I'm in Canada, so we don't have a GC here, but we have instead Long & McQuade. Very different experience from GC in many ways, from what I can tell from the few times I've been in a GC. However, soooo many times there is a hot looking Fender bass on the wall, and I play it, and it's fret buzz city. They had a MIA P bass a while back that was exactly what I was looking for and a great price, but it was unplayable. I can't spend $1000 or even $500 on a bass that *might* be playable after a setup, I want it set up so I can see what it is like. It seems like such a fundamental point in selling product, to me. I did run across another MIA earlier this year that was also unplayable, but it was so pretty, I asked for a setup first, and then bought it because it played beautifully after that. I'd asked for a set up to be done first on a couple of other occasions, and the sales people at those times just blew me off so I left empty-handed. They've lost a few sales from me that way, and I'm sure it's not been just me.
