20% off anything at guitar center

That's great, maybe. This is what I've found when shopping the large chains with coupons.

Scenario #1: You walk into the store and find the equipment you want, either the salesman helps you or not, then you present this coupon and you get 20% the "Already low, discounted sale sticker price". GREAT!

Scenario #2: You walk into the store and the salesman helps you out and you negotiate on some equipment and get him to give you a deal on the "Already low, discounted sale sticker price". GREAT! Then you present this coupon and you are told, "I'm already giving you this great deal and you can only use that coupon off the "Already low, discounted sale sticker price"".

Scenario #3: You walk into the store on any given day when there is no sale and negotiate on some equipment and if you are smart and shop around and know what other places are charging and are ready to either buy or walk out and the salesman knows this, and you get BETTER than 20% off the "Already low, discounted sale sticker price".

I don't want to sound like a pessimist and you should know, I really dislike dealing with salespeople. But I shop around for EVERYTHING!!! And I have run in to all three of those scenarios and they are true more often than not. Although, I still walk into shops with coupons in my hand, but I'm aware that they may hurt or help me. Sometimes it's better to shop when there isn't a "BIG SALE" going on. The salespeople may be more willing to make you a great deal during a slow period!

I'll tell you what coupons are good for!!! "Honey, I'm going to Guitar Center on Saturday. I got this coupon in the mail and it's ONLY good for Saturday!!! This would be a good time for me to pick up that amp I've been looking at cause it's NEVER on sale!!!!

Dave

Thanks for making this post! You just saved me $172! :shock: I've been waiting to buy a Fender Pro Jr. and a Vox Tonlab SE for some weeks not. You made my day today and tomorrow! :D

It's too bad there's no GC in Canada, oh well, I believe the closest one is in Buffalo.

Ha Ha! I like the scenarios - but you're forgetting one thing:

The shop already hiked the price UP 20% the day before the 'Massive Sale', so just when you think you've got a deal, you're paying what would have been the full price anyway! Hence the beaming smile on the salesman's face (he's spending his commission before the ink's dry on the receipt)....

Thanks for making this post! You just saved me $172! :shock: I've been waiting to buy a Fender Pro Jr. and a Vox Tonlab SE for some weeks not. You made my day today and tomorrow! :D

I was thinking about buying a Bass Pack, but I'm going camping. I was going to save $50.

Well, I think I'll go. I know the average price for a couple of guitars I will hope they have in stock. If, when I get there, the prices for things seem bumped up, I'll leave real quick.

The 20% is also only for ONE item, repeat one and only one item!!!!!!! Also there are some exclusions. Read the fine print on the coupon/letter when you print it out.

Well thats why they send them out, so you go to buy one thing, and come out with 4. Good luck bargin hunting everyone!

I HIGHLY agree with Dnukom on the shop around part! I look on Musician's Friend, Music123, eBay, etc and then calculate the cost with any shipping/tax. I also check Pricegrabber.com. Then I check out what ever store I may be going to...I see what they have, if it's in stock, and sales price and add any tax. If I am saving less than say 20% by buying online I'd rather just buy it at the store since it's not worth waiting for it to ship. If I can save more than 20% then to me it's worth the week or so wait.

Also make sure when haggling prices have the salesperson work the price so that when the sales tax is added that its the SAME as the online deal...so in actuality, the price should be LOWER than the online price to compensate for the tax...

Yes I can be froogle when I want to be!! :lol:

Well, after paying my bills this morning, I'll not be able to make it to GC. It's not really worth it to me today to drive 40 minutes to just look and fiddle for a bit. I'll wait for their next sale or just try and go haggle sometime when I do have some cash.

Ha Ha! I like the scenarios - but you're forgetting one thing:

The shop already hiked the price UP 20% the day before the 'Massive Sale', so just when you think you've got a deal, you're paying what would have been the full price anyway! Hence the beaming smile on the salesman's face (he's spending his commission before the ink's dry on the receipt)....

That's why you need to shop around. It's easy on popular items that are found everywhere, like Fender guitar and amps, but it's more difficult for the hard to find items. You walk into a store and see the price for the MIM Brown Burst Strat is $450, well, you know last week it was $404!

A couple weeks ago, Daddy's was having a sale 10% off all guitars. So a new MIM Brown Burst Strat has always been $404. With the 10% that's $363.60. The salesman says, "You could never find a deal like that on a Fender cause they are big sellers and I couldn't normally take that much off if it werent' for the sale."

So I went to Guitar Center the same day and they are selling the same guitar for like $450, but they are "throwing in" a stand and a cheapo gig bag. So I tell him that Daddy's is having a sale this weekend and I can get it for $363.60 if I go there, and without blinking an eye, he says, "I can sell you this one for $350", and they WEREN'T having a sale!

I ended up buying the "used" one they had there for that was listed for $300 and I talked him down to $270. It still had the plastic on the pickguard and the cover in the back! And it was a 2005 just like the new ones.

Thanks for making this post! You just saved me $172! :shock: I've been waiting to buy a Fender Pro Jr. and a Vox Tonlab SE for some weeks not. You made my day today and tomorrow! :D

Coupons are probably better spent on big ticket items like a Fender Pro Jr. Good luck! There's nothing better than buying new equipment at the start of a LONG weekend. As long as you don't have a "Honey-Do" list! :evil:

The prices on used stuff at Guitar Center can't be beat. I bought a used Daisy Rock there for $175 that still had plastic on the pickups. They had the SAME guitar there, new for like $380 when i bought it. today i went there to look and they had my other guitar there used, a PRS Santana SE for $229. i know what that guitar is and whoever buys it is getting a great deal!

They're opening a GC about ten minutes from my house. Up until this point, the nearest one is about an hour away. I can't wait to experience it for myself. The good deals AND the crazy salesmen!

I had a good day yesterday. I called GC and asked if they had both my products new in the box sealed. Unfortunately, they didn't have the Fender Pro amp so the guy said he'd give me an additional $15 off and I could used one of their amps on the showroom floor until a new boxed one comes in.

Again, thanks for the post. You actually saved me $187. That's a lot all due to your post.