Dumpster diving at GC

Lowner · #1 11-12-2006, 04:47 PM

Whaen i was in GC yesterday, I was talking with some employees and they said that they throw out cases, straps and accessories that they find in cases since they sell these things to customers when they buy guitars/basses. I asked him if people dumster dive and he said no because they have security cameras in the dumpster area. Anyone ever heard that GC does throws stuff away and has camers in the place where the dumster is?
I would never consider dumpster diving but it occured to me that if they did throw away stuff like that i wonder why no one ever dumpster dives and resells GC stuff on e bay or at flea markets or somewhere else.

bryan bailey · #2 11-12-2006, 04:49 PM

No, but I'm gonna go look behind the GC near me and scout the situation out.

Indiana Mike · #3 11-12-2006, 04:56 PM

I have gotten three boxes for shiping basses this year from GC. They gave them to me . When I got home and scoped them out, Yep, you guessed it, case candy was in the boxes , straps, tools ,cords ect... Don't know about dumpster diving though. I do know some places consider their trash as real property not to be removed for profit.. If you really feel the need go for it but I would expect the dumpster to be locked or have its opening accessible from inside the store.AS to keep people from getting in it and getting killed by the trash truck ect...

bongomania · #4 11-12-2006, 04:58 PM

Many years ago I worked at GC and (a) nothing sellable was ever thrown away, and (b) there were indeed security cameras all around the warehouse and dumpster area. Those security tapes were used to bust a couple of would-be thief co-workers who tried to "throw away" high-end mics and other small, expensive items in garbage bags they had tagged to retrieve later. We had file cabinet drawers full of "case candy", owners manuals, cheap straps, etc.

scott917 · #5 11-13-2006, 02:23 AM

Interesting......

If they consider the trash to be property it needs to be in an enclosed area. Even the cops take stuff out of the trash as fair game for evidence. If it is a dumnpster just sitting in the alley, I say fair game.

As for the security cameras, you could use a pellet gun on them if you are that worried about them. Or do what everyone should do go at night and wear all black....

S

62Walnut · #6 11-13-2006, 06:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scott917

As for the security cameras, you could use a pellet gun on them if you are that worried about them. Or do what everyone should do go at night and wear all black....

S

So it's

instead of

You can

at home when you get a result.

invader3k · #7 11-13-2006, 07:10 AM

I can't imagine you'd find anything too exciting. If it's sellable, I'm sure they hang onto it. Maybe you'd find a couple cheap gig bags and some 6' no-name brand instrument cables, along with the allen keys and cloth rags everyone has multiples of.

zac2944 · #8 11-13-2006, 09:16 AM

I dumpster dive at GC every now and then. I did it last week actually.

Every time I go to GC and ask for an old box to use for shipping they give me some lame story about how they don't have anything right now, "but come back next week". I went to Daddy's Junky Music and they said they'd sell me one for $15.

Now I just hit up the GC dumpster. It is almost always full of great boxes for shipping. I have only found one piece of case candy in all my time diving. It was a cheap cord that came with an Ibanez guitar. It works though. I wouldn't gig with it, but it makes a nice patch cable for use at home.

BTW, I've never had any security issues. I'm quick about it and I don't make a mess.

guy n. cognito · #9 11-13-2006, 09:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by scott917

Interesting......

If they consider the trash to be property it needs to be in an enclosed area. Even the cops take stuff out of the trash as fair game for evidence. If it is a dumnpster just sitting in the alley, I say fair game.

As for the security cameras, you could use a pellet gun on them if you are that worried about them. Or do what everyone should do go at night and wear all black....

S

Trash on private property is still private property. It's only considered abandoned when it is put in a public area for collection.

Using a pellet gun on the camera is a brilliant piece of advice. Add felony destruction of property to a misdemeanor theft charge. Kudos.

Stuggi · #10 11-13-2006, 10:15 AM

Just cover your face and wear cheap clothes that doesn't give any ways of recognition. And rule #1 when doing something "slightly illegal" like entering abandoned buildings etc. is to not break anything. Most people just check their security tapes if something's missing or broken. So if you don't steal anything except stuff from dumpsters and don't break anything, you don't get caught.

Slater · #11 11-13-2006, 12:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by guy n. cognito

Using a pellet gun on the camera is a brilliant piece of advice. Add felony destruction of property to a misdemeanor theft charge. Kudos.

Yeah, that's just what I thought when I saw that "suggestion".

Professor X · #12 11-13-2006, 12:44 PM

for what it's worth i managed 3 seperate GC's (in 3 different states) and NONE of them have security cameras. (some do though, usually installed after they catch an employee ripping the place off) there is usually not much of valur in the dumpsters (definatly case candy or broken stuff) but items in inventory are not thrown out ever... we were in the habit of telling people to dumpster dive when they wanted boxes (if none were hanging around in the warehouse) so the warehouse guys (who are crazy busy this time of year) didn't have to stop what they were doing and get someone (90% of the time a non customer) a box...

jive1 · #13 11-13-2006, 01:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Professor X

for what it's worth i managed 3 seperate GC's (in 3 different states) and NONE of them have security cameras. (some do though, usually installed after they catch an employee ripping the place off) there is usually not much of valur in the dumpsters (definatly case candy or broken stuff) but items in inventory are not thrown out ever... we were in the habit of telling people to dumpster dive when they wanted boxes (if none were hanging around in the warehouse) so the warehouse guys (who are crazy busy this time of year) didn't have to stop what they were doing and get someone (90% of the time a non customer) a box...

That's been my experience with GC. If I need a box, the guys just tell me to have at it at the dumpster. I've never searched for anything good, and never found any either.

Honestly, I'd rather pay the couple of bucks for a cord/strap/etc than spend time in a dumpster.

Hollow Man · #14 11-14-2006, 01:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jive1

That's been my experience with GC. If I need a box, the guys just tell me to have at it at the dumpster. I've never searched for anything good, and never found any either.

+1. GC employees have suggested to me that I hit their dumpster if I'm looking for a box. Don't know about any cameras, but I'm still not locked up, so... good.

KPJ · #15 11-14-2006, 01:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zac2944

I went to Daddy's Junky Music and they said they'd sell me one for $15.

Is that the one on Mass Ave by Berklee? Crazy! I stop by the one in Salem NH all the time for boxes and they always accomodate. Especially when I stop by on truck days.

beyondhairy · #16 11-15-2006, 01:20 AM

the guitar center nearest me shares a facility with a chuckey cheese, so dumpster diving would involve digging throug half eaten pizzas and spilled soft drinks