Is there really a need to purchase extended warranties on new guitars? In particular, I am referring to GC's Performance Guarantee. I know that Fender has a limited lifetime warranty on their guitars, with the electronics, etc. being covered for just one year.
I have always bought them in the past, but just wondering what other people do.
Thanks,
Jim
I never buy them. They're basically just a huge profit center for the retailers.
The only products where an extended warranty would be a decent buy would be a product that fails often... like maybe a laptop computer (I've read that something like 1 out of 6 needs repairs within a couple of years). But for guitars? The stuff that fails you can either fix yourself - like the output jack nut coming off - or they're routine maintenance, like fret dressing.
Realistically, if the neck ain't warped when you buy it, it's not likely to warp within 2-3 years (unless you seriously mistreat it), and if your pickups work on day 1, they'll work on day 3001.
Guitar teacher offering lessons in Plainfield IL
Moreover, you don't know if they would really come forward and honor their 'warranty'. Their scope and interpretation of warranty is something which I will best leave to them only. Like they may not admit your claim of guitar being defective. They may simply blame it on your 'rough handling'. :roll:
So, in short, take a GOOD look and do a thorough inspection (or research, in case of online buying) before buying any guitar. If you are buying from a reputed manufacturer like Fender, Gibson, Martin etc., they will have a basic warranty with them, which will be sufficient.
Take good care of your guitar. That something you gotta give 'it' to make it last a long time.
Good Luck.
Rahul
I never buy extended warranties on anything.
"A cheerful heart is good medicine."
Like Noteboat, I never buy them.
Think of it like this -- an extended warranty is an insurance policy issued by a company that is hoping to make money on the sale.
The way they make money is that if, for all the things they sell that warranty on they pull in more money than it costs them to replace the items.
This means, they are betting that the product will last longer than the warranty's coverage. They are asking you to put your money on the bet that the product will fail before the warranty is up. Now, prior to making that bet, they happen to know the exact failure rate of the product they're selling the warranty on, and they know exactly how many people will likely buy a warranty in the first place -- and they still expect to make money!
In other words, they're asking you to make a sucker bet.
"The music business is a cruel and shallow money trench, a long plastic hallway where thieves and pimps run free, and good men die like dogs. There's also a negative side." -- HST
Thanks for the responses. You know, being a newbie to guitar I try to be smart and GC is definitely good at smelling fear. They make the PG sound good and I have always been obliging them by buying it. As I am looking to buy a more expensive guitar, the price for the warranty goes up accordingly.
Again, thanks for the advice.
Jim
Also, consider smaller luthiers. They tend to have fantastic customer service and will go well above and beyond anything the big companies will do to fix any problems. Because they sell so few guitars a year, they need to have happy customers to stay in business. The big guys expect to have hundreds of unhappy customers -- and to overcome those customers with marketing dollars (that you pay for through the purchase price).
I've found that above the entry level instruments, small guys have far superior quality for the dollars spent, and their customer service can't be beat!
"The music business is a cruel and shallow money trench, a long plastic hallway where thieves and pimps run free, and good men die like dogs. There's also a negative side." -- HST
I went to GC to buy a tuner for a christmas gift and the guy asked if I wanted to purchase the warranty for $10. I asked him if he's ever once sold a warranty on a $20 tuner before and he just laughed.
I've only ever bought an extended warranty for a car.
I went to GC to buy a tuner for a christmas gift and the guy asked if I wanted to purchase the warranty for $10. I asked him if he's ever once sold a warranty on a $20 tuner before and he just laughed.
I've only ever bought an extended warranty for a car.
Nice one SM!
The closest I've come to that is the blank/you must be kidding look I gave the salesperson on a $140 scanner a few years ago.
My latest purchase was a Mustang bass and the sales guy was kind enough to do the whole 'dialogue' himself:
'It comes with a full one year warranty from Fender and for 'x' dollars we''ll extend that to 2. But you don't want that, do you?'
:)
I'll be shopping there again.
Don
I never buy extended warranties on anything.
Nope, me neither. On anything.
Jim
“The hardest thing in life is to know which bridge to cross and which to burn” - David Russell (Scottish classical Guitarist. b.1942)
