Mesa Boogie + Guitar Center = no more?

[Little Pigbacon]

Re: Mesa Boogie + Guitar Center = no more?

Glue? Whippets?

I just read the Nov. 2012 news story that B2D linked to back in April, and… wow! It must be expensive to create and sustain such a universally underwhelming shopping experience, not to mention all the quality reviews and discussion at Harmony Central. See ya in the funny papers, asswipes.

 

[mantis]

Re: Mesa Boogie + Guitar Center = no more?

I think these Blackstar amps are all the fuss. They seem to be taking over many spots in many guitar shops.
I love Mesa amps , hope they stay somewhere around here .

 

[UberMetalDood]

Re: Mesa Boogie + Guitar Center = no more?

I think these Blackstar amps are all the fuss. They seem to be taking over many spots in many guitar shops.
I love Mesa amps , hope they stay somewhere around here .

Blackstars are great, but I want to see them next to Mesa Boogies, not replace them. Mesa has a lot of great variety in their lines. You got the Lonestars, Rectifiers, Express, Mark V, and then some. All extremely good amps with very different personalities. Mesa Boogie has quite a lot to offer the amp market, but I'm not convinced that such a rigid price structure is good for them. They would not allow Internet sales for the longest time. Still, it's not like you can shop around for the best price on a Mesa Boogie like you can with most amps.

 

[B2D]

Re: Mesa Boogie + Guitar Center = no more?

Still, it's not like you can shop around for the best price on a Mesa Boogie like you can with most amps.

Sure you can. You just have to do it on eBay and Craigslist and wait for a good deal That's how I paid $1200 shipped for a near-mint Dual Rec MultiWatt.

 

[UberMetalDood]

Re: Mesa Boogie + Guitar Center = no more?

Sure you can. You just have to do it on eBay and Craigslist and wait for a good deal That's how I paid $1200 shipped for a near-mint Dual Rec MultiWatt.

Well to an extent that's true because I think Mesa Boogies have a one time transferable warranty. However, you never know what you're going to get buying used. Unless you inspect every capacitor and chip and know exactly what to look for, there's no telling what kind of things people have done to their amps. On a couple of occasions, I got the previous owners to admit defects. Fortunately one of them didn't know enough to know that it was a simple tube issue, and the other offered me a refund or discount along with an apology. Anyhow, realistically though, mom and pop shops and smaller stores are able to compete with major chains because A.) They can negotiate prices instead of playing the price matching B.S. B.) They usually are more knowledgeable than the average Guitar Center employee C.) They usually carry other quality brands that GC doesn't carry D.) They sometimes give more for used gear.

 

[hydro]

Re: Mesa Boogie + Guitar Center = no more?

The big GC in my town suddenly turned up with all this mesa gear. My guess is that they consolidated all their Mesa stock into their big stores to get it cleared out.

One thing I have heard is that Mesa is moving more to a build-to-order system - if that is true, they would have less incentive to deal with higher volume resellers like GC anyway. I wonder if this is a response to the growth of boutique amp manufacturers who build to order and have a limited brick & mortar retail footprint.

 

[Dr. Vegetable]

Re: Mesa Boogie + Guitar Center = no more?

Are you sure it was all the Mesa stuff on clearance and not just their Metal Month promotion?

Is that another one of their "sales" where nothing is actually on sale? All joking aside, I don't think I've ever read the fine print of their sale flyers and ever not seen Mesa on the excluded list.

No, definitely not a Metal Month promo. The sales guy told me that GC and Mesa "broke up" and they are blowing out all inventory. All sales final. What they've got in stock is what they can sell you. Once it's gone, it ain't coming back.

Mesa makes great-sounding, solid equipment. Good for them to preserve their business model instead of bowing to the Wal*Mart-ification of the amplifier business. If they were to start cutting corners in production in order to meet lower price points dictated by their retailers, Mesa quality would be history. It takes guts to pull your product out of the largest retail chain in the country. I hope they survive.

 

[Edgecrusher]

Re: Mesa Boogie + Guitar Center = no more?

It takes guts to pull your product out of the largest retail chain in the country. I hope they survive.

Considering how far in debt GC and its subsidiaries are its them that need to be careful not Mesa. GC is something like 1.6 BILLION in debt. How long do you think that business model will last? Do you think its smart for Mesa to cut and run or to go down with the ship?

 

[Lucy Diamond]

Re: Mesa Boogie + Guitar Center = no more?

Mesa/ Boogie doesn't need Guitar Center.

 

[dominus]

Re: Mesa Boogie + Guitar Center = no more?

Considering how far in debt GC and its subsidiaries are its them that need to be careful not Mesa. GC is something like 1.6 BILLION in debt. How long do you think that business model will last? Do you think its smart for Mesa to cut and run or to go down with the ship?

It depends on whether or not GC has paid for their Mesa stock or if Mesa extended credit to them.

 

[Lucid_Lunatic]

Re: Mesa Boogie + Guitar Center = no more?

If I get another Mesa it would be a Dual Rectumfryer. I've got an MK1 now that's highly modded that came from Pete Carr.

I play my Marshall more.

 

[brunogio]

Re: Mesa Boogie + Guitar Center = no more?

That's right.

I am a big supporter of Mesa gear, it performs great and is well made. The company stands behind it as well. I don't mind that they don't allow retailers to deal on price. You go to a smaller shop and talk to people who know the gear and can explain differences/how to dial them in etc.. It's a benefit actually knowing you don't need coupons or to shop around to get the best price because it's consistent everywhere

You want one cheaper than the new price, get it used!

GC is all about pushing lots of gear at the lowest possible price and putting all the small shops out of business. I've been in one once in the last 10 years and it was to do a warranty swap for a Monster cable. I felt icky just talking to the people.

 

[SongsForTheDeaf]

Re: Mesa Boogie + Guitar Center = no more?

Long And McQuade here in Canada is miles above GC... at least my local one, they know a lot about gear and the girl there ALWAYS goes out of her way to get me the best deals and most money back on trades... I'm afraid the GC's I have visited while in the States were less than stellar

 

[PFDarkside]

Re: Mesa Boogie + Guitar Center = no more?

Actually I didn't even think about the big picture... Is that why GC is carrying the (former) boutique pedals now? Fulltone, Wampler, ZVex, Keeley, Badcat, etc. They are all big enough to be able to afford the GC credit game, and it's worth it to get the mass audience?

 

[esandes]

Re: Mesa Boogie + Guitar Center = no more?

Could be sooner rather than later.

where there's smoke there's fire. sounds like this scumbag trust fund company wanted to shake down mesa.

 

[Laughing Kookaburra]

Re: Mesa Boogie + Guitar Center = no more?

I think they should do like Carvin does, and send out a zillion catalogs, then lower their prices a bit.

Mesa is the kind of company that would do well with internet orders and showrooms in all the major cities.

What they've always done in Hollywood is sell their full line, then add other high end boutique guitars and pedals, such as Nash, US Schecter, Anderson, Moog, Fulltone, and all the flavor of the week pedal companies and accessories.

That's a cool idea. I'm quite familiar with Carvin.

 

[Dr. Vegetable]

Re: Mesa Boogie + Guitar Center = no more?

 

[PFDarkside]

Re: Mesa Boogie + Guitar Center = no more?

Nice! Good deal?

 

[Dr. Vegetable]

Re: Mesa Boogie + Guitar Center = no more?

Good enough. About 25% off. This thing is amazing, but I won't get to play it at full volume until this weekend when the cat's away.

 

[Edgecrusher]

Re: Mesa Boogie + Guitar Center = no more?

Good enough. About 25% off. This thing is amazing, but I won't get to play it at full volume until this weekend when the cat's away.

Your cat goes away for the weekends? Do you have joint custody of it with your ex or something?