... 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.

Click to view attachment Click to view attachment

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

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.

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

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...

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....

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....

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).

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

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.

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!

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

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.

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.

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!

Although I like the grey one much more I would also not compromise on your dream guitar.

What I would TRY to arrange (regarding previous errors on THEIR part) would be a deal communicated like this:

"Look. YOU made the errors - but I´m still willing to buy the guitar from you BUT: I want my originally ordered guitar in EXCHANGE!!
So I´m keeping the grey one until the tri-color has arrived. Of course I will not use the grey one to hammer in nails into my wall but I WILL play it - no more no less. If that´s not acceptable for you I want my order completly re-transacted retroactively and I will take business elsewhere."...and I would mean it too!

Wow, sorry to hear about this Rok!!! personally, for the kind of money you're laying out, I'd return it and get the one you were originally after1
i do like that grey finish though!!!!!

+1!

Thanks everyone for the comments

After a somewhat good nights sleep I'm still no further ahead I spent a few hours last night trying to find some decent pics of the grey but I believe the guy at the store made a mistake when he said it was a flame top, as all I can find is quilt tops for the 2009 models ( but I might be wrong) Here is a link to the best pick I could find of the guitar in Grey Black

http://www.willcuttguitars.com/_product_31...ck_Quilt_10_Top

It is pretty sweet looking actually, I'll admit that. Looks almost satin like I think anyways. But I am still on the fence as to what I'm gonna do. I like Berglmir's idea of holding on to the grey until they fix the problem and order me the tri though. Seems a good way to guarantee compliance on their end. Oh the dilemma Saturday feels like an eternity away...

OMG Rok, I can't believe this, how on earth could they screw it twice!...

It might not be what you want to hear, but you'll feel better in the long run if you return it and wait a bit for the one you really wanted. Otherwise you might end up with a gorgeus guitar which you will be 99% satisfied with, but everytime you see the other color that 1% might itch.

I say patience. Return it and get what you really crave for!

This decision will be much harder to take once you have the grey one in your house though, I'm sure it's awesome too. Don't even open it

If you were just buying 'another' guitar I'd suggest keeping it if you can live with the grey colour and spend the rebate on something else.

As it's your dream guitar Rok I think you should return it. Even if you really like the grey it may always be at the back of your mind that the tri was your dream.

Not sure why Sweetwater won't ship to Canada. Sometimes though manufacturers make their official dealers sign an agreement though whereby they cannot supply outside their country border to any other country that has official suppliers. The industry tends to deny this protectionism goes on but I've come across this situation a few times and been told it 'off the record' by two of the big UK importers.

If you can hold on to the grey until they ship you the tri color, do that. It's a slightly better compromise than just sending it back and waiting. But I'm sorry to hear how long this is taking, however when you get the burst it'll be all worth it!

New development guys...

The manager of the store just called me. He wanted to personally say how sorry he was for the mix up, and that as this was the second one it was just inexcusable... duh He said that he has personally ordered a new Tremonti Signature in Tri Color and that I can hang on to the grey/black until it arrives. He is going to send me the Tri Color when it arrives so that I can pick which one I want and then send the other back to them. He said it was only fair to have both in my hands and make a decision as it is their fault I even have to choose. He said it will take another two months as they are made custom, and he apologized again for the wait and mix up. All other agreements for price will stay and he is also offering me 20% off my new amp, even off sale price, when I get it.... still shopping for that one

So this is making me feel a lot better I must say. They really seem to want to make me happy. Plus I didn't even have to ask for it Still ticked about the situation, however I'll give them an "A" for effort.

rok

Things just happen sometimes, the measure of somebody is how they act and treat you when a bad situation arises, in this case the guy seems to have made genuine efforts to to reconcile the situation, best of all, you get to play with two new PRS guitars for a few days, have to say that would be worth a bit of hassle!

Yeah sted I am impressed with how the manager is handling things. And like you said I'll have two guitars to play for a coupe of days when the second one arrives I don't think many places would be so trusting actually.

Cool, I'm glad it's working out What amps are you considering?

Double post deleted as requested. Tony

I have my PRS SE Custom in gray black and like it a lot I think I wouldn't change it for any 'burst guitar but If you aren't happy with the guitar I think you should send it back again...

Absolutley. Like sted says he seems to be going the extra mile to make amends. He seems keen to leave this one on good terms and so be in the running for your future business. Sometimes just building a good rapport with a shop is worth its weight in gold.

Now if you could arrange for the gray one to get lost in transit somewhere over Cadiz when you return it Rok

Tony I will see what I can do

@JVM - I haven't sat down and really looked at specific models yet. About all I'm 100% sure on is I want a tube amp. I have a modeling amp now but I also have a Podxt so it's a bit redundant. I'm still debating on the watts as well. As much as it would be great to have 100 it's a bit of overkill for just my living room. I have a 30 watt amp now which is more then enough so I think I will stick with that... or maybe bounce it up to 50 but I think that's as high as I'll go... hmmm a Mesa Single Rectifier 50 would certainly be nice

I like the way they are behaving!
Errors happen - but it´s the manner of how to act upon them that counts and I´m lifting my hat for the professionalism of those guys.

Within all your bad-luck this is a streak of light - one could have fared much much worse!!
Have fun with your grey PRS - I bet it´s a marvelous instrument!


PS. A sceptic might say: " Hey! - they have read this thread and acted pro-activly on our suggestions how to handle this mess!"

What a great community we are!!!!

Yes I thought maybe they saw your comment But yes they are redeeming themselves, in my eyes anyways.

And without a doubt this is an amazing community!!!!!!

That's really bad, hope you will get your money back!

I'm so glad to hear that Rok, they really messed things up, but they seem to have really nice costumer service, that's a plus

That's just sad...
They managed to get the wrong guitar again??

Well, I personally thought the grey flame was awesome so I'd ask for a little money back and keep it

But I see your frustration

I totally agree with you fkalich!

I am not too picky on color, I always go for sound and sound only as first choice. Then comes neck and playability. Hopefully look of the guitar will fit my taste if not that can be altered (paint job is not as difficult as it seems .
But yeah, I agree with you, if you want same guitar couple of days later return the one you got and ask for original one

I want that it all that happened to you, happens to me at the hour of the purchase and have all that discount!!. Jajaja

After this, I think I would pour gasoline on a life-size and just as deadly replica of Sephiroth's Masamune and go on a rampage in their offices.

I like the subtle approaches.

I was sorry to read about the color issue but it certainly is bit relieving that the seller puts so much effort into organizing this one.
PRS guitars are awesome and one of their many great features is the flawless and beautiful finish. I'm totally with you when it comes to the look of a guitar... for an axe over 3k you should want every inch of it to fit your taste