Re: OT: Electrix at Musician's Friend

[Adam Levin <alevin@DarkAether.net>]

On Tue, 12 Jun 2001, Mark Sottilaro wrote:

> I was over this a while back.  Avoid Musician's Friend as much as
> possible.  Their customer service SUCKS.  I did much better telling my
> cat my problems with my order.  At least she looked at me and seemed to
> care.

Back in the summer of 1998 I ordered a TC Electronics G-Force from
MF. When it arrived, I noticed that the $1500 unit I bought as new had
been previously racked. I called, raised hell and was told that a new unit
would be overnighted to me since I had a gig the next night that I
insisted that I have a NEW unit in my hands to use. It arrived ground
shipped three days later. I was pissed and swore I'd never do business
with them again.

Silly me. Like several other dealers Guitar Center has been blowing out
Alesis gear. I bought three ADAT LXs last week from my mail order vendor
of choice Zzounds on a price match/beat deal of $789 a pop. Guitar
Center's latest ad has the ADAT/EDIT computer PCI card interface listed at
$99. Zzounds was unable to touch it. Rather than drive 2 hours round trip
and waste $10 on gas and tolls to deal with the slimeballs at the local
Guitar Center I decided to ring MF to see if they'd match their parent
company's price (MF still has it listed at $299). The first guy I talked
to said no. I called back later that evening and got someone who said yes,
but said it would be non-returnable at that price - warning bells *should*
have gone off in my head, but I said yes. The package arrived yesterday
with previously opened box sans CD with drivers and applications. Luckily
the software is on Alesis' website or I would have been screwed by my own
stupidity for ordering from MF again after my G-Force experience. 

NEVER AGAIN.

I've had the same experience in the GC stores where I went to purchase a
DBX Quantum Mastering Processor last year and they tried to sell me as new
- at the regular price - a previously used unit that had been
racked. I got into a shouting match with the guy in the pro audio
department about the definition of USED and how a previously racked unit
which in their parlance is a "rebox" is USED GOODS. On my way out the door
the manager on duty came around and dropped $300 off of the price (which
at the time was $1600 or so).

The bottom line is that GC/MF are trying to pass off used/returned gear as 
new, so if you do choose to buy from them CAREFULLY inspect the gear and
NEVER agree to a "no return" clause.

-Adam

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