Re: New Carvin basses

In, my experience it's usually 30% off MSRP, with the other 30% reserved for
the constant "60% off list! Nothing Held Back!" sales they run.

The big box stores usually work VERY close to the margin on Fenders, making
it up on "volume" - especially if they are trying to crush a competitor, or
have to beat the price on their own website. In other words, the price on
the tag in a Big Box is usually not all that far off from the price they
paid for it. Also, the cheaper the guitar, generally the closer to the
margin it is.

In the case of the "off" brands, like your Peavey, you have a lot more
wiggle room as it's been sitting there awhile with their money tied up in
it, and they are probably just looking to unload it.


(In my sales days, there were guitars I sold that had maybe 5 DOLLARS in
profit on them or less - and not just one or 2 dogs either. They did it just
to take the sale away from a competitor. I remember once that the Pro Audio
dept sold a $10,000 mixing board and made 5 CENTS profit - just to beat out
Musicians Friend!)


That reminds me of a great tip: If you're looking for the best deal on a
bass, aim for the axes in the $500-1000 range. These are typically good
quality basses with some high end appointments that are too expensive for
beginners, and not "boutique" enough or "name" enough for guys looking to
spend big bucks. They languish on store shelves for months or years while
Squier Affinity and Warwick basses fly out the door.

One more tip. New models and price increases are usually introduced in
January and June (sometimes July). There is serious pressure to clear out
the old stock before then. Those "midnight madness" and "door buster" sales
are a great way to bargain hunt, if you get there early.


"JoeSpareBedroom" <newstrash@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:bSK5m.1077$oG1.69@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
For what it's worth, this particular store uses Fender's MSRP on their
tags.
A friend who used to work there told me that at least in theory, cost for
Fender stuff is 60% of MSRP. ***** In theory. ***** That formula is
generally applicable to a small store whose typical Fender order might
involve a couple of guitars & basses and an amp to replace the one they
just
sold yesterday. But for bigger stores which order 30-40 pieces a month,
cost
will be lower, in some nebulous range which the sales staff probably never
sees.

Still a useful guideline, though.



"js" <nothing@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:h36r9e$v0m$1@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
I guess I'll take this in 2 parts:

1) The retail price you pay has to do with a LOT of different factors,
including a) the make and model of the bass, b) the color, c) the
salesman's
commission d) the price the store paid e) the jacked up MSRP f) the
manufacturers' policies on discounting, g) the model year h) the stores'
ability to return the mdse; and so on.

In the case of the Cirrus, as Todd H can tell you, they are an
"undiscovered
gem". Very well made, full of high quality upgrades that would cost
hundreds
on more famous guitars - but made by a company with a reputation for
indestructible but tinny-sounding pawn shop electronics.

Ad in the fact the around 80-90% (my estimate from years in MI) of
dumbasses
who walk into a music store want either a Fender or a Gibson PERIOD, and
the
market niche for Peavey is pretty small.

So my guess is you were doing him a favor. if the $1400 was MSRP, he
still
made out like a bandit; if not, the store made a small profit on an
albatross around their neck, and the guy made a decent commission.


2) You seem to be confused by the concept of a new bass "needing work".

When I worked at MARS, the cheapasses insisted on turning off the AC and
heat when the store was closed - in the South. Consequently, every
guitar
and bass we put out looked like Hiawatha's bow after a few weeks of
these
temp and humidity changes. Our stock of sub-$1000 guitars was kept in a
non
climate-controlled back warehouse, often for months at a time

When I wasn't selling, my full time job was MAINTAINING the bass
section -
doing setups, truss rod adjustments, string changes, retuning 5 string
basses that idiots tried to tune like a guitar, coloring in scratches
with
magic marker, etc. I set up Affinitys and Alembics with equal frequency
and
care.

Occasionally, one would slip through and get into the hands of a
customer,
who would pronounce it a "bad" bass because the action was too high or
some
such. 30 seconds with me and an Allen wrench usually changed their mind
though.

Point being - you can't judge the QUALITY of a bass STRICTLY by the set
up,
tuning, or any other MAINTENANCE issue.


Second, there's the idea that you need to personalize the setup or other
features, either to match your playing style or your needs. That you
PREFER
to say, set the action higher or lower, or you prefer a Badass bridge
over
the stock one - it's not a reflection on the QUALITY of the instrument;
it's
your personal taste.



So if you bought a "slow" bass at a great price from a retailer whose
guitar
mook just happened to set the action the way you like it, then Mazel
Tov.
just don't take it as some overarching indicator of Peavey quality.


"JoeSpareBedroom" <newstrash@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:LlB5m.36637$Qk7.21553@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
OK.

I walked into a store in 2005 and a Peavey Cirrus grabbed me by the
ankle
and said "Take me home." This particular store hangs list price tags on
everything, but the employees behave like used car salesman. Tag:
$1400.
Out
the door price: $875 with case (from Peavey).

It needed absolutely nothing done to it. So much for having to dick
around
with a tool to make it do what I need it to do. The action was perfect
and
there were no dead frets. I play it like Ron Carter plays an upright:
really
hard. The bass sings. I can make it sound like John Kahn's Fender (with
Mike
Bloomfield), Chris Squire's Rickenbacker or Jack Casady's Guild or
Alembic.

So why would I want to buy any other bass and make a project out of it?


"js" <nothing@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:h36lek$ftq$1@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
It's been awhile, but last I was dealing with new Fenders, it was
between
$6-900 w/case and candy depending on model, style, inventory, etc. -
although I know prices have skyrocketed since then. I still don't see
spending any more than that on a Fender Bass, but whatever.

Nowadays, "haggling" pretty much means using Google Shopping, handing
the
clerk your printout with the lowest price you can find, and waiting 3
hours
for him to get the manager to approve the deal. Not like the old
days,
that's for sure.


"JoeSpareBedroom" <newstrash@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:Kzu5m.34501$Qk7.9508@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
"js" <nothing@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:h35s8p$3sd$1@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
I'm not sure what your point is. Once upon a time, I would line up
every
Fender a store had in stock just to find one or 2 with "the
magic".
That's
just kind of what you do when you buy an instrument.

This notion that somehow a bass is going to be inherently BETTER
QUALITY
"Fender" because it's a more expensive "Fender design" is kind of
silly.
I'd do the same comparing if the Carvin store was near me, but at
least
I
know I can send back a Carvin if I don't like it.

I was almost exclusively a Jazz Bass player for years. I've also
gigged
with
Celinders, MTDs and various other Fender style instruments - and I
swear
to
God, if you taped over the headstock, I couldn't tell the
difference
between
them an and Am Std Fender - or even an exceptional MIM Fender.

It's not that one is better or worse than the other, it's just
that
the
price difference isn't justified to me for what is essentially a
"lawsuit"
bass. Remember, Fender style instruments are largely built on
templates
and
CNC machines. That's the way they were designed to be made. There
generally
isn't a lot of "craftsmanship" to making a bolt-on Fender style
bass
the
way
there is in say, carving the top of an archtop guitar.

If I'm gonna spend big bucks on a bass, it's gonna be either
something
to
fill a niche (piccolo, 12 string), a unique luthier's vision (like
a
Zon),
or something that's customized to my specs - none of which could
be
purchased at a big box retailer.

If I want a J Bass, I'll go to GC and spend an afternoon yanking
every
J
off
the wall before we haggle on price.

As for having to work on instruments: Do I enjoy dressing fret
ends
at
3AM
in a hot garage? Do I enjoy making 20 trips to Lowes to find the
right
replacement screws? No, not really. It's just what you do.

I think this whole notion that "expensive bass = it should work
right
out
of the box, because I'm scared shitless to adjust anything" is a
myth.

In fact, the most expensive instruments are often the most
temperamental
and
most in need of care. I spend more time tweaking my 6 string than
anything.
A zillion different adjustments, each of which affect other
adjustments.
It's like a freakin Maserati.

You want a bass that works out of the box? Buy a Squier Affinity.

Beyond that, there's just the idea of adjusting the instrument for
your
playing style. For example, I like high action, a fair bit of bow
in
the
neck, and the strings radiused like an upright bass. No one is
gonna
give
me
that stock. If I want it done, well, I either have to do it myself
or
pay
someone who knows exactly how I like my setup.

I have a buddy who's a pro player who ONLY plays Am Std Fender
Strats.
However, all of his guitars have the PUs replaced with Duncans and
the
trems
blocked. It's not that Fenders are bad, it's just his personal
preference.

Just my 2 cents.


What's a good price on an American jazz these days, after you're
done
haggling?












.

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