Whats the deal with the Mesa Dealer Agreement ?

[acguitar]

O.K., I'm a newbie, but I have searched the boards as best I can and can't find any info on this. I am interested in a Lonestar Special that my local authorized dealer has. But... he tells me he can't sell to me for less that the "pro net" pricing or his "mesa dealer" status will be revoked (they won't sell to him any more). And I saw in another post that Mesa Dealer Agreement says dealers can't sell to people in other dealers areas.

Any truth to this stuff... asking mainly because my local dealer has lied to me before.

 

[goneloco]

ALL TRUE!!!!

 

[no soul]

yup, no discounts, and strict territory rules.

The only exceptions I can think as far as the price goes are:

- the not completely rare occurence guitarcenter decides to put a certain model on clearance (this recently happened to the F-100 combo, all F series heads, the rectoverb head, and all Roadkings)

- you go to the Mesa Factory outlet store

If you dont like, buy smart, buy used!
Not gonna be easy on a LSS tho..

 

[acguitar]

So Guitar Ctr should have their dealer status revoked :shock:

Yeah, I'm a big fan of capitalism (translation= me paying less) so I think I'll just wait untill they start showing up on Ebay. If it wasn't such a darn good amp, I'd find something else. Who knows, I might find something else between now and then anyway.

 

[RR]

Yup, don't asks for a discount for a MESA/Boogie. Price is set.

I did buy my Studio .22+ on discount because the Authorized Dealer I bought it from claimed MESA allowed to discount this model for short period.

I bought my ToV listed price but the store was having a "No Sale Tax" day.

... asking mainly because my local dealer has lied to me before.

Kinda sucks, when I was young (not that you are young, are you?), I was lied to too. Nowadays if a catch a salesperson lying to me, I'll really start questioning them and really giving it to them. You should see them back up on their word and say something like: "I didn't mean it that way ..." or "I was not serious ..."

 

[TheRazMeister]

No Soul, I believe you said you worked at GC. Is there a chance that they would give a better price on a trade-in, knowing that they don't have to discount the Mesa?

yup, no discounts, and strict territory rules.

The only exceptions I can think as far as the price goes are:

- the not completely rare occurence guitarcenter decides to put a certain model on clearance (this recently happened to the F-100 combo, all F series heads, the rectoverb head, and all Roadkings)

- you go to the Mesa Factory outlet store

If you dont like, buy smart, buy used!
Not gonna be easy on a LSS tho..

 

[OneMoreAugust]

I think it's a great idea, I hate getting robbed anywhere I go...not that Mesa's are cheap. But, this way you don't have to spend all week shopping around and bargaining for the cheaper dealer, which means more time playing.
I was however, able to squeeze out some nice extras when I bought my Mesa DR halfstack from Motor City Guitars. I now own enough picks, strings, and cables to last me ten years. I always advise purchasing your Mesa's from smaller, local, independent dealers. GC is not likely to give you free ****, cuz they don't really care if you buy or not. And it's not like they need the money. The sales staff is usually undercommissioned and don't make a lot. This limits there want to give stuff away. Purchasing a $2500-3000 amp at ma and pa's shop will bring on smiles and freebees all around. Plus most employees are hourly and not trying to sell you something for there own quota.

support your independent!!

 

[no soul]

So Guitar Ctr should have their dealer status revoked :shock:

Yeah, I'm a big fan of capitalism (translation= me paying less) so I think I'll just wait untill they start showing up on Ebay. If it wasn't such a darn good amp, I'd find something else. Who knows, I might find something else between now and then anyway.

Capitalism is MesaBoogie making sure they squeeze every cent out of their customers! :wink:

And I dont see how you can say GC should loose dealer status, since they DO NOT discount Mesa stuff, UNLESS as stated before the item is being cleared from inventory.

 

[no soul]

GC is not likely to give you free sh!t, cuz they don't really care if you buy or not. And it's not like they need the money. The sales staff is usually undercommissioned and don't make a lot. This limits there want to give stuff away. Purchasing a $2500-3000 amp at ma and pa's shop will bring on smiles and freebees all around. Plus most employees are hourly and not trying to sell you something for there own quota.

support your independent!!

Wrong, wrong, wrong, and wrong again.

Mesa items make GC and GC employees QUITE a bit of money.
Also consider that all the crummy free stuff that you got from the mom and pop shop cost GuitarCenter A LOT less to purchase (its called overhead) hence they are a HELL of a lot more likely to give them to you.

Now GC does have A LOT of horrible horrible sales people. Usually the newer kids just looking for any kind of job, and they figure slanging guitars will be cool. But if you can find the more experienced GC sales people they will take care of you. Matter of fact, if you want the most free stuff from a GC deal, ask for the department manager and buy from him, because he can give away a lot more free stuff than a regular salesperson can.

Ultimately though, I do agree with you. Support your indie shops if you can, but in the end Im going to go where I can get the best deal.

 

[OneMoreAugust]

Wrong, wrong, wrong, and wrong again.

I can clearly see now that you have great trouble with communication skills. I am not wrong, this was my experience when purchasing my rig. I don't care where you work, where you've been, or what you know. The internet must be your only way of achieving a power trip of self-worth and dignity.

Mesa items make GC and GC employees QUITE a bit of money.
Also consider that all the crummy free stuff that you got from the mom and pop shop cost GuitarCenter A LOT less to purchase (its called overhead) hence they are a HELL of a lot more likely to give them to you.

Really, I didn't realize that with the hundreds of stores nationwide that GC buying in massive bulk would get a cheaper purchasing price than a indie shop. duh. I don't think it really matters what GC purchased it for, I still got it for free. Not crummy stuff, same **** I would have bought from GC. And furthermore, no they were not likely to give me more of anything. In fact, salesmen at two GC locations both said they could discount cables/strings/picks for me but could not 'give' away anything. Although they weren't managers, they weren't newbies either. I also refuse to shop in a place that the managers are the only people that can give you a decent price. I am really beginning to believe you just like to disagree with people.

Ultimately though, I do agree with you. Support your indie shops if you can, but in the end Im going to go where I can get the best deal.

If mesa is set-priced....how can you get a better deal anywhere else? If you are referring to all the extras, see above.
GC's, at least in this neck of the woods, are filled with underpaid, undereducated employees that hype up what little they know. GC can beat some prices, this is obvious, but to me it's not worth the trouble.

 

[Ken j]

Motor City Guitar is one of the best dealers around. Their salesmen are on commision though. I would buy from them before any other dealer in the area.

When you see a discount on a Mesa product, it has been approved by the factory sales rep. This usually happens for cosmetic reasons or on floor models and discontinued items. If GC sells an amp and someone returns it within their 30 day return policy, is it still considered new when they re-sell it? Or is it now a used item?

 

[redmax61]

At least I know I didn't pay too much when I bought my Dual Recto. I kinda like knowing that I'm not going to find it cheaper someplace else a week after I purchase something.

 

[Guitarist for hire]

At all the atlanta stores if someone returns a mesa amp within 30 days it is still considered and will be sold new wether it has all the stuff that came with it or not. Also my recent purchase at guitar center, the triple rec. They had to find a case they didn't have the original cover bag. They gave me their floor model switch cause they didn't have the one that came with it. No manuel, no cables, stickers, anything. This was a nice guy too!! The other guy that I was dealing with at the other atlanta store told me he could discount a mesa after I told him that it was against mesa policy. He argued with me till he was blue in the face and said he could do it and to drive back (an hour away) down there 3 days later. I do and come to find out he was blowing smoke. "I can give it too you for 1699 and give you a 100 dollars worth of stuff. Wooohooo a $1600 dual rec I told him I'd be back the next day and never came back. Then I went to Atlanta and got a triple for 1300 just cause it had been in there for 3 years. You have just got to look around and don't ever believe any sells reps. It all comes down to doing all the work yourself and finding the best deal.

 

[Surfcaster]

Well, as some others have posted, that may be Mesa's official line, but if so, there are some 'rogue' dealers out there. A friend of mine had been shopping around for a Nomad 45 a few years back and got at least three different prices quoted to him...the lowest was about $100 less than the highest...and in a different state where he was visiting his in-laws. Who knows, once an amp has been taking up floor space long enough and not moving, maybe they reduce the price just to move it. I got a good deal on my F50, too, but then it's not a widebody and the widebodies were out by thenb, so that might have had something to do with it.

 

[no soul]

Wrong, wrong, wrong, and wrong again.

I can clearly see now that you have great trouble with communication skills. I am not wrong, this was my experience when purchasing my rig. I don't care where you work, where you've been, or what you know. The internet must be your only way of achieving a power trip of self-worth and dignity.

Mesa items make GC and GC employees QUITE a bit of money.
Also consider that all the crummy free stuff that you got from the mom and pop shop cost GuitarCenter A LOT less to purchase (its called overhead) hence they are a HELL of a lot more likely to give them to you.

Really, I didn't realize that with the hundreds of stores nationwide that GC buying in massive bulk would get a cheaper purchasing price than a indie shop. duh. I don't think it really matters what GC purchased it for, I still got it for free. Not crummy stuff, same sh!t I would have bought from GC. And furthermore, no they were not likely to give me more of anything. In fact, salesmen at two GC locations both said they could discount cables/strings/picks for me but could not 'give' away anything. Although they weren't managers, they weren't newbies either. I also refuse to shop in a place that the managers are the only people that can give you a decent price. I am really beginning to believe you just like to disagree with people.

Ultimately though, I do agree with you. Support your indie shops if you can, but in the end Im going to go where I can get the best deal.

If mesa is set-priced....how can you get a better deal anywhere else? If you are referring to all the extras, see above.
GC's, at least in this neck of the woods, are filled with underpaid, undereducated employees that hype up what little they know. GC can beat some prices, this is obvious, but to me it's not worth the trouble.

Well like I said, you hit some bad salesmen. GuitarCenter is FILLED with them, we all know this. But the truth of the matter is, if they want to youd be suprised howmuch free **** they can give away. The trick is finding a good one.

Its not that only management can give stuff away, its just they dont need to get any aproval to do it.

I dont blame you for not wanting to shop with them from having a bad experience. I actually almost sued guitarcenter. But thanks to friends there, I get stuff at cost.

And my comment about getting the best deal was in reference to buying a Mesa, but just shopping in general. As a whole (at least in my area) Guitar Center doesent really cary much of the stuff I like (Mesa boogies being an exception). Save boogie, most of the amps they stock are just crap crap crap. No Soldano, VHT, Orange, Bogner, Framus, etc etc etc
unless you want to go to their LA stores...

 

[Ken j]

"unless you want to go to their LA stores..."

The Hollywood store dosen't have Boogie since the Boogie factory store is across the street. It sure has a nice vintage section and prices to match! LOL

 

[oyster]

Man you should have told that guy to go **** himself rather than just not going back to the store. He should know what an ******* he was to pull a tactic like that as well as the fact he lost the sale because of it. I would also have reported him to the store owner and reported the store to Mesa Boogie. I am sure they would have something to say about that kind of ****. :evil:

At all the atlanta stores if someone returns a mesa amp within 30 days it is still considered and will be sold new wether it has all the stuff that came with it or not. Also my recent purchase at guitar center, the triple rec. They had to find a case they didn't have the original cover bag. They gave me their floor model switch cause they didn't have the one that came with it. No manuel, no cables, stickers, anything. This was a nice guy too!! The other guy that I was dealing with at the other atlanta store told me he could discount a mesa after I told him that it was against mesa policy. He argued with me till he was blue in the face and said he could do it and to drive back (an hour away) down there 3 days later. I do and come to find out he was blowing smoke. "I can give it too you for 1699 and give you a 100 dollars worth of stuff. Wooohooo a $1600 dual rec I told him I'd be back the next day and never came back. Then I went to Atlanta and got a triple for 1300 just cause it had been in there for 3 years. You have just got to look around and don't ever believe any sells reps. It all comes down to doing all the work yourself and finding the best deal.

 

[davealan]

When I heard from my local dealer they had to sell at the fixed price I called Mesa and they denied it as well as admitting it would be illegal and price fixing. I went back to the local dealer and told them; they said yeah but they would be barred from selling Mesa if they discounted and another local dealer did it with the result they can't sell them anymore. Now, I believe my local salespeople 'cause they always give me huge discounts, lowest in the state, and do not BS me unlike many other music dealers.
So what can you do? I bought my LSS from my local store at the usual MB price. He threw in some great extras not from Mesa on my next purchase and I am grateful to him. Mesa pricing sucks - but their amps send me.

 

[screamingdaisy]

So Guitar Ctr should have their dealer status revoked :shock:

Some GCs have had their dealer status revoked.....

 

[MesallicA]

i got a $300 discount off my rectifier. i never new all this, no wander he stressed to me to not tell anyone.