Buying guitars used & unplayed from a BIG well known Co ?

[aleclee]

Re: Buying guitars used & unplayed from a BIG well known Co ?

I bought a used Parker Fly from GC. I asked them for extra pictures and it turned out to be just as described when I got it. Shipping was quite reasonable, too.

 

[Demanic]

Re: Buying guitars used & unplayed from a BIG well known Co ?

"Used and unplayed" = Somebody got it for their kid, the kid strummed it once or twice, then back into the case into the closet it went.

 

[milkbone]

Re: Buying guitars used & unplayed from a BIG well known Co ?

I bought a 04' LP Standard from them about 8 years ago. Was just as they described. Bought a Peavey Wolfgang Standard from them about 2 years ago... Had a bad fret. Took it back to a local store, they refunded MINUS shipping.....

 

[DrNewcenstein]

Re: Buying guitars used & unplayed from a BIG well known Co ?

"Used and unplayed" = Somebody got it for their kid, the kid strummed it once or twice, then back into the case into the closet it went.

I view "unplayed" as "never been fretted, strummed, or finger-plucked". No open-tuning strums, no slide, no picking-poking-plucking of the strings.
I view "used" as having any of that done to it.

 

[GuitarStv]

Re: Buying guitars used & unplayed from a BIG well known Co ?

I view "unplayed" as "never been fretted, strummed, or finger-plucked". No open-tuning strums, no slide, no picking-poking-plucking of the strings.
I view "used" as having any of that done to it.

So, most guitars from the factory aren't unplayed then? Isn't there usually a dude doing a setup somewhere along the line in the factory?

 

[DrNewcenstein]

Re: Buying guitars used & unplayed from a BIG well known Co ?

Q.A. don't count. If it's hanging on a wall where Average Joe or Wee Willy Wanker can - and do - get their meatbeaters on it, it's considered "played". My Custom Shop Jackson WarAngel was so loved at the factory that the strings were dead and crusty when I got it :lol:
At least they dressed up the frets before shipping it.

 

[GuitarDoc]

Re: Buying guitars used & unplayed from a BIG well known Co ?

I've bought many guitars new and used online from Guitar Center/Musicians Friend and never really experienced an issue (one time on a new guitar...had some problems but returned it for full refund plus shipping). All of the used ones I bought were better than expected. As someone said earlier, their rating system and descriptions are very conservative. In fact, some of the used or factory seconds I bought could have passed for new, but they were honest enough to admit it was a second, or returned, or used.

 

[Drunken Bowling]

Re: Buying guitars used & unplayed from a BIG well known Co ?

I got my last LP from Guitar Center online. Two of the plastic knobs were cracked, but that's about as far as any damage went. Maybe I just got lucky, who knows?

 

[treyhaislip]

Re: Buying guitars used & unplayed from a BIG well known Co ?

"Used and unplayed" = Somebody got it for their kid, the kid strummed it once or twice, then back into the case into the closet it went.

I view "unplayed" as "never been fretted, strummed, or finger-plucked". No open-tuning strums, no slide, no picking-poking-plucking of the strings.
I view "used" as having any of that done to it.

I think the OP was saying "unplayed" as in the guitar he was looking at is in a big box store in the USA while he was in South Africa, therefore he could not play it....so the guitar is "used" and he can't play it before buying it ("unplayed" by him)

 

[Edgecrusher]

Re: Buying guitars used & unplayed from a BIG well known Co ?

In fact, some of the used or factory seconds I bought could have passed for new, but they were honest enough to admit it was a second, or returned, or used.

This has been my experience too..

 

[uOpt]

Re: Buying guitars used & unplayed from a BIG well known Co ?

Has anyone ever bought a guitar, electric and/or acoustic from Guitar Center through their mail order system ?

They ship to South Africa (most do NOT) . . . but it is still very hard to feel 100% comfortable with this purchased-unplayed scenario.

With how much confidence can i buy from them ?

In Other Words . . . when they claim the guitar is in very good cond, can i trust their judgement ?

I am not worried about the transport - that is out of their hands, but i want to rest assure that when they say a guitar is 10/10, it truly is 10 out of ten.

Anyone has any experience with them in this regard ?

The talkbass forum has a big long-running thread about used items at GC that you shouldn't buy.

Basically the chance to end up with junk is about the highest it gets when ordering from them.

 

[dotsdad]

Re: Buying guitars used & unplayed from a BIG well known Co ?

Try Sweetwater Sound. They have photos of the actual guitars you are buying. You can pick and choose exactly which serial number to buy. If I had to buy a guitar by mail, I would definitely buy it from them!