Guitar Center™ Challenge

[strictlybass_ic]

Ibanez SR bass - $350
20' Cable - $15
Strap - $10
GK MB115 - $500

Then spend the rest of the money cheering myself up because I'm going to lose a lot when I sell all of it off later.

 

[japhy4529]

Some sorta' Effder 4 under $700 and something Hartke/GK/Peavey, etc. 200w combo w/ a 15" driver under $500, (maybe from the used section), $100-$150 for cables, strings, cheapo tuner, gigbag and strap. Bargain hard for an 'out-the-door' deal and have 'em do a set up on the bass.

With a decent P.A.? Scrap the amp and get a good D.I. and a nice cable.

Likely return most of it in the morning and get on the phone to beg/borrow gear to finish out the tour.

"Bargain hard for an 'out-the-door' deal and have 'em do a set up on the bass." What GC do you shop at that would a) bargain with you and b) do a set up on your bass and c) all within an hour as the challenge requires?! I think Lens Crafters would be more likely to accommodate this scenario. Haha

 

[arbiterusa]

So for the sake of argument here I'm going off the website:

Mogami Gold Series Instrument Cable 25 ft.
Neotech Mega Bass Strap
Squier Vintage Modified Fretless Jazz Bass 3-Color Sunburst
Gallien-Krueger Neo 115-III 1x15 Bass Speaker Cabinet
Gallien-Krueger MB500 500W Ultra Light Bass Amp Head

Shipping & Handling:FREE
Tax: $111.27
Your Order Total: $1,502.20

I've got $2.20 in the change tray of my car, so I think I'd be good.


Here's the problem: what GC online stocks and what my local CG stocks are two completely different things. My local stores - both of them - don't have the bass or the amp or the cab in stock. Possibly not the cable. Maybe not even the strap. Good part is they usually have something better used that I'd like more. But maybe not. It would be a crapshoot to be certain.

Good challenge.

What I'd actually do if such a horrible event occurred is go to my workplace, pop the server room open, and get my full set of spare gear which lives in there (full SWR rig and two Squier Jazz basses, one of which is the fretless in my shopping list). If you can swing it you should always have a spare rig somewhere.

 

[Bassa Nova]

Fender MIM Standard Precision, Fender Rumble 200 and money left over.

^^^^This.

Maybe go used MIM P or new Rumble 500, strap, cords. Done. Still money left over.

 

[tbz]

I'd call Jason at BSO.

 

[Herbie Chesnutt]

Ibby was my first choice, but since that option has been repeated nonstop, and for good reason, Imma say mint green SUB Ray 4, strap, cable, snark, and Markbass CMD 102P. That'll put hair on your chest.

 

[Selta]

Thing is, you need it NOW!

I had previously posted what I would do "now". I didn't think that the option to drive home and grab my 2nd setup was on the table - if it is, that would be choice 1. Choice 2 would be what I posted earlier, and then buy stuff that I actually like again after that (which is the post you quoted).

 

[tgriley62]

I would cancel the gig & take the $1,500 and put a bounty out for the low life that stole my gear

 

[Selta]

I would cancel the gig & take the $1,500 and put a bounty out for the low life that stole my gear

I think the premise is that you, personally, have $1500 in like a bank account. Not that someone randomly hands you $1500 to get the gig going. So you're spending your own earned money, not "free" money.

 

[Remyd]

Do we get 15% off?

I could easily cover for $700 based on my local GC's used

Fender 400pro combo (used) - $400
Squier Affinity PJ (or maybe a used Sub 4) - $200
$100 for strings, strap, cord, tuner etc

To use the entire $1500 on new stuff (available locally) it would be more like

Fender MIM P - $600
Ampeg PF500 - $400
Ampeg PF-210HE - $400
and there's $100 left for accessories.

Wow, my stores don't carry much bass stuff at all.

 

[bassfran]

"Bargain hard for an 'out-the-door' deal and have 'em do a set up on the bass." What GC do you shop at that would a) bargain with you and b) do a set up on your bass and c) all within an hour as the challenge requires?! I think Lens Crafters would be more likely to accommodate this scenario. Haha

I'm in Chicago, born and raised. Granted, very few stores have an on-site tech so I'll give you that one.

Knowing what kind of mark-up they do I'll never pay full price for anything- the squeaky wheel gets the grease, friend.

 

[wolffire99]

Seeing more ibanez SR's than anything else in the thread. I guess that makes those the most undervalued bass in the < $1k range?

For me...

I'd get whatever they had used so I could get more of my $ back when I upgraded or found my stolen gear.

Something like a used MIM P bass $400
Used ___________ ~500w solid state amp $250
Used ___________ 410 cab $400

Total $1150

If I have to spend all of it..

I'd add an VT bass or Ampeg SCR DI $150

 

[Fresh Eddie]

I would go to the used section, pick out the best bass and amp for the buck, then when I brought it up to the counter to pay for it all, the employee would flip the tag over and inform me that none of it is available until _________ (two months from now).

 

[MoeTown1986]

I'd probably get a:

GK MB212 combo (Cause its the only combo I've ever found loud enough to gig with and I own one)
A Squier VM Jazz V (Cause I play American Jazz V's. Close enough for last minute)
A 25' cable
A tuner pedal of some sort
A strap

Add taxes to that and I should be around $1500. I'd hate playing a gig without my pedal board of effects though.

 

[micguy]

I'd spend a few bucks on gas so I could go to a store with a better selection than GC. As almost all my gigs are in ear nowadays, I'd buy a decent p bass of some sort, a decent overdrive pedal (Darkglass vmt maybe), a TC corona chorus, and head to the gig. I have spare strings, a strap and cables in another bag that, luckily, the thief didn't get, as it was on my shoulder.

 

[bryan gibson]

Squier Affinity Jazz 5'er (way nicer than the name implies...)
Strap, whatever they have that's padded
25' Mogami cable
Fender Rumble 200, or whatever 115 combo they have otherwise. Hell, maybe 2 of 'em and still come out way under budget.

 

[bdplaid]

they would have nothing in stock suitable for a pro gig. now if that gig was in a teenager's bedroom...

 

[decentbassbreh]

I'd take the $1500 and go on a meth fueled hunt for the scoundrel that stole my gear.

thats a lot of meth dude

 

[decentbassbreh]

used fender p bass, used amp portaflex sans amp, snark, strap, and 2 cables, one of them is a coil cable too.

 

[bassestkkm]

Sterling SUB Ray4 in trans blue, Snark Tuner, Levi's strap, and as big an Amp as I could afford cause the bass is versatile and tone is in my hands