Where do you go to buy high end stuff?
- Thread starter TRex
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stratguy23
New member
Re: Where do you go to buy high end stuff?
I completely agree with each of these points. LA is hands down the best local used gear market I've ever seen, and I've lived in many different cities around the US.
I'll also recommend Reverb as a place to buy gear in general, whether low end or high end. For whatever reason, it attracts a better crowd than eBay. You often find more interesting stuff on Reverb - boutique stuff, custom builds, handmades, etc.
To sort of both protect my wallet yet ensure I don't miss out on anything I really want, I'll save searches in eBay, Reverb, and Craigslist for a given item. The searches will be limited in paramters (price, condition, etc.), and will yield email notifications if new postings satisfy the conditions. This way the market comes to you, under your own terms ("I will not buy until the price falls below X level") instead of you spending a lot of time window shopping.
There are good retailers out there, the kind that care about what they stock and what kind of service you get. The first names that come to mind are Sweetwater, Music Store Live, and UpFront Guitars. I'm sure there are more.
I completely agree with each of these points. LA is hands down the best local used gear market I've ever seen, and I've lived in many different cities around the US.
I'll also recommend Reverb as a place to buy gear in general, whether low end or high end. For whatever reason, it attracts a better crowd than eBay. You often find more interesting stuff on Reverb - boutique stuff, custom builds, handmades, etc.
To sort of both protect my wallet yet ensure I don't miss out on anything I really want, I'll save searches in eBay, Reverb, and Craigslist for a given item. The searches will be limited in paramters (price, condition, etc.), and will yield email notifications if new postings satisfy the conditions. This way the market comes to you, under your own terms ("I will not buy until the price falls below X level") instead of you spending a lot of time window shopping.
There are good retailers out there, the kind that care about what they stock and what kind of service you get. The first names that come to mind are Sweetwater, Music Store Live, and UpFront Guitars. I'm sure there are more.
stratguy23
New member
Re: Where do you go to buy high end stuff?
The big edge Sweetwater has is that they weigh each guitar, if you care about that kind of thing. If you're buying an SG and want to minimize neck dive, you'd want the heaviest SG in stock. if you're buying a Les Paul, you can find the lightest weight one.
Combine that with their "55-point evaluation" (a quality check that's sort of like a setup) for their mid- and high-end guitars, you can maximize your chances of getting something good out of the box. With your average online retailer, you're just rolling the dice as to what you get.
Customer service there is unparalleled. I emailed them asking about heaviest SG in stock, and the rep told me that they actually had more in stock than what was listed online, and that she could get the heaviest one in stock picked out for me. You'd never get that kind of service from a big box store.
Also, Sweetwater has some really good deals in their demo units, which are listed in their DealZone, and, as far as I can tell, not searchable from the main site search. You have to search from within the DealZone. Since Sweetwater is pretty active about making demo videos, their demo unit selection gets refreshed often. It's a great place to find barely used amps and pro audio stuff.
The big edge Sweetwater has is that they weigh each guitar, if you care about that kind of thing. If you're buying an SG and want to minimize neck dive, you'd want the heaviest SG in stock. if you're buying a Les Paul, you can find the lightest weight one.
Combine that with their "55-point evaluation" (a quality check that's sort of like a setup) for their mid- and high-end guitars, you can maximize your chances of getting something good out of the box. With your average online retailer, you're just rolling the dice as to what you get.
Customer service there is unparalleled. I emailed them asking about heaviest SG in stock, and the rep told me that they actually had more in stock than what was listed online, and that she could get the heaviest one in stock picked out for me. You'd never get that kind of service from a big box store.
Also, Sweetwater has some really good deals in their demo units, which are listed in their DealZone, and, as far as I can tell, not searchable from the main site search. You have to search from within the DealZone. Since Sweetwater is pretty active about making demo videos, their demo unit selection gets refreshed often. It's a great place to find barely used amps and pro audio stuff.
Last edited:
NecroPolo
New member
Re: Where do you go to buy high end stuff?
I take a high end riff and play on low-end gear. I'm all for modding the stock.
On a serious note, there is a guy around my area who is a private collector / trader with an awesome set of various instruments. In the need of a specific unique gear he is the man I'd visit.
I take a high end riff and play on low-end gear. I'm all for modding the stock.
On a serious note, there is a guy around my area who is a private collector / trader with an awesome set of various instruments. In the need of a specific unique gear he is the man I'd visit.
Kosh Naranek
New member
Re: Where do you go to buy high end stuff?
Cream City Music
Dave's Guitars
Get hold of an issue of Vintage Guitar magazine. The shops mentioned in this thread, and a bunch more boutique shops that specialize in high end gear advertise in Vintage Guitar.
Cream City Music
Dave's Guitars
Get hold of an issue of Vintage Guitar magazine. The shops mentioned in this thread, and a bunch more boutique shops that specialize in high end gear advertise in Vintage Guitar.
Kosh Naranek
New member
Re: Where do you go to buy high end stuff?
I don't rule out Guitar Center either. My local one has scaled back their inventory in the last couple of years, but they get cool boutique used gear in from time to time. The few PRSs and EBMMs they have in stock back in their Platinum room are exquisite instruments.
And I second the recommendation to check Music Go Round. Last week when I stopped at my local MGR, they had a Maryland PRS C22, some cool USA Strats including one from the 1970s, a 1970s Rickenbacker 4001, and a few Les Pauls.
I also usually see some high end amps there too. Not much last time, but I've seen Orange, Fryette and even Deizel amps there.
I don't rule out Guitar Center either. My local one has scaled back their inventory in the last couple of years, but they get cool boutique used gear in from time to time. The few PRSs and EBMMs they have in stock back in their Platinum room are exquisite instruments.
And I second the recommendation to check Music Go Round. Last week when I stopped at my local MGR, they had a Maryland PRS C22, some cool USA Strats including one from the 1970s, a 1970s Rickenbacker 4001, and a few Les Pauls.
I also usually see some high end amps there too. Not much last time, but I've seen Orange, Fryette and even Deizel amps there.
allbutromeo
Well-known member
Re: Where do you go to buy high end stuff?
I don't think enough could be said about Sweetwater's customer service. I've never had a retailer, music or otherwise, call me after a purchase to make sure that I'm satisfied.
I don't think enough could be said about Sweetwater's customer service. I've never had a retailer, music or otherwise, call me after a purchase to make sure that I'm satisfied.
JeffB
Let it B
Re: Where do you go to buy high end stuff?
Sweetwater, Reverb bootek sellers, booteek sellers direct. Zzounds/AMS. My last high end guitar was from Reverb through The Guitar Store, in Seattle.
Pedals I go through Pedalgeek if its booteeky, or Sweetwater and Amazon if its more run of the mill.
In general Sweetwater is my go-to, and I go elsewhere if they dont have what I want.
Local shops I avoid due to owners, pricing, mediocre inventory or any combination of the three. I only go to the GC (which I can see down below in the valley from my deck, when the leaves are gone) for string/pick emergencies or to let my son gawk.
Sweetwater, Reverb bootek sellers, booteek sellers direct. Zzounds/AMS. My last high end guitar was from Reverb through The Guitar Store, in Seattle.
Pedals I go through Pedalgeek if its booteeky, or Sweetwater and Amazon if its more run of the mill.
In general Sweetwater is my go-to, and I go elsewhere if they dont have what I want.
Local shops I avoid due to owners, pricing, mediocre inventory or any combination of the three. I only go to the GC (which I can see down below in the valley from my deck, when the leaves are gone) for string/pick emergencies or to let my son gawk.
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