Odd Guitar Center Experience (Sire Marcus Miller Content)

[FourBanger]

yea GC's policy on equipment i am told is half of street value not msrp or retail. I brought in a 2015 fender american deluxe pbass 1 month old, bought it new for $1750 they offered me $600 for it.
The profit margin and markup is way off balance way too high.

It's pretty standard and common in many types of used items. They buy for half of what they want to sell it for. The 'Too High' portion is the hit one takes when buying a new bass.

 

[FlaCharlie]

Having played and been impressed with the quality offered by Ibanez, Fernandez, and Yamaha over the last ten years my two brief experiences with a Sire left me thinking, "yeah, about the same." Better than a MIM or less money, but the other makes I've mentioned have been there for a while.

Yeah, lots of good basses out there. I have no experience with Fernandez or Yamaha, but I've heard good things.

My Ibanez, a Talman TMB100, is another great bang for buck bass. If you find another bass for $200 new that is as good, let me know. I actually like the neck shape of the Talman better than the Sire. The build quality of the Sire is a step up from the Talman. The Sire's biggest strength is the preamp, which has a sweepable mid control. It's more versatile and considerably quieter if you boost the treble. Still, it's twice the price of the Talman. Comparable bang for buck in my estimation. YMMV and all that.

 

[FourBanger]

Yeah, lots of good basses out there. I have no experience with Fernandez or Yamaha, but I've heard good things.

My Ibanez, a Talman TMB100, is another great bang for buck bass. If you find another bass for $200 new that is as good, let me know. I actually like the neck shape of the Talman better than the Sire. The build quality of the Sire is a step up from the Talman. The Sire's biggest strength is the preamp, which has a sweepable mid control. It's more versatile and considerably quieter if you boost the treble. Still, it's twice the price of the Talman. Comparable bang for buck in my estimation. YMMV and all that.

If you compare the $600 Sire to a $600 Ibanez you may find they are pretty comparable in quality. The part that bugs me about the Sire love is folks act like they are the only good $600 bass, or are better by a large margin. They are comparable to each other and relative to more expensive basses on heck of a deal.

 

[RRDieselbass]

I wouldn't bother talking with anyone other than the manager at a GC. Why speak to a kid who's been there a week, wouldn't he have to check with his sales manager anyway when making a deal?

 

[FlaCharlie]

If you compare the $600 Sire to a $600 Ibanez you may find they are pretty comparable in quality. The part that bugs me about the Sire love is folks act like they are the only good $600 bass, or are better by a large margin. They are comparable to each other and relative to more expensive basses on heck of a deal.

Well, I did post in a recent thread on the new Talman models. In it I explained why I thought the TMB100 was the best deal in the Talman line and why I preferred the Sire to the more expensive Talmans - at least based on specs, since I haven't tried the new ones. But I always try to be clear that the choices I make are based on what I think is best for me and, if I explain why I made that choice, I'm not saying that there's anything wrong with making a different choice. Everyone has different preferences and selection criteria. Yes, there are lots of good choices in that price range. And I'm quite sure there are plenty I haven't heard about.

 

[selowitch]

I think what's remarkable about the Sire basses is that for a third of the price of a Fender American Deluxe, you get an instrument that is more than half as good.

 

[hrodbert696]

On Sire, I've noticed a tendency (including in the TB classifieds) for sellers to ask new prices for used instruments. Mind-boggling to me. But it seems that the wait period to order one and the buzz around them prompts people to think they can get that much.

On GC, I've posted a thread ranting about them and used gear. I've finally reached the point that I just don't want to deal with them any more. There are other stores around that are much better to deal with.

 

[lifeoffroadbass]

I think you might have accidentally subtracted 40 years off of that example.

Hahahahah. I'm surprised you even understood that comment. I made it half asleep and now that I re-read it it doesn't make much sense to me now. Oh well I must have known what I was talking about at the time.

I will say that I have had all good experiences in GC. I found an amp marked waaaay down in error and although they wouldn't sell it to me for that price the manager gave me his friends and family 20% off two items. Ended up with the amp I really wanted for 200 less than it was marked.

Other than that I wouldn't go there for advice that's for sure.

 

[lifeoffroadbass]

GC used pricing seems to be all over the map, and varies wildly from store to store. I look through GC' s used listing pretty often, and its often the same stores that have basses listed at either extremely good or totally bonkers high prices. GC's used site is pretty useful, but consistent it ain't.

Speaking of bizaro high prices, here's a Carvin SB400 they're trying to sell for 1499.99. Looks like it has a flamed top, but there's no way it cost that much new. That thing's going to sit there and collect dust until they drop the price $500 or so.
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You can have Carvin build you a new JB4 (their replacement for the discontinued SB4000) with a similar configuration for $1250. Maybe there are several $100 bills stuffed into the control cavity that they're not mentioning?

I go on the used site every day and it's pretty much in line with what people sell stuff in the TB classifieds for. If it is overpriced it's due to someone who bought it overpriced in the store. It also has to do with condition. Most pictures do not show you the true condition of the guitar.