Guitar Center generally isn't where most people go hunting "deals" so I thought I'd see if I could withstand the challenge! 🔴Reverb: reverb.com/item/33424519?_aid=growsumo&gs_partner=Trogly 🍭Shop Sweetwater + Support the Show ➡️ imp.i114863.net/trogly 💰New to Reverb? Get $10 on Me ➡️ reverb.grsm.io/earn10 ❓Private Help Sessions: troglysguitarshow.com/help-appraisals/ 👕 Merch: teespring.com/basic-logo-4245?pid=211
Yeah G.C. really gives no description of used gear. I have bought a couple used amps from them with no real issue other than a bad tube but that is not something you could expect them to catch necessarily as the amp still sound ed ok.
I recently bought a traynor ycv40 used it maybe 8 times and now when I turn it on it starts sparking under the board by the power tubes smh. Guitar center tells me no warranty on used gear and the only guy that works on tube amps that I know of in central Indiana is a “tech to the stars“ and pretty expensive lol. I don’t advise buying used tube amps from them.
There is an upside to Guitar Center. If and when I see something online, I'll purchase and have it sent to the GC store nearby. When I go to pick it up, I check it out thoroughly. If there's a problem I take a full refund and there's no loss! GC is good like that and they're cool about it. 🤟
That’s what makes up for the poor descriptions and photos - there is 0 risk. You can’t say that about most sellers on Reverb or eBay. I’ve gotten wonderful used guitars from GC with all being as good or better than I expected. Got a Gretsch 6120 that was 1 year old for 1/2 the new price and it as truly “like new” but was only listed as “excellent”. $1,500 savings on that one alone.
@@Cookie4yabro local is going to be better in most cases. More room to negotiate, no tax or shipping, and if you want to murder people it's a good way to find new victims
Yeah, and their Guitarathon's are great. I was able to snag a usually 900 dolllar PRS Custom 24 SE for about 650 got a hard shell tolex case that's usually 119 for about 80 bucks.
A lot of the best deals I've ever found were on Guitar Center used, you just have to know what to look for. I frequently pick up older ProCo Rats and Big Muffs for low prices because the employees listing them don't know they're different from the new model ones. A buddy of mine used to make a killing buying the Line 6 4x12 cabs that had V30s in them. He'd buy the cab for like $100, sell the speakers individually for way more, and then sell the cabs unloaded.
I worked at GC for a year recently. Here’s some inside info for anyone interested: The standard for us was to take at least 6 pics covering all angles of a guitar, but it wasn’t strictly enforced. The camera provided to us was awful, so the blurry pics you see are not because someone is in a rush or doesn’t know how to take a picture: it’s the quality of the camera. Haha As for pricing, they have an automated system of sorts now where employees get an average price of what the item has sold for previously, and employees have to use that price with no haggling. Only managers can approve different prices/haggle on higher ticket items. This sometimes makes the pricing weird across the system. It’s the corporate world, but GC will take just about anything if it works! They are a necessary business in the guitar industry, in my opinion.
Can confirm with the horrible camera. We literally got our cameras (I say cameras because believe it or not people would steal them) from Goodwill. Only the store manager was allowed to use his phone camera, although we would use our phones all the time if we actually had a customer interested.
As a news photog who loves playing guitar, I always recommended them to get some cheap Ikan lights. 2 would def suffice. Decent lighting can always boost the camera's ability to create a better image if it has about at least 8 megapixels or more, imo.
Today the Guitar Center in Sacramento (within driving distance) delivered via UPS for 25 bucks a 2006 Gibson Vegas Standard in primo condition with the right case and in your favorite color. The internet price was 200 bucks less than the store's price but they price matched it. So you are right. Inside of the virtually unused correct case with the Canada sticker! a 6.6lbs of a bitchen geetar. Thanks for the heads up. It was the only one on the internet when I looked for the 1st time anywhere. I called the store and asked the sales guy if it was there and he said yep I'm looking at it. It's really cool. Done deal. You are the man! 👍 🙏 Maximum Respect and Peace ~ Loo 👊
@@Trog Yeah the sales guy is now hip to them. Just like you talk about, it said with a case. But the guy I was talking to could not find it, so I went silent on the phone and immediately paid the internet lower price. I then said, please ask your used gear manager tomorrow, where the correct case is, as it is sort of important and tada they found it. That "with case" comment is kinda scary. Thanks for all you do. I also have a 2013 Gibson "Tikibird" Elliott Easton Sig. Firebird mint that might need a new home! Maximum Respect and Peace ~ Loo
Same. Bought a double bass drum pedal that had damage that was overlooked. Knocked the price in half so I doubt they made anything off it. Half a year later I sold it back and got $20 more then what I paid for it, even with the damage on it! It also has to do with experience of the sales associate knowing what to look for. Like a guitarist doing a drum related street buy and the like.
I've ordered a couple used guitars from guitar center online and they are usually a bit cheaper than reverb. Bonus is if you dont like it your local store can accept the return which is usually totally painless.
I have bought a couple of used guitars that were great deals on GC - 20% less than the same equivalents on Reverb! Those store managers have the discretion to price where they want. One was a Gretsch and the other a Fret King. The lesser known guitars can be good used deals there.
I have a "reasonable" (*AHEM*) guitar collection of 22 right now. For all the flack that Guitar Center catches I got my absolutely best deal from them. This was back around Christmas of 2014 and I got a call from the guy at my "local" GC (it's about 75 minutes away) that I generally dealt with. It was after 7pm on a Sunday night and he told me he had a guitar if I was interested but I had to jump on it. Typical salesman. I had once mentioned that I'd always wanted a Les Paul in Desert Burst and, since I hate pickguards on them, it would have to be a Standard or "better" since I didn't want those little drill holes either. You know, just "wish list" stuff. He had found a brand new 2013 Les Paul Custom that had been sitting in the back of another GC for over a year and it was mislabeled as a Studio so he could get me a great price. Since I knew I could return it I told him to go ahead and order it and I paid up front. I ended up loving the guitar and it's 5A Quilted Maple top. I ended up paying $1,622 out the door and later found out the thing, retailing for $5,699, was supposed to be listed at $4,800. Their mistake was my gift horse. Stay safe everyone. Cheers.
I got a 2019 Les Paul Classic in cherry red from guitar center used for ~1300 after shipping. The guitar was in mint condition. Just have to get lucky with the deal.
I have had a great experience with purchasing used gear from G.C. Drums, cymbals, guitars, amps, pedals and all sorts of recording gear. And the return policy has always been a good experience. You do need to keep a eye on what you buy though, cosmetic and functionality issues get overlooked sometimes. And yes the pricing of items being wrong does happen quite a bit.
Their shipping is also super cheap .... store is about an hour and a half round trip here, and shipping from the other side of the country to me is about $20-$25. Never makes sense to interrupt a weekend day and drive 50-60 miles round trip to save that.
A big problem I used to run into was they took a while to update when a listing sold. So you could end up buying something that already sold then a little bit later get an email saying so. It dosen't help they instantly took your money regardless.
Pro tip: I got a used Mcinturff Glory Custom at guitar center for $1,699 made in USA. It is a boutique level instrument with similar specs to a Les Paul. 5A quilted maple cap and matching headstock and every little detail is perfect down to the fret crowning. The playability is on par with any custom shop level Les paul. You can't really find any real amazing deals on name brands but you can find amazing deals on boutique guitars if they don't know what they have.
As someone who formerly worked at GC - it is well-established thay Musicians Friend is owned and operated by Guitar Center, but the recent influx of used equipment showing up on MF is because of COVID-19 causing a major reduction of in-store sales. Also if you ever want to buy a used guitar from GC, never just have it shipped to you directly. Always ship and pickup from the nearest store as there are a myriad of known issues that could happen in transit + the fact that the associate(s) that run the operations/fulfillment aren't always consistent with how things are packaged and protected. It's unfortunate, but sometimes your operations team shipping from one store may have been there since 5:00 AM doing inventory and warehouse maintaining and depending on the delivery pickup schedule for that store they may accidentally forget to pad it right or cut corners. Also if you see something you like on the used section but it is at a different location, try to have an associate from your local store try to find out the condition for you / work something out. 50% of the commission of a used sale goes towards the original associate who brought in the used equipment and the other 50% goes to the associate who sold it. This usually means that if you work through an associate, they will do what they can to work something out in your favor so that they can get a cut in. Another pro tip is that the associates really care about their Pro coverage numbers (PCA is huge with management/corperate). So if you see a new item in the store and want to get somewhat of a better deal, offer to get PC on it only if you can get it for a better price. Sometimes they can work something out that is way better, other times it might be a toss-up.
Thanks for posting this advice. While all the GC stores were closed in April-May 2020, I found a 'Used great condition" Taylor Academy 12e at GC-Austin, TX. Before GC advertised curbside delivery to your car, I ordered it since it was priced $150 less than a new 12e, so for the price of a Taylor Academy 12, I could get a year-old model with the electronics. Two weeks later, when managers were allowed in the stores to pack and ship orders, they packed several extras (Snark tuner, folding footrest, several packages of picks that had been opened at the counter with one removed, Kyser capo). You know what happened when it arrived a week later and I opened the gig bag with GC's tag labeled 12e, don't you? Yep, I pulled nearly everything from the outer pocket, took the guitar out, photographed my first guitar to learn with, put it back in the bag, did a double take and opened the bag again, looked at the side, then at the Taylor certificate in the guitar,. It s an Academy 12, but with the add-ons, order date (day before Mom passed on), and serial number (Dad's 90th birthday), and Taylor Guitars' quality, owner support, and work environment, I'm happy! Found some screamin' deals on Reverb later, so I did buy an Academy 12e being cleared out by a small music store, and a new Breedlove guitar model at a store's blowout pricing. With anything, you need to do your research to recognize when a deal is presented.
I haven't shopped at Guitar Center in over 5 years. I wish it was longer. I would get ads in the mail and showing all the "Great Deals" when it came to Martin, Taylor, and Gibson, and remembering - well where's the "Great Deal"? Its the same price they always are. I also remember when you were able to haggle with them and usually you can get a bargain. Not anymore after Bain Capital took it over. Unfortunately I buy mostly online - even before the pandemic. I even bought Martins online without even playing them and have no regrets about it and theyre wonderful - and I got a deal GC would never give.
I got a fantastic deal on a 2016 American limited edition lite ash tele from the GC used section. New old stock at a steep discount for a nitro finish American tele. Feels good.
Great video. Love how much knowledge you have and how you teach us. Also love seeing guitars that I would love to have but can’t afford right now. Thx.
Guitar Center used guitars many times the inventory is not up to date...I have called the location many times asking the staff about condition and very often it was not available...also if you do find one available, they will not budge AT ALL on price!
I have a 1993 G&L ASAT Classic I bought for $399 at Guitar Center with a beat up Fender case. They thought it was a G&L Tribute but it is a US model. There are no 3 bolt Tribute ASATs. GC never bothers to clean or adjust their used stuff. In the past I have passed up a MIJ Richie Blackmore Strat for $600, and a US Jimi Hendrix Voodoo Strat for $900. About a year ago I got a Harley Benton SC 450 for $97 out the door.
I went to guitar center and bought two used guitars...a 2019 1960 historic custom shop LP (mint) for $3,800...and a Martin HD-28 with electric hookups for $2,100...best deals I ever saw on these.
The GC used site has gotten me some of my best deals. You can also call the store and get a detailed description/more pictures and occasionally free shipping, too.
Just bought a master built Anu custom guitar for $630! It was built by a luthier in Baltimore. Looks stunning but it’s seen some rough days since one of the owners messed up putting in a Schaller Hannes bridge but nothing that affects playability. It was originally listed at $1.3k but it bounced around 3 other stores and they wanted to get rid of it. I’m making a video on it soon!!
I got one of Greg Howe personal prototype laguna sig model out of the Las Vegas GC. It was signed and little message on the front of the guitar body by Greg himself. I got it for under 500. When I called to ask if they knew what it was, they didnt. I bought it. Also got a Jason Becker like custom mid 90’s carvin white,that looks like a San demis body. Pointy headstock. Under 500. Half the time they don’t know what they got. Lol
I noticed the guitar center used stuff on the Musician Friend site around the beginning of the month. It wasn't in the search before because I would look daily for the deal of the day and deals on guitars.
Any possibility you might check out the new Troy van Leeuwen Jazzmaster soon? Considering picking it up but I’d like to see how it compares to a regular jazzmaster
I got a schecter bass, the exact same bass they were selling at 400-450, and mine looked clean but was in 'poor' condition. I paid 250, and put a $0.50 9v plug in it and instant 200 value increase. So look for the ones with minor issues because they go for MAJOR discounts sometimes. Music go round does that too, sometimes they just would rather move it fast at a sharp discount than pay to have it fixed once it's in the store.
Earlier this year, before the lockdown, I bought online an HSS Strat black with white pickguard. I'm glad that i had it sent to the local store instead of my home (still had to pay the shipping charge). When it was unboxed, it was an SSS in brown with scull and crossbones on the body. Im not into that. They were accomodating, I ordered another (sadly SSS) and they ate the shipping. When I checked later, they had reposted the guitar with the original picture of the Black HSS.(I had the item number) I did inform them. They did not change the listing. DON'T TRUST THE PICTURES.
Below about 1000 dollars or so, I think Guitar Center used listings are usually priced very well. Sadly, this year has made their inventory much smaller and less varied, but I used to see really cool things there. They overprice guitars all the time, but they also do the opposite pretty often (at least they used to). They don't change the price when it comes to modified guitars as far as I know (so pretty bad for Gibsons), but that's a good thing for lower end guitars.
The good thing about buying used a guitar center is you can return it within 30 days for absolutely no reason at all so if you buy it and I’ll like it just send it back or bring it to your closest store. I’ve done this quite a few times with guitar center
GC doesn’t have description because it’s based on the sales person who bought it in. If it’s not busy some salesmen will go above and beyond to get a description. If it’s a busy Saturday they’ll probably get the bare minimum info from the seller to complete the deal
I've gotten a ton of good deals at my local GC. 1988 HM Strat for about 700, a Randall RM100 with matching XL 4x12 for 500, Epiphone 1958 Korina Explorer Reissue with Zakk Wylde EMG pickups and hard case for 345. It pays to check in regularly, you never know what will be there.
Pics and details provided by GC are usually not great, but when you call the store the employees are almost always super helpful. I’ve had them text me extra pics even. I’ve scored an 80s Silverburst and Goldburst through the site, both under 4K. Low risk, too, because if you get a lemon you can just return to your local GC.
I drove 50 miles to a GC, in a blizzard, because they listed a guitar I wanted, and their website said it was in "excellent" condition. Got there, it was beat to heck. I gave them an earful, then left. 2 weeks later, at the GC 1 minute from my house, I found the same guitar in perfect condition!
The trick with GC's used is you gotta go look at non Fender Gibson Ibanez, the lesser searched brands have deals constantly. I was able to pick up a 2005 Schecter Twin Tribal double neck with original hardshell case for like $750 shipped. Not the deal of the century or anything but you know
I got a brand Gibson les Paul for over 30% off with them at my local store just recently. A very good deal. About 3 years ago I was searching for an EJ strat and I found one a little ways away. It had dents from a watch or something by the bridge and so I got them to take 20% off and throw in a vox ac4c1-12 for free. Maybe it’s just my luck, but they’ve been a fine place to shop
Regarding the final guitar you looked at, I think the previous owner was going for a Neil Young vibe. His main electric is an old goldtop with a Firebird pickup in the bridge, a chrome cover on the neck P90 and a Bigsby, that someone did a bad refinishing job on before he got it. I'm not sure what exactly the market would be for a modern Les Paul modded to look like Old Black, but I'm sure *someone* would pay that much or more for that exact guitar.
I love Guitar Center used. Better prices than Reverb right now. Bought both a Reverend Contender 290 and an Ibanez RG655 Prestige in the last six months and got good deals on both. The Reverend was MINT and the Ibanez in great shape. Are they dirt cheap? no. Are they reasonable? Absolutely. And if you don't like it, play it for 30 days and return it for the cost of the shipping (which is pretty cheap too). Highly recommend them for used.
You must have missed the 1996 Gem Series that was listed as a "Studio". Thankfully you missed and I was able to buy it. No checking and only a few light scratches for around $800.
The photos and minimal description is the downside. I've seen more than a few listings that have the wrong guitar in the photos (including that overprice Les Paul Special DC Tribute that was described as an SG Junior). I just got a good deal on a vintage Epiphone Cortez. Prices have really shot up in the past six months, but they had it listed at what it sold for in the spring. It arrived with some undisclosed damage, but the store manager gave me a partial refund so I could cover the repair.
GC probably is as good as reverb, and probably better for someone who likes to send things back (I don't do that). But the deals are mostly in the guitars that aren't quite as desirable. For example, I got an anniversary nighthawk last year for $1050, figured top. Not a terribly desirable guitar, but always asked high on reverb, etc. GC sold three custom agents last year for about $750 average. you're right, the descriptions are lacking. You have to call and ask - I asked $100 off of the nighthawk that I was buying as it had replaced tuners (no permanent marks) and figured i could convince them it would cost $100 for me to get original tuners back on the guitar. They agreed. Whatever they do, they buy used guitars a lot better than I could ever find (due to captive audience) and there's usually something on their site that's better than I can find elsewhere.
I’ve also got mis marked stuff for a great price. I got a black and cream special run SG marked as an SG faded for 550. The pictures are a little scary though. Usually only has one blurry picture.
Hey an idea, do a video comparing the prices for guitars in the uk compared to prices in the states as ive noticed it might be cheaper to fly to the states to buy a guitar than buy it here !
Iv ordered several used guitars from GC.. 'it comes with a case/bag' means nothing half the time and might arrive naked in bubble wrap, and its good luck getting it from them after.
I actually had bought a used Epi LP which the listing did not show a case and 2 weeks later the GC from the midwest sent an empty case to my local GC for me with a note that it was supposed to go with the Epi LP I had already picked up. It was not the correct case for an electric but still a no brainer I took the 'free case' and went home happy.
Over the last year I have found a few used Fender amps and solid conditioned Strats that were very fair priced AND shipping is super reasonable AND you can keep the item for 45 days before returning it, for a nominal fee ($20 for a guitar) You are complaining about shipping? Generally reverb sellers charge at least $50 if not $100 and CG is a standard $20 fee and if it comes broken you pay nothing (free insurance).
Hey Trogly, I used to own a 1987 Gibson Les Paul jr all original; I donated it to an injured soldier who has a band of wounded soldiers. So, I was wondering if Gibson made a double cut LP jr. with a single p90 in 1986 (my birthday). I've never found any and I've been searching for years. I found my forever strat but really want my forever LP jr that's my age. Thanks!
You can get great deals when guitar center doesn't know what they're doing. Got a Schecter that was on display for cheaper than I've seen it used and it came with a pretty intricate leather strap because who ever put it out forgot the price tag and the guy at checkout didn't know what locking straps were so I just told him it was part of the guitar. Add in the free case it wasn't supposed to come with and I saved a few hundo.
The only time I ever seen a discount at guitar center on a used instrument my best friend told the manager he needed to get 20 bucks off so he could get a bag of weed to smoke when he plays the amp later. The manager cracked up and said okay man I’ll do it just because no one has ever given me that excuse before... The irony is that he didn’t actually need the weed, he just was trying to get a cheap amp for cheaper. We needed it to run a drum machine through for a small part.
LSS: Yes Have more than once made a good deal on a keyboard and a bass. Bass was in store, I could have stuck it on eBay and doubled my money. The keyboard was in better shape and cheaper than one I found on Musician's Friend. GC owns MF, so there was no issue cancelling the original purchase in favor of the other.
Be careful when hunting for deals at guitar center or musician's friend. I bought a "new" schecter guitar on a stupid deal of the day, and I got sent a guitar center "floor demo" that they claimed had all original parts but showed a little fret wear. When it arrived I found the neck pickup was missing the cover, and I suspect based on pole piece staggering and changed mounting screws that it was some cheap replacement pickup. Either way the pickup was dead out of the box. The floyd rose arm was gone, and the back cover was missing half of the screws. The pickguard was chewed up around the humbucker route, the tone pot push/pull didn't work, and there were several changed screws on the pickguard (including the humbucker screws). I was afraid to look under the pickguard, but based on the pickup issue I would imagine it had crappy wiring. Oh, and the frets would have needed a level and re-crown. Suffice it to say I'm really glad musician's friend has a good return policy. The moral of the story is to think carefully about buying a stupid deal of the day guitar from musician's friend. At the very least contact them to verify the guitar you got was from the musician's friend distribution center instead of getting a guitar off of guitar center's floor.
Forgot to mention that not all stupid deal of the day guitars are like this. I bought a Martin OM-18ce as a stupid deal of the day and got an incredible guitar with no flaws that I could see. As long as your guitar wasn't on the shop floor you should be ok.
Vintage deal alert, they’re out there. I got my 78 jazz bass (all original excluding duncan antiquities) for like $1100 and it’s in beautiful shape, like a closet classic custom shop. I could sell it for like 2500-3000 if I wanted to but I can’t baha it’s too amazing
I know many people may have issues with Guitar Center. But they can surprise you if you let them. I wanted a Marshall Reflector RF-1 pedal. Guitar Center online had a used one I purchased for $79.99 ($98 with tax +ship).
I can’t stand going in to Guitar Center, its difficult to get any help. Most of the employees are jamming out on the guitars. You would think with all their financial troubles GC is having they would be running a tighter ship. Just my opinion though.
I got my EarthQuaker Devices Sound Projector Amp Head and matching cab on a crazy deal from GC used online, and they haggled with me, saved several hundred
I've gotten some truly awesome deals on used at GC but I don't think it happens much on Gibson/Fender as often. I got one guitar that was a bit of an off brand which they had priced too low and I got another that was a major brand but they had it priced used based on the price they sold for new but it was a discontinued model with a huge cult following and were going for about twice as much on Reverb as I paid. Going to miss GC for used gear if they do go out of business because I always felt safe buying from them since I could always return and just lose shipping.
I have seen some negative opinions on their used prices but there are certainly diamonds in the rough. I've bought a handful of used guitars from them at incredible prices because of their incorrect listings. They also have (had?) a nice return policy. If the guitar shows up and you feel the pictures didn't accurately portray it's condition, you can return it to your local GC for a full refund. You can also call the store you're buying a used guitar from and ask for a more detailed description over the phone before purchase. Good for learning about any dings, fret life, serial, etc
little guitar center story... My friend Dennis had been in the market for a Hughes & Kettner Tubemeister 18 which is around 300-400 used. he saw one on guitar center’s website and thought he’d pick it up because it was the right price and looked in good condition. couple days go by and when he gets a package from guitar center... turns out they actually sent him a Hughes & Kettner Deluxe 40 which is about $1200 retail. talk about a killer deal Lol $350 for a $1200 amp.
Guitar centers has the best deals for guitars between the 100 to 500 dollar mark do to the staff that are responsible for lower denomination sales are newer or not experienced in the used market. Iv found a base mh-50 ltd esp for $100 and it had a Seymour Duncan jb in the bridge and a dean custom shop dimetime in the neck but you gota be quick my friends
I was looking at a used esp ltd ec-1000 on gc and the pics were trash so I went to the store since it was like an go hour away. It was listed as good condition but the thing was "fair" condition at best. It was so banged up and played. So yeah their descriptions are not accurate at all, but i have heard people do get great used deals from them sometimes.
I picked up a good deal from GC a couple of months ago. Got a Reverend Greg Koch Gristlemaster which I am in love with! However, I agree GC typically has inferior and minimal photos and sparse descriptions. But, as you note, reasonable return policy. Indeed I got 180 day returns on mine during their adjusted pandemic policy.
JohnnyArt Pavlou Pow Yellow. And as GC doesn’t carry Reverend new, I was happy to see a used version come up which was around two years old. That guitar is a dream and I have a few in my collection. The fit and finish is top notch and love the roasted maple neck. The tones are extremely versatile and the built in preamp boost adds just the right amount of volume and sonic overtones. Also takes pedals like a champ. Hope to do a YT review shortly. And of course Greg Koch is a guitar idol of mine.
Guitar Center generally isn't where most people go hunting "deals" so I thought I'd see if I could withstand the challenge!
🔴Reverb: reverb.com/item/33424519?_aid=growsumo&gs_partner=Trogly
🍭Shop Sweetwater + Support the Show ➡️ imp.i114863.net/trogly
💰New to Reverb? Get $10 on Me ➡️ reverb.grsm.io/earn10
❓Private Help Sessions: troglysguitarshow.com/help-appraisals/
👕 Merch: teespring.com/basic-logo-4245?pid=211
@Ttogly I can't find the video you did a few days ago you did on that Gibson Les Paul Custom Studio. Where is it?
Yeah G.C. really gives no description of used gear. I have bought a couple used amps from them with no real issue other than a bad tube but that is not something you could expect them to catch necessarily as the amp still sound ed ok.
I recently bought a traynor ycv40 used it maybe 8 times and now when I turn it on it starts sparking under the board by the power tubes smh. Guitar center tells me no warranty on used gear and the only guy that works on tube amps that I know of in central Indiana is a “tech to the stars“ and pretty expensive lol. I don’t advise buying used tube amps from them.
There is this swamp ash les paul studio that just came up on reverb. It would be really cool if you could review/demo it!
I love how you almost said “oh s&:) cool” on the red fire bird X
There is an upside to Guitar Center. If and when I see something online, I'll purchase and have it sent to the GC store nearby. When I go to pick it up, I check it out thoroughly. If there's a problem I take a full refund and there's no loss! GC is good like that and they're cool about it. 🤟
That’s what makes up for the poor descriptions and photos - there is 0 risk. You can’t say that about most sellers on Reverb or eBay. I’ve gotten wonderful used guitars from GC with all being as good or better than I expected. Got a Gretsch 6120 that was 1 year old for 1/2 the new price and it as truly “like new” but was only listed as “excellent”. $1,500 savings on that one alone.
plus if you just need to borrow an instrument to record 1 thing you can always buy and return no harm done
I do that too.
And bankrupt .
They still offer shipping to local guitar center ?
Guitar center has good prices most of the time. I got my SG standard for like $900 and it was in incredible condition.
I also saw a ton of good deals on SG’s on GC used but I found one for 800 bucks on OfferUp in incredible condition so I just lucked out
Same got a good deal on a Gibson SG standard in 2016. It was new but in the showcase if you well and I still have it. Love that guitar still
@@noampeleg9766 Offer up is the best
@@Cookie4yabro local is going to be better in most cases. More room to negotiate, no tax or shipping, and if you want to murder people it's a good way to find new victims
Yeah, and their Guitarathon's are great. I was able to snag a usually 900 dolllar PRS Custom 24 SE for about 650 got a hard shell tolex case that's usually 119 for about 80 bucks.
Just when I was begging for something to watch!! Thanks Austin!
Same here Adam I love that sometimes he puts them out pretty late because everyone else is done for the day.
I was just going to look to see if any new Trogly when this alerted.......WOW!
A lot of the best deals I've ever found were on Guitar Center used, you just have to know what to look for. I frequently pick up older ProCo Rats and Big Muffs for low prices because the employees listing them don't know they're different from the new model ones.
A buddy of mine used to make a killing buying the Line 6 4x12 cabs that had V30s in them. He'd buy the cab for like $100, sell the speakers individually for way more, and then sell the cabs unloaded.
I worked at GC for a year recently. Here’s some inside info for anyone interested:
The standard for us was to take at least 6 pics covering all angles of a guitar, but it wasn’t strictly enforced. The camera provided to us was awful, so the blurry pics you see are not because someone is in a rush or doesn’t know how to take a picture: it’s the quality of the camera. Haha
As for pricing, they have an automated system of sorts now where employees get an average price of what the item has sold for previously, and employees have to use that price with no haggling. Only managers can approve different prices/haggle on higher ticket items. This sometimes makes the pricing weird across the system.
It’s the corporate world, but GC will take just about anything if it works! They are a necessary business in the guitar industry, in my opinion.
Can confirm with the horrible camera. We literally got our cameras (I say cameras because believe it or not people would steal them) from Goodwill. Only the store manager was allowed to use his phone camera, although we would use our phones all the time if we actually had a customer interested.
As a news photog who loves playing guitar, I always recommended them to get some cheap Ikan lights. 2 would def suffice. Decent lighting can always boost the camera's ability to create a better image if it has about at least 8 megapixels or more, imo.
I got my $400 Ibanez for $150 in amazing condition. Guitar center is pretty good imo
I mean people in the local market will sell a $400 guitar for $150 nothing too crazy about that
I got pretty good deal at local GC: Fender Jazzmaster vintera modified with Fender molded case and 65 jazzmaster pickups for 650$.
Wow that’s pretty damn good. I would buy that too.
Really enjoy the shopping episodes too. In addition to the reviews and demos.
Today the Guitar Center in Sacramento (within driving distance) delivered via UPS for 25 bucks a 2006 Gibson Vegas Standard in primo condition with the right case and in your favorite color. The internet price was 200 bucks less than the store's price but they price matched it. So you are right. Inside of the virtually unused correct case with the Canada sticker! a 6.6lbs of a bitchen geetar. Thanks for the heads up. It was the only one on the internet when I looked for the 1st time anywhere. I called the store and asked the sales guy if it was there and he said yep I'm looking at it. It's really cool. Done deal. You are the man! 👍 🙏 Maximum Respect and Peace ~ Loo 👊
sounds like you did well - those vegas series guitars can be tough to find on the used market!
@@Trog Yeah the sales guy is now hip to them. Just like you talk about, it said with a case. But the guy I was talking to could not find it, so I went silent on the phone and immediately paid the internet lower price. I then said, please ask your used gear manager tomorrow, where the correct case is, as it is sort of important and tada they found it. That "with case" comment is kinda scary. Thanks for all you do. I also have a 2013 Gibson "Tikibird" Elliott Easton Sig. Firebird mint that might need a new home! Maximum Respect and Peace ~ Loo
I bought a Crate 4x12 for $80 and sold it back to them and got $100 2 years after.... lol
I love my crate amp.
Same. Bought a double bass drum pedal that had damage that was overlooked. Knocked the price in half so I doubt they made anything off it. Half a year later I sold it back and got $20 more then what I paid for it, even with the damage on it!
It also has to do with experience of the sales associate knowing what to look for. Like a guitarist doing a drum related street buy and the like.
I've ordered a couple used guitars from guitar center online and they are usually a bit cheaper than reverb. Bonus is if you dont like it your local store can accept the return which is usually totally painless.
Such a practical episode!! Thanks Austin for this one!
Got my super sonic for about $100 bucks off the original price and it was so new it had all the plastic on the Pickguard and trem cover
I have bought a couple of used guitars that were great deals on GC - 20% less than the same equivalents on Reverb! Those store managers have the discretion to price where they want. One was a Gretsch and the other a Fret King. The lesser known guitars can be good used deals there.
I have a "reasonable" (*AHEM*) guitar collection of 22 right now. For all the flack that Guitar Center catches I got my absolutely best deal from them. This was back around Christmas of 2014 and I got a call from the guy at my "local" GC (it's about 75 minutes away) that I generally dealt with. It was after 7pm on a Sunday night and he told me he had a guitar if I was interested but I had to jump on it. Typical salesman. I had once mentioned that I'd always wanted a Les Paul in Desert Burst and, since I hate pickguards on them, it would have to be a Standard or "better" since I didn't want those little drill holes either. You know, just "wish list" stuff. He had found a brand new 2013 Les Paul Custom that had been sitting in the back of another GC for over a year and it was mislabeled as a Studio so he could get me a great price. Since I knew I could return it I told him to go ahead and order it and I paid up front. I ended up loving the guitar and it's 5A Quilted Maple top. I ended up paying $1,622 out the door and later found out the thing, retailing for $5,699, was supposed to be listed at $4,800. Their mistake was my gift horse. Stay safe everyone. Cheers.
I got a 2019 Les Paul Classic in cherry red from guitar center used for ~1300 after shipping. The guitar was in mint condition. Just have to get lucky with the deal.
Got my '01 Classic for the same price from GC as well. Just gotta be there at the right time!
I have had a great experience with purchasing used gear from G.C. Drums, cymbals, guitars, amps, pedals and all sorts of recording gear. And the return policy has always been a good experience. You do need to keep a eye on what you buy though, cosmetic and functionality issues get overlooked sometimes.
And yes the pricing of items being wrong does happen quite a bit.
Their shipping is also super cheap .... store is about an hour and a half round trip here, and shipping from the other side of the country to me is about $20-$25. Never makes sense to interrupt a weekend day and drive 50-60 miles round trip to save that.
They mislabeled a 1970 Super Reverb as a 1980 and I got it for 800 bucks. With RCA 12ax7s and GE6L6s
A big problem I used to run into was they took a while to update when a listing sold. So you could end up buying something that already sold then a little bit later get an email saying so. It dosen't help they instantly took your money regardless.
Me too!! They need a much better system to keep track of their inventories.
That Gibson with Tokyo painted on it, there was one in a guitar center in Huntsville Alabama that was 3,000 or something like that
Pro tip: I got a used Mcinturff Glory Custom at guitar center for $1,699 made in USA. It is a boutique level instrument with similar specs to a Les Paul. 5A quilted maple cap and matching headstock and every little detail is perfect down to the fret crowning. The playability is on par with any custom shop level Les paul. You can't really find any real amazing deals on name brands but you can find amazing deals on boutique guitars if they don't know what they have.
As someone who formerly worked at GC - it is well-established thay Musicians Friend is owned and operated by Guitar Center, but the recent influx of used equipment showing up on MF is because of COVID-19 causing a major reduction of in-store sales.
Also if you ever want to buy a used guitar from GC, never just have it shipped to you directly.
Always ship and pickup from the nearest store as there are a myriad of known issues that could happen in transit + the fact that the associate(s) that run the operations/fulfillment aren't always consistent with how things are packaged and protected. It's unfortunate, but sometimes your operations team shipping from one store may have been there since 5:00 AM doing inventory and warehouse maintaining and depending on the delivery pickup schedule for that store they may accidentally forget to pad it right or cut corners.
Also if you see something you like on the used section but it is at a different location, try to have an associate from your local store try to find out the condition for you / work something out. 50% of the commission of a used sale goes towards the original associate who brought in the used equipment and the other 50% goes to the associate who sold it. This usually means that if you work through an associate, they will do what they can to work something out in your favor so that they can get a cut in.
Another pro tip is that the associates really care about their Pro coverage numbers (PCA is huge with management/corperate). So if you see a new item in the store and want to get somewhat of a better deal, offer to get PC on it only if you can get it for a better price. Sometimes they can work something out that is way better, other times it might be a toss-up.
Thanks for posting this advice. While all the GC stores were closed in April-May 2020, I found a 'Used great condition" Taylor Academy 12e at GC-Austin, TX. Before GC advertised curbside delivery to your car, I ordered it since it was priced $150 less than a new 12e, so for the price of a Taylor Academy 12, I could get a year-old model with the electronics. Two weeks later, when managers were allowed in the stores to pack and ship orders, they packed several extras (Snark tuner, folding footrest, several packages of picks that had been opened at the counter with one removed, Kyser capo). You know what happened when it arrived a week later and I opened the gig bag with GC's tag labeled 12e, don't you? Yep, I pulled nearly everything from the outer pocket, took the guitar out, photographed my first guitar to learn with, put it back in the bag, did a double take and opened the bag again, looked at the side, then at the Taylor certificate in the guitar,. It s an Academy 12, but with the add-ons, order date (day before Mom passed on), and serial number (Dad's 90th birthday), and Taylor Guitars' quality, owner support, and work environment, I'm happy!
Found some screamin' deals on Reverb later, so I did buy an Academy 12e being cleared out by a small music store, and a new Breedlove guitar model at a store's blowout pricing. With anything, you need to do your research to recognize when a deal is presented.
I haven't shopped at Guitar Center in over 5 years. I wish it was longer.
I would get ads in the mail and showing all the "Great Deals" when it came to Martin, Taylor, and Gibson, and remembering - well where's the "Great Deal"? Its the same price they always are. I also remember when you were able to haggle with them and usually you can get a bargain. Not anymore after Bain Capital took it over.
Unfortunately I buy mostly online - even before the pandemic. I even bought Martins online without even playing them and have no regrets about it and theyre wonderful - and I got a deal GC would never give.
If you look, you’ll notice that Musicians friend & Guitar center have the same used guitar inventory.
I got a fantastic deal on a 2016 American limited edition lite ash tele from the GC used section. New old stock at a steep discount for a nitro finish American tele. Feels good.
I think those were made in Japan.
Hey Trogly would you ever be interested in getting a Wylde Audio guitar and compare it to one of his Gibsons? Great video as always
*A White guitar piece exists*
-Trogly : It reminds me of the buckethead signature
Great video. Love how much knowledge you have and how you teach us. Also love seeing guitars that I would love to have but can’t afford right now. Thx.
Guitar Center used guitars many times the inventory is not up to date...I have called
the location many times asking the staff about condition and very often it was not available...also if you do find one available, they will not budge AT ALL on price!
I have a 1993 G&L ASAT Classic I bought for $399 at Guitar Center with a beat up Fender case. They thought it was a G&L Tribute but it is a US model. There are no 3 bolt Tribute ASATs. GC never bothers to clean or adjust their used stuff. In the past I have passed up a MIJ Richie Blackmore Strat for $600, and a US Jimi Hendrix Voodoo Strat for $900. About a year ago I got a Harley Benton SC 450 for $97 out the door.
I went to guitar center and bought two used guitars...a 2019 1960 historic custom shop LP (mint) for $3,800...and a Martin HD-28 with electric hookups for $2,100...best deals I ever saw on these.
Glad to hear that. They must have changed recently and are getting desperate then. Thats good news for us consumers.
The GC used site has gotten me some of my best deals. You can also call the store and get a detailed description/more pictures and occasionally free shipping, too.
That is always a good idea actually, they will even test you more photos
this should be a yearly series my man, youtube keeps recommending it to me even tho i watched it
Just bought a master built Anu custom guitar for $630! It was built by a luthier in Baltimore. Looks stunning but it’s seen some rough days since one of the owners messed up putting in a Schaller Hannes bridge but nothing that affects playability. It was originally listed at $1.3k but it bounced around 3 other stores and they wanted to get rid of it. I’m making a video on it soon!!
Man I just love your channel. Thank you so much for the entertainment and knowledge that goes along with it.
I will buy a Gibson from you one day.
Jp
I got one of Greg Howe personal prototype laguna sig model out of the Las Vegas GC. It was signed and little message on the front of the guitar body by Greg himself. I got it for under 500. When I called to ask if they knew what it was, they didnt. I bought it.
Also got a Jason Becker like custom mid 90’s carvin white,that looks like a San demis body. Pointy headstock. Under 500.
Half the time they don’t know what they got. Lol
I noticed the guitar center used stuff on the Musician Friend site around the beginning of the month. It wasn't in the search before because I would look daily for the deal of the day and deals on guitars.
Any possibility you might check out the new Troy van Leeuwen Jazzmaster soon? Considering picking it up but I’d like to see how it compares to a regular jazzmaster
That’s the only way we could get this dude to look at it haha
He made a reference to the SG Custom Paul Davids bought
I got a schecter bass, the exact same bass they were selling at 400-450, and mine looked clean but was in 'poor' condition. I paid 250, and put a $0.50 9v plug in it and instant 200 value increase. So look for the ones with minor issues because they go for MAJOR discounts sometimes. Music go round does that too, sometimes they just would rather move it fast at a sharp discount than pay to have it fixed once it's in the store.
Earlier this year, before the lockdown, I bought online an HSS Strat black with white pickguard. I'm glad that i had it sent to the local store instead of my home (still had to pay the shipping charge). When it was unboxed, it was an SSS in brown with scull and crossbones on the body. Im not into that. They were accomodating, I ordered another (sadly SSS) and they ate the shipping. When I checked later, they had reposted the guitar with the original picture of the Black HSS.(I had the item number) I did inform them. They did not change the listing. DON'T TRUST THE PICTURES.
Below about 1000 dollars or so, I think Guitar Center used listings are usually priced very well. Sadly, this year has made their inventory much smaller and less varied, but I used to see really cool things there.
They overprice guitars all the time, but they also do the opposite pretty often (at least they used to).
They don't change the price when it comes to modified guitars as far as I know (so pretty bad for Gibsons), but that's a good thing for lower end guitars.
The good thing about buying used a guitar center is you can return it within 30 days for absolutely no reason at all so if you buy it and I’ll like it just send it back or bring it to your closest store. I’ve done this quite a few times with guitar center
GC doesn’t have description because it’s based on the sales person who bought it in. If it’s not busy some salesmen will go above and beyond to get a description. If it’s a busy Saturday they’ll probably get the bare minimum info from the seller to complete the deal
I sold a used 2014 Epiphone Les Paul Pro to GC last week for $275, so I can't hate 'em for their prices. They're selling it for $350. Pretty fair, imo
I've gotten a ton of good deals at my local GC. 1988 HM Strat for about 700, a Randall RM100 with matching XL 4x12 for 500, Epiphone 1958 Korina Explorer Reissue with Zakk Wylde EMG pickups and hard case for 345. It pays to check in regularly, you never know what will be there.
Pics and details provided by GC are usually not great, but when you call the store the employees are almost always super helpful. I’ve had them text me extra pics even. I’ve scored an 80s Silverburst and Goldburst through the site, both under 4K. Low risk, too, because if you get a lemon you can just return to your local GC.
On man I've been looking for a les paul to convert to a buckethead guitar! I'll definitely keep an eye out for one of those
Did no-one else flip when he said 'I had so many points it was actually free'?! That's insane!!!
I drove 50 miles to a GC, in a blizzard, because they listed a guitar I wanted, and their website said it was in "excellent" condition. Got there, it was beat to heck. I gave them an earful, then left. 2 weeks later, at the GC 1 minute from my house, I found the same guitar in perfect condition!
My favorite professional scalper!
Please Trogly, review the Jimmy Page signature Dragon Telecaster
The trick with GC's used is you gotta go look at non Fender Gibson Ibanez, the lesser searched brands have deals constantly.
I was able to pick up a 2005 Schecter Twin Tribal double neck with original hardshell case for like $750 shipped. Not the deal of the century or anything but you know
I got a brand Gibson les Paul for over 30% off with them at my local store just recently. A very good deal. About 3 years ago I was searching for an EJ strat and I found one a little ways away. It had dents from a watch or something by the bridge and so I got them to take 20% off and throw in a vox ac4c1-12 for free. Maybe it’s just my luck, but they’ve been a fine place to shop
Regarding the final guitar you looked at, I think the previous owner was going for a Neil Young vibe. His main electric is an old goldtop with a Firebird pickup in the bridge, a chrome cover on the neck P90 and a Bigsby, that someone did a bad refinishing job on before he got it. I'm not sure what exactly the market would be for a modern Les Paul modded to look like Old Black, but I'm sure *someone* would pay that much or more for that exact guitar.
If your worried about the Bigsby I would ask if it had a a vibromate. There wont be any holes with that install.
I love Guitar Center used. Better prices than Reverb right now. Bought both a Reverend Contender 290 and an Ibanez RG655 Prestige in the last six months and got good deals on both. The Reverend was MINT and the Ibanez in great shape. Are they dirt cheap? no. Are they reasonable? Absolutely. And if you don't like it, play it for 30 days and return it for the cost of the shipping (which is pretty cheap too). Highly recommend them for used.
You must have missed the 1996 Gem Series that was listed as a "Studio". Thankfully you missed and I was able to buy it. No checking and only a few light scratches for around $800.
I found pedals used all the time on GC website that sell for 30-40% higher on Reverb. Check out the prices on Voodoo Labs Micro-Vibe as an example.
The photos and minimal description is the downside. I've seen more than a few listings that have the wrong guitar in the photos (including that overprice Les Paul Special DC Tribute that was described as an SG Junior).
I just got a good deal on a vintage Epiphone Cortez. Prices have really shot up in the past six months, but they had it listed at what it sold for in the spring. It arrived with some undisclosed damage, but the store manager gave me a partial refund so I could cover the repair.
GC probably is as good as reverb, and probably better for someone who likes to send things back (I don't do that). But the deals are mostly in the guitars that aren't quite as desirable. For example, I got an anniversary nighthawk last year for $1050, figured top. Not a terribly desirable guitar, but always asked high on reverb, etc. GC sold three custom agents last year for about $750 average.
you're right, the descriptions are lacking. You have to call and ask - I asked $100 off of the nighthawk that I was buying as it had replaced tuners (no permanent marks) and figured i could convince them it would cost $100 for me to get original tuners back on the guitar. They agreed.
Whatever they do, they buy used guitars a lot better than I could ever find (due to captive audience) and there's usually something on their site that's better than I can find elsewhere.
Sometimes you can find a great deal just have to keep checking
I’ve also got mis marked stuff for a great price. I got a black and cream special run SG marked as an SG faded for 550. The pictures are a little scary though. Usually only has one blurry picture.
Hey an idea, do a video comparing the prices for guitars in the uk compared to prices in the states as ive noticed it might be cheaper to fly to the states to buy a guitar than buy it here !
DUDE! Why you gotta be blowing up my spot. :(
I picked up an used Ernie Ball Stingray on Guitar Center.com. I returned it after two day's. It had serious electrical issues. Not doing that again
I bought a 2011 les paul traditional pro in great shape for 1199 from guitar center. The deals qre there you just need to check daily
Iv ordered several used guitars from GC.. 'it comes with a case/bag' means nothing half the time and might arrive naked in bubble wrap, and its good luck getting it from them after.
I actually had bought a used Epi LP which the listing did not show a case and 2 weeks later the GC from the midwest sent an empty case to my local GC for me with a note that it was supposed to go with the Epi LP I had already picked up. It was not the correct case for an electric but still a no brainer I took the 'free case' and went home happy.
You can actually get some really good deals on guitar centers used site, sometimes they really don’t know what they’re buying
So what I was told by an employee is that Guitar Center now owns Musicians Friend, and that is why they have the same used stock.
Over the last year I have found a few used Fender amps and solid conditioned Strats that were very fair priced AND shipping is super reasonable AND you can keep the item for 45 days before returning it, for a nominal fee ($20 for a guitar) You are complaining about shipping? Generally reverb sellers charge at least $50 if not $100 and CG is a standard $20 fee and if it comes broken you pay nothing (free insurance).
Hey Trogly, I used to own a 1987 Gibson Les Paul jr all original; I donated it to an injured soldier who has a band of wounded soldiers. So, I was wondering if Gibson made a double cut LP jr. with a single p90 in 1986 (my birthday). I've never found any and I've been searching for years. I found my forever strat but really want my forever LP jr that's my age. Thanks!
Got an sg skb hardshell case for $20, practically brand new. They mispriced it and honoured the tag listing. Never got that lucky after.
You can get great deals when guitar center doesn't know what they're doing. Got a Schecter that was on display for cheaper than I've seen it used and it came with a pretty intricate leather strap because who ever put it out forgot the price tag and the guy at checkout didn't know what locking straps were so I just told him it was part of the guitar. Add in the free case it wasn't supposed to come with and I saved a few hundo.
The only time I ever seen a discount at guitar center on a used instrument my best friend told the manager he needed to get 20 bucks off so he could get a bag of weed to smoke when he plays the amp later. The manager cracked up and said okay man I’ll do it just because no one has ever given me that excuse before... The irony is that he didn’t actually need the weed, he just was trying to get a cheap amp for cheaper. We needed it to run a drum machine through for a small part.
LSS: Yes
Have more than once made a good deal on a keyboard and a bass. Bass was in store, I could have stuck it on eBay and doubled my money. The keyboard was in better shape and cheaper than one I found on Musician's Friend. GC owns MF, so there was no issue cancelling the original purchase in favor of the other.
Guitar Center is hurting,. They will take anything now. Manufacturers are probably not shipping to Guitar Center since they owe them so much.
Be careful when hunting for deals at guitar center or musician's friend. I bought a "new" schecter guitar on a stupid deal of the day, and I got sent a guitar center "floor demo" that they claimed had all original parts but showed a little fret wear. When it arrived I found the neck pickup was missing the cover, and I suspect based on pole piece staggering and changed mounting screws that it was some cheap replacement pickup. Either way the pickup was dead out of the box. The floyd rose arm was gone, and the back cover was missing half of the screws. The pickguard was chewed up around the humbucker route, the tone pot push/pull didn't work, and there were several changed screws on the pickguard (including the humbucker screws). I was afraid to look under the pickguard, but based on the pickup issue I would imagine it had crappy wiring. Oh, and the frets would have needed a level and re-crown. Suffice it to say I'm really glad musician's friend has a good return policy. The moral of the story is to think carefully about buying a stupid deal of the day guitar from musician's friend. At the very least contact them to verify the guitar you got was from the musician's friend distribution center instead of getting a guitar off of guitar center's floor.
Forgot to mention that not all stupid deal of the day guitars are like this. I bought a Martin OM-18ce as a stupid deal of the day and got an incredible guitar with no flaws that I could see. As long as your guitar wasn't on the shop floor you should be ok.
I've done very well on used guitars at GC. I search their nationwide system and contact the store directly.
I think I saw that Government Series 2 in a store one time. I came back a few weeks later and it was gone.
I've got a ton of great deals from guitar center's used section. Mainly due to stuff being listed wrong.
Vintage deal alert, they’re out there. I got my 78 jazz bass (all original excluding duncan antiquities) for like $1100 and it’s in beautiful shape, like a closet classic custom shop. I could sell it for like 2500-3000 if I wanted to but I can’t baha it’s too amazing
I know many people may have issues with Guitar Center. But they can surprise you if you let them. I wanted a Marshall Reflector RF-1 pedal. Guitar Center online had a used one I purchased for $79.99 ($98 with tax +ship).
I can’t stand going in to Guitar Center, its difficult to get any help. Most of the employees are jamming out on the guitars. You would think with all their financial troubles GC is having they would be running a tighter ship. Just my opinion though.
I got my EarthQuaker Devices Sound Projector Amp Head and matching cab on a crazy deal from GC used online, and they haggled with me, saved several hundred
I've gotten some truly awesome deals on used at GC but I don't think it happens much on Gibson/Fender as often. I got one guitar that was a bit of an off brand which they had priced too low and I got another that was a major brand but they had it priced used based on the price they sold for new but it was a discontinued model with a huge cult following and were going for about twice as much on Reverb as I paid. Going to miss GC for used gear if they do go out of business because I always felt safe buying from them since I could always return and just lose shipping.
I have seen some negative opinions on their used prices but there are certainly diamonds in the rough. I've bought a handful of used guitars from them at incredible prices because of their incorrect listings. They also have (had?) a nice return policy. If the guitar shows up and you feel the pictures didn't accurately portray it's condition, you can return it to your local GC for a full refund. You can also call the store you're buying a used guitar from and ask for a more detailed description over the phone before purchase. Good for learning about any dings, fret life, serial, etc
little guitar center story...
My friend Dennis had been in the market for a Hughes & Kettner Tubemeister 18 which is around 300-400 used. he saw one on guitar center’s website and thought he’d pick it up because it was the right price and looked in good condition. couple days go by and when he gets a package from guitar center... turns out they actually sent him a Hughes & Kettner Deluxe 40 which is about $1200 retail. talk about a killer deal Lol $350 for a $1200 amp.
Man he git lucky. Such a great amp.
I got a Japanese Dinky at GC Cerritos for about $250 in 2011. Fair deal I'd say. Wish I hadn't sold it :(
Guitar centers has the best deals for guitars between the 100 to 500 dollar mark do to the staff that are responsible for lower denomination sales are newer or not experienced in the used market. Iv found a base mh-50 ltd esp for $100 and it had a Seymour Duncan jb in the bridge and a dean custom shop dimetime in the neck but you gota be quick my friends
I was looking at a used esp ltd ec-1000 on gc and the pics were trash so I went to the store since it was like an go hour away. It was listed as good condition but the thing was "fair" condition at best. It was so banged up and played.
So yeah their descriptions are not accurate at all, but i have heard people do get great used deals from them sometimes.
Good to see you grab a bargain guitar. Looking forward to the review,
Welcome back, chocolate ice!
I got a schecter hellraiser c-1 FR in red for 279 used
But it was still in great condition and came with a brand new road runner hard shell case
The answer is no
Damn I'm early. Not a friend of GC
I picked up a good deal from GC a couple of months ago. Got a Reverend Greg Koch Gristlemaster which I am in love with! However, I agree GC typically has inferior and minimal photos and sparse descriptions. But, as you note, reasonable return policy. Indeed I got 180 day returns on mine during their adjusted pandemic policy.
Nice! What color?
JohnnyArt Pavlou Pow Yellow. And as GC doesn’t carry Reverend new, I was happy to see a used version come up which was around two years old. That guitar is a dream and I have a few in my collection. The fit and finish is top notch and love the roasted maple neck. The tones are extremely versatile and the built in preamp boost adds just the right amount of volume and sonic overtones. Also takes pedals like a champ. Hope to do a YT review shortly. And of course Greg Koch is a guitar idol of mine.