Does your guitar shop let you try out amps at home?

[ol4t]

Another poster was commenting about several amps he took home to audition in my area. Is this common?

 

[enigma]

Is it like the Guitar Center 30-day money back guarantee? :lol:

 

[ol4t]

Maybe, does GC let you take it home for approval without paying?

 

[Guitarzan]

Yes... A local store here will let you take home stuff for 24 hrs if you have a CC.

 

[MasterTrax]

Another poster was commenting about several amps he took home to audition in my area. Is this common?

Hi there ol4t,

Excuse me for hopping in, but I should point out that the store I deal with is locally owned and the owner knows most of his regular customers personally. I have been a steady customer for years and have spent a great deal of my money there. I literally built my studio with their help which consisted of supplying me with over 50% of the gear and acoustic products it took to make it happen.

Anyway, this to shed light upon the seemingly miraculous attitude of my local music store concerning the "try before you buy" scene

BTW tonight has been excellent - a successful night of tweaking amps and tracking guitars. Check out my amp thread for some thoughts on some of those amps you mentioned

M

 

[strumminsix]

yes, my local shop where i go very frequently (and have spent tons of $$$) let's me take home anything i'd want for a couple days.

 

[ol4t]

Another poster was commenting about several amps he took home to audition in my area. Is this common?

Hi there ol4t,

Excuse me for hopping in, but I should point out that the store I deal with is locally owned and the owner knows most of his regular customers personally. I have been a steady customer for years and have spent a great deal of my money there. I literally built my studio with their help which consisted of supplying me with over 50% of the gear and acoustic products it took to make it happen.

Anyway, this to shed light upon the seemingly miraculous attitude of my local music store concerning the "try before you buy" scene

BTW tonight has been excellent - a successful night of tweaking amps and tracking guitars. Check out my amp thread for some thoughts on some of those amps you mentioned

M

I've not bought studio equipment but a lot of guitar stuff and they do the same for me. This is the great thing about supporting local shops when you possibly can. Still, all this been said, I'll bet alot of stores wouldn't go as far as Paul does. We're lucky.

 

[enigma]

My local shop (big store) is supposedly being bought out by Guitar Center b/c it gives a stiff competition to a nearby GC.

 

[MasterTrax]

We are indeed very lucky to have G & B here, and I will do everything in my power as a consumer to see to it that they continue to thrive just as they always have despite the recent advent of the new Guitar Center in Beaumont....which, BTW, is very poorly stocked in comparison to our heroes' facility.

>If my leg was falling off I would not buy a even a single guitar string from GC to sew it back on.

M

 

[hifivic]

The GC in Indianapolis.......HOME OF THE COLTS!!!.............makes you buy the product and return within 30 days. They tell me that it is their corporate policy.

I deal with several locally owned shops and I do indeed have the luxury of home evaluations on either guitars or amplifiers. From other comments posted in this thread it appears I am not alone...this is exactly what an "independent speciality retailer" in todays internet cyberworld and national chain stores needs to do to display superior customer service.......this is why you deal with the local guy. Too bad there are so few independent Boogie dealers

 

[Utah]

There's a place in Salt Lake City that has a good selection of amps. Mesa, VHT, Bogner, Orange, THD, etc. I've spent about $3000 over the last year there on some cabs, speakers, an attenuator, etc. I'd probably would have spent alot more if there return policy was a little different. As soon as it goes out the front door you can't return it even if it is broken.

I wound up buying a Dual Rectifier from somewhere else (GC) after trying it in ther store. Originally went in thinking I might get a Orange but preferred the Mesa over it. Almost bought a JCM800 2203X last week through them but I couldn't even take it for an evening to try it out. They make things even harder there by not allowing you to turn up past a conversation level.

I can somewhat understand there opinion on no returns as then the item technically is "used". However, they would probably generate alot more business if they had a little isolation room with several cabinets in it where you could try the different heads at a decent volume. (That Marshall looks like it's been sitting for over a year.)

I have a hard time justifying a $2000-3000 purchase that might turnout out to be a POS with no recourse. Better off going into GC and ordering it, and then returning it if need be.

 

[MasterTrax]

Isn't there some sort of universal "buyer's remorse" law that says something to the effect that anyone can return anything or cancel any transaction within a certain number of days?

M

 

[ol4t]

That must not apply to all purchases, some merchant have a "you walk out the door with it, it's yours" policy. Some online guitar places let you have 3 days, some a week, some 90 days. Maybe some lawyers are here.

 

[oyster]

One of my favorite local shops, Long and McQuade here in Canada has a no questions asked 30 day return policy. Nice.

And they let you try out whatever you want in the store and their selection is excellent. The salesmen are very patient and seem to want you to get the right gear for YOU...not just make a sale.

When I was shopping for OD pedals lately I must have tried out a dozen pedals, all in a private room and they set me up with a DR Roadster with 4x12, the same setup I use at home...so I was able to get a great idea of how they would all sound with my own amp. I bought one (Custom Audio), took it home, decided I didn't like it after a week or so, took it back no problem, and tried out pedals again in the store. Finally decided on a Maxon Overdrive Pro OD-820. Lots of help from the salesman in the whole process...

Wow. Now that is a good consumer experience. 8)

On the other hand, my other favorite shop, Guitarworks, has a terrible return policy - return for store credit only, no refunds. they have really good gear there which partially makes up for it...but it is scary not to be able to try stuff out properly just to be sure on your decision. We did get around the policy though, with my Roadster, by "renting" it for a short while to try it out, then buying afterwards.