Guitar Center Selling Questionable Used Fender

#41
I gotta say, as a guy who has worked in several music stores, that if you want employees who know what they are talking about you're going to have to pay for the privilege.

GC won't, because GC shoppers won't.

Yeah, I'd say about a third of the stuff on their website is mislabeled or flat out wrong. If you're savvy you can load up with awesome gear for cheap (and I have). If you're not savvy I guess you can come here and whine about it.
 
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#43
NicJimBass said:
This is one side of the coin when it comes to GC's used selection. I see plenty of times when basses are mislabeled or overpriced, but there have been just as many, maybe more times I've scored stuff for way under the going rate, due to them either not caring or not knowing. With credit and the 45 day return policy, you aren't going to lose anything if you buy something and it's not right or in worse condition than advertised. I simply see stuff like this, have a laugh, and move on, because the less time I spend focusing on this, the more time I can focus on finding the next deal.
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The take home lesson is you need to know what you're shopping for. Don't count on GC to have things properly identified or priced. Just like using CL or eBay. The good thing about GC is that you can easily return it to the local store, unlike CL or eBay.
 
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#45
dan1952 said:
When GC is so horrible to deal with, why do you all keep going there?!? I do not understand...
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Well, GC isn't horrible to deal with, they just make enough mistakes that they are easy to make fun of. There's plenty of tasty low hanging fruit there! GC's can be quite good in fact and they have some customer friendly policies that many of us take advantage of, as you can see from some of the comments above. You have to beware of anyone selling used gear, GC is no different just because they are large. Appraising used gear is well above the pay grade of most employees in most music stores that I have frequented. And that includes some very fine mom and pops. So, yeah, when you are buying used gear from GC you have to be prepared to do the homework that they are unable to do. I happen to like GC, I hope they make it somehow.
 
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#46
Lots of GC's boneheaded financial and executive decisions since 07 or so are because they're loaded up with private equity debt, which, if, like me, you're not savvy on such things, is explained pretty well here: https://splinternews.com/the-working-persons-guide-to-the-industry-that-might-ki-1824148959

And a timely article from three days ago:
The move came seven years after Bain Capital bought out Guitar Center for $2.1 billion, a transaction that saddled the instrument seller with a reported $1.6 billion in debt.
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This day in buyout history: Deluged by debt, Guitar Center turns to Ares | PitchBook News
 
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#47
dan1952 said:
When GC is so horrible to deal with, why do you all keep going there?!? I do not understand...
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And that's it in a nutshell. I teach economics, and trying to explain to consumers that their actions are driving the economy, is futile.

Everyone complains about out of work Americans and companies going overseas... but when folks had a chance to drive to a mom and pop store, and deal with a 60 year old musician and his family for a sale, they moaned about it and bought it online so that they could save $3.

Then when the mom and pop store is gone, they get upset because they have no place left to demo what they want before they buy it online!

Put your money where your mouth is is the expression... and although Americans whine about quality and things not being made in the USA, their action is to save a buck at all costs. The manufacturers have all followed us and responded accordingly.

On a regular basis, I drive further and spend more just to do my part, but... I also still tip gas attendants.

GC is 4 miles from my house and I get screaming deals there... but the store that I buy from is an hour away and way over priced... and he's got every amp, speaker, pa, or guitar that you've ever heard of, in stock... I'd like him to stay in business.
 
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#51
ModuMan said:
It isn't just the pricier stuff. A friend told me his wife was buying a "purple Fender Jazz bass".

My theory: they just don't care.

I'm not all that sure this is is even a MIM Fender neck (that logo?) but hey, his wife is happy.

View attachment 2974837 View attachment 2974838
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That neck is from a Fender Jazz Deluxe. That is a proper logo for the era (95~ - 08~) and was also used back in the late-60s/early 70s. I believe they call it the transition logo.

The body, on the other hand, appears to be a Squier Affinity model from the same era. The pickups look to be G&L or Dimarzio. If you can get some more pics of the body, we can try and figure out exactly what it is.
 
#53
selowitch said:
Really? I don't remember seeing any Affinities that have that peculiar pink burst. It seems like a non-Fender brand to me, like maybe a Rondo/SX or something.
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Sorry for the confusion, I was referring to the post I quoted, not the GC ad. The Squier in Baltic blue. I don't think Fender has ever offered anything close to what we see in the GC ad.
 
#54
DiabolusInMusic said:
That neck is from a Fender Jazz Deluxe. That is a proper logo for the era (95~ - 08~) and was also used back in the late-60s/early 70s. I believe they call it the transition logo.

The body, on the other hand, appears to be a Squier Affinity model from the same era. The pickups look to be G&L or Dimarzio. If you can get some more pics of the body, we can try and figure out exactly what it is.
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I played in a band with a dude in the early/mid 2000's who had a MIM Fender P in that exact color. I think the body could be from a MIM Fender P of that era, but with swapped pickups. I don't remember the poles on the pickups looking like that at all.
 
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#55
Just post it to the "do not buy" GC thread on here.

I've seen them list a pre-owned LTD guitar that sells new for $300 at the price of $400, because they obviously mistook it for a different model.
I've got the LTD Deluxe that they claim it was MH-1000NT, and the one one they had was a MH-100QMNT. Honest mistake, I suppose.

However, I've returned faulty gear to them only to see it listed in good or excellent condition the very next day.
no, they didn't fix it, because I tried it again later on a subsequent visit, and it was still broken
 
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#56
GBBSbassist said:
I played in a band with a dude in the early/mid 2000's who had a MIM Fender P in that exact color. I think the body could be from a MIM Fender P of that era, but with swapped pickups. I don't remember the poles on the pickups looking like that at all.
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You may be right, their late 90s purple and Baltic blue look really similar in pictures. The reason I was leaning toward Squier is because of the knobs. They appear to be for split-shaft pots.
 
#57
Alex Bass said:
I may be in the minority but I actually LIKE GC its one of the LAST places around that you can actually sit and play a bass & be around other musicians. The staff is actually pretty nice & knowledgeable at least the ones I go to. Sad so many people sit and complain about how bad they are but offer no alternative place to go. Online sites like ebay and reverb are KILLING brick and mortar stores which is VERY important for your average musician and the folk that actually work there...... just sayin:cautious:
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I felt this way until I moved cross country. My local Guitar Center before always had great stuff and the staff was generally incredibly helpful and knowledgeable. Now, I can only say that in the most sarcastic of manners.
 
#58
DiabolusInMusic said:
That neck is from a Fender Jazz Deluxe. That is a proper logo for the era (95~ - 08~) and was also used back in the late-60s/early 70s. I believe they call it the transition logo.

The body, on the other hand, appears to be a Squier Affinity model from the same era. The pickups look to be G&L or Dimarzio. If you can get some more pics of the body, we can try and figure out exactly what it is.
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That's the spaghetti logo. The transition logo is when they switched to the thicker font for the word "Fender" in the mid 60's.
 
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#59
DiabolusInMusic said:
You may be right, their late 90s purple and Baltic blue look really similar in pictures. The reason I was leaning toward Squier is because of the knobs. They appear to be for split-shaft pots.
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I had a MIM Precision Bass Standard in this color that had Strat knobs which are split shaft. It was a mid to late 90's bass I think.
 
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#60
Alex Bass said:
I may be in the minority but I actually LIKE GC its one of the LAST places around that you can actually sit and play a bass & be around other musicians. The staff is actually pretty nice & knowledgeable at least the ones I go to. Sad so many people sit and complain about how bad they are but offer no alternative place to go. Online sites like ebay and reverb are KILLING brick and mortar stores which is VERY important for your average musician and the folk that actually work there...... just sayin:cautious:
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Sometimes it's better to be in the minority.
I've never had a problem with GC, not even a minor one…bought two of my favorite basses from GC online and they were better than what I was told on the phone by both employees. Bought a brand new $900 Mark Bass amp from them on sale for $599. Did anyone else have the same sale? No, not even close.
Still playing both basses and the amp, incredible bargains, and I will be buying from them again.
 
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