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Guitar Center Buying Tricks


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11 minutes ago, Northsider said:

Any tips on getting a great buy on a used guitar at GC? 

Check the website everyday and don't hesitate if a good deal comes up on something you're interested in. GC gets a lot of hate, but I haven't had any major problems with them, and their return policy is really good.

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Online or in the store?

If the guitar has been in the store for sometime you maybe you can shoot them a low ball offer and work your way up.  It depends on the store manager some will haggle others will not. They do have memorial day and labor day events, if you sign up for there email and the app on your phone they will have a percentage off coupon anything over a set amount.   

Right now on the GC app they have 15% off anything $199 and above.

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Truth be told, I don't think the average "guitar salesperson" is as hip to the vintage market as a local/nearby independent that specializes in new/vintage stuff. GC "salespersons" would most likely be pretty hip to present day/cutting edge stuff instead. Friend of mine recently got a mint Peavey Unity Dyna-Bass (active, neck-thru, gold hardware) at a GC for $200.

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7 minutes ago, PS4 FTW said:

their return policy is really good.

Not for the company or anyone who works there. It also absolves the consumer from any semblance of personal accountability, which is detrimental to society at large.

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Best trick? Check out the store often. Maybe even let the guys there know that you are looking for certain types of guitars.  My best gc "steal" was the red special for 550. It's pretty much MINT.

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Ok, I'll bite... here's my strategy....    First off,  you've got to pick something in the used

inventory that's a good price to begin with...  everything that follows, is just pushing

money around if it's not a good deal to begin with.        

 

 

  Guitar Center Gear cards,  offer 5% cashback.... not bad,  then,  I use the shopping

cart method   (if it's 7am in the am, and something good was listed overnight,  I just say f-it

and place the order)... and I use a site called top cashback... it's like mr rebates only

it has slightly better cashback and very good tracking and customer service.  

 6% cashback,  and they'll match be any other major site like be frugal ebates etc...  

so usually it's 6.3%... however at certain periods it goes up to 10%...     but there's more.     

they run two quarterly specials,  GC bucks once a quarter spend $50 get $10 back in

GC bucks...    (up to $500)...  for example a relic strat used $1999...   gear card and top

cashback   you get $225 back,   THEN,  you hit it with GC bucks    roughly $399...  that's a whopping

$624 off.   that's pretty nice deal for a relic for $1374,   of course you have to chase

GC for the GC bucks and when you get them you have to spend them on something good

(underpriced effects pedals are a good buy imho)    but write it on your calendar, and be tenacious...  

 

    The other quarterly special (although I haven't seen it lately) is buy a $50 gift card

get $10 additional credit...  (or something like that)  sooo... you buy $800 gift card,  

you get roughly a $1000 in gift card credit...   You give up paying cash for store credit,

but sometimes it's a nice deal.  then you stack the cashback on that...  so 26 ish percent?         

 

without being too crass,  here's my top cashback referral link     I love em... 

I'm not really a haggler but I do like a deal,  this is a nice way to get a good deal

without lowballing the crap out of someone...     

 

https://www.topcashback.com/ref/nhdave

 

 

   

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^^^^

With all due respect, going through all that rigmarole simply to save a few bucks on a used luxury items seems to go way beyond the point of diminishing returns.

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1 hour ago, MCChris said:

Not for the company or anyone who works there. It also absolves the consumer from any semblance of personal accountability, which is detrimental to society at large.

I've worked at stores that have a similar "hassle-free" return policy on used goods, and in my experience relatively few people end up taking advantage of the policy--especially when compared to the amount of sales that wouldn't have been made without the "peace of mind" it inspires. Having said that, my only experience with GC is as a customer, so you might know something that I don't. Personally speaking, I've only had to return one item (under $150) at GC over the years, and have bought used guitars from them sight-unseen with no problems.

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48 minutes ago, MCChris said:

^^^^

With all due respect, going through all that rigmarole simply to save a few bucks on a used luxury items seems to go way beyond the point of diminishing returns.

$624 off of a $1999 purchase only amounts to "a few bucks", and goes "way beyond the point of diminishing returns"?

Sounds like a pretty significant savings to me, for just tracking some specials and spending strategically.

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1 hour ago, Willie G. Moseley said:

Truth be told, I don't think the average "guitar salesperson" is as hip to the vintage market as a local/nearby independent that specializes in new/vintage stuff. GC "salespersons" would most likely be pretty hip to present day/cutting edge stuff instead. Friend of mine recently got a mint Peavey Unity Dyna-Bass (active, neck-thru, gold hardware) at a GC for $200.

I picked up a killer Guild Pilot Pro bass for $99. GC may not have known what they had, but the sales guy in the Bass room sure did. He led me over to it, saying it was the best deal in the house. The only downsides were dings that were painted over (bass was gloss black, so it looked fine) and it didn't have a case (but I had an extra gig bag at home). Best of all it plays and sounds like magic. With active EMGs in a P/J config plus onboard preamp with active EQ, it can match levels  with anything, and has an addictive combination of clarity and rich tonality.

In the PA/hip-hop room I talked a new-in-box $799 topline Technics SL1210 M5G (Grandmaster) Technics turntable down to $499, the price of an entry-level model.

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1 hour ago, PS4 FTW said:

Check the website everyday and don't hesitate if a good deal comes up on something you're interested in. GC gets a lot of hate, but I haven't had any major problems with them, and their return policy is really good.

... and if you live near a GC, go in every couple days and price/condition browse any gear you'd be interested in. Then make an offer to a sales guy or the manager, or let the sales guy go and beg the manager. That's how I got a new Technics DD turntable for about 38% off.

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39 minutes ago, DaveH said:

$624 off of a $1999 purchase only amounts to "a few bucks", and goes "way beyond the point of diminishing returns"?

Sounds like a pretty significant savings to me, for just tracking some specials and spending strategically.

Ultimately it depends on what value you place on your time and energy.

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45 minutes ago, PS4 FTW said:

I've worked at stores that have a similar "hassle-free" return policy on used goods, and in my experience relatively few people end up taking advantage of the policy--especially when compared to the amount of sales that wouldn't have been made without the "peace of mind" it inspires.

That could be true. I'm basing my stance on observing the conduct of petulant man-children on guitar nerd message boards. That crowd could only represent a small fraction of the guitar gear buying public.

That said, returning something simply because you didn't like it (and doing so weeks or months after the purchase) is horseshit IMO. If it doesn't work or has a manufacturing flaw, sure. But because the mids weren't haunting enough? Take the hit and sell that shit on the secondary market.

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57 minutes ago, MCChris said:

That could be true. I'm basing my stance on observing the conduct of petulant man-children on guitar nerd message boards. That crowd could only represent a small fraction of the guitar gear buying public.

That said, returning something simply because you didn't like it (and doing so weeks or months after the purchase) is horseshit IMO. If it doesn't work or has a manufacturing flaw, sure. But because the mids weren't haunting enough? Take the hit and sell that shit on the secondary market.

Why would you sell it on the secondary market and lose money? If any business offers free returns why wouldn't you take advantage of it? It is a policy that GC decided on to try and keep customers coming back and buying. They can't sell you something if your not coming into the store or visiting the website. Maybe they will sell them something else to get those haunting mids.  Try trading in your gear in to GC and see what price they will give you compared to the secondary market guaranteed your not going to like it.   

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I bought a pedal at GC once because of the hype on the pedal. Took it home, plugged it in, played it once, and immediately took it back within 30 minutes of buying it (I live a few blocks from a GC). The only reason I think it's fine to take gear home at least for a day is to try it with your other gear because trying it out in store with gear that doesn't match your setup really may not tell you what you need to know. But there's really no excuse keeping something for weeks if you know that you intend to return it. And while the store may be generous, abusing its return policy on the grounds that they allow it is like justifying beating one's wife simply because she stays with one and allows one to treat her that way. Sadism isn't justified by masochism. 

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14 hours ago, MCChris said:

Ultimately it depends on what value you place on your time and energy.

Really? It doesn’t take hardly any time, and it’s so easy. I don’t work on my truck, although I am perfectly capable, for just the reason you suggest. Buying a gift card and cashing in a coupon is nothing. But, I suppose like anything else, ymmv.

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14 hours ago, DaveL said:

yes, we can see it now!!!   post 17,868    ;) 

That post count represents my selfless service over the past 20 years. You people need my wit and pearls of wisdom, whether you realize it or not.

Also, probably 12K of those posts were "eBay sucks" so those didn't take me much time at all.

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20 hours ago, MCChris said:

Not for the company or anyone who works there. It also absolves the consumer from any semblance of personal accountability, which is detrimental to society at large.

They give me the option and i'm going to use it. 

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4 hours ago, MCChris said:

Also, probably 12K of those posts were "eBay sucks" so those didn't take me much time at all.

Probably a good thing, considering how valuable your time is, and all. 😂

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I remember when shopping for new gear was fun!...ahh.....Good times...The life got sucked out of it long ago and I also remember being able to make a pretty decent living working in a Mom and Pop establishment. Yeah...I'm a bitter old man... 😕

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38 minutes ago, kurtsstuff said:

I remember when shopping for new gear was fun!...ahh.....Good times...The life got sucked out of it long ago and I also remember being able to make a pretty decent living working in a Mom and Pop establishment. Yeah...I'm a bitter old man... 😕

There were many times during my tenure at GC when, toward the end of a prolonged pissing match over price, I would ask my counterpart, "so was that fun for you?" As a customer I always derived excitement and pleasure from the actual instrument I was purchasing, not the prospect of "winning" a haggling session. 

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