I just bought a drum machine/sampler from Guitar Center's used website. I got a great deal on it, but really the price you must pay for this otherwise excellent service (which is leagues above going to a real Guitar Center and is somehow all but un-advertised) is having to deal with people who work at Guitar Center. Here was my experience in a nutshell.
I called the number for a GC out of state. last Sunday afternoon at about 1pm. I got a description of the unit. They informed me that it didn't have RAM installed (likely the original user upgraded it, then kept the upgrade) and this would be "like $150 or something, dude." eBay says it costs about $25... but i'll take a $200 discount towards this lofty expense .. ha.
I agree to purchase the unit. They "are going to run my (GC) card and call me back in like 25 minutes." After about four hours I called them and confirmed it was sold, but was being sent to the wrong address. I gave them my proper address, twice, but rules say they must send to the address on the GC card. I use the GC card's phone customer support and change my address. I called them back and told them the address is changed. They said that it was too late to process the order (it was now 5pm, Sunday) but they would "first thing Monday" and they would call me back.
To paraphrase Mr. Thurgood and his Georgia Destroyers, "Now Monday came and went and I didn't get a call... so out the door I went." Since I didn't have time to babysit Guitar Center, I called them back again on Tuesday. I was informed the guy handling my order "just totally left, dude" and that someone would get back to me "in like 25 minutes." Suffice to say repeating my name and phone number was for naught.
It is now Wednesday, four days after attempting to give Guitar Center money (something they must really loathe). I call them again. Not only are they "totally swamped, dude" but fate of fates has conspired that my devoted, loyal servant has stepped out. My name and number were requested although I should have advised them to check out the half dozen post it notes on their counter that probably have this information. Debbie Harry wrote about her own Guitar Center experience, I think, when she penned "Hanging on the Telephone."
Today, I finally reached the man who was burdened with the weeklong labor of selling me something. He left me a message while I was at work asking if I was "still interested in the drum machine." It's very fortunate that I was in the car at the time because my head about exploded. I learned that he had never attempted to run the card again, because he needed to confirm my address! Even though I gave it to him several times and changed it on the system 5 days ago. Politely I obliged and made the mistake of asking for a confirmation number on the shipping.
"I don't know if we can do that, dude," he lamented. "Let me call you back on that, tomorrow."
Guitar Center's used website has some good deals if you know what you're looking for, but was $200 savings from the average used price really worth all of this? I find out in a few days if it's even in the condition described.
