Rant - SL2H Shattered Glass, Take 7 and...action!!

[PowerTube]

Okay, I had decided that I would go ahead and pick up the SL2H in Shattered Glass at the local Guitar Center. I was going to go and get it at lunch tomorrow. In case you didn't catch my other thread, I was first told that it was a 1988, then a 1987, then I find out that it's a 2003 (thanks again to Ron here). The body is great, but someone had put some strange active electronics in the control cavity and the trem arm is about to fall off. I digress.

Anyway... I had decided to go ahead and get it, since $1100.00 with hardshell case isn't a bad deal for a 2003. So I called this afternoon and asked if they still have it. They do. So I asked the guy if the case is the normal rectangular type or the chainsaw style. This was really just a polite way of making sure that it did indeed have a factory case. He wanted me to call him back tonight after he's had a chance to locate it.

I called back tonight. Now I'm told that "it turns out that it didn't come in with a case, but hey, we've got plenty of cases it'll fit in."

Um...okay. So just for the sheer grins of it, I tossed this out at him. I said, "Okay, since I'm now told that it doesn't have a factory case, when I was originally told that it did, can you knock a little bit more off the price?" And the answer was.....drumroll...."No, man. We've already got it priced below our cost." Um...yeah, buddy, and I'm the king of North Dakota.

So anyway. Your mission, gentlemen, should you decide to accept it, is to recommend one of the online dealers here for me. I've been away for a while. Does Matt at Online Stage Gear still do his thing here? I've decided that I want a new SL2H in Bolted Steel. Screw these shady deals, getting lied to, and getting jerked around.

Uh, thank yuh, uh, thank yuh vurrah much!

[quakana]

Here is one on ebay but its expensive....and yeah GS sucks!!

SL2H

[VitaminG]

dude, before you give up on this other guitar, take your cash down there, wave it under their noses and tell them you'll take the Jackson off their hands now if they throw in a case. Force their hand. It's easy for them to say "no dice" on the phone, because you might be yet another tirekicker wasting their time. But if you have cash in hand and tell them you will take the guitar now if they play ball, you might get the guitar you want with a case.

You've already decided that you're happy to buy elsewhere, so walking out of they won't come to the party won't be a problem for you.

[PowerTube]

dude, before you give up on this other guitar, take your cash down there, wave it under their noses and tell them you'll take the Jackson off their hands now if they throw in a case. Force their hand. It's easy for them to say "no dice" on the phone, because you might be yet another tirekicker wasting their time. But if you have cash in hand and tell them you will take the guitar now if they play ball, you might get the guitar you want with a case.

You've already decided that you're happy to buy elsewhere, so walking out of they won't come to the party won't be a problem for you.

Thanks for the input, but.....I'm over it. Seriously. The cliffnotes are as follows:

1. Was first told that it's a 1988.

2. Was told the next time that it's a 1987. I strongly suspect that since I look a bit "older" (i.e. I don't wear baggy pants or have a nose ring), they figured I must be looking for something 80's. Frankly, that pissed me off from jump street. I don't like people making ASSumptions about me.

3. When I called and told the "manager" that I found out that it's a 2003, he proceeded to tell me that he "knows the guy who traded it in and he's owned it for at least 10 years."

4. Was told that it includes a factory case.

5. Was told that the bridge pickup isn't wired. It is.

6. They've had it for at least a month, and they have an excellent inhouse tech, but they couldn't see fit to....a. have him wire the bridge pickup if it wasn't, or... b. fix the loose trem arm. We're not talking about a cheap entry-level guitar here.

So anyway..... I want an SL2H, but I want to get it from a reputable dealer, not the Wal-Mart of guitar stores where they don't even give a shit what they tell a customer as long as they make that sale right here, right now.

I'm not carved in stone about the Bolted Steel finish, but I definitely want a graphic this time. Believe it or not, out of three Jacksons and one Charvel, all are solid colors, even the USA Fusion.

[Bengal65]

Okay, I had decided that I would go ahead and pick up the SL2H in Shattered Glass at the local Guitar Center.

Your first sentence says it all. It's GC Stay away! It might be an OK place for a begineer to go, but at the Pro level, I'd avoid the place.

You would best to check with the dealers on the forum. They are all great!

[PowerTube]

Here is one on ebay but its expensive....and yeah GS sucks!!

SL2H

Thanks, but you're right; it's too expensive. If I could physically go to their store in Kansas we might could do some business, but I would rather go with a JCF dealer if possible.

[MountainDog]

Here's one a little cheaper:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Jackson-USA-DK1-Bolted-Steel-With-Case-NEW_W0QQitemZ140080561283QQihZ004QQcategoryZ33044QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

I agree with VitaminG....take your cash in hand and go down in person. The shattered glass is a cool graphic and $1100 is a lot less than $1800-$1900. GC usually has 'old cases in the back' that they should be able to throw in, and if they don't have, decent used cases can be had for $50.

[PowerTube]

Here's one a little cheaper:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Jackson-USA-DK1-Bolted-Steel-With-Case-NEW_W0QQitemZ140080561283QQihZ004QQcategoryZ33044QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

I agree with VitaminG....take your cash in hand and go down in person. The shattered glass is a cool graphic and $1100 is a lot less than $1800-$1900. GC usually has 'old cases in the back' that they should be able to throw in, and if they don't have, decent used cases can be had for $50.

But they don't really seem like the type of place that could dicker very much. It's like pulling teeth to even get them to change the sticker when you show them that a guitar is labelled wrong. Who knows? Since it's local and I can actually put my hands on it, I might still go. One thing that helps is that it's been there for a while.

[hippietim]

i've never ever had a problem negotiating at a gc when i was serious. 1100 for a nice graphic soloist is a good deal.

regarding the case, BEFORE you attempt to negotiate the price one penny first ask them to price out an actual Jackson case. now you have your minimum discount

seriously, i bought a 59 historic les paul like this. they had a used near mint one for sale stupid cheap - it was still at the price from a blowout sale but it didn't move - remember stupid cheap for a historic les paul is still well over $2k. i played it for a long time one evening but walked away since i wanted to think about it. i went back the next day to get it. i asked if a case was included and as it turns out they didn't have it (imagine my surprise). so i asked how much for an actual gibson historic case, it was like 200 bucks. so i got the dude to knock off the additional 200 bucks. of course, i'm no guitar center newbie because i carried my new guitar out to the car and put it in the empty case i brought with me.

[PowerTube]

All great points, guys. I'm going to go ahead and slip over there at lunch today and see what happens.

[RandyRhoads]

Totally agree with the other guys... this is your cue to go and play hard ball.
I had the exact same problem when I went down to purchase my Rhoads. I was told over the phone that it would have a case for it. However, when I went down the next day I was served by another guy (the manager) who then proceeded to tell me that there was no case for it (turns out that the other guy I spoke to was new and didn't know shit). When I asked if he would throw in a case he initially said no but that they do have cheap cases instore. So I told the guy that I didn't want it if he wouldn't give me a case because I only had enough money for the guitar and I had a gig that night and didn't want to carry it around without a case to protect it. The guy eventually realised that he could afford to give a case away if it meant he was getting the full whack for the guitar so he gave me a hardcase that was meant for a Gibson Flyin V but fit the Rhoads perfectly!

Moral of the story... these guys WANT your money and if they can see that your on the edge of giving it to them then they'll usually buckle!

[kelly user]

wave 1000 in their face with a free hardshell, they go for the bait.......

[haymaker]

I agree with VitG and the other fellas as well. Check the hang tag and if it says w/ohsc then they HAVE to give you a case - original or otherwise. This just happened to me last night at GC. I went in to help a friend of mine pick out a guitar for her husband. We found a really sweet used piece and the tag said w/oshc but they couldn't find the case for the life of them. We waited around for 30 minutes to no avail - but they threw in a really nice aftermarket case and we walked out happy.

[PowerTube]

I bought it. Here are some (crappy) pics I took a few minutes ago:




Lots of glare. Sorry. I'm clearly not a photographer.

Note the additional knob next to the tone knob. This is somehow related to the circuitry inside the control cavity with the battery. When the additional knob is turned up, it increases the bass. I'll try to take some pics of the cavity tonight and post them here.

The reason the trem bar was so whacked is because someone had put an Ibanez bar on it. They didn't have a compatible Floyd bar. No biggie. I have a black OFR I installed on a Model 2 about a year ago and I'll borrow it, then order one online.

Edit: I forgot about the case. They didn't have a case, so I asked if they could throw in a new case. The guy said, "No way. We're already below cost on it." So I asked for a manager. The manager agreed with me and I got a new Roadrunner case. Not my first choice, of course, but it's actually a really nice fit.

[RR_YJMFAN]

Congrats on the guitar. I'm sure it's found a good home.