GC - at it again...

Fawkes007 · #1 03-05-2006, 04:50 PM

I was at GC yesterday, and, lo and behold, there is a gorgeous Zon Sonus 5 string. They had it listed for $1800. So I thought, "What the hell, let's plug it in!" The body was in perfect shape. I mean, the thing looked practically new. Then I realized I was in a GC - I knew something had to be wrong with it. I don't know why, but I flipped it over and looked at the back of the headstock, and there it was...a crack running from the B string tuner to the G string tuner. Kinda like the cracks you see on Les Pauls that have been dropped. What the hell. Of course, nobody pointed it out to me, there wasn't a big red label that read "Warning: Crack on the back of the headstock."

I don't know much about the resale value of Zon's, but listing one with a cracked graphite neck for $1800 seems a tad, well, unreasonable to me. I can only imagine what the heck it took to crack that neck. Once graphite cracks, you might was well throw the whole damn thing away.

Actually, what was really unreasonable to me was the guy on eBay trying to sell and autographed Billy Joel guitar pick for $1000...

Figjam · #2 03-05-2006, 04:51 PM

GC..GC...GC.....

g00eY · #3 03-05-2006, 04:52 PM

lol a guitar pick for $1,000.

but yea... sometimes GC surprises me. my local ones seem to be ok... but sometimes you find a deal and it just makes you wonder what is wrong with it.

Fawkes007 · #4 03-05-2006, 05:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by g00eY

lol a guitar pick for $1,000.

but yea... sometimes GC surprises me. my local ones seem to be ok... but sometimes you find a deal and it just makes you wonder what is wrong with it.

I have a Peter Criss drumstick that I caught at a Kiss show (7th row center) in 1977...think I can get a G note for it?

Petary791 · #5 03-05-2006, 05:02 PM

I had a dream that last night I called GC and said, "Hi, can I speak to somebody intelligent?"

JacksonsMen · #6 03-05-2006, 05:05 PM

and that quickly turned into a nightmare...

i cant believe that GC would try to pull that, did you bring it to the attention of anyone there? did you end up playing it at all?

Fawkes007 · #7 03-05-2006, 05:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JacksonsMen

and that quickly turned into a nightmare...

i cant believe that GC would try to pull that, did you bring it to the attention of anyone there? did you end up playing it at all?

Yes, I played it. It seemed fine, no I didn't bring it to anyone's attention 'cause, you know, like any of those meatheads would give a crap.

JacksonsMen · #8 03-05-2006, 05:14 PM

i definately would have gotten someone over there and been like *** man, the listen as they tried to explain how it was a) meant to be like that or b) how the graphite will over time close the crack again, good as new....or something like that.

Woodchuck · #9 03-05-2006, 05:22 PM

There is a GC trying to sell a Warwick Streamer LX4 as a Stage 2 4 for $1700. I told them that it was an LX and not a Stage 2. They asked me what made me so sure, and I grabbed a Warwick catalog and show 'em my picture.

The salesman told me that the guy that sold it them, stuck a Stage 2 trussrod cover on the bass and fooled them. When you're trying to sell something to GC, they do a thorough check to make sure they give you as least as possible, so I'm not buying that excuse. Anyway, he said that they'd have to charge atleast $1300 for a $700 bass to get their money back. It's been a year so far, and I'm waiting for the $500 blowout!

JAUQO III-X · #10 03-05-2006, 05:33 PM

Maybe you should bring it to managers attention at GC(or pm me the GC's # and I'll call)because they may sell it to someone who may not give it the thorough look over that you did and not notice the crack until months later after purchasing the bass and taking it back to GC trying to get refunded may become a living hell for a non suspecting Bass player who may have purchased what they thought was their dream bass.

Fawkes007 · #11 03-05-2006, 05:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JAUQO III-X

Maybe you should bring it to managers attention at GC(or pm me the GC's # and I'll call)because they may sell it to someone who may not give it the thorough look over that you did and not notice the crack until months later after purchasing the bass and taking it back to GC trying to get refunded may become a living hell for a non suspecting Bass player who may have purchased what they thought was their dream bass.

pm sent

LajoieT · #12 03-05-2006, 05:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fawkes007

Actually, what was really unreasonable to me was the guy on eBay trying to sell and autographed Billy Joel guitar pick for $1000...

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fawkes007

I have a Peter Criss drumstick that I caught at a Kiss show (7th row center) in 1977...think I can get a G note for it?

Well, you see, the difference here is that Peter Criss was actually KNOWN for playing drums.

If you ask 100 people what Billy Joel plays, I'm betting you will get ZERO responses saying "guitar".

As for GC, I have nothing good to say, so I won't.

Fawkes007 · #13 03-05-2006, 05:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Woodchuck

There is a GC trying to sell a Warwick Streamer LX4 as a Stage 2 4 for $1700. I told them that it was an LX and not a Stage 2. They asked me what made me so sure, and I grabbed a Warwick catalog and show 'em my picture.

The salesman told me that the guy that sold it them, stuck a Stage 2 trussrod cover on the bass and fooled them. When you're trying to sell something to GC, they do a thorough check to make sure they give you as least as possible, so I'm not buying that excuse. Anyway, he said that they'd have to charge atleast $1300 for a $700 bass to get their money back. It's been a year so far, and I'm waiting for the $500 blowout!

It makes me wonder why I even go in there.

guy n. cognito · #14 03-05-2006, 05:53 PM

My last GC visit led me to decide never to buy anything there again. I had stopped by to kill some time, and asked the associated to see the GL Jazz Bass. This bass was hanging at least 15 ft off the ground, and the associated had to fetch a ladder to get it. Once he got the bass, he promptly returned the ladder to the other room. I played it for a few minutes, then asked the associate where he wanted me to put the bass, since I couldn't reach the hanger. Quite honestly, I assumed he would take it from me. Instead, he says "just lay it on the floor and I'll get to it later." He then walks out of the bass room.

StoutXXX · #15 03-05-2006, 06:03 PM

Now at GC just like anywhere there are complete idiots working there. Some people buy in used gear without inspecting it totally or label the model numbers wrong. Im not sticking up for anyone because i shop EVERYWHERE.. internet, mom and pops shops, buddy blowouts and big shops. But bring it to the attention of any good manager or even better district manager and things should happen. Usually just a price blow out. But give people the power to pay for used gear with store money and ****s bound to not run 100% tight. Ive been in plenty of shops with damaged gear and bull crap prices. This is the case with the past to two shops ive worked in.

Hollow Man · #16 03-05-2006, 06:15 PM

If I were you, I would try to get in touch with Joe Zon to see what a replacement neck for the Sonus would cost. If it's not too incredibly high, see if you can get GC's management to knock about that much off of the cost of their Sonus based on that crack. It's a long shot, but even if they won't knock off the entire price of a new neck, they might be able to make you a deal that's good enough to make it worthwhile if you like the bass that much.

ArwinH · #17 03-05-2006, 06:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JacksonsMen

i definately would have gotten someone over there and been like *** man, the listen as they tried to explain how it was a) meant to be like that or b) how the graphite will over time close the crack again, good as new....or something like that.

+1

I once picked up a fretless jazz bass to check out some pedals with. As I was running througha phaser I heard a weird plop and then buzz..thinking woah, my intonation can't be that off

...I check the neck again. The nut had slid off of the neck. I told an employee and he told me that it was a "floating nut" and there was nothing wrong with it. Of course it was a used item. Of course I didn't buy any pedals that day, some of those employees leave a bad taste in ym mouth. On the other hand, I've encountered some very cool people working at GC and if not very knowledgable about the products, they seem sincere in their attempts to do what they can to get the customer help.

Woodchuck · #18 03-05-2006, 06:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ArwinH

I told an employee and he told me that it was a "floating nut" and there was nothing wrong with it.

PM me your address. Someone's gonna pay for the clean up of the soda I just spit on my screen! A "floating nut"?!

Pennydreadful · #19 03-05-2006, 07:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ArwinH

+1

I once picked up a fretless jazz bass to check out some pedals with. As I was running througha phaser I heard a weird plop and then buzz..thinking woah, my intonation can't be that off

...I check the neck again. The nut had slid off of the neck. I told an employee and he told me that it was a "floating nut" and there was nothing wrong with it. Of course it was a used item. Of course I didn't buy any pedals that day, some of those employees leave a bad taste in ym mouth. On the other hand, I've encountered some very cool people working at GC and if not very knowledgable about the products, they seem sincere in their attempts to do what they can to get the customer help.

Bwahaha...floating nut...

Anyway- yeah, it's just like any other retail chain. You've got good, honest, and sometimes even knowledgeable people, and you've got idiot salesmen. GC can be just fine once you find yourself an 'inside man'.

JAUQO III-X · #20 03-05-2006, 07:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Woodchuck

A "floating nut"?!

Hey Woodchuck,That one got me too

a very large % of the people that work at GC are A holes and don't no much about anything.