I have found that in recent years guitar center has declined dramatically in public relation and having employees that are knowlagable about guitars & gear . That is a huge problem when you go there to try and make any kind of trade deal when you have a manager who doesn't know the difference between a Squier classic vibe & a California corona assembled custom shop strat. That is most of the issue I've noticed at my local guitar center lately and most of the employees are lucky to know how to use the cash register let alone know the quality of your instrument . Big problem guitar center . You need to fix this .
100% agree. I've gone so far as to provide screenshots and my own research when making my trades to make sure I get fair market value and that they understand what they are getting. The benefit is that because they don't know the difference half the time or just don't care, you can get some AMAZING deals on lots of stuff if you look long enough.
@@Electric.Flamingo I took a vintage 60s' strat that had a natural relic from play use to just kick around what I might get in a trade , keep in mind my strat is a custom shop with all original hardware and pickups that have been very well kept in the original case that I got years ago. Anyway this kids first words were , kinda looks all junky and worn out huh ! I knew right then I was in trouble with this idiot while in the meantime his idiot sidekick had lifted my vintage strat out of the case and place it on the floor with the string side down ! I immediately grabbed my guitar and ask him what the hell are you doin ! Dumbass replies I was checking to see if the neck is straight ! So you know that did it for me. I just put Ruthie back in her tweed case , went home and never looked back . I had my eye on a cherry red jazzmaster I'd been scopeing out there lately and would've made a deal if I hadn't ran into bevis & butthead soon as I walked in lol 😆 that's my guitar center horror story lol !
I would be very weary of selling vintage gear at Guitar Center. I'm even more so now after hearing that. That sucks, I hate that happened to you, dude!
It cuts both ways. I found a sweet Gibson Melody Maker on the used wall at my local GC. Paid the hefty price of $299 for it (😂🤣😂🤣😂). Played it for a few years and just sold it for $1800.
I buy lots of stuff there, but only sold one thing to them in the entire time. A Japanese Strat I paid $400 for I sold back to them less than a year later, but only got $250. Needed money at the time to buy something else.
The Nashville locations are ok because most of them are musicians. This helps a lot. They tend to know the things that matter because they play and therefore they know how help players. I think also in that town they have to know or else the customers will run over them
I spend a lot of time on Guitar Center used and would definitely agree and best describe it as inconsistent. Some crazy good deals on one end, and some crazy overpriced listings on the other. I think it really does depend on whichever employee is buying and reselling that guitar and how knowledgeable they are. I also realized Guitar Center locations really vary. I went to a different location while traveling and they completely turned me off. Overly pushy sales guy who tried to sell me a dented guitar as new and played every blemish or defect off as normal and just unhelpful staff overall. Whereas the location closer to me has been very fair and good thus far.
In September I had a good experience trading in at GC Salem Or, they gave me $320 trade in with a Schecter Demon 6 I bought for $440 on a Gibson LP Studio. I know I could get more on reverb but the trade was quick and easy. The Gibson studio in tangerine burst is beautiful and very high quality.
@@Electric.Flamingo new, they offered me $150 store credit and $170 cash or reduce my GC credit card debt by $150+170 cash. , but I had always wanted a Les Paul. It’s a 2021 model but it’s flawless and beautiful. I have a Schecter apocalypse LP copy that is much higher quality. I don’t recommend GC lessons, I took 8 one hour lessons but found justinguitar to be better. My trade in was in excellent condition still had original boxes.
Absolutely Guitar Center's goal is to rip you off. More than once I've bought guitars from them that they say are in great condition, and then months later, when I try to trade them in, they suddenly have a "twist in the neck", or a "crack in the so-and-so", and "we can't sell it". Dude - YOU sold it to me. I even got an Ibanez listed in great condition with a string that was broken at the headstock - the only thing keeping it taut was the locking nut. I see Epiphones listed on their website with headstock breaks that they're perfectly willing to sell, guitars with missing strings, guitars with obvios body damage, and they have no trouble throwing them up to sell. And if you walk in there with a guitar they don't have experience with? You won't get out of there for hours, because they have no idea what to do with it, how good it is, or how much it should sell for. Guitar Center is nothing but a ripoff joint and all they exist for is to part you from your money.
I went in with an older model, Eric Johnson to guitar center and the guy appraising the guitar loved the guitar. Then he lowballed me at 900 bucks. I left the store and sold the guitar for 2300. Doubtful I’ll even buy a guitar from them again
Yup. They do tend to ask too much for many of their items. After shipping you're usually better off just buying new. My local stores never have anything I'm interested in.
The whole point to GC buying your gear is to sell you some other gear. It's just a way to increase foot traffic. That's why they ask you right away if you're looking for cash or a trade. While they take forever to evaluate your stuff, you're looking at new stuff and they're pretty sure you'll get interested in something. Then they can give you $200 for your axe, jack the price of the one you're interested in by $200, and they've sold you a guitar at the retail price. I just give my guitars to veterans, they're very appreciative.
I have bought a number of guitars from GC/MF. Usually on sale. One used, the rest new. They are like any huge business, not really personal in any way. There can be good employees and bad. There are 2 in my towns as well, the nearer one is the small one, but I still bought 3 guitars there. They always need a full setup, they charge for it and I know what I want in a setup, so I do my own and just figure that as part of the cost most of the time. No guitar I own has remained virgin, all have been tweaked on the bench, so to speak. Part of making it 'yours'.
I have a 12 string martin acoustic electric guitar with case, etc to sell. It is in excellent shape but needs new strings (hasn't been played in a long time). I see a wild variety of prices. Is it too much to ask at least 400? The prices I have seen range from around 500-3k, so that was unhelpful. I found this video very useful. Thanks!
Glad to hear the second attempt worked out for you! btw did you swap the pickups out of the one you're holding or just put covers over the stock pickups?
Me too. lol. I put covers over the stock pickups. I wanted to see how it would look before I decided whether or not to do uncovered or covered when I changed them at some point. Good eye there, dude!
I would guess misclassified as "fair" they offered you $200?. 50% of used retail would have been ~$350. In my experience they RARELY do 60% of their anticipated resale, it's usually 40-50% per condition, on a good day the manager will do 50% (called a "key" in retail, where they try to buy for about half what they can resell for, if you ever watch Pawn Stars they use the same formula probably 75% of the time). Exceptions are made based on what the manager pulls up on line to assess demand (their interpretation is whatever it is) and then they consider how many they already have in inventory, and their screens show them how long other Guitar Centers have been sitting on similar product. Anything less than $340 would have been a no-go for me.
i called in about a guitar and all the person said was “it looks nice” and just a simple “yeah” whenever i asked about specs. i never distrusted anyone anymore than i did at that time
This is interesting as I'm going to my local GC tomorrow to sell/trade a Fender Highway One Strat from 2007. It's got one ding in the body but otherwise excellent shape. They go for 800 to 1,000 on reverb so I'm thinking 400 to 450. I wonder if they take into consideration the age of a guitar when ranking it. For instance a 2020 model should be perfect to be excellent - but a 15 year old guitar should be expected to have some wear. I'm interested in a used guitar they have that's been listed online for weeks Like several months. It's pricey for a used guitar (2K) so they may be willing to deal to get that inventory off the books. Or not - it should be fun either way because I don't *need* another guitar and can happily walk if they won't deal.
I'm not sure if age is really taken into consideration all that much unless it's vintage, more likely the condition is what makes or breaks it. I would say they would mark it in good condition with the ding, you'll probably get about 400, perhaps the 450. I wouldn't go by what Reverb has them listed at, try and see what they have actually sold for recently. If you're looking for "list" prices, check the Guitar Center app and see what that model in similar condition is listed for at the high end and low end then do 60% of those totals. There's your range. It takes some research, but it gives you a real expectation.
@@Electric.Flamingo Thanks! Actually the 800 to 1,000 is what they're showing on sold listings on Reverb so I think I'm good. I have to think it would be of interest to GC as it's Made in USA and priced in the range that a lot of players can afford. Wish me luck!
I bought a used guitar thinking It was one model of Jackson KV and when I traded it in they said it was another which was more than half the cost they even saw I bought it as that model and still wouldn’t give me a reasonable amount back for the guitar. I don’t shop their unless I have to
@@Electric.Flamingo I really ruined it for me there. I took an EC-256 their one time and someone tried to tell me it had a headstock repair because the wood was too dark at the base of the headstock. I bought the guitar new 6 months prior. He said he could only off me $100 for it….
Nothing that they take in trade has been taxed based upon my estimations that I have done before trading anything. The most I have ever gotten out of some gear is a little over $800. Once you reach a certain point though (I want to say $500) they have to cut you a check, but other than that, no they don't tax your trade-ins.
That's the same as most major chains. In Canada we have Long &McQuade, and you'll get much more on trade(70% regularly of what they'll sell it at, or 80% if you're buying something more than double that trade in value) and they're usually fair, but sometimes you get that little weasel of an employee that wants to flex his inner Pawn Stars muscle and impress the boss. That attitude is bad for everyone. His attitude could have possibly made them, maybe what? A couple hundred extra, max. But Instead it cost them a long time customer.
Thanks for the comment. I've always wanted to go to Long & McQuade, I've heard they are a cool shop. Unfortunately, we have Guitar Center to gripe about. lol. There's always that one dude no matter where you go, I guess.
tl;dr Generally you can expect 50% to 60% of the value of what they will sell the guitar for, not what you paid for it new. Gibson's MAY net you a little more. With a Gibson, you're very likely to get the majority of the value back. Or, as you said, you may even be able to just walk in and straight up trade for a new one. A typical transaction will net you between 50% and 60% of the value/what they will sell it for (which they sometimes tell you what they are going to sell it for or you can do research to see if they are currently selling them) based on my experience. If you went to trade a Gibson Les Paul Standard you bought new for $3000. They will probably sell it used for $2400 - $2800 depending on condition and other factors. So you have to take the estimate of what you'll get based off of those amounts. FOR THIS EXAMPLE, I would expect you to get between $1200 (on the low end being 50% of $2400) to $1680 (60% of 2800). Those numbers could change, the range is pretty substantial and with Gibson, it could be way different.
its like a pawn shop, dont go in expecting to get what you paid because the store has to make money too, usually from 40 percent to 60. pawn shops are bad because you wouldnt be there unless you needed it and they know that lol
Just wanna say excellent video and thanks for putting the link to that other guy's video in the description as it was informative. I plan on possibly selling some guitars to Guitar Center so this video definitely helped.
I like guitar center. Of course they have to make money so they give you about half what they think they will sell it for and they assume some risk in doing that. I will buy used gear from them but I won’t trade a piece in. I would rather sell it to another person for a little more than they will give me and we both walk away with a good deal.
Guitar Center is like one recessional blip away from Walking Dead on a corporate flunkie level (god bless the employees truly radical homies 99% are fam) , I've assisted dozens of middle class families or wealthier willing to spend thousands on a new digital piano & the store has one person high on blues in the whole store one guy.
If you trade towards new, you usually get an extra 10-15% towards your purchase, but it really depends on the condition and what other things have sold for previously. My best advice, check the website or the app and see if they have something similar to your item. They usually give you around 60% of what they will sell it for, so $60 for every $100 for easy math. Example, you find something similar selling for $500 in good condition, you can expect, if they deem yours in good condition also, to get around $300 at most on a straight trade in. If that helps.
I have a 2020 Les Paul Slash guitar in Appetite Burst I took to guitar center like 2 days ago. It's a $3000 dollar guitar new I bought it for $2500 on reverb. Its in like perfect condition looked brand new under the lights in the store. The employee plugged it in and tested it to make sure everything works which it does. It had to be one of the nicest guitars in the store. They enter the info on the guitar into the computer and he tells me $1300. I literally said "that's joke man that's a $3000 dollar guitar." He tells me the best I could get is $1500 which was like yeah no still way too low. After all that when I got the guitar home and took it out of the case it was all grubbed up from their dirty hands and I had to wipe it down with cleaner. If I ever bring a guitar there again to sell I want to know the price I'll get before anyone grubs up my expensive guitar. So yeah I'd say they're Gamestop but for music.
That sucks dude. I hate to hear that happened to you. I always try to do as much research as I can before I go. That way I have the ammo to hit back with "no this is what it's worth" and I won't disappointed with what I can actually work with.
$1500 on a $2500 item is a fair deal if you need the cash there and then. Expensive guitars hang on a wall being dreamed of for a long time before anyone pays retail price for them.
I'm having a hard time with this one. So, the guitar is $3000 new. You bought it used for $2500. So, if Guitar Center or any music store decides to put it out for the same price...as what you bought it for - the offer would be literally 1250 to probably $1500. That's 50-60%. What did you want for it? $2000? And they sell it for $2500? I read these stories of people always claiming how awful Guitar Center, Sam Ash, Long and McQuade then I see the numbers and I go "That literally checks out perfectly to the market." I deal with a little vintage toy store in my neighborhood and every now and then I sell them stuff and their percentages are the same. I even sometimes offer suggestions to what they can sell it for and what's a fair cut. If I don't like the price, I keep it and sell on my own. Pawnshops aren't any different. You can't force a store to buy something from you.
I tried selling a used line 6 helix to them and a used line 6 powercab 212 plus. Both in great condition They offered me $700 for the helix and $400 for the powercab. What do you guys think? Was that a fair deal? I didn’t sell it to them and it’s still available for purchase on fb marketplace($1200 for the helix, $900 for the powercab) helix price is negotiable.
They have told me before about sold prices on eBay, I think if they have a hard time finding it in their system, they resort to Reverb, eBay, etc. I find their website to be pretty reliable if you can find what you're selling.
No,,, Guitar Center does try to low ball you.. I have a collectors Kramer, 82 Pacer series.. I already new what it was worth, I had done my research.. I had already received offers from 4 different collectors shops, also from Chicago Music.. All right around $1,000.. Some a little less, and some a little more.. Guitar Center offered me $450,, then tried to convince me that was a great deal, and I'd be very lucky if I got more.. Right after telling me what an amazing axe it was, and how well it played and sounded.. And just like yourself, I've done a lot of business with them.. But this is the first guitar I've ever let them look at.. I'm thinking,, that if 4 others offered me that amount of money, they did factor in how much profit they would make back... So I would say, Guitar Center tried to get over on me...
I hate that that happened to you. I think it is dependent on the location and/or the people that are working there. In my case, it is a store that I frequent a lot, i know the people in there very well. The time that I walked in there that prompted this story, there were different people in there that did not know me and I think that that contributed to them trying to low ball me when I knew what I had. I don't blame you for not taking that deal; that was shady.
They don’t have anything and everything has to be order, so why not stay home and Oder online, whatever you buy they ask for warranty, why cuz everything they sale it’s broken? Why they ask for warranty when I buy strings ? If I break one you give. A new pack
And by the way,, 2 of the employees made remarks about buying it themselves.. One actually said he would give me $500 for it right there on the spot.. Lol..🤭
Now their secretly refusing to buy guitars with upgrades (pickups, d-tuner). Not a joke. The company refuses to admit or deny this as a company policy because they will lose business in their parts department. Who would buy upgrades and pay to have them installed there when it disqualifies the guitar for trade?
That's news to me, but I totally believe it. It's why I never try to sell gear with upgrades. Keep the original parts and put them back on when you trade or sell it, I always say!
...I don't get it? Don't sell it to Guitar Center then. You don't _have_ to sell it to them. I've done upgrades on a handful of my guitars but I wouldn't expect any music store to pay me more for those upgrades because then they'd have to justify selling the guitar for more than it's worth - hoping somebody will recognize the upgrades and their value and then buy it.
@@TheLockdownKidNYC Would you willingly upgrade a guitar with parts GC sells you and can also install (again sells you), only to later find out their "secretly" refusing to buy upgraded guitars? Why would a guitar with upgraded pickups suddenly be worthless? This isn't a scenario where they won't pay "extra" for an upgraded guitar. This is GC REFUSING to buy upgraded guitars. This is a problem when their company will happily sell you upgrade parts and installation. And your right. We don't have to sell to them. We don't have to buy from them. We have other options however we have very few guitar store options left. At bare minimum GC needs to be transparent about this secret policy. Just call their stores and email their corporate people and you'll get their explanations.
@@greyfoxzero I mean. If you're asking me...I would. I've also never seen GC buy lights or headphones used but they still sell them. Reselling items is not the same as buying them and is a completely different market. You basically want stores to buy back your guitars simply because they sold them to you and I can't comprehend how you can think a store HAS to buy your guitar when you have reverb, ebay, market place, Craigslist, offer up, etc. Why do you _have_ to sell them at GC?
@@TheLockdownKidNYC Your logic doesn't make sense since GC does buy used guitars. Sure GC could literally not buy a guitar for ANY reason while buying a guitar from someone else for ANY reason. The problem is why can't GC be transparent about their policy to refuse upgraded guitars? Especially since they offer the install as a service. And yes your right. Nobody has to sell to GC. The options you mentioned really should be considered before anyone sells to GC or even shops there since they have so many advantages and much better transparency about their policies.
Sounds like youve got a number of employee's that dont see eye to eye maybe the dude really just wanted the guitar for cheap i know it sounds mean but some people might like cheap things and throw that out there to see if you're cool for not really using the stuff anymore but i might be a (fashist) the control in the room was low and you was sweating and gasping for air had a gleem to do buisniess and he knew what he wanted to buy it for cause everyone else was doing it. the left handed screw driver might of been that aspect bad anology but i belieave in paying more or less or getting ripped off more than the employee's themeselfs. the fault laying with money problems and instinct i would gladly pay extra money to get stuff that people that throw the buisniess line out and try from there it goes to show you that everyone isn't always out for money (but are) its kinda like i have to pay 2k for it anyway why shouldn't he get a good deal im into magic the gathering a bit to sell at yard sales i don't make enough to get them good cards but i at least have a collection knowing my company prob didn't buy individual set boosters for the good cards i got the good old fat pack they try to sell to get people in the door the doctorin of whitch isn't to my charistic but more of intention of not dealing with monahye to spend more to get less in hopes of just having things. the lack of not having a collect isn't a carbine weapon its always the melon's that sell yes i usually spend more than im supposed to but people are usually getting a good enough brag off me that they feel better
Heres the thing you dont get, just because you look that same guitar up on what ever, the ASKING price does not mean it sold for that price, so you cant base it on that number, you have to have proof what the guitars actually SOLD at, and yeahhh good luck getting that information, I can put up a guitar all day for what ever asking price I choose, what matters is what did the guitar actually bring.
I'm fully aware of that. I don't look things up and say "someone is asking $1000 for a Squier Bullet so that's what I want." If you're doing that on Reverb or eBay or whatever, obviously you look for what was sold, not listed. If I'm looking at Guitar Centers website in the used section and see something listed for $100, to make the math easy, I know that based on condition and their policy (generally) they give 60% of what they will list it for. I can expect anything up to $60 at that point. It's a range I try to find based on what I have seen be listed AND SOLD for at that price, not a specific number. I'm sorry I didn't break that down for you to understand.
Guitar center is the worst to sell used gear. Unless all 3 in my area are bad ones. Even with better pickups and new pots and locking tuners offered me $200 for a $500 guitar and saw them selling used ones in the same condition mine was in for $400. Was also in excellent condition. Never do business with them anymore sweetwater and zzsounds are much better. Way better customer service too.
I will say that you're better off taking upgrades off of you plan on selling. You almost never make your money back on those. But I do agree with the "selling the same thing in the same (or worse) condition for more" thing sometimes. I've had to try and call them out on that before.
Oh the insanity of it all...they try to knock down the price for a small ding or rusty screw.....meanwhile guy with too much disposable income looking at Murphy Lab Gibsons...lol....I've got a 80s usa bc rich gunslinger that almost looks as tatty as evh frankenstrat...its an 80 rock machine par excellence yet if I tried to sell it..not that I will as its so good ... they'd probably offer me 80 quid...I'd rather give it away to charity or another player..than as the late great missiphipi bluesman john hurt sang have them... "laughing in my face "
Exactly. Since this has happened, I have actually found and screenshotted other instances where they have things listed as "good" or "great" condition with tape gunk all over it, chips everywhere, etc. It's crazy. It goes to show that some people just need a job and could give a toss about their work or the customer.
GC tried to give me 180 on an neck thru Ibanez with planet waves self cutting locking tuners and a Gohtoh bridge. Hell the parts cost me that, its a 600 dollar guitar all day long.
What a rip, dude. While I am a firm believer in the realm of "you won't get your money back for aftermarket parts" the fact that it is neck through alone makes it more than $180.
Robert’s video is 7 years old. That info isn’t exactly relevant. Not to mention the fact that a lot of the decisions of the trade in are made by the sales associate who happens to be standing behind the counter when you walk up and inquire. It’s the luck of the draw. When the dummy pulls up an eBay listing for a broken guitar for $160 that’s what he thinks they can get for your actual guitar. Because he’s an idiot. 😂 However…. This also leads to amazing low prices on used gear. I got a used guitar easily worth $500 for $299
But if your guitar is worth X amount of money and they offer you 60% of what it's worth..........they're lowballing you. I completely understand why they do that, but if I own something that's worth a certain amount of money and I go to sell it, I expect a number close to what it's worth.
Then you will be disappointed and need to make a private sale. A store has to make a profit when they resell it. It is the same with cars, motorbikes and anything else. There is dealer purchase price, dealer selling price and private sale price should be somewhere in the middle of the two.
60% may seem low on the surface. Any brick and mortar is going to offer you 60% of fair market. Simply because they have to make some profit, plus they have to keep the lights on, pay rent, pay employees and buy more stuff to sell. If you have time and energy to get full market, sell it on eBay, Reverb, Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, etc.. If you don't want that hassle, take the 60% and run.
I have to stop myself from just making GC content sometimes. 😅 not wanting to beat that dead horse. On the off-chance you find a good deal accompanied with the customer service to match, it's nice but that's few and far between experiences.
@@Electric.Flamingo well here was the perfect opportunity to show it, yet he didn’t. Like what’s a lowball for someone could be an actual fair offer to others, unless is an ACTUAL LOWBALL offer. Without numbers no one knows. All I got from this is that there was a new snot nose employee cook blocking the deal, THAT’S IT! 🤷🏻♂️
Never try to deal with them on trading or selling used equipment. They will try to screw you royally! I know they have to make a good profit, but they are fn beyond stupidly insane with their offers. Know your stuff people .
Right-o. A little research never hurts! If you play the game back with them or at least get an idea of what you got, you can at least try for a fair offer and not really be surprised.
A guitar or music store is a heck of a lot better than a Pawn Shop any day!
I will say, that is a 100% valid argument.
I have found that in recent years guitar center has declined dramatically in public relation and having employees that are knowlagable about guitars & gear . That is a huge problem when you go there to try and make any kind of trade deal when you have a manager who doesn't know the difference between a Squier classic vibe & a California corona assembled custom shop strat. That is most of the issue I've noticed at my local guitar center lately and most of the employees are lucky to know how to use the cash register let alone know the quality of your instrument . Big problem guitar center . You need to fix this .
100% agree. I've gone so far as to provide screenshots and my own research when making my trades to make sure I get fair market value and that they understand what they are getting.
The benefit is that because they don't know the difference half the time or just don't care, you can get some AMAZING deals on lots of stuff if you look long enough.
@@Electric.Flamingo I took a vintage 60s' strat that had a natural relic from play use to just kick around what I might get in a trade , keep in mind my strat is a custom shop with all original hardware and pickups that have been very well kept in the original case that I got years ago. Anyway this kids first words were , kinda looks all junky and worn out huh ! I knew right then I was in trouble with this idiot while in the meantime his idiot sidekick had lifted my vintage strat out of the case and place it on the floor with the string side down ! I immediately grabbed my guitar and ask him what the hell are you doin ! Dumbass replies I was checking to see if the neck is straight ! So you know that did it for me. I just put Ruthie back in her tweed case , went home and never looked back . I had my eye on a cherry red jazzmaster I'd been scopeing out there lately and would've made a deal if I hadn't ran into bevis & butthead soon as I walked in lol 😆 that's my guitar center horror story lol !
I would be very weary of selling vintage gear at Guitar Center. I'm even more so now after hearing that. That sucks, I hate that happened to you, dude!
It cuts both ways. I found a sweet Gibson Melody Maker on the used wall at my local GC. Paid the hefty price of $299 for it (😂🤣😂🤣😂). Played it for a few years and just sold it for $1800.
gen z does not know anything about music, is it a shock?
I buy lots of stuff there, but only sold one thing to them in the entire time. A Japanese Strat I paid $400 for I sold back to them less than a year later, but only got $250. Needed money at the time to buy something else.
If you keep expectation low when you're selling to them, they may just surprise you sometimes.
The Nashville locations are ok because most of them are musicians. This helps a lot. They tend to know the things that matter because they play and therefore they know how help players. I think also in that town they have to know or else the customers will run over them
That's refreshing to hear. Never thought of it that way!
I spend a lot of time on Guitar Center used and would definitely agree and best describe it as inconsistent. Some crazy good deals on one end, and some crazy overpriced listings on the other. I think it really does depend on whichever employee is buying and reselling that guitar and how knowledgeable they are.
I also realized Guitar Center locations really vary. I went to a different location while traveling and they completely turned me off. Overly pushy sales guy who tried to sell me a dented guitar as new and played every blemish or defect off as normal and just unhelpful staff overall. Whereas the location closer to me has been very fair and good thus far.
You hit the nail on the head. I agree 100% with all of this.
defects arent normal lol i wouldve told him that right away. thats why they are defects and not features
In September I had a good experience trading in at GC Salem Or, they gave me $320 trade in with a Schecter Demon 6 I bought for $440 on a Gibson LP Studio. I know I could get more on reverb but the trade was quick and easy. The Gibson studio in tangerine burst is beautiful and very high quality.
Was the Gibson new? You got that extra credit towards a new item if so. If not, that's still a good trade deal!
@@Electric.Flamingo new, they offered me $150 store credit and $170 cash or reduce my GC credit card debt by $150+170 cash. , but I had always wanted a Les Paul. It’s a 2021 model but it’s flawless and beautiful. I have a Schecter apocalypse LP copy that is much higher quality. I don’t recommend GC lessons, I took 8 one hour lessons but found justinguitar to be better. My trade in was in excellent condition still had original boxes.
lucky, they gave me $160 for a $450 bass
Absolutely Guitar Center's goal is to rip you off. More than once I've bought guitars from them that they say are in great condition, and then months later, when I try to trade them in, they suddenly have a "twist in the neck", or a "crack in the so-and-so", and "we can't sell it". Dude - YOU sold it to me. I even got an Ibanez listed in great condition with a string that was broken at the headstock - the only thing keeping it taut was the locking nut. I see Epiphones listed on their website with headstock breaks that they're perfectly willing to sell, guitars with missing strings, guitars with obvios body damage, and they have no trouble throwing them up to sell. And if you walk in there with a guitar they don't have experience with? You won't get out of there for hours, because they have no idea what to do with it, how good it is, or how much it should sell for. Guitar Center is nothing but a ripoff joint and all they exist for is to part you from your money.
I've felt all of that frustration before and see what you see every day.
THIS... So they pulled the "twist in the neck" thing with you, too (on a guitar *they* sold you, no less)?
I've been through the same thing at guitar center. It all depends on who you deal with and the store.
Absolutely true!
I went in with an older model, Eric Johnson to guitar center and the guy appraising the guitar loved the guitar. Then he lowballed me at 900 bucks. I left the store and sold the guitar for 2300. Doubtful I’ll even buy a guitar from them again
That's actually scummy.
Great video. I always tell myself to be prepared to walk if needed.
Thanks so much! Absolutely, there's nothing wrong with walking away if it doesn't work out.
Would be nice to have a picture of the “dent” if you’re going to make a video about it
Yeah, probably, but I don't have a picture or the guitar anymore. Lesson learned for the future.
1/2 of expected resale price is the norm. They have to resell it. They are not the end consumer. It's a business, not some free service.
Yup. They do tend to ask too much for many of their items. After shipping you're usually better off just buying new. My local stores never have anything I'm interested in.
The whole point to GC buying your gear is to sell you some other gear. It's just a way to increase foot traffic. That's why they ask you right away if you're looking for cash or a trade. While they take forever to evaluate your stuff, you're looking at new stuff and they're pretty sure you'll get interested in something. Then they can give you $200 for your axe, jack the price of the one you're interested in by $200, and they've sold you a guitar at the retail price. I just give my guitars to veterans, they're very appreciative.
⚡️🦩
I have bought a number of guitars from GC/MF. Usually on sale. One used, the rest new. They are like any huge business, not really personal in any way. There can be good employees and bad. There are 2 in my towns as well, the nearer one is the small one, but I still bought 3 guitars there. They always need a full setup, they charge for it and I know what I want in a setup, so I do my own and just figure that as part of the cost most of the time. No guitar I own has remained virgin, all have been tweaked on the bench, so to speak. Part of making it 'yours'.
I have a 12 string martin acoustic electric guitar with case, etc to sell. It is in excellent shape but needs new strings (hasn't been played in a long time). I see a wild variety of prices. Is it too much to ask at least 400? The prices I have seen range from around 500-3k, so that was unhelpful. I found this video very useful. Thanks!
Glad I could help! ⚡️🦩
Glad to hear the second attempt worked out for you!
btw did you swap the pickups out of the one you're holding or just put covers over the stock pickups?
Me too. lol. I put covers over the stock pickups. I wanted to see how it would look before I decided whether or not to do uncovered or covered when I changed them at some point. Good eye there, dude!
I would guess misclassified as "fair" they offered you $200?. 50% of used retail would have been ~$350. In my experience they RARELY do 60% of their anticipated resale, it's usually 40-50% per condition, on a good day the manager will do 50% (called a "key" in retail, where they try to buy for about half what they can resell for, if you ever watch Pawn Stars they use the same formula probably 75% of the time). Exceptions are made based on what the manager pulls up on line to assess demand (their interpretation is whatever it is) and then they consider how many they already have in inventory, and their screens show them how long other Guitar Centers have been sitting on similar product. Anything less than $340 would have been a no-go for me.
I've gotten 60% when taking a store credit.
That's pretty typical.
Def know your worth. But some people need to stop bringing in trash and expecting crazy prices.
THIS. 👏
i called in about a guitar and all the person said was “it looks nice” and just a simple “yeah” whenever i asked about specs. i never distrusted anyone anymore than i did at that time
This is interesting as I'm going to my local GC tomorrow to sell/trade a Fender Highway One Strat from 2007. It's got one ding in the body but otherwise excellent shape. They go for 800 to 1,000 on reverb so I'm thinking 400 to 450. I wonder if they take into consideration the age of a guitar when ranking it. For instance a 2020 model should be perfect to be excellent - but a 15 year old guitar should be expected to have some wear. I'm interested in a used guitar they have that's been listed online for weeks Like several months. It's pricey for a used guitar (2K) so they may be willing to deal to get that inventory off the books. Or not - it should be fun either way because I don't *need* another guitar and can happily walk if they won't deal.
I'm not sure if age is really taken into consideration all that much unless it's vintage, more likely the condition is what makes or breaks it. I would say they would mark it in good condition with the ding, you'll probably get about 400, perhaps the 450. I wouldn't go by what Reverb has them listed at, try and see what they have actually sold for recently. If you're looking for "list" prices, check the Guitar Center app and see what that model in similar condition is listed for at the high end and low end then do 60% of those totals. There's your range. It takes some research, but it gives you a real expectation.
@@Electric.Flamingo Thanks! Actually the 800 to 1,000 is what they're showing on sold listings on Reverb so I think I'm good. I have to think it would be of interest to GC as it's Made in USA and priced in the range that a lot of players can afford. Wish me luck!
@@mikedr1549 may I ask what they ended up offering?
@@RabidPrimeape They offered $425 and took $100 off the used Schecter I was looking at so I was happy with the deal.
@@mikedr1549 thank you
first guitar center, new guy sucking up to the manager.
Some people run through a lot of chapstick up there.
I bought a used guitar thinking It was one model of Jackson KV and when I traded it in they said it was another which was more than half the cost they even saw I bought it as that model and still wouldn’t give me a reasonable amount back for the guitar. I don’t shop their unless I have to
I feel this pain on a personal level. Ouch dude.
@@Electric.Flamingo I really ruined it for me there. I took an EC-256 their one time and someone tried to tell me it had a headstock repair because the wood was too dark at the base of the headstock. I bought the guitar new 6 months prior. He said he could only off me $100 for it….
@jefferyneill you would think they could at least know the difference between a head stock break and the basic construction. lol
Says they pay up to $1000 in cash for used gear. Do they do any kind of tax bullshit?
Nothing that they take in trade has been taxed based upon my estimations that I have done before trading anything. The most I have ever gotten out of some gear is a little over $800. Once you reach a certain point though (I want to say $500) they have to cut you a check, but other than that, no they don't tax your trade-ins.
That's the same as most major chains. In Canada we have Long &McQuade, and you'll get much more on trade(70% regularly of what they'll sell it at, or 80% if you're buying something more than double that trade in value) and they're usually fair, but sometimes you get that little weasel of an employee that wants to flex his inner Pawn Stars muscle and impress the boss. That attitude is bad for everyone. His attitude could have possibly made them, maybe what? A couple hundred extra, max. But Instead it cost them a long time customer.
Thanks for the comment. I've always wanted to go to Long & McQuade, I've heard they are a cool shop. Unfortunately, we have Guitar Center to gripe about. lol. There's always that one dude no matter where you go, I guess.
"Good" and "fair condition" are not terms they use. It would be "Excellent" or "Very Good" if the only issue was a small dent.
Small dents, yeah might be good very good but they most certainly use good and fair, especially when buying in gear.
The internet is how they determine what to pay for your stuff.
Pawn shops...same.
Will not be what you want...better to trade.
So if I trade in my 3,000 Gibson I would get 50% or 60% back or I could trade it for a new guitar?
tl;dr Generally you can expect 50% to 60% of the value of what they will sell the guitar for, not what you paid for it new. Gibson's MAY net you a little more.
With a Gibson, you're very likely to get the majority of the value back. Or, as you said, you may even be able to just walk in and straight up trade for a new one. A typical transaction will net you between 50% and 60% of the value/what they will sell it for (which they sometimes tell you what they are going to sell it for or you can do research to see if they are currently selling them) based on my experience.
If you went to trade a Gibson Les Paul Standard you bought new for $3000. They will probably sell it used for $2400 - $2800 depending on condition and other factors. So you have to take the estimate of what you'll get based off of those amounts. FOR THIS EXAMPLE, I would expect you to get between $1200 (on the low end being 50% of $2400) to $1680 (60% of 2800). Those numbers could change, the range is pretty substantial and with Gibson, it could be way different.
its like a pawn shop, dont go in expecting to get what you paid because the store has to make money too, usually from 40 percent to 60. pawn shops are bad because you wouldnt be there unless you needed it and they know that lol
Just wanna say excellent video and thanks for putting the link to that other guy's video in the description as it was informative. I plan on possibly selling some guitars to Guitar Center so this video definitely helped.
Thanks for watching and I'm glad I could help! 🤘🦩
I like guitar center.
Of course they have to make money so they give you about half what they think they will sell it for and they assume some risk in doing that.
I will buy used gear from them but I won’t trade a piece in. I would rather sell it to another person for a little more than they will give me and we both walk away with a good deal.
Guitar Center is like one recessional blip away from Walking Dead on a corporate flunkie level (god bless the employees truly radical homies 99% are fam) , I've assisted dozens of middle class families or wealthier willing to spend thousands on a new digital piano & the store has one person high on blues in the whole store one guy.
I would hate to see them fail, but maybe they need to and can be rebuilt to something great one day. Who knows.
Do you receive more money on a trade-in rather than a straight sale for a check?
If you trade towards new, you usually get an extra 10-15% towards your purchase, but it really depends on the condition and what other things have sold for previously. My best advice, check the website or the app and see if they have something similar to your item. They usually give you around 60% of what they will sell it for, so $60 for every $100 for easy math. Example, you find something similar selling for $500 in good condition, you can expect, if they deem yours in good condition also, to get around $300 at most on a straight trade in. If that helps.
They take ten percent off a purchase.
@BrotherBoresIsBest sometimes 15% depending on what sales or deals they have going
I have a 2020 Les Paul Slash guitar in Appetite Burst I took to guitar center like 2 days ago. It's a $3000 dollar guitar new I bought it for $2500 on reverb. Its in like perfect condition looked brand new under the lights in the store. The employee plugged it in and tested it to make sure everything works which it does. It had to be one of the nicest guitars in the store. They enter the info on the guitar into the computer and he tells me $1300. I literally said "that's joke man that's a $3000 dollar guitar." He tells me the best I could get is $1500 which was like yeah no still way too low. After all that when I got the guitar home and took it out of the case it was all grubbed up from their dirty hands and I had to wipe it down with cleaner. If I ever bring a guitar there again to sell I want to know the price I'll get before anyone grubs up my expensive guitar. So yeah I'd say they're Gamestop but for music.
That sucks dude. I hate to hear that happened to you. I always try to do as much research as I can before I go. That way I have the ammo to hit back with "no this is what it's worth" and I won't disappointed with what I can actually work with.
$1500 on a $2500 item is a fair deal if you need the cash there and then. Expensive guitars hang on a wall being dreamed of for a long time before anyone pays retail price for them.
yep I sold a 2007 les paul 58 reissue for 1650. it was 3339 new@@alfsmith4936
3399
I'm having a hard time with this one. So, the guitar is $3000 new. You bought it used for $2500. So, if Guitar Center or any music store decides to put it out for the same price...as what you bought it for - the offer would be literally 1250 to probably $1500. That's 50-60%. What did you want for it? $2000? And they sell it for $2500?
I read these stories of people always claiming how awful Guitar Center, Sam Ash, Long and McQuade then I see the numbers and I go "That literally checks out perfectly to the market." I deal with a little vintage toy store in my neighborhood and every now and then I sell them stuff and their percentages are the same. I even sometimes offer suggestions to what they can sell it for and what's a fair cut. If I don't like the price, I keep it and sell on my own. Pawnshops aren't any different. You can't force a store to buy something from you.
I tried selling a used line 6 helix to them and a used line 6 powercab 212 plus. Both in great condition
They offered me $700 for the helix and $400 for the powercab. What do you guys think? Was that a fair deal? I didn’t sell it to them and it’s still available for purchase on fb marketplace($1200 for the helix, $900 for the powercab) helix price is negotiable.
Not sure on that one, I'm not well versed on the Helix, but I would say perhaps $700 was fair-ish depending on when you tried to sell it to them.
I seen them look on reverb try and give you half what they’re selling on eBay or reverb..they check the going prices …my observations..
They have told me before about sold prices on eBay, I think if they have a hard time finding it in their system, they resort to Reverb, eBay, etc. I find their website to be pretty reliable if you can find what you're selling.
No,,, Guitar Center does try to low ball you.. I have a collectors Kramer, 82 Pacer series.. I already new what it was worth, I had done my research.. I had already received offers from 4 different collectors shops, also from Chicago Music..
All right around $1,000..
Some a little less, and some a little more.. Guitar Center offered me $450,, then tried to convince me that was a great deal, and I'd be very lucky if I got more.. Right after telling me what an amazing axe it was, and how well it played and sounded..
And just like yourself, I've done a lot of business with them.. But this is the first guitar I've ever let them look at.. I'm thinking,, that if 4 others offered me that amount of money, they did factor in how much profit they would make back...
So I would say, Guitar Center tried to get over on me...
I hate that that happened to you. I think it is dependent on the location and/or the people that are working there. In my case, it is a store that I frequent a lot, i know the people in there very well. The time that I walked in there that prompted this story, there were different people in there that did not know me and I think that that contributed to them trying to low ball me when I knew what I had. I don't blame you for not taking that deal; that was shady.
Damn , sounds like Thomann's in Germany.
I wouldn't know. I did order from them once and never received my order so there's that. 😅
They don’t have anything and everything has to be order, so why not stay home and Oder online, whatever you buy they ask for warranty, why cuz everything they sale it’s broken? Why they ask for warranty when I buy strings ? If I break one you give. A new pack
Without figures, or even a percentage difference, doesn't really mean anything. $450 v $250 or $450 v $430 mean different things.
And by the way,, 2 of the employees made remarks about buying it themselves..
One actually said he would give me $500 for it right there on the spot.. Lol..🤭
I think he needs more Les Paul’s
There's always room for one more. ⚡️🦩
they give you 60% of the resale value if it is mint.
Not even. And not always.
Now their secretly refusing to buy guitars with upgrades (pickups, d-tuner). Not a joke. The company refuses to admit or deny this as a company policy because they will lose business in their parts department. Who would buy upgrades and pay to have them installed there when it disqualifies the guitar for trade?
That's news to me, but I totally believe it. It's why I never try to sell gear with upgrades. Keep the original parts and put them back on when you trade or sell it, I always say!
...I don't get it? Don't sell it to Guitar Center then. You don't _have_ to sell it to them. I've done upgrades on a handful of my guitars but I wouldn't expect any music store to pay me more for those upgrades because then they'd have to justify selling the guitar for more than it's worth - hoping somebody will recognize the upgrades and their value and then buy it.
@@TheLockdownKidNYC Would you willingly upgrade a guitar with parts GC sells you and can also install (again sells you), only to later find out their "secretly" refusing to buy upgraded guitars? Why would a guitar with upgraded pickups suddenly be worthless? This isn't a scenario where they won't pay "extra" for an upgraded guitar. This is GC REFUSING to buy upgraded guitars. This is a problem when their company will happily sell you upgrade parts and installation. And your right. We don't have to sell to them. We don't have to buy from them. We have other options however we have very few guitar store options left. At bare minimum GC needs to be transparent about this secret policy. Just call their stores and email their corporate people and you'll get their explanations.
@@greyfoxzero
I mean. If you're asking me...I would. I've also never seen GC buy lights or headphones used but they still sell them. Reselling items is not the same as buying them and is a completely different market.
You basically want stores to buy back your guitars simply because they sold them to you and I can't comprehend how you can think a store HAS to buy your guitar when you have reverb, ebay, market place, Craigslist, offer up, etc. Why do you _have_ to sell them at GC?
@@TheLockdownKidNYC Your logic doesn't make sense since GC does buy used guitars. Sure GC could literally not buy a guitar for ANY reason while buying a guitar from someone else for ANY reason. The problem is why can't GC be transparent about their policy to refuse upgraded guitars? Especially since they offer the install as a service. And yes your right. Nobody has to sell to GC. The options you mentioned really should be considered before anyone sells to GC or even shops there since they have so many advantages and much better transparency about their policies.
Your my hero
Thank you, fair citizen.
Idiots will take a used pedal that cost $350 new, and expect people/stores to pay $300 for it. That is why they are called idiots.
Poetry 🤌
thats how they did me.. them new dudes at guitar center are assholes
Not all, but a good bit most definitely
Guitar center por ajustarme una cuerda de mi guitarra me cobraron 90 dólares uña jornada de 8 horas que abusibos
⚡️🦩
Sounds like youve got a number of employee's that dont see eye to eye maybe the dude really just wanted the guitar for cheap i know it sounds mean but some people might like cheap things and throw that out there to see if you're cool for not really using the stuff anymore but i might be a (fashist) the control in the room was low and you was sweating and gasping for air had a gleem to do buisniess and he knew what he wanted to buy it for cause everyone else was doing it. the left handed screw driver might of been that aspect bad anology but i belieave in paying more or less or getting ripped off more than the employee's themeselfs. the fault laying with money problems and instinct i would gladly pay extra money to get stuff that people that throw the buisniess line out and try from there it goes to show you that everyone isn't always out for money (but are) its kinda like i have to pay 2k for it anyway why shouldn't he get a good deal im into magic the gathering a bit to sell at yard sales i don't make enough to get them good cards but i at least have a collection knowing my company prob didn't buy individual set boosters for the good cards i got the good old fat pack they try to sell to get people in the door the doctorin of whitch isn't to my charistic but more of intention of not dealing with monahye to spend more to get less in hopes of just having things. the lack of not having a collect isn't a carbine weapon its always the melon's that sell yes i usually spend more than im supposed to but people are usually getting a good enough brag off me that they feel better
Heres the thing you dont get, just because you look that same guitar up on what ever, the ASKING price does not mean it sold for that price, so you cant base it on that number, you have to have proof what the guitars actually SOLD at, and yeahhh good luck getting that information, I can put up a guitar all day for what ever asking price I choose, what matters is what did the guitar actually bring.
I'm fully aware of that. I don't look things up and say "someone is asking $1000 for a Squier Bullet so that's what I want." If you're doing that on Reverb or eBay or whatever, obviously you look for what was sold, not listed. If I'm looking at Guitar Centers website in the used section and see something listed for $100, to make the math easy, I know that based on condition and their policy (generally) they give 60% of what they will list it for. I can expect anything up to $60 at that point. It's a range I try to find based on what I have seen be listed AND SOLD for at that price, not a specific number. I'm sorry I didn't break that down for you to understand.
i know they want to make a profit but they low ball on price 1500 Gibson 600 come on but if you need the money sold
Guitar center is the worst to sell used gear. Unless all 3 in my area are bad ones. Even with better pickups and new pots and locking tuners offered me $200 for a $500 guitar and saw them selling used ones in the same condition mine was in for $400. Was also in excellent condition. Never do business with them anymore sweetwater and zzsounds are much better. Way better customer service too.
I will say that you're better off taking upgrades off of you plan on selling. You almost never make your money back on those. But I do agree with the "selling the same thing in the same (or worse) condition for more" thing sometimes. I've had to try and call them out on that before.
That's totally normal. They offer half of what they think they can sell it for. Upgraded parts adds no $ value to a guitar.
Oh the insanity of it all...they try to knock down the price for a small ding or rusty screw.....meanwhile guy with too much disposable income looking at Murphy Lab Gibsons...lol....I've got a 80s usa bc rich gunslinger that almost looks as tatty as evh frankenstrat...its an 80 rock machine par excellence yet if I tried to sell it..not that I will as its so good ... they'd probably offer me 80 quid...I'd rather give it away to charity or another player..than as the late great missiphipi bluesman john hurt sang have them... "laughing in my face "
Exactly. Since this has happened, I have actually found and screenshotted other instances where they have things listed as "good" or "great" condition with tape gunk all over it, chips everywhere, etc. It's crazy. It goes to show that some people just need a job and could give a toss about their work or the customer.
GC tried to give me 180 on an neck thru Ibanez with planet waves self cutting locking tuners and a Gohtoh bridge. Hell the parts cost me that, its a 600 dollar guitar all day long.
What a rip, dude. While I am a firm believer in the realm of "you won't get your money back for aftermarket parts" the fact that it is neck through alone makes it more than $180.
You know about Alip ba ta sir?Alip is a very talented finger style guitarist on UA-cam)}|||
Never heard of him.
Robert’s video is 7 years old. That info isn’t exactly relevant. Not to mention the fact that a lot of the decisions of the trade in are made by the sales associate who happens to be standing behind the counter when you walk up and inquire. It’s the luck of the draw. When the dummy pulls up an eBay listing for a broken guitar for $160 that’s what he thinks they can get for your actual guitar. Because he’s an idiot. 😂
However…. This also leads to amazing low prices on used gear. I got a used guitar easily worth $500 for $299
Just liike trading in a car. Do your research first!
100%
ok
ok👍
But if your guitar is worth X amount of money and they offer you 60% of what it's worth..........they're lowballing you. I completely understand why they do that, but if I own something that's worth a certain amount of money and I go to sell it, I expect a number close to what it's worth.
Exactly. As I said, if you go in after doing your research, it's just them getting one over on you.
Then you will be disappointed and need to make a private sale. A store has to make a profit when they resell it. It is the same with cars, motorbikes and anything else. There is dealer purchase price, dealer selling price and private sale price should be somewhere in the middle of the two.
60% may seem low on the surface. Any brick and mortar is going to offer you 60% of fair market. Simply because they have to make some profit, plus they have to keep the lights on, pay rent, pay employees and buy more stuff to sell. If you have time and energy to get full market, sell it on eBay, Reverb, Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, etc.. If you don't want that hassle, take the 60% and run.
It's better to sell your own gear .
True, but if you can make it work with a trade in, sometimes it's worth it at GC.
@@Electric.Flamingo I've thought about a trade but don't you get ruffly about the same percentage?
@heavymetalhalloween usually it's 10%-15% more towards new stuff, so that's where I say it depends on the situation.
@@Electric.Flamingo good to know .thanks man
Guitar center sucks. If you have me tell you everything about guitar Center you’d be blown away the reason behind this there’s a lot of reasons.
I have to stop myself from just making GC content sometimes. 😅 not wanting to beat that dead horse. On the off-chance you find a good deal accompanied with the customer service to match, it's nice but that's few and far between experiences.
By you being vague on prices offered it’s hard to take you being “ lowballed “ seriously. Without any numbers the video just becomes hot air 🤷🏻♂️
I wouldn't say it's hot air, considering it's pretty well known that GC can most certainly low ball you on offers, but what do I know, I guess.
@@Electric.Flamingo well here was the perfect opportunity to show it, yet he didn’t. Like what’s a lowball for someone could be an actual fair offer to others, unless is an ACTUAL LOWBALL offer. Without numbers no one knows.
All I got from this is that there was a new snot nose employee cook blocking the deal, THAT’S IT! 🤷🏻♂️
Never try to deal with them on trading or selling used equipment. They will try to screw you royally! I know they have to make a good profit, but they are fn beyond stupidly insane with their offers. Know your stuff people .
Right-o. A little research never hurts! If you play the game back with them or at least get an idea of what you got, you can at least try for a fair offer and not really be surprised.
still better than a pawn shop@@Electric.Flamingo