NGD torture

[jjbigfly]

Why is it that no one ever mentions what we go through the get to a NGD? There is a lot of time playing, driving, and dealing with store staff….
Then there is the emotional toll that one pays….
And the $? At some point you just want someone to take your $ and tell you to go home….
We only hear about the battles that have been won, never about how hard you had to fight to get there.
NGD’s are not something everyone is suited for.
And then there is the bargaining. It IS an art form. The psych involves a great deal of effort. When the employee come over and asks “what do you think of that one?”….I am going to go with: “WELL, I cannot believe you would put this low class piece of wood in my hands. Takes two men and a boy, along with one woman to even get the strings CLOSE to a fret and then it sounds like a cat is dying in some horrible manner….NEVER going to happen! Alright? Uhh…but what’s the best price? “

So it goes….

[Dash_Starkiller]

Always lowball. Even if the price is good. You never know…

[Ceabeceabe]

Hahahaha! From where I sit, people are always posting about the things you list, and we go on and on. We just usually break down the subject areas so as to analyze in great detail, rather than use one thread talk about all the areas you mention…

[brad4d8]

Gee, I figured new guitar torture was the wait for it to warm up after winter delivery!

[donlyn]

NGD torture

And another thing.

Sometimes you just have to know when to walk away.

From someone who has spent hours in guitar stores over the years, there are days you might not find something, even after playing everything in the store.

Price is still negotiable, but I'm not talking about that. Just 'cause you want a new guitar, you don't have to buy it that day. Don't settle for second best. Hold out for something that you want. It might be at the next store on the next day you visit one. Consider the time spent looking for one as also time spent eliminating ones you don't really want.

Don
.

[rllink]

Originally Posted by donlyn

NGD torture

And another thing.

Sometimes you just have to know when to walk away.

From someone who has spent hours in guitar stores over the years, there are days you might not find something, even after playing everything in the store.

Price is still negotiable, but I'm not talking about that. Just 'cause you want a new guitar, you don't have to buy it that day. Don't settle for second best. Hold out for something that you want. It might be at the next store on the next day you visit one. Consider the time spent looking for one as also time spent eliminating ones you don't really want.

Don
.

I don't know if I'm noble or just cursed, but I get in my mind what I want and then spend a year or more looking for it and looking at them. I never go to a guitar store unless I think they might have the make and model I am looking for but I will go a hundred miles out of my way to look at one if I get wind where one is. And I have it sitting in all my wish lists in all the online retailers I visit so I can look at it every week. I check Reverb for it and take a fast look at marketplace just to see. But I don't buy because I know that if I do there is no purpose to look at guitars anymore, so I just keep looking.

[Goat Mick]

There is no reason to try and play the “I don’t really like it but if it’s cheap I’ll buy” game. You can flat out tell them up front that you like the guitar but not for the retail price. Then let them start discounting until you’re comfortable with the price. It’s really not difficult.

[TTiimm]

"A lot of time playing" doesn't sound like torture to me.

Drive around in a nice car, grab a coffee and maybe stop for lunch, play a bunch of guitars and meet some interesting people.... Maybe my glass is half full.

Most people are as miserable as they choose to be.

[tbeltrans]

Originally Posted by TTiimm

"A lot of time playing" doesn't sound like torture to me.

Drive around in a nice car, grab a coffee and maybe stop for lunch, play a bunch of guitars and meet some interesting people.... Maybe my glass is half full.

Most people are as miserable as they choose to be.

This is understandable because we are ALL always just short of enough guitars.

Tony

[Mr. Jelly]

What's a guitar store? In my area between Omaha and Sioux Falls there are probably a handful of guitars that are worth playing and maybe two I 'might' be interested in.

NGD is a double edge sword. The hope and dream of what the guitars you are looking at will be is great. Often not reality though. I'm sick and tired of buying and selling guitars. In the end I have to ask myself what difference a $100 dollars one way or the other makes. I know that's contradictory but that's life. The worst thing about it is figuring out what will truly fill your needs. I have become a believer that that takes years of experience. And even then, you're not done until you're dead. Or run out of money. Whichever comes first.

[TBman]

I started my "in person" search on Saturday. I'll probably have to buy online, but I have to get out there just in case.

The problem with online is when you see something that looks great, but you have reservations and it's in the beginning of your search and who knows what great guitar is going to become available soon.

There's a guitar show in April in my area, but it's a 3 hour one way drive soooooo, not sure if I'm going.

Plus I have 3 really good sounding guitars and a couple of others that are good. How much of an increase in tone will I find out there and at what cost?

[DCCougar]

Originally Posted by jjbigfly

We only hear about the battles that have been won, never about how hard you had to fight to get there.
NGD’s are not something everyone is suited for.….

But the hunt is half the fun! The research, the searching, man, it's a kind of a letdown when you finally make that purchase and then.... you're no longer in the hunt.... at least for a while.

Most of my buys have been online, so it's a bit different when you're buying out of a shop. But there the strategy is simple -- always ask for 20% off, or at least "How much of a discount can you give me?" If they don't give you at least 10%, they're not trying hard enough.

And on reverb, make offer! I was watching a New Hartford-built Guild F50R for a week and a half. These are typically up in the $3,000 range. I noticed the seller had reduced the price two or three times in that short period of time, so I made an offer, not hugely lower than what he was asking, but still under $2,000... Offer accepted! Spectacular jumbo Guild F50R! Near mint! It even came with emeralds on the bridge pins!

[TBman]

Originally Posted by DCCougar

Spectacular jumbo Guild F50R! Near mint! It even came with emeralds on the bridge pins!

Did you click your shoes together too while holding onto Toto?

I'm pretty sure that's abalone, not emeralds in the bridge pins,

[DCCougar]

Originally Posted by TBman

I'm pretty sure that's abalone, not emeralds in the bridge pins,

No, they're actually emeralds. It also has them on the tuning posts. I had to replace one - found the same size on ebay, cost about 5 bucks.

[zombywoof]

I have never really found buying a guitar as much of a trial as you have. Then again, I have never really gone out with the intention of buying one. But you should hear what some of the guys who sell guitars think about the customers buying them.