Guitar center messed up my used order

May 11, 2008
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Minneapolis, MN
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So I got a pretty decent deal on a used bass at Guitar Center. Unfortunately, the person who packed it didn't do such a good job and it got damaged in shipment. The website said it had a case, but instead of shipping it in the case the person just packed it in a cardboard box with some bubble wrap around it. As somebody who used to work at UPS and saw what a meat grinder that operation is, I can tell you that this is not something a smart and/or giving a crap person would ever do. Anyways, I'm planning to wait until after the holidays to go in and see about either returning it or getting a partial refund and keeping the bass, and of course seeing about getting that hard case shipped from the other store if I do keep it (those things cost over 100 dollars, you'd better believe I'm not giving up on that). If I do keep the bass with a partial refund, I'm curious about if there are any decent repair options out there. The bass has a sunburst finish, and as you can see the part that was damaged was the black part. I suppose that bodes well? Will your average guitar luthier be equipped to make this look relatively shiny and new again? And if so, what price are we talking about? Also, they didn't ship the truss rod adjuster with the bass. Is that normal for Guitar Center used?

Edit: Since this whole thread got going on my account, I may as well give the update. I went in and told the manager that I'd keep the bass if they knocked 200 dollars off of what I paid. He called the original location it was shipped from and they came back at me with about 60 dollars, so I left the bass there. They also refunded my shipping, which was nice but expected. Overall, I'd rank Guitar Center a 1/10 for logistics, a 5/10 for apathetic yet pleasant sales people, and a 7/10 for complaint resolution.
 
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I'd just return it. There are scads of awesome, and in great shape used basses out there, so why compromise for one that got botched because some knucklehead didn't take an extra 5 minutes to pack it properly?

As far as the truss rod wrench not being included, unless they specifically mentioned that it was included in the used listing, you shouldn't expect it. It's a used bass, and unless specified, expect all case candy, etc. to be long gone. Go buy a 3/16" wrench at your local hardware store for a buck or two and then you'll never have to worry about it again.
 
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Ditto on returning it, and make sure they refund the shipping cost as well!

I've bought loads of pre-owned stuff from GC & I only ever twice got more than just the guitar & the case or bag.
Once they shipped me a Aguilar amp that said it had a case in the listing, but when it arrived, no case. They did eventually get it to me, though.

The good news ones were a B.C. Rich Warbeast that arrived in a nice (but flimsy) coffin case with the Floyd Rose vibrato arm in the case's compartment.

The other was a Ibanez RG920 that came with a premium gig bag with all the tools & parts in it, including the original strap buttons, which had been replaced with Dunlop locks.

My most recent buy was a fiasco, though.
The guitar clearly had a vibrato arm in the photo, but arrive w/o one. A standard Floyd arm will not fit a newer Ibanez. They design them that way on purpose.

GC shipped me one, didn't fit.
I got on the phone with the store manager & even gave him the part number for the proper vibrato arm & he ordered it from Ibanez.
When I got it, guess what, it was for a completely different style of bridge, not even close to what I had.

In the end I returned the guitar, because the crappy bridge wouldn't hold the strings in during a proper divebomb, and the tuning changed twice daily in response to a 2F drop in temperature.
 
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I would return it and I wouldn't pay for the return shipping. Did that once when a brand new Squier CV had the stress cracks in the wood at the neck pocket. That came from the warehouse though. Not sure if GC would cover the s&h charge in your case, but hey, you didn't cause the damage…the dummy who packed it should have to pay. Seriously, that shouldn't be too hard to figure out. I mean, how many people could possibly work out back at the GC the bass came from?

Orher than that, two of the basses I own now came from out of state Guitar Centers, both were shipped in the hardshell cases they came with. Why would anyone do it any other way?
 
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Yeah, that kind of crush is a deal breaker, unless its rare and your gonna restore.

Yeah, not exactly rare, but not super common either. It's a made in Korea Lakland Skyline Joe Osborn. Such a damn shame, it made it 11 years in otherwise amazing condition. On the bright side at least I get an free trial on one of these before I return it (unless they refund a huge chunk to make it worth keeping). The single coils are remarkably clear and focused sounding. I think from 2006 they would be the Lakland/Hanson ones?
 
Return shipping?
My advice is to return it to the nearest GC yourself.

Take a copy of the order with the GC order number.

This is really the only reason to order anything used from GC's website. The return policy makes it worth taking a risk on used gear you don't have the chance to get your hands on first before you buy. Sure, it's a small hassle if you have to return something, but it's worth the risk, and they won't ever give you a hard time if you return it.
 
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Make sure to call the GC you bought it from first & complain about the fact they shipped it w/o the case.
Ask for the manager's name (or Customer Service Manager) & ask to talk to him & explain the same thing.
I think there's only one manager, but there are usually more than one CSM, so make sure they're on duty when you return the bass to your local GC.

The reason for all this is so that the original GC can vouch for you when you return the Lakland w/o a case. If a case is listed on the item's description, they will expect you to return it also.
 
Unless I skipped it, you don't mention how it plays.
If there isn't anything spectacular about the way this bass plays, I guess it's a return.
If it's substantially better than its newer twins, I'd try to get a very substantial compensation and get myself a good bass for very few bucks.
 
Unless I skipped it, you don't mention how it plays.
If there isn't anything spectacular about the way this bass plays, I guess it's a return.
If it's substantially better than its newer twins, I'd try to get a very substantial compensation and get myself a good bass for very few bucks.

I'm planning on seeing about getting the action a bit better before returning it, just to see. It was set up comically poorly out of the box, but fortunately the little hex wrench for my Fender American Deluxe fits this bass to raise the strings. If they can shave off a couple hundred I'd consider keeping it. Somehow I feel like the deal will be worse than that, and they might insist in in-store credit or some such silliness.
 
I live in Alaska on an island and shop online a lot. I've gotten some really good deals from GC used. It's amazing how many people will hop on any opportunity to trash GC. You didn't, just stated your case. I've also received orders from eBay that were ruined by the poor shipping and shippers. Stuff happens. And yes, this bass isn't worth the trouble. With a troubling start like that, might be best to return and move on.