Has GC-MF Become the Dumping ground for manufactures?

[ggvicviper]

Originally Posted by bassRunner

Here's some fuel for this fire. GC is having a 48 hour flash sale going on right now. Here's the list of companies that are NOT participating:
http://www.guitarcenter.com/GC-Coupo...ls-g25685t0.gc

So, pretty much nothing is on sale. I'll look elsewhere for that Zoom b3 pedal, thank you.

This is a great reason why I unsubscribed from Musician's Friend & GC newsletters. They are ALWAYS having sales, and they always exclude all these exact same giant list of manufacturers. The list never changes.

What you are left with, as said earlier, is Rogue. A few had good experiences, but I will never buy another Rogue.

Well, on the positive side, at least you can get strings! (If you're willing to buy $100 worth)

[portlandguy]

I think you could be on to something..............

[ggvicviper]

Originally Posted by bigsnaketex

Lots of good info here.......the truth in "my world" is that the local mom and pop store that I trade with has a very good incoming inspection procedure. And I can tell you that with absolute certainty because each Tuesday at 4:30pm, I help inspect (and then help set up) the weekly delivery from FMIC.

This very week, the store got in 9 new Fender's (1 P-Bass, 1 Jazz Deluxe, 1 Jazzmaster, 4 Strats and 2 Tele's) and 3 of them, after inspection, were put back in the boxes and sent back. 1 for damage, 1 because the switch had a short in it and 1 because the bridge was attached CROOKED - the strings didn't even line up with the fretboard!).

I don't keep up with statistics on this but I do this once a week and I can tell you without blinking that at least 20% of all instruments received are sent back for some quality issue. It truly boggles my mind.

The return process involves calling the "center" (as it's called), getting a return authorization number and sending it back to Scottsdale, Arizona where it is reparied if possible. In certain situations, we have to wait and they send us back the same exact instrument. Other times they simply replace it in the next week's shipment with a different one. I have no idea what the criteria they use for that decision is.

So my question is WHERE DOES ALL THE CRAPPY STUFF GO??

I think I know the answer. I go to Guitar Center locations all the time in my travels and I can also say that it is MY experience that it's almost impossible to get a great instrument at one. Everything in their stores seems to be less than what I think it should be (as far as instruments go).

That may be because so many grubby hands have been on it and no one cleans them like they should - but I do try to look past that and look at the quality issues.

And because of MY experience, I would NEVER EVER buy a Les Paul, a Fender Custom or any quality (expensive) instrument at a Guitar Center. Especially via the internet where I couldn't check it out before hand.

Plus, I'm old enough to have the mentality that if I have a choice, I will always buy local. I can get just as good a price locally as they have at Guitar Center - but that's because I have developed a great relationship with my shops over the years. A person walking in off the street will pay more locally but if you're a musician, you should have a relationship at your local shop.

And if your local shop doesn't carry what you want or can't get it - order from Sweetwater, Wildwood or my personal fav's zZounds or Elderly. I would never recommend buying through the mail from Guitar Center - even with one of their coupons!

OK, rant over.......

I've also said in another forum that aside form an ESP LTD I ordered online once, I have never bought a new instrument from GC. Buy GC used (even online as long as you try before you leave the store) and you will be much happier.

MF I ordered three instruments from, and one was really nice - a Yamaha BB415. I ordered a Dean EABC5 and it was already good to go out of the box, but it had a flaw in the finish. Didn't mind, so I kept it. The last was a Rogue LX200F... 2nd biggest piece of crap I ever owned (next to a Galveston fretless). It was gone within the year.

[hdracer]

To be fair if you call them you usually get the discount applied to any idem. They just can not advertize it.
I got my Fender Bassman 100T at 20% off when they had a big sale going after I called.

I have no problem buying amps, cabs, PA gear, anything but basses and guitars.

[ggvicviper]

Originally Posted by hdracer

To be fair if you call them you usually get the discount applied to any idem. They just can not advertize it.
I got my Fender Bassman 100T at 20% off when they had a big sale going after I called.

I have no problem buying amps, cabs, PA gear, anything but basses and guitars.

My theory on the leniency for anything but basses & guitars is because the audio equipment doesn't sell nearly as well as the instruments do.

[grrg63]

For the recent holiday season cheap gear feeding frenzy, I got a bass from Sweetwater that had a scratch on the pg for which I got a $60 reimbursement. I got an amp from MF that had a pretty good dent, $50 reimbursement. They both work fine otherwise so I figured I would rather just get them cheaper instead of going through the whole tedious return process.

[jlepre]

I just got this from MF yesterday. It was listed in their USED section, but it still had the plastic and stickers on the PG, and was in NEW condition. I only paid $351 for a bass that sells for $599 on many websites.

Maybe I'm the EXCEPTION, but I am EXTREMELY happy.

[ggvicviper]

I'd also like to say every time I read the term "dumping ground" in the title, I feel like I would like to go to the bathroom.

[Bongolation]

Originally Posted by bigsnaketex

I don't keep up with statistics on this but I do this once a week and I can tell you without blinking that at least 20% of all instruments received are sent back for some quality issue. It truly boggles my mind.

[...]

So my question is WHERE DOES ALL THE CRAPPY STUFF GO??

I think I know the answer. I go to Guitar Center locations all the time in my travels and I can also say that it is MY experience that it's almost impossible to get a great instrument at one. Everything in their stores seems to be less than what I think it should be (as far as instruments go).

As I've said several times, that answer simply doesn't add up on the numbers.

Where the really bad stuff goes is the "scratch & dent" or "used" category at MF or elsewhere. I know, because I've bought it, and the stuff's been returned by someone from somewhere at least twice previously. If it's too bad for even that, MF sells it in their local shop as salvage gear, or at least did until recently.

That stuff used to come in in large lots, and was put on the site and sold before Fender even shipped it in some cases.

Many manufacturers and distributors sell their rejects and returns to Amazon, who in turn sells them as A-stock. I know this for a confirmed fact.

That may be because so many grubby hands have been on it and no one cleans them like they should - but I do try to look past that and look at the quality issues.

The good stock sells and the bad stock hangs on the walls and gets torn up by kids and bubbas until it eventually gets dumped at long discount on a sale.

And because of MY experience, I would NEVER EVER buy a Les Paul, a Fender Custom or any quality (expensive) instrument at a Guitar Center. Especially via the internet where I couldn't check it out before hand.

I'm not troubled by that because I can send it back for exchange at no cost to me -- and have -- many times in the past.

I don't deal with small shops because they aren't as gracious about returns on stuff that takes a few weeks to blow up.

And if your local shop doesn't carry what you want or can't get it - order from Sweetwater, Wildwood or my personal fav's zZounds or Elderly.

zZounds is nothing but AMS, and they sell the same raw, unopened stock as everyone else, including some real junk, like everyone else. I know because I've bought it. ZERO difference from MF/GC/M123.

[Bongolation]

Originally Posted by grrg63

For the recent holiday season cheap gear feeding frenzy, I got a bass from Sweetwater that had a scratch on the pg for which I got a $60 reimbursement. I got an amp from MF that had a pretty good dent, $50 reimbursement. They both work fine otherwise so I figured I would rather just get them cheaper instead of going through the whole tedious return process.

It's interesting if MF has started doing this again. There was a long period where they wouldn't.

[gurensan]

Originally Posted by hdracer

We are extremely lucky here in the Twin Cities. We still have a lot of good stores. Planet Bass, My Music Store, American Guitar, Willies, Twin Town and if you take a nice drive down to Dave's Guitar Shop in La Crosse you're in for a great experience.

I was @ Willie's today. I take back my vintage comment, 100%. they have some awesome stuff in there right now. I noodled around on a '78 Antigua finish Mustang bass today. Seems the stuff comes and goes in waves.

They also had a new fireglo Rick 4003, and a '74 4001! The 4001 is significantly less expensive, too, which kind of blows my mind. It's in great shape.

Planet Bass, My Music Store? Never heard of them! I'll look 'em up; I need new and more brick-and-mortar music stores.

OK, I looked them up. Still, this handful of stores is still nothing compared to the dozens that were here in, say, '95 or so. You used to be able to find quality stuff and surprises around every corner. Nowadays, not so much. Chain stores like GC are better than nothing, though. Even if they carry garbage.

[That Sustain]

One positive thing about the GC in my town is the used gear. They are quite picky about what gets traded in.

I've seen 2nd hand American Standard P and J's for just under $650. at GC.

You don't have much choice in Columbus Ohio these days. Most of the locally owned shops are gone.

[hdracer]

Originally Posted by gurensan

Planet Bass, My Music Store? Never heard of them! I'll look 'em up; I need new and more brick-and-mortar music stores.

MMS is a nice little shop in Golden Valley. Real nice people and a great tech. They always have a nice selection of Lakland's, Yamaha's and nice use stuff.

Planet Bass is in Maple Grove. He is a very high end bass shop. Alembic, Zon, MTD, US Spector, Roscoe,Elrick,Fodera,Modulus.
The shop is only a few miles from me but it is the one I go to the least. It is out of my price range and I hate wasting his time while I drool. If I had a extra 5k+ that I could spend on a bass I would spend some real time in there putting his stock through there paces.

[Solarmist]

Originally Posted by hdracer

When has a bad bass come from places like Sweetwater, Bass Central, Wildwood or any other place that takes the bass out of the box and inspects it before photographing it to show you the bass you are buying.

I purchased my last 2 basses from Sweetwater, because they have actual pics of the basses for sale, and do inspect them thoroughly. Their poeple are fantastic to work with, and I won't hesitate to purchase from them in the future.

[MOTORHEADBANGER]

Originally Posted by Solarmist

I purchased my last 2 basses from Sweetwater, because they have actual pics of the basses for sale, and do inspect them thoroughly. Their poeple are fantastic to work with, and I won't hesitate to purchase from them in the future.

Sweetwater is definitely legit. I live about 30 miles from Sweetwater and have visited their facility numerous times (for gear and bass/rig repairs). Their guitar/bass showroom (and especially the acoustic room) is top notch. Everything within reach, and a great assortment of amps to play through. They also do a fantastic setup. Great people working there. In the rare occasion that they do slip up (happened to a friend, not me), they bend over backwards to fix it.

[BIGEJ2]

Sweetwater may be legit but I won't buy anything from them. I don't believe in bait and switch and sure don't appreciate frequent telemarketing calls. I would rather take my chances somewhere else and not be bothered.

[Will Kelly]

Originally Posted by dalkowski

Acton?!? I've been living right up the road from Acton for almost 15 years and never knew they had a GC.

I'm sorry, brain fart. Natick, not Acton.

[Tupac]

Some of you guys are misunderstanding what OP is saying. Whether GC or a mom and pop store inspects instruments after receiving them (beyond what they find during a basic setup) is irrelevant. He's saying that suppliers deliberately send their bastard children to GC and save the good ones to ship to lesser known stores, where they'll be a bit more observant about what they get, and so will their customers.

[Solarmist]

Originally Posted by BIGEJ2

Sweetwater may be legit but I won't buy anything from them. I don't believe in bait and switch and sure don't appreciate frequent telemarketing calls. I would rather take my chances somewhere else and not be bothered.

The 2 basses I purchased are indeed the same basses pictured at their site - they look identical based on the woodgrain patterns, and besides that - they give the serial numbers up front so there can't be a "bait and switch".

[Bongolation]

Originally Posted by BIGEJ2

Sweetwater may be legit but I won't buy anything from them. I [...] sure don't appreciate frequent telemarketing calls. I would rather take my chances somewhere else and not be bothered.

I had a real misery of a time getting loose from some guy named Ptak there after I ordered some two-bit accessory that was on long sale and sold out. I told them never, ever to call me unless there was a problem with an order that couldn't be resolved by email, and never email me unless there was a problem with an order. It FINALLY sunk in, but I had to get nasty about it.

It's unfortunate, as Sweetwater, Ash and AMS seem to be the only big onlines left that don't charge CA's inflated sales tax, and they rarely have long deals and don't have nearly as big an inventory or as many lines as GC/MF/M123.