2021 R9 Finish Flaw???

[NightShift88]

Like anyone, I started off looking, but after playing it was seriously considering buying. Needed some time to think it over because this issue with the finish was concerning. Posted this thread yesterday, and after figuring out it was likely wood filler decided to go back today and have another look and see if I could get past it.

Was in enough of a buying mindset to take enough physical cash with me to make the buy if I decided to go for it.

Buuuuuut... in the process of trying to talk to the salesman about the finish issue (and me saying I believed it to be wood filler) he vehemently disagreed, and after bit of back and forth about it, grabbed the guitar from my hands and said (and I quote), “This isn’t the guitar for you!”... then hung it back on the wall and locked it in. I stood their kinda stunned for a moment, then said basically that I was trying to talk through it and be ok with it, but he again repeated that it wasn’t the guitar for me. So, I turned and left (again, with a pocket full of cash)... more than a bit nonplussed.

Oh well....

Maybe he knew it was a good one and wants to buy it for himself

 

[spartacus slim]

Buuuuuut... in the process of trying to talk to the salesman about the finish issue (and me saying I believed it to be wood filler) he vehemently disagreed, and after bit of back and forth about it, grabbed the guitar from my hands and said (and I quote), “This isn’t the guitar for you!”... then hung it back on the wall and locked it in. I stood their kinda stunned for a moment, then said basically that I was trying to talk through it and be ok with it, but he again repeated that it wasn’t the guitar for me. So, I turned and left (again, with a pocket full of cash)... more than a bit nonplussed.

Oh well....

 

[AJK1]

There’s better looking guitars around than that

 

[Cdntac]

Also, I think it is fair to add that when I went back to check it out again today, I also played it through a different amp and while it still sounded great, it’s clear that Freidman I played it through yesterday is a KILLER amp! Maybe I should just by the amp instead of the guitar!

I think I’d be avoiding that shop from now on. Lol.

I can see how sometimes a salesman will get fed up with a customer (they’ve probably seen it all when it comes to PiTA customers) but if you feel you were treated poorly — why spend any more $$ there?

I once visited a shop looking for a lemonburst R8 or R9. This store also does a lot of online sales and the majority of their R8s and R9s were boxed up behind their counter as opposed to being on the wall.

The owner told me I could just look at the pics on their website as opposed to having them come out of the box for me to see because they do so many online sales and those people don’t see them in person when they buy.

I was quite surprised at his sales technique but he finally let a salesman show me a few guitars.

At that point though, I was kind of turned off on buying from them. And I didn’t and never have.

 

[musicmaniac]

I would have went to the manager and complained. Oh well.

 

[1allspub]

I would have went to the manager and complained. Oh well.

I considered it, but at the time knew I would have been doing it just out of spite. Instead, I decided to take the attitude... hey he just saved me $6k+, why be mad?

I won’t be going back to that particular store though.

 

[enjoikevin]

Great looking guitar but I like the idea of getting the Friedman instead

 

[Andrew1225]

To be honest, the guitar should already be
sold at a discount without negotiating.
The store is definitely in the wrong here.

That being said, not all stores need to oblige
in price negotiations.
It’s literally just business and nothing personal.

 

[bungle]

It looks like a dude diving off a boat.

 

[BadPenguin]

It's GC, and you expected proper customer service...... foolish foolish mortal!

I have callouses older than most of the "sales moneys" there and have probably touched more guitars than they have seen. I DON'T go there expecting great things from the people working there. Go talk to the handler of the store if you still want it.

 

[mjross]

Everybody is on edge these days! Sales person could have just been having a bad day, we’ve all experienced that lately. However, no excuse for rudeness.

 

[NHDave]

I'm totally fine with character marks, but it does look like it's possibly filler, maybe it
isn't but it kind of looks like more than just a grain mark... whenever the time comes
to sell, you would get the same questions that you have in your mind... pleasant enough
top otherwise, but who needs that attitude at 6600 plus tax.

 

[truckermde]

Obviously they sanded through the veneer on that one.

 

[ARandall]

^ The veneer of respectability??

 

[1allspub]

Drove out to another shop (also a GC) on the other side of the city and had a much better salesman experience... ha!

Anyway, they had a 2021 R9 in Dirty Lemon as well. Gave it a whirl, but unfortunately they didn't have the same Friedman amp for me to do a proper comparison between it and the one at the other store. Regardless, it was a very nice guitar too. Very tempted, but I am going to be in Nashville in a about a week and feel like I should wait to look around there.

If when I come back, assuming A) I don't find an R9 in Nashville I want, and B) this other GC R9 isn't gone, I may go back and pick this one up. We'll see... anyway, here's a couple of obligatory pics.

 

[CB91710]

Go back to store #2
Tell them the story about Store #1
Have them transfer it to Store #2
A-holes at Store #1 end up moving the guitar at cost, Store #2 gets the profit from the sale, and you get the guitar you originally wanted.

 

[Peter M]

Very nice guitar and also equally nice to see a smile from the sales guy... who is showing you a $6.7K Paul. How it should be.

 

[1allspub]

Go back to store #2
Tell them the story about Store #1
Have them transfer it to Store #2
A-holes at Store #1 end up moving the guitar at cost, Store #2 gets the profit from the sale, and you get the guitar you originally wanted.

If I was sure I wanted the other one this is indeed what I would do. But that wood filler issue does bother me... just can't seem to get past it. I know, I know... I'm shallow....

 

[CB91710]

If I was sure I wanted the other one this is indeed what I would do. But that wood filler issue does bother me... just can't seem to get past it. I know, I know... I'm shallow....

So that's not the guitar for you

 

[1allspub]

So that's not the guitar for you

You know... seems like I've heard that before!!!