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Guitar Center used site

#901
Govier966 said:
Just a heads up. Called about the Dirnt. It about a 30 minute drive from me. Unfortunately the neck is maxed out.
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It would be nice if they put that in the details. Theoretically, I could call the store. They'll tell me it's in great shape. I'll buy it it. Receive it. See it's maxed out. Return it for my money including shipping and the guy that sold it to me will lose his commission, and GC will have lost money in shipping. It's so silly.
 
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#902
Gorn said:
It would be nice if they put that in the details. Theoretically, I could call the store. They'll tell me it's in great shape. I'll buy it it. Receive it. See it's maxed out. Return it for my money including shipping and the guy that sold it to me will lose his commission, and GC will have lost money in shipping. It's so silly.
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They would really be better off specifying that it needs a new neck in that case and selling the bass for parts. If the price is right, I wouldn't mind installing a new neck. But after dealing with GC several times, I find that honesty is often too much to ask for.
 
#903
PunkKitty said:
They would really be better off specifying that it needs a new neck in that case and selling the bass for parts. If the price is right, I wouldn't mind installing a new neck. But after dealing with GC several times, I find that honesty is often too much to ask for.
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I wish they did stuff like that. Maybe if they realized something is completely shot, to break it up and throw it in a parts bin. Been way too many times where a piece of used gear I've gone to check out has the worst neck ever with maxed out truss, and they know it. I only want the body but not at the price of buying a neck that can't be repaired along with it. I've asked about those situations, and also when they have amps and cabs that they insist on selling as a set. I mean, I'm willing to pay more for the head alone than they probably paid for the entire rig...but nope. No sale.
 
#904
bray101 said:
I wish they did stuff like that. Maybe if they realized something is completely shot, to break it up and throw it in a parts bin. Been way too many times where a piece of used gear I've gone to check out has the worst neck ever with maxed out truss, and they know it. I only want the body but not at the price of buying a neck that can't be repaired along with it. I've asked about those situations, and also when they have amps and cabs that they insist on selling as a set. I mean, I'm willing to pay more for the head alone than they probably paid for the entire rig...but nope. No sale.
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If they were owned by a company that was musician oriented at all, we might see that. Unfortunately, they aren't.
 
#906
As a former employee of GC that hates that place with a passion now in no way am I defending them. But when it comes to knowing if the truss is maxed out 9 times out of 10 they don't know. Yes, they should check but when buying used gear they are only required to check if it makes noise and if there are any breaks. Personally I only mess with the truss rod on my basses when need be which is not very often. So don't jump to conclusions that they are being dishonest or trying to cheat you because they more than likely never checked it at all.
 
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#908
ChrisCassisi said:
BTW my post is not directed at anyone. It is just a general comment that I feel and in no way accusing anyone of saying that place is dishonest or trying to cheat us musicians. Just my 2 cents.
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Not to try to be argumentative or criticize, but if I were running a new car dealership, and happened to also sell a few used cars, do you think it'd be good business practice to just start up a used car and look to see if it had any dents? Sure you wouldn't, you'd look under the hood if you were a reputable dealer.
 
#909
morrisonhendrix said:
Not to try to be argumentative or criticize, but if I were running a new car dealership, and happened to also sell a few used cars, do you think it'd be good business practice to just start up a used car and look to see if it had any dents? Sure you wouldn't, you'd look under the hood if you were a reputable dealer.
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Yeah that's I guess a big part of my point.

If they cared, they'd have a competent onsite tech (or one per few stores) to evaluate used gear prior to purchase for those kinds of issues.

That person would try and prevent them from buying, or selling gear, that is completely broken. Similar to a mechanic at a car dealership.
 
#910
ChrisCassisi said:
BTW my post is not directed at anyone. It is just a general comment that I feel and in no way accusing anyone of saying that place is dishonest or trying to cheat us musicians. Just my 2 cents.
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I'm not saying they're dishonest even. I was referring to times when they see the problem I'm referring to. For example, if the neck is bowed beyond repair, it's usually pretty visually evident when the neck looks like a banana. I don't care if they checked it or not, but when it's that awful, I guess I just wish they'd let me buy the body. They'd still at least break even.

Wishful thinking I guess. I'm sure it's more of a big box corporate thing. They're not in the part out business.
 
#911
Gorn said:
It would be nice if they put that in the details. Theoretically, I could call the store. They'll tell me it's in great shape. I'll buy it it. Receive it. See it's maxed out. Return it for my money including shipping and the guy that sold it to me will lose his commission, and GC will have lost money in shipping. It's so silly.
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I always call & ask a bunch of questions before ordering something from them. Anyway, if it arrives looking like a pretzel you can retract your purchase.
 
#912
Yeah well I got a lemon like 17 days ago now. Rather then deal with a retun I figured I would bring it to my luthier and see the price of fixing it. Its a beaten to death MIM J bass form 1994 with EMG's , I paid $242 after shipping/tax which sounds great but its beat, dirty, the back of the neck is missing 80% of the finish and the maple stained gray , the body has a 3 inche long by 1 inch wide chip etc. My luthier gives free estimates but he just got back to me after 1 week of having it saying it would be $200-$275 for him the clean it up as I want, fret dress leave, refinish the neck,clean the whole thing, new tuners as it came with these crappy 70s style import tuners they didnt tell me about that barely fit. Gosh its a mess, so I would haev over $500 into it and it would still have a beaten to death body finish on it.

I think its just going to be return, the action is a half inch high with mismatched strings, I cant believe they took it in as trade let alone sold it and the photo of it made it look pretty good.

I have bought about 15 basses used from them so this happens.
 
#913
morrisonhendrix said:
Not to try to be argumentative or criticize, but if I were running a new car dealership, and happened to also sell a few used cars, do you think it'd be good business practice to just start up a used car and look to see if it had any dents? Sure you wouldn't, you'd look under the hood if you were a reputable dealer.
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I completely agree with you but this is GC we are talking about. They do the minimum amount of effort. When I was the tech at the San Jose store I always had the sales people bring me any instrument up for consideration of buying from a customer. Would give it a once over and that included making sure the truss rod worked both ways. There were many times I was told I was "over doing" my job and wasteing time and company money. To me it was doing my job right but GC is about profit not quality.
 
#915
dave79 said:
I tend to think that they're dishonest when I tell them what is wrong with a bass when I return it and it is back up for sale the next day.
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Happend with a Washburn B20 I bought. Truss was maxed and the electronics were shot. The angle of the pic made it look great and the sales person said it was a 7 out of 10. Recieved it and it was a 2 out of 10. Looked like someone dragged it down a gravel road. Returned it to the GC I used to work at and told them how bad it was. They had it on the floor a few days later for the same price it was originally.
 
#916
dave79 said:
I tend to think that they're dishonest when I tell them what is wrong with a bass when I return it and it is back up for sale the next day.
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That's cuz they are dishonest.

I've probably bought over a dozen used basses I've found on used.guitarcenter.com. I've always called and had someone pull it, play it, and tell me how it is before paying for it. I've had them tell me it's mint, or it's nearly mint. The action is perfect, the frets are great, if I was a bass player I'd buy it....lies almost 100% of the time. I guess they're betting I'll just keep it and they won't lose their commission from the return.

I returned an active fender. It was dead. Told them it was dead. Zero output. (Not because of a dead battery) Back on the wall the next day still dead.

I returned a weird old mij something or other with a deep bow and maxed out truss. Back on the wall the next day.

I returned a wish bass with a heavy bow in the neck (no truss rod) and a fingerboard coming unattached from the neck. Back on the wall.

They don't care. Might be why they'll probably be extinct in the near future.

Not every GC employee is dishonest and inept, but most of them are...in my experience.
It's still a great resource for buying used basses though. If you got something good then you got something good and if you got something that sucks and they lied about it then you get your money back.
 
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#918
Gorn said:
It would be nice if they put that in the details. Theoretically, I could call the store. They'll tell me it's in great shape. I'll buy it it. Receive it. See it's maxed out. Return it for my money including shipping and the guy that sold it to me will lose his commission, and GC will have lost money in shipping. It's so silly.
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It really is. If the bass was $200 I would have gladly ordered a warmoth neck and had a very nice bass. Its no longer listed though. I just hope whoever bought it was informed of the issue.
 
#919
I'm too hungover to call today about this one:
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110106200
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SOLID BODY ELECTRIC Precision Bass
Vintage 1975 Fender Precision Bass Stripped 4 Str
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Guitar Center Cherry Hill
Cherry Hill, New Jersey 08002
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