I don't worry about strings or set-up ... I do check the weight and (more important) balance and (most important): ... tap the body to see if the wood sounds good.
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Guitar Center would sell more basses if....
- Thread starter sawzalot
- Start date
Dr. Cheese said:
Like how the Gap employees stay 2 hours after closing to fold every single item.
Wouldn't be much of a point, most kids go in there, grab the most expensive bass and play slap as fast and as hard as they can. Pick up the cheap stuff it's usually got some fresher strings on it.
Also that fender that's way at the top has new strings and a decent setup.
Also that fender that's way at the top has new strings and a decent setup.
Not for many of the basses at the local store, apparently.
Anyway, I'm glad to hear that some of the GC locations actually try to keep their instruments in playable condition.
I've never had a good GC experience. 2 acoustic basses went back, 1 ukulele, and a friggin wooden egg that had a crack in it. Sam Ash or a few reputable local retailers are the only options for me here in NYC/Long Island, and Sam Ash is shyte most of the time too. More than once the genius they had stringing basses there put the d where the g goes and vice versa.
If there wad a way GC would sell more they would do it. Truth is most people must be ok with out of tune cheap guitars that are not set up properly, because they sell a lot of them. I personally have gotten to the point that I will only play and tune a bass that I am interested in. I have spent too many hours of my life adjusting GC equipment that does not belong to me.
I stop prefer smaller mom and pop music stores though they have become more difficult to find.
I stop prefer smaller mom and pop music stores though they have become more difficult to find.
I can understand the strings being dead and would not give a accurate sound or tone quality to possible buyers. However strings are usually the first thing I replace to what I regularly use anyways. Would not bother me so much especially if I got a great deal on the bass. And yes replacing the strings would end up costing them money to do so, but with markups in prices of everything then again possibly not.
There used to be a store around here that gave you a free setup with most guitar/bass purchases. Does GC do anything like this? I doubt it, but I've never bought anything from GC so I wouldn't know.
JehuJava said:
I think taking four hours a week before or after closing to keep necks straight and action reasonable would not be costly. These guys take time to clean the store after closing, and this could just be another task. I would not change strings, but they could be cleaned, along with the fingerboard, and the instruments should be cleaned with polishing cloths.
You have to understand that GC employees are paid by commission. Every second they're there after closing is money they have to make up in sales.
Let me clarify. GC employees are paid either minimum wage or they hit their "fade" and earn a commission, whichever turns out to be higher overall at the end of the month. They do not earn more money by working hours that the store is closed unless by some chance someone were to call in and place a phone order.
In a perfect world, by keeping the guitars/basses set up and tuned they would sell more and offset the difference, but that is not really true. In the store I used to work in, we did lots of experiments during our downtime like making extra effort to wipe everything down, tune guitars, pull stock off the floor that need the intervention of the repair tech, etc... At the end of the month, overall it made no difference. We didn't sell more. In fact, that month our sales were down.
Understand, most of the people that work there do so for the love of music, but you have to remember they have to earn a living too. Sure, you'll find the odd 19 year old stoner working there, but the majority of us (at least in my store) were between 30 & 40 and working there to earn $$$ between gigs.
On the other hand, outside of waiting too long for help at the accessories counter, I don't think I've ever had a bad GC experience. My biggest complaint with GC is that I'm sick of looking at the same brands (Fender, Warwick, EBMM, Schecter) over and over again.
>wait until a poorly playing bass has been on the shelf for 45+ days
>remind the sales clerk that it is officially B-stock and should therefore be marked down (usually at least 15%)
>ask for it to be set up before you buy it (they'll do it)
>walk home with a brand spankin' new, well-playing instrument that you saved a good amount of money on
>remind the sales clerk that it is officially B-stock and should therefore be marked down (usually at least 15%)
>ask for it to be set up before you buy it (they'll do it)
>walk home with a brand spankin' new, well-playing instrument that you saved a good amount of money on
It could be done like a Triage or a reverse triage. The newest or nicest could be tweaked to stay in shape, and the worst would get attention too. Those in the middle in terms of condition and value could be gotten to eventually.
Ditto ... but I sense a fierce money angle from Management.
I've honed on a guy who's been very helpful. I usually 1) know what I want before I walk in and 2) have found the best deal on the web to price it. They match it (if it's legit') and "Dave" has let me return several things including various microphones I've tried out (which apparently is against store policy).
FWIW, I've been in to the GC on Boyleston (sp?) St. in Boston a number of times, and the sales staff has been very accommodating in letting me play any bass there, through any amp/cab I wished, and then LET ME ALONE to sort it out. I will add that I'm an almost 60-ish guy who might look like I'm serious about basses and spending money. 
This, even when I knew he could probably figure I'm just in during my lunch break to kill some time; I *might* come back in and actually BUY something later. I am respectful of his time, he respects my potential as a future customer, its a win-win all around. The selection is only fair, most likely because of the economics of the business described above. And sure, there have been the obligatory posers who quickly run out of licks, and then leave. The basses I played were mostly out of tune, but I quickly remedied that, and the actions didn't totally suck... Maybe this store is an anomaly. I don't know. They have had some good deals on used stuff. I guess each store has its own "personality," probably reflecting the local management and scene.
This, even when I knew he could probably figure I'm just in during my lunch break to kill some time; I *might* come back in and actually BUY something later. I am respectful of his time, he respects my potential as a future customer, its a win-win all around. The selection is only fair, most likely because of the economics of the business described above. And sure, there have been the obligatory posers who quickly run out of licks, and then leave. The basses I played were mostly out of tune, but I quickly remedied that, and the actions didn't totally suck... Maybe this store is an anomaly. I don't know. They have had some good deals on used stuff. I guess each store has its own "personality," probably reflecting the local management and scene.
