Actually, I use a personal trainer from LA Fitness and have been happy as hell. Oh yeah, the guy is a friend of mine who I trust hahah
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Guitar Center Strikes Again
- Thread starter ggvicviper
- Start date
Actually, I use a personal trainer from LA Fitness and have been happy as hell. Oh yeah, the guy is a friend of mine who I trust hahah
I think people generalize too much with GC. the one near where I live has been great. I ordered a used pf-350 from a different store and it came to my door lacking the ability to produce sound. I brought it into the local GC and they apologized for the issue, and gave me a new one to use while my used one was sent in for repair.
On another occasion I ordered a used $400 full-hollow jazz box guitar from a different guitar center, and I kid you not, the thing arrived on my doorstep in NOTHING but a large box... Not even a 'fragile' sticker or one of those form fitting boxes that new guitars ship in... I opened the box and pulled out just the headstock, got sick and called my local GC... they let me trade it in for a new guitar for a great deal, but here's the scummy thing: about a week later I browsed the used section of my local GC's website and came across a blurry photo of the EXACT SAME (and not very popular, mind you) model guitar with the shot conveniently not showing the headstock area. They were selling it for $400. Upon visiting the guitar center out of curiosity I did not see the model on the wall, but it was still on sale on the website when I got home. this may sound like a conspiracy theory but it looks like they were going to try to sell and ship the ruined model at the same price to some other sucker. Maybe have the in-store luthier glue the headstock back on. I am not buying site-unseen for a looong time now.
On another occasion I ordered a used $400 full-hollow jazz box guitar from a different guitar center, and I kid you not, the thing arrived on my doorstep in NOTHING but a large box... Not even a 'fragile' sticker or one of those form fitting boxes that new guitars ship in... I opened the box and pulled out just the headstock, got sick and called my local GC... they let me trade it in for a new guitar for a great deal, but here's the scummy thing: about a week later I browsed the used section of my local GC's website and came across a blurry photo of the EXACT SAME (and not very popular, mind you) model guitar with the shot conveniently not showing the headstock area. They were selling it for $400. Upon visiting the guitar center out of curiosity I did not see the model on the wall, but it was still on sale on the website when I got home. this may sound like a conspiracy theory but it looks like they were going to try to sell and ship the ruined model at the same price to some other sucker. Maybe have the in-store luthier glue the headstock back on. I am not buying site-unseen for a looong time now.
I thought you meant that you only partially pulled the bass out of the box and noticed some dings and immediately put it back in. But the headstock was disconnected from the bass?
That speaks about the shipping company too, though, handling boxes poorly enough to break wood.
When a used item is returned the computer automatically reboots the item onto the used site after 24 hours, and in that situation chances are it was either written off as a loss or sent off to repair (hence not seeing it on the wall) and it would take a bit for those changes to be reflected by the system.
Our computer system is far from perfect, and based on my experience this is the most likely explanation. I can tell you we would NEVER try and sell a broken guitar for full price...
I'll tell you what GC is good for! I've nearly ALWAYS been able to go in there and put someone together and walk out with a DEAL.
However, I will say this, and understand that, essentially being a McDonald's that sells guitars in stead, it's all based on employee turnover. But the GC in Las Vegas was actually quite good for several years, and up until a few months ago, the GC here in Baton Rouge was semi decent.
However, I will say this, and understand that, essentially being a McDonald's that sells guitars in stead, it's all based on employee turnover. But the GC in Las Vegas was actually quite good for several years, and up until a few months ago, the GC here in Baton Rouge was semi decent.
This thread makes me laugh.. Ok. Most everyone I have ever spoken to at any GC around the country really don't know much about basses or any other equipment.. True that.. However, every once in a while someone knows about the gear. They are MOSTLY incompetent, but not always. (Devils Advocate of sorts). Buyer Be Ware...
Well, they didn't sell it for full price... I became very interested in this and followed it online for a while. they had it listed for about a week or two. After about one week they dropped it down to $330 and it sold shortly after that. I could give them the benefit of a doubt that someone else sold them the exact same model around the time I returned mine, but I NEVER saw it in-store while it was listed on the used website...
These are the same guys who just gave me a fantastic deal, though. I brought in some used gear on a trade and they paid me more than what I spent for all of it... like 30-50 profits per item on my end. Yeah they're the ones making the bigger profit in the end but I still came out ahead.
Hopkins
Commercial User
I dont see how that picture makes GC bad. It is highly possible that someone damaged that bass and simply put it back and no one noticed it yet. Every one of the local GC's in my area have a scratch and dent section with major price reductions which Im sure that bass will end up in. Although some of the scratch and dent instruments are beyond repair.
Unfortunately this was no S&D. Plus, this response kinda says otherwise:
Here we have several GC's to choose from. I visit one a little often, can not stand another, and get along great at another.
Note the "from afar" - which may have been from across the floor. Once you got closer, you couldn't miss it.
The original post is just a bit ridiculous, in my opinion. Who cares that a damaged bass was found sitting in a guitar center showroom somewhere. And, oh my god... No one had noticed it yet! This type of stuff happens at every big box store on the planet.
When someone does finally pick that bass up to try it out, rest assured, they or the sales rep will notice the damage, and I'm sure swap it out for a new one. What's the big deal here. In case you hadn't noticed, guitar centers is not a boutique bass gallery. Its the Kmart of musical instrument sales.
When someone does finally pick that bass up to try it out, rest assured, they or the sales rep will notice the damage, and I'm sure swap it out for a new one. What's the big deal here. In case you hadn't noticed, guitar centers is not a boutique bass gallery. Its the Kmart of musical instrument sales.
Hopkins
Commercial User
Still, you are trying to make GC out to be some kind of villan when no harm has been done.(except for the bass) Why does it even matter whay price it is listed at? Its not like they are holding a gun to someones head and forcing them to buy it.
I think it's amusing. That's why I started this thread. Why are you so defensive over something that really doesn't involve anyone here?
The bass in the OP is atrocious, buuutt...
NOT ALL GUITAR CENTER STORES ARE LIKE THAT!
Okay, okay, so a lot of them are, but sometimes the GC hate is ridiculous. Whenever you shop in retail stores, including big box stores like Guitar Center, you shouldn't expect everything to be perfect. Sure, it's a bummer to think of it like that, but it's the truth...if you go into Guitar Center expecting the bass to be set up to your specs you're going to be disappointed.
That being said, the bass in the OP is not even in playable condition, but I'm sure it was an honest mistake on someone's part.
The only GC I frequent is the North Paramus, NJ one. My relatives live about 10 minutes away, so whenever my family goes up to visit I make sure to stop by. The basses (and other instruments) are always set up well, and the employee who works to bass room (I'd like to say his name is Vince...something with a "V") is knowledgeable and passionate about the instrument.
That being said, I went to the Paramus, NJ store once (a few miles away from the store I mentioned above) and it was absolutely awful. They had a wider selection (including some Sterling Classics I wanted to try out), but the basses were sub-parly set up, and there weren't even cables on the showroom floor (so you could plug in and actually demo the bass). I only saw one associate in the store, and he was pretty much useless.
So, like anything, there's good and bad Guitar Centers...while the problem presented in the OP isn't an isolated incident (lots of people, including myself, have had incidents at GC), it shouldn't reflect on every GC out there.
NOT ALL GUITAR CENTER STORES ARE LIKE THAT!
Okay, okay, so a lot of them are, but sometimes the GC hate is ridiculous. Whenever you shop in retail stores, including big box stores like Guitar Center, you shouldn't expect everything to be perfect. Sure, it's a bummer to think of it like that, but it's the truth...if you go into Guitar Center expecting the bass to be set up to your specs you're going to be disappointed.
That being said, the bass in the OP is not even in playable condition, but I'm sure it was an honest mistake on someone's part.
The only GC I frequent is the North Paramus, NJ one. My relatives live about 10 minutes away, so whenever my family goes up to visit I make sure to stop by. The basses (and other instruments) are always set up well, and the employee who works to bass room (I'd like to say his name is Vince...something with a "V") is knowledgeable and passionate about the instrument.
That being said, I went to the Paramus, NJ store once (a few miles away from the store I mentioned above) and it was absolutely awful. They had a wider selection (including some Sterling Classics I wanted to try out), but the basses were sub-parly set up, and there weren't even cables on the showroom floor (so you could plug in and actually demo the bass). I only saw one associate in the store, and he was pretty much useless.
So, like anything, there's good and bad Guitar Centers...while the problem presented in the OP isn't an isolated incident (lots of people, including myself, have had incidents at GC), it shouldn't reflect on every GC out there.
Maybe the employees were so used to seeing Epi EB basses in that state of disrepair that they thought it was normal? Maybe it was set up for the bassist of a Morphine tribute band and you just needed a slide to play it properly? Maybe there's a sub-genre of music that requires unplayable instruments to get a certain 'sound,' and its set up for the bassist of such a band?
I think you all are just jumping to conclusions with this whole 'it probably got dropped' thing.
I think you all are just jumping to conclusions with this whole 'it probably got dropped' thing.
I was at GC a couple of days ago, this young kid dropped a bass, after he made a hasty exit I summoned an employee & told him what occured. He glanced in the general direction, shrugged & walked away.
+ 10000
As far as basses go, I've had nothing but great results from them. I had a bad experience with one store and my Traynor YBA200, but other than that everything has been honest and positive. Got a Fender Super Champ XD that kicks all kinds of butt and was had for a GREAT price. Pedals too (a Rat 2 and Small Clone) have been a great experience.
