say so that people reading this understand & can put these timeframe complaints in context, in my industry (guitar restorations, guitar refinishing and highly complex custom paint jobs like what Mr. ***** requested) 8-12 months is not an unusual time frame. Even custom built guitars from Gibson custom shop, Fender custom shop, etc can be 18+ months to receive the guitar once ordered.
  

  There are guitar refinishing shops that are 4 months out, and there are shops that are 12+ months out. There are only a handful (probably 12 or less) guitar refinishing shops in the entire USA. If you do really good work and are well established (I’ve been doing this since 2001) you have will have a ton business and will be on the longer end of the turnaround time frame, and if you haven’t been around long and arent well established you will be on the shorter end of that time frame. I know one very well known individual in this industry (probably the most well known painter in this industry) whose turnaround time for a custom paint job is 2 years. Therefore, that makes 6-12 months sound fast. I not only paint for individuals, but also do “factory” oem finishes for some of the biggest guitar brands in the industry. My reputation is known for being one of the best in the industry in terms of quality & there are very few refinishing shops in the USA that have been doing it longer than me (23-34 years)…...most of those guys who were doing it before me are already retired now or have passed away (probably from stress…..). I am very well established in this industry and have nearly 5,000 documented completed instruments I’ve built and/or painted on my instagram business page (simscustomshopguitars), Sims Custom Shop Facebook page and Sims Custom Shop YouTube account. I don’t “steal” peoples guitars or ignore emails. I don’t not finish guitars either, in fact I probably paint more guitars a year than any refinishing shop in the US. However, sending your guitar off to be custom painted is probably not a good decision for someone who thinks there going to have it back in a few weeks or even a few months, bc that’s just not realistic in this industry for well established busy shops.

  That being said, I informed my ***** up front and numerous times via email that this paint job he wanted to do was a very intricate and very time consuming finish to do…..one that few shops are even capable of doing. Couple that with the fact his guitar body (a knock off no name guitar body) was in very rough shape and had an extremely poor and thick finish already on it that had to first be stripped off before I could do the paint job he wanted. Mr ***** was not given an ETA, as this type of job is pretty impossible to to give a turnaround time frame on. I’ve had tried to answer every email he has ever sent……I don’t believe he has ever called me once sending the guitar. If he didn’t get an answer to an email (which could have slipped through the cracks, went to a spam folder, etc) I would think picking up the phone and calling would have been a more logical response than filing resorting to filing a BBB complaint, personally. I always have my phone on me and I answer dozens have text messages, phone calls and voicemails a day.

  Mr ***** requested I strip the existing poor quality finish on his guitar then paint the guitar in a magenta metalflake with purple metalflake flames, then the flames pinstriped in chrome metalflake and then the flames to have airbrushed drop shadows under them to give a 3D appearance. This has paint job has been done and Mr ***** has been sent pictures of it painted as requested. I also informed him it’s in my que of guitars to be sanded, buffed and polished tomorrow and that once that step is completed the body will be ready to ship. As of the time of this writing he has not responded to the pictures I have sent him.

  I do not rush jobs, especially time consuming ones such as this (metalflake paint jobs are one of the more labor intensive types of finishes to do and metalflake paint jobs with metalflake custom graphics are even MORE time consuming). Very few refinishing shops will even take/accept metalflake jobs.

  I anticipate to have this body completed, buffed, polished, boxed up and shipped within the coming 2-4 days. I will email Mr ***** his tracking information the moment it has shipped.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:03/18/2024

  Type:Delivery Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I sent Sims Custom Shop $900 on 21SEP2023 ($850 for work and $50 for shipping & handling). I was then waiting on the body to be made by another company. I shipped the guitar to Sims Custom Shop on 01NOV2023 and it was delivered on 03NOV2023. On 18JAN2024 I texted and asked what the estimated time of completion was, and that I was needing/ hoping for around the 20FEB2024 time. I know these things can take time so I was just trying to gauge if I was going to make that deadline. Sims Custom Shop replied and said that "It should be ready to ship mid Feb" and "You'll have it before the 20th" (20FEB). On 12FEB2024 I texted Sims Custom Shop and asked if it was still looking like it will be getting done around the 20th. Sims Custom Shop replied "should be + or - a day". The 20th came and went and on 07MAR2024 I texted Sims Custom Shop seeking an update. Sims Custom Shop replied and said "Hey, Just got to get it boxed up and shipped. I'll be going to *** Monday to ship some guitars". I replied "Oh thats sweet! Whats it look like?". Sims Custom Shop never replied. It is now 17MAR2024 and I have yet to receive an update. We are pushing almost 5 months now. I am seeking a refund and my guitar back, and/or the work to be completed and returned to me. It appears as though I am not the first person that this has happened to when working with this business.

  Business Response

  Date: 03/18/2024

  Mr ************ guitar has been painted as requested. It did take about 3 weeks longer than I had initially estimated. Mr ********** has been sent pictures of how guitar painted as requested, in which he responded stating he was pleased with how it turned out. I did not see his text message, which is why it wasn’t responded to. However, other than that 1 text message slipping through the cracks I have never once not replied to one of his text messages, emails or phone calls. 
  Mr ********** has also been sent the *** tracking number and informed that the guitar was being sent out tomorrow.
  I have also attached a picture of the guitar to this reply, however I’ve had issues in the past with the BBB system not allowing the picture to be uploaded, stating it’s either “too large or not a file type accepted…….which is odd, as they are .jpegs taken with an iPhone.

  The *** tracking # is ******************

  Customer Answer

  Date: 03/19/2024

  
  
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I believe Sims Custom Shop response to be in good truth. I believe Sims Custom Shop truly loves what he does and has a commitment to excellence which shows itself in his work. Sims Custom Shop was always cordial when communicating. At the same time, such commitments to perfection can often cause an overrun in estimated times of delivery which is acceptable to an extent. In the future I would suggest Sims Custom Shop give advance notice of delays, or if behind on work (he is a one man shop) make it known to the customer as advanced as possible to avoid miscommunication/misjudgment. Contrary to other reviews and internet postings, he is not going to "take your money" or whatever else people come up with. I think he just has more work than he knows what to do with and as such I would suggest charging MORE and taking on LESS as his commitment to a quality finish warrants it. For any potential customers reading this I WOULD use Sims Custom Shop again if my own personal deadlines were more flexible, if yours are then I would set clear expectations make sure you are okay with the wait time. I believe he is putting as much care into others guitars as he is your own, and takes extreme pride in his work. Such traits can sometimes be a double edged sword, especially if not communicated in advance. Thank you. 
  
  
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  
  
  
  Sincerely,
  
  
  
  ******* **********

• Initial Complaint

  Date:02/22/2024

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  On August 7, 2023 I commissioned Sims Custom Shop to paint a brand new, unfinished ******* ************ body in a specific shade of powder blue (I would be supplying the color swatch) in a gloss clear coat, as well as a Sims Custom Shop hat in black. The total, including hat and shipping came to $494 USD. I was given a general turnaround time of 12-14 weeks once the guitar has been received.
  
  I shipped the guitar body, color swatch and work order to SCS, and it was received on August 30, 2023.
  
  On December 4, 2023 (week 14) I reached out to ******* for any updates regarding the guitar, to which he replied saying he expected it to be completed that month (December) but didn’t know the exact date as of yet.
  
  On January 15, 2024 (week 20) I reached out to ******* asking again for any updates and if he was able to match the color swatch to which he would reply saying that it was a good match and the guitar would likely be ready to ship within the next few weeks.
  
  On February 13, 2024 (week 24) I reached out once again, this time asking for any pictures of the current state of the guitar and an approximate date of when I could expect the guitar to be shipped. ******* has yet to reply.
  
  ******* was very patient and understanding to me during our initial transaction so I can only do the same for him. That being said I do think there’s a significant difference between 12-14 weeks and 25 weeks.
  I’m not looking for any kind of refund of course, I would like my guitar to be finished. If this is something that could be done before the end of the month I would be ecstatic.

  Business Response

  Date: 02/22/2024

  I emailed Mr. ******** just this morning letting him know his guitar was getting boxed up and would be shipping out on Monday. I did tell him upfront that turnaround times can vary.
  
  I had hoped to complete the paint work on his guitar body by late Dec, but I actually got very sick in early December, which then caused other health issues. It wasn’t until approximately mid January I was back 100%. Unfortunately being a 1 man shop this unforeseen sickness got me behind on work & Ive been working diligently since to get caught back up.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 03/07/2024

  
  
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  The guitar has been delivered, it looks great and the color is fabulous!
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  
  
  
  Sincerely,
  
  
  
  **** **

• Initial Complaint

  Date:02/07/2024

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I first contacted *** **** 1/18/2023 asking about refinishing a ******* ******* guitar in a crackle finish. *** walked me through his painting process on the phone and we hashed out the paint, finish and shipping details. I was told the guitar would take about 12-14 weeks to refinish after he received it. On 1/18/2023 I signed a work order for the amount of $1310 ($1230 for the guitar refinish, $80 for shipping) and shipped the guitar on 1/23/2023, with a delivery on 1/25/2023.
  
  I had expected an update around April 2023 but had not heard from ***. I reached out on 5/15/2023 via email for an update and received no reply. I reached out on 5/27 and 5/30/2023 on ********* and was told it would likely take another 2 weeks to finish buffing and polish before shipping. By end of June I had received no updates so I reached out again on 6/30/2023 for another ETA and asked for a picture. *** said it would be shipping by the following Sunday, 7/2/2023 and he doesn't provide pictures of in progress jobs. On 7/16/2023 I reached out again on ********* for an update. *** said the guitar was still curing and it would be another 7 days before it was ready. On 8/31/2023 I reached out again for an update and was not given an ETA for shipment. I reached out again on 9/5 and 9/11/2023 for updates and was told on 9/13 that it was again nearly finished with an ETA to ship of the following Monday.
  
  Since then I have reached out via email, ********* and text messages on 11/6, 11/13, 11/16 and 11/20 for updates, only receiving a reply on 11/20 that there was a queue of guitars and no ETA to ship. I also reached out 2/5 and 2/6 via ********* and email with no replies. At this point it has been over a year since I sent *** my guitar, at a cost of over $3,000 between the cost of the guitar, refinishing and shipping, with no expectation of if or when I will see my guitar again. Since then I have seen numerous SCS posts of clients who received guitars within weeks/months of shipping to ***.

  Business Response

  Date: 02/07/2024

  I spoke to Mr ***** today at 12:21 PM EST on the phone, 4 hours before receiving this BBB complaint at 4:39 pm.
  

  I let him know on the phone his guitar would ship this coming week and informed him what tasks needed to be completed before I would be ready to ship it. I asked him if that would be an acceptable time frame & he said yes.

  I also let him know I would be emailing him pictures of it painted as he requested. I also explained why this custom paint job he requested has taken a long time. The type of finish he got (where the paint has huge cracks in it) called a “crackle” finish requires the guitar to be clear coated many times to smoothen out the roughness of the cracks in the finish and is far more time consuming if a finish to do that some of the other finishes he’s referred to he has seen me complete more quickly, which are simple 1 color finishes. There are only a handful of refinishing shops in the nation that even do crackle paint jobs due to the laborious nature of it.

  Lastly, the “disputed amount” he has put on this complaint of $1310 is not accurate. Mr ***** has only made one payment ever & that was for $1230, which includes $80 for return shipping cost.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 02/17/2024

  
  
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.

  *** and I have been in communication as this project wraps up and he's sent me in progress photos of the guitar. He's let me know the clear coat is nearly cured and is expecting to ship the week of 2/18.

  
  Sincerely,
  
  
  
  ***** *****

• Initial Complaint

  Date:01/02/2024

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  On February 20, 2023, I made a enquiry with ******* **** about potential paint work for the body of my guitar. ******* quoted me the price, as well as the estimated turnaround time(6-10 weeks) in order to get the job done. I shipped the guitar body to *******, and it was received on February 27, 2023. On May 11, 2023, I emailed ******* asking for a progress report of the guitar. He responded by saying it had another 4-5 weeks worth of work, then it would be ready. On June 19, 2023, I emailed ******* asking if the guitar will be shipped during that week. He responded by saying it will be ready to go by the 25th-28th. I didn't receive my guitar by those dates, so I sent another email on July 4, 2023. ******* responded by saying it will be shipped towards the end of that week. Guitar still wasn't delivered by the end of that week. On July 25, 2023, I emailed ******* asking what the progress of my guitar was. He replied that the guitar is currently curing, and he needs to wet sand, buff, and polish it, then he can box it, and ship it out. On September 26, 2023, I emailed ******* asking if the guitar would be completed by the end of the year. ******* replied "absolutely".
  
  On December 1, 2023, my last email was sent to ******* asking what stage is my guitar at. He has yet to reply. I write this complaint on January 1, 2024. At this point, I would just like my guitar back regardless of what stage it is in, along with a partial, adequate refund... unless it can be completed(and shipped out) in full by the end of the week.

  Business Response

  Date: 01/02/2024

  Hello, the guitar body is painted and I just need to finish the buffing and polishing. I sincerely apologize for dropping the ball on this and not getting it out to you sooner. I will finish it up today, get it boxed up ASAP and shipped out if possible this evening or at the latest tomorrow morning. I will email you the tracking information along with pictures as soon as it has shipped out as well as post that information here as well.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 01/03/2024

  
  
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.
  
  
  
  
  Sincerely,
  
  
  
  ****** ***

• Initial Complaint

  Date:05/18/2023

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I sent a guitar (Hamer Explorer style in Sunburst finish) to Mr. Sims to be refinished in a checkerboard design (he confirmed receipt of the guitar in January 2021). I paid up front for the refinishing and return shipping. I was led to believe both via the web site and conversations with Mr. Sims that the turnaround time would be approximately 14 to 16 weeks. It is now approximately 28 months later. I have contacted Mr. Sims numerous times via email during the past approximately 28 months. Sometimes my emails have been returned, other times not. I have also spoken to him on the telephone. For many many months, I was repeatedly assured during any discourse that my job was in the queue. Finally, in December 2022, I was told (via email) that my job was nearing completion and that it would be definitively shipped the following week. It was not. I have since contacted him several times and been further assured that it will be completed and shipped "shortly". It still has not. My last email of several weeks ago has gone unanswered. I did not want to have to file a complaint, however, at this point, short of taking legal action, I feel as though I have no choice in the matter. I fear I may never receive my finished guitar.

  Business Response

  Date: 05/23/2023

  Hello,

  Yes it has taken quite some time to complete this instrument, however it has been completed and shipped. UPS tracking number is ******************. Mr *********** has been emailed (last week) pictures of his guitar painted as requested & he has been informed that it has shipped.

  I would like to take a moment in put some things into context in regards to turnaround time & address some things he said & some things he didn’t say.

  What Mr. *********** did not mention is he didn’t send just 1 guitar, but rather he sent two guitars. Both guitars have very elaborate custom paint jobs to be done. One of these guitars was completed and shipped on 11/20/22. It can be seen at the following YouTube link: ****************************

  The other guitar he sent (a Hamer Explorer) he requested a paint job that I no longer offered at that time. I no longer offered this paint job bc it is without a doubt the absolute most time consuming paint job you could possibly do on a guitar due to the fact that it consists of over 1,000 hand laid out checkers. So time consuming that very few people in the USA will even do them. It is a copy of a guitar played by Rick Nielsen, the guitar player for the band Cheap Trick. I told Mr. *********** this when he contacted me in regards to doing this finish, that I no longer do them due to how time consuming of a finish his. No exaggeration, he all but begged me to do it stating “I don’t care how much it costs and I don’t care how long it takes”. He also stated he was just happy I was willing to accept the job. Mr *********** was never quoted 14-16 weeks and when he says he came to that assumption based upon my website that makes no sense bc there is nothing anywhere on my website pertaining to turnaround times as each job is unique and many factors determine how long a job will take to do. From what Mr *********** told me he had been unable to find anyone else willing to do it for him AND he stated the ones he had seen that I had done in the past looked better than any other ones he had ever saw.

  Therefore, with Mr *********** being satisfied with no quoted turn around time, knowing up front it would be a very time consuming job, I accepted to do the job (reluctantly though I must say). I did however complete the other guitar he sent for him first, bc while elaborate it was not nearly as elaborate as the other one. He was extremely happy with how it turned out upon receiving it back. Mr *********** also requested I paint some metal parts on his guitar with checkers also…..something I had never done before (which I also told him) and that would taken additional time as well.
  

  Make a long story short I will never do another one of these paint jobs, not matter how much a customer offers to pay and no matter how long their willing to wait, as it almost always ends up in me getting a BBB complaint over it due to turnaround time. It also statins my eyes to do them (this one made my right eye get blood shot from the hours of staring at the checkers during the process of taping them all up and took several days to heal.)

  Lastly, yea Mr *********** paid some for return shipping ($122.50)…..however the actual shipping back to Canada cost me $237.08, which was a $114.58 loss for me.

  The completed guitar can be seen at the following YouTube link: ****************************

   

• Initial Complaint

  Date:02/21/2023

  Type:Delivery Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  Date of transaction: November 11, 2021
  Amount paid: $696.00
  Service paid for: Guitar refinish with gloss clear coat; new headstock logo; guitar reassembly
  
  On November 11, 2021, I commissioned Sims Custom Shop (SCS) to refinish a guitar. He gave me a projected date that he would finish to be around March 2022. I never received my guitar by this time. I stayed in contact with SCS throughout the year of 2022 via e-mail and Instagram. In August 2022, SCS assured me that he was almost done. By the end of 2022 (December), I contacted SCS again. He said that he had been very busy but would ship my guitar to me by December 31st, 2022. I never received my guitar. I contacted SCS in January 2023 and in February, up to today (February 19th, 2023). He has now ceased responding to any of my emails or messages on Instagram.
  
  I paid him nearly $700, and he's had my instrument for 1 year and 3 months. This has caused stress and inconvenience, aside from the fact that I'm honestly surprised that SCS has not once offered to give me a discount on his services for delaying my order so long, or offering me a refund. I've been more than kind and understanding during this time and I hate to have to file a complaint but I don't know what to do. He is not communicating with me. It's rather insulting, especially when, if one looks at the provided attachments, I've been more than understanding with him.
  
  I also ordered a hat from SCS for approximately $25. I never got my hat either. I would honestly prefer to just be refunded the hat. I don't think I could wear it to promote his services in good faith after the way I've been treated.
  
  I want what I paid for. I want my instrument back refinished exactly the way I ordered it. At the very least I'm entitled to get what I paid for even though I feel I'm owed the decency of a refund or a discount regardless.

  Business Response

  Date: 02/21/2023

  Hello, I apologize for not getting back to you sooner. Once reading this complaint I immediately went and check my messages and found 2 unanswered emails from him (1 from yesterday and 1 from Thursday) in my “junk” folder, which is usually just 100’s of spam emails.

  I immediately reached out to him today as well as sent him pictures of his instrument painted as requested. I explained to him what had happened and apologized for the delay in getting this completed. I let him know I would be reassembling the guitar and wiring it today and will ship it out this evening if possible, or at the latest tomorrow if I’m unable to get it completed and to FedEx by their closing time.
  

  He responded….”That’s great news. Guitar looks fantastic…..I do appreciate the explanation and the pictures. I look forward to receiving the guitar. Please let me know when you ship it and if you don’t mind providing the tracking information.”

  I informed him I would send him pictures of it and assembled and the tracking # the moment it has shipped. I will also update this complaint with the tracking number as well if the complaint is still open. I have also uploaded a few pictures of the instrument here using the attachment upload option.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 02/22/2023

   
  
  Better Business Bureau:
  
  
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.

  Sims Custom Shop (SCS) explained to me that my communications for the past two months had went into a junk folder.  He then sent me screenshots of a similar incident occurring with another customer.  The customer's communications inexplicably went into his junk folder.  He was very apologetic about the last two months, and also communicated that he understood my confusion, and then sent me pictures of my finished guitar and as of today, it is boxed up, and assigned a tracking number for shipping.  The work is second-to-none.  I not only appreciate SCS's response, but also for understanding why I was confused and put off by the past two months.

  I was always understanding about the delays with my order.  I did not feel like I needed to file a complaint until I didn't hear from SCS for the last two months, which again, were due to an unforeseen error that neither side was responsible for.  I informed SCS that I hated that an apparent error with our e-mails caused a misunderstanding.  At any rate, I was pleased with the response.

  Let it be said that despite the extended wait time, SCS was never rude or condescending or impatient with me any time we talked.  Our communications were always respectful and friendly.  In fact, the first time I spoke to SCS in length about my order, we spoke for over an hour and I felt like I was speaking to a friend.  He took the time to take my call while in the middle of a dinner at a restaurant.  He was very personable. 

  All that to say, the confusion about the lack of communication was neither mine or SCS's fault.  It was a misunderstanding caused by an error with my communications being sent to his junk folder.

  SCS's work speaks for itself.  He's truly a gifted artisan and if you're willing and able to wait, the results are worth it.

  
  
  
  Sincerely,
  
  
  ******** *******