Similar story. I went to the Warwick, RI store to buy a GK MB210 and it was DOA. They gave me a brand new MB115 II for the same price, which was a steal!
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Guitar Center Used: Don't Buy Items
- Thread starter NicJimBass
- Start date
Sent a Technics 1200M3D back to the Fairfax,VA GC a few days ago, $169 is a steal...shame it didn't work. They said they were going to get it repaired but you never know (as in I've heard that before and seen things relisted, kinda the idea for this thread). Also for anyone who wasn't aware of probably the worst GC used policy, the do not test turntables before selling them. Kind of insane considering they sell cartridges and stylus...whatever the plural of stylus is. If it wasn't for their great return policy shopping used from GC would be impossible.
Plenty of us have had great experiences at GC. All you need is to not be an idiot and spot any problems before the 30-day return policy runs out, and ask lots of questions if you're on the phone with them.
I have bought some very nice used equipment from GC over the years and gotten some real bargains.
I have bought some very nice used equipment from GC over the years and gotten some real bargains.
The problem is, especially with amps, you can be an expert and not notice a transient problem within 30 days. This has happened a couple times with me, not that I'm an expert but whatever. So then you figure a lot of people aren't experts and just won't notice say a slight twist in a neck or that a bass plays great but when you go to adjust the truss 31 days later it is completely stripped(this one actually happened to me, well not 31 days but like 3 months).
I try all adjustments on any used bass I buy. If I wait and find out later that's my fault for not catching it during the approval period. For those who aren't comfortable doing that, find someone who is.
For electronics, let them really heat up and use them as you intend to. That's pretty much the only way most can test for a problem. IMO 30 days is plenty of time to do this if you don't forget.
For electronics, let them really heat up and use them as you intend to. That's pretty much the only way most can test for a problem. IMO 30 days is plenty of time to do this if you don't forget.
Not everyone has this much time though (I'm glad you do but I unfortunately don't) and aside from that their gear is supposedly free from any issues and working perfectly, as they will repeatedly tell you on the phone, so it's hard to place the blame on the consumer.
I currently work seven days a week. Even with that schedule I can find time within a 30 day period to check out something that I've purchased with a 30 day return policy. Could someone be so busy that they couldn't check something out within a full month? Apparently. I don't know anyone that fits that bill. Never have.
As far as what they sell being free from any issues and working perfectly, unless you're being facetious I'm not sure what your point is. If it's not and you can't find time within 30 days to figure it out, you probably should avoid shopping there. OTOH I've bought thousands of dollars worth of gear at such ridiculous prices that I simply don't have the same issues. And when problems have arisen I've either ended up with even better deals or on rare occasions simply gotten my money back. This is one of the lowest risk propositions around IME IMO but I'm not surprised that someone takes issue with it.
If someone has time to adjust a truss rod on the 31st day when they need to, why can't they need to look at it during the previous 30 days when they have the leverage of being able to return it?
Poor planning is not the store's fault. I say that as someone who's forgotten to do something by a certain date in the past. Now I set reminders so I have less of an excuse for forgetting.
Well now you do.
As far as the "facetious" comment...I'm going to hold my tongue.
The point of this thread was to warn people about GC's specific items that are known to be broken and their general selling practices to prepare them for broken stuff, not to tell them they are at fault for buying broken items being sold as working. I don't have time or inclination to discuss this further, feel free to carry the conversation yourself.
I was piggybacking on MarTONEbass' post when you decided to respond to my post. Didn't ask you to and don't really care if you don't respond again.
Even on an item that leaves a store in perfect condition, things can happen. That's why I said what I said re:facetious. Apparently you were serious. Cool.
And I still don't know anyone who is too busy to find time to check out something they bought within 30 days. Too disorganized or forgetful... sure. Or a procrastinator. Just plain too busy?
Nope.
Even on an item that leaves a store in perfect condition, things can happen. That's why I said what I said re:facetious. Apparently you were serious. Cool.
And I still don't know anyone who is too busy to find time to check out something they bought within 30 days. Too disorganized or forgetful... sure. Or a procrastinator. Just plain too busy?
Nope.
Well in that case you're calling me a liar, please respond to me via PM or email and let's get this out of this thread please.
And I still don't know anyone who is too busy to find time to check out something they bought within 30 days. Too disorganized or forgetful... sure. Or a procrastinator. Just plain too busy?
Nope.
I agree with this. If you have time to post here, you can take a couple minutes in a 30 day period to test out your bass and male sure everything works properly.
I'm not calling YOU anything. I don't know you. As such I still don't know anyone who has a 30 day period in their life with NO TIME TO SPARE. NONE.
Checking the functionality of a truss rod shouldn't take more than five minutes.
And saying you'll stop what you started and then continuing to do...
I have no reason to PM you. And you have no reason to talk to me outside of this thread. So if you want to stop then stop. People who complain about conversations they instigate... maybe they just have too much time on their hands.
MIM pbass special in the Carle Place GC. It's a crackly mess. Every knob is scratchy and it makes horrible, ear-drum destroying popping noises if you touch the jack. I told them about this when I returned it and the next day it was back on the wall unfixed. There's also a Warwick rockbass corvette in the same store with a stripped truss rod. It doesn't say it in the description online, or on the tag on the bass in the store. I only know it's stripped because I was going to buy it and asked if they could turn the truss rod to see if it works and they told me it's busted. Still on the wall with no indication that it's basically useless.
The pbass, if it's a good enough deal anyway, buy a can of any contact cleaner from Radio Shack etc. for around $5 and spray the holes in the potentiometers (or even down the shaft from the top if you're lazy), spray a cord and use it in the jack and possibly bend the jack also. I'd say at least 50% of stuff I've gotten from GC has needed some use of contact cleaner, it's a good thing to have around.
I'm sure it's a simple fix. That kinda makes it worse. They could have done that rather then putting it back up on the wall as it was.
