Happy Father's Day: NBD....almost

Warning: Long GC rant ahead.

A bit of backstory: My wife and I have been together for 12 years and I always told her if she were to buy a bass for me I would love it no matter what it was. When our son was born (he's 4 now) I brought it back up as a gift idea. Even told her good places to look new and used. Her brother is a bassist and even offered to help answer questions.

I woke up Saturday (the day before Father's Day) and someone caught my eye in my office at home. A bass I did not recognize was hanging up among my collection. Once I woke up a bit and realized what I was looking at I teared up a bit. She did it, she finally bought me a bass, a Squier Affinity PJ. I woke her up and thanked her but after looking at it I my happiness broke a little. After inspection I noticed a big chunk of finish missing from the back of the bass.



She was more upset about it than I was and figured we would go back to the store and exchange it. Guitar Center we go, my former employer. On the ride over she talked about how rude and unknowledgeable the sales person she dealt with was. He rushed her in and rushed her out, never asked if she needed any help and a damaged bass made it out the door. I talked with another sales person as well as the manager and they had no problem returning it. We looked at other basses since they didn't have another one in stock and the sales guy kept taking every bass off the wall under $200 trying to sell me something. Get me in and out. My wife really wanted the bass her and my son picked out, as did I. I was beginning to order a new one using my 15% coupon and my wife asked the store manager, "What can you do with the damaged one we brought back? Any better deal on the price?"

He looked it over and said, "15%".

I stared at him a moment and said, "The same price as a new one with my coupon?"

"Yep. I'm just going to hang this one on the wall with a scratch and dent tag for 15% off."

"That's the stupidest thing I've ever heard. I'll order a new one then." He shrugged and walked away.

I ordered a new one in store on Saturday and it arrived today. The only way I know it made it there is because I checked the tracking number, no one ever called. I know the tech there and in fact he is the only employee I know since I worked with him, everyone else is pretty new even the manager came from another store. I asked my buddy to open it up and check it before I came in, he did an assurred me no issues. Went in to pick it up and walked up to the counter where the store manager and assistant manager were standing, "Hello. I'm here to pick up my bass please." The AM turns to get on the computer and starts looking his sales numbers for the day and the SM starts a new conversation with him. Never acknowledged me. I wait a second and watch him log in to check out my bass. "Squier bass?"
"Yes sir."
Without a word he turns and walks to the back. "Ok?" So while I wait I pick up a Uke to play and messed around with it for a minute or two. He comes up behind me and shoves the box to my feet and pushes a receipt in my face, "Here you go, have a good day." No "can I help you with anything else? Do you need strings, a case, you want to purchase that ukulele?" Nothing. I grabbed my box and went home.

The bass itself is actually very nice. Fit and finish are good and the quality is a lot better than Affinitys of the past, having owned several. Best of all, it has all the finish on it!

Bass #2:


I know people have complained about Guitar Center for years, I have had decent luck with my local one. I will never shop there again. The level of customer service was awful and not from the newbies they had working there but all the way up to the top guy. I prided myself on customer service while I was working there and it showed in my repeat customers asking for me by name. I don't know what happened for them to have this level of disrespect and why they act so unprofessional. Several employees were leaning on the counter checking their phones or playing random instruments without helping any actual customers including myself. W T F

 

I have owned a ton of Squiers over the years; made in Meixico, Indonesia, China, India, Korea, Japan and this is a very solid built bass. I told my wife no matter it was I would love it but I did manage to get a decent instrument. It will be used and gigged with and I'll never get rid of it.

 

Thanks, they are both quote the looker. (no pics no wife, I know)
I have always had a soft spot for Squier, hence why I started the Tricked Out Squier Club here. People ragged on them for so long but realistically a Squier Affinity today is close to what a MIM Fender was a few years ago. My only nit pick is the electronics and pickups; that's the weakest point. Not bad but not great.

 

Swapped the pickguards around on my pbasses and really liked the result. I put a Squier VM vintage voiced pickup in the neck and will swap out the bridge pickup here shortly. The Affinity series has a pickup size all their own, not standard by any means. I'll have to do some modification to the bridge jazz pickup cavity for a standard pickup to fit.