I don't mean to bag on GC, but.......

[scottbass71]

Even though I agree that it is bad that instruments aren't in as good a shape as you hoped - you guys in the states are so lucky to have stores like GC

I have bought my last 5 basses sight unseen because there weren't any here so I couldn't even try one - lucky EB makes great stuff!!

I wanted a set of EB 5 string Flats took me 1-2 months to get them because there was only one set in the country and they were with the sales rep.

The bongo didn't arrive here until nearly a year after it was released in the US then only a few came in so no opportunity to try one.

Prices compared to the States (yes a dead horse so I am not going to flog it)

Lack of customer support (not having a go at EB more other manufacturers)

Limited editions that not just Australia but the rest of the world will never have a chance of buying

Lack of variety of products (F2nders every where try getting a EB guitar here - the exception is colin of guitar planet but I mean physical stores selling them)

I could keep going on I have heaps but it involves others manufacturers so - rant over!!!

I remember when I went to the open house I had a few days in LA and went to GC I nearly collapsed how huge it was.

anyway my 2cents

 

[JayDawg]

I'm curious on something. If a person buys a new Music Man bass from Guitar Center or any other distributor, and the bass is damaged at purchase, will Music Man repair it or is it on the music store to have it repaired? Also, does the customer have any say as to who fixes it if that is the case?

 

[Colin]

I love GC and I always get to one when in the US. I also support the mom and pop stores too like Dubaldo Music. I'd love to see GC here in Australia even if it meant I'd go out of business.

 

[scottbass71]

nah colin don't go out of business there is plenty of room for you and guitar centre in Australia

 

[DrGonzo5150]

Even though I agree that it is bad that instruments aren't in as good a shape as you hoped - you guys in the states are so lucky to stores like GC

I have bought my last 5 basses sight unseen because there weren't any here so I couldn't even try one - lucky EB makes great stuff!!

I wanted a set of EB 5 string Flats took me 3 months to get them because there was only one set in the country and they were with the sales rep.

The bongo didn't arrive here until nearly a year after it was released in the US then only a few came in so no opportunity to try one.

Prices compared to the States (yes a dead horse so I am not going to flog it)

Lack of customer support (not having a go at EB more other manufacturers)

Limited editions that not just Australia but the rest of the world will never have a chance of buying

Lack of variety of products (F2nders every where try getting a EB guitar here - the exception is colin of guitar planet but I mean physical store selling them)

I could keep going on I have heaps but it involves others manufacturers so - rant over!!!

I remember when I went to the open house I had a few days in LA and went to GC I nearly collapsed how huge it was.

anyway my 2cents

Massive +1 on everything.

I emailed the Aussie EBMM distributor to query the cost of a replacement pickgaurd recently and they wanted AU$150. List price in USA is US$55, with street obviously less again. Three times more! For a pickgaurd!! I've been endeavouring not to rage hijac or further flog the dead horse for a solid week.

It's just sad to see things like this limit the exposure of such great instruments/products in our country.

End rant. Sorry all.

 

[Colin]

nah colin don't go out of business there is plenty of room for you and guitar centre in Australia

I won't but I'd love to see more MM in the country. Remember our population is less the half of California

Massive +1 on everything.

I emailed the Aussie EBMM distributor to query the cost of a replacement pickgaurd recently and they wanted AU$150. List price in USA is US$55, with street obviously less again. Three times more! For a pickgaurd!! I've been endeavouring not to rage hijac or further flog the dead horse for a solid week.

It's just sad to see things like this limit the exposure of such great instruments/products in our country.

End rant. Sorry all.

Scott you never called me? I will always help especially on the small things. I have asked personally about the cost of pickguards as I know how important they are to the guitar and buyer.

 

[oli@bass]

Even though I agree that it is bad that instruments aren't in as good a shape as you hoped - you guys in the states are so lucky to have stores like GC

A HUGE +1. The next store that at least has a small selection of EBMM's is about 300 miles away in a different country. I could make a day trip there (about 5 hours of driving one way), but if I bought there I'd not have warranty.

 

[ZiggyDude]

Even though I agree that it is bad that instruments aren't in as good a shape as you hoped - you guys in the states are so lucky to have stores like GC

OK - you are right on that one. I forgot about what things are like outside of the 'good-ol-USA'. Back in the early 80s I was visiting in England and I was amazed at how much a Gibby or Fender was. Though I am not a motorcycle person I had to ask what a Harley would cost there. What I found most interesting - I was walking a street in London (sounds like a Concrete Blonde song) and I noticed that all these people were just stopping and looking at this car going by very slowly in the dense traffic. Was it a Ferrari, Lamborghini, even a Jag? Nope - a Corvette. People never got to see over there what is common here.

So - I guess where I am going with this is that we sometimes don't appreciate what we have. (Wish they would carry the Bongo again though)

Now here is a conundrum. The local GC was hiring part timers the other day. I have always wanted to work at a music store. The bands are less busy lately. Lord knows the local place really needs a bass guy (I bet I would have increased sales and the places appearance!). Why did I not apply? I have too many friends working/owning mom & pops in the area who would have seen me as a traitor.

Sometimes you can never win............

 

[roccobladr]

i remember when i was in guitar center lookin for my new bass (ended up with the SR5)

i was lookin for a half hour and pretty much had to pull someone over to help me get a f3nd3r down from the wall. i straight up told him im in a gigging band and need the best 5 string money can buy. he didnt come back over to me anymore the whole time. luckily i found a SR5 on a stand on the floor and could just check it out myself.

like do they just not care about sales?! here i am willing to spend like 2 grand on a bass and they dont even care. i was baffled.

 

[Big Poppa]

The saddest part of this forum is that there are 5 or ten topics that people have to turn into the same thing.

A guy had a problem with guitar center.....the regional manager apologized offered to meet with the customer. I got involved. Glen Peiser got involved. Along the way the thing that upset the person other posters prefer to be treated that way....

So it turns into an individuals bashing of guitar center thread......exactly what tbone didnt want to happen in his original thread....oh yeah we also had to get in the things are more expensive overseas.....how come evh wasnt mentioned or a custom shop or forum instrument or the best way to PM me? hehehehehheheh

 

[bassmonkeee]

The saddest part of this forum is that there are 5 or ten topics that people have to turn into the same thing.

A guy had a problem with guitar center.....the regional manager apologized offered to meet with the customer. I got involved. Glen Peiser got involved. Along the way the thing that upset the person other posters prefer to be treated that way....

So it turns into an individuals bashing of guitar center thread......exactly what tbone didnt want to happen in his original thread....oh yeah we also had to get in the things are more expensive overseas.....how come evh wasnt mentioned or a custom shop or forum instrument or the best way to PM me? hehehehehheheh

Actually, I was hoping to PM EVH about overseas pricing on a forum instrument.

 

[boombox]

I just took the Music Man online training module for GC and it was great! (although I knew most of the answers) I believe it will help out guys working on the sales floor to have more awareness about the brand and also more knowledge of how much of an important company EBMM was/is.

Lets keep out fingers crossed that this will help out all locations without a Music Man fanatic!

 

[bovinehost]

So I was in Guitar Center the other day and Eddie Van Halen was working there, said he was taking some time off from playing, whatever, so I said, "Dude, look, I need Sterling to build me a custom BongoRay6 and since I live in Italy, I want US pricing and you can ship it to me on the sly, right" and he says, "Oh yeah, but first you need to PM Sterling and ask him if a Bongo is better than a Stingray and make sure to use the word 'versus' in the title."

 

[bassmonkeee]

ahem

 

[bovinehost]

 

[Big Poppa]

dont forget the frowny face and ask to be my friend on facebook

 

[T-bone]

A guy had a problem with guitar center.....the regional manager apologized offered to meet with the customer.

Thanks B.P.!

What more can be asked of this forum? This is exactly why I brought it up here, knowing full well I'd have the attention of GC personnel. I certainly didn't mean to touch off a firestorm.

Now, about those battery boxes.....

tbone