Tried to Deal

[Bikerdoc]

So the local shop has a 2002 Guild D50 (sunburst). Six years new hanging on the rack. Asking only a grand. Sounds wonderful and plays very nice. Has the tone I want.

I make an offer. I've got a 2006 Gibson Songwriter Delux; a wonderful guitar and beautiful as well. The tone is fine but I lean more to bluegrass and the SW just isn't that. So I'm inclined to deal generously (I thought); an even trade. But, "Oh no, we can't do that. We'd be losing money". What? They countered with something ridiculous and I walked away. I guess I wasnt' thinking clearly.

 

[taabru45]

So go put a few dollarss down to hold it while you liquidate the Gibson. You can have whaat you dont use, or ind a way to get what you want and will use and appreciate. Go do it, you are getting a good deal on the Guild, so you can be nice to someone who wants the Gibson even if you have to give up a few dollars. Ask the guy at the store to trhow in a new set of strings...Get the Guild. Play some bluegrass, and if you feel bad play some blues, on the Guild, it'll cheer you up! Steffan

 

[dreadnut]

Unfortunately, when dealing with a store you're talking retail vs. wholesale value, they probably would be losing money.

A note of interest: beautiful vintage 'burst DV-52 on ebay right now currently bidding at $575, more deluxe guitar than the D-50 and I can vouch for its bluegrass ability. Just another angle...

 

[coastie99]

So the local shop has a 2002 Guild D50 (sunburst). Six years new hanging on the rack. Asking only a grand. Sounds wonderful and plays very nice. Has the tone I want.

I make an offer. I've got a 2006 Gibson Songwriter Delux; a wonderful guitar and beautiful as well. The tone is fine but I lean more to bluegrass and the SW just isn't that. So I'm inclined to deal generously (I thought); an even trade. But, "Oh no, we can't do that. We'd be losing money". What? They countered with something ridiculous and I walked away. I guess I wasnt' thinking clearly.

$1000 !!

$1000 !!

Good god........ why are you dicking around ???

No offence meant, but you Americans don't know how bloody lucky you are !!

 

[chazmo]

You're right, Coastie. Still, a grand for a guitar that's been sitting in the store for 6 years... I would think twice too, but then I'd probably buy it. Let's see, that would be an early Corona guitar, probably. Made to be played, baby... Hate to hear that it's languishing in the store all these years.

 

[taabru45]

The only thing that will frustrate you more, Doc, would be the sinking feeling in you gut if you go back there and its g o n e ! Could happen, especially if this pack of hounds finds out where it is. Go. Go now, and at least tie it up. :mrgreen: Also know that as an investment you shoula always be able to get at least your money back at anytime in the future, and if you venture down to NZ and sell it, it should pay for your airfair plus the holiday, and might leave you some change, if you don't buy too many of them green bottles, right Coastie? :lol: Steffan

 

[Bikerdoc]

So the local shop has a 2002 Guild D50 (sunburst). Six years new hanging on the rack. Asking only a grand. Sounds wonderful and plays very nice. Has the tone I want.

I make an offer. I've got a 2006 Gibson Songwriter Delux; a wonderful guitar and beautiful as well. The tone is fine but I lean more to bluegrass and the SW just isn't that. So I'm inclined to deal generously (I thought); an even trade. But, "Oh no, we can't do that. We'd be losing money". What? They countered with something ridiculous and I walked away. I guess I wasnt' thinking clearly.

$1000 !!

$1000 !!

Good god........ why are you dicking around ???

No offence meant, but you Americans don't know how bloody lucky you are !!

Lucky? It's all relevent my friend. Doesn't matter that Guild may be more than a $1,000 in the NZ; I don't have a grand in the U.S.A. If I did I wouldn't think twice (dick around). Offense taken by the way. I know how lucky we are. We fight for it everyday.

As for that shop; they haven't sold a high dollar guitar in years. That's a quote from the guy who runs the place. So the reality of him selling that D50 at what he claims as cost isn't any more far-fetched to agree to a trade and actually asking more the SW.

Offering my SW up to someone who otherwise couldn't afford it? I've already done that; at again, a very reasonable price. Initially pleased at the idea now he wants to haggle and asked me drive 200 miles so he can play it first. Man!!! Can blame him for wanting to play it first but he's gonna have to do the driving.

Anyway, my Gibson is a great guitar. I'm not obsessed with the idea of having that particular Guild. I have a nice Guild already. I was just surprised the shop wouldn't consider my initial offer. Curious thing though; the shop did ask for my phone number. I told 'em that once I'm out of the door the deal is off the table.

 

[coastie99]

Offense taken by the way. I know how lucky we are. We fight for it everyday.

Consumer prices ?

I think you might have derailed a little there my friend.

 

[fungusyoung]

Is a 2002 a Corona build?

If so, IMO, $1000 might not quite the steal some of you are thinking.

 

[coastie99]

Steffan; apologies firstly for missing your birthday the other day.......... hope it was a good one.

Well, you mightn't profit quite that much from a sale in New Zealand, and I didn't have the NZ market in mind when I posted. The vagaries of our market are totally irrelevant.
$1000 is a helluva bargain on the US market, surely ?

I don't believe I've seen much in the way of negative comment on Corona acoustic build quality. Finishing problems, yes.
I had a Corona F47RCE "second" with the most minimal of lacquer-checking. $3000 here vs. around $5000 for an unblemished one.
That was probably some time in '05.

Can't find any current prices for Tacoma Guilds here, but the current retail on a GAD50 is NZ $2200......... US $1675.

Taylor 610CE NZ $5900......... US $4500.

 

[gilded]

Bikerdoc,

I just studied the prices on eBay, under completed items, for Gibson Songwriters. I think you were offering them a good trade!

I don't know if your guitar has a cutaway or not, but there were non-cuts going for $1200 bucks. One guitar went for $855, but the rest were over a $1,000.00. Still, there's no accounting for that store's selling strategy, or what it's based on. For example, they might need $1000 in a really bad way and might also have a lack of confidence in their ability to move your guitar quickly (given their six-year track record with the D50).

Still, you might print off the completed sales list on eBay and show it to them. Good luck.

 

[Bikerdoc]

Bikerdoc,

I just studied the prices on eBay, under completed items, for Gibson Songwriters. I think you were offering them a good trade!

I don't know if your guitar has a cutaway or not, but there were non-cuts going for $1200 bucks. One guitar went for $855, but the rest were over a $1,000.00. Still, there's no accounting for that store's selling strategy, or what it's based on. For example, they might need $1000 in a really bad way and might also have a lack of confidence in their ability to move your guitar quickly (given their six-year track record with the D50).

Still, you might print off the completed sales list on eBay and show it to them. Good luck.

I live in a fairly economically depressed area of NW Ohio; smaller mom and pop manufacturing that use the temp services and bachelor's degrees are required for a $9/hr job. Folks around here don't buy "high-end" anything. I was lucky enough to find a decent wage in a 140 mile commute and even luckier to get laid off this year(after 10 years)before the gas prices would've forced me to quit.

I guess it truly didn't matter about the trade. The shop most likely wouldn't have been able to sell the Gibson. I'm sure they wouldn't have felt right putting a $1,000 price tag the Songwriter and probably felt, as many of you mentioned, it would be easier getting that grand out of a 6 year old/new guitar.

Also, coastie, I don't think I got derailed at all. America is in as much a consumer struggle as the rest of the world. Sure, we HAVE had it pretty good by comparison but we (citizens) have also drawn lines in the sand as it were. As consumers Americans are tenacious and insatiable; or pompous and spoiled depending upon one's perspective. :wink: But hey, I'm heading toward a political/cultural area here and I'll be quiet before I go that far. But we DO fight a consumer's battle here and I'm pretty confident that Americans, not politicians, are going to prevail. :lol: :lol: We're pretty arrogant about that sort of thing ya know. :lol:

 

[coastie99]

Bikerdoc,

I just studied the prices on eBay, under completed items, for Gibson Songwriters. I think you were offering them a good trade!

I don't know if your guitar has a cutaway or not, but there were non-cuts going for $1200 bucks. One guitar went for $855, but the rest were over a $1,000.00. Still, there's no accounting for that store's selling strategy, or what it's based on. For example, they might need $1000 in a really bad way and might also have a lack of confidence in their ability to move your guitar quickly (given their six-year track record with the D50).

Still, you might print off the completed sales list on eBay and show it to them. Good luck.

I live in a fairly economically depressed area of NW Ohio; smaller mom and pop manufacturing that use the temp services and bachelor's degrees are required for a $9/hr job. Folks around here don't buy "high-end" anything. I was lucky enough to find a decent wage in a 140 mile commute and even luckier to get laid off this year(after 10 years)before the gas prices would've forced me to quit.

I guess it truly didn't matter about the trade. The shop most likely wouldn't have been able to sell the Gibson. I'm sure they wouldn't have felt right putting a $1,000 price tag the Songwriter and probably felt, as many of you mentioned, it would be easier getting that grand out of a 6 year old/new guitar.

Also, coastie, I don't think I got derailed at all. America is in as much a consumer struggle as the rest of the world. Sure, we HAVE had it pretty good by comparison but we (citizens) have also drawn lines in the sand as it were. As consumers Americans are tenacious and insatiable; or pompous and spoiled depending upon one's perspective. :wink: But hey, I'm heading toward a political/cultural area here and I'll be quiet before I go that far. But we DO fight a consumer's battle here and I'm pretty confident that Americans, not politicians, are going to prevail. :lol: :lol: We're pretty arrogant about that sort of thing ya know. :lol:

Doc.

I think something may have got lost in the translation there............. "We fight for it every day" translated into mom-and-applepie, stars and stripes, defenders of the free-world, jingoism.

My mistake, and I apologize for it.

I certainly can't find fault with consumer power........ thankfully NZer's are at last getting more pro-active in this arena. The cost of living index has sky-rocketed here over the last eighteen months, and now of course, we have to contend with runaway fuel prices and just about anything in NZ gets trucked somewhere.

But DAMMIT !! A grand for a new, top-of -the range, American-made guitar has got to be chicken droppings !!

 

[coastie99]

BD.

Couple of interesting ones on Gbase.................

http://www.gbase.com/Stores/Gear/GearLi ... 50&Track=Y

Maybe one / some of these dealers are willing to trade ?

 

[coastie99]

DAH !!!!

Let's try that again........

http://www.gbase.com/Stores/Gear/GearLi ... 50&Track=Y

Have you tried Bing at Guitars Of Montana ?

 

[Bikerdoc]

Yeah, a bit of a misunderstanding. No big deal. Given the BS America has gotten itself into, it's understandable.

Thanks for the links and the suggestions. Now that I've actually considered myself retired at 60 years of age I really have to control my GAS if I want to stay unemployed until my social security kicks in. :mrgreen:

 

[West R Lee]

Bikerdoc,

I just studied the prices on eBay, under completed items, for Gibson Songwriters. I think you were offering them a good trade!

I don't know if your guitar has a cutaway or not, but there were non-cuts going for $1200 bucks. One guitar went for $855, but the rest were over a $1,000.00. Still, there's no accounting for that store's selling strategy, or what it's based on. For example, they might need $1000 in a really bad way and might also have a lack of confidence in their ability to move your guitar quickly (given their six-year track record with the D50).

Still, you might print off the completed sales list on eBay and show it to them. Good luck.

I'm going to have to agree with Harry on this one. That Gibson Songwriter ain't a bad guitar, I've played a couple that I liked. And the Guild, well no offense meant, but if it's an '02, it's a Corona built guitar. Do you think a Westerly or Tacoma D50 NOS would still be hanging there for $1000?

West

 

[Bikerdoc]

And the Guild, well no offense meant, but if it's an '02, it's a Corona built guitar. Do you think a Westerly or Tacoma D50 NOS would still be hanging there for $1000?

I don't know the answer to that except to say what I've already said about guitar sales in general in our economically depressed area.

But I will ask this: Is a "Corona built guitar" synonomous with poor quality,

 

[dayuhan]

But I will ask this: Is a "Corona built guitar" synonomous with poor quality,

The only persistent complaint I've heard about Corona Guilds concerns the finish, checking seems to be the rule rather than the exception. Others here may know more.

There's also a certain amount of subjectivity in these questions... one of the people I consulted before buying my (Tacoma) Guild, not a "Guild guy" but a lifetime acoustic guitar guy, told me that in his opinion a lot of Westerly Guilds are overbuilt and "clunky" and that he thought the Tacomas are better. That of course is heresy, blasphemy, and sacrilege around here, so I'm gonna duck and run before the tar and feathers come out...

 

[West R Lee]

And the Guild, well no offense meant, but if it's an '02, it's a Corona built guitar. Do you think a Westerly or Tacoma D50 NOS would still be hanging there for $1000?

I don't know the answer to that except to say what I've already said about guitar sales in general in our economically depressed area.

But I will ask this: Is a "Corona built guitar" synonomous with poor quality,

Oh I would say that because it was built in Corona definately means it would be of poor quality, only that of the 5, soon to be 6 places Guilds have been built, it would probably be least desirable in the view of some. Might be a superb guitar....just in general. I know folks that love their Coronas, and honestly, I've never owned one. Played a few, but never owned one. Yes, the checking problems, other finish problems, bridge glueing problems, fret problems that have been discussed here are what I base that on.

West