GCs don't carry Mark IVs anymore?

[dylan7620]

recently i've been trying to get ahold of a mark IV to spend some time with, because i plan on getting one, but i'm waiting to master the beast (and the finances) so i called all the 'mesa' GCs in the area and after a few transfers and stuff i'm transfered to an 'expert' who tells me that they are order only now, of course the expert gave me a price of $1849, and that was the only stat they could give me. uh.... thanks....

now i don't want to start a GC bash because we already know how dumb some of thier people are and i'm sure we could make one of the longest threads in history if we did that. i just want to know if the marks are special order only now? i remember just like 6 or 8 months ago i tried one in store. but i can't find any mark IVs to try out in the greater seattle area! anyone.....?

 

[musicbox]

skimming through HC today i came accross some rumours about ill-relations between GC and mesa. something about not re-newing the dealer agreement. hearing that they are special order now doenst really surprise me. good luck in finding one!

 

[dylan7620]

hmmm sound like GC alway eager to please :lol: too bad it seems like its only happening to the marks, was the deal with mesa as a whole? i don't think they'd wanna lose thier precious rectos and loanstars :?

 

[Valtyr]

A GC opened here last June. I haven't seen them carry a Mesa product yet.

 

[dylan7620]

yea, each GC has to go through their own mesa authorization. some do and some don't.

 

[mtnb1kr]

I believe Mesa has an agreement with the dealers that there will be only so many Mesa dealers in an area. Where I'm at In Madison Good-N-Loud was already a Mesa dealer so the new GC doesnt have them and in Milwaukee,Interstate Music was already a dealer so the GC there doesn't have them either. Makes the Boogie a bit more exclusive and the almost boutique thing alive I guess.

 

[dylan7620]

yea, its supposed to be something like no more than 2 dealers within 50 miles...

 

[MesaDCLP]

GC opened about 8 months ago here. They don't carry Mesa, cause they can't.

No one carried any mesa at the time they opened, but when they opened, a local rival saught out to be mesa's dealer. I went to the grand opening of GC and asked where the mesa stuff was. Of course they didn't have any, but they swore that they would be the dealer.

I don't know what happened, but GC lost the deal. A local store is the only dealer in town, and i think that's best. GC is corporate and that is never a good thing for consumers.

As far as the local guys go, if it ain't in stock, it's special order. I ordered a cab once they were officially the dealer and before they had stock, and it took almost 4 months to get it in. The wait was worth it though.

Maybe GC has decided to lower their stock on certain items. The cost of having it in stock is the same for us, but the dealer loses money in the deal everytime.

I've heard from the local guys that are the dealer, that Mesa only allows 1 dealer per 50 miles, and the dealer cannot ship anything to anyone. Also, the techs that work there are tested and must pass before the agreement is final. Their policy is strict, but it keeps the amps "elite".

 

[rickc007]

About a year ago, the GCs in So Cal were sellin the Mark IV for 1300 and change...thought it was odd...cuz supposedly not supposed to discount

One of the GCs in my area has quite a bit of turnover of Mesa and still gets new stuff all the time

Must be a store for store thing...another GC in my area does not carry Mesa at all....and there is another Mesa dealer about 2 miles from this store

I thought the Mark IV was being discontiued when I saw the 13xx price...than again this was at the same time the Mark V rumors were out

cheers...and if all else fails...I like my LSS better

 

[TheRazMeister]

Here's my issue. I love supporting the local mom and pop stores but as a player with limited instrument resources (as in, I have kids and a mortgage) I like the idea that if I hate something I can bring it back. Mesa's are NOT cheap but they seem to have distinct flavors and it's hard to tell what works until you get in your band environment. I returned a wonderful Crate Palomino last year because it didn't have my sound at gig volumes. In the store and at home it smoked most everything, Mesa F-50's included. Turned up it lost its edge and sounded too ZZ Top-ey. GC took it back and I came home with a used Rectoverb which had the exact opposite problem. My local Mesa dealer only has a store credit policy which means I have to know EXACTLY what I'm getting or risk being out $1500-$2000.

A local store is the only dealer in town, and i think that's best. GC is corporate and that is never a good thing for consumers.

.

 

[SFW]

There are at least four Mesa dealers in the Houston area. All three G.C.s carry them, as well as a local mom and pop shop. As far as the Mark IV being discontinued, I believe that they are no longer making the medium head version any longer. The Mark IV is the longest running amp in the Mesa line. And that is for good reason.

 

[dylan7620]

so anyone wanna loan me their mark IV for a while :lol:

 

[MetalMatt]

Yea, it seems most of the Guitar Centers Mesa stock is slowly dwindling in the bay area. I had to drive 45 miles to get my Road King SII. It was well worth it (I like to drive anyway). Way better than any GC. They have almost every type of mesa in one corner of the store, most of them custom ordered.

The problem with the mom and pop store is that I had to pay in full for the amp and a 2x12 cab when I ordered it back in August. If I ended up not liking my purchase I would only get a 14 day return, and half of my money back...$1750 :?... But! I love my Road King

The one thing I will give GC, is the 30 day returns.

 

[RR]

Yea, it seems most of the Guitar Centers Mesa stock is slowly dwindling in the bay area. I had to drive 45 miles to get my Road King SII. It was well worth it (I like to drive anyway). Way better than any GC. They have almost every type of mesa in one corner of the store, most of them custom ordered. ....

Which shop?
"Haight Ashbury Music Center" in San Francisco?
"Gelb Music" in Redwood City?
"Guitar Showcase" in San Jose?

I don't know the shops north of San Francisco or the East Bay shops.

 

[transgression11]

I just recently bought/order a Mark IV from GC about 5 weeks ago. They used to have some used combos on the floor that you could try, but that was it. They said when I went to order it that they dont carry those models on the floor or in the back, anymore. It sucks bc no other GC carries boogies, and the ones they have are limited/used..

 

[MetalMatt]

Which shop?
"Haight Ashbury Music Center" in San Francisco?
"Gelb Music" in Redwood City?
"Guitar Showcase" in San Jose?

I don't know the shops north of San Francisco or the East Bay shops.

The shop I bought/ordered my RK at?

"Zone Music"

It's in Cotati. www.zonemusic.com. Only a 10-15 minute drive north from the Mesa/Boogie factory in Petaluma. From what they tell me they're the first on Mesa's list, probably cause they're the closest.
Great Place, great people.

 

[Armando]

I doubt this is "new' info but all GC stores are rated by letters(a,b,c......). The A stores carry the hi-end gear like MB, PT TDM,etc....

The rest of the stores, B going down, carry less hi-end and more beginner stuff. It protects some markets from going under( like what happned to Mars Music). I find that around here, finding MB products means going to the smaller shops. It's a shame, but that's what happens when you start handing $3K Les Pauls and such to "dorkie" little 14 year olds, who will never have enough $$ to ever be able to buy one, so they take their angst out on these instruments, leaving them scarred and beaten up.

 

[dylan7620]

I doubt this is "new' info but all GC stores are rated by letters(a,b,c......). The A stores carry the hi-end gear like MB, PT TDM,etc....

The rest of the stores, B going down, carry less hi-end and more beginner stuff. It protects some markets from going under( like what happned to Mars Music). I find that around here, finding MB products means going to the smaller shops. It's a shame, but that's what happens when you start handing $3K Les Pauls and such to "dorkie" little 14 year olds, who will never have enough $$ to ever be able to buy one, so they take their angst out on these instruments, leaving them scarred and beaten up.

wow, i never knew this. thanks... now i know why my closest guitar center has always had the lame beginner stuff. obviously not an 'A store' :lol:

 

[VoodooChild24]

I just saw one om my local GC store.