**WARNING** About Guitar Center.

[NavyBass]

If you ever buy a bass or guitar at Guitar Center, NEVER adjust the truss rod on your own. It voids the GC warranty on the instrument. I found this out today. Luckily I was able to bluff my way out of it.

Here's the story;

I had bought a bass at Guitar Center and when I went to hang it on my wall, the truss rod literally moved down. Upon inspection of the bass, I noticed I could push the truss rod up and down about 1/4". This told me 2 things, the truss rod was loose, and I would never be able to get any relief on the neck, as the truss rod was already at it's loosest point. It would tighten up just fine and give me back bow, which meant that the rod was working though. Anyway, I needed a bit of relief in the neck to prevent buzzing. Well, I brought the bass back and told them the problem and the salesman told me that me touching the truss rod voids any take back policy and the GC warranty. I told him that I didn't adjust the rod. He then asked me how I knew it was loose if I didn't touch it. I then showed him the fact that it could move in and out of the neck about 1/4" and said "First of all, if the truss rod wasn't loose, it wouldn't move like that and Second, the truss rod shouldn't be able to slide in and out like that in the first place." I also told him that being as the rod was loose I wouldn't be able to get the relief i needed in the neck to be able to make the bass buzz free.

Well, he took the bass back for an exchange and I got a different brand bass.


So, with all that being said, don't do your own setup/truss rod adjustments on anything bought at Guitar Center.

They can tell if the rod has been adjusted by the customer because it will leave marks on the rod and GC also keeps all receipts of work that they did on customers basses in their computer.

[muthafunkabass]

What bass did you get? And what did you exchange it for?


Thanks for the heads-up btw.

[bottlerocket]

The people: 1
Corporate America: 0

GC is such a scam. Man, I hate big chain stores like that but alas, it's all we have around here...that and Daddy's Junky Music, but they only carry Fender and Ibanez. :(

-Gav

[NavyBass]

The people: 1
Corporate America: 0

GC is such a scam. Man, I hate big chain stores like that but alas, it's all we have around here...that and Daddy's Junky Music, but they only carry Fender and Ibanez. :(

-Gav


I used to love Daddys. Their used selection was awesome. When I go up to R.I. this summer, I'll probably stop in to the one in Warwick.

[Akira]

The people: 1
Corporate America: 0

GC is such a scam. Man, I hate big chain stores like that but alas, it's all we have around here...that and Daddy's Junky Music, but they only carry Fender and Ibanez. :(

-Gav
Mom and Pop music stores ftw.
I take lessons at this local place owned and operated by an awesome bluess guitarists and his family (wife and son, he other son used to work there). It's such a great place. Everyone there is so nice. They have tons of music. Not many actual instruments, but they can order things. I like being able to support stores like theirs as opposed to big chains.

[BassVirtuoso]

I bet it beats Ed Roman's guitars.

[SquierBasser]

Heh, you guys should check out Halloway's Music in Monroe,

good God, they have such a selection

:rolleyes:

[LewsTherin]

The people: 1
Corporate America: 0

GC is such a scam. Man, I hate big chain stores like that but alas, it's all we have around here...that and Daddy's Junky Music, but they only carry Fender and Ibanez. :(

-Gav


and gibson/epiphone.


but yea, daddy's sucks, as does GC. GC usually has alright selection, though.

[SüP]

I'm glad my city don't have a GC.

Long & McQuade pwns
Mother's Music pwns

[MuRd0K]

I'm glad I have a GC. You can say all you want for capitalism and the ****, but if it wasn't for that, I would still be stuck with only Fender, Yamaha and Ibanez.

Thank god for Guitar Center!

[jpj]

I went to Guitar Center to try out some basses, but then ordered mine from a local shop because I hate everyone that works at GC.

[British Kid]

wow, thanks. i'm about to order a bass from GC once i can sell my T-Bird. thanks for the warning. i guess i'm gonna have them set it up at the store first, before i take it home. will they do that? or will it cost me?

[Pinhead13]

I would not even trust "mom & pop" stores, once I was taking lessons at a local store.....they charged $190.00 to my mom's debit card....

[trumpeter]

I would not even trust "mom & pop" stores, once I was taking lessons at a local store.....they charged $190.00 to my mom's debit card....


So what WOULD you trust?

The internet?

[chipmunk2510]

GC bought out My local Music Store. (Thank god Sam Ash is still around) but the old store was pretty good...

[moghes69]

i hated guitar center up until a month ago. i walked in with my guitarist because he needed new strings, and i went over to the bass section. there i found a curbow (not a cort, one built by greg curbow), a ritter, two alembics, and a gibson grabber. and amazingly enough they let me play all of them.

[Son of Magni]

I'm wondering what this actually means. What is the GC warranty? Certainly the manufacturer's warranty is still in effect. So does it mean that GC won't deal with it and would make you deal directly with the manufacturer (which would certainly be a royal pita)?

Not that I'm defending GC, I've never delt with them.

If you want your bass built right, build it yourself :)

[Akira]

I would not even trust "mom & pop" stores, once I was taking lessons at a local store.....they charged $190.00 to my mom's debit card....
Don't judge all small music stores on one place.

[Tryxx]

I'm wondering what this actually means. What is the GC warranty? Certainly the manufacturer's warranty is still in effect. So does it mean that GC won't deal with it and would make you deal directly with the manufacturer (which would certainly be a royal pita)?

Not that I'm defending GC, I've never delt with them.

If you want your bass built right, build it yourself :)

It's probably exactly like GameStop. You can buy a Product Replacement Warranty with us, but there are a couple of stipulations. (I won't call them "catches".)

1. The warranty is good for a year (respectively) but if you use it to replace a system, you'll have to purchase another for it to be valid on the system it was exchanged for, as the warranty goes by serial number.

2. If you used the manufactors warranty instead of ours, it voids ours out completely.

I have a choice of 3 Guitar Centers. One of them is full of assholes, unless you get a manager, most of which are bass players. Another is sort of indifferent, not much to do there. The third (with the smallest selection) has the best help imaginable, but they have maybe 10 basses. But the basses they have are of great quality, limited edition Warwicks, Moduluses, and they have the much better amps. It's in like a 12 by 12 room though, but it's cut off from the rest of the store, so that makes me happy. :p

[Akira]

The bass room in my GC is so tiny. It isn't really a room, it is hard to explain It's sort of sectioned off by a wall. It has a decent selection of basses. Then behind a big counter out of the bass "room" they have a wall of Fenders, and in a hallway next to the bass room they have combo amps and beginner/low end used basses.

[nicatterberry]

I wish I had a guitar center.

[ShetaN bRaT]

Haha ahhh ... I work at GC <3

[Thonk]

The guys at my local shop are nice and very helpful.

/never been to GC

[Spencer]

Over here its like this..

The guitar center in new orleans is big and has alot more basses but everyone there is a asshole..

The guitar center in baton rouge is small and has a few basses but everyonre there is very helpful.

I like guitarcenter.

[Jody LeCompte]

That's why I love my music shop that I buy everything at. It's a bit of an inconvience to drive out to Baton Rouge, about 45 minutes, but the prices are right and the staff are perfect.

I've seen every brand you could imagine in Guitar Center and never enjoyed playing any of them...

Spencer: Where about in Louisiana do you live?

[nicatterberry]

When I was at the GC in Nashville, no one even talked to me. I was happy.

[mastrrbasser]

it's entrapment. Guitar center sets up all the instruments like balls, so it's expected for them to be set up after they're purchased. I don't even think they set them up. When i got my warwick, i didn't go for feel when i was testing it because i know the action was going to be terrible, so i went with how the thing sounded. As soon as i brought it home i fixed the neck, adjusted the bridge, string spacing, and intonation and now it's awesome.

[fleakeepr666]

I bet it beats Ed Roman's guitars.

Oy Ed Roman. But it's either him or the Guitar Center down the street.

[FunkMetalBass]

My Guitar Center is kind of in the middle, with a combo of #s 2 and 3. We occasionally have some used Conklins and the like come through there, and the separated room is half guitar/half bass.

[Naveed Afzal]

maybe iuts just me but it makes complete sense...
they have tio protect themselves...

if some foold decides to do some adjusting and breaks the trussrod... and tries to bring it back and they take it, they're loosing money, shortrun no... but long run yes.

not saying its right... but it makes perfect sense.

[FunkMetalBass]

maybe iuts just me but it makes complete sense...
they have tio protect themselves...

if some foold decides to do some adjusting and breaks the trussrod... and tries to bring it back and they take it, they're loosing money, shortrun no... but long run yes.

not saying its right... but it makes perfect sense.

Oh no, I agree with you there. JP was just warning us. It's one of those stipulations that not many people are knowledgable about.

[mastrrbasser]

yeah but if it voids the warrantee completely it's not really fair. What if you adjusted the truss rod and wanted to take it back to get the bridge fixed or the preamp fixed (lets say it was defective) under warantee. If the fact that you adjusted the neck makes it void, that's not really fair. I can understand if there's a neck problem if you adjust it, but that's it.

[Naveed Afzal]

Oh i know, but was just saying for those that are crying foul, it makes perfecrt sense

and mastr basser its a buisness, if you mess up the trussrod, how would they know that you didnt mess up everything else?

[Left Shoe]

The people: 1
Corporate America: 0

GC is such a scam. Man, I hate big chain stores like that but alas, it's all we have around here...that and Daddy's Junky Music, but they only carry Fender and Ibanez. :(

-Gav
daddys had yamahas, if they didnt i dont know if id be playing them now

[bottlerocket]

The Daddy's in Boston right across from Berklee did...but that's a hassle to get to (taking the train, parking, etc.) so I go to the one in Danvers. That Daddy's literally only carries Fender and Ibanez basses and Fender, Ibanez, and Gibson/Epiphone guitars. It stinks. :(

They don't even have GOOD Fenders/Ibanezes. They're just mediocre ones (Squiers, a MIM or two if you're lucky, beginner Ibanez packs, etc.).

-Gav

[LewsTherin]

The Daddy's in Boston right across from Berklee did...but that's a hassle to get to (taking the train, parking, etc.) so I go to the one in Danvers. That Daddy's literally only carries Fender and Ibanez basses and Fender, Ibanez, and Gibson/Epiphone guitars. It stinks. :(

They don't even have GOOD Fenders/Ibanezes. They're just mediocre ones (Squiers, a MIM or two if you're lucky, beginner Ibanez packs, etc.).

-Gav


the last time i was in the one in shrewsbury, the best fender they had was a POS used MIM Jazz V.


They did have a good used Peavey MkIV and 2 1820 cabs tho. All for $150 a peice, too.


/wishes he had had a truck that day.

[bottlerocket]

Haha...yeah, the Daddy's in Mass aren't too great. :(

-Gav

[Son of Magni]

The Daddy's in Boston right across from Berklee did...but that's a hassle to get to (taking the train, parking, etc.) so I go to the one in Danvers. That Daddy's literally only carries Fender and Ibanez basses and Fender, Ibanez, and Gibson/Epiphone guitars. It stinks. :(

They don't even have GOOD Fenders/Ibanezes. They're just mediocre ones (Squiers, a MIM or two if you're lucky, beginner Ibanez packs, etc.).

-Gav
I've delt with Daddy's a lot. If you want to try out anything that the chain has, just call the store you want to see it at, and they will get it there within a few days. They are constantly driving stuff between the stores, and you don't have to make any commitment to purchase it.

[bottlerocket]

I asked if they would get any Musicman, Warwick, Schecter, or Spector basses in. He told me they can only carry Fender and Ibanez basses for now.

LAME!

-Gav

[NavyBass]

I asked if they would get any Musicman, Warwick, Schecter, or Spector basses in. He told me they can only carry Fender and Ibanez basses for now.

LAME!

-Gav

I think they are geared more towards used stuff. Do they still have tons of used things? That's why I used to go there, they used to have some great deals on their used things.

[trumpeter]

I think they are geared more towards used stuff. Do they still have tons of used things? That's why I used to go there, they used to have some great deals on their used things.

They have a fairly large used selection, but I've never seen it, only read about it in their catalogue, which doesn't really have their used section, but I'm fairly sure its on their website.

[Miek]

I used to love Daddys. Their used selection was awesome. When I go up to R.I. this summer, I'll probably stop in to the one in Warwick.
That's where I go!!!

[mastrrbasser]

Oh i know, but was just saying for those that are crying foul, it makes perfecrt sense

and mastr basser its a buisness, if you mess up the trussrod, how would they know that you didnt mess up everything else?


well who buys a bass without adjusting it? It shouldn't void the warrantee if the manufacturer messed up on the preamp or something, it should just void the warrantee if you mess up the neck.

[mastrrbasser]

They have a fairly large used selection, but I've never seen it, only read about it in their catalogue, which doesn't really have their used section, but I'm fairly sure its on their website.


a lot of the used gear in my area sucks ***. just used ibanez sr 200s and stuff.

[Naveed Afzal]

well who buys a bass without adjusting it? It shouldn't void the warrantee if the manufacturer messed up on the preamp or something, it should just void the warrantee if you mess up the neck.

you are suppose to to take it to a professional, that way if it gets ****ed up its covered.

[Machines]

It's the same way that if you buy a car new from a dealer - they insist servicing is done by themselves or it invalidates the warranty.

[MasterofBass]

I went to Guitar Center to try out some basses, but then ordered mine from a local shop because I hate everyone that works at GC.


haha, exactly what I do. I've been yelled at at GC for pulling basses off the wall and playing without being helped... I mean, gosh, that's what they're there for. And I'm not a stupid kid like all the other ones that go there who don't know crap about music.

[Left Shoe]

do you have a badge so they can tell that, where is your cut off line for someone who is an idiot and knows nothing of music and someone who does know something about music

[Yman]

do you have a badge so they can tell that, where is your cut off line for someone who is an idiot and knows nothing of music and someone who does know something about music

im pretty sure its based off of a number of things like clothing, attitude, and skin color. In rare cases nationality.

more importantly, i try to avoid guitar center for any big purchases, but they selection is so much bigger than anything else here. Its an awesome place to go mess around with gear, provided that you meet the requirements...

[thelowsoundofbass]

I think that you should be able to set up your own basses, besides GC does a bad job of it most time. Or so I have heard.

lowsound

[mastrrbasser]

I think that you should be able to set up your own basses, besides GC does a bad job of it most time. Or so I have heard.

lowsound


they do. every once in a while, they have a repair guy come in, and jam an allen wrench into the neck of your bass. twist it, and tune it up. They also charge you about 10 bucks. They don't ask you how you want your action to be or what your preference is. They just set it up "the right way" and they're done. The dude doesn't work at guitar center, he works for fender, and guitar center lets him freelance. He was actually cut off because he was getting way too sloppy.

but, i guess if you had the repair guy set up your bass, and you brought it home you can set it up without voiding the warrantee, because you can say he did it.

[Naveed Afzal]

My GC endorses the guy that i go to anyways soo im happy...

[mastrrbasser]

lucky. There was one dude who came in every saturday to do repairs and he was cocky, and a bad worker.