i was unclear - guess it's the lack of sleep.
it seems like a lot of guitar centers haven't read that list. but yes, the list does make it much easier to get a return with shipping paid.
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Warning: Buyer beware at Guitar Center
- Thread starter Bassranger45
- Start date
i was unclear - guess it's the lack of sleep.
it seems like a lot of guitar centers haven't read that list. but yes, the list does make it much easier to get a return with shipping paid.
I guess I'm lucky with the GC close to me I haven't had any issues so far. Between my son and I we have dropped good money there as well. My only wish is that they stock more bass related equipment.
My experience with GC is they don't give 2 cents about setting up the basses hanging on the wall.
To your point about the super low action...I recently owned a used BBP35 from Reverb that had amazingly low action. So low I could not play it. I am thinking it came that way from Yamaha. I would not expect GC to touch the action on the bass unless you are prepared to buy it. IDK, though I have not bought anything from them since 1999.
To your point about the super low action...I recently owned a used BBP35 from Reverb that had amazingly low action. So low I could not play it. I am thinking it came that way from Yamaha. I would not expect GC to touch the action on the bass unless you are prepared to buy it. IDK, though I have not bought anything from them since 1999.
You're fine. I was only in reference to online purchases and could have been more clear about that.
My Warwick came is as in considered "excellent" condition. It's wasn't. There was a significant compound twist and neck bow (needed a truss rod adjustment and a lighter gage of strings), the tail piece, bridge, and tail pickup covers were not screwed down tight. I new I could take care of all of that in short order.
I could have gone to the mat with them but the price was so good, I didn't have the heart to ask for more. It was basically stealing as it was.
I had a really nice 320 watt Eden combo that I bought as an at home practice amp. It arrived with a bad tweeter but the amp was listed in good condition. I scored a $150 discount off a $250 sales price, took it home and disconnected the tweeter. It worked fine and later sold it for $250 as is.
Now in store purchases, that maybe another issue I'm sure.
Did you buy all these long-distance/sight-unseen, or locally where you got to personally inspect them first?
I am similar experience to the OP. I bought a used Fender Blacktop from a distant store that was arrived so bowed that I could just about slide my little finger under the strings at the 12th fret. Clearly had never been set up, and no way it would sell to an in-store customer. Fortunately, my nearest GC is only 30 miles away, so not a huge deal, but how do they expect to sell gear in that shape?
They have adopted a "some sucker will buy it" ideology for used sales. Returns go right back up, same price, same pictures (even when they are blurry or hide a major defect).
I found what I thought was the perfect Fender Victor Bailey acoustic electric bass at a local shop. I was going to buy it on the spot, but after playing it there seemed to be a bow in the neck as the action was very high. I didn't purchase it and had the fear I would never find another. I was lucky, as there was a Bailey AEB for sale online at a GC in Chicago. I talked to an employee there and he indicated the action was good and it played very well. It was delivered to me as advertised....I love it! I'm sure not all GC deals work out as well as this one but it was a good experience for me.
I think this is basically the case with any big store selling gear.
Their idea of "playable" is just that it functions. They couldn't care less about whether it's in a condition that suits you.
I recently ordered one from GC that was posted as good condition. It was not!
I nearly returned it, but the local luthier talked me into keeping it today. After playing it for a bit he said it was a very giggable instrument, which is true!
Sure there are things I can do to improve it, but that's on me, unless I wanted to drive 200 miles (round trip ) to return it.
At some point I might might buy another similar to it & use the neck off that one, LOL!
The thing is the market isn't exactly flooded with the model I bought, so I'll hang onto what I have, for now.
That's the way to do it, have the item shipped to your local GC first, then you can inspect on the spot and make a more informed decision. Still, that's a great track record on some really nice used basses.
Short answer... they don't. I worked for them years ago and the main issue is how the returns work within the company.
So basically, some customer brings in a jacked up bass to trade in... salesman needs to pay his bills and knows that the only spending money the customer has... is what they'll give them on trade.
So the salesman takes it in at a decent price, then they list it up on their site in great condition.
Somebody orders it through another store... they ship it.... and it arrives... jacked up.
The customer says no way... and its gets returned into the system.
That jacked up piece of gear is now the problem of that store.
They will either have to ding their margin by putting money/time into it... or they will have to discount it which also messes with their numbers.
If stores werent able to dump off their junk gear on each other, it wouldnt be happening as much.
FWIW... its sometimes so bad/intentional that the store that took it in wont even put it on their shelves. They literally tag it, take pics, list it, and leave it in back.
I was on the hunt for a nice american jackson guitar a few years ago and it took 3 tries to get one to my local store that was in the condition it was described as. One of them was stated as "excellent" and arrive with the floyd rose aimed at the sky, a broken tuning peg, loose jack, and far more dings and scrapes than you would expect....even for a 20 year old pointy guitar.
I brought it up to the manager and he asked where it came from... turns out the new jersey area is the worst offender of these practices. He said any time theyve pulled used gear from that region.. it was always stated as excellent, and always in terrible shape.
I've bought more than 50 basses from GC's used gear pages - probably over 1/3 of them were returned due to issues that weren't disclosed when I called about them... On the other hand, I've also gotten some killer deals that way, as well - just by knowing what I was looking at... I won't bore anyone with listing those deals, but I have no complaints overall with Guitar Center, and I've probably bought more from them than most... As always, buyer beware - and don't be afraid to use their return policy or renegotiate due to condition...
