Your Guitar Center strategy makes a lot of sense. They should also consider raising their game with quality photos of the used gear and improve the description of the used gear. Selling Used gear could be a huge competitive advantage for GC. It would also be great if they standardized policies on cleanliness - some of the stores are embarrassingly filthy and not pleasant to be in.
Phil needs to get more details on the flooding of the Sherman Oaks store that is near their headquarters. Did the employees get to work at other locations or get laid off? Will there be a flood sale? will that store be fixed up and re-opened?
I bought a few diamond guitars based on your tip and donated them to the local music academy. I thought they were very nice for the money. Hopefully the kids will become Diamond fans. I like to try to help kids that can't afford a guitar to get their own axe at Christmas. Thanks for the tip.
Phil - You’ve been offered what sounds like the opportunity of a lifetime with the Guitar Center interview. You absolutely deserve it because of your honesty and integrity. Your show is the perfect vehicle for useful information on nearly every subject regarding musical equipment. And while you give your time and effort, you do it with class, style and ethics. Bravo, man!!! Thank you for sharing your knowledge.
Hey Phil, I do agree definitely that it's hard to justify the price jump in a custom shop guitar vs a USA production level guitar. However I would also have a hard time recommending someone buying an expensive guitar and paying a bunch of money to modify it into something that you hope you're going to like. If you buy a $2500 guitar, spend a grand doing irreversible modifications, and end up not loving it, then you just spent a bunch of money and all you achieved was killing the resale value, spent a total of $3500 and hopefully you can get $1000 for it. Spending $5k on a guitar that you can be sure you love and will hold or increase in value isn't so bad. I see so many people spending so much money trying to turn something they don't love into something they do love and having it not work out and then they're screwed.
Thanks for revisiting the your thoughts on guitar flippers and providing more detail. I look up to you when it comes to guitar advice and insight so I felt a little disappointment in your thoughts on guitar flipping because I do flip guitars. Based on your experience - your opinion is completely legit and I understand. I buy and sell a lot of guitars on FB Marketplace - but I hold myself to a standard. First - I dont need the money, so I dont do it for the money. I want to work in a music store when I retire (in about 7 years), so I use the flip game as a means to put my hands on as many guitars as I can without spending household cash to do so. Additionally, it gives me an opportunity to learn and practice tech skills. I have a few rules - I dont steal anything from anyone. If something is listed too low, I wait until I can see it and inspect it and then I offer the seller what I think its really worth. I pay more than listing price a LOT. When I am making someone an offer for less than their list price, I factor in parts and labor to make it ready to resell. Sometimes the list price is low enough that I just give them what they want. When I resell, I am only reselling to cover parts and labor - kind of. I try to list my guitars at a price that's low enough that a player gets a decent deal on a good guitar, but high enough that there is not enough money in it for another flipper to have any interest. My "profit" is basically my labor - Occasionally if I end up with something special and its desirable, I might make $100-$200, but never anything obscene. I know this may all sound stupid, but its how I sleep at night. I have gotten really good at a lot of tech work and I put out some really nice play-ready guitars, and I make enough money to keep a rotation of decent guitars coming in to keep me busy. I am basically making myself my own client base for guitar set ups and service until I get comfortable enough to work on guitars for other people. As always - Thanks Phil!
That was the best "how I got this guitar" story ever Phil! I wasn't expecting that ending...it so totally came out of left field that I burst out laughing. Don't Ever let it go!
Russo Music in NJ charges $65 or so on trade ins for a “set up”. That comes out of what they offer you. I get they’re running a business and I don’t think they’re obligated to pay more than they think they can run a business on, but the whole thing left a really bad taste in my mouth. My guitar was already very well set up! I said no and I never shop there now.
Nice work once again, Philip! Lotsa xlnt "Comment Fodder" here. Morphing the "Black Friday" and "Custom Shop" subjects: I "struck the iron while hot" recently by nailing several eBay MIC builds. All had "great bones"...some WELL-BEYOND that! Modded them appropriately and now have amazing and unique guit's for "chump change"! Just took delivery of an XCEPTIONAL AIO Wolf 750 in "White Burst" + will be doing some electronics mod's soon. 🎸😺🤭
GC if you are listening, We want you to survive! - I for one will be tuning in for that. I still buy 50/50 from GC and Sweetwater. GC could get me 100% if they just changed a few things.
@Phillip McKnight - if I were f2f in front of the CEO of Guitar Center, I'd tell him: 1. while searching the GC website, make it super easy to toggle search results with only new gear, or only used gear, or both, 2. when buying online, don't send "open box store demo gear" when someone is buying something as new.
@@jeffb5798 guitar centers website has sooo much room for improvement! With almost everyone shopping online these days, I don’t see why that isn’t one of their main concerns
Regarding the "Guitar Flippage" accounts presented here: The Wise Man said (paraphrasing): "Don't call something 'BAD, BAD' when it isn't." On the hand, when another Wise Man encouraged "Going The Extra Mile" when "impressed into service"...I'm not sure that should include giving an "appraisal" when really just propositioned with a "purchase opportunity". So IMO, for all sale transactions, "honesty" IS required...just not to the point of it becoming "a fault".🙄
I'm glad to hear your attitude toward unethical buying and selling. The fact that you can make a profit in a particular situation doesn't mean you should.
Phil, I just heard your plans for the podcast/video with GC. I’m really looking forward to that. You do truly take me out of my darker moods with your channel. I look forward to your show every week, thank you for what you do.
I live an area with 4 guitar centers in 30 mile radius and the inventory is shockingly and annoyingly similar between the stores. I’m not even looking for crazy exotic stuff but none had Player II jazzmasters or jaguars for instance.
I'm pushing 70. My music and heroes are mostly unknown to younger players these days, even to post~Boomers like Phil. One thing he talks about is wanting a guitar because your favorite player had the same model. I'm like that a lot but I've adapted to a lower budget and acquired several vintage guitars and amps at reasonable prices. I've never spent over a thousand on a guitar or amp and haven't bought new since 1973. I can't play the blue chip vintage game, no way. I look for off~brand stuff that hasn't held resale value and is in good condition at a decent price. Experience has taught that old equipment often requires expensive repairs and I'm a better shopper than I was a few years ago when I happened upon a Godin Seagull 12~string that rekindled my long lost desire to play. I learned everything I could about guitars, focusing on the models of my heroes. I bought an ES 345 in 1975 for cheap because I loved BB King. I've acquired a Japanese Kawai S~180 4 pickup offset (Hound Dog Taylor), an Italian red~burst Crucianelli 335 (Mississippi Fred McDowell), a USA polar white 1958 Supro short~scale (Howling Wolf), a G&L candy apple red rosewood~fretboard white~pickguard G&L Tele (Muddy Waters) and a 1960's Czech Lignatone 12~string (for the old~time ladder ~braced players and sounds). By the way, none of my stuff is for wall hanging, I play all of it. Why buy something you won't use??? I even get cool stickers to honor the hero on their particular axe if it's not too sacrosanct. I'm happy combing Reverb for affordable cool stuff. I'm learning to do setups to keep my costs down, too. There are guys who love restoring older guitars most and they'll often let them go at a nice price while you can rest assured they put a lot of love into their work and you won't be facing unexpected repair bills. In this buyers market, I've selected some nice chestnuts at prices I don't mind paying. I don't mess around trying to sell stuff but trades at a local guitar store would be the most palatable route for me since I wouldn't have to ship anything.
Phil congratulations on the GC invite. They would be highly advised to really listen to your suggestions. I'm rooting for you both - as a GC customer for a long time and someone who buys a lot of used guitars from GC, I hope their new marketing strategy will work.
Hey Phil. Another great sbow! On the subject of output jackal, i never thought of Loc Tite. Great pointer. I used to play a Peavey T60 in a country band, and the output jack would loosen at nearly every break. In frustration I took the hex nut off of a spare jack, and used it as a jam nut. Band aid for sure bw replacing the jack, but it solved the problem. Keep up the great videos! Thanks as always for.what you do.
Alan Nichol- asked in the chat about his Supro Delta king 12 that has a fried circuit board- wants to know what he could do with the rest of what's left that still works. #1 Alan, I feel your pain brother- mine was Black Star Club 40 MKII, working fine one minute- dead the next. Now it's a 900$ door stop. Anyway- they make an excellent cab. Most combo amps have the speaker input right there on the rear of the head- buy a new head, set it on top of the amp- plug the speaker into it- you've got your combo amp back. If you like it, you can mount the head to the top of the amp. You'll never find a head that will slide in and replace the old one- unfortunately. And if you remove it- you mess up the sound of the cabinet because now there's a huge port in it that shouldn't be there. Even if you use a board or something and close the hole up- it's still not going to sound like it used to- you've changed the inside dimensions of the cab- could sound better, but usually it sounds worse to me. I like to leave he old head where it is. That said- you can play with it- use some kind of dampening material inside, remove the head and see if you like it that way, etc.- and figure out what you like. Other than that- they make a good door stop for the studio, a decent back drop for filming videos, a handy bed side table, an aquarium stand, etc. Find some youtuber who is just getting started and needs amps to set up in the backdrop- remove the speaker and sell the rest to them cheap, as a prop. You can use the speaker later in some other amp or build your own cab.
? Hey Phil & Shawna, Andrew from Aberdeen, Scotland. Wanted to say thanks for all you do. Great show, always interesting, fantastic insight for us guitar geeks. Don’t often catch the show in real time cos I live a few timezones away, but always catch up afterwards. I have a question and would really appreciate if you would consider answering in a future podcast. Recently wanted to trade or sell to a local music store. It was an amp, and was told they wouldn’t take it because if the amp was more than 6 months old (it is) the tubes/valves could be faulty and as a result, they wouldn’t take it. Is this weird or standard practice?
It sounds cool but every time you change camera's your voice doubles, so im guessing your audio sync is off a bit, I'm not picking, I used to do video editing if you want to off load some work i can help. Love your show.
Marshall. Henning had a sunday rant video a few months back (lifestyle company, abandoning live music, marketing heads lousy at working with influencers etc). Marshall invited him to the UK for a meet up, much like GC with you. After that meeting he does seem a bit more positive that his worst fears arent true, and "good things are coming" but hes tied by NDA. On usa, he did yry and explain in his rant how Marshall were in a total mess. US prices were ridiculous because of distribution complications (distributor selling to distributor, double margin) and Marshall were trying to respond by going more direct. Maybe that unwrangling is leading to supply issues. I dont know. On shutting down uk overnight. Its just not possible under uk employment legislation. They would have to give warning of redundancy and enter 30-45 days minimum consultation. Its not the hire 'em fire 'em same day exit that the US has. That doesn't rule out quietly ramping up overseas production, but any significant reduction in uk staff would be in the press several weeks before the consultation period ended. They could absolutely do it, just not on an overnight timeline.
I got one of the Diamond guitars. Thank you very much for the tip! I'm really digging it. Complete keeper. Can't believe it's a possible 2nd. Am now a Diamond guitar fan. Already heard and liked their amps. Thanks Phil!
You have got that right on those early 2000s Gibson Les Paul Classics, Phil! I bought one new in the early 2000s and it’s one of the guitars I won’t part with!
I liked the piece about Gibson Custom guitars. I'm perhaps an intermediate player and with the pandemic, I had some extra money and I bought a PRS Custom 24, not a flashy 10 top, at that time tracking down a Custom 24 was hard. When I held it in my hand I felt the quality and I felt I couldn't leave the store without that guitar, my hands trembled as I held it. I love the guitar but earlier this year I was in my local guitar shop and on the wall was a PRS SE Blood Orange 24-08, it was gorgeous. I went back that afternoon just before the store closed and bought it. Don't get me wrong, I love having both PRS guitars, but now I would find it really hard to justify spending so much money on a guitar especially if it would spend more time hanging on a wall as a piece of art rather than being played. Personally speaking, I feel my search for more guitars is now over, and it wasn't a very expensive guitar that made my decision, it was an SE. My small collection of guitars consists of PRS, Ibanez and a Fender, the Fender is probably the one I have the least connection to.
Have ya ever tried the stealth pik from Attack piks? They are great for stacatto and fast playing. They have some weird piks but thier "Stealth" model is really great. Also I use a chisel to clean my pedals
I just bought an Epi Les Paul Standard 60s Series from my local shop for $300 out the door. They spent over an hour adjusting the action, relieving the neck, lowering the strings, smoothing the front nut, and cleaning all the contacts in the body... I feel like i got $100 in service included in my $300 purchase... Nothing beats shopping local...
On the story about the guitar shop owner only giving 150.00 for a valuable strat. The RIGHT thing to do was to be honest with the woman and offer her half of what you could sell it for. She obviously did not play, or know anything about the true value.
Phil, I'm a restaurant worker and we all hate the credit card reader automatically charging an additional fee to the customer just as much as you do. If we had the option of just letting it be reflected in menu pricing we would. It's the processing companies. They used to not be allowed to assess fees onto the customer. Now, the vendors trying to sell the restaurants their credit card processing services negotiate lower fees for the store to compete with the other processing companies and move all the fees to the customer side automatically. It's really gross.
I had my small town local guitar place, charge me a setup fee about 20 yrs ago, when I traded my Mex Strat for a Mex Tele. I think he charged me 45 bucks. Which I thought was rather bogus; but I wanted the Tele.🙂
I knew GC would reach out to Phil- if they had half a brain...and I love Guitar center. glad they did and that they learn something from you Phil. btw you should get paid by them for your insight and knowledge. good on you for offering for free.
that’s what I love about phils channel. He isn’t paid by the mfgs or sellers and so he doesn’t owe them anything. he says what he really thinks unlike other channels I’ve checked out and do not trust their gear reviews, as some are so obviously being paid or given some incentive to do positive reviews instead of an honest one.
so cool to see the reach you have Phil with your Friday live streams. you got Guitar Center CEO’s attention! really looking forward to the resulting interview. wondering if it will be at HQ or the Hollywood store where they have their rock walk of fame. Hit Porto’s while in LaLa Land. great food and bakery. Also Henry’s Tacos.
For the guy who wanted a custom builder for affordable vintage specced guitars: Mensinger custom guitars from Poland! Had a custom bass from them! It was great! They build you anything you want for a reasonable price!
@Phillip McKnight , Michael Palmisano was also at the 2018 PRS Experience as well, you probably missed him. He did one of the workshops outside. I met him there. He's actually local to the Baltimore area, so it was just a quick trip for him.
42:00 "If you've got the American production line Heritage, Gibson or Fender, you've made it. That's the Grail. We didn't even WANT Custom Shop back when . . . " Bingo! And I've been beating myself up for four years now, because all my life I just wanted a real Gibson Les Paul Standard not that broken Epiphone. For my fortieth birthday I got one, and IMMEDIATELY set my sights on a Custom Shop for my fiftieth. Why?! Surely, then, THAT won't be good enough either. Clearly it's not about what it's about. But I can't make it stop either.
This comment goes out to any viewers of this episode: The new prestige Ibanez made in Japan are as good or equal quality to any custom shop guitar! If you disagree then make a video reviewing one and prove me wrong! Best sub $2,000 guitar next to the Kiesel JB numbers for $1,700
@@myoptik3x103 I have many guitars and out of all of them I play both my ibanez prestige models the most. Nothing against other brands, I just like how my ibanez always stay in tune and are so easy to play!
hercos only in one size; I wish they manufactured another a little thicker. I bought another Diamond guitar according to the recommendation on air here; the flame/red/black barchetta. It has the Seymour Duncan pickups (labeled) and a small blemish near the head joint. Understand, these are "B" quality guitars--as explained by the distributor. But I find myself innovating more with this guitar, and that is a good thing. Also bought another Levy "Kokopelli" leather strap (now on sale $39). To my mind, the best strap is one you never notice as you play--its comfort or discomfort you don't even register.
I looked at the specs of the Boss Katana Mini, and while it has 10w vs. the predecessor Boss Micro Cube GX having 3w, I think I will be staying with the Micro Cube GX for the foreseeable future due to its size and functionality.
I use, no I have, The Pick of Destiny. I went to a previewing of the Tenacious D movie "The Pick of Destiny" decades in the 2000s(?) & they gave labeled guitar picks. I keep it in a box with a pick from "Everclear", multiple picks from "Big Wreck", one from "Thornley" & about 7 from our wedding in 2005 with our names & the date. I can't forget my anniversary now, the day before is actually my sister-in-law's birthday & I have picks....I'll be in serious trouble if I forget it!
Hey Phil, thanks for keeping us up to date on the blowouts and sales as they happen. I haven't bought anything yet but the hunt is fun and my finger would be off the pulse if not for your weekly updates on the podcast!
FU Tone is essentially Mighty Mite/Boogie Bodies rebranded and made probably in Korea. The titanium shit is overpriced and isn't great. Everything else is about what you would expect for an OEM replacement company with Korean made products
Just got my new Diamond Maverick guitar hemi green. Looks fine but needs work.Neck shim,fret level, neck angle wrong.partly fixed it already. Not a deal if you can't do your own work!
Does anyone know the brand of the blue burst guitar just over Phil's right shoulder? I know he mentioned it and did a review before, just can't find it
It's the Belltone B-Classic 3 that Phil did a video on. He described it in the intro as 'a cross between a Telecaster, a Les Paul and a Gretsch' in skyburst.
I asked the question in the comments from last week, "isn't a guitar dealer essentially a flipper?". Thanks for giving an honest answer and accidentally reaffirming that, yes , dealers can have the same negative aspects as some shady flippers.
If anyone answers the statement that there are lots of crazy statements about you with "And they're all true." you know they're a liar. I don't think he got that guitar for 2G, he just wanted you to think he had to piss you off. Most people who constantly tell incredible stories about themselves aren't credible. You were in the military Phil so I'm sure you've met up with guys like this.
I used to own the Ibanez Jem floral exactly the same as this. Sadly i sold it in 2000 before they started being worth loads. Not my biggest 'sold too early' instance but i still regret it.
I have consigned 3 guitars to five star guitars in Beaverton OR. In all these cases they wanted to restring and do a setup. The consignment charge was 25%. The setup charge was 85$. They did sell.
The first guitar a se silver sky did have have tremolo thing pulled up, so it seemed understandable. The second had white neon strings but played fine. The third a Strandberg essential had 8’s. But I got the impression they did this to all Guitars for consignment.
People, unfortunately, are terrible...I wouldn't have been able to sleep, stealing that 64 strat from that poor woman. Guys are jerks a majority of the time
Can't find any Black Friday deals on the new Epiphone guitars. If I can't find that deal, I'm not buying a new guitar on Black Friday. Buy the way, that story about that crazy music store owner made my stomach turn. The bad thing, I always watch your "Know Your Gear, Podcast" when I eat dinner after work on Fridays. That crazy guy reminds me of how most Pawn Shop owners are.
In 1982 I bought an ampwg reel to reel tape recorder in paradise ca at a yard sale .....I needed to make my first guitar amp out of something ....I couldn't afford a real guitar amp so I go this and made a speaker cab out of old console TV cabinets. When I plugged my cheap pond electric guitar in to microphone jack and pushed record and play at same time I had a guitar amp. Used the setup into college. Wish I still had it.
When i was an early teen , an American Standard Stratocaster was the grail . Were talking very early 90s so custom shop wasnt a thing back then . I finally got my grail in 1999 just before i got married . Ive still got it .
Custom shops should be treated like boutique builders. You’re paying to get exactly what you want, made by a highly skilled worker and you’re paying a premium for it. I am very happy with my high level factory guitars but I don’t think I’d ever go custom unless I really wanted something spec wise I couldn’t get.
About custom shop guitars,I have thought that for a while now. When I see videos about people going on and on about them,I think they are trying to justify the cost. Just my .002 cents
I changed my mind. That guitar shop owner isn’t scummy, he’s a flat out lying POS! I wonder what that feels like not to have any whiff of a conscious and to be able to rip someone off like that, and absolutely lie to do it!
Ask Guitar Centers CEO how his plan of having all guitars unlocked with higher end guitars being within reach to anyone is going. They have all the high end guitars unlocked and easily withij reach for anyone to grab and walk out with. Store theft is on the steady incline and there is nothing employees can do to stop it.
I’ve used Reverb for years, but they frustrate me. By the time you sell the gear, pay their 8% charge, then the processing fee you might as well give it away. I now sell on Facebook marketplace locally. Much less stressful and frustrating.
About that story, this is why you need to tell your relatives about how much your guitars and gear are worth, you need to have that conversion, or at the very least, leave a note on the case stating how much your guitars are worth in the case you are not there to tell them, that happens more often than you'd like to think, people buying super valuable instruments from uninformed sellers, and I'd hate just to be another story like that :)
@@ChainsawChristmas I was not talking about his wife, but everyone's relatives :) I'd be twisting in my grave if I died and my bothers would sell my Gibson Johnny a Custom for the price of epiphone version or all my high-end strats for the prices of squires lulz
A store sells things for a manufacturer that can't / won't deal directly with the consumer or reach a given territory. When someone buys from a store with intent to resell, they are raising the price while making everything worse. At least a store offers a service, all these flipper dorks are doing is selling second-hand for more than retail. It has ruined so many cool things, I cannot stand these people. Want to collect used things for yourself? Fine. Otherwise, just open a pawn shop and have fun with the wonderful clientele that hang out there. But please, don't inflate the price of something other people enjoy because you got tricked into thinking a game of hot potato was your golden ticket.
Your defense of Josh Scott comes from an ignorance of how he price gouges. Those 99 dollar series 3 pedals of his, are no less expensive to make than anything else of his, and so he is telling on himself here because take apart one of his $300 pedals and it looks just as cheap inside as a $99 3-series or a $45 Tone City. Same PCBs that fifty-dollar pedals use. THAT'S the problem with JHS. Or rather, one of the problems. Is that he charges far more than that for all the rest of his pedals, yet they use the same cheap parts and cost the same pennies to make. He arbitrarily assigns prices, manipulates the market, berates his fanbase for having crap for ears, lies and tricks his audience (the year with the Kemper SHOULD be all anyone needs to know, to instantly block and forever ignore him!), and now apparently buys out vintage names, buys parts to make them in a bulk stock of 300, claims they're not selling and stops. Gee, I wonder if he's manipulating the market?! Hmm, sure would suck if he had to bring back those Ross pedals that he prints for pennies, and charge an arm and a leg because "demand" or "cool factor" or "neato paint job" or whatever arbitrary process he's using to price his pedals. Josh is the trump of pedals. He gives clones a bad name. He has half of you fooled. I mean, think about the notaklon. He is telling on himself again. He took the labor and made YOU do it and THANK him for the opportunity; yet did the price reflect his tiny cost? Of course not. Typical JHS con.
I enjoy his videos and he often does videos praising other companies pedals . Fyy all pedals are made of cheap components and put out at massive markup , some far more than others .
RE: Marshall moving production from the UK. We’ve just had a change of government here, and the economy has been going crazy as they’ve been putting a lot of burden on businesses. It sucks, but I could see the reasoning.
Your Guitar Center strategy makes a lot of sense. They should also consider raising their game with quality photos of the used gear and improve the description of the used gear. Selling Used gear could be a huge competitive advantage for GC. It would also be great if they standardized policies on cleanliness - some of the stores are embarrassingly filthy and not pleasant to be in.
Totally agree. Part of the GC overhaul if they want to improve the used area is to standardize and improve the photos and descriptions.
Man I'd work in my freakin GC if I could just to update all the information on used gear lol
Phil needs to get more details on the flooding of the Sherman Oaks store that is near their headquarters. Did the employees get to work at other locations or get laid off? Will there be a flood sale? will that store be fixed up and re-opened?
I bought a few diamond guitars based on your tip and donated them to the local music academy. I thought they were very nice for the money. Hopefully the kids will become Diamond fans. I like to try to help kids that can't afford a guitar to get their own axe at Christmas. Thanks for the tip.
That's awesome!❤
Yeah Real awesome!!
Phil - You’ve been offered what sounds like the opportunity of a lifetime with the Guitar Center interview. You absolutely deserve it because of your honesty and integrity. Your show is the perfect vehicle for useful information on nearly every subject regarding musical equipment. And while you give your time and effort, you do it with class, style and ethics. Bravo, man!!! Thank you for sharing your knowledge.
Hey Phil, I do agree definitely that it's hard to justify the price jump in a custom shop guitar vs a USA production level guitar. However I would also have a hard time recommending someone buying an expensive guitar and paying a bunch of money to modify it into something that you hope you're going to like. If you buy a $2500 guitar, spend a grand doing irreversible modifications, and end up not loving it, then you just spent a bunch of money and all you achieved was killing the resale value, spent a total of $3500 and hopefully you can get $1000 for it. Spending $5k on a guitar that you can be sure you love and will hold or increase in value isn't so bad. I see so many people spending so much money trying to turn something they don't love into something they do love and having it not work out and then they're screwed.
I've used Herco picks since the late 60's ,they were the first pick I discovered with the surface to help with the grip.
that's a win for guitar center
Thanks for revisiting the your thoughts on guitar flippers and providing more detail. I look up to you when it comes to guitar advice and insight so I felt a little disappointment in your thoughts on guitar flipping because I do flip guitars. Based on your experience - your opinion is completely legit and I understand. I buy and sell a lot of guitars on FB Marketplace - but I hold myself to a standard. First - I dont need the money, so I dont do it for the money. I want to work in a music store when I retire (in about 7 years), so I use the flip game as a means to put my hands on as many guitars as I can without spending household cash to do so. Additionally, it gives me an opportunity to learn and practice tech skills. I have a few rules - I dont steal anything from anyone. If something is listed too low, I wait until I can see it and inspect it and then I offer the seller what I think its really worth. I pay more than listing price a LOT. When I am making someone an offer for less than their list price, I factor in parts and labor to make it ready to resell. Sometimes the list price is low enough that I just give them what they want. When I resell, I am only reselling to cover parts and labor - kind of. I try to list my guitars at a price that's low enough that a player gets a decent deal on a good guitar, but high enough that there is not enough money in it for another flipper to have any interest. My "profit" is basically my labor - Occasionally if I end up with something special and its desirable, I might make $100-$200, but never anything obscene. I know this may all sound stupid, but its how I sleep at night. I have gotten really good at a lot of tech work and I put out some really nice play-ready guitars, and I make enough money to keep a rotation of decent guitars coming in to keep me busy. I am basically making myself my own client base for guitar set ups and service until I get comfortable enough to work on guitars for other people. As always - Thanks Phil!
That was the best "how I got this guitar" story ever Phil!
I wasn't expecting that ending...it so totally came out of left field that I burst out laughing. Don't Ever let it go!
HERCO !! Yes !! I've been using Herco's since I started...1964...cheers
Pretty sure the Herco Flex 75 is the Jimmy Page pick, they feel totally natural to me, I'm barely aware I'm even holding a pick.
Russo Music in NJ charges $65 or so on trade ins for a “set up”. That comes out of what they offer you. I get they’re running a business and I don’t think they’re obligated to pay more than they think they can run a business on, but the whole thing left a really bad taste in my mouth. My guitar was already very well set up! I said no and I never shop there now.
I’ve done a lot of trading/flipping the last several years and worked up to get a Charvel Custom which is very unique.
Nice work once again, Philip! Lotsa xlnt "Comment Fodder" here. Morphing the "Black Friday" and "Custom Shop" subjects: I "struck the iron while hot" recently by nailing several eBay MIC builds. All had "great bones"...some WELL-BEYOND that! Modded them appropriately and now have amazing and unique guit's for "chump change"! Just took delivery of an XCEPTIONAL AIO Wolf 750 in "White Burst" + will be doing some electronics mod's soon. 🎸😺🤭
GC if you are listening, We want you to survive! - I for one will be tuning in for that. I still buy 50/50 from GC and Sweetwater. GC could get me 100% if they just changed a few things.
Nice Ibanez Jem!!! The blue floral Jem has been on my radar for awhile now. I need to pull the trigger and get it,!!!! Well done as usual. Cheers!
I love the M-Audio. I have an older model than that which failed you, but I've got two sets of them and they're golden
@Phillip McKnight - if I were f2f in front of the CEO of Guitar Center, I'd tell him: 1. while searching the GC website, make it super easy to toggle search results with only new gear, or only used gear, or both, 2. when buying online, don't send "open box store demo gear" when someone is buying something as new.
@@jeffb5798 guitar centers website has sooo much room for improvement! With almost everyone shopping online these days, I don’t see why that isn’t one of their main concerns
Regarding the "Guitar Flippage" accounts presented here: The Wise Man said (paraphrasing): "Don't call something 'BAD, BAD' when it isn't." On the hand, when another Wise Man encouraged "Going The Extra Mile" when "impressed into service"...I'm not sure that should include giving an "appraisal" when really just propositioned with a "purchase opportunity". So IMO, for all sale transactions, "honesty" IS required...just not to the point of it becoming "a fault".🙄
Are you on hard drugs or just drunk?
I'm glad to hear your attitude toward unethical buying and selling. The fact that you can make a profit in a particular situation doesn't mean you should.
Phil, I just heard your plans for the podcast/video with GC. I’m really looking forward to that. You do truly take me out of my darker moods with your channel. I look forward to your show every week, thank you for what you do.
Damn your jam on that Gem was so good.
I live an area with 4 guitar centers in 30 mile radius and the inventory is shockingly and annoyingly similar between the stores. I’m not even looking for crazy exotic stuff but none had Player II jazzmasters or jaguars for instance.
I'm pushing 70. My music and heroes are mostly unknown to younger players these days, even to post~Boomers like Phil. One thing he talks about is wanting a guitar because your favorite player had the same model. I'm like that a lot but I've adapted to a lower budget and acquired several vintage guitars and amps at reasonable prices. I've never spent over a thousand on a guitar or amp and haven't bought new since 1973.
I can't play the blue chip vintage game, no way. I look for off~brand stuff that hasn't held resale value and is in good condition at a decent price. Experience has taught that old equipment often requires expensive repairs and I'm a better shopper than I was a few years ago when I happened upon a Godin Seagull 12~string that rekindled my long lost desire to play.
I learned everything I could about guitars, focusing on the models of my heroes. I bought an ES 345 in 1975 for cheap because I loved BB King. I've acquired a Japanese Kawai S~180 4 pickup offset (Hound Dog Taylor), an Italian red~burst Crucianelli 335 (Mississippi Fred McDowell), a USA polar white 1958 Supro short~scale (Howling Wolf), a G&L candy apple red rosewood~fretboard white~pickguard G&L Tele (Muddy Waters) and a 1960's Czech Lignatone 12~string (for the old~time ladder ~braced players and sounds). By the way, none of my stuff is for wall hanging, I play all of it. Why buy something you won't use??? I even get cool stickers to honor the hero on their particular axe if it's not too sacrosanct. I'm happy combing Reverb for affordable cool stuff. I'm learning to do setups to keep my costs down, too. There are guys who love restoring older guitars most and they'll often let them go at a nice price while you can rest assured they put a lot of love into their work and you won't be facing unexpected repair bills. In this buyers market, I've selected some nice chestnuts at prices I don't mind paying. I don't mess around trying to sell stuff but trades at a local guitar store would be the most palatable route for me since I wouldn't have to ship anything.
Phil congratulations on the GC invite. They would be highly advised to really listen to your suggestions. I'm rooting for you both - as a GC customer for a long time and someone who buys a lot of used guitars from GC, I hope their new marketing strategy will work.
Hey Phil. Another great sbow! On the subject of output jackal, i never thought of Loc Tite. Great pointer. I used to play a Peavey T60 in a country band, and the output jack would loosen at nearly every break. In frustration I took the hex nut off of a spare jack, and used it as a jam nut. Band aid for sure bw replacing the jack, but it solved the problem. Keep up the great videos! Thanks as always for.what you do.
1:39:00 I am going to spend the next ten minutes silently caring about Phil's problems, whatever they are.
The hello Kitty gig bag is hilarious…
Phil with his yellow shorty shorts half off. Lol, what a mental image.
Alan Nichol- asked in the chat about his Supro Delta king 12 that has a fried circuit board- wants to know what he could do with the rest of what's left that still works. #1 Alan, I feel your pain brother- mine was Black Star Club 40 MKII, working fine one minute- dead the next. Now it's a 900$ door stop. Anyway- they make an excellent cab. Most combo amps have the speaker input right there on the rear of the head- buy a new head, set it on top of the amp- plug the speaker into it- you've got your combo amp back. If you like it, you can mount the head to the top of the amp. You'll never find a head that will slide in and replace the old one- unfortunately. And if you remove it- you mess up the sound of the cabinet because now there's a huge port in it that shouldn't be there. Even if you use a board or something and close the hole up- it's still not going to sound like it used to- you've changed the inside dimensions of the cab- could sound better, but usually it sounds worse to me. I like to leave he old head where it is. That said- you can play with it- use some kind of dampening material inside, remove the head and see if you like it that way, etc.- and figure out what you like. Other than that- they make a good door stop for the studio, a decent back drop for filming videos, a handy bed side table, an aquarium stand, etc. Find some youtuber who is just getting started and needs amps to set up in the backdrop- remove the speaker and sell the rest to them cheap, as a prop. You can use the speaker later in some other amp or build your own cab.
1:38 Use cash, cash doesn’t crash
? Hey Phil & Shawna, Andrew from Aberdeen, Scotland.
Wanted to say thanks for all you do. Great show, always interesting, fantastic insight for us guitar geeks. Don’t often catch the show in real time cos I live a few timezones away, but always catch up afterwards.
I have a question and would really appreciate if you would consider answering in a future podcast.
Recently wanted to trade or sell to a local music store. It was an amp, and was told they wouldn’t take it because if the amp was more than 6 months old (it is) the tubes/valves could be faulty and as a result, they wouldn’t take it. Is this weird or standard practice?
It sounds cool but every time you change camera's your voice doubles, so im guessing your audio sync is off a bit, I'm not picking, I used to do video editing if you want to off load some work i can help. Love your show.
Let's change guitar of the week to Ibanez of the week.
...or maybe to be a little more "inclusive": "Ibanez / Kiesel of The Week" 🤣
Or start your own channel and have your own guitar of the week.
@@mknewlan67 geez. No need to get snitty about it. I just like Ibanez guitars.
@@howardthrust Sure, we can have Keisel once a month or so. lol
@@shanewalton8888 not getting snitty at all. Just need more guitar channels
I have some grey Dunlop .73 picks that have a similar design with the raised grip on them.
Marshall.
Henning had a sunday rant video a few months back (lifestyle company, abandoning live music, marketing heads lousy at working with influencers etc). Marshall invited him to the UK for a meet up, much like GC with you.
After that meeting he does seem a bit more positive that his worst fears arent true, and "good things are coming" but hes tied by NDA.
On usa, he did yry and explain in his rant how Marshall were in a total mess. US prices were ridiculous because of distribution complications (distributor selling to distributor, double margin) and Marshall were trying to respond by going more direct. Maybe that unwrangling is leading to supply issues. I dont know.
On shutting down uk overnight. Its just not possible under uk employment legislation. They would have to give warning of redundancy and enter 30-45 days minimum consultation. Its not the hire 'em fire 'em same day exit that the US has. That doesn't rule out quietly ramping up overseas production, but any significant reduction in uk staff would be in the press several weeks before the consultation period ended. They could absolutely do it, just not on an overnight timeline.
RE 1:03:30 I believe guitar acquisition stories are like fishing stories only with more heart. Unbelievable but wonderful.
I got one of the Diamond guitars. Thank you very much for the tip! I'm really digging it. Complete keeper. Can't believe it's a possible 2nd. Am now a Diamond guitar fan. Already heard and liked their amps. Thanks Phil!
You have got that right on those early 2000s Gibson Les Paul Classics, Phil! I bought one new in the early 2000s and it’s one of the guitars I won’t part with!
I liked the piece about Gibson Custom guitars. I'm perhaps an intermediate player and with the pandemic, I had some extra money and I bought a PRS Custom 24, not a flashy 10 top, at that time tracking down a Custom 24 was hard. When I held it in my hand I felt the quality and I felt I couldn't leave the store without that guitar, my hands trembled as I held it. I love the guitar but earlier this year I was in my local guitar shop and on the wall was a PRS SE Blood Orange 24-08, it was gorgeous. I went back that afternoon just before the store closed and bought it. Don't get me wrong, I love having both PRS guitars, but now I would find it really hard to justify spending so much money on a guitar especially if it would spend more time hanging on a wall as a piece of art rather than being played. Personally speaking, I feel my search for more guitars is now over, and it wasn't a very expensive guitar that made my decision, it was an SE. My small collection of guitars consists of PRS, Ibanez and a Fender, the Fender is probably the one I have the least connection to.
Have ya ever tried the stealth pik from Attack piks? They are great for stacatto and fast playing. They have some weird piks but thier "Stealth" model is really great. Also I use a chisel to clean my pedals
I just bought an Epi Les Paul Standard 60s Series from my local shop for $300 out the door.
They spent over an hour adjusting the action, relieving the neck, lowering the strings, smoothing the front nut, and cleaning all the contacts in the body...
I feel like i got $100 in service included in my $300 purchase...
Nothing beats shopping local...
On the story about the guitar shop owner only giving 150.00 for a valuable strat. The RIGHT thing to do was to be honest with the woman and offer her half of what you could sell it for. She obviously did not play, or know anything about the true value.
can you make Gibson give us new colors on Explorers?
Fine Dine Frine Brine 😂
There was a floral jem Ibanez at my local music store years ago when they first came out years ago. It sold within a few days. Beautiful guitar.
Phil, I'm a restaurant worker and we all hate the credit card reader automatically charging an additional fee to the customer just as much as you do. If we had the option of just letting it be reflected in menu pricing we would. It's the processing companies. They used to not be allowed to assess fees onto the customer. Now, the vendors trying to sell the restaurants their credit card processing services negotiate lower fees for the store to compete with the other processing companies and move all the fees to the customer side automatically. It's really gross.
and the tip screens! Instant hatred! Tip the staff: 30% 35% 40% 45%
I had my small town local guitar place, charge me a setup fee about 20 yrs ago, when I traded my Mex Strat for a Mex Tele. I think he charged me 45 bucks. Which I thought was rather bogus; but I wanted the Tele.🙂
Thanks Phil❤️🙏🏻
Tip jar, I guess
The Dusenberg trem on that firebird looks awesome.
Hey Phil, are you going to do a review of your Wonderland Overdrive? I am curious why you picked that over the A&G.
I feel like for the mini katana. plug a boss IR2 into headphones
I knew GC would reach out to Phil- if they had half a brain...and I love Guitar center. glad they did and that they learn something from you Phil. btw you should get paid by them for your insight and knowledge. good on you for offering for free.
that’s what I love about phils channel. He isn’t paid by the mfgs or sellers and so he doesn’t owe them anything. he says what he really thinks unlike other channels I’ve checked out and do not trust their gear reviews, as some are so obviously being paid or given some incentive to do positive reviews instead of an honest one.
Great show Phil! Can't wait or see the outcome of the talks with GC and the Dive on the Kiesel acoustic!
That's the fact Jack!
I've watched this stream forever and never heard that EVH story. Good stuff.
so cool to see the reach you have Phil with your Friday live streams. you got Guitar Center CEO’s attention! really looking forward to the resulting interview. wondering if it will be at HQ or the Hollywood store where they have their rock walk of fame.
Hit Porto’s while in LaLa Land. great food and bakery. Also Henry’s Tacos.
For the guy who wanted a custom builder for affordable vintage specced guitars: Mensinger custom guitars from Poland! Had a custom bass from them! It was great! They build you anything you want for a reasonable price!
I got screwed by a shady guitar shop back in the day. They no longer exist.
@Phillip McKnight , Michael Palmisano was also at the 2018 PRS Experience as well, you probably missed him. He did one of the workshops outside. I met him there. He's actually local to the Baltimore area, so it was just a quick trip for him.
42:00 "If you've got the American production line Heritage, Gibson or Fender, you've made it. That's the Grail. We didn't even WANT Custom Shop back when . . . " Bingo! And I've been beating myself up for four years now, because all my life I just wanted a real Gibson Les Paul Standard not that broken Epiphone. For my fortieth birthday I got one, and IMMEDIATELY set my sights on a Custom Shop for my fiftieth. Why?! Surely, then, THAT won't be good enough either. Clearly it's not about what it's about. But I can't make it stop either.
This comment goes out to any viewers of this episode: The new prestige Ibanez made in Japan are as good or equal quality to any custom shop guitar! If you disagree then make a video reviewing one and prove me wrong! Best sub $2,000 guitar next to the Kiesel JB numbers for $1,700
I have more Ibanez basses than all of the other brands that I own combined. Love me some Ibanez.
@@myoptik3x103 I have many guitars and out of all of them I play both my ibanez prestige models the most. Nothing against other brands, I just like how my ibanez always stay in tune and are so easy to play!
The Ibanez prestige is just as good as any CS I have ever had in my hands. At 2k (some new, some used) they are exquisite.
hercos only in one size; I wish they manufactured another a little thicker. I bought another Diamond guitar according to the recommendation on air here; the flame/red/black barchetta. It has the Seymour Duncan pickups (labeled) and a small blemish near the head joint. Understand, these are "B" quality guitars--as explained by the distributor. But I find myself innovating more with this guitar, and that is a good thing. Also bought another Levy "Kokopelli" leather strap (now on sale $39). To my mind, the best strap is one you never notice as you play--its comfort or discomfort you don't even register.
I looked at the specs of the Boss Katana Mini, and while it has 10w vs. the predecessor Boss Micro Cube GX having 3w, I think I will be staying with the Micro Cube GX for the foreseeable future due to its size and functionality.
I use, no I have, The Pick of Destiny. I went to a previewing of the Tenacious D movie "The Pick of Destiny" decades in the 2000s(?) & they gave labeled guitar picks. I keep it in a box with a pick from "Everclear", multiple picks from "Big Wreck", one from "Thornley" & about 7 from our wedding in 2005 with our names & the date. I can't forget my anniversary now, the day before is actually my sister-in-law's birthday & I have picks....I'll be in serious trouble if I forget it!
Hey Phil, thanks for keeping us up to date on the blowouts and sales as they happen. I haven't bought anything yet but the hunt is fun and my finger would be off the pulse if not for your weekly updates on the podcast!
I'd love to hear what you think about FU tone gear and all the claims they make. A breakdown and analysis on one of their guitars. Thanks man
FU Tone is essentially Mighty Mite/Boogie Bodies rebranded and made probably in Korea. The titanium shit is overpriced and isn't great. Everything else is about what you would expect for an OEM replacement company with Korean made products
Just got my new Diamond Maverick guitar hemi green. Looks fine but needs work.Neck shim,fret level, neck angle wrong.partly fixed it already. Not a deal if you can't do your own work!
You should check out Balaguer I have one it's awesome. I have Kiesel's as well and it plays just as good as my Kiesel's, the builder is great as well.
Are all the diamond guitars gone ?
Does anyone know the brand of the blue burst guitar just over Phil's right shoulder? I know he mentioned it and did a review before, just can't find it
It's the Belltone B-Classic 3 that Phil did a video on. He described it in the intro as 'a cross between a Telecaster, a Les Paul and a Gretsch' in skyburst.
@paulketchupwitheverything767 yep. Couldn't find the old video, thanks
I asked the question in the comments from last week, "isn't a guitar dealer essentially a flipper?". Thanks for giving an honest answer and accidentally reaffirming that, yes , dealers can have the same negative aspects as some shady flippers.
If anyone answers the statement that there are lots of crazy statements about you with "And they're all true." you know they're a liar. I don't think he got that guitar for 2G, he just wanted you to think he had to piss you off. Most people who constantly tell incredible stories about themselves aren't credible. You were in the military Phil so I'm sure you've met up with guys like this.
I used to own the Ibanez Jem floral exactly the same as this. Sadly i sold it in 2000 before they started being worth loads. Not my biggest 'sold too early' instance but i still regret it.
Philly. 🙂🙂🙂
I have consigned 3 guitars to five star guitars in Beaverton OR. In all these cases they wanted to restring and do a setup. The consignment charge was 25%. The setup charge was 85$. They did sell.
The first guitar a se silver sky did have have tremolo thing pulled up, so it seemed understandable. The second had white neon strings but played fine. The third a Strandberg essential had 8’s. But I got the impression they did this to all Guitars for consignment.
People, unfortunately, are terrible...I wouldn't have been able to sleep, stealing that 64 strat from that poor woman. Guys are jerks a majority of the time
👍given!
Wow that Jem77FP is awesome! and with flame maple neck?!?! 😎
Can't find any Black Friday deals on the new Epiphone guitars. If I can't find that deal, I'm not buying a new guitar on Black Friday. Buy the way, that story about that crazy music store owner made my stomach turn. The bad thing, I always watch your "Know Your Gear, Podcast" when I eat dinner after work on Fridays. That crazy guy reminds me of how most Pawn Shop owners are.
In 1982 I bought an ampwg reel to reel tape recorder in paradise ca at a yard sale .....I needed to make my first guitar amp out of something ....I couldn't afford a real guitar amp so I go this and made a speaker cab out of old console TV cabinets. When I plugged my cheap pond electric guitar in to microphone jack and pushed record and play at same time I had a guitar amp.
Used the setup into college.
Wish I still had it.
And the real to real amp was a tube amp ....it was hot and loud
When i was an early teen , an American Standard Stratocaster was the grail . Were talking very early 90s so custom shop wasnt a thing back then . I finally got my grail in 1999 just before i got married . Ive still got it .
Phil Anderson's has a video review of the new small Boss Katana. 👍
Hello kitty. SMH
Custom shops should be treated like boutique builders. You’re paying to get exactly what you want, made by a highly skilled worker and you’re paying a premium for it. I am very happy with my high level factory guitars but I don’t think I’d ever go custom unless I really wanted something spec wise I couldn’t get.
About custom shop guitars,I have thought that for a while now. When I see videos about people going on and on about them,I think they are trying to justify the cost. Just my .002 cents
first (or second)
2k is a LOT of cash. 2k above that - what is that saying about diminished returns?
I changed my mind. That guitar shop owner isn’t scummy, he’s a flat out lying POS! I wonder what that feels like not to have any whiff of a conscious and to be able to rip someone off like that, and absolutely lie to do it!
phil please check out dale roberts he owns dales instrument repair Jacksonville fl he builds awesome custom guitars he built for Steve lynch
Your cool story about the Gem was a Twilight Zone moment.
Vintage build golden era guitars northern ireland
Ask Guitar Centers CEO how his plan of having all guitars unlocked with higher end guitars being within reach to anyone is going. They have all the high end guitars unlocked and easily withij reach for anyone to grab and walk out with. Store theft is on the steady incline and there is nothing employees can do to stop it.
I’ve used Reverb for years, but they frustrate me.
By the time you sell the gear, pay their 8% charge, then the processing fee you might as well give it away.
I now sell on Facebook marketplace locally. Much less stressful and frustrating.
That math doesn’t add up chief
Is the outrageous guitar dealer you are talking about rhyme with "Ted No-man"?
About that story, this is why you need to tell your relatives about how much your guitars and gear are worth, you need to have that conversion, or at the very least, leave a note on the case stating how much your guitars are worth in the case you are not there to tell them, that happens more often than you'd like to think, people buying super valuable instruments from uninformed sellers, and I'd hate just to be another story like that :)
I'm sure his wife is well aware of the guitar industry
@@ChainsawChristmas I was not talking about his wife, but everyone's relatives :) I'd be twisting in my grave if I died and my bothers would sell my Gibson Johnny a Custom for the price of epiphone version or all my high-end strats for the prices of squires lulz
you're going to single handily save guitar center.
A store sells things for a manufacturer that can't / won't deal directly with the consumer or reach a given territory. When someone buys from a store with intent to resell, they are raising the price while making everything worse. At least a store offers a service, all these flipper dorks are doing is selling second-hand for more than retail. It has ruined so many cool things, I cannot stand these people.
Want to collect used things for yourself? Fine. Otherwise, just open a pawn shop and have fun with the wonderful clientele that hang out there. But please, don't inflate the price of something other people enjoy because you got tricked into thinking a game of hot potato was your golden ticket.
Your defense of Josh Scott comes from an ignorance of how he price gouges. Those 99 dollar series 3 pedals of his, are no less expensive to make than anything else of his, and so he is telling on himself here because take apart one of his $300 pedals and it looks just as cheap inside as a $99 3-series or a $45 Tone City. Same PCBs that fifty-dollar pedals use. THAT'S the problem with JHS. Or rather, one of the problems. Is that he charges far more than that for all the rest of his pedals, yet they use the same cheap parts and cost the same pennies to make. He arbitrarily assigns prices, manipulates the market, berates his fanbase for having crap for ears, lies and tricks his audience (the year with the Kemper SHOULD be all anyone needs to know, to instantly block and forever ignore him!), and now apparently buys out vintage names, buys parts to make them in a bulk stock of 300, claims they're not selling and stops. Gee, I wonder if he's manipulating the market?! Hmm, sure would suck if he had to bring back those Ross pedals that he prints for pennies, and charge an arm and a leg because "demand" or "cool factor" or "neato paint job" or whatever arbitrary process he's using to price his pedals. Josh is the trump of pedals. He gives clones a bad name. He has half of you fooled. I mean, think about the notaklon. He is telling on himself again. He took the labor and made YOU do it and THANK him for the opportunity; yet did the price reflect his tiny cost? Of course not. Typical JHS con.
I enjoy his videos and he often does videos praising other companies pedals . Fyy all pedals are made of cheap components and put out at massive markup , some far more than others .
@ Just for example, a mojotone pedal kit next to a notaklon. Look with your eyes!
Nam spam
you dirty pedal u
RE: Marshall moving production from the UK. We’ve just had a change of government here, and the economy has been going crazy as they’ve been putting a lot of burden on businesses. It sucks, but I could see the reasoning.