NGD -why are people trading stuff in at GC?

[Wattage]

I can't hardly pass up a stupid deal, it's gotta be a sickness

I don't know if they're trying to ruin the used market or if they just don't care.

$130 with a RR hardshell case, all but mint condition short some corrosion on the pickups, oh and it needed new strings and the frets/fretboard cleaned.
It became the perfect platform for a set of late 70's Bill Lawrence L500's that needed a home til I finish up my Heritage H-170.

$130 wtf?

****Epi G-400 Worn****

[Silence Kid]

Re: NGD -why are people trading stuff in at GC?

Apologize for not being knowledgeable, assume it's an Epiphone?

[Wattage]

Re: NGD -why are people trading stuff in at GC?

oh yes sorry it's late Epi G-400 Worn

[jmh151]

NGD -why are people trading stuff in at GC?

I love raiding the used section at Guitar Center,if you go regularly you can get some great deals.My brother started playing guitar so I snagged him a Marshall Valvestate V65 combo for $100- far better value than a Roland Micro Cube at $150. Prices are negotiable too as they pay the seller only 60 percent of what they're going to list the item at. I also picked up an Orange Tiny Terror for $220

[Silence Kid]

Re: NGD -why are people trading stuff in at GC?

They'll negotiate after a month of having something sit, I believe. Can be lucrative to be there eat the right time...

[AniML]

Re: NGD -why are people trading stuff in at GC?

I had one of those and sold it, not to GC. Great guitar. Would like to find another

[muttznmongrelz]

Re: NGD -why are people trading stuff in at GC?

Not just GC; my local Music Go Round is getting all kinds of stuff in of late. They're packed to the brim and they've had a few cool things come and go. I know they're doing a lot of trading; i.e., people bringing in their old gear and trading up.

[Wattage]

Re: NGD -why are people trading stuff in at GC?

They seem to completely take advantage of noobs or the unaware at GC.

Trading in unless it's a good deal for you is a pretty bad thing to do, you take a beating.

[jeremy]

Re: NGD -why are people trading stuff in at GC?

yep. when i worked there standard policy was to offer them 50% of what we thought we could turn the trade around for in a week. so if we thought a price of $400 would make this thing go out the door in a week, we'd offer $20o trade value. no idea how thats changed since its been more than eleven years since i worked there

[devastone]

Re: NGD -why are people trading stuff in at GC?

Haven't been in a GC in years, but I did see them offer a guy a stupid low amount for a Marshall 6100 head (IIRC), anyway, it was back when Marshalls were made in the UK and it was one of the top of the line heads. I think the guy took $300 or something ridiculous for it, I wish I had my checkbook with me and could have interceded...

[Silence Kid]

Re: NGD -why are people trading stuff in at GC?

GC probably doesn't want to be in the business of pedaling people's used items, but customers now expect it; it's a cultural thing for them now. How many other stores (say Target, JC Penney) offer used goods, ever? It's not lucrative or normally desirable.

The low prices that customer's are offered for trade-ins almost is enough to deter this, if they gave customer's even a half decent value on those items they'd wind up with a huge stock of used items, undercutting volume and price of their new goods; they'd probably then only accept trades at their leisure, rather than taking anything that comes through the door for a price.

People, as a result, either give them absolute crap for trade-ins (cheap items that would be difficult to be rid of on the regular market- Where is the supposed "regular market" in any case?) or else rely on serious addicts, or people who have never heard of the internet off-loading the belongings of their ex spouses, kids away at college, or decedents. The "good" stuff is rare, and again they probably don't want it piling up as an inventory/taking up store space, so they let it go for low prices, considering they got it for basically nothing anyway. Shops that specialized in used gear, mom & pops etc., can't compete with Guitar Center's used price tags because from GC's perspective, they're in the business of selling new goods; not putting energy into hawking people's used crap, even though they have the ability to do it from operating capital.

[speed2dirt]

Re: NGD -why are people trading stuff in at GC?

The used gear is really the only reason I go to GC anymore. They have incredible prices and get some good gear from time to time. I've played things I'd normally not get to try in-person, like a Bogner Uberschall, Rivera Knucklehead, ENGL Savage, Marshall JCM800 Kerry King, Friedman Dirty Shirley, etc. Seriously, I'd have no reason to go there if they didn't undercut people on trade-ins.

[jmh151]

Re: NGD -why are people trading stuff in at GC?

From a buyer's perspective, they're a safe bet to buy used gear from. They really thoroughly test out anything you trade in so they know they'll have no problem selling it.

[ErikH]

Re: NGD -why are people trading stuff in at GC?

All the GC locations in my area overprice all their used equipment. Granted, I haven't been in one in quite a while, by choice.

[Gearjoneser]

Re: NGD -why are people trading stuff in at GC?

I specifically stop in at GC's to check out used gear. In the major cities, you're more likely to run into stuff that's better than what GC normally stocks new. And if it's not high end, then it's dirt cheap.

Here's some of the gear I've gotten from GC's used section.
1971 Marshall Superbass JMP - $650....turned out to be Derek Frigo's amp sold for crack.
1984 JCM 800 100W 212 combo in mint condition - $800
Orange Tiny Terror - $300
Egnater Vengeance head - $350
Gibson SG Diablo w/case - $1500 and worth every penny.
Godin LG-P90 - $175 w/case. Best guitar I've ever bought for low dollars.
Pigtronix Echolution - $160
Bogner XTC Red - $150
Xotic Robotalk RI - $150
T Rex Moller $95
T Rex Viper $95
T Rex Replica $150
Ibanez HW Tubescreamer in metal box - $200
Way Huge Red Llama $75
MXR VH Phase 90 - $60

Probably a bunch more I can't remember.