SCAMMERS HARVESTING PARTS OFF USED GUITARS AND RETURNING THEM...

[@TopShelfGear]

this is like the guitar equivalent of people stealing catalytic converters on cars

[@frankorobinson1540]

Unfortunately I never buy gear unless I can see and touch the product in person 😕 trust nobody

[@TopShelfGear]

@@frankorobinson1540 can totally understand!

[@rockoutmichigan]

And you're like the guitar equivalent of a NARC. Fuck off, poser boi. Nobody likes snitches.

[@austin33785]

Except it's not just 8lacks doing this

[@pickingpower]

One run of guitars to double check will be all the Epiphone Inspired by Gibson Custom models with the Gibson Custombuckers. You'll want to make sure someone didn't swap them out for some no-name or epiphone pickups before you buy these guitars used.

[@TopShelfGear]

Ohhhhh yep! Good call on that

[@juanvaldez5422]

I think it’s the Burstbuckers used in some Epiphones but yes , you are right.

[@juanvaldez5422]

Guitar center is scammy . I know that the one in Nashville has sold Chibs as used real Gibsons

[@TopShelfGear]

Definitely a concern there!

[@gunkyzip]

When I buy gear from Guitar Center, I have it shipped to the my local store for pickup. It saves on shipping, and if it's broken I can return it for a refund right at the register.

[@TopShelfGear]

That's smart! Good move

[@dogmosatchmo]

25 dollar minumum free shipping for new items, regardless of choosing in store pickup. Used, shipping is NOT free, even to a store. So your not outsmarting the system at all.

[@gunkyzip]

@@dogmosatchmo I did not say shipping was free. In store pickup at GC saves money. Last guitar I got there, the options were $55 to ship to me, or $15 pickup at a store. I never said I was outsmarting anyone, but saving $40 is worth a car ride.

[@jonprendergast]

Glad you are putting out more videos again. I like the topics you choose to cover.🤘

[@TopShelfGear]

@@jonprendergast thanks for checking it out! Appreciate your support

[@Sylkis89]

I once bought a used Harley Benton bass for basically next to nothing. When it came I understood how this was not a bargain I thought it would be at all. The frets were so worn out it needed refretting, the original pickups and electronics were replaced with some cheapest crap noname pickups and shittiest shoddily done DIY basic electronics and the bridge also changed to some shitty one. I decided there's no point in sending it back as the shipping would be at my cost and the gig bag got with it was worth half of what I paid lol so no point to bother. It waited a few years unused and actually soon I'm gonna receive it back from a luthier refretted and with new electronics and all. I definitely did lose way too much on it, more than it was worth, but I just found it immoral to sell it the way it was to anyone for that someone to have the problem, or to just toss it cause the wood and all is fine.

[@TopShelfGear]

Never tried HB but I see people talking about them all the time. That sounds like a cool rebuild project you have there. Should be nice to play when all done :)

[@POSminiracer]

I've had this same experience several times. Almost all of it relisted for sale from the store I returned it to before the end of day. One was a very obviously non functioning amp. It's just a numbers game to them.

[@TopShelfGear]

@POSminiracer wow man just crazy how people do this

[@Skoora]

Guitar Center then becomes a part of the conspiracy to defraud as they just repost it without new pics price and or description

[@TopShelfGear]

definitely should not have been relisted with same pics. Really bad.

[@Alex-tm4th]

I bought 2 things there this year. Avatar cabinet, had no idea what speakers were in it. Took it to GC and popped the back in front of them. Had UK v30s. Kept it. While I was there I dropped 1200 on a used peavey 5150 sig from 1995. Got it home and it didn’t work (tested at store worked fine). I called the store and they said they would process a refund without return. It’s taken a bit of troubleshooting and bench fees but it ended up working out just fine. I have no issues with them from my experience but they can be shady. I had a friend that knew of them destroying Gibsons and leaving them in the dump for petty reasons that could be fixed.

[@amphetamineblue4172]

I very much doubt GC are taking out pickups. How do you know the person who bought it didn't take them then return it to GC claiming it arrived without them? GC probably just relisted the same listing without checking the photos. There are a lot of people buy things, swap parts out to fix their faulty items and then return the item as not working

[@TopShelfGear]

It's hard to say for sure, I agree would be unlikely for GC staff to do such a thing with them being so busy answering phones shuffling around and being on camera in store. I am usually very untrustworthy of customers just seeing them pull so many shady things over the years. I wouldn't think someone who had potentially harvested parts in such a way would make any public post in groups ad an alert.

[@amphetamineblue4172]

@@TopShelfGear People often do though to try and make themselves seem more innocent. I really don;t think any staff at GC have time to be swapping out pickups unless it was the manager. If a general member of staff was doing it someone would ask them why they are doing it

[@williambratton2010]

What sucks is that Balaguer makes fantastic guitars. I've own several

[@TopShelfGear]

A brand I have never tried! Some of them do look cool! Thx for watching

[@zanzabar4ky7]

Checks your Floyd's too. I have gotten an original on an hm strat reissue that should have a special. And nasty ones that could be a newer special on a kiesel

[@TopShelfGear]

Yeah good call on that!

[@southernpanda33]

This is yet another example of why I avoid GC like the plague

[@TopShelfGear]

yup gotta watch out for that kind of stuff!

[@Kiwaloayo]

it happened with me at guitar center. they took off the original pickups in the guitar, messed up the wiring, and sent it that way. depressing to say the least because i was looking forward to it lol

[@TopShelfGear]

Man this was crazy! It just amazes me how far these people will go to pull some shady stuff like that!

[@breakingblackmagic7617]

im pretty sure this was a dude who works there saw the used guitar had a idea... hey , these pickups are SUPER RARE, cant get them in US.... so ill buy the guitar... swap out the pickups, put ones that look similar and return it same day, since i know how to uninstall pickups in like 45 mins. with a new set.... so im sure thats what happened... dude bought it , returned it and no ones the wiser. besides him.

[@TopShelfGear]

Yeah I mean you never know! Crazy situation

[@Steve-wz5pz]

Maybe the guy that returned it was the "harvester"?

[@TopShelfGear]

Idk 🤷‍♂️ I mean wouldn't it be silly to even post about it in a group of several thousand people? Wouldn't a person be better of remaining anonymous? Lol idk

[@Steve-wz5pz]

@@TopShelfGear What better cover? Remember: we live a a country where the ex-"president" proudly announces crimes in order to argue that because they are out in the open they can't be crimes. Seems to work for some.

[@1-eye-willy]

i used to scrape the "squire" logo off the headstock and put a waterlide "fender" one on there and sell them to pawn shops😂 now it doesnt realloy matter what kind of guitar you bring into the pawn shop they will rarely give you more than $100 unless you have something really really special

[@TopShelfGear]

ahhhh noooo not the pawn shops!

[@Steve-wz5pz]

Hmmmm.....they will rarely give you more than $100 -- could it be because guys scrape the "squire" logo off the headstock and put a waterlide "fender" one on there one too many times?

[@Ottophil]

Ripping off a pawn shop reminds me of the time I sold fake drugs to someone who gave me fake money. We both laughed about it