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Guitar Center in the news.


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Sent to me by my wife.

 

This might be worthwhile if they will take old keyboards I will never use. It"s good stuff but I"ll never play that Hammond XB-2 or Kawai MP-5 again or all those PA cabinets in and other PA stuff in storage.

 

 

https://www.victorrecords.com/hismastersvoice/2020/7/15/vile-guitar-center-comes-for-musicians-throats-during-pandemic

"It doesn't have to be difficult to be cool" - Mitch Towne

 

"A great musician can bring tears to your eyes!!!

So can a auto Mechanic." - Stokes Hunt

 

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On second read not sure news is the correct description. It"s more of a opinion piece. Possibly too political for the forum. I would delete it but this group can handle it and maybe some gear hoarders can use this to make space for new gear.

"It doesn't have to be difficult to be cool" - Mitch Towne

 

"A great musician can bring tears to your eyes!!!

So can a auto Mechanic." - Stokes Hunt

 

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The question is, before this, what would they pay you for used gear? If the best they could get for it was $100, you wouldn't expect them to buy it from you for $99, would you? I'm not sure this 60-80% is any different than they paid for used gear before, just that they're promoting it now.

 

(I'm not addressing you directly, Ed/CEB. My statements above are to anyone in general.)

 

I'm not defending what they're doing, I'm just saying I don't know if it's a big con like the author claims. Lots of people sell their used gear to GC because it's easier than doing it themselves on eBay or Craigslist and most don't know about Reverb at all. Throw in shipping and GC is much easier. Is that worth 20-40%? It might be for some.

"I'm so crazy, I don't know this is impossible! Hoo hoo!" - Daffy Duck

 

"The good news is that once you start piano you never have to worry about getting laid again. More time to practice!" - MOI

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Anybody who's ever sold gear to a music store (or tried to) knows that they want to buy it as low as possible with the intention of marking it up significantly. They typically make more money on used gear than new. I can't tell you how many times I saw a keyboard be bought for $200 and then resold for more than double that.

This is not a ripoff, though - no one forces anyone to sell this stuff to the stores. Anyone is welcome to sell a piece of gear they own themselves. :idea:

 

I believe a similar situation exists with automobiles. :idk:

 

dB

:snax:

 

:keys:==> David Bryce Music • Funky Young Monks <==:rawk:

 

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I don"t know. I"ve bought used gear from them at good prices. I"ve never been a seller. Based on my past used purchases I suspect they never paid much on used gear buy backs or trade allowances.

"It doesn't have to be difficult to be cool" - Mitch Towne

 

"A great musician can bring tears to your eyes!!!

So can a auto Mechanic." - Stokes Hunt

 

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I don't mind it being posted, it doesn't seem political (or religious) to me. But the article reads like the author's real bone to pick is simply at private equity firms in general.

 

I'm not a fan of GC, but why take the very worst possible slant on GC's event? No one is holding a gun to anyone's head to sell anything (as no one ever forced anyone to walk into a pawn shop except hard luck and bad prior choices).

 

Most musicians I know have a fair amount of 'gathering dust' gear that could be sold without dispossessing them from earning a living whenever we return to live gigging. This just sounds to me like GC is trying to beef up their used car lot, guessing there is more margin in it for them - just like in the car dealer business.

 

EDIT: looks like all us old farts see it similarly.

..
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I've always had very good experiences selling/trading in gear at GC.

 

I know they have to make money. Luckily I have "a guy" I've been dealing with at my local GC for years who always takes care of me. When selling or trading, you just have to have a realistic expectation.

David

Gig Rig:Casio Privia PX-5S | Yamaha MODX+ 6 | MacBook Pro 14" M1| Mainstage

 

 

 

 

 

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Guitar center pays you half of what they think they can sell it for. Usually it's not worth it unless you can convince them that your piece is selling high. Usually ebay sales history refutes your play.

 

This is what my local store told me.

 

I've gotten some great deals on used gear, then at times the deals aren't so hot. Odd because you'd think they'd be a bit more consistent on price.

 

The main reason I buy from them is the return-locally policy if the gear doesn't work out for you (30 or 45 days iirc). I've returned a couple items I just didn't like and one that got broken in shipping, it was easy as can be (you might have to pay the shipping cost if the gear is not broken, though I never had to.)

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In general, to make a profit you need to purchase used gear for about 1/3 of what you hope to sell it for. This has been true for decades, for both retail outlets and buzzards like me.

 

The article is very one-sided. It complains that musicians don't have money and are in dire straits. True.

 

So, who is going to buy all this stuff then? Not musicians, they are all starving and have no money.

 

Guitar Center will be holding piles of used inventory for a LONG TIME. They have a policy that prohibits stuff being in the story for too long. Quite a bit of this inventory will end up getting blown out, thrown in on deal to "seal the deal" etc.

 

Take your prized possesion to a pawn shop sometime and see what they'll give for it. Then, cry me a river... wah!!!!

It took a chunk of my life to get here and I am still not sure where "here" is.
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Long ago I stopped going to a GUITAR store (GUITAR Center) to buy synths. The majority of their stock is home DPs and MIDI controllers, yawn.

Depends on the location.

 

While my local GC does have the home DPs and MIDI controllers, They also had a great stock of pro keys, with a bunch on display: RD2000, Fantom 6, Various Nord, Kronos, Montage, MODX, Krome, etc...

David

Gig Rig:Casio Privia PX-5S | Yamaha MODX+ 6 | MacBook Pro 14" M1| Mainstage

 

 

 

 

 

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Long ago I stopped going to a GUITAR store (GUITAR Center) to buy synths. The majority of their stock is home DPs and MIDI controllers, yawn.

Depends on the location.

 

While my local GC does have the home DPs and MIDI controllers, They also had a great stock of pro keys, with a bunch on display: RD2000, Fantom 6, Various Nord, Kronos, Montage, MODX, Krome, etc...

 

Well aware of that. I am not within driving distance of such stores.

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The guy in the article said that the way GC as worked in the past. I know from my experiences GC is up front on buying used they will tell you they pay 50% of going used price is. GC stopped taking trade-ins years ago they will only buy your used stuff and they will tell you you'll get more selling privately. 50% is called a full markup and is normal for retailers in any most businesses.
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I sold gear to Guitar Center earlier this year, and yes they'll give you half of what they expect to resell it for. The real value when selling gear to Guitar Center is they'll also give you 15% off on a purchase if you do it the same day and use your credit from the gear you sell them. I've done this--sold an inexpensive amp to them for $25 and then parlayed the 15% savings into significantly more on a nice Gretsch guitar. Combined, the value was more than I would have gotten from a private sale. I hang on to a few guitar pedals that aren't expensive that I'm not using to do this. Anytime I need gear from Guitar Center, I bring a cheap pedal in, get a few bucks for it, and leverage the discount into a better savings. Saves me the hassle of Craigslist sales or paying shipping through Reverb or ebay on an inexpensive item.
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On second read not sure news is the correct description. It"s more of a opinion piece. Possibly too political for the forum.
Thanks for the followup.

 

That was my take too, especially with all the nasty adjectives, and then watching the author's mouth start to foam towards the bottom of the page....

 

P.S. I have done trade-ins at GC and been extremely happy with the results.

-Tom Williams

{First Name} {at} AirNetworking {dot} com

PC4-7, PX-5S, AX-Edge, PC361

 

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I've had nothing but good experiences selling equipment to Guitar Center for store credit. Often get as good or better off than I do from other, independent local stores that emphasize buying and selling used equipment.

 

I'm surprised the author of that article seems so shocked by the concept that you don't get 100% valuation when you sell your equipment to any store - is he/she unaware that store has to pay its lease, utilities and store employees? When buying used equipment, they are are taking the risk that no one may want to buy what they just put their money into. Sometimes they guess wrong, and the thing will sit there for months and months (seen that happen many times-musicians can be finicky), taking up space that could be used to exhibit something more sell-able.

 

As noted above, a Pawn shop would give you way less. Even back when I worked at an independent music store in the early 80s, we used to only give ~ 60%, for the exact same reasons noted above. We often didn't make any offer at all, for the same reasons.

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I always sell low. I feel a twinge that day and then basically forget what I sold it for going forward. It's worth it to me not to have to worry about it any more.

 

Occasionally I have regretted not having the particular piece of equipment itself later on, but I can't ever remember regretting not having had the couple of extra bucks. They'd be gone by "now" anyway.

 

I like GC. I know that's unfashionable. In ours you can get to all the "good" departments without having to deal with the guitars and drums. The guys at the register always find a way not to charge full price, often without me even asking. No complaints; it's exactly what it's supposed to be, which is a mainstream, moderately well-stocked, consumer-oriented supermarket.

Now out! "Mind the Gap," a 24-song album of new material.
www.joshweinstein.com

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I always sell low. I feel a twinge that day and then basically forget what I sold it for going forward. It's worth it to me not to have to worry about it any more.

 

Occasionally I have regretted not having the particular piece of equipment itself later on, but I can't ever remember regretting not having had the couple of extra bucks. They'd be gone by "now" anyway.

 

I like GC. I know that's unfashionable. In ours you can get to all the "good" departments without having to deal with the guitars and drums. The guys at the register always find a way not to charge full price, often without me even asking. No complaints; it's exactly what it's supposed to be, which is a mainstream, moderately well-stocked, consumer-oriented supermarket.

 

I hear what you are saying. I had a good relationship with the manager here in 2000 when they first opened. He got transferred to the Hollywood store though. I think it's interesting they have survivied this long as we have some mom and pop stores that are doing well.

"Danny, ci manchi a tutti. La E-Street Band non e' la stessa senza di te. Riposa in pace, fratello"

 

 

noblevibes.com

 

 

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I recently picked up a Roli Seaboard 25 from a pawn shop in Sydney that had it listed on gumtree (our Reverb), offered the dealer a little less so I paid just over half retail, it turned up brand spanking new seal intact so I was pretty chuffed. At a seller's end, it can't hurt to ask what they would pay for gear you really have no use for.

Gig keys: Hammond SKpro, Korg Vox Continental, Crumar Mojo 61, Crumar Mojo Pedals

 

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'the collapse of music as a past time for many of the up-and-coming generation.'

 

I don"t know if this is accurate really. Less guitar players perhaps and too many guitars - the highest quality of high were made years ago. Computers, controllers and synths seem to be more popular than they have been for years.

 

Also, like the smart phone industry - the product life of tech instruments and gear is shorter and shorter. They revise, update, re-color, discontinue for a newer model, re-issue a classic, pump out knock offs, etc. anything to keep us selling off or throwing out gear for the next best thing. How sustainable is that? I don"t know really. But it definitely devalues the used market. And hardly a keyboard is made any longer that"s built to last 20, 30, 50, 100 years like acoustic pianos and organs used to be.

 

GC has been buying up used gear cheap for a while now. Some they sell in the store you sold it too - a lot goes into their online accessible inventory. Does anyone know if they make these listings international or send this gear to be sold in emerging markets? Can anyone confirm that?

 

Anyway, yeah - it"s crappy so few are gigging and making any money from playing for the last 5 months and it"s shady for GC to be promoting an event like this at this time where musicians might be doubting their future and need cash quick. Opportunistic, but that"s business.

Yamaha CP88, Casio PX-560

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I don"t know if this is accurate really. Less guitar players perhaps and too many guitars - the highest quality of high were made years ago. Computers, controllers and synths seem to be more popular than they have been for years.

 

There are many guitarists but way too many guitars. The market is flooded. At one point I had 50 guitars laying around, I fixed and sold most of them so that should tell you something. I was more or less just picking them up when they fell into my lap - which was all the time. Bellingham is only 90,000 people and used to be 70,000 so it's not a large population.

 

Pre Covid open mic nights were infested with guitarists. The one I co-hosted that has a tuned and maintained Steinway baby grand has never had more than 3 pianists and in one evening\, usually maybe 1 out of 15-20 performers. Almost all the rest were singers who played guitars or ukes.

 

Amps may come and go but a good guitar will always be a good guitar. I have a 1958 Danelectro that plays and sounds really good. It's ugly and beat to hell but it has lots of music still in it.

 

There is a reason it is called Guitar Center. They aren't doing anything they haven't always done, just promoting it more. They've always paid more than any pawn shop and they'll give you 15% off on anything you buy when you trade in plus include the value of the trade in. Opportunities have allowed some businesses to survive.

 

Sadly, not the gig economy.

It took a chunk of my life to get here and I am still not sure where "here" is.
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