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12-21-2005, 12:30 PM
| | Banned
Avatar Speakers Endorsing Hooligan | | Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Bakersfield California | | | "How come there are never any deals on bass gear?" How to dumbfound a GC employee
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That is the question I posed to the accessories guy...
10 packs of guitar strings for $10?
Guitar effects for $20?
Buy any guitar over $450, get a Squier strat or acoustic free!
Guitar amps up to %75 percent off!
I asked the guy why there aren't any bass sales, and he said this"
"Well, 5 out of 10 people play guitar, 3 out of 10 play drums, and 2 out of ten play bass." 
"So, instead of attracting more people to bass with good deals on equipment, you kind of force broke kids who want to play an instrument into playing guitar becuase they can get started so cheaply?"
"Uhh..."
"The market is out there for bass players. The problem is, retail giants like you guys make it a pain in the ass to play bass. There are never any deals, the in-store selection is never consistent, and there is never a salesman that truely knows what he is talking about regarding basses."
"Well uh like...."
"Really, you sales people should LOVE bassists. Since our crap is $400 more expensive than the guitar stuff, that commission is a whole lot nicer. Now, 5-string set of DR Low-Riders. And don't ring me up. I want Dustin to get all $.05 of the commision on this sale."
idiots. |
12-21-2005, 01:41 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: NJ | | Right you are... I have found a couple of people that could actually carry on an intelligent conversation about gear, but they've always been managers.
[RANT ON]
They NEVER have ANYTHING in stock that I'm looking for. Even strings. No matter what, it's always a "special order" which means you have to pay first. Then it's a crap shoot when it actually comes in, and NOBODY will call you to let you know "it's here". You have to hold their hand all the way through the order process to get what you want, and follow up yourself just to make sure your prepaid order doesn't sit on a shelf for weeks - or worse, get sold to someone else. I should be getting a commission check for every one of my orders, because I have to do all the work my damn self! 
[RANT /OFF]
However they do have the best return policy out there, and I take FULL advantage of it when necessary. They gave me a great deal on my SVP-PRO. When I found it had a problem I took it back and made them send it out for repair at their expense. Which they reluctantly did, and it's been fine ever since.
I do still get pi$$ed when I've been buying special order string sets there for 10 years, then I get a new kid in the Accessories Dept. that quotes me list price instead of the price I always pay. I've learned to just find a manager that knows me and he takes care of it. Still a hassle, but it's about the same as getting the wrong sandwich at Burger King 
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12-21-2005, 01:45 PM
| | Registered User
Wouldn't you like to know?! | | Join Date: Apr 2000 Location: Atlanta | | Quote: |
Originally Posted by Mike Money That is the question I posed to the accessories guy...
10 packs of guitar strings for $10?
Guitar effects for $20?
Buy any guitar over $450, get a Squier strat or acoustic free!
Guitar amps up to %75 percent off!
I asked the guy why there aren't any bass sales, and he said this"
"Well, 5 out of 10 people play guitar, 3 out of 10 play drums, and 2 out of ten play bass."
"So, instead of attracting more people to bass with good deals on equipment, you kind of force broke kids who want to play an instrument into playing guitar becuase they can get started so cheaply?"
"Uhh..."
"The market is out there for bass players. The problem is, retail giants like you guys make it a pain in the ass to play bass. There are never any deals, the in-store selection is never consistent, and there is never a salesman that truely knows what he is talking about regarding basses."
"Well uh like...."
"Really, you sales people should LOVE bassists. Since our crap is $400 more expensive than the guitar stuff, that commission is a whole lot nicer. Now, 5-string set of DR Low-Riders. And don't ring me up. I want Dustin to get all $.05 of the commision on this sale."
idiots. | Love or hate Mike, this was great!
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There's a reason why women love us bass players.The tone is like Barry White's voice, and the strings are thick like Ron Jeremy's...well, you get the point.
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12-21-2005, 01:46 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Gloucester, MA | | | Not to be condescending but its called the law of supply and demand.
I also hope you don't talk to people like that. Most of the people that work at GC and its ilk probably don't get paid a whole lot and probably sacrifice their pay so you can buy cheaply. Demand for cheap instruments from guys like you has created this problem, so stop giving them crap because people like you created this scenario.
Plus its Christmas time, we should all endeavor to be nicer.
Last edited by gamera : 12-21-2005 at 01:52 PM.
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12-21-2005, 02:05 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: Duncan, Okla. | | | That's a bunch of Hooey. I just left San Diego, I was working w/ a Pro Bass Player and the Mgr. of the guitar dept. They can cut really nice deals on bass equip. if they so desire. I was getting Ampeg @ wolesale, I paid $80 for a $150 Road Ready 4U Rack, I can go on. They can do it if you get the right person. But he's right, they don't pay near enough attention to the bass players.
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Warwick,Ampeg.
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12-21-2005, 04:04 PM
| | Banned | | Join Date: May 2005 Location: Inland Empire | | GC:
Stingray for $850 NIB with case
SWR GIII new $550
SWR 350X new $350
My local shops:
Aria Pro something or another $400
Behringer 1200BX $300
ESP 5er with a loose vol knob $350
I love GC  |
12-21-2005, 07:01 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Midwest | | | "What kind of deal can you cut me?"
This is the phrase to always remember. It's saved me hundreds at GC since I learned it. I usually save 10-20%, more if I spend more. The guy knows he can save me $150 and only lose a dollar or two in commission, but get plenty of more business later. |
12-21-2005, 07:25 PM
|  | Supporting Member | | Join Date: Mar 2002 Location: Ohio | | | GC is what it is. You CAN get some decent discounts, especially on sale days.....i.e., $850 for a new SR5. I also paid WAY less than normal sale price on a Marcus Miller Jazz. |
12-21-2005, 07:30 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: NYC & Vancouver, BC | | | Shop online. |
12-21-2005, 08:18 PM
|  | TalkBass: Usurping My Practice Time Since 2002
Endorsing Artist: Lyt Pedalboards Beta tester: Source Audio Moderator | | Join Date: May 2002 Location: Connecticut | | Quote: |
Originally Posted by marcusalan Shop online. | Can't cut any deals online, at least not with the big online music shops that carry the stuff that GC has. Smaller stores (like Northern Light and Sound) dealing with specialty amp products will give you better deals though. Love or hate GC, you can still get a much better price than the $1200 Musician's Friend or American Musical Supply charges for a Stingray 4-string. |
12-21-2005, 08:32 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: an ignore list near you | | Quote: |
Originally Posted by Bryan R. Tyler Can't cut any deals online, at least not with the big online music shops that carry the stuff that GC has. Smaller stores (like Northern Light and Sound) dealing with specialty amp products will give you better deals though. Love or hate GC, you can still get a much better price than the $1200 Musician's Friend or American Musical Supply charges for a Stingray 4-string. | Like any large store...10% of the staff know their stuff and are eager to help, 40% know their stuff and will help because they get paid to, and the last 50% have trouble adding.
Mike |
12-22-2005, 03:16 PM
|  | Registered User | | Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Madison, NJ | | | It does suck. My bass department at my local GC has a few nice ones and one goon who's actually a bass player. But if I'm going to definately buy, I'll go to the Guitar Center twice as far away to give my business to Mike.
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- Timothy P. Lyons
Your Neighborhood Friendly Candyman
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12-22-2005, 04:00 PM
|  | Registered User | | Join Date: May 2005 Location: New Jersey | | | oh i love guitar center, i brought back a defective processor/pedal board to be fixed and hadnt heard a word from them in weeks...so i called and they said it was there...when i got there they said it was sold....{guitar center totowa, new jersey}...i got my money back..woohoo...what about my f'n time without gear and travel etc..f'k guitar center |
12-22-2005, 04:06 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Midwest | | Quote: |
Originally Posted by fleabee oh i love guitar center, i brought back a defective processor/pedal board to be fixed and hadnt heard a word from them in weeks...so i called and they said it was there...when i got there they said it was sold....{guitar center totowa, new jersey}...i got my money back..woohoo...what about my f'n time without gear and travel etc..f'k guitar center | Ohhhh, so "oh i love guitar center" was SARCASM...
I get it...  |
12-22-2005, 04:11 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: Madison, NJ | | Quote: |
Originally Posted by fleabee oh i love guitar center, i brought back a defective processor/pedal board to be fixed and hadnt heard a word from them in weeks...so i called and they said it was there...when i got there they said it was sold....{guitar center totowa, new jersey}...i got my money back..woohoo...what about my f'n time without gear and travel etc..f'k guitar center | That's a pretty good Guitar Center. You should go see the long haired guy with a high voice. His name is Michael.
__________________
- Timothy P. Lyons
Your Neighborhood Friendly Candyman
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12-22-2005, 04:12 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: NJ | | Quote: |
Originally Posted by tplyons That's a pretty good Guitar Center. You should go see the long haired guy with a high voice. His name is Michael. | He's not wearing a single glove, is he ? 
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12-22-2005, 04:14 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Michigan, USA | | | I'd say that you pretty much owned him.
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12-22-2005, 04:40 PM
|  | Registered User | | Join Date: Sep 2000 Location: Decatur, GA | | Quote: |
Originally Posted by Mike Money That is the question I posed to the accessories guy...
10 packs of guitar strings for $10?
Guitar effects for $20?
Buy any guitar over $450, get a Squier strat or acoustic free!
Guitar amps up to %75 percent off!
I asked the guy why there aren't any bass sales, and he said this"
"Well, 5 out of 10 people play guitar, 3 out of 10 play drums, and 2 out of ten play bass."
"So, instead of attracting more people to bass with good deals on equipment, you kind of force broke kids who want to play an instrument into playing guitar becuase they can get started so cheaply?"
"Uhh..."
"The market is out there for bass players. The problem is, retail giants like you guys make it a pain in the ass to play bass. There are never any deals, the in-store selection is never consistent, and there is never a salesman that truely knows what he is talking about regarding basses."
"Well uh like...."
"Really, you sales people should LOVE bassists. Since our crap is $400 more expensive than the guitar stuff, that commission is a whole lot nicer. Now, 5-string set of DR Low-Riders. And don't ring me up. I want Dustin to get all $.05 of the commision on this sale."
idiots. | If you were half as smart as you think you are, you'd be 4 times smarter than I'm giving you credit for.  |
12-22-2005, 05:19 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Woodinville, WA | | Quote: |
Originally Posted by Mike Money That is the question I posed to the accessories guy...
10 packs of guitar strings for $10?
Guitar effects for $20?
Buy any guitar over $450, get a Squier strat or acoustic free!
Guitar amps up to %75 percent off!
I asked the guy why there aren't any bass sales, and he said this"
"Well, 5 out of 10 people play guitar, 3 out of 10 play drums, and 2 out of ten play bass."
"So, instead of attracting more people to bass with good deals on equipment, you kind of force broke kids who want to play an instrument into playing guitar becuase they can get started so cheaply?"
"Uhh..."
"The market is out there for bass players. The problem is, retail giants like you guys make it a pain in the ass to play bass. There are never any deals, the in-store selection is never consistent, and there is never a salesman that truely knows what he is talking about regarding basses."
"Well uh like...."
"Really, you sales people should LOVE bassists. Since our crap is $400 more expensive than the guitar stuff, that commission is a whole lot nicer. Now, 5-string set of DR Low-Riders. And don't ring me up. I want Dustin to get all $.05 of the commision on this sale."
idiots. | You GO, girl!
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Wick Club member #120! Seattle Bassists Club #11.
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12-22-2005, 05:46 PM
|  | Veteran Dispenser | | Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Newton, Mass | | Quote: |
Originally Posted by Bryan R. Tyler Can't cut any deals online, at least not with the big online music shops that carry the stuff that GC has. | You are absolutely right when it comes to their regular stock. But when Musicians Friend blows something out - they really blow it out. Check out the recent thread on the Peavey Millenniums - I did my wife's Christmas shopping for her peavey bass sale | | Thread Tools | Search this Thread | | | | 
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