I've gotten way more responses and stirred-up way more fervor than I'd anticipated. For the record, I spread my money around and won't look any great opportunity...Craigslist, eBay, Reverb, down. Mostly, I buy through my regional guitar shops that have both a great brick and mortar and online presence. I'll even buy online but pickup and have a new guitar setup and worked on with any future problems with one of my area shops. I do not buy from Guitar Center but realize that I'm fortunate to live in a region with a plethora of great independent, one-off shops so I'm not at the mercy of GC. I think it's simply about spending with a conscience...not always buying based on price and price alone but using your dollar to command superior service thereby paying homage to both the past and the present. Unlike the case with Walmart, small, independent but very good shops are still in business and it's not too late to help save them. If you don't, it won't be long before you've very few places to play before purchasing and you'll be passing on getting that great, one on one buying and future service experience.
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