Not too big of a problem, really. Gig bags are utterly pointless...

They keep the dust and debris off your guitar, but so does a hardcase.
They protect your guitar from the elements (somewhat), but so does a hardcase (completely).
You can carry your instrument around with them (hardcase is much better for this)

Need I go on, lol? It actually makes sense that they'd cut it. They're just novelty items.

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Back in the day, (1997) to be exact, when I bought a Squire Strat, it came with a very nice Nylon Gig bag that was GUITAR SHAPED, SOFT, WELL PADDED but still very RIGID and it served me as well as the hardshell cases I own today. But I do agree that the gig bags they are handing out these days are really just useless - like going to play in the SUPERBOWL wearing only a T-Shirt as protection with no padding/guards. But if you are serious about protecting your guitar the HardShells are the way to go.

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GUITAR: Fender USA JazzMaster.
BASS: Fender USA 58'AVRI
AMP: Fender USA SuperSonicTwin - Blonde.

ive got one,and i dont think its too bad

All of the rebates that I have seen on Fender guitars at GC have been Instant Rebates, not Mail-In Rebates. The value of the rebate is taken off the purchase price of the guitar right at the moment of sale. There's a green sticker on the sales tag that indicates the amount of the Instant Rebate.

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Dennis in CR
Rockin' since 1963

Have you notice that the price of everything has gone up? There is no sense in making a product if you are going to sell it at a loss.

Fender does a great job of having guitars at a price that everyone can get a guitar. You may not get the one you want, but you can get the one you can afford.
Starcaster
Squire
MIM
USA
Signature
Custom Shop

All good most great. A Starcaster can be had for 200.00 including an amplifier and gig bag. Is it a EC Signature? No, but it does not have the EC signature price either.

Companies making profits are how companies are how companies are able to hire more people and pay more to people. It is simple economics.

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http://www.facebook.com/UCtheband
2012 American Standard Strat Charcoal Froast
2009 Standard Strat Sunburst Brown
Blues Junior Tweed NOS
2007 Line6 Spider Jam

I agree with everything he said. Stop making 100.00 prices increases every year and offer 18 month interest free payments, like Marshall is doing!

Nothing against you but simple economics is not trying to sell 100 different versions of a strat which are not flying off the shelves. How about focusing on the models that are selling and offering them at a more reasonable cost? Sounds like a no brainer to me and I didn't study business. The problem every company these days seem to be, the ones behind the desk making these decisions....they are no different then the idiots running our US government. Their philosophy is quickly stuff their pockets and then move to get a position with another company. Sorry to divert from guitars but in the end everything has an affect on everything. The price of grain goes up, the price of bread goes up, the guy building the guitar needs to make more money to afford the bread.....and it goes on and on.

I'm with you there, I remember those days and was just telling someone that very thing. Now a fender case cost upwards of 100 bucks, and that is for the plastic job, god forbid it be wood and tolex. Then it's really bend over and take it time. These are sad sad times we are living in my friends.

How dare they offer a rebate! Keep it, I'll pay full pop, hell I'll give you and extra c-note....for that Affinity..lol

No gig bags aloud!