Randy (or any lefties) ... look here.

If you're interested, I'm willing to come down on the price.

I decided to go through these guys because I didn't want to deal with packing and shipping and I thought I'd have a better chance of selling it via a real guitar store. If you talk to them, tell them you talked to the owner on-line and he said he'd be willing to lower the price.

I haven't been to a guitarcenter in years.   I do all my shopping @ sweetwater

I despise walking into big brick and mortar music stores. The douche levels are just far too high. Gives me panic attacks.

Must... escape... douches!

I think someone posted a link to this a while back... it is pretty good and educational. It has a lot of stupid stories but also clues you in to the "pros", I forget exactly what they call them. They are not in every store either.

http://www.gearslutz.com/board/moan-zone/112000-stupid-things-youve-been-told-guitar-center-35.html

J

I don't even think they have GCs up here. I've certainly never been in one. From the stories I see here I'm more than content with that fact.

Pretty much everything I need I can get online. However trying buy a guitar over the tubes is... well, not great. Even the best makes and brands need to be handled before purchase IMO. I did however luck out with my Yammie but it does need some work. Still would have bought it though. Great axe.

I still enjoy going to GC and SamAsh now and then. I usually don't buy anything, but I enjoy messing around with the stuff and some of the guys actually know a little. You can usually tell who they are. The don't call you "dude". They don't bother you but if you listen a little and watch them, you can tell who to talk to... if you actually want to buy something.

None of them hold a candle to MARS music though. They didn't pay the sales weisels on comission and they generally had better, even helpful people. They had several rooms in the back where you could take aguitar and/or amp and play around with it. On rainy days I used to spend all afternoon in the MARS in Marietta just playing different guitars. No one cared or bothered me. I got there about 10:00 AM one morning and we dimed a Plexi full stack for about 30 seconds... we got stares from the people at the front... and everyone else for that matter. All the MARS stores I ever visited were also larger and that really makes a difference. Most GCs have everything jammed up together, SamAsh is a little more spread out but nothing like MARS was. I really miss them, I made good friends there and spent a good deal of money with them. I cannot stand to be pressured or bugged (or ignored Bub). In this business climate I cannot believe someone who works in a store with to potential for big sales would "qualify" ANYONE and count widgets rather than serve the customer. I own a service business but I was once in sales and I quickly learned to never "qualify" a potential customer because the ones you think are a sure and good sale will buy nothing and the ones you think you are wasting your on will drop some serious money. You just cannot tell about a customer by looks.
I intentionally dress down if I go shopping for something expensive because I want to control the situation and it is easier to do when you have the sales person off balance... dressing very casually. even a bit sloppy, will do that. I once was asked to leave Saks Fifth Ave at Phipps Plaze in Atlanta. I just went up the escalator and they didn't like my look... fine. I'll shop somewhere else or either ignore them and continue to shop.
Bub, you should call the manager at whatever store you were at. Stay mild mannered just tell the manager you are disappointed and thought they would be interested in your experience... they may offer you a discount to come back, you never know. It will be funny to watch the "widger counter" scrape and bow too. Make him call you Mr. Bub.

J

We are VERY limited in choices up here as far as big music stores. The smaller places a usually far cooler anyway but tend to be a little more costly... well after they realize they can charge a ridiculous amount. I've seen a couple good stores get greedy and sink themselves because of it.

Bub


Randy (or any lefties) ... look here.

If you're interested, I'm willing to come down on the price.

I decided to go through these guys because I didn't want to deal with packing and shipping and I thought I'd have a better chance of selling it via a real guitar store. If you talk to them, tell them you talked to the owner on-line and he said he'd be willing to lower the price.

Bub, if I didn't already have a Les Paul I'd take you up on this one.

So I went back to GC today and after seeing that the same kid wasn't working, I went in to the Acoustic room and didn't see the Carvin. A sales guy came walking in and just gave me a nod, and I asked him about the used Carvin I saw last night. They had moved it, and he reached up and pulled it down, handed me a pick and said "want to use a tuner?" I told him no, I'd just harmonically tune it and he said "I"ll be right outside if you have any questions" and closed the door on his way out.

I played for about 15 minutes. Just a real nice guitar. Great neck, balance and tone. There isn't a mark on it. I stood up and he walks in and I asked if it had a case. Yup, original hard Carvin case. I didn't even haggle and just told him to ring it up. He says as we are walking out, "I know the answers, but when we get to the counter I'm gonna ask you to buy some crap you don't want, okay?" So sure enough, he offers the Gold Plan and then he offers the humidifier, strings, strap, picks" The manager is standing nearby listening to make sure the guy gives me the whole spiel, and I politely declined the extras. All in all, an enjoyable experience.

I got a nice Carvin Cobalt 850t in mint condition with a hard case for $299.

Randy

p.s. I'll post pics of the Telecaster I ordered last night when it arrives. Lets just keep that one between us guys til I figure out how I'm gonna explain 2 new guitars 3 weeks before Christmas.

rsp@odyssey.net




Randy

p.s. I'll post pics of the Telecaster I ordered last night when it arrives. Lets just keep that one between us guys til I figure out how I'm gonna explain 2 new guitars 3 weeks before Christmas.

an older boy (bapu) made you do it!