With warranties, you’re left wondering whether you’ll need them, then whether you’ll get paid if you do. Please Note: For product service outside the U.S. and Canada, please contact either the Dealer from whom you purchased the product, or the Authorized Gretsch Distributor in your area for information and assistance. Guitar Center contracts with NEW Customer Service to administer their warranties. I bought my Fender® electronic product used. In 2014, an investment firm called Ares Capital Management took over a majority stake. Guitar Center, which also operates a direct marketer of instruments called Musician’s Friend, has a tumultuous history. Your new in-store return policy is noted below. currently the headphones are $150 and 5 star. That said, all companies try hard to sell these warranties because it’s all profit, and in many cases may even be more than on the item you purchased. Mention it on every call and plant the seed early!”, One former sales employee who worked at a call center in Indianapolis, Alan James, said in an interview that “people in management and supervisors are still telling agents that it’s O.K. We are extremely proud of our reliability, and problems are quite rare. Understand that the problems with collecting on warranty claims lies with Asurion, a company that’s more widely known for insuring consumer electronics, than Guitar Center. Returns of the following products must be made within 10 days of shipment - Stringed instruments priced at $1999.00 or more.. Returns of the following products must be made within 3 days of receipt - Vintage instruments.. We’ve all heard the pros and cons of extended warranties for everything from appliances to autos, and they’re certainly worthwhile for some and worthless for others. by it i mean just the mic itself. Guitar Center warranty policy? Sales associates at Guitar Center said customers had difficulty redeeming warranties on more expensive products. Sweetwater set the standard in our industry by offering free shipping, free tech support, an award-winning website, and much more - making buying gear easier than ever. One claim outlined in the story was for an external power supply for an audio mixer that was qualified as an “accessory” and therefore not under warranty. Fender Authorized Service Centers. Your proof of purchase or sales receipt must accompany all requests for warranty coverage, regardless of whether or not you have already registered your instrument with us. No, as long as it is done by an authorized Martin Service Center to ensure proper installation. He said he asked to get his money back after a friend of his, a saxophonist, tried to redeem his warranty and was told it was invalid. based in Atlanta, said he bought a sound mixer and an Asurion warranty for about $600 combined in 2016, but had a lot of trouble redeeming the warranty after his power adapter was damaged. Upon receiving the defective product, we … I purchased a defective product from a distributor, Guitar Center, who uses a manufacturer, Avid Technologies, Inc. Understanding How Guitar Center Buys Used Gear Links: All of the gear used in my videos is available on my Amazon Influencer page! I bought my Squier® instrument used. How Do I Receive Warranty Service On My Fender Product? For more information: Write: ESP Guitars Warranty Service Center. Click to read more. They also said Guitar Center’s phone sales department has been selling the Asurion warranties to customers in Puerto Rico, even though the warranties are not valid there. Guitar Center — service, company policy I traded & got ripped off when I returned what I purchased after only having it over the weekend they said they sold my trade. Whether to buy a warranty is, of course, a perennial question, and not just for musicians. The same restrictions, limitations, and possible fees apply to new and used product returns, as detailed in Guitar Center’s Return Policy online. Browse all Guitar Center locations in the United State to shop instruments, find music lessons, and more. How was your experience when making a claim? Now I'm trying to sell that guitar, but I was wondering if I can just return it for store credit because I have a warranty. Sign up for a weekly digest and cool music production news from Bobby Owsinski, Any purchases you make by going through our Amazon link below helps support this blog at no cost to you, A Big Shakeup At Gibson Could Be Coming Soon, 4 Good Reasons For Hanging Your Microphone Upside Down, Production Tax Relief From Congress, Apple Music Prices, And Super Hi-Fi CEO Zack Zalon On My Latest Podcast, New Music Gear Monday: Slate Digital Fresh Air Plugin, Deep Fake Vocals, Miles Copeland Part 2, And AI-Driven A&R On My Latest Podcast, New Music Gear Monday: Audified Klangfilm RZ062 EQ Plugin, New Music Gear Monday: AudioThing Wires Wire Recorder Plugin, New Music Gear Monday: RJ Studios MB3X Multi-Band Mastering Compressor Plugin, New Music Gear Monday: Leapwing RootOne Subharmonics Plugin, Terms and Conditions of use Have you purchased an extended warranty on an item from Guitar Center? Let’s sell like crazy this week! Bobby Owsinski is a producer/engineer, author and coach. To receive warranty service, return the complete instrument to an Authorized Guild Service Center, with your sales receipt as proof of purchase, during the applicable warranty period. When it comes to musical instruments and audio gear, the manufacturer almost always offers some warranty, while the retailer might offer a third party policy for an additional extended period of time. United States and Canada: 1-800-943-6782. But I received a tip about problems at Guitar Center after I wrote recently about the troubles at Gibson, the guitar maker that filed for bankruptcy protection in May. 10913 Vanowen St., North Hollywood, CA 91605 I used to bring up my faulty cables there all the time and they would replace them on the spot without any questions. Yet other customers claim that they have trouble collecting on a warranty claim above $200. You May Not Be Alone, Original Big Picture Music Production Blog. Guitar Center's brands include the Musician's Friend e-commerce site as well as Music & Arts, Woodwind Brasswind and AVDG. 2 … Answer Save. All Mogami cable assemblies are made with the finest cable, connectors, and assembly practices in the industry. A decade later, Guitar Center merged with a company controlled by Bain Capital, the private equity giant, and became privately held again. “They suggested I buy it,” said Ramon Figueroa, a 69-year-old professional trombonist who lives in Puerto Rico. Guitar Center has itself struggled since a 2007 leveraged buyout by Bain Capital left it saddled with debt heading into the financial crisis. Mr. Figueroa, the trombonist, said, “I’m not going to buy there again.”, Recounting ‘Horror Stories’ Over Guitar Center’s Warranties, “They tell me, ‘Sorry, the warranty doesn’t cover Puerto Rico,’” said one customer. Standard & Poor’s and Moody’s recently improved their outlooks on Guitar Center after a refinancing. The company does not have a physical store in Puerto Rico. “If it’s above $200, the value of a product, they’re going to have a hard time with Asurion,” he said. The stores are not equipped as a service center to handle claims. Concerns about the company’s practices were raised in interviews with two former employees and several aggrieved customers, centering on third-party warranties that are being aggressively marketed to Guitar Center customers. Guitar Center accepts returns on used gear up to 45 days from the date of purchase, according to the store. ), Last year, a different supervisor wrote: “Just a reminder that this is the last week for the Asurion scratch card contest, as well as our current spiff program paying out up to 4%. Mr. James said that a broad range of customers, beyond those in Puerto Rico, frequently had trouble claiming warranties purchased for expensive products. Is it still under warranty? Save even more on guitars, basses, drums, pro audio and accessories. Effective January 1, 2017 all Fender® and Squier® brand warranties are global. He has authored 24 books on recording, music, the music business and social media. But it still carries junk ratings, and Moody’s described it as “very highly leveraged.”, The notion that any invalid warranties were being sold raises questions about the internal practices of both Guitar Center and Asurion. Privacy Policy, Copyright 2008 - 2020 by Bobby Owsinski Media Group   -  Designed by Thrive Themes Guitar Center said in a statement for this article that it had been “made aware of an issue with some third-party protection plans that were sold in Puerto Rico over the past 30 months.” 6400, and speak with a Tech Support specialist. Now I am out my trade & because I lost the discount of 10% for trading in you got my guitar for … I did not receive a warranty card with my new instrument, could you send me one? Mr. James, who left Guitar Center a few days ago, said most of the company’s Spanish-speaking customers came from Puerto Rico. Most orders ship free! “That’s where the horror stories begin. Model dependent (5 year product warranty or lifetime) Most models also include a Connected Equipment Guarantee. Is it still under warranty? Guitar Center has been offering these policies from Asurion for a while, but according to the New York Times article, there have been some problems with customers actually getting them serviced. There’s always some technicality that gets them out of it.”. We contacted Guitar Center corporate customer service and store locations in Arizona, California, Michigan, Texas, and Washington to find out more about the company’s employee discount policy. Juan Balcazar, a D.J. However, when I went there last week they told me that Monster has changed their policy and that they are no longer allowed to exchange the cables. The CEG is 5 years from the date of purchase for all models. It blamed a “glitch in our computer system in 2017 that inadvertently allowed orders with Puerto Rican addresses to have protection plans processed,” as well as “a few employees acting outside of our longstanding policy.”. Asurion said in its own statement that both it and Guitar Center “have systematic processes in place to block the online sale of protection plans when selling to customers in Puerto Rico.” It did not address phone sales or how invalid warranties were sold in Puerto Rico. You should consider quotations obtained for non-warranty work immediately and advise the Authorized Epiphone Service Center or Epiphone … Guitar Center is the world's largest musical instruments retailer. He had previously bought a number of products from Guitar Center, although he had not needed to use a warranty before. “And I said, ‘What?’”. You are directed to the mfr in year 1 so neither the store nor NEW takes a service hit. Isolated Track: Keith Richards Guitar Solo On “Sympathy For The Devil”, Inexpensive Cyber Monday Recording Accessories For Every Studio Owner, 5 Tips On How To Address Negative Comments On Your Music, Thunderbolt 4, Former Police Manager Miles Copeland – Part 1, YouTube Ads, And On My Latest Podcast, Soundbeaming, Musician Robert Martin, And Gamers Avoid Royalties On My Latest Podcast, How To Record Drums Like The Beatles In 1963, Engineer John Cuniberti, Spotify’s New Discovery Mode Tool, And Drive-In Concert Audio On My Latest Podcast, Guitar Center Renovates Its Hollywood Flagship Store. If you have questions about the warranty of your specific product, please contact our Fender Consumer Relations Department and a representative will be happy to provide you with information. Welcome to the Guitar Center Pro Coverage Overview Page! Mr. Figueroa has a credit card through one of Guitar Center’s brands, Woodwind & Brasswind, and said in an interview Tuesday evening that his account had still not been credited after several weeks. He was told the power adapter, which came with the mixer, was not covered. Email: support@taylorguitars.com. if i broke the stand a couple months before? It started out in 1959 as an organ store, but jumped to guitars by the mid-1960s — because ivory ticklers like Keith Emerson and Ray Manzarek could only get you so far. Guitar Center offers industry leading professional coverage to help you protect your gear. The company said: “Service contracts provide consumers with the peace of mind of knowing they will not be hit with an unexpected cost if their consumer good breaks or malfunctions.”, Regarding the sales in Puerto Rico, Guitar Center said: “Regardless of the reasons why these plans were sold, we intend to make it right. Having just come back from San Juan, I can tell you that the people on the island have it tough enough already and the last thing they need is to be taken advantage of yet again. Tell us your story. If customers do get paid, it can come after a lot of angry phone calls and weeks of delay. Also, do I have to have my receipt, or can they look me up on their computers? Our El Cajon, California and Amsterdam, the Netherlands Factory Service Center staff can help with any service, maintenance or repair questions concerning Taylor guitars. If non-warranty work is required or recommended by Epiphone, a quotation will be issued and must be approved by you before any non-warranty work is commenced. Guitar Center is one of the largest retailers of musical instruments in the United States. The company said the transactions represented “a tiny fraction” of the warranties that it sells. Guitar Center doesn’t have a physical store in Puerto Rico and claims they were unaware of the problem. Last month, one supervisor emailed the staff: “Remember to offer the Service Plan on every call and properly qualify your customers so you can pitch the plan effectively.” (The bold lettering was in the original email. He called it “purposeful miscommunication” by management. You can pay $1,600 for an Eric Clapton Stratocaster and jam to “Crossroads.” You can also buy flutes and violins, or rock out with a four-piece set of egg shakers for $8. Shop Guitars, Bass, Drums, Amps, DJ, Keyboards, Pro-Audio and more. They are mediocre to good. Is it still under warranty? to sell there,” referring to Puerto Rico, adding: “The policy has been left intentionally unclear at every level.”. The warranties are a product of Asurion, a company better known for insuring cellphones, and are offered on top of whatever warranties come from the instrument manufacturers. “The adapter is considered an accessory, but without the adapter, the mixer doesn’t work at all,” he said. There was a public offering in 1997. “The audio sometimes goes up, goes down,” he said. If your guitar needs any service or maintenance that is not covered under warranty, it should be taken to any qualified professional. | Powered by WordPress, Trouble With A Guitar Center Extended Warranty? We will honor all of the Asurion protection plans that were inadvertently sold or provide these customers a refund for their purchased protection plan if they so choose.”, But the company has already lost some customers over the issue. Guitar Center’s Used Gear Return Policy. So I went up to Guitar Center last week to exchange some busted Monster cables. One of the biggest problems was that the company has been selling warranties to customers in Puerto Rico for the last 30 months, which on the surface doesn’t seem to be that big of a deal until you find that the warranties are not valid there. We have the details listed below. Another former sales associate, Garrett Williams, said that when he switched from the English-speaking sales staff to the Spanish-speaking staff, “it never changed about trying to put Asurion on every single” purchase. So my mic just stopped working for some reason unknown to man, and today i was going to record a new song -_____-would i be able to take the mic in and replace it/repair it. Not 5 star as stated in reviews. When it comes to musical instruments and audio gear, the manufacturer almost always offers some warranty, while the retailer might offer a third party policy for … Guitar Center is a musical instrument retailer that carries guitars, amps and effect, live sound, recording, keyboard and many other products to cater to all types of musician's needs. This warranty is extended to the original retail purchaser only and may not be transferred or assigned to subsequent owners. We all know that without a power supply no piece of electronic gear is going to operate, but for a company that’s more used to insuring cell phones who doesn’t understand the business, it’s probably in line with their policies. With the purchase of your new covered product and this Plan, Guitar Center has extended its in-store return policy. Defective components that qualify for coverage under this warranty will be repaired or replaced (at Guild’s discretion) without charge. Hector Villegas, another professional musician who lives in Puerto Rico, said he was sold at least 10 warranties through Guitar Center brands, and tried to redeem one after he had trouble with the sound quality of an amplifier. PLEASE NOTE: ESP does not offer repair service of any kind other than warranty repair service. Guitar Center’s staff members were pushed to sell Asurion warranties through management pressure and a variety of contests, according to interviews and internal emails that I reviewed. guitar center provides no automatic separate warranty and to the maximum extent permitted by applicable law, guitar center expressly disclaims all warranties and conditions regarding any products sold to you, whether express, implied or statutory and including but not limited to all warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, title and non-infringement of third party rights. Store Return Policy Information: Please note that the in-store return policy may vary by covered product. 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