Which Retailers get the Best Stock...or Worse stock?

[Gearjoneser]

I've always been curious about this topic. Do you think large music companies purposely choose where their best stock ie 'perfect tops' 'flawless construction', or best playing, end up going to? I see Ebay retailers claiming that they handpicked their stock, or storefront stores claiming that the B stock, refurbished, or returned merch. ends up at online sites, where the actual guitar you're getting ISN'T the one in the glossy catalog.
I've seen more instances of purchases from online sites ending up to be the flametop with an odd grain, the crooked tuning peg, or the scratchy pot.
At stores, people are much more anal and inspect every detail before laying out big dollars. It stands to reason that manufacturers would first make the determination of whether to send stuff to an online retailer or storefront, or give personal preference to retailers they have a good relationship with.

What do you think?....or know?

[chcjunior]

Re: Which Retailers get the Best Stock...or Worse stock?

I've wondered this since I got the THREE Marshall DSL 50's from Guitar Center that ended up crapping out on me.

[aleclee]

Re: Which Retailers get the Best Stock...or Worse stock?

I think that stores that check their inventory and ensure it's set up correctly are gonna have better gear. The Mega eTailers more or less take a box from the warehouse and slap a shipping label with your address. Unfortunately, many "big box" music retailers (Guitarget, anyone?) do a lousy job of ensuring that stuff isn't crap.

I believe that stores that hold the manufacturers accountable by returning garbage instruments are gonna have better inventory.

As for the hand-picked stuff, based on what I've seen, that's mostly BS with a grain of truth. A buddy of mine used to be a PRS dealer and the stuff that he ordered was more or less what he got. No hand-picking there. OTOH, there were sometimes pieces that, for whatever reason, weren't allocated to a particular dealer. If it's a particularly nice piece and the distributor likes you, you'd probably get first dibs. Other than that, you get what the factory builds for you and if it's not defective, that's what you're selling.

[jcarlos]

Re: Which Retailers get the Best Stock...or Worse stock?

I would not buy a guitar that I did not play first. For the most part, same goes for an amp. I would agree that hand picking sounds far fetched. The only hand picking will be me. Except for boutique items, everything is massed produced so for the most part, you get what you get. I have heard some people say something like "factory seconds". I guess that means that the quality may less than standard? I personally am a huge fan of Guitar center. For example, Parker Fly Deluxe new-978.00 normally 2K, Gypsie King classice 1200.00 with case,normally $1700.00 or more. Legend OM 302 acoustic, $700.00, normally $2600.00. I caught everything on sale, waited 1 year for the Legend. No other place would match those prices period. I have yet to go to a "mom and pop" shop or a boutique shop and not been somehow disrespected or gaffed off because I was not buying at the moment. I live near Los Angeles and there are numerous high-end shops to go to. With GC, you get 30 days to try it, if you don't like it return it. Try that with a boutigue shop. Granted, you can't buy a Bogner at GC, unles it's used. P.S. I don't work for GC.

[LesStrat]

Re: Which Retailers get the Best Stock...or Worse stock?

Good points.

Hey, Joey! Welcome to the forum *cues old Eagles song*

[jmh151]

Re: Which Retailers get the Best Stock...or Worse stock?

I bought my Axis from Royal Music in Merrick, NY. They had the best selection of killer tops out of any store I went to. The ones I saw at Guitar Center were pitiful.

[Bludave]

Re: Which Retailers get the Best Stock...or Worse stock?

I tend to agree that smaller stores are better for buying gear due to the fact that they are setup better and if the amps aren't working properly they will send them back. I just played thru a JTM 45 in Sam Ash the other day and was terribly disapointed. All the knobs were spinning in the chassis, and it was hooked up to a 4 12 greenback Cab that sounded like all the speakers were blown. In a small shop they would have taken the Amp in the back and repaired it before putting it on the floor. I have also played many guitars in Large stores that were not set up properly. This gives the Manufacturer a bad name, and is not necessarily the fault of the manufacturer. All instruments need to be set up before they are presented to the buying public. The better the guitars play, and the better the Amps sound the more likley sales will be made. In many of the large places they take the stuff out of the box and put it on display!!

[Quencho092]

Re: Which Retailers get the Best Stock...or Worse stock?

ive had bad experiences with a "mom and pop" shop where they tried to sell me a used epiphone joe pass emperor for 700 bucks. I really didnt do my homework and look over the prices but i had a gut feeling it shouldnt be so damn expensive. When i got home and looked online, GC was selling it new for 600. And when i was trying it out, all the guys from the shop were anxiously waiting for me to whip out the checkbook and all of them gave me hard looks when i didn't want to buy it anymore. At GC, you get a real price for a new instrument, and the guys at the shop don't pressure you to buy it-try what you want

[dd12939]

Re: Which Retailers get the Best Stock...or Worse stock?

There's a chain store (i think 4 branches) that just moved into my hometown recently. They carry Marshall, PRS, Gibson, Taylor, Yamaha, Vox, etc. I'm convinced that this branch gets the crap of everything. They have NO tube amps in the store. For a while they had ONE DSL401, but that is long since gone. I've seen 3 $2500+ PRS's go through there with necks like 2x4's that I wouldn't touch. (granted, the one in there now, a Custom 24 for $3k has a neck that I dream about) All the Gibsons in the store are a bit sketchy, as far as fit and finish go, but there are only 2 or 3 Gibsons - all the rest are Epis, which are far worse. I played a ZW sig that had such bad frets that the G,B,and E strings, the notes were the same from the 18th fret on up. I've also played 3 SG Special Fadeds there (3 different guitars) that had frets that would tear one's hand to shreds.
On top of all that, the staff is pushy and uneducated. Needless to say, unless I feel the need to play the PRS, I NEVER go in there.