It's Official... Options

[rokchik]

... I really ticked someone off in a former life or something.

I just got off the phone with the store I ordered my new PRS Tremonti Signature from, as most are aware this has been one long, drawn out guitar purchase. Good news my guitar has FINALLY arrived and they called to say they were putting it on the next flight to get to me. (Back ground... no guitar store where I live. Closest store is a 2 hr flight away. They are flying it up as quicker then mail) I was soooo excited and stocked so I asked if he had a look at it. He said he did and it is the most gorgeous grey flame top he's ever seen...

Hold Up??? Grey Flame top??? I ORDERED THE TRI COLOR!!!!!!!!!!!! Why oh why is this purchase being so darn difficult. My heart literally sank in my chest. And once he said grey top he even realized the mistake. Based on the fact that they screwed up the first time around I can honestly say I am not very impressed, and he literally sounded like he wanted to crawl under a rock and die. I know the color is going to have no effect on the tone or performance of the guitar but it was one of the things I fell in love with.

So what to do???? I've waited so long for this guitar and I hit road blocks all over the place. Here is what we have come up with.... they are still going to send me the guitar, should have it Saturday if it makes the flight tomorrow night fingers crossed for that... my luck someone will leave the cargo door open and the darn thing will fall into the atlantic. If I am not happy with it I can send it back to them, no charge to me, and they will reorder the right one... or refund me so I can get it else where. They also knocked off another $300 bucks for a final discount of just over $1600 bucks plus they threw in about $150 worth of accessories which I had being shipped anyways. Doesn't really rectify the situation but they are at least trying.... I guess

URRRGGGHHH why is this so difficult.... cue whiny voice here.... I just want my darn guitaaaarrrr!!! sigh....

Here is pics of the two guitars although they are both older models you get the idea. Difference with the grey... besides color ... is it has the outlined bird inlays not solid.

[Ajmurrell]

That is astonishingly annoying... Personally I quite like both of the colours BUT totally understand when you're spending that kind of money on a guitar, you want to get the colour you like the best!

Madness on their part, these are tough times and you'd think they'd be making every effort to meet customer satisfaction. If you end up liking the discount, and are happy with the colour then I'd say keep it. If not, don't settle for the easy option of keeping it. You'll kick yourself later down the road.

[rokchik]

That is astonishingly annoying... Personally I quite like both of the colours BUT totally understand when you're spending that kind of money on a guitar, you want to get the colour you like the best!

Madness on their part, these are tough times and you'd think they'd be making every effort to meet customer satisfaction. If you end up liking the discount, and are happy with the colour then I'd say keep it. If not, don't settle for the easy option of keeping it. You'll kick yourself later down the road.

Yeah, man your right. At this point I just want the guitar so I've almost got myself convinced to keep it regardless. I don't think I can wait another two months. But I don't want to just settle....

OK my brain is starting to hurt

[fkalich]

I would send it back. The other has a more classic look. You may keep this guitar a long time. Colors like that gray are the kind of thing that is more faddish, goes out of favor. The tri color is a forever style.

Well that is my taste. But I would also send it back if it was not what I wanted, if you have something to play now. I would also consider some other vender. Musician's Friend and American Musical never screwed up on any of the 8 or 9 orders I have made from them. In fact, nobody has ever screwed up, that is pretty careless of them. With as many people looking for jobs now, you would think they could hire more responsible people. It is easy not to screw up. Rather than just grabbing something, you double check on things as routine.

[synfection]

man, no one is having luck at the moment buying guitars.

[MickeM]

Who's running that music shop, Basil Fawlty? ...oh my, I had to check the date of the post, it said "today" though the stoiy was so familiar I had to double check noone reopened an old post.

Sorry Rok! My sad advice would be to just return the guitar. After all the Tremonti is your dream guitar, right? If you give it up today for a gray substitute you may never get it. Another two months wait is tough but after all you're waiting to fulfil a dream, you're not waiting for just another guitar.
Right?

[rokchik]

Who's running that music shop, Basil Fawlty? ...oh my, I had to check the date of the post, it said "today" though the stoiy was so familiar I had to double check noone reopened an old post.

Sorry Rok! My sad advice would be to just return the guitar. After all the Tremonti is your dream guitar, right? If you give it up today for a gray substitute you may never get it. Another two months wait is tough but after all you're waiting to fulfil a dream, you're not waiting for just another guitar.
Right?

Yeah, I've been almost spamming GMC with post of this guitar purchase LOL!! It took forever and has just been so strange.

I don't want to settle, even though it's still a Tremonti Signature, the Tri Color was just soooo cool!!! Advertising really works on my young impressionable little mind Plus as fkalich says the Tri Color is just classic.

I guess we'll see what happens Saturday...

[VictorUK]

Grey looks so much better imo! hence why my ibanez is grey/silver

[fkalich]

Yeah, I've been almost spamming GMC with post of this guitar purchase LOL!! It took forever and has just been so strange.

I don't want to settle, even though it's still a Tremonti Signature, the Tri Color was just soooo cool!!! Advertising really works on my young impressionable little mind Plus as fkalich says the Tri Color is just classic.

I guess we'll see what happens Saturday...

Yeah, I looked at it. That is awfully pretty. If it is anything like this, that is awfully pretty.

http://www.mylespaul.com/forums/member-cla...emonti-new.html

But then again, you are getting a pretty good price. Hmmmmmm. Money matters. I only saw one tri color at a major internet seller, sweetwater, and it was like $2600, although they mentioned a rebate. Probably not much. Still you can probably find one cheaper, but I doubt near $1600. Maybe prices have gone up. So hmmm. If the price is good enough, and like $500 cheaper at least than you could ever find a sunburst. And it looks to me like you could not even get one now for that price, this guy is selling is for $2,550 Well, hummm. Money matters to. In that case I reconsider. I would not kid myself that I prefer the grey, but it probably looks good as they said, and if so, heck, for a good deal, well money matters also. You could buy a Boss RC-50 with $500, and that would be real cool to have.

This post has been edited by fkalich: May 29 2009, 12:38 AM

[rokchik]

Yeah, I looked at it. That is awfully pretty. If it is anything like this, that is awfully pretty.

http://www.mylespaul.com/forums/member-cla...emonti-new.html

But then again, you are getting a pretty good price. Hmmmmmm. Money matters. I only saw one tri color at a major internet seller, sweetwater, and it was like $2600, although they mentioned a rebate. Probably not much. Still you can probably find one cheaper, but I doubt near $1600. Maybe prices have gone up. So hmmm. If the price is good enough, and like $500 cheaper at least than you could ever find a sunburst. And it looks to me like you could not even get one now for that price, this guy is selling is for $2,550 Well, hummm. Money matters to. In that case I reconsider. I would not kid myself that I prefer the grey, but it probably looks good as they said, and if so, heck, for a good deal, well money matters also. You could buy a Boss RC-50 with $500, and that would be real cool to have.

That would be it fkalich And yes it is mighty pretty...

The $1600 is the amount he took off actually. I am paying $3100 for the guitar. (MSRP on the guitar is $4700) Which when you take in to account exchange on the Cnd dollar to USD plus customs (IE taxes and we LOVE taxes in Canada a lovely 13%) It would be close to that price anyways... I think... my math isn't the greatest

EDIT: I didn't realize the Tri Color had the outline bird inlays as well It looks even nicer now....

This post has been edited by rokchik: May 29 2009, 12:47 AM

[Trond Vold]

That SUCKS!
I know how frustrating it is when your not getting what you have been looking forward to for ages, and also paid a good sum of money for.

But i must add, personally i preffered the grey flame top I thought it had a more unique look to it.
Maybe you'll actually love the grey one when you get to see it for yourself, but if not.. there's always the possibility to return it. But that will offcourse mean more waiting time....

This post has been edited by Trond Vold: May 29 2009, 01:11 AM

[fkalich]

That would be it fkalich And yes it is mighty pretty...

The $1600 is the amount he took off actually. I am paying $3100 for the guitar. (MSRP on the guitar is $4700) Which when you take in to account exchange on the Cnd dollar to USD plus customs (IE taxes and we LOVE taxes in Canada a lovely 13%) It would be close to that price anyways... I think... my math isn't the greatest

EDIT: I didn't realize the Tri Color had the outline bird inlays as well It looks even nicer now....

Well, Canadian dollar is about 90% value of a red blooded American dollar.

This is the one I found

http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/SCMTF3SB/

They say MSRP of about $3,700, they sell it for $2,600.

$4,700 x 90% = $4,230. Don't we have sort of a tariff free arrangement with our frost bitten friends to the north?

Anyway, if this is the same Guitar, I would check with Sweetwater and see if they ship north. Unless they apply a $500 tarriff on it, and I don't think they do (if this is the same guitar). I did not see Musician's Friend having the tri color, I know they do ship north, I assume they use dog sleds to get it there. There are others also. I have had good luck with these big operations. If anything is wrong, they will generally replace it and pay shipping for the exchange.

edit: I just saw that you mention taxes. I don't know if you have to pay that if you purchase from the US. If you do, well, if they sell it for $2,600, 13% is $338 of that. I did that in my head, my dementia test, so I passed. That would still make the price pushing $2,950. Still does not explain it as a great deal from who you purchased from. Anyway, unless you have money to burn and don't care, you have options. Unless you are getting a really great deal (and I don't see that at this point, since I don't think you are a growling metal guy, I would go for a tri, maybe from somebody else).

This post has been edited by fkalich: May 29 2009, 01:38 AM

[Praetorian]

Unbelievable!!!! Personally...I like the gray better!

[rokchik]

Well, Canadian dollar is about 90% value of a red blooded American dollar.

This is the one I found

http://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/SCMTF3SB/

They say MSRP of about $3,700, they sell it for $2,600.

$4,700 x 90% = $4,230. Don't we have sort of a tariff free arrangement with our frost bitten friends to the north?

Anyway, if this is the same Guitar, I would check with Sweetwater and see if they ship north. Unless they apply a $500 tarriff on it, and I don't think they do (if this is the same guitar). I did not see Musician's Friend having the tri color, I know they do ship north, I assume they use dog sleds to get it there. There are others also. I have had good luck with these big operations. If anything is wrong, they will generally replace it and pay shipping for the exchange.

edit: I just saw that you mention taxes. I don't know if you have to pay that if you purchase from the US. If you do, well, if they sell it for $2,600, 13% is $338 of that. I did that in my head, my dementia test, so I passed. That would still make the price pushing $2,950. Still does not explain it as a great deal from who you purchased from. Anyway, unless you have money to burn and don't care, you have options. Unless you are getting a really great deal (and I don't see that at this point, since I don't think you are a growling metal guy, I would go for a tri, maybe from somebody else).

Sweetwater only has it available in Blue though. Spoke with them and they also said there would be about a months wait for the Tri Color. Also they don't ship PRS to Canada for some reason... person couldn't really explain.

Either way it actually works out to be about $100 dollars more expensive if I bought it from the guy on the LP forum... that's at todays exchange rate mind you. I still have to pay tax on the guitar even if purchased in USA. There is no tariff or duty though due to NAFTA. Plus add shipping... even by dog sled, need to feed the poor buggers... to that as well so it's still not a fantastic deal but thanks for trying and the suggestions.

I guess it's another waiting game to see the guitar on Saturday and then decide. I'll post some pics as well.

[Guitarman700]

Return it. I agree with Fkalich, the tri burst is classic, and those inlays are so cool. NEVER compromise on your dream guitar, get the one you want. it will be worth it!

[Koopid]

Return it! You ordered your dream guitar, don't settle for less.

[fkalich]

Either way it actually works out to be about $100 dollars more expensive if I bought it from the guy on the LP forum... that's at todays exchange rate mind you. I still have to pay tax on the guitar even if purchased in USA. There is no tariff or duty

You may still be best off with those guys if you decide to insist on the tri. Musician's friend wants $3,200 for that item, and though they do ship to Canada, with the currency conversion, and the fact that they don't give free shipping to Canada, and the tax, you would pay a lot more. I don't know why Sweetwater is so much cheaper, but even if they shipped to Canada, you are right, you still would pay a little more.

http://guitars.musiciansfriend.com/product...itar?sku=520049

To me that guy selling his wanted too much for a guitar without the 2 year warranty. I feel one wants a warranty at least for the first few years on a guitar. And as you said, it is not cheaper.

Well you might like the Gray when you get it. Post pictures as you say. If the flame is real good as they say, it might be real neat. A nice flame is a great thing, and hard to get. I have a 58 Les Paul reissue with the tri color. But I also have a chocolate brown flamed LP studio with a great flame, and I really like it. You may like the gray when you see it.

This post has been edited by fkalich: May 29 2009, 07:23 AM

[Pedja Simovic]

Thats bad to hear really... I would return it and ask for one you wanted in the first place. Its not 100,200 $ guitar, we are talking about 3,000 + $

[fkalich]

Thats bad to hear really... I would return it and ask for one you wanted in the first place. Its not 100,200 $ guitar, we are talking about 3,000 + $

Probably true. But still you can want something in particular, and then later after getting it, find out it was not as big a deal as you thought. I know some of the Les Pauls (such as some Marcus has) with a solid color but with wood grain and nice flame are really pretty cool looking. I used to make a big deal out of cherry sunburst Les Pauls, like that is the only thing I could want because Jimmy Page had that, but now I don't feel that way, and my 58 Les Paul Reissue is that color. So give it a chance, but if two days later you still want the other, I would wait the month or two to get it. That is what I would do, if you are still sure you want the other, I would wait for it and not settle.

[bsamn]

Hey,

I think you should wait and buy the guitar you want, i mean its not cheap, even if they are giving you discounts or free accessories, it still wont make it right. Trust me, its better to have it perfect, than wonder 'what if' i had the guitar in that color.

I myself am in a bit of a dilemma, a bit similar to yours, when i cannot find a kind wood in white (its not like i absolutely cant get it, a custom order will be a bit more expensive). But still i wait!

You have waited for sometime now, a little bit more wont really hurt.
In the end your gonna be more happy.

Rock on!

This post has been edited by bsamn: May 29 2009, 10:20 AM