Great link i had some fun looking there.. thanks

I have been eyeing that black onyx kit for a week. I sent them an email requesting more information on this drumset and I have still not had a reply. Just saying...

It's funny that there's a thread on this topic, because, I have had 2 different experiences this week in dealing with their used drumsets. I called yesterday to a Chicago store..drum guy knew the kit quite well, had all the facts, offered a fair deal, a total pro. I called an east coast store today, and the salesperson had no clue. This drumset has been there at least a few weeks (that's when I noticed it), but, this person didn't know one thing about the drumset. Nothing. He didn't even get my name and offer to call me back when he found out more (any) information. I guess it's hit or miss.

Yeah their are alot of young guys working there that may not have alot of knowledge about vintage drums. I have always had better luck calling by phone. If you go to the add and click on Details it will tell you who the manager is. Call and ask for him or her if he or she is not there find out what hours they normally work. If you cant get the info you need go above their heads and contact a district manager or GC headquarters.

A very good negotiating tool is E-bay or Craigslist. If you can find the same set in the same shape for less they will match it almost every time. The E-bay listing must be a Buy it Now. It is harder to do this with vintage gear but worth a shot. For new gear when they say no one beats their prices I hold them to it. GC was asking $1500.00 for a Gretsch Renown and I found it on the internet for $1000.00 Keep in mind that the site you find the better deal on (when it comes to new stuff) must be a certified dealer of that product. They not only beat the price but their policy is to also take off 10% of the difference.

So:

(GC price) $1500.00

(internet price) $1000.00

(GC price match) $1000.00 - (GC 10% of the difference) $50.00

Total cost of the drums = 950.00 + tax.

Over $550.00 savings just be spending a couple of hours on the net.

My GC has some stuff I've been interested in, but it's way overpriced. It's been sitting there close to a year and they will not budge an inch on the price. One of the sales guys even told me someone else came in, cash in hand, with a completely fair offer and they had to turn him away.

Try finding several of the same items and same condition ect. on e-bay or craigslist and show it to them. I do know that they try to make double what they gave someone for a piece of used gear. I would even use GC's against one another. If GC in texas has the same exact item for $200.00 less throw it in their face. Make some calls to other GC's and ask how long before they lower the price on their used gear. You have to bug them and prove to them that they are asking way to much. That is crazy almost a year and they won't budge. Talk to the manager. Thats why you see the Red Price Drop when your surfing their used gear online. I have also often seen an item priced higher in the store than online.

Do research get all of your ammo together and attack.

For someone on the other side of the world, some of these prices seem quite reasonable and I've been scanning ebay for a while now and bought some stuff recently.

What I would say to anyone from GC that may be drawn to read this thread is it seems crazy to me to have a website but have so few details displayed on the goods for sale. (and the pics wouldn't enlarge for me either)

Now I know some sales gurus will say that by listing less details you force the customer to contact a sales person who will "close" the deal. However, we all know that when you contact a place of this size you invariably get the guy who's an expert in metal guitars with pointy headstocks and who knows nothing about vintage drums or you get the drum guy that tries steering you towards the kit with 4 bass drums and a gong. So, let the website do the selling! It's a great tool.

(although I live in NZ I have, in the past, been a GC customer when on tour, so I do know a little about the stores)

Most, but not all of the Rogers stuff I have seen around here...... Sacramento, Modesto, Fresno....... is beat to crap, priced like it is primo collectable condition, and you get that stupid head tilted puppy hearing a strange noise look from the sales guy.

I purchased my Slingerland kit from them. I chose to drive to Dallas for it. I sincerely like the idea that they are doing this. Nice concept.

[COLOR="DarkRed"]Mmmmm....I stay away from them. Their whole setup really just rubs me the wrong way...and there are enough small, local operations here that they really cannot compete with in terms of service, courtesy, and price.

That "policy" you mention is full of caveats, ain't it ? I mean, why only BIN ? Why wouldn't they honor an eFlay final price on an open auction ? Market value is market value, after all.

I mean, on the one hand, it is good I suppose that they are willing to be flexible. And it does put more vintage drums into the market. On the other, though....I really also do doubt that the typical floor person in their drum dept. knows much about the old-timers. And beyond that...why not just stop playing games by tagging high, and put a firm and competitive price on these, instead of all'a this ?

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