expired Posted by xlnc • Jun 24, 2021
Jun 24, 2021 4:29 PM
Item 1 of 2
Item 1 of 2
expired Posted by xlnc • Jun 24, 2021
Jun 24, 2021 4:29 PM
Squier Classic Vibe '60s Jazzmaster Limited Edition Electric Guitar ~ Daphne Blue or Surf Green $330 @ MusiciansFriend.com
$330
$430
23% offMusician's Friend
Visit RetailerGood Deal
Bad Deal
Save
Share
Leave a Comment
8 Comments
Sign up for a Slickdeals account to remove this ad.
It's been a long time since I owned a Squier. (Off white late 90s affinity, back when squiers were junk.) Worst case, I can sell it locally around cost if things don't work out and I want to dump her.
To be clear here, when I say "brand-new" I mean in a Squier-branded box that was never opened since the factory, and including all the warranty cards, wrenches, and extras from the factory. This is what every other online music store considers "brand-new" and this is NOT what you'll be getting.
Guitar Center, the parent company of Musician's Friend, only considers guitars brought in-store and sold to them by a customer as "used" guitars. That means demo gear off the Guitar Center wall or previously purchased and returned guitars are still considered "new" by Guitar Center. A lot of the "deals" on Musician's Friend are actually demo gear or has been previously-returned Guitar Center, with Guitar Center selling them as "new" through Musician's Friend. Since Guitar Center actually uses different SKUs and page listings for demo and scratch-and-dent gear, a lawyer has even told me selling such items "new" through Musician's Friend is likely a case of Fraudulent Misrepresentation (yes, that's a type of legal fraud).
Anyway, I received a generic cardboard box from a Guitar Center in Johnston City, NY (as the return address), with the guitar very well wrapped in bubble-wrap, and the only "extra" was the tone-arm. The shrink-wrap is still on the pick-guard and vibrato and the guitar was playable and reasonably set-up. (These will never be set-up well from the factory, as .09 strings are too small for Jazzmasters without neck shims.)
This isn't an isolated instance with this Jazzmaster, but it was much better than what I've received previously. I received a D'Angelico "deal" from them last year that was clearly a return or badly treated demo-gear with damaged neck-binding, the bridge completely unplayable (as in couldn't even be tuned up), micro-scratches and finger prints all over the thing (like a toddler had been handling it). If you get a dud like that, you can call up Musician's Friend and ask about returning it. They'll either cut you a discount, or let you return it free-of-charge within 30 days (which is also the legal remedy for Fraudulent Misrepresentation, which is how I think they're able to get away with this crap). YMMV.
All of that out of the way, I think these Classic Vibe Jazzmasters are pretty great value for the money, and especially if you get a good-condition demo guitar for $100 off like this. Most of the specs are true to original Jazzmasters (with real Jazzmaster style pickups) and comes with an upgraded Mustang bridge and a the nut is actually made of bone. You will definitely need to clean the fret-board (all of these reviewed online and mine came with some kind of gray wax on them) and like with all Jazzmasters the guitar will absolutely need a set-up (nut filing for string preference, and possibly a neck shim if you use strings smaller than 12's and like the action low).
All of this said, I would definitely steer away from the Surf Green guitars that aren't "in stock" - that means Guitar Center is waiting for someone to return a Surf Green guitar, then you'll get *that* one. At least with the in-stock Daphne Blue, it seems more likely the actually guitar sent to me was a relatively-unplayed floor model pulled off the wall at the at the Johnston City, NY guitar center. Again, YMMV.
Thanks for coming to my Ted Talk.
Sign up for a Slickdeals account to remove this ad.
I'm returning it. What scummy selling practice.
Leave a Comment