Frustration...buying an amp

[crwnedblasphemy]

This ever happened to anyone ever? Saw an amp I wanted on guitarcenter.com used. Called the store in Indiana, and was told "guitars are busy right now, can I help?" I said yes, inquiring about item # blah blah, was wondering if footswitch was included, and can I get a few pics text to me in the meantime, while someone from guitars calls me back with shipping info, etc? This was at 1:35pm. Time rolls on and on, Finally I give a callback at 8:15pm since nobody bothered to call me back, and talk with someone else.

"Yes I called earlier, was waiting a callback from guitar department on shipping an item, and finalizing a transaction." She said cool, please hold. Transferred to someone else. The guy goes through my name, address, blah blah, says shipping is gonna be expensive. At that point I'm thinking good thing I am talking with someone, cuz I've shipped 4x12's with guitar center for like $35, so wondering why he lit me up with "woah, it'll be expensive." So as he is checking, tells me to hold, and minutes pass, he comes back and says Someone just bought the amp, paid online, and it's being shipped tomorrow....I got off the phone furious! Emailed the manager of the store thanking his employees for lack of callback, and basically screwing me out of the transaction.

Anyways...just venting. haha

 

[Donnie B.]

Guitar Center.
The Walmart of MI gear.

 

[reilly]

Guitar Centers used gear is the only reason I bother with them at this point. I have lost out on multiple pieces of gear while waiting for someone to call me back, send me photo's or even answer a basic question. Once I asked a sales guy for two quick photos (nothing was showing up online) and get back to me about a simple question (are any knobs broken off) and I would buy it. He ended up selling it to another customer who called in after saying they wanted it with no need for a photo.

Your best bet is to just order off the website and if it shows up broken or not to your liking your only out $30 or so for shipping, less aggravation than having to deal with an incompetent sales associate who really doesn't care at the end of the day.

 

[glpg80]

You learned a valuable lesson. Buy it first have it shipped to a local guitar center and if you don’t like it you get a full refund no questions asked. In this market you have to buy first ask questions later on GC used.

 

[SpiderWars]

^I've done this very thing. Bought a Marshall cab, had it shipped to local GC. It had those G12-70 or whatever they are called. I left the store with the back off the cab, laying on the floor with packing material everywhere. Full refund.

 

[crwnedblasphemy]

Thanks guys...so yes I'm not the only one. Problem I've noticed is when viewing the 1 or 2 photos they post on used gear, is when I click on them they go to smaller thumbnails. So, since I like my stuff in Excellent condition, I am just double checking to make sure no dings and stuff. But, lesson learned. Formula is to buy first, ship to closest GC, then go inspect? The wait continues....

 

[GOHOINC]

I'd certainly suggest changing your strategy. This is no different than any online platform, anyone could buy something from under you while you are messaging back and forth and kicking tires. Individual sellers may be quicker to respond on reverb or ebay because they've got skin in the game, they want or need the money from the sale, and making you wait could cost them a sale. The guys at a store are probably less inclined to make you their highest priority. If they are on commission, as long as it sells they get paid, if not on commission they get paid either way so why fuss with the guy wanting more photos?

 

[Racerxrated]

Guitar Centers used gear is the only reason I bother with them at this point. I have lost out on multiple pieces of gear while waiting for someone to call me back, send me photo's or even answer a basic question. Once I asked a sales guy for two quick photos (nothing was showing up online) and get back to me about a simple question (are any knobs broken off) and I would buy it. He ended up selling it to another customer who called in after saying they wanted it with no need for a photo.

Your best bet is to just order off the website and if it shows up broken or not to your liking your only out $30 or so for shipping, less aggravation than having to deal with an incompetent sales associate who really doesn't care at the end of the day.

This. Right now, if you see a decent price on it and it’s a GC, just buy it. The flippers are all over GC and will buy it as soon as they see it, if you don’t. Waiting for pics etc just guarantees you’ll lose out on it. I’m not looking to buy but I still check their used gear often and when I do see something, like a 1988 2554 combo last week for 1300 it was gonzo in less than 2 hours. 76 JMP NMV for 1600, less than 1 hour it was gone.

 

[DanTravis62]

Since they have a no questions asked return policy, you have to just buy first and ask questions later.

They don't give a fuck about you or your questions and concerns about the used product; while you're kicking tires someone else can and will buy it out from under you.

I've had the same thing happen multiple times, before I finally learned my lesson. Missed out on a early 90s SLO for 1800$, and many other great deals, because I was asking for photos, asking questions about condition, etc.

 

[Briman24]

This ever happened to anyone ever? Saw an amp I wanted on guitarcenter.com used. Called the store in Indiana, and was told "guitars are busy right now, can I help?" I said yes, inquiring about item # blah blah, was wondering if footswitch was included, and can I get a few pics text to me in the meantime, while someone from guitars calls me back with shipping info, etc? This was at 1:35pm. Time rolls on and on, Finally I give a callback at 8:15pm since nobody bothered to call me back, and talk with someone else.

"Yes I called earlier, was waiting a callback from guitar department on shipping an item, and finalizing a transaction." She said cool, please hold. Transferred to someone else. The guy goes through my name, address, blah blah, says shipping is gonna be expensive. At that point I'm thinking good thing I am talking with someone, cuz I've shipped 4x12's with guitar center for like $35, so wondering why he lit me up with "woah, it'll be expensive." So as he is checking, tells me to hold, and minutes pass, he comes back and says Someone just bought the amp, paid online, and it's being shipped tomorrow....I got off the phone furious! Emailed the manager of the store thanking his employees for lack of callback, and basically screwing me out of the transaction.

Anyways...just venting. haha

Man......I hope you gave them an earful!

 

[ClintN667]

what amp was it?

 

[Detroit1973]

This ever happened to anyone ever? Saw an amp I wanted on guitarcenter.com used. Called the store in Indiana, and was told "guitars are busy right now, can I help?" I said yes, inquiring about item # blah blah, was wondering if footswitch was included, and can I get a few pics text to me in the meantime, while someone from guitars calls me back with shipping info, etc? This was at 1:35pm. Time rolls on and on, Finally I give a callback at 8:15pm since nobody bothered to call me back, and talk with someone else.

"Yes I called earlier, was waiting a callback from guitar department on shipping an item, and finalizing a transaction." She said cool, please hold. Transferred to someone else. The guy goes through my name, address, blah blah, says shipping is gonna be expensive. At that point I'm thinking good thing I am talking with someone, cuz I've shipped 4x12's with guitar center for like $35, so wondering why he lit me up with "woah, it'll be expensive." So as he is checking, tells me to hold, and minutes pass, he comes back and says Someone just bought the amp, paid online, and it's being shipped tomorrow....I got off the phone furious! Emailed the manager of the store thanking his employees for lack of callback, and basically screwing me out of the transaction.

Anyways...just venting. haha

Same thing has happened to me with 3 different guitars (All Les Pauls) and 1 Mesa Dual Recto Rackmount & 1 Pedal Locally(WPB). Each time they made me wait forever & came back to say oh, someone bought it. My Local store has done it before & when i got to the store the Pedal was still There so I walked out the door with it anyway.

 

[Racerxrated]

Man......I hope you gave them an earful!

…..and they could care less. Seriously.

 

[Chris6870]

This ever happened to anyone ever? Saw an amp I wanted on guitarcenter.com used. Called the store in Indiana, and was told "guitars are busy right now, can I help?" I said yes, inquiring about item # blah blah, was wondering if footswitch was included, and can I get a few pics text to me in the meantime, while someone from guitars calls me back with shipping info, etc? This was at 1:35pm. Time rolls on and on, Finally I give a callback at 8:15pm since nobody bothered to call me back, and talk with someone else.

"Yes I called earlier, was waiting a callback from guitar department on shipping an item, and finalizing a transaction." She said cool, please hold. Transferred to someone else. The guy goes through my name, address, blah blah, says shipping is gonna be expensive. At that point I'm thinking good thing I am talking with someone, cuz I've shipped 4x12's with guitar center for like $35, so wondering why he lit me up with "woah, it'll be expensive." So as he is checking, tells me to hold, and minutes pass, he comes back and says Someone just bought the amp, paid online, and it's being shipped tomorrow....I got off the phone furious! Emailed the manager of the store thanking his employees for lack of callback, and basically screwing me out of the transaction.

Anyways...just venting. haha

I don't play that shit. I just order it. If it's trash I dump it off at my local GC, get a refund and move on.Half the time they refund my shipping also, whether they mean to or not, I never ask.
I score more often than not. I bought a Mark 4 with no photo and last week bought a Taylor with one crap photo.They were both priced to low and were both big wins.

 

[Devin]

You learned a valuable lesson. Buy it first have it shipped to a local guitar center and if you don’t like it you get a full refund no questions asked. In this market you have to buy first ask questions later on GC used.

This is the way. If you see something you want, just instantly buy it. Trying to get more info basically never works (ask me how I know)

 

[DanTravis62]

This is the way. If you see something you want, just instantly buy it. Trying to get more info basically never works (ask me how I know)

Yep, 10000%.

With GC you just pull the trigger ASAP.

You can always return it. No risk.

 

[glpg80]

Back before covid I found my 74 Marshall off of guitar center used mislabeled and priced low (it wasn’t under the Marshall brand). I called to figure out why and they said no one wanted it, it had been ruined internally and the headshell was retolexed wrong ages ago. I bought it on the spot and didn’t ask questions, cracked open the headshell in the acoustics room of my local guitar center where it was quiet and inspected it after I bought it. Best damn thing I ever did music wise was buy that amp, it’s my number 1 now.

Granted it was a total basket case (The resto thread shows the progression) it was a perfect amp for what I wanted. Botched and abused, ready for a new life.

Here’s a pic from the restoration thread of me going through it.

 

[legend71]

There is no real customer service anymore and no one cares. Everywhere

 

[napalmdeath]

Fuck GC, and their used garbage. It's a waste of time, and they started charging a fortune for shipping, in addition to sales tax, so you're rolling the dice. What looks like a deal adds up quick. And, nobody wants to box anything up, (or knows how, for that matter).

I've had better luck with Sam Ash, actually, (albeit through Reverb). Quick shipping, stellar packing, and spotless merchandise on 3 occasions.

 

[crwnedblasphemy]

Fuck GC, and their used garbage. It's a waste of time, and they started charging a fortune for shipping, in addition to sales tax, so you're rolling the dice. What looks like a deal adds up quick. And, nobody wants to box anything up, (or knows how, for that matter).

I've had better luck with Sam Ash, actually, (albeit through Reverb). Quick shipping, stellar packing, and spotless merchandise on 3 occasions.

Good to know...no longer have my reverb account, but I have gazed at stuff on there.