Tried to buy a Custom LP the other day... Good ol' GC.

[pondcaster]

Never had a problem with a GC purchase. I've bought several guitars from them - all new - probably half in store and half on line. Only had to return one for some reason I can't recall now, but it was an easy peasy issue that got resolved with a replacement guitar. Oly issue I ever really had was with one snotty employee in the NYC store down on 14th St. Didn't want my kid - who was 14 at the time and very good for that age (had just been to Berkley for their 5 week program and was feeling pretty good about his playing) - to play a JEM unless my wife & I would agree that we'd buy it if he damaged it. Asked to speak with the manager, did so, and he ended up playing it for a good half hour, didn't damage it, and we didn't buy it there. He did buy one, maybe from MF? - that he got for the same price, untouched by 14 year old would-be Steve Vais, and he still has to this day some 11 years later.

Yeah, op here. Despite my original post, wanted to reiterate I've had such good luck with them over the years that I honestly couldn't understand it when others got scammed/taken/bad deal/ignored/insulted/etc. Just thought that inaccurate listing stuff was a little shifty. Or lazy?

But have come to find out that some of the issues are store-related, not 100% GC global. I have been lucky that the ones i frequented when I did those things) were actually good gear stores with nice new and used inventory and somewhat knowledgeable guys that were trying.

 

[dju]

I have bought many used items from GC. sometimes I get the better end of the deal, sometimes I return an item because of stupid things like the original poster had happened. Just yesterday I went to collect my Guild f1512, not the f1512E. I don't want electronics in my acoustic guitars. well it turned out to be a f1512E. had the battery box in the bottom/side of the body. I might have been able to live with it and remove the electronics but this was a no go based on where the battery was. also whomever added the strap button on the base of the neck put it way to close to the fretboard. oh well, returned it right then and there. I just got done looking at what is instock today and the returned guitar relisted with the same incorrect description. as long as I can return without any grief from them I guess I will continue to deal with them.

 

[freak]

I love my GC. One is open 7 days a week, and I spend many hours some Sunday's there.
The other is closed on Sunday. Both have a few senior guys I know personally, and both are great.

 

[cybermgk]

GC's going to GC, simple as that.

 

[InTheEvening]

Never had a problem with a GC purchase. I've bought several guitars from them - all new - probably half in store and half on line. Only had to return one for some reason I can't recall now, but it was an easy peasy issue that got resolved with a replacement guitar. Oly issue I ever really had was with one snotty employee in the NYC store down on 14th St. Didn't want my kid - who was 14 at the time and very good for that age (had just been to Berkley for their 5 week program and was feeling pretty good about his playing) - to play a JEM unless my wife & I would agree that we'd buy it if he damaged it. Asked to speak with the manager, did so, and he ended up playing it for a good half hour, didn't damage it, and we didn't buy it there. He did buy one, maybe from MF? - that he got for the same price, untouched by 14 year old would-be Steve Vais, and he still has to this day some 11 years later.

Me too! That NYC store was the one GC I had a bad experience in. One of the worst store experiences. I’ve been to so many Guitar Centers over the years and never had a bad experience. Even when they screwed up, the staff always did their best to correct the mistake or take care of me. But once I was visiting NYC for a vacation and decided I’d check out the local guitar stores and went into that exact 14th street store as I was in the market for an SG. Had multiple issues.

1) It took 30 minutes to get someone to help bring a guitar off the rack. I’d get if they were busy but store was near empty and no joke one employee was sitting there jamming and chatting with his buddy next to me and never once asked me if I needed help. Had to go to several people at the counter and wait a long while before someone brought the guitar down.

2) I was looking at an SG Standard 61 that I wanted to buy. Before I look at it more, out of nowhere a tech whispers something to the sales guy and the two take the guitar and disappear to a back room for 10 minutes. They don’t tell my why or what’s going on but they’re whispering and it looks shady as hell. I had to pester and ask them what’s up, they say there’s a minor blemish and nothing to worry about and tried to sell it to me. I look, and it has a giant dent in the headstock! Also the knobs were bent. Dude played it off like this was normal from the factory and when I said I wanted to think about the purchase, he got super aggressive and pushy why I wasn’t buying it that day.

3) I found another SG I liked since the first one was dented. I called later over the phone and asked to put it on layaway and they said I’d just put a small percentage down. I found out after they charged me in full for the guitar. That has never happened when I put a guitar on layaway with other stores.

It wasn’t just one but multiple small issues with that store that just turned me off from it. Wasn’t all bad, the other staff were cool and they had a decent selection but my actual local GC and all the other ones I’ve visited were way better. My local one has been really helpful and easy to deal with, got a number of good deals there.

 

[pondcaster]

Another Custom Lite at GC...

Is this model (classic Lite) that hard to identify? I mean this one has Classic TRC, too.

That price makes me chuckle though. Kinda like the 60s reissue (classic) they have for $3k+.

 

[Nintari]

The problem with GC is they are run and operated like Walmart. It's just numbers for them. Just cold, hard numbers. They don't treat it as anything but another business, when selling guitars is so much more than that. So that's why it's so hit or miss if you go that route.

Personally, I will only use them to buy things like straps, strings, capos etc. The days where I would go to them looking for real guitars are long over.

 

[pondcaster]

Another Custom Lite at GC...

Is this model (classic Lite) that hard to identify? I mean this one has Classic TRC, too.

That price makes me chuckle though. Kinda like the 60s reissue (classic) they have for $3k+.

And another... At least this one is priced properly instead of like an actual CS. It's right up the road from me (30m), too.

These Classic Lites sure are confusing for those that are listing these models.

 

[rockstar232007]

My only potential guitar-buying experience with GC, happened about 8 years ago.

I was on the lookout for a Peter Frampton sig, and a GC in Ohio had one for $2,999. Called them, told them I was interested, and was going to put down a deposit. The sales guy I talked to was really cool, and started the shipping process (was going to have it shipped up here, to MI, and pick it up at my local GC). Fast-forward to the next day, I called to find out the shipping info, and was told it was sold.

The funny thing is, when I talked to the sales guy, he told me, that it was literally sitting, in the case, behind the counter for 6 months, with nobody showing interest. Then, all of the sudden it's sold?

That put a bad taste in my mouth, for a long time. Hell, just thinking about it, it still kind of makes me mad.

But, such is life.

 

[dspelman]

They just don’t care at GC and they have no attention to detail.

My local GC has an Avatar 2x12 bass cabinet sitting in their used section with a tag that identifies it as a 4x12. No one cares.

 

[danzego]

My local GC has an Avatar 2x12 bass cabinet sitting in their used section with a tag that identifies it as a 4x12. No one cares.

I wouldn’t be surprised if that’s a buddy special, where an employee took it in on purpose like that to get extra credit for a customer whose sale they were trying to close….or even for themself, for that matter.

 

[gibsonofabitch]

in the past week ive seen 3 classics labeled as "custom classics" on the gc site

 

[geezbill]

btw that Custom is not a real Custom. It is a Custom Classic which is worth much less than a real Custom. The $1497 is an ok deal not outstanding though. The Custom Classic or variants arent double bound and dont have ebony fretboards, other things as well.