Quote:
Originally Posted by seagleson  Haha!
I work at GC Boston and am loving this thread. Keep it coming! |
Yup, used to live in Boston and have one for you from a "GC to the North".
Background: My Buddy was a manager there, told me to come in for a deal on a Gretsch Falcon and when I got there, he had left early. So, I called him, and he said pass your cell phone to _ _ _ we'll call him "Arse" and proceeds to fill him in so I could get it done right then and there. GREAT Price and he's a bud. What could go wrong?
* After hours of trying to find "the perfect Falcon", I select one and ask him where the HSC is. BTW: Of all the Falcons I tried, this was the only one that sounded great unplugged and tone starts with a well balanced and acoustically sound instrument, right?
Well, here we go...
Me: Where's the case?
GC Mook: I'll get it... Be right back and brings the HSC to the floor.
Me: Dude, this case doesn't fit the Falcon. Are you sure this is the right case? I have other Gretsch guitars and they use TKL cases and slip right in
GC Mook: No, this is it. I just went and got it. We're cool.
Me: Then why can't I insert the guitar into the case. The bout is too wide on the guitar for THIS CASE!
GC Mook: Because it may have shrunk (from shipping). It could also be extreme humidity and it's been here for a while ( it was Winter, BTW). It could also be from a different Falcon 'cause we put them out and stack the cases. No problem, we're cool. (DIFFERNT FALCON???) So now he said We'll just have to tug on it like a new pair of jeans-- we'll just stuff it in there and we'll close the lid. It'll expand!
Me: No! Wait! STOP! Isn't that a Falcon case over there? Let me check. Wait.
GC Mook: I don't think so... Same case.
Now, while I'm going to get it, he stuffs the Falcon into the case and tries to close the lid!!! FYI: There were 2 different Falcons at the time BUT it's the size of the f-holes, inlays, etc. SAME BODY SPECS!!
ME: I scream STOP! and go over to him. Further, the Bigsby would not allow the case to shut and because of the side-tension, the latches would not latch! NICE!
GC Mook: See, that's all it needed!
Me: WHAT?? That's not gonna work for me Dude, and I pull out the guitar. IT DOESN'T FIT!!! The side of the guitar now has a fresh rub /scrape mark on it and I tell him that I won't buy it now because he "man-handled" the guitar.
GC Mook: He gets "pissy" and tells me it will rub off with some spit or polish.
Me: WTF??? Spit??? I start checking things a little closer, look in the case compartment and notice the Gretsch Mfg info. Seems the case was for a 6120 with a 16" bout and 24.6" scale -- NOT for a 17" /25.5" scale FALCON!!! Fricki'n DORK!!!!
GC Mook: That doesn't matter, they are all the same cases.
Me: Dude, the docs says 6120 and that's a problem. Different size guitar!!
GCMook: It's not the case. Someone just put the wrong docs in there... Happens all the time here.
Me: I then point out the physical differences between the Falcon and 6120.
GC Mook: Wow, I never noticed that before. They all seem the same.
ME: No, an inch is a huge difference.
GC Mook: Really? It's only an inch. It'll fit. We fit Les Pauls into SKB cases all the time and they're tight. Just gotta push down on the neck - You're just being "fussy".
Me: WOW!!! I told him no, we're done, I pass and leave the store.
NEXT >
I leave and call my GC mgr buddy, he feels bad and tells me to come back tomorrow when he's working. Then he goes off about how he called the GC mook, told him who I was, what "my" price was, and to let me be. Pissed
dfegad
Sadly, I could not find another that sounded as good as the one I chose and the mark down the side seemed like it would buff with rubbing compund but it was a BLACK Falcon and obvious. And the look is part of a Falcon's allure... At least for me.
Well, my buddy felt so bad he gave me the guitar for cheap $$$. Around $1600'ish. List was $3,400 and they we're selling them for about $2,699 on the floor (my price was $2k before the GCMook trashed it).
So, I said cool, took it home, pulled out the buffer and compound and got about 40% of it out. I ended up going to 800 wetsand paper, buffed it again, polished it, used swirl fill and got 90-95% out within an hour of dikin' around. All in all, pretty good. And it was where my right arm goes. So...
In the end, I got a wicked deal! BUT I WAS LUCKY. MAN, THAT PLACE IS SO FRUSTRATING!!! My buddy left after a few weeks and that was that!
There ya go...
TJ