Members Cobalt Blue Posted March 30, 2011 Members Share Posted March 30, 2011 Though they are of the same parent firm, if you were trying to negotiate a discount on an item (in this case, a Fender) who would you be most likely to call? MusiciansFriend or Music123--or would it be a different vendor entirely? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members guitarman3001 Posted March 30, 2011 Members Share Posted March 30, 2011 Personally I'd call M123. They usually tend to be more eager to gain my business and sell me stuff, although not always. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members seven58 Posted March 30, 2011 Members Share Posted March 30, 2011 I usually go with Sweetwater, but if I were trying to negotiate a deal, I would call all of them and work them with the offers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Grantus Posted March 30, 2011 Members Share Posted March 30, 2011 I find the lowest price online and buy from the company offering it. In many cases, it's a mom-and-pop shop selling on ebay. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members zooLemon Posted March 30, 2011 Members Share Posted March 30, 2011 I like Sweetwater, but I don't know who'd be best to haggle with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Cobalt Blue Posted March 30, 2011 Author Members Share Posted March 30, 2011 I find the lowest price online and buy from the company offering it. In many cases, it's a mom-and-pop shop selling on ebay. Yes, me too, actually.I thought I would try to get past my aversion to negotiation this time because it seems...well, like a time for a change: Maybe I need to fight my aversion, man up, and save some money. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Bob411 Posted March 30, 2011 Members Share Posted March 30, 2011 Up until around last December, I called M123, and always got 15% off, sometimes, get 20% off. About the time when everyone was talking about, MF has xx for $100, and M123 has xx for $300, and they were price matching, and giving 23% of the difference. Had to start buying elsewhere. A couple weeks ago, I bought an EQ. M123 price $160. GC had it for $150, and they had emailed me a 10% off coupon. I called M123, to see if they would match that, just to not pay sales tax. They did it, even took off another $2.50, 10% of the $25 difference. Not that it matters, but I know absolutely 100% that I called M123. Used the phone number at the top of M123's website. Person answered the phone M123. When EQ got here, receipt was from MF. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Cobalt Blue Posted March 30, 2011 Author Members Share Posted March 30, 2011 Up until around last December, I called M123, and always got 15% off, sometimes, get 20% off. About the time when everyone was talking about, MF has xx for $100, and M123 has xx for $300, and they were price matching, and giving 23% of the difference. Had to start buying elsewhere. A couple weeks ago, I bought an EQ. M123 price $160. GC had it for $150, and they had emailed me a 10% off coupon. I called M123, to see if they would match that, just to not pay sales tax. They did it, even took off another $2.50, 10% of the $25 difference. Not that it matters, but I know absolutely 100% that I called M123. Used the phone number at the top of M123's website. Person answered the phone M123. When EQ got here, receipt was from MF. Funny. I went with M123. Let's see what the invoice says when the guitar arrives. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members SwedeZ Posted March 30, 2011 Members Share Posted March 30, 2011 sweetwater. they dont treat you like cattle Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ashasha Posted March 30, 2011 Members Share Posted March 30, 2011 Sweetwater kept calling me at work while I was teaching....pissed me off to no end. 123 has always been the easiest to negotiate prices with for me anyway. I did have a bit of success with MF recently on a price match, but 123 always responds quickly and never gives me a real hassle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Axeslinger Posted March 31, 2011 Members Share Posted March 31, 2011 I voted Sweetwater based off my experiences of negotiating over $300 off guitar purchases twice.. Over $600 in savings Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Grantus Posted March 31, 2011 Members Share Posted March 31, 2011 Yes, me too, actually.I thought I would try to get past my aversion to negotiation this time because it seems...well, like a time for a change: Maybe I need to fight my aversion, man up, and save some money. I find with the stuff I tend to buy -- a $150 pedal or a $450 guitar -- haggling ain't worth the hassle. It just isn't worth my time to spend a hour's time to save $20 or $30. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members jhorne Posted March 31, 2011 Members Share Posted March 31, 2011 I'd email each one (I'd also include AMS, Sam Ash, etc.) and see what offers you get. Then take the best of those offers to the others and see how much they can beat it by, then take the best deal from there... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Cobalt Blue Posted March 31, 2011 Author Members Share Posted March 31, 2011 This was really my first big gear purchase ever. I've been swimming in the 200.00 to 300.00 waters for a very long time and decided to take a plunge, if you will, into the realm of something more expensive. I didn't call, though. I did get a couple offers, as jhorne recommends, and would up price matching+ online. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members jhorne Posted March 31, 2011 Members Share Posted March 31, 2011 I find with the stuff I tend to buy -- a $150 pedal or a $450 guitar -- haggling ain't worth the hassle. It just isn't worth my time to spend a hour's time to save $20 or $30. I agree with this on smaller purchases, but when you're looking to get a $2000+ guitar and can spend a minimal amount of time to get $400-500 off, I'll take the extra 15-30 minutes to do some fishing for the best price I can get. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Steadfastly Posted March 31, 2011 Members Share Posted March 31, 2011 I'd email each one (I'd also include AMS, Sam Ash, etc.) and see what offers you get. Then take the best of those offers to the others and see how much they can beat it by, then take the best deal from there... That's what I do. I found GC the worst and zZounds.com the best. I think, though, to qualify all of this, it depends on what a person is buying. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Invader.CC Posted March 31, 2011 Members Share Posted March 31, 2011 I know Guitar center isn't real popular on this forum but as far a being able to haggle when buying in cash they have always been the easiest to negotiate with..From the insider knowledge i have gained they try to buy there used gear at 40 to 50 percent of what the item would sell for used..In most cases they want 80% but will take 75% of the used price if you are walking in with cash...Of course if you are trading something in there going to bend you over.. As far as new gear none of them are the best to haggle with... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Grantus Posted March 31, 2011 Members Share Posted March 31, 2011 I agree with this on smaller purchases, but when you're looking to get a $2000+ guitar and can spend a minimal amount of time to get $400-500 off, I'll take the extra 15-30 minutes to do some fishing for the best price I can get. It's likely that I will never get the opportunity to haggle over a $2000 guitar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members GilmourD Posted March 31, 2011 Members Share Posted March 31, 2011 sweetwater. they dont treat you like cattle Seriously. My guy Nick calls me up every once in a while just to see what's up. He asks about my kid by name since I bought a Strat for my son with a serial number matching his birth year (last year). Cool people and very awesome to deal with. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Bob411 Posted March 31, 2011 Members Share Posted March 31, 2011 I find with the stuff I tend to buy -- a $150 pedal or a $450 guitar -- haggling ain't worth the hassle. It just isn't worth my time to spend a hour's time to save $20 or $30. I agree, it's not really worth your time, but if I can tell the wife I spent $120, instead of $150, it's more than worth it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Spudro Posted March 31, 2011 Members Share Posted March 31, 2011 It has been a year or two, but I laid a congenial request for a very best offer from MF for a Genz Benz Shuttle 6.0 head plus a 2x10 Genz Benz Neo cab. their advertised price was something north of $1500. In a couple of days (More than one day, but less than 5) they emailed me back with an offer of $978 for the pair. The funny thing is I was kind of yankin' their chain. I really was interested in exactly that amp, but I was also interested in some big iron Ampeg or especially some tube bass head (I already own an extra Amped SVT-410HLF cab that is a monster). When they emailed me with that price. really it kind of made an ass out of me. I was kind of playing and they countered with a hardball offer. I now own a Genz Benz Shuttle 6.0 with the 2x10 neo cab. It is a really great amp and weighs, well it is very low on the bass rig scale. I have not gigged where it was not enough amp. BTW, I am not a bass player. I am a guitar player, but my profession makes me enough cash that I can modestly (but good) equip what band I play with. That Genz Benz has saved several bass players from hauling in their 2x15 rigs or whatever. My Genz Benz Shuttle 6.0 + Genz Benz 210 Neo really does take care of business.... very well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members scott944 Posted March 31, 2011 Members Share Posted March 31, 2011 None of the above. Support your local stores, at least until they're all gone. Don't have a dealer for brand X in your town? Road trip. Given that every instrument, no matter who the builder is, is different, I won't buy a guitar without playing it first. And I'm far to lazy and impatient to do the back-and-forth-through-UPS returns thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members GilmourD Posted March 31, 2011 Members Share Posted March 31, 2011 None of the above. Support your local stores, at least until they're all gone. Don't have a dealer for brand X in your town? Road trip. Given that every instrument, no matter who the builder is, is different, I won't buy a guitar without playing it first. And I'm far to lazy and impatient to do the back-and-forth-through-UPS returns thing. Unfortunately, most of the mom and pops around my area don't carry anything I'd actually want. I have to either go to GC, Sam Ash, or drive an hour or more away to get things that I'm interested in. In the end, I usually end up buying big stuff from Sweetwater. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Arr0wHead Posted March 31, 2011 Members Share Posted March 31, 2011 I won't buy a guitar without playing it first. You should thank god you're not a lefty. Wish I could afford that luxury. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members scott944 Posted March 31, 2011 Members Share Posted March 31, 2011 Driving an hour is such a chore? When I'm ready to buy a new PRS (one of these days), I'll be driving 3 hours one way to visit Willcutt's! Of course, as an outside sales rep, I'm used to driving all day, every day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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