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Where do you buy your Les Paul's at and why?


Metallica1

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I have been checking out different online vendors and local stores. Seems like the advertised price is very close if not matching at most places. What about the warranty and customer service? I have reviewed Sam Ash, Amazon, Sweetwater and Guitar Center. Do you ever purchase the warranty? Looks like Sweetwater gives you a 2 year warranty for free. I just curious where everyone buys their Les Paul's at. There is more to the buying experience than just the price.

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I have no preference, but he last two I bought at Guitar Center. I'd prefer to buy from whoever has 1) the best guitar, 2) a good selection and the 3) the best price. As far as I'm concerned, I'd rather pay top dollar for a good guitar that to buy one because I get a 15% off Labor Day coupon.

 

As an aside, I like Sweetwater. My "rep" is very responsive. Oh, I bought a Fender Telecaster American Special from Music Store Live based on their recommendation and they were right on.

 

However, the best customer service I ever received was from Wilcutt Guitars. I always check with them first.

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I like to play guitars before buying them and find that even guitars of the same make, model and year can feel and sound different. I’ve had most success at GC, because they have many stores in my area, a good inventory and a price matching policy (although it seems to have changed for the worse this past year). They can also order guitars not in inventory delivered to the store and will let you play it before walking out the door to make sure it is of your liking. I got real lucky with my 2014 Gibson Les Paul Standard buying it at GC at a closeout price below where even used guitars were selling. I also bought a mint 2012 Gibson Les Paul Studio for my son used off of CL at a huge discount to new models, so it pays to shop around.

 

I have not bought extended warranties. I generally play at home and I am careful with my guitars. Also, the luthier I use will generally fix minor stuff for free if he does the set-up on a guitar.

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I've bought Gibson Les Pauls from both American Musical Supply and Zzounds. They both have great customer service great prices and they also match prices. If you by any gear and they put it on sale within 30 days after you buy it you can call them and they will give you the sale price after you made the purchass (AMS for sure,) You get a FREE 1 year warrant from both. I've purchased items (peavey Valveking halfstack) that I was not happy with and had a blemmish (from the factory) and the took it back with no questions asked and I did NOT have to pay the return shipping. There payment plans are nice also.

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I also noticed there are few online buyers that will not charge sales tax. You could save $140 on a $2000 guitar by purchasing online. Florida is 7%. Plus free shipping makes it attractive.

 

 

If I walk into Sam Ash or GC with cash, do you think they will negotiate on a 2017 model? If I buy onsite then I pay sales tax.

 

 

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If I walk into Sam Ash or GC with cash, do you think they will negotiate on a 2017 model? If I buy onsite then I pay sales tax.

 

Not very much, not right now when the 2017s are barely in stores. No reason to go down much on them. Hang time, especially at GC and Sam Ash, is part of determining how much they'll move.

 

rct

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I pretty much have to play a guitar before I buy it... especially an expensive one like a Gibson Les Paul. I have tried ordering LPs online a couple of times, but had to return both for various reasons (both of which would have been easily rejected by me had I been able to see/play them in person first). Therefore I pretty much always buy locally where I can play them first. Luckily I live in a large metro area so I have plenty of retailers to choose from and lots of selection as a result (I recognize some people do not have the local availability that I do and thus online ordering really is the best option, so not saying you can't get a good guitar online, just saying I've had some bad experiences trying and with the local availability I have I just prefer to buy locally).

 

That said, my favorite local retailer is by far Sam Ash. My local one is great! The guitar department manager is not only a guitar player, but a luthier and very knowledgeable--and he's just is a very cool guy and I just always prefer to buy from him if I can. Also, their in-house luthier (not the guitar manager, but another luthier who runs their repair and setup department) is also very cool and very skilled. I always get treated right there and I always get good deals and I always get good work done on my guitars post-purchase.

 

I have also bought from local Guitar Centers, but really prefer Sam Ash. There are a few local mom & pop type stores locally too who I have purchased from as well, but again, Sam Ash is my favorite.

 

The only guitar I have ever bought sight unseen was a Squier Telecaster Classic Vibe 50s, but even that I did order from my local Sam Ash. And that was only because the one the had in-store wasn't the color I wanted. So I decided to roll the dice and have them order me one in the color I wanted. If it wouldn't have been up to snuff I would have returned it immediately and just got the other one in-store that was the other color. Luckily for me the ordered one was very good. Still have it. :)

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If I was out for another Gibson guitar, I would look for one online from Guitarguitar.co.uk. It's a trustworthy shop.

 

Gibson left the entire East-European region without dealerships. I can understand that, though. This region is Europe's poorhouse.

 

Bence.

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Gibson left the entire East-European region without dealerships. I can understand that, though. This region is Europe's poorhouse.

 

Bence.

 

Do you no longer have Klangfarbe Bence?

That's sad 'cos I really like that name for a 'Musikhaus'.

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Oh.

They're not making it easy for you are they.

I know little of Budapest, though it promoted a bit here as a tourist spot to some degree. I'm surprised there isn't deemed to be enough money about for at least a couple of good guitar dealers. Hope things improve for you guys soon.

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Oh.

They're not making it easy for you are they.

I know little of Budapest, though it promoted a bit here as a tourist spot to some degree. I'm surprised there isn't deemed to be enough money about for at least a couple of good guitar dealers. Hope things improve for you guys soon.

 

Tourists coming here won't miss anything. It's truly a beautiful and a very safe place. Just don't come to work here: the salaries are insanely low and the taxes are highest in the world. I don't expect things to become any better - generations lived their lives like that... Thanks, anyways.

 

Bence.

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E.M. Shorts, in Wichita, Kansas, 90+ percent of the time! Why? Because they're a great

"family business," and I've been dealing with them, for over 30 years. They know me, know

what I like, and expect, and they've never disappointed me, in product(s) or service. And,

they're very good natured, and easy to deal with.

 

For Items (guitars or other gear) they don't carry, I'll go to Sweetwater, or one of the other

On-line stores. Never really had any problem, with any of those folks, either.

 

I do try not to buy guitars "on-line" as I much prefer to play them, first! But, it's not

unheard of, either. Just depends on the guitar, and situation.

 

CB

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CB

 

EM Shorts is a great place to work with.

 

I've still got the 2 axes I bought from them (a 2002 LP standard and a 2004 Epi Elitist Chet Atkins).

 

They were always GREAT to work with. When I ordered the Chet, it was back ordered, and took quite some time to arrive (as you know these are imported from Japan and a lot of hand work went in to the build)..

 

by the time it was on the way, Gibson had upped prices, on this one, to the tune close to 300 bucks. Jon Ray called me to inform me, apologized for the situation, and gave me two choices, 1: Cancel the order for a full refund of my deposit, or 2: continue and he'd pickup half the price increase, and he said he could arrange to have it shipped over night from the Gibson plant in Nashville, instead of having it shipped to Kansas and then shipped to me at no cost to me.

 

I of course paid the extra $150, and like 4 days later... this arrived. over 12 years old now, and it's still pretty mint.

Chet1.jpg

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CB

 

EM Shorts is a great place to work with.

 

I've still got the 2 axes I bought from them (a 2002 LP standard and a 2004 Epi Elitist Chet Atkins).

 

They were always GREAT to work with. When I ordered the Chet, it was back ordered, and took quite some time to arrive (as you know these are imported from Japan and a lot of hand work went in to the build)..

 

by the time it was on the way, Gibson had upped prices, on this one, to the tune close to 300 bucks. Jon Ray called me to inform me, apologized for the situation, and gave me two choices, 1: Cancel the order for a full refund of my deposit, or 2: continue and he'd pickup half the price increase, and he said he could arrange to have it shipped over night from the Gibson plant in Nashville, instead of having it shipped to Kansas and then shipped to me at no cost to me.

 

I of course paid the extra $150, and like 4 days later... this arrived. over 12 years old now, and it's still pretty mint.

Chet1.jpg

 

 

Great story! [thumbup] I've had similar versions, myself! They've always been Great, with me, too!

My last big foray, was when I got my SG's (4 of them, in one year [scared][biggrin])! Got to "cherry pick" from the lot,

of each model, as they came into stock. And, they always do a great set-up, and any "tweaks" I want,

(within reason) as part of "the deal!" They have a good "return" policy, as well. But, I admit, I've

never "returned" a single guitar, or other item, purchased from them, in over 30 years (almost 40, now)

of dealing with them. It's a 100 mile drive, for me, each way, but WORTH IT!

 

Cheers, [biggrin]

 

CB

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I haven't bought an LP there, but for what its worth, my favourite Guitar shop is 'Guitar Village' in Farnham Surrey uk.

 

They have a wall of Gibson archtops on the 3rd floor (looks like a quaint old little shop from the outside) that is hard to look away from. The staff are attentive & very knowledgeable.

I bought my Hofner HCT J-17 from them.

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However, the best customer service I ever received was from Wilcutt Guitars. I always check with them first.

 

+1 on Willcutt - I purchased a used guitar from them some years back, and it was a positive experience; they go through the guitars pretty thoroughly, cleaning them and setting them up nicely. Plus, they offer detailed physical descriptions and lots of hi-res photographs of different aspects.

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