Odd Guitar Center Experience (Sire Marcus Miller Content)

[selowitch]

So I'm in my local GC today and I was excited to see a white Sire Marcus Miller five-string bass with a maple fingerboard. I had heard a lot of positive buzz about these affordable basses so I demoed it and of course it's an excellent bass, better than many much more expensive instruments.

So what does the tag say? It's used, and the price is $599.

I pointed out to the young man working there that the price on this "used" bass was equal to the price I could buy it for new. i showed him the bass on the Sire website with the price beside it and said that, as a used instrument with no warranty, I would expect a discount and would he accept $400 for it. He refused. He also said there was a hold on that bass that they do on all used instruments that come in that would last about two weeks (so they can check whether it had been stolen). I accepted what he said but wondered to myself why they would put it on the wall before the window had closed.

This made me curious what else might happen so I approached another young whippersnapper asking if he would be willing to make a deal. He said no also, but was kind enough to point out a defect I had overlooked: the nut was chipped on the top end of the fingerboard. Although the low B string wasn't slipping (yet), it was clear the nut would need replacement. So I said, ”Look, unless you are hoping to get someone to pay the new price for a used instrument with a needed $75 repair, it would probably behoove you to make a deal with a knowledgeable customer who knows exactly what's going on with this bass. What do you say I hand you $300 cash for this instrument and I will eat the cost of the nut repair?“

Still, the answer was no.

I am surprised they refused to make a deal. I may go back tomorrow and try again.

 

[Chico Ruger]

So I'm in my local GC today and I was excited to see a white Sire Marcus Miller five-string bass with a maple fingerboard. I had heard a lot of positive buzz about these affordable basses so I demoed it and of course it's an excellent bass, better than many much more expensive instruments.

So what does the tag say? It's used, and the price is $599.

I pointed out to the young man working there that the price on this "used" bass was equal to the price I could buy it for new. i showed him the bass on the Sire website with the price beside it and said that, as a used instrument with no warranty, I would expect a discount and would he accept $400 for it. He refused. He also said there was a hold on that bass that they do on all used instruments that come in that would last about two weeks (so they can check whether it had been stolen). I accepted what he said but wondered to myself why they would put it on the wall before the window had closed.

This made me curious what else might happen so I approached another young whippersnapper if he would be willing to make a deal. He said no also, but was kind enough to point out a defect I had overlooked: the nut was chipped on the top end of the fingerboard. Although the low B string wasn't slipping (yet), it was clear the nut would need replacement. So I said, ”Look, unless you are hoping to get someone to pay the new price for a used instrument with a needed $75 repair, it would probably behoove you to make a deal with a knowledgeable customer who knows exactly what's going on with this bass. What do you say I hand you $300 cash for this instrument and I will eat the cost of the nut repair?“

Still, the answer was no.

I am surprised they refused to make a deal. I may go back tomorrow and try again.

Were either of these guys the manager? You might have better luck with the top guy in the store. Good luck.

 

[superdick2112]

The 2-week hold standard at all GCs, but you should be able to put it on lay-away until then.
The nut is a $10 DIY job, but I still wouldn't pay more than $450 for that bass. Good luck!

 

[selowitch]

The 2-week hold standard at all GCs, but you should be able to put it on lay-away until then.
The nut is a $10 DIY job, but I still wouldn't pay more than $450 for that bass. Good luck!

No way I am cutting, shaping, and slotting a nut myself. I will pay someone $50 to do it. I live in a major metropolitan area and that seems to be the going rate.

 

[selowitch]

$300 was my opening offer. I was willing to go up from there, but they wouldn't engage.

 

[96tbird]

I'd be out at $375. It's ABused.

 

[selowitch]

BTW, I was stunned at how nice the bass was. The white finish is similar to Mary Kaye White on a Fender, with some translucence. Every detail (save the nut) was excellent. The neck is amazing and the sound was powerful.

 

[selowitch]

No dings or scratches.

 

[KohanMike]

Plus 1 to talk to the manager. The manager at the GC store I frequent in Hollywood was always willing to make a deal. Same with the Sam Ash across Sunset Blvd.

 

[1stnamebassist]

I put a down payment (50%) on a bass someone had just brought in, to hold it while they did the two week thing
and checked to see if it was stolen. Two weeks are up, I go to the store with the rest of the cash in hand
and I find my bass hanging on the wall for sale!

 

[selowitch]

I put a down payment (50%) on a bass someone had just brought in, to hold it while they did the two week thing
and checked to see if it was stolen. Two weeks are up, I go to the store with the rest of the cash in hand
and I find my bass hanging on the wall for sale!

You have a written agreement with GC, right?

 

[Garret Graves]

I put a down payment (50%) on a bass someone had just brought in, to hold it while they did the two week thing
and checked to see if it was stolen. Two weeks are up, I go to the store with the rest of the cash in hand
and I find my bass hanging on the wall for sale!

That's annoying! Grubby hands all over your new to you bass.

 

[aaronious]

Just keep climbing up that ladder. Eventually you'll get it. I like your negotiation tactics!!

However, if the bass is still on the two week hold. You'll be climbing that ladder for awhile. No retailer will budge on a price for inventory that fresh.

They are waiting for some rich kid who knows nothing. Not an educated consumer like you.

 

[1stnamebassist]

You have a written agreement with GC, right?

I'm sorry, I should have been a bit more informative! I got the bass no problem a couple years ago. It was a Sonic Blue Squier CV 60's Pbass. They had it for 200.00, and it still had the plastic on the pickguard. Still have it and like it a lot except for the pesky typical dead C on the G string thing. All I did when I saw it on the wall was ask why is my bass hanging on the wall and handed them my receipt, and they apologized up and down about it! No harm done. They had it hanging out of reach of prying hands with the 200.00 price tag on it.

 

[Dr. Cheese]

I have seen a case on Facebook of a GC charging a new price for a Sire. If the bass is in like new condition, you do get advantage of picking it up without a wait. If you are not in a hurry, ignore GC and order a V7 from Sire and chill.

 

[aaronious]

I'm sorry, I should have been a bit more informative! I got the bass no problem a couple years ago. It was a Sonic Blue Squier CV 60's Pbass. They had it for 200.00, and it still had the plastic on the pickguard. Still have it and like it a lot except for the pesky typical dead C on the G string thing. All I did when I saw it on the wall was ask why is my bass hanging on the wall and handed them my receipt, and they apologized up and down about it! No harm done. They had it hanging out of reach of prying hands with the 200.00 price tag on it.

The old dead C on the G string. Just curious, what gauge strings are you using?
Reason I ask is I had 110's on a bass. DEAD as a door knob.
Changed to 95's and it was gone. I searched high and low for a solution to the problem and tried all of them. Lighter strings was never mentioned, I actually found out by chance. Give it a shot, might work for you.

 

[DigitalMan]

Probably not easy to negotiate on a bass that's still under hold. GC can wait it out cause they have to anyway...

 

[selowitch]

Just keep climbing up that ladder. Eventually you'll get it. I like your negotiation tactics!!

However, if the bass is still on the two week hold. You'll be climbing that ladder for awhile. No retailer will budge on a price for inventory that fresh.

They are waiting for some rich kid who knows nothing. Not an educated consumer like you.

Probably not easy to negotiate on a bass that's still under hold. GC can wait it out cause they have to anyway...

I will ask on what day the hold is due to be released.

 

[1stnamebassist]

The old dead C on the G string. Just curious, what gauge strings are you using?
Reason I ask is I had 110's on a bass. DEAD as a door knob.
Changed to 95's and it was gone. I searched high and low for a solution to the problem and tried all of them. Lighter strings was never mentioned, I actually found out by chance. Give it a shot, might work for you.

I wish I had read this yesterday! I'm running EB Cobalt flats at the moment, but I just ordered a set of Dean Markley Blue Steels that had a .050 G string. I thought maybe a heavier gauge round might help. No big loss, they were only 14.00 anyway! At present its my go to roundwound. I like them a lot on my Casady and my 4003s.
The dead spot isn't terribly offensive until you run some effects like OD or distortion, then it just falls on its face when you hit that C.

 

[superdick2112]

If you're willing to cough up $50 for a new nut, you might as well just spring for a new Sire with a gig bag, warranty and your choice of color, delivered to your doorstep.