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Author
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Topic: Well, at least Guitar Center had a steel there?
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Nicholas Dedring
Member From: Brooklyn, New York, USA
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posted 09 December 2004 06:19 PM
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I had some time to kill waiting for a friend, Guitar Center was across the street from where I had to meet them...They had a pedal steel in the store, in the vintage area... It was a "1960's Gibson Korina" Single 6, 4 pedal guitar. A fair distance away from mint to say the least. They were asking $2,600.00 for it. Am I crazy, or is that COMPLETELY insane??? FWIW, I had no personal interest in it, but it kind of blew my mind that they could ask that much for it. I talked to one dude who worked there, and he did the whole "Well, it's really a collector's piece." Um, I didn't think so, but am I missing something here?? |
Bobby Lee
Sysop From: Cloverdale, North California, USA
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posted 09 December 2004 07:30 PM
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I think that marget value for those is about $400. |
Bill C. Buntin
Member From: back at home in Cleburne, TX
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posted 09 December 2004 07:53 PM
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Bet it wasn't in tune either. Guitar Center in Dallas had a Carter Starter and a Sierra Artist series one time when I went in just browsing and niether guitar was anywhere near in tune. Course they tried to sell me one, and just being a little ornry, I asked them to tune the Carter and then demonstrate it. When I walked out, the kid salesman was still hacking around trying to tune it in perfect 4ths I guess. Really they try to sell something that no one there normally has the skills to even keep in tune let alone demonstrate to a would be customer. |
Travis Bernhardt
Member From: Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
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posted 09 December 2004 11:33 PM
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Oh, Bill, that's cruel.  I wish there was a big name music store with a Carter Starter in it in Vancouver, just so I could try that...-Travis |
John Fabian
Member From: Mesquite, Texas USA
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posted 10 December 2004 02:59 AM
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Try Rufus' Guitar Shop or Long & McQuaid Music
http://www.carterstarter.com/CS_dealers/dlrsearch.html ------------------
John Fabian
Carter Steel Guitars www.steelguitar.com
www.steelguitarinfo.com
www.carterstarter.com |
Charles Curtis
Member From: Bethesda, Maryland, USA
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posted 10 December 2004 03:55 AM
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Washington Music in Wheaton, Md has a Carter Starter on the floor and Mr. Paul S. knows the E9 tuning. |
Paul King
Member From: Gainesville, Texas, USA
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posted 10 December 2004 04:56 AM
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I went to the Guitar Center in Plano, Texas last week. No steel guitars even though they had a lof of other musical equiptment. There was also a lot of noise going on IMHO. |
Steve Hitsman
Member From: Waterloo, IL
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posted 10 December 2004 05:26 AM
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One of the Guitar Centers in St. Louis had a Maverick for $700 a couple of years ago. I suggested that the price was a little out of line but they weren't interested in my opinion. |
Shaan Shirazi
Member From: Austin, TX, USA
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posted 10 December 2004 05:41 AM
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When I was in OKC for Thanksgiving the GC there had a dbl neck Emmons for about $1800 I think. Don't have much more info than that since I don't know how to date guitars but I think the tag said it was a '72 or '74. I wouldn't put too much stock in that.------------------
The Pickin' Paniolo
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Joe Alterio
Member From: Fishers, Indiana
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posted 10 December 2004 08:07 AM
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The GC here in town usually has a very badly abused Sho-Bud for sale. Right now they have one that looks to be a late '60s student model....3 pedals, 1 knee lever....it does not appear to be a Maverick. It is about twice as flimsy as a Maverick, and is in 2.0/10.0 shape.Price? $750.00!!!! The Sam Ash here in town does keep a Carter Starter on the floor. Of course, nobody there even knows how to tune it. When me and another steel player were hovering over it, the sales guy actually tried to talk "steel" with us, saying things like "nobody knows how to tune those things." I suggested to him it might be easier to sell it if it was actually set up properly. He kind of laughed and then asked us if we wanted to buy it.  |
Charles Curtis
Member From: Bethesda, Maryland, USA
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posted 10 December 2004 09:28 AM
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Isn't it more fun to go to a psg dealer who really knows the instrument, can play it and discuss the differences (of the guitars), does maintenance (if you like) and can guarantee the guitar? And a big plus; has integrity. |
Joe Alterio
Member From: Fishers, Indiana
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posted 10 December 2004 10:03 AM
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Yes, but it's also fun to go to one of the "big box" stores and mess with the salespeople. Say things to them like "cabinet drop," "E9," "C6" and "Buddy Emmons" and see the ignorance/lack of care on their part. Sometimes, if you're lucky, they'll ge the store's "steel expert" out to talk to you.....you know, the guy who knows what the thing is called and that Jerry Garcia played one on "Teach Your Children." Then you can mess with him, too. If the owner's around (like at the GC's offering beat up junk pedal steels for $750) you can pretend you want to buy the guitar, but offer them what it's worth: "I'll give you $200." Then when they counter with "$600," you can let out a sincere laugh combined with the look of amazement/puzzlement. That makes 'em realize that they know they are in over their heads. Oh, you can have a good hour of fun, if you want to! But, yes, if you are really wanting to BUY a steel, then you probably already know that a big box is the last place to go, unless you want the Carter Starter (and can tune it yourself...since they won't know how). Joe |
Ray Minich
Member From: Limestone, New York, USA
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posted 10 December 2004 10:05 AM
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Take pity on the clueless, for they shall inherit retail... |
Chris Forbes
Member From: Beltsville, MD, USA
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posted 10 December 2004 10:08 AM
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Charles, the only reason that guitar is anywhere close to being in tune is because I visit a buddy who works there every once in a while. Some idiot messed up the knees something wicked, and the top of the guitar is usually a mess too. [This message was edited by Chris Forbes on 10 December 2004 at 10:11 AM.] |
Mark van Allen
Member From: loganville, Ga. USA
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posted 10 December 2004 10:21 AM
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Seems like an either/or situation here... on the one hand, Carter has been getting steels out to stores where they normally wouldn't be seen, and perhaps somebody who's always wanted to dip their toes in the steel pool will be able to transcend the lack of information. On the other hand, having a new Carter or a used guitar in possibly questionable condition, with no one able to offer any insight may be scaring away some potential steelers as well! When I was out on the road I asked the folks at Sam Ash, Guitar Center (and Carter as well) if they'd like to set up some clinics to demonstrate the tuning and basics to their sales staff, nobody was interested... after all it is a real niche thing I guess. Years ago I was in the old Rhthym City here in Atlanta. The owner was infamous for.. um... getting the better end of the deal. A guy had just walked in carrying an MSA D-10 all set up and traded it for something the owner obviously thought was worth less. Owner asked me (he knew I was a steel player) if I wanted to buy it for a pretty inflated price. I turned the guitar over and showed him that there were no parts at all underneath, just the pedal rods taped to the body with duct tape. I think that day they wished they knew more about steels there.------------------
Stop by the Steel Store at: www.markvanallen.com
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Joe Alterio
Member From: Fishers, Indiana
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posted 10 December 2004 10:58 AM
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quote:
I turned the guitar over and showed him that there were no parts at all underneath, just the pedal rods taped to the body with duct tape. I think that day they wished they knew more about steels there.
BWAhahahahahahahahah! Mark, that is absolutely hilarious!!!! |
Mark Ardito
Member From: Chicago, IL, USA
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posted 10 December 2004 11:02 AM
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There is a "used" guitar shop in Chicago near Wrigley Field that has the MOST overpriced guitars in town. A beat up Strat or Tele is easily over $1,000. I went in their one day and saw a Fender 6 string lapsteel on display. I asked them how much they wanted for it and he said $2,000. I asked him if he knew how much it was really worth, he said something about the pickups alone are worth that much. He then went on to say that "tele" enthusiasts would buy the lapsteel just for the pickups and then throw away the lapsteel. What a jerk!I have never set foot in that place after that. Mark ------------------
Sho~Bud Pro I, Fender D-8 (C6&E13) http://www.darkmagneto.com
http://www.arditotech.com |
Chick Donner
Member From: North Ridgeville, OH USA
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posted 10 December 2004 11:13 AM
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Our local GC took in a GFI D10 a couple of years ago, complete with volume pedal and seat, so I tuned it up for them and even went and demoed it a couple of times to help them sell it. They did, and have treated me very well since on various purchases I have made there. |
Joe Alterio
Member From: Fishers, Indiana
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posted 10 December 2004 11:15 AM
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Mark...all you have to do is say "Chicago" and "overpriced".....is Chicago Music Exchange the name of the place, over there on Clark? |
Mark Ardito
Member From: Chicago, IL, USA
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posted 10 December 2004 11:46 AM
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quote:
Mark...all you have to do is say "Chicago" and "overpriced".....is Chicago Music Exchange the name of the place, over there on Clark?
HAHA...you got it Joe! I guess you have witnessed their overpriced guitars also. I have no idea how they sell any guitar at those prices. Plus they are a bunch of stuck-up jerks that work in that store. ------------------
Sho~Bud Pro I, Fender D-8 (C6&E13) http://www.darkmagneto.com
http://www.arditotech.com |
Charles Curtis
Member From: Bethesda, Maryland, USA
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posted 10 December 2004 02:01 PM
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Chris, I guess it's been awhile since I played it; maybe someone should let them know that if they want to sell to an interested qualified buyer then it should be maintained. They seem to get a lot of floor traffic. |
Travis Bernhardt
Member From: Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
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posted 10 December 2004 03:32 PM
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Thanks for the reply, John, but Rufus is a small store, and none of the nearby Long & McQuades stock the CS. Actually, every few months I go in and tune up the Carter Starter at Rufus--invariably it's been thrown way out of tune by people who have no idea what they're doing.-Travis |
Charles Curtis
Member From: Bethesda, Maryland, USA
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posted 11 December 2004 02:21 AM
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One solution could be to have a short demo tape nearby (small TV, with VhS tape player) that a salesperson could play for an interested customer. |
John Fabian
Member From: Mesquite, Texas USA
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posted 11 December 2004 03:01 AM
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Actually, the owner & employees are supposed to watch the "Quick-Start" DVD that comes with the Carter-Starter. That DVD contains enough info for them to set up, tune and, yes, even demonstrate a few simple things such as the 1 to 4 changes with A & B Pedals (assuming they play 6-string guitar, bass, or even keyboards). You can lead a horse........ John Fabian [This message was edited by John Fabian on 11 December 2004 at 06:50 AM.] |
David L. Donald
Member From: Koh Samui Island, Thailand
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posted 11 December 2004 03:14 AM
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LOL some funny stuff on this thread LOL |
Wayne Morgan
Member From: Rutledge, TN, USA
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posted 11 December 2004 06:59 AM
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Hey chick, if you had took your ZB in and demo'ed, they would have gave you the GC center.
Wayne |
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