A buddy of mine called up saturday and wanted to go to the guitar stores. 3rd day in a row, but twist my arm. Being Saturday, I loaded up my ear-plugs and rode along. Teens in guitar stores on weekends can make some noise. :D
So, I was just walking around and saw some guy playing on an Epi Lp Custom just like mine. Turns out that this thing had been dropped or something. The head-stock was broken right above the truss rod all the way through. It had been epoxied together. Yes, I know epoxy can be strong and they certainly were not trying to cover it up or otherwise be dishonest. I just think they over-valued it and was being a bit greedy. Caveat Emptor, I think is how it goes? The guy said it was staying in tune just fine. I'm sure he saw the horrified look on my face. Turns out he showed it to my buddy just a few minutes earlier and got the same response. I can certainly udnerstand the allure of a nice and shiney black Epi LP Custom. :D
The store wanted $499 for this. Just a $150 less than it was less than a year ago, and only $200 less than it is now. I don't know. I just can't see why someone would spend $500 on a busted necked guitar when there were perfectly good LP standards right behind him for the same money. Heck, they had a PRS Single Cut SE for $499 that was flawless. $500 is some serious dough for a guitar that un-scathed might not be worth much more than that according to some people.
Elsewhere in the store, two teens test driving Telecasters on distorted Marshalls. Gotta love it. 8) 8)
Roy
"I wonder if a composer ever intentionally composed a piece that was physically impossible to play and stuck it away to be found years later after his death, knowing it would forever drive perfectionist musicians crazy." - George Carlin
When I bought my first electric I was in a store and I had a similar episode. They tried to sell a Yamaha Pacifica with the body broken, you can see the wood and also the splinters. I don't remember the exact model but it was not an entry level guitar, it could be a 612 or 812 with blocking tuners, etc. It fell from the a wall stand near to the ceil (around 4 meters).
I didn't see the broken zone and they don't say anything about it, they only said "mmm... we could reduce 30 or 40 euros the price if you buy this guitar". Fortunately I saw it! And I never got back!
I kind of had the same experience when I bought my Washburn D10SCE
It was the last one they had and I didn't like the way the strings were muddled up, it didn't feel right, but I liked the sound. I got the place to re-string it, and as they were re-stringing it, I noticed that the body had a slight crack in the top of the body. I said something about it, and they told me that you could barely see it and it wouldn't effect the sound. They were still charging me full price for this guitar by the way.
So I said you know what, I like the guitar, but I don't want it, it was dis-honest to not mention it, and you are charging me full price for something that is broken. Thanks for your help but I won't be shopping here ever again. I informed the manager of it, he didn't seem to care, so I walked out and went into another guitar shop (Sam Ash) and bought it there.
Oh, the shop that was selling me the broken one was Guitar Center. After contacting the corporate office about it, I got a $50 gift certificate for my trouble, but still won't shop there to this day.
In Space, no one can hear me sing!
Yikes? They didnt either of you about the damage? At least this place was up front. They didn't try to cover it with black polish or anything.
While I was in there, I checked out quite a few MIM Strat necks to see how badly twisted mine was in comparison to the ones on the wall. Most of the ones were straight, making mine look worse than I thought. However, there was one that was really twisted up good. Looking from headstock down the fret board to the body: The top 5 frets or so were twisted to the right while the bottom 10 frets were twisted to the left as bad as mine. :shock:
Roy
"I wonder if a composer ever intentionally composed a piece that was physically impossible to play and stuck it away to be found years later after his death, knowing it would forever drive perfectionist musicians crazy." - George Carlin
A buddy of mine called up saturday and wanted to go to the guitar stores. 3rd day in a row, but twist my arm. Being Saturday, I loaded up my ear-plugs and rode along. Teens in guitar stores on weekends can make some noise. :D
Every guitar store should have this sign (I may have found it on this site, but it's no less timeless :D ):
Even I wouldn't have touched that guitar. It should have been disposed of with honor.
It is difficult to answer when one does not understand the question.
Wow! Thats way too much for a broken guitar. Did you offer to tweak the truss rod for them Roy? :lol: I bought a Kramer Impereal Axe from MusicYo (RIP) that was on clearance for $150. It had a dent in the body, I sent them a pic and they knocked $30 off the price. This origionally was a $300 instrument so I expected them to say thats why it was $150. Nope, cost me $120. Now thats reasonable. I am picky about what music stores I will buy from. I guess I'm not real trusting or fond of slick salespeople. We got an awsome local shop over in Potsdam New York. Guy that owns it is a musician, has been playing in bands in the area since his college days in the 60's. Only problem is limited inventory, they make all their money selling stereo systems, TV's ect. The music room isn't real big. Never been ripped off there though!
Oh, and yes, they used to have one of those signs and yes, I have played all three there. :mrgreen:
"Work hard, rock hard, eat hard, sleep hard,
grow big, wear glasses if you need 'em."
-- The Webb Wilder Credo --
Wow! Thats way too much for a broken guitar. Did you offer to tweak the truss rod for them Roy?
I'm gonna have to write me a truss-rod blues song. Leaving town for a few days, but will jot some lyrics down for sure. 8) :mrgreen:
Roy
"I wonder if a composer ever intentionally composed a piece that was physically impossible to play and stuck it away to be found years later after his death, knowing it would forever drive perfectionist musicians crazy." - George Carlin
My little brother bought a Gibson "Crest" in...about...1980. it was brand new but someone dropped it in the store and...exactly like just described...had to have the split epoxied. No-one wanted to buy it so my brother got it for $500 WITH a fitted case. He sold it on E-Bay not too long ago for $7,000.
Sheesh!
Cat
"Feel what you play...play what you feel!"
My little brother bought a Gibson "Crest" in...about...1980. it was brand new but someone dropped it in the store and...exactly like just described...had to have the split epoxied. No-one wanted to buy it so my brother got it for $500 WITH a fitted case. He sold it on E-Bay not too long ago for $7,000.
Sheesh!
Cat
Now that's a good story!
-=- Steve
"If the moon were made of ribs, would you eat it?"
