What the hey?

[TBman]

Last night my wife and I went to Michael's craft store to pick up a few things for our bay window decoration for the fall season. So we got out at 8:15 and the newly relocated Guitar Center is right next door and open until 9. SWMBO grants me 20 minutes of freedom while her highness awaits in the chariot

So in I go like a kid out of school for the summer. A bunch of old guys like me are in the large electric area seeing who can out shred each other. I sneak past them into the acoustic room.

It's empty.

No one but me and all those guitars. I scan the side walls looking for a J-15 to pluck on, no luck. I find a Cordoba that looks interesting, play it for a minute, ok not bad. Then I go to the back of the room and inspect the guitars hanging there. Lo and behold on the second to last lower hanger on the right is a Martin GP something cutaway acoustic-electric for $3,299! Nice. Looks like a rosewood fret board. No ivoroid neck binding, just wood. Excellent. Gold tuners added to the vibe. I sat down and inspected the grain, beautiful. The two piece back was perfect. I put it on my lap, the strings don't look too bad. I strum an E chord. Its in tune......

It is also the deadest sounding guitar I have ever played. No life. No vibration in the chest from the bass. I strum it again. Same thing. I put it back. Next to it is a Breedlove something for $300 with new strings on it. I strum the same E chord. Perfect. Rings out. Not overbearing, just right. I swap guitars. Same E chord strummed on the Martin, same result.

The only thing I can think of is that it was raining a lot and this guitar may have been over hydrated. I remember as I walked into the acoustic room I thought, gee its a bit muggy in here. Actually all of the guitars could have been and the laminate Breedlove couldn't care less about the rh level.

How not to sell guitars.

[Mr. Jelly]

Just consider yourself lucky they were in tune.

[robey]

Originally Posted by TBman

The only thing I can think of is that it was raining a lot and this guitar may have been over hydrated.

Naw, it was the gold tuners.

[Kruton]

Originally Posted by TBman

Last night my wife and I went to Michael's craft store to pick up a few things for our bay window decoration for the fall season. So we got out at 8:15 and the newly relocated Guitar Center is right next door and open until 9. SWMBO grants me 20 minutes of freedom while her highness awaits in the chariot

So in I go like a kid out of school for the summer. A bunch of old guys like me are in the large electric area seeing who can out shred each other. I sneak past them into the acoustic room.

It's empty.

No one but me and all those guitars. I scan the side walls looking for a J-15 to pluck on, no luck. I find a Cordoba that looks interesting, play it for a minute, ok not bad. Then I go to the back of the room and inspect the guitars hanging there. Lo and behold on the second to last lower hanger on the right is a Martin GP something cutaway acoustic-electric for $3,299! Nice. Looks like a rosewood fret board. No ivoroid neck binding, just wood. Excellent. Gold tuners added to the vibe. I sat down and inspected the grain, beautiful. The two piece back was perfect. I put it on my lap, the strings don't look too bad. I strum an E chord. Its in tune......

It is also the deadest sounding guitar I have ever played. No life. No vibration in the chest from the bass. I strum it again. Same thing. I put it back. Next to it is a Breedlove something for $300 with new strings on it. I strum the same E chord. Perfect. Rings out. Not overbearing, just right. I swap guitars. Same E chord strummed on the Martin, same result.

The only thing I can think of is that it was raining a lot and this guitar may have been over hydrated. I remember as I walked into the acoustic room I thought, gee its a bit muggy in here. Actually all of the guitars could have been and the laminate Breedlove couldn't care less about the rh level.

How not to sell guitars.

Are you considering adding a J-15 to your line-up?

[Earl49]

If you played guitars from the rack at GC, make sure your tetanus shots are current.

[ChrisE]

You lost me at "Last night my wife and I went to Michael's craft store..."

[zmf]

Originally Posted by TBman

It is also the deadest sounding guitar I have ever played.

I don't understand. That's never happened to me at a Guitar Center. OK -- maybe one or two Gibsons -- but that's it.

[muscmp]

raining, muggy, hydrated....hmmmm... i wonder.

play music!

[Borderdon]

Sufficient 'hydration" is often a prerequisite for visiting many retailers.
YMMV of course !

[TBman]

I might get back there tonight. Hopefully the Martin is still accessible......

[slowesthand]

The last time I was at GC, it was to look at a J15. The top had a huge and I mean huge upward belly, and the bridge was lifting up enough to slide the red GC pick they have laying there into it.
I was afraid to play it, thinking it might pop off while strumming it. After that nothing really jumped out at me. All of the higher end stuff was locked. They even have the MMV's locked up now.

[nedray]

Sounds like a GPCPA-1 Plus, which used to sell for $3299 at MAP. Lately I've been seeing them on clearance for $2599. I wouldn't have one, but most I've played have sounded pretty good.