My recent encounter at GC

[MultiScaleMale]

Yeah, but I bet they didn't take off the cylinder head.

And GC didn't remove the tuners. Checking the neck stamp is de rigueur when it comes to inspecting an instrument with a Fender logo on the headstock, as is opening the hood.

 

[turf3]

And GC didn't remove the tuners. Checking the neck stamp is de rigueur when it comes to inspecting an instrument with a Fender logo on the headstock, as is opening the hood.

Yes, and you ask permission.

The more times you unscrew those cheap wood screws, the worse the holes get.

Rule One. You do NOT disassemble customer owned equipment without permission. Is that really so hard to comprehend?

 

[MultiScaleMale]

Yes, and you ask permission.

The more times you unscrew those cheap wood screws, the worse the holes get.

Rule One. You do NOT disassemble customer owned equipment without permission. Is that really so hard to comprehend?

I would assume that I'm giving approval for an inspection if I bring an instrument to Guitar Center to sell to them. "I want to sell this, please don't take it apart." really doesn't make sense.

 

[1958Bassman]

GC could be next door and I wouldn't want to go there more than once a year. I hope some of their stores are better than the one in the Milwaukee area.

 

[Killing Floor]

He should have asked.
That’s first and foremost.

I could have saved you the trouble. Partscasters are worth .25-.40 times the total market value of the neck regardless of the value of the used parts.

 

[turf3]

I would assume that I'm giving approval for an inspection if I bring an instrument to Guitar Center to sell to them. "I want to sell this, please don't take it apart." really doesn't make sense.

Ok, remind me not to let you handle any of my stuff.

Now what a proper person, brought up in a place where meddling with other people's belongings leads to trouble, would have said is "Sir, in order to inspect this properly, I'm going to need to remove the neck. OK?"

Then if OP said no, the employee says "well, then, I can't give you an estimate. Have a nice day" and if the OP said yes, then the employee removes the neck. That's what would happen in a properly run business staffed by properly-brought-up people. Where I'm from, the employee's behavior could easily lead to fisticuffs.

 

[Selta]

This might get some hate but I don't care, I want to tell this story...

The only "hate" you'll get is hopefully a good edit from a moderator for dragging political views into this thread.

 

[turf3]

This might get some hate but I don't care, I want to tell this story...

The week our governor came out against the illegal mask mandates this summer, stated that Tennessee is not in a medical emergency anymore, etc. I went walking in to our GC. The manager immediately says "oh hey, can I get you a mask?" and I said "no thanks." She cringed and said "oh well you can't be in here without a mask." To put it even more in perspective, there's like 5 people in the entire 20,000 ish square foot store, including employees. I reminded her that we are under no mandate and that requiring a mask isn't really legal. She was having none of it and told me about a few employees that she had who were sick currently. I said "so, they're not here right?" and she said "no". I said "good, they're home, that's where sick people should be... I'm not sick." She persisted and I finally said, "fine, I will shop elsewhere. Sweetwater sounds good." I left and haven't been back.

They are garbage, and OP I would have lost my mind if one of those clowns began dismantling one of my basses without asking.

Whoa, you're on the wrong horse there. Guitar Center is a private business and they can exclude anyone they damn please, as long as it's not for reasons of race or religion. You're in the wrong there.

 

[LBS-bass]

The only "hate" you'll get is hopefully a good edit from a moderator for dragging political views into this thread.

Already reported. Rules are rules and I don't know why someone comes into a thread and announces they're about to break them.

 

[MultiScaleMale]

Ok, remind me not to let you handle any of my stuff.

Now what a proper person, brought up in a place where meddling with other people's belongings leads to trouble, would have said is "Sir, in order to inspect this properly, I'm going to need to remove the neck. OK?"

Then if OP said no, the employee says "well, then, I can't give you an estimate. Have a nice day" and if the OP said yes, then the employee removes the neck. That's what would happen in a properly run business staffed by properly-brought-up people. Where I'm from, the employee's behavior could easily lead to fisticuffs.

Wow, overreact much? Good luck!

 

[DanDBassist]

i wasn't there, and of course i didn't hear the exact conversation, but it almost seems like someone was willing to quietly pass off a 'frankenbass' as a genuine factory instrument just to see if the store wasn't smart enough to catch it. am i wrong about that? i'd like to be.

i agree that the 'tech' absolutely should have asked before disassembling the bass. very poor form on their part, and you have good reason to be upset and never return there again.

I took my bass in because I was genuinely interested in what they would offer since it was a quality Fender neck. But, when I found him taking it apart it became a matter of principles so I stopped him. I felt violated.

It sounds like the GC employee knew more than most, at the very least, since he was able to recognize that the body and the neck didn't belong together, and a replacement neck (as opposed to a swapped out neck) wouldn't have a proper serial number on it, so that would make the decal seem suspect. OP says he told the guy it was a genuine Fender neck, but yeah the only way to know that for sure is to look at the heel.

Where this went south to my mind is that instead of saying something like, "OK, I can check that out by looking at the heel of this neck, if you don't mind," the salesperson instead got sneaky and ran off without asking, presumably to an area of the store that had the tools to unscrew the neck plate. What he should have done was ask, invite the OP to be present during the inspection (assuming the OP agreed) and checked it out in front of the OP.

So, instead, we now have a salesperson who probably thinks he was being lied to because the OP didn't want him to see the neck heel.

The "technician" can think what he wants, it just didn't feel right to not ask me first.

 

[LBS-bass]

I took my bass in because I was genuinely interested in what they would offer since it was a quality Fender neck. But, when I found him taking it apart it became a matter of principles so I stopped him. I felt violated.



The "technician" can think what he wants, it just didn't feel right to not ask me first.

I didn't disagree with you on that. Just suggesting the probable outcome. He should have asked.

 

[M0ses]

I would assume that I'm giving approval for an inspection if I bring an instrument to Guitar Center to sell to them. "I want to sell this, please don't take it apart." really doesn't make sense.

Assuming anything, as a retail employee dealing with customer property, is a g**da**ed STUPID thing to do. As a private person dealing with someone else's property, it'd be extraordinarily rude. As a corporate representative, it's also totally inexcusable.

 

[Blackjac97]

Next time, get in the car and drive to Nashua NH. The staff there have always been awesome .

May I join in? I'm spitting distance from Nashua.

 

[MultiScaleMale]

Assuming anything, as a retail employee dealing with customer property, is a g**da**ed STUPID thing to do. As a private person dealing with someone else's property, it'd be extraordinarily rude. As a corporate representative, it's also totally inexcusable.

It likely went down as customer comes in with a bass made from parts says “I want to sell this”, employee notes issues with the decal, says something along the lines of “I’ll need to check it out” and walks back to the bench where the tools are. Then he starts to check it out. This isn’t a vintage item.

But demanding that it be returned to pitch before handing it back was a good indication that there wasn’t going to be a sale.

 

[yodedude2]

i would not have guessed that g.c. would ever buy a 'parts' bass to resell. and yet: [Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

 

[Lesfunk]

So let’s sum this up.
Is it good for the store to want to take a deeper look at an instrument if they feel the need to in order to make an informed offer? Yes
Should the store representative asked the owner of said instrument for permission before doing so? Yes
So the question is, was the neck found to be legit and did they offer the $50 ?

 

[Michael Stanley 2112]

Guitar Center is (in general) a bunch of (admittedly enthusiastic) barely post-high school noodlers who think GC is an entré in the the "music biz".

I've had nightmare experiences enough at many GCs where I can safely say: "Unless there's an item I have absolutely fallen in love with which is a GC exclusive, I will NEVER darken a GC doorway again." (and I NEVER say: never).

They had a GC exclusive silver Les Paul there, last year. Push/pull tone pots for splitting the coils.

I gently pulled on one and it came off in my hand. The kid (yeah, I said it) grabbed a screw driver (ostensibly to pry the split on the pot wheel apart) and said: "Oh. I can fix that."

I asked: "Why would I want to buy a new guitar which needs to be "fixed", before I've spent my greenbacks?"

I went over and picked up a Jackson bass (allegedly new) and the strings were scraping against the fingerboard. I couldn't get two of the strings (open) to make a clean note. I said: "What gives?"

He said: "Oh! Our tech hasn't gotten to that one yet."

I said: "Then why is it on the sales floor?"

I walked out.

 

[Brich]

Guitar Center is (in general) a bunch of (admittedly enthusiastic) barely post-high school noodlers who think GC is an entré in the the "music biz".

I've had nightmare experiences enough at many GCs where I can safely say: "Unless there's an item I have absolutely fallen in love with which is a GC exclusive, I will NEVER darken a GC doorway again." (and I NEVER say: never).

They had a GC exclusive silver Les Paul there, last year. Push/pull tone pots for splitting the coils.

I gently pulled on one and it came off in my hand. The kid (yeah, I said it) grabbed a screw driver (ostensibly to pry the split on the pot wheel apart) and said: "Oh. I can fix that."

I asked: "Why would I want to buy a new guitar which needs to be "fixed", before I've spent my greenbacks?"

I went over and picked up a Jackson bass (allegedly new) and the strings were scraping against the fingerboard. I couldn't get two of the strings (open) to make a clean note. I said: "What gives?"

He said: "Oh! Our tech hasn't gotten to that one yet."

I said: "Then why is it on the sales floor?"

I walked out.

Cool story bro...

 

[lfmn16]

Yes that was a presumptuous richard move on his part.

I'm liking this - a Presumptuous Richard. Well done!