NGD -why are people trading stuff in at GC?

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

I know what I'm looking at, so I like to shop pawn shops. Talk about ridiculous deals.

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

Pawn shops in this area seem to just get horrific crap. I guess if I hit them regularly maybe I'd find something decent. When I do it's usually way over market.
 
Re: NGD -why are people trading stuff in at GC?

GC does not take advantage of anybody. I mean....seriously...in this day and age if you don't know what your gear is worth (we do have a thing called the internet, EBay etc.) there just is no excuse. By the same token, everyone knows that they pay 50% of what they can get for it (roughly). I mean c'mon, when I was young there was so little info around...we had excuses.....but we didn't run around complaining either.
 
Re: NGD -why are people trading stuff in at GC?

devastone said:
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...
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Always wanted a 6100!!! wow!!
 
Re: NGD -why are people trading stuff in at GC?

Wattage said:
Pawn shops in this area seem to just get horrific crap. I guess if I hit them regularly maybe I'd find something decent. When I do it's usually way over market.
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Ditto!! mostly junk and WAY overpriced.. once I was in a pawn shop in jax and they had an epi or something at about twice retail.. Told em I could get a new one for much less. Didn't believe me.. Took a MF catalog in and their prices came down... alittle..

Pawn shops buy cheap, sell high.. Same with GC.. I have to laugh.. If you bought it for say, $150, that means they gave some shmuck $50-75 for it. I was gonna trade some stuff in one time and they told me what they would give me for it... no thanks...
 
Re: NGD -why are people trading stuff in at GC?

Silence Kid said:
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.
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No Bro, used gear is good for them... A) they buy VERY low and double their money = profit. Or B) they give someone a tiny trade in credit on a new piece of gear, so they double the money on the used gear and still sell new gear= double profit...

Plus, Im sure they take in only what they think they can sell and turn a profit on. They aren't gonna take some crap no name guitar with 2 inch action..

Im sure a lot of people still trade in gear for fear of getting ripped off on ebay or not wanting to hassle with it
 
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Re: NGD -why are people trading stuff in at GC?

The GC in Jax used to have a fairly big selection of used, and some stuff at decent prices. last 2 times I went, they had maybe 6 used pieces.
 
Re: NGD -why are people trading stuff in at GC?

By the way.... Congrats WATT!! kinda got side tracked from your NGD thread!
 
Re: NGD -why are people trading stuff in at GC?

I have both local GC's on regular rotation for all the reasons mentioned.
 
Re: NGD -why are people trading stuff in at GC?

I've traded stuff in towards a new purchase since they're more willing to give me a discount, or give me the higher end of the trade in value scale. Sure, I could have done better if I sold through eBay- which at times their own people encouraged, but then I'd have to go through the whole hassle of listing, shipping, etc...
 
Re: NGD -why are people trading stuff in at GC?

BloodRose said:
By the way.... Congrats WATT!! kinda got side tracked from your NGD thread!
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Thanks it's a really nice guitar, it was just so filthy when I got it it was sad. The L-500's sound so good thru my AD30 it was like they were made for each other
 
Re: NGD -why are people trading stuff in at GC?

jmh151 said:
I've traded stuff in towards a new purchase since they're more willing to give me a discount, or give me the higher end of the trade in value scale. Sure, I could have done better if I sold through eBay- which at times their own people encouraged, but then I'd have to go through the whole hassle of listing, shipping, etc...
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Where I live there is now an option with FedEx where you just bring the thing you want to sell down, they will pack it and put it on eBay for you and manage the whole transaction. They will take a % cut and they will not do a reserve listing because they don't want to be stuck with it long term, so you have to decide if the listing/shipping hassle is more important that getting every penny out of it. But you can unload stuff without a hassle. Could be a last resort option if 1) you don't need every penny out of it 2) GC won't take it in trade or will give you too much less than a sale 3) listing and shipping is too much hassle.
 
Re: NGD -why are people trading stuff in at GC?

It sort of hurts me to see a deal like this and know that some guitarist needed that $50 so much that he had to sell it to GC. I am not really a GC/pawnshop guy, but you can find some good stuff if you look all the time. I am just not willing to put in that kind of time.
 
Re: NGD -why are people trading stuff in at GC?

speed2dirt said:
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.
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Yep,same here..always check their used items,I have scored some great deals including a USA Hamer Diablo in mint condition for $325 out the door,it had the Dimarzio tone zone in bridge and Air Norton in the neck stock,and a Schaller Floyd rose..Killer guitar and price !
 
Re: NGD -why are people trading stuff in at GC?

Wattage said:
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****

1473831087_g400.jpg
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I was just wondering today in fact what those wound up in!

That'll do nicely...
 
Re: NGD -why are people trading stuff in at GC?

My best used GC find was a '76 Guild 12 String at GC.

I don't know about all GCs but near me they give you 10% off a new guitar if you trade in on one–so I can see why some guys would want to trade in. The manager told me that he would rather sell used gear than the new stuff he has to keep in stock.

I've found the used GC prices to be better than the Pawn Shops... My dad and I use to go to Pawn Shops all the time and find great deals on music gear–I hardly go now because the gear is priced at mint when it should be priced at well worn.
 
Re: NGD -why are people trading stuff in at GC?

things I've snagged:

USA Hamer Studio mint condition, pre FMIC for $650
G&L USA ASAT Deluxe for $800 with case
2008 PRS SC245 with 10 top for $1,450
Pigtornix Echolution II for $140

I search their used inventory online all the time
 
Re: NGD -why are people trading stuff in at GC?

I've sold to GC a couple times when the item was of a quality or condition that I didn't trust would stand the test of time.
Used-gear buying there is hard to beat with their return policy.

With the online used stuff it's much advised to call-in and speak to the manager at the specific store, just to confirm the info and condition/photo is accurate.
You can go through their online used and literally find mistake after mistake. (sometimes the photos don't even show the correct item listed. lol
 
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