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Posted: Tue Nov 18, 2008 12:46 pm
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Location: uɐʇsıʞɔnuɐɔ 'puɐlʇɐlɟ
Are they doing a proper setup on the instruments before they go on the show room floor, or more importantly before they hand you your box and say see ya?

If your instrument messes up do they offer full service with an in store guitar tech or do they send it away for a month or two to their centralized service department in wherever?.

Do the sales folk actually know how to play, know what goes into making a good axe and can discuss same knowledgeably with you?

Cheep price is not my deciding factor on making a purchase! :)
Best Buy is my target for finding cheap discounted movies & CD's, not a destination for quality electronics and home theater gear. So if the local one opens a music section I might browse it, but doubt I'd make a upper end purchase from them.

BTW the Home Depots are empty and seem to be going down round here, have been ever since Lowes opened next door.
And that big box craft store Michaels that initially put all the little craft shops out of business is closing its doors across Canada at the end of the year.
So is a big box kitchen supply store (can't remember its name) but last trip to town it had going out of business signs up.
Big Box ain't all it is cracked up to be anymore, not sure why, maybe people are shopping on-line instead of going into a wharehouse full of knowledgeless sales folk.
Or worse for the economy, not shopping at all anymore.

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Posted: Tue Nov 18, 2008 12:59 pm
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to each his own. If I'm looking to buy something big with financing (whether that's smart or not in this time of credit crisis is another debate), a longer term could push me in one direction.

Odds are if there's service needed on my gutiar it would go to a Fender repair shop or a local luthier instead of GC, best buy or any "big box" stores who just send out the instrument anyway.


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Posted: Tue Nov 18, 2008 1:04 pm
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Location: England
We don't have any Best Buy's over the UK just yet, but they are on their way having just gone into partnership with Carphone Warehouse over here.
We only had 1 big multi outlet music store around the UK but they went bust a few months back.
Their stores have either been sold off or shutdown.
Before they went under I visited my nearest one to see what they had to offer, yes they had knowledgeable guys working their but the place is so vast (15,000 sq ft) trying to find somebody to talk to and make a purchase was impossible. Not enough staff was the problem.
It only made me realise that small is beautiful when it comes to buying instruments, you cant beat hands on professional advice. Make friends in the store and make the most of the staffs knowledge.
I would rather pay a few bucks extra to be given the info i need.
Saying that I'm always wary of a store that stocks predominantly a single make of guitar, wether its fender or whoever. i am concerned about vested interest and the advice is tailored to the stock.


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Posted: Tue Nov 18, 2008 1:07 pm
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Trouble with that (buying big-box) is when these big fellas show up the small guys who actually could do the work in-store disappear. Probably to become wal-mart greeters.

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Posted: Tue Nov 18, 2008 1:54 pm
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Price wars are a GOOD thing. Bring on the savings!
I could care less about the lack of "guitar playing" salespersons. I don't need them to help me decide on what I'm going to buy. You head in, test drive a few and buy the one that fits best.

Entry level/beging players are going to go primarily on price and if it looks cool. At least that's how it generally worked waaaaay back when and I worked in a music store. So knowledeable salespersons are kind of redundant. It's nice to be able to talk gear with the dude that's trying to sell you something, but it isn't necessary. I'll gladly forego the chit chat if it brings prices down.

Viva Best Buy!

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Posted: Tue Nov 18, 2008 2:36 pm
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I'm new guitar playing as well as buying equipment. I tried to find someone at my local guitar center who had a little knowledge that could become my "go to". It became so apparent so fast that no matter what question I ask anyone at GC the salesman had only positive opinions of everything. I work in the car business and understand the road to the sale, but it doesn't hurt to at least have a pros and cons list about the different products. I could have walked around the GC showroom with the salesman and heard the same standard lines about a Fender Blues Deluxe amp or a Line 6 Spider Jam. I would come away feeling as if they were identical in quality and sound. Now I wouldn't go to Best Buy to buy a new guitar, but it's nice that it opens up another avenue to possibly save a few bucks. If I'm gonna buy a Boss Ds-1 or any accessory and have a gift card at Best Buy or a 10% off coupon then it just gives me another plae to shop at and save a few bucks.


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Posted: Tue Nov 18, 2008 2:59 pm
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mthorn00 wrote:
Price wars are a GOOD thing. Bring on the savings!
I could care less about the lack of "guitar playing" salespersons. I don't need them to help me decide on what I'm going to buy. You head in, test drive a few and buy the one that fits best.

Entry level/beging players are going to go primarily on price and if it looks cool. At least that's how it generally worked waaaaay back when and I worked in a music store. So knowledeable salespersons are kind of redundant. It's nice to be able to talk gear with the dude that's trying to sell you something, but it isn't necessary. I'll gladly forego the chit chat if it brings prices down.

Viva Best Buy!

But in most cases there are no Price wars. Fender Dealers have MAP pricing that they use. As well as most instrument manufacters. Minimum Avertised Price means the lowest price they can sell a instrument for is the lowest price they all can sell for. Thats what comes from being a a dealer when you see Fender or Gibson on sale its because it a clearence and they were told they can or it across the board to dealers that they all can.

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Posted: Tue Nov 18, 2008 3:11 pm
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The guys at my local GC in Langhorne PA are top notch. Very knowledgeable, very friendly, and will always give you their opinion but listen to yours. They not only sell the stuff but they use it. Invaluable.

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Posted: Tue Nov 18, 2008 3:35 pm
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Any good place that sells guitar wil give that guitar a complete setup before you take it home and many will tell you that you can bring it back once within 30 days to have the setup checked and adjusted if needed. Even the good internet stores do complete setups before they send them to you ( Elderly Instruments, Sweetwater) :mrgreen:

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Posted: Tue Nov 18, 2008 3:42 pm
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Somehow.......I don't think I'd feel comfortable, buying an expensive guitar at Best Buy........now CDs and DVD movies, even a TV is another matter.

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Posted: Tue Nov 18, 2008 4:00 pm
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yeah i was looking at a best buy catalog thing that i got in the paper and at the best buy in Salt Lake City was selling strats, lower then Guitar Center might i add. so i guess this is going to begin like, maybe a war between guitar Center and Best Buy

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Posted: Tue Nov 18, 2008 4:11 pm
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Best Buy Price is 999.99 American Strat and 399.99 - 429.99 MIM Std Strat the Jaguar is 749.99 Clapton Strat 1599.99 the 65 Mustang 699.99
the Chapion 600 is 199.99 they are just Fender prices that you can get at the music store they have them on line at Best Buy web site now to buy! Fender dealer prices if a dealer wants to sell for more they can but they cant sell below the dealer MAP price.

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Posted: Tue Nov 18, 2008 6:02 pm
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Hello Cvilleira,

I beg to differ, MAP means
Minimum Advertised Price
thats the minimum price they can
advertise. They can sell em for whatever
they want. Often enough you will see
"Prices to low to advertise"
I always pay below MAP.

Your right Tomk62 LanghornePa GC
salesfolk are a pretty good bunch.

Cheers.


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Post subject:
Posted: Tue Nov 18, 2008 6:57 pm
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Mr Bill wrote:
Hello Cvilleira,

I beg to differ, MAP means
Minimum Advertised Price
thats the minimum price they can
advertise. They can sell em for whatever
they want. Often enough you will see
"Prices to low to advertise"
I always pay below MAP.

Your right Tomk62 LanghornePa GC
salesfolk are a pretty good bunch.

Cheers.

Yes you are right it is the Minimum advertised price and yes you can get store discounts as well but they are not allowed to put them in writing or on the internet as a price. Places like bill's will give you a discount of 20 or so and throw in a cable as well it most cases but you have to walk and deal like a car there is nothing stated and you may get it but the next person will not. Its wheel and deal and Fender has been very big in what there dealers are allowed to advertise as to not allow each other to under cut the other over the net or in mailers. Just as some manufactures won't give prices. Then as you no you have many companies will not allow the dealers to include them on discount like what GC is doing now with there ten percent but only on the listed maufactures. Theres is no way Fender would allow Best Buy to put an add out for a MIM Strat for 350.00 unless they let all there dealers have that option but if you walk in and tell them you only have 380.00 you may have a manager approve it and walk out with a new guitar. My John Deer mower was the same way every one at that time had the same price but I got a 100.00 cash credit towards it.Thats why I said you will never have price wars the only war you will have is with the sales person to see what you can get out of them be it a money discount or throw in some freebee with the sale. I do not believe Fender will allow them to advertise anything for sale below ther MAP price. I have a hard time splaning Lucy you hear people say they have add with lower prices then this one and you no its just not so unless its discontiued or B-stock or its an approved sale or like now you are seeing last years prices and the new ones but you look at the headstock and the serial numbers not on the front and you no why the MIM is more then the otherwith the serial number out front.

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Post subject:
Posted: Tue Nov 18, 2008 7:53 pm
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I've posted this before, I went into one. Looked around, no one came over to help me, ask if there was something I was looking for. A father comes in with his son and it was like piranhas at feeding time. I won't even go there for strings now.

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