Guitar Center & Fender

[reco]

I do have to say this.....
I have worked for a couple of stores, one was a major and one was a private venture that carried only boutique guitars and amps ($2000.00 and up).....
So PRS dosent realy (for me that is) exude high class or hand craftsmanship (the machines have taken over)..........
When your playing Bakers and $6000.00 Warriors, its hard to play a PRS and go "WOW!"(I know Im a Snob, dont tell me)
But I do know a few things about GC and PRS that most dont. Dont ask me how.

and just for the record "ALL" GC's are owned by GC no franchises.

Hell I'd take a PRS if it were free!

later
-Reco

 

[Light]

The problem with Guitar Center is not the quality of the gear they get in, it is the crappy care they take of the instruments they are trying to sell. We fix more guitars bought at GC than I can count. Here in Minnesota, our humidity fluctuates by 70-80 % points over the course of the year. If you don't do something about that, you are screwed, and Banjo Mart doesn't do anything about it. I went in there one day, and I saw at least two brand new guitars which needed neck resets (humidity related in these cases), at least ten guitars with cracked tops, and almost every guitar there had the fret ends sticking out. None of that happens in a reputable guitar store.

And Richard, you must not be talking about the Banjo Mart right there by Boston University, on the Green Line (I used to live in Allston and Brighton, and took the T or the bus right past there every day). Though I will say that they are better than Daddy's typically was at maintaining their guitars.


Light

"Cowards can never be moral."
M.K. Gandhi

 

[Richard Monroe]

No, Light, I am actually talking about Framingham in Metrowest. I have been in the Cambridge store, which you are talking about, and I was not impressed. As you say, too much inventory crammed into too little space and not well cared for. The help was not impressive, either. Framingham is really not too bad, insofar as you can defend guitars from 16 year old would be shredders. The acoustics and higher end mics are all in humidity controlled rooms, although the electrics are exposed to much greater variation in humidity. It was like night and day. The Cambridge store is a place I avoid whenever possible.-Richie

 

[reco]

Ah a felow MN!

Light! ur from MN?
Then you know what Idots I deal with in those places!
I went in there on Saturday and the guy in the tech dpt was seriously """"""STONED"""""" ..........
All Galzed and slow.....
I went in today to get a Pre amp, I had a $10 off any thing $50 or more2.
Well F-Dumb sold me an audio budy that was $50 exactly and said oh I cant give you the 10 off cause its not 50 or more......
Here I'll give you 10% off it will be the same price......
For one the idiot should go back to school and learn his basic's.
Second LESS CRACK no relly LESS CRACK its bad for your brain!
Well I corrected him and said hey dude it will be ok to do that and explained how 10% off wouldnt come to $40. He rang me up wrong any way, then I got a friend who is a Manager and had him kick the kids ass! so I walked out with a set of free(kind of) Elixers.....

Morons everyone of them!

Hey light go check out American Guitar Boutique 227 Snelling and Marshall in st.paul. if you havent been there all ready.
Its a cool place for guitars and M-audio stuff......

Later

-Reco

 

[Light]

Re: Ah a felow MN!

Hey light go check out American Guitar Boutique 227 Snelling and Marshall in st.paul.

I have seen their ads, but I have not had a chance to get over there yet.


Light

"Cowards can never be moral."
M.K. Gandhi

 

[acorec]

Well ya I agree with you on that. But I think they are still considered higher end models except for the Fenders. At least the price is considered higher end

That being said, what do you consider to be a quality gtr these days ? Just curious.

I like Fender Strats from the early 70s. They are built well and sound like a Strat. I also know where and how it was made. Today's Fender has you guessing as to the location (like trying to find where the president is on any given day) where they are made. I could not tell you anything about today's Fender guitars as you have Made in U.S.A (maybe) to Made in U.S.A Custom Shop(which is a real Strat from the 60's-70's.) Then there are 2000 other stupid models commemrorating every guitarist who ever lived (including you).


GC should buy out Fender and bury them for the last time. Then. at least you can buy them from Wal-Mart for cheaper.

 

[shredfit]

I worked at Fender (1993-1994) Corona Ca. plant! Again here is the scoop:

All necks for American Standards came from Japan... (including necks for SRV model... Clapton model) etc....

All bodies for American Standards came from Mexico (where they were also pre drilled and painted) including all signature models.

All pickups and pickguard assemblies came Pre-wired from Korea... which again includes all signuture models....

Here is what we did for a Made in the USA guitar:

Put the Neck on... (holes pre-drilled)... installed pickguard (soldered 2 wires to input jack... all other soldering was done in Korea) Put on machine heads...( holes pre-drilled... Japan) installed bridge with springs... (holes tapped with thread insert... done in Mexico) put on strings.... with a super fast in the ballpark setup... intonation job... done here....

viola your Made in the USA fender Strat.... ???

A Custom shop strat... everything was done on site... neck body everything

Shred

 

[vestast]

I worked at Fender (1993-1994) Corona Ca. plant! Again here is the scoop:

All necks for American Standards came from Japan... (including necks for SRV model... Clapton model) etc....

All bodies for American Standards came from Mexico (where they were also pre drilled and painted) including all signature models.

All pickups and pickguard assemblies came Pre-wired from Korea... which again includes all signuture models....

Here is what we did for a Made in the USA guitar:

Put the Neck on... (holes pre-drilled)... installed pickguard (soldered 2 wires to input jack... all other soldering was done in Korea) Put on machine heads...( holes pre-drilled... Japan) installed bridge with springs... (holes tapped with thread insert... done in Mexico) put on strings.... with a super fast in the ballpark setup... intonation job... done here....

viola your Made in the USA fender Strat.... ???

A Custom shop strat... everything was done on site... neck body everything

Shred

Yikes !

Assembled in the USA....huh.

 

[therage!]

The problem with Guitar Center is not the quality of the gear they get in, it is the crappy care they take of the instruments they are trying to sell.

I hear ya

I've run my fingers down necks and have fret ends sharp enough to almost cut me. I point it out and they tell that's how they come from the factory. I don't know if there is any truth to that but I have hard time believing that.

You ever see expensive guitars ship from the factory with sharp fret edges?