Not available for store pick up?

  • Thread starter Thread starter spantini
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mjbphotos said:
Picked up the Gretsch Electromatic Jet II *sunburst) just now. Still in the box (but I did take it out and play it there) - the only padded gig bag they had that fit it was $70! I'll shop for a case used or on fleabay.
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I'd really like to get Gretsch's tweed bass case for my Jet II (when I do buy it). I would normally just get an inexpensive gig bag, but I'm really attracted to the Gretsch case with it's plush lining and tweed exterior.
 
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That's wild. I actually like the feel and sound of the original strings.
 
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Mickster said:
Yeah...lately GC isn't carrying in the store as much as they did before. My question is........what if you need to return it? Can you take it back to GC or do you have to ship it?

There are so many little things....and big things....that can go wrong...or be wrong with a shipped guitar you never got to lay eyes on before buying. I need to hold it...play it and inspect it closely before I buy it.

Mick
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Just bought a Guild Acoustic 12 string from GC and made sure I could return it to a store if need be. I think it is a 45 day return policy. I would not have bought it otherwise. I couldn't believe the price I paid with a case. Everybody everywhere was charging 300 more for the same used guitar. That is not like GC at all. They didn't even have the picture up yet when I bought it, that was one reason I made sure I could return it to a store. I just brought it in and had a pickup installed in it.
 
mjbphotos said:
I was talking about the Player Mustang. It was $700 pre-Covid: https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/MustBPPJSS--fender-player-mustang-bass-pj-sienna-sunburst

$150 set up on a bass? What are you doing, changing the pickups?
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Hey mjb, this thread got bumped and paging through realized I never responded.

I'm pretty sure I played this one sometime 2019 or very early 2020-ish at the GC here in Vegas [they had a Fender short scale I had not yet seen]. It was 'okay', but back to back with the Gretsch short scale they had I honestly couldn't tell the difference in playability or tone. That's the visit I ended up getting into the Ibanez short scale, and it's served its purpose fine since despite being the slightest bit kludgy.

That said, I'm not super particular or playing at mine (or anyone else's) limits for any of my recordings nowadays, so maybe there's subtle differences aside from looks. I also recall it being cheaper than $800, more like $600 maybe it was on sale.

The $150 setup estimate was the cost at a place back in upstate NY that I trusted, they had a legit luthier on staff. I'm sure GC would do it for less, and I'd get what I pay for (ie - less than perfect). I've tried my hand at adjusting my own instruments with nominal success (my short scale bass and Les Paul have been both self setup in the past year, and are still not spot on). There's a bit of an art to it, and I've not the experience (despite being a player for 30 years) to be proficient.
 
When I got my Strat, I took it to a local retired luthier and he set it up for me - when I picked it up I asked "How much?", and he said "Whatever you think is fair.", so I gave him $65. I've been meaning to get my Yamaha project bass over to him - I made a few adjustments on my own and it's fine for me for now, but I'd like it a little better and don't have the tools for that.
 
Pinky said:
Hey mjb, this thread got bumped and paging through realized I never responded.

I'm pretty sure I played this one sometime 2019 or very early 2020-ish at the GC here in Vegas [they had a Fender short scale I had not yet seen]. It was 'okay', but back to back with the Gretsch short scale they had I honestly couldn't tell the difference in playability or tone. That's the visit I ended up getting into the Ibanez short scale, and it's served its purpose fine since despite being the slightest bit kludgy.

That said, I'm not super particular or playing at mine (or anyone else's) limits for any of my recordings nowadays, so maybe there's subtle differences aside from looks. I also recall it being cheaper than $800, more like $600 maybe it was on sale.

The $150 setup estimate was the cost at a place back in upstate NY that I trusted, they had a legit luthier on staff. I'm sure GC would do it for less, and I'd get what I pay for (ie - less than perfect). I've tried my hand at adjusting my own instruments with nominal success (my short scale bass and Les Paul have been both self setup in the past year, and are still not spot on). There's a bit of an art to it, and I've not the experience (despite being a player for 30 years) to be proficient.
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Yes, the Player Mustang went up $150 in the last year and a half, was $699 (list - but there were none available anywhere), now $849. It was $649 2-1/2 years ago.

I can't imagine paying that much for a bass set up. Strings - $15, installation of them $10, adjust bridge, truss rod $40-50. Electric instruments are so easy to adjust, as the bridges are adjustable for both string height and intonation position. When tweaking a truss rod, do no more than a 1/4 turn at a time, let it settle (15-20 minutes), check it. Of course always makes sure the guitar has been properly humidified first (even an electric). All you need is a couple of fine-point screwdrivers and a truss rod wrench (some just use a screwdriver). I've never used GC for anything since they fired all their experienced repair center people and hired a bunch of rookies.
 
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Soooo... has anyone ordered guitars direct from Fender's website recently (last few years)?

I'm concerned with what condition they arrive in - perfect or mangled by shipper. The one I'm looking at comes with a molded hardcase. That and being inside a cardboard box should probably make it ok, even if the case gets dinged - I would hope. Coming direct, I would also expect the guitar to be in mint condition. Fender is currently offering a one-time-only 10% discount to first time purchasers who sign up for emails and such - I'm eligible for that.

So, do Fender guitars arrive in good condition?
 
spantini said:
-only 10% discount to first time purchasers who sign up for emails and such - I'm eligible for that.

So, do Fender guitars arrive in good condition?
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I imagine so. Fender has experience in successful distribution. Good luck on the 10%. Nice find. Every bit helps.

Not that I have purchased a guitar in 20 years or is it 30?
 
mjbphotos said:
I can't imagine paying that much for a bass set up
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The luthier I use can get quite expensive($600+). But everything will line up. Pickups. Wiring. Intonation. The nut will be custom. The neck will be scanned with a PLek machine. They can bring it back to spec with a neck clamping/relaxing and truss/fret replacement.
 
spantini said:
Soooo... has anyone ordered guitars direct from Fender's website recently (last few years)?

I'm concerned with what condition they arrive in - perfect or mangled by shipper. The one I'm looking at comes with a molded hardcase. That and being inside a cardboard box should probably make it ok, even if the case gets dinged - I would hope. Coming direct, I would also expect the guitar to be in mint condition. Fender is currently offering a one-time-only 10% discount to first time purchasers who sign up for emails and such - I'm eligible for that.

So, do Fender guitars arrive in good condition?
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I've never ordered direct from Fender. With Guitar Center, I have ordered as 'ship to store' - no freight charges, you can open it up right there and check for any damage.
 
LazerBeakShiek said:
The luthier I use can get quite expensive($600+). But everything will line up. Pickups. Wiring. Intonation. The nut will be custom. The neck will be scanned with a PLek machine. They can bring it back to spec with a neck clamping/relaxing and truss/fret replacement.
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That's a lot more than a 'set up'! A standard set up is 1) adjust truss rod for neck bow, 2) change strings, 3) *maybe" adjust saddle or file nut.
 
mjbphotos said:
I've never ordered direct from Fender. With Guitar Center, I have ordered as 'ship to store' - no freight charges, you can open it up right there and check for any damage.
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I've ordered other gear from GC (at store counter) which was shipped to store and all of it was in perfect condition with no signs of poor handling. All electronic gizmos, nothing as heavy or large as a guitar. I could just order from GC - ship to store - letting them absorb and handle any possible issues, but I'd forego the 10% factory discount, which is substantial in this case.

Having had time to reason it out, either way it's going to be shipped via the same shipper with pretty much the same handling procedures so just ordering straight from Fender - ship to my address - would be virtually the same, and I'd get the discount.

I checked into shipping cost, but since this guitar is currently not available it didn't show. So I checked on a similar, more expensive guitar and it shows FREE shipping on orders over $50 (2-7 business days).
 
Guitar Center always has discount coupons available, usually $15%. Get on their mailing list and you'll get them. Even thought they show 'excluded brands' on the coupons, it just stops you from online ordering, you need to call or go to a store so that they can apply the code.
 
Thanks. I do see many of their discounts but they've always "excluded" items I was interested in. I'll check out their mailing list again (thought I was already on it, but haven't seen anything in awhile).
 
huh. hey man. really?

in like 2018 I sold my Roland V-Synth XT. My screen broke. Roland had not yet located replacements. Only a Fax machine cross over number ..partial compatibility. I dumped it broke for $600 clams.

Now 2022, screen and replacement parts are around and the XT model has been frequently seen on ebay. They want $2000+ for the thing. Man..

Should I get it again? It is missed. It was the SYNTH component to my Fantom X6 , that's really only a sampler, workstation, piano simm.

Who doesn't want an actual synth, right? WTF is $2000 dollars. I got a life to live.
 
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