GC sales man, BS?

[joe c.]

So I'm looking at posibly buying another Les Paul, and GC has a couple marked down 1999, real pretty,

flame cherry bursts, BUT, the action is really high like over a 1/4" on both! I told them if the action was lower I would consider buying one and the "tech" tells me they are supposed to be high action on les pauls, REALLY? All my Studio's and my Classic all have really low fast action, and every les paul my friends have also, the sales boys also agreed with him.

I am new to Standards so just want to know others opinions. Would someone really pay 2-3k on something with high action?

[moparguy]

So I'm looking at posibly buying another Les Paul, and GC has a couple marked down 1999, real pretty,

flame cherry bursts, BUT, the action is really high like over a 1/4" on both! I told them if the action was lower I would consider buying one and the "tech" tells me they are supposed to be high action on les pauls, REALLY? All my Studio's and my Classic all have really low fast action, and every les paul my friends have also, the sales boys also agreed with him.

I am new to Standards so just want to know others opinions. Would someone really pay 2-3k on something with high action?

That is total bullsh#t. When I bought mine they told me it came set up from the factory( plecked ). The action was really pretty nice on it except for a few buzzes that turned out to be me playing to hard, I had to learn to play with a lighter touch. There are setup videos on youtube, and setup instruction on Gibson.com. If you want the guitar, tell them to set it up the way YOU want it ,and that you don't like the extra high action that some ****** thinks is normal. I guess the Guitar Center here is an exception, the tech here is pretty good. Good luck

[deeman]

So I'm looking at posibly buying another Les Paul, and GC has a couple marked down 1999, real pretty,

flame cherry bursts, BUT, the action is really high like over a 1/4" on both! I told them if the action was lower I would consider buying one and the "tech" tells me they are supposed to be high action on les pauls, REALLY? All my Studio's and my Classic all have really low fast action, and every les paul my friends have also, the sales boys also agreed with him.

I am new to Standards so just want to know others opinions. Would someone really pay 2-3k on something with high action?

 

well the sales person is full of crap, but most guitars are going to need a setup after you buy them to set it up the way you like it. After it leaves the factory, changes in temperature and humidity can expand/contract the wood and alter the action and neck relief. At GC, you can probably negotiate a set up with the purchase but i'd stay away from that because they contract that out and who knows who is going to be working on the guitar. I bet if you ask for $100 off they'll give it to you. I got about $100-200 off my LP Studio when i got it from guitar center.

[joe c.]

Interesting, I bought my LP Classic from the same place, and in the proces of buying it the same tech was trying to sell me a set up for about 80.00 more, it already played well so I told him no.

[Guest Farnsbarns]

1/4 inch is high even for slide.

[charlie brown]

The Salesperson is Wrong! But, if you like the guitar, get it, have a good

(non-CG) luthier set it up, correctly, and you'll be set! IF, for some reason,

the action is set that high, to hide a "problem," then you can return it, for

a full refund, via their return policy. THEY should set it up, for you, free

of charge, there! But, with the salesperson's attitude, I might be somewhat

skeptical, of their "tech" (until proven otherwise), as well. Simply for the

fact, that the "tech" let that guitar(s) be put out for sale like that, in the

first place!

 

But, Good Luck, with whatever you decide!

 

CB

[capmaster]

1/4 inch is high even for slide.

+1

 

The Salesperson is Wrong! But, if you like the guitar, get it, have a good

(non-CG) luthier set it up, correctly, and you'll be set! IF, for some reason,

the action is set that high, to hide a "problem," then you can return it, for

a full refund, via their return policy. THEY should set it up, for you, free

of charge, there! But, with the salesperson's attitude, I might be somewhat

skeptical, of their "tech" (until proven otherwise), as well. Simply for the

fact, that the "tech" let that guitar(s) be put out for sale like that, in the

first place!

 

But, Good Luck, with whatever you decide!

 

CB

+1

 

I prefer fairly high actions, but none of my guitars exceeds 1/8" for the E6th at the 12th fret. Les Paul guitars need a slightly higher action than SGs or L6Ses to match my playing but are below that of Fender Telecasters and Stratocasters.

[old mark]

I have had GC "techs" and managers lie to me about the playability of several guitars I was thinking of buying online. I returned 2 of them immediately and kept the other because I was just thrilled to find one, needing work or not - a 1923 Gibson L3 round hole arch top...with factory case.

 

I still buy from them occasionally because they WILL refund your money without problems, but I have found a far better online seller of used gear is Music Go Round...they have always been straight with me, and gone so far as to send me extra pics of the damage to an old Gibson Sonex that I did buy, knowing the problems up front. They were either fixable or ignorable, the guitar was dirt cheap and it came with a factory case they did not even mention, probably worth at least half of the price on its own.

 

I have NEVER had as good customer service from any Guitar Center...

 

Just my experience, but there it is.

 

mark

[glp2012]

Well, here are a list of things I have heard fro GC "sales" people:

 

1. The guitar does not matter, it's all in the pickups. That's why there are so many companies that make pickups.

2. That Fender bass is made in the U.S. (even after I pointed out the fact that the serial number was MX12...).

3. We have that in stock, I am looking at it right now (when I arrived, they could not find it and the guy with whom I spoke said he never said that).

4. They (Fender) don't make a guitar with Kluson style tuning pegs.

5. That Les Paul studio came with the pick guard and strap locks (but, that was a whole 'mother story).

6. We don't offer the String Club anymore (yes, they do).

7. Buy any strings, they are all the same (this might be somewhat accurate because I know D'Addario makes string for other companies).

 

Not to mention that fact that I ordered two guitar stands and they shipped the wrong ones. The "sales" person tried to convince me that they were what I wanted and then that they were just as good as what I had ordered. Now, that's salesmanship!

[quapman]

I don't know anything about GC but any half a$$ed or mediocre guitar dealer should include a set up with every sale.

 

But from now on any guitar I buy will go directly to the guy who dressed my frets and set up my CC.

It was set up pretty nice when I bought it but after he worked his magic on it it's a whole new guitar.

I couldn't be happier.

 

Every guitar I buy will go from the store to his shop for a set up to my liking.

Well worth the extra money.

 

You have no idea how nice your guitar can be until it's been set up properly.

[jimmyl51]

See what the guitar that you want has sold for on ebay. Take the lowest figure and subtract $100 from that figure and tell the dude at GC that is what you want that guitar for. Believe me with this lousy economy they will want your sale. Just don't fall for them jerking your chain. jim in Maine

[Bender 4 Life]

you should report this to GC corporate (contact us)

 

lazy techs and lying salespeople are killing GCs sales

 

you'll get a nice gift card for reporting this inexcusable BS

[Blueblooded]

I've found most (not all) the staff at the 4 Detroit area GCs to be fairly knowledgable and helpful. However I work on & set up my own guitars so don't know how good their techs are.

[joe c.]

Sadly my buddy that works for another GC told me salesmen work for 7.00 an hour plus commission, and the techs with certificates are paid around 10.00 an hour, and I don't have anything against them, I think that tech was just a jerk.

[charlie brown]

Guitar Center, like most "retail chain" businesses should be evaluated,

on a "Case by Case" basis, IMHO. Some are really Great! Other's are

sadly lacking. The biggest problem seems to be employee/salesperson

"turnover." You can't build a good relationship, with a Great Sales

person (IF/When you find one), if they're gone the next time you go

in there. That's (generally) less the case, with smaller, and/or

family owned businesses. While they do have some turnover, it's not

nearly as much, or as quickly, as the Big Box chain retailers seem to

experience. So, overall, the service is often better, to a LOT better,

with smaller retailers. There are, as always, exceptions both ways.

 

CB

[rocketman]

1/4 inch is high even for slide.

 

Good one! LOL!!!

 

My GC isn't that good. But then again I don't get much from them. The Gibson saleskid (well he looks like a kid to me) at the HOG in Rochester gets sent to Gibson clinics by the owners. I love talking to him. He knows everything. Plus they'll easily beat GC prices. Also, the Gibson rep goes there on a regular basis. One of the owners told me to come on a day he was coming because I could ask for an extra $100 off from him directly. It worked! They do set them up for free too.

[Bender 4 Life]

CG blows. I don't buy anything from them anymore. I get stuff I need from MF.

 

ummmmm.....

don't know how to break it to you but....

they're the same company.

sorry.

[Zeke]

Should have ordered through Sweetwater.....

[Thomse]

Not all guitars are set up the way you like them . And the factory doesn't allways set them up . You know some times when i go in GC i set the guitars up for the way i play . Like the man said ask for 100 back or have them set it up for you or better yet try it your self . The best way to learn is on your own there is a lot of you tube out there on setting your guitar up .

[joe c.]

I bought the guitar I was posting about, set it up myself, added tronical tuners and graphtech saddles, it plays nice, it is a 2012 but not the split coil so its a 2008-2012 model, I would like to change the p ups to 4 conductor and add the push pull splitters and out of phase knob.