Yes. Doesn't look like a return. If I exchange it is there a way to know for sure if it isn't a return. Do they commonly send returns out as new? I thought they specifically show open box items on their website.
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This is wisdom. For me, for some reason, I love sonic blue but never want to own any lake placid or metallic or whatever.
It's three years old, so the wood should be settled. I'd play the crap out of that bass, not minding the resale value. Swap the case and try to get a few sets of strings for free, because of their blunder. 
I bought mine from the same place for the same price in the same color.
I was just excited to finally get a US Precision bass.
First-world problems.
I was just excited to finally get a US Precision bass.
First-world problems.
Asking prices for American Standard / American P-Basses from the 90's through to today tend to be about the same around here, so I would say there is no reduction in used value between a 2013 and 2016. Keep the bass if you like the colour.
Even if it's a return, it's still probably new. If it was in a showroom, it could have had hundreds of hands all over it and if you were to buy it, it would still be considered new. If it looks new and is the colour you want, that's all that counts. The reduced price is probably because the colour was not popular. Even better for you!
Even if it's a return, it's still probably new. If it was in a showroom, it could have had hundreds of hands all over it and if you were to buy it, it would still be considered new. If it looks new and is the colour you want, that's all that counts. The reduced price is probably because the colour was not popular. Even better for you!
If you like it, keep it. Don't overthink it. Case? Do yourself a favor and find one of the older shaped cases. Then you will have two... Man, those rectangular cases are bulky (tolex or otherwise).
While the older shaped cases are less bulky than the rectangular ones, they have the disadvantage that the storage compartment isn't large enough to even pack a strap... personally, I prefer there rectangular ones...
LOL - You're dealing with GC!!! They lie for a living. There's a reason Sweetwater is killing them - they do honest business.
If it's not used, then how can the age be explained? Nah - send it back and take your business elsewhere.
Easy...they have a bunch of old unsold stock or Fender did and MF bought the lot of it cheap. They had one color at that price....that alone says that it's old unsold stock. It was an unpopular color. Either that or they just happened to have a whole butt load of restocked Precisions in only one color.
Is Sweetwater killing them? They lie just as much. How about their multi-point inspection? That is the biggest marketing hype lie I have heard. I stopped dealing with them because they refuse to budge on prices and they harass me non-stop. It's nice that they show actual instrument photos and weights though. Not nice enough for me to pay top dollar and get constantly spammed for it.
"refuse to budge on prices" - well, everyone has priorities. I'll pay a bit more for a better experience... but I never buy stringed instruments from these guys anyway (keys / pedals / hardware). I gotta play a bass or hear an amp (buying here in TB excepted - I've come to trust the kooks selling gear here!)
The difference between the realised loss on a FY16 vs FY13 is something no one can say and something that is probably immaterial.
If you are concerned about the realised loss on a bass, then just don't buy new; don't buy a bass at all.
Simples.
When talking about an online experience the lowest price wins. If it's a local store offering more than the online experience then most of the time it's worth a higher price but online is just a battle of the best price. And Sweetwater is almost always the highest price out there. They offer zero in value over the other stores except for the actual photos and weights. Beyond that they give you candy and won't stop emailing and calling. Not worth the extra 10-15% premium to buy from them.
The older shaped style cases don't give the protection to the Instrument inside it. The shaped case doesn't absorb an impact as well as a rectangular case will. The impact on the shaped case is closer to the instrument, where the rectangular case spreads the impact over a greater area of the case, and further away from the instrument inside.
All a matter of perspective. The never bug me, and the last thing I bought from them (a Roland keyboard) was a great deal, much better than anyone else had. I've had far too many negative experiences with GC to trust them on-line. Far too many.
I bought something used on eBay that was something from Sweetwater, I had no idea they had some outlets or stores selling used gear. It was a 1984 Fender so well before the internet. Anyways they would not stop calling me. EVER. It was annoying as hell.
