I have often thought of this scenario - We are all aware that Gibson has a lifetime guarantee. So since Gibson is no longer producing banjos, what happens when the neck warps (a rare occurrence I'm sure, but it does happen) so badly it can't be easily corrected? What happens when the tailpiece should break? Or when a tension hoop or flange might fail? OK - I had heard some years ago that IF your tailpiece should break, and IF you were in fact the original purchaser and had your warranty paperwork in order to prove that, that Gibson would in fact send you another tailpiece, that is, UNTIL they ran out of that particular part. Then they would direct you to purchase another tailpiece from a third party (stewmac, Prucha, Boyd, FQMS, etc.) Submit proof of the purchase, and they might reimburse you. ?? But now since any leftover items and parts that might have been on hand when they stopped producing banjos is long gone, and Gibson is very reluctant or unable to replace any banjo parts, what avenue does someone have to force them to honor the warranty? Just curious.... inquiring minds want to know!
I always figured that a "lifetime guarantee" is actually only for the lifetime of the item itself.
... hire a good (?) lawyer??
Let me see now .... mucho dollaars to collect a much smaller claim .... on second thought ...???
One of my farmer neighbours used to offer that a guarantee is as good as the person making it.
It would be a good question to ask a lawyer.
I have a feeling, and I'm not a lawyer and not practicing law, that a lifetime guarantee is only good as long as the item is being produced. Thereafter, there would be no parts, no technicians, etc., to fix the problem. I could be wrong.
Well to ease your inquiring mind think less of a warranty on all these parts you mentioned and think of quality replacement. Call BanjoBen.com for parts and advice and Amazon.com for a quick inventory right at your fingertips.
I've tried to get broken Gibson parts replaced. We are S.O.L. basically. The infamous cracked Presto tailpiece is the leading example. Sorry Charlie, no go.
On the other hand, the pickguard flew apart, AND the tailpiece cracked at the bend on my 1988 Gibson F5-L mandolin. I sent the pieces to Gibson. They replaced or repaired ( the pickguard) at no charge and returned it promptly. No go on the tailpiece crack; I replaced that with an Asian repro and reused the original cover plate on it. So, mixed experience for mandolins.
A lawyer is going to cost more than replacing any part on a Gibson banjo, IMHO.
LIFEtime guarantee – yours or mine... banjered
Here's my thoughts about the so called "lifetime guarantee" that is available on some things (not just banjos) many years ago - JC Penney had an auto repair center at many (but not all) JC Penney locations around the country. They offered, back in the 70's and 80's if not mistaken, a "lifetime warranty vehicle battery." So naturally over that 15 or 20 year period many of those batteries were sold. Of course a battery will NOT last indefinitely. As the years passed those batteries started failing and going bad/wearing out. I think JC Penney had closed it's auto repair facilities by the late 80's or possibly into the early 90's But - According to the warranty, as long as you could show the battery was still in the vehicle that it was purchased for, AND you were the original owner of the battery, JC Penney would replace it at no charge. AFTER they closed the auto repair facilities, of course at some point soon there were NO MORE batteries! So what happened was, eventually enough people got on board with a class action suit. JC Penney was in fact ordered to replace their now no longer in existence batteries with something that was available elsewhere, and pay the customer for the replacement. If not mistaken, that was a "one time replacement." IF you still had the car 10 years later and the battery again needed to be replaced, YOU would pay the cost. But again, what I'm getting at is that a lifetime warranty to most folks means that the manufacturer will repair or replace the defective part or instrument at THEIR cost; again, IF you are/were in fact the original owner and purchaser. Oh well - quite a quandry for sure!!
What we casually call -- and casually interpret -- as a "lifetime guarantee " is better termed a "warranty" of specified qualities over a defined time period.
Typically, it is a warranty of freedom from defects in materials and workmanship for as long as the object remains in the possession of the initial buyer. It is not a promise to repair anything and everything that wears out or breaks.
So after 30 years, the tailpiece develops a crack at the bending point. Is this normal and expected wear, or is it a manufacturing defect? If the seller is still in business and promotes good customer relations, they send you a new tailpiece or pay for the replacement or repair, rather than enter a legal contest where one party has to prove that the tailpiece should or should not be expected to last that long, considering what kind of strings have been used on the banjo, how high the bridges were , how low the tailpiece has been set over time, etc.
Point is, can't bandy the casual label "lifetime guarantee " to mean cover anything that changes over time without regard to the specified limitations in the warranty.
Ain't no lawyer be taking up your case against Gibson for a cracked tailpiece on a contingency fee basis. Might take it for a healthy advance!
Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Privacy Consent (EU/GDPR Only)
Copyright 2026 Banjo Hangout. All Rights Reserved.
