It is currently Mon Mar 16, 2020 2:22 pm

All times are UTC - 7 hours



Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 6 posts ] 
Author Message
Post subject: Used gear
Posted: Tue Dec 13, 2011 3:45 am
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist
User avatar

Joined: Sun Dec 11, 2011 6:50 pm
Posts: 68
For those that have just started playing, or have the desire to upgrade, I suggest taking a good look at used gear vs. new. Especially if you are looking at starting. Guitar Center always has used gear in stock, guitars, amps etc. The better guitar you learn on the easier it is going to be to play. I've seen Squier standard strats and telecasters go for $99.00 used at GC regularly. Plus they have many other brands to check out. CL is a good source, but you have to know something about guitars and thier flaws or take someone with you, and from what I've seen on CL most people are way overpriced, but you may be able to negotiate.

Some of the used gear I have bought, Fender Champ 600, Fender G-DEC, Vox ADV-15T, Fender MIM Strat ($299.) Gibson Les Paul Studio ($800.00) Squier black and chrome tele, $79.00. Roadrunner hardshell case and Epi Les Paul Goldtop (with Burstbucker pups) ($275.) for both. The last guitar I bought new was my classic vibe strat, because I never saw the blue used anywhere.

I'd stay away from MF for guitars, because you really have to hold and play a guitar to see if it fits, and you may have to try more than one of the same model. When I bought my Gibson, there were three of them for sale... I tried all three, 2 were not that good and the third one was a lot better.

So don't limit yourself!! and learn to change your own strings!


Top
Profile
Fender Play Winter Sale 2020
Post subject: Re: Used gear
Posted: Thu Dec 15, 2011 7:25 am
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist

Joined: Thu Oct 13, 2011 5:06 am
Posts: 78
Very good advice indeed always check the used/previously owned/once loved section that's where the bargains are - but, what are Gibsons, Les Pauls and Epis !!!????


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Used gear
Posted: Fri Dec 16, 2011 12:05 pm
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician
User avatar

Joined: Sat Sep 08, 2007 9:46 pm
Posts: 2041
JerL231 wrote:
I'd stay away from MF for guitars, because you really have to hold and play a guitar to see if it fits, and you may have to try more than one of the same model.

I hear this all the time on this Forum - never buy a guitar you haven't made love to personally. Personally, I just don't agree. And I guess the tens (or more likely hundreds) of thousands who do buy guitars direct from MF don't agree either. You get 45 days to decide if you and the guitar are completely compatible and returns are very simple to accomplish. I've bought plenty of guitars from MF and only sent one of them back - it was the wrong guitar. I play dozens of different guitars and every kind of neck in the book without trouble. I'd rather buy direct and get a virgin than play those ishy boppered-up guitars at GC where you need to sterilize yourself after playing.

_________________
Dennis in CR
Rockin' since 1963


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Used gear
Posted: Fri Dec 16, 2011 6:49 pm
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist
User avatar

Joined: Sun Dec 11, 2011 6:50 pm
Posts: 68
The thing is that even 2 guitars from the same maker can play differently. When I bought my Gibson Les Paul Studio, there were 3 of them available. A fireburst, a wine red and a black one. They were each between $800.00 and $850.00. I really wanted the wine red, but just for a goof I tried the black one and the burst. The burst was a totally different guitar. It just felt better and was smoother. The balance on it seemed better too. 3 different guitars, Gibson Les Paul Studio, three different feels.

So you may get a guitar from MF or Sam Ash, and think that it is not that great, but the person who gets the next guitar in line will be amazed. And since GC is owned by MF they will give you the exact same price and waive the sales tax. When I bought my CV strat the one that was on display looked a little rough. So I asked if they had one in the back. The girl came out with one still in the box same color. Plus you can play the guitar most likely through the same amp as you have. So you get a truer feel and sound picture.

I try to stay away from GC and go to some smaller local music stores. However my local GC seems to get some decent used gear in. So I go and look from time to time. I bought a used Seagull 12 string at a small local store that was in business for 25 years. I got some new strings and he changed them for free. I also take my guitars for repair to a local store because when he does the repair he will do a new set up if needed. I always get my strings changed while the guitar is in.

I've bought 2 guitars from MF. It wasn't a bad deal, had to send one back for a return, because it was a Fender strat and did not have the tags attached the manual, or the wrench with it. Never even took it out of the box.

Gibson and Epiphone are the 2 companies (Actually Gibson owns Epiphone) that are licensed to make the Les Paul Guitar. Les Paul was actually working for Epiphone when he invented "The Log" which was a solid body guitar he built by cutting a hollowbody in half and inserting a block of wood with pickups attached to it. It was not the first electric guitar, that was made by Rickenbacker (that's the way it was spelled then) and it was a Hawaiian guitar called the frying pan.

A Les Paul is a solid body archtop guitar. The archtop gives more sustain. Good ones are made of 2 pieces of solid mohaganey. Cheaper ones are not.


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Used gear
Posted: Sat Dec 17, 2011 9:03 am
Offline
Professional Musician
Professional Musician
User avatar

Joined: Sat Sep 08, 2007 9:46 pm
Posts: 2041
JerL231 wrote:
And since GC is owned by MF they will give you the exact same price and waive the sales tax.

Whoa! Waive the sales tax? Not on my side of the planet. Someone has to pay that sales tax and no store can legally waive it - that would bring the wrath of God and the state right down on them. They'd be audited to death, going back for years. I'd love to see the face of any of my local GC staffers if I asked them to "waive" the sales tax. That sounds wonderful, but I don't believe it for a moment.

_________________
Dennis in CR
Rockin' since 1963


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Used gear
Posted: Sat Dec 17, 2011 11:29 am
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist
User avatar

Joined: Sun Dec 11, 2011 6:50 pm
Posts: 68
They don't actually waive it, what they do is adjust the selling price so that the price on the tag includes the sales tax. So if the sales tax is say 8% and something costs $100.00 then they lower the selling price to $92.00, and the total you owe is $100.00 I bought a Line 6 Pocket Pod and GC and MF were both selling them for $129.99. I just asked if they could match the total that MF was selling it for, in other words I would walk out paying $129.99 total. The manager said sure, and the associate figured the amount of tax and did a price reduction to that lowered the price by the amount of the sales tax so that when it was rang up it came to $130.00. they claim that they'll match any price, and since MF does not collect sales tax in NYS I've never had GC refuse to do a price adjustment on NEW gear.

This is not a strange concept for retailers at all. I did the same thing at Best Buy when I bought my son his I-Pod touch. Showed them the MF price and they did a reduction to eliminate the tax.

Remember sales tax is collected on the amount of the sale, so if the price is reduced as in on a sale item the amount of tax collected is reduced also. In realty they are not waiving the tax, they are just doing a price adjustment and charging you tax on the lower amount. If you want to try it, tell them that you are going to buy it from MF, because there is no tax. GC employees are working on commission and are not going to loose a commission over $11.00 of sales tax. Considering that the store cost is usually around half of the list price you can see how much profit there is on guitars.


Top
Profile
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 6 posts ] 

All times are UTC - 7 hours

Fender Play Winter Sale 2020

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 1 guest


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum

Search for:
Jump to: