Guitar Center and New Basses

[The BurgerMeister]

Dammit, I volunteered to work 10 to 1 at work on Monday. Does GC really get bad on these types of sales days? If they do, I'll just ask them to take my name off of the list. Then again, knowing my luck, I'll miss out on time and half at work only to find that GC still has that clearance Bongo for 1399.98, like it's some sort of steal. Or that SR5 that's been on the rail for more than a year, all sorts of beat up for 1469.99.

i'm sure the basses in question will be discounted heavily.

if not, i'm sure you could find someone to make you a smokin' deal on one (i know i would)... if you approach it correctly. i'd say... ask for an assistant manager right when you walk in. let him/her know you're very interested in picking up a bass if you can get a smokin' prez day deal. bring them to the bass(es) in question, play around a little, then make an offer.

if i lived in Florida, i'd have you ask for me and this would all be so much easier.

good luck, and have fun!

 

[RandomEvent]

i'm sure the basses in question will be discounted heavily.

if not, i'm sure you could find someone to make you a smokin' deal on one (i know i would)... if you approach it correctly. i'd say... ask for an assistant manager right when you walk in. let him/her know you're very interested in picking up a bass if you can get a smokin' prez day deal. bring them to the bass(es) in question, play around a little, then make an offer.

if i lived in Florida, i'd have you ask for me and this would all be so much easier.

good luck, and have fun!

Transfer to the Jacksonville store before Monday, lol. So, if I show interest in a bass, like serious interest, I should be alright? I honestly might pick up 2 or 3, if the prices warrant it. I might actually dip into the savings account, which I swore I wouldn't do. Or, I could open up a GC account. Are deals less likely to happen for me if I want to open up a GC account and max it out on cool stuff for president's day? If I was an employee, I'd be happy to get a customer like that, but I'm not sure about GC policies with sales, negotiations, etc. Thanks in advance.

 

[The BurgerMeister]

Transfer to the Jacksonville store before Monday, lol. So, if I show interest in a bass, like serious interest, I should be alright? I honestly might pick up 2 or 3, if the prices warrant it. I might actually dip into the savings account, which I swore I wouldn't do. Or, I could open up a GC account. Are deals less likely to happen for me if I want to open up a GC account and max it out on cool stuff for president's day? If I was an employee, I'd be happy to get a customer like that, but I'm not sure about GC policies with sales, negotiations, etc. Thanks in advance.

fancy a trip to L.A. this weekend?

if you were to come up to me and say, "i'm looking to buy a bass or three using this money that i have" (or something along those lines, anyway), i would do my best to sell you three basses. if that meant getting you a GC card, then i'd gladly run an application for you. if it meant selling those three basses real cheap, then i'd do it.

 

[The BurgerMeister]

and... check your PMs, RandomE.
http://[malware url removed].net/vicious-smiley-1815.gif

 

[Coelho]

I disagree. I recently.. well as in Summer, bought my Rickenbacker 4003 (yes it was IN STOCK) at Sam Ash and it was in MINT conditiion. They had it high up on the wall just for those who wanted to play it. I loved it so much I bought it. Prior to that, I've never had problems with Sam Ash, ever.

At guitar center, the last thing I bought was a cheap P-bass with missing knobs and bad setup to throw my fretless neck on just to have, and it ended up costing me over $100. (Though, I can't complain, it's a decent bass, and being in the electronics field, it was pathetically easy to fix.) It's a great bass also. I also bought my MIA Pbass from them. Also no complaints.)

All in all, it's what you're looking for when you go. You always have the option to try. (And I think that's the reason so many people compain, just b/c they're so "played"). I'd say, if you know what you're doing, try before you buy, if it's good take it, if not... who cares, there will always be another chance down the road....

I live 3 blocks from a GC and work 2 blocks from Sam Ash main store at 48th street. Go to each at least once a week to take a look at things. This is not up for discussion.

SamAsh last month had 3 Fender custom shop. They were asking around 2800 each, already "discounted for blemishes". 2 of these basses had the neck pocket BROKEN.

Several basses hanging are missing buttons, some even have the post off the pot broken. In some, the neck is a total bow.

Eventually they will have one or other bass that will be in good condition, but I would say more than 60% is totally unacceptable. The % at GC is not so bad.

The funny thing is: Mannys music, across the street from SamAsh and owned by SamAsh has basses in much better condition. They also share the same inventory.

 

[tkozal]

Here in Manhattan, the typical basses are often beat to crap, and yes I can cut a deal...but

1. On-Line: Bass in a factory sealed box. No sales tax, no shipping, delievered to my doorman

2. GC: 8.367645645% NYC Sales Tax, maybe a discount..10% or so...but then the cost to take a cab home, $6-10.

Makes the cost pretty much even, unless I can really get a good deal..then its a question of a new one in a box, versus one handled by tourists and dreamers...

No question...

If there is an online problem, I get the return shipping slip, call Fedex and they pick it up from my building...

 

[Coelho]

Here in Manhattan, the typical basses are often beat to crap, and yes I can cut a deal...but

1. On-Line: Bass in a factory sealed box. No sales tax, no shipping, delievered to my doorman

2. GC: 8.367645645% NYC Sales Tax, maybe a discount..10% or so...but then the cost to take a cab home, $6-10.

Makes the cost pretty much even, unless I can really get a good deal..then its a question of a new one in a box, versus one handled by tourists and dreamers...

No question...

If there is an online problem, I get the return shipping slip, call Fedex and they pick it up from my building...

+1

 

[rodneyat]

Yeah but you can hustle guitar center like no other.
The sales people are so eager to get some commission, they will sell you stuff dirt cheap, and little nicks like this that most basses will get with in a week or two of playing can be used to lower the price even further.

This can sometimes be the case, but not always. Over the years, I have been able to get a really good deal on abused GC gear. One time, I tried to get them to come down on the price of a Taylor 710ce that had a huge (I mean down to the wood huge) ding on the back. They were gracious enough to come down $25...how nice of them. Obviously, I passed. Bought a different one someplace else for less money and was brand new...Gotta love GC

 

[peterbright]

At GC you can also asked to be called when new equipment comes in. You realy need a "working relationship" with a manager or asst. manager & then you'ld be amazed at what can be done.

 

[dbcandle]

I too am appalled by the poor setups and poor care taken of instruments in big "super-stores", but my own personal experience was:

• Ordered a bass mail-order, got a defective used instrument.
• Went to GC, found one a bit dirty but a good bass, and got $40 off (MIM Jazz).

Although I've shopped around, I ended-up buying both of my latest basses at GC. Mail-order still makes me nervous. Cardboard, UPS and a delicate instrument are a "bad mix".

 

[jwsamuel]

They might be owned by the same people, but the deals you can get at GC are FAR better.

If you call MF or music123 instead of ordering online, you can get better deals. They will lower the prices but only if you call.

Jim

 

[chiplexic]

The best thing about GC is you don't get any flak when you return something. So if you do find a bass that isn't damaged and after having it home a few weeks you decide it doesn't excite you anymore just bring it back and try whatever was your second choice. Nothing worse than being on the fence between two basses and a while after deciding you have irreversible regrets.

 

[3toes]

I view Guitar Center more as "Guitar (Demo) Center." I go there to try stuff out that smaller, local shops may not carry. If I find something I like, I order from somewhere else. The only time I actually consider BUYING from GC is when they have exceptional/uncommon stuff that has been traded in.

 

[Flintc]

Just because I had nothing to lose, I called MF and asked if I could get a discount, since I had made several purchases from them. They readily agreed, and gave me a number good for 20% off and free shipping on my next order. No strings at all. Just phone in the order and give them the number. Everything guaranteed unopened in the box. They mailed me a copy of this discount and number.

So I took this copy to GC. Would they honor it as well? Yes, they would (they're the same company), though if you live in the same state as the GC you must pay sales tax. You are supposed to report internet purchases and pay sales tax on them too, you know. If you live out of state, you are also supposed to report and pay the tax. Buying from GC is good if you want to try before you buy, or you want this particular instrument.

Although I think you have to buy a certain amount from MF at full price to qualify.

 

[tanslacks]

None of the online stores that I buy from ever shipped me open box gear when I ordered new gear. That includes guitars, basses, amps, recording gear, accessories and effects.

You're pretty lucky Islander. The first bass I ever ordered on-line (a mia P) came used and was sold as new from MF. There were no problems swapping the bass, except it took a month for me to get my new one!. It took them 5 minutes to collect my money and 30 days to swap the USED bass they sent me. I was not very happy. How many of you have heard this one from MF..... We are having problems, we recently moved our warehouse? Sheeeesh.

 

[rodneyat]

I view Guitar Center more as "Guitar (Demo) Center." I go there to try stuff out that smaller, local shops may not carry. If I find something I like, I order from somewhere else. The only time I actually consider BUYING from GC is when they have exceptional/uncommon stuff that has been traded in.

I have done the same in the past, from my experience, you can get them to "deal" a little better on used gear there anyway. Many times, the have a good bit of margin in the used gear.

You never know what you are going to get. people return things and GC sell them as new all the time. I know people take stuff apart and return it to GC....You never know if you are going to get something that has been monkeyed with.

 

[scowboy]

Regarding the GC discount which you probably will receive by just asking...

I have bought both from GC and various mail order methods (including online retailers and reputable music stores over the phone).

From GC I bought a blemished Stingray 4 which was probably a 30 day return for $1000 out the door including CA sales tax. On the other had I also bought a MIA Fender Jazz which was virtually unplayed for just north of $600 in 2003 or 4.

With that said my I have also bought a couple from online retailers and just the savings of the state sales tax made it worth getting a fresh out of the box instrument.

Go with what makes sense at the time. If you to GC and the thing looks well "tried out" than it is and you have to ask your self it is worth the 10% and the get it now factor.

 

[bassbrock]

In my opinion, this is common with any thats gonna be put out on the floor. It doesn't only happen to instruments. Wheter it be a computer, tv, furniture,etc. When something like a floor model is exposed to a mass amount of people, blemishes will occur.

Yeah, but the OP was talking about how the employees of the store were damaging the equipment as they were unboxing it and putting price tags on it. They were careless and with brand new instruments no customer has even touched yet!! :scowl:

 

[Bardley]

A little over a year ago I was in the market for a Stingray 5 and the local GC had a SR5 HH that was great. Long story short, I found a great SR5 on ebay that I liked better so I went that route. That SR5 HH stayed around a few more months and got beat up and had a nasty ding close to the bottom strap button. They lowered the price about $100 and it was soon gone. Just a few weeks ago I was there killing time and that SR5 HH seems to have reappeared even more beat up with that same signature ding for the same price. Hmmmm.

It kills me to see great instruments get beat to crap. If the guys at the GCs I've been to would spend half the time tuning and setting up instruments that they spend hanging around the counter talking, they would sell a few more instruments.

 

[kaputsport]

It is a shame you guys have tons of cool inventory at your stores...

My GC in Harrisburg has Fenders and Warwicks... And Ampeg and G&K.

The guys there are totally cool, and give me stuff at cost, all the time. I guess that is what happens when you spend $10,000 a year.