Sonoma Wire Works - Support Forums

Pootertunes · by **pooterpatty** » Thu Aug 07, 2008 3:41 pm

If you're like me, you probably have a stack of Musician's Friend or Guitar Center catalogs sitting next to your throne that serve as bathroom reading material. I was thumbing through the latest Musician's Friend during a morning session on the porcelain convenience the other day and noticed an ad for "Trade In Cash Out", where a MF satellite company pays you for your used gear.

It sounds great - describe your gear, get a quote, they send you a shipping label, then they give you store credit or cash for your item(s). I filled out the quote form for my Dean Evo Special. I purchased this guitar two years ago - it's got a flamed maple top, dual humbuckers, coil taps, Grover tuners, the works. It's a really nice guitar, in great condition, with no problems (I just have too many guitars right now and need to thin the herd). I was surprised that there was nowhere on this form that allowed me to attach pictures of the guitar. Oh well.

Fast forward two days to this morning. I get an email back from Trade In Cash Out with an offer for my guitar. Woo hoo! This will be the quickest and easiest I've ever sold an instrument. The quote was $64.50 in store credit or $54 if I wanted cash. Are you kidding me?? This guitar was purchased only two years ago, and is in near mint condition, needs nothing. I'd do better at a local pawn shop. At those rates, if you had a vintage '58 Les Paul signed by Jesus Christ himself, they'd offer you $300.

I knew it was too good to be true. I just posted this in case any of you were curious about the payouts offered by this service, not even worth your time.

That being said, I got a real nice Dean Evo Special for sale! If anyone's interested let me know and I can send pictures.

by **mickeymix** » Thu Aug 07, 2008 3:51 pm

Those thieving BASTARDS!

by **tapping5150** » Thu Aug 07, 2008 4:23 pm

Thanks for the info Pooter. I was interested in looking into that, but now I know it's nothing but a ripoff. They sure make it sound great on paper.

by **gatorjj** » Thu Aug 07, 2008 5:49 pm

So...MF is now a pawn shop?

Pootertunes · by **pooterpatty** » Thu Aug 07, 2008 6:31 pm

it's not just MF, Music 123 is also participating in this program, as well as a store that deals in woodwind and brass instruments.

So umm, I did mention I have a guitar for sale?

My Riffworld · by **GuitarSlinger** » Thu Aug 07, 2008 6:45 pm

I was curious about this as well. I believe GC owns all those companies.

by **blue4u** » Thu Aug 07, 2008 7:05 pm

Write them back and tell them that you'll only need $45 dollars for shipping the guitar but that you never received the price quote for the guitar itself

That should send a message....

Pootertunes · by **pooterpatty** » Thu Aug 07, 2008 7:38 pm

Nah I emailed em back and told em I'd have better luck at a pawn shop or ebay, and that if this quote was about what they normally give percentage-wise, their only customers will be the most desperate of musicians.

that being said, I love MF. I've been ordering from them for better than 10 years and not once have they screwed up one of my orders - can't say enough good things about them.

Slinger you're probably right, either GC or MF has to be the parent company there.

by **Charvelguy** » Thu Aug 07, 2008 7:43 pm

"The quote was $64.50 in store credit or $54 if I wanted cash."

LMFAO!!!
Hey, they don't call it a 'business' in 'giving the business' for nothing.
Vintage shops have been pulling this same crap w/o the online aspect for years.
MF/GC is just taking it to a new level of low.

by **Charvelguy** » Thu Aug 07, 2008 7:45 pm

Is your EVO MIK? I forget the specs on that.. kinda PRS double cut?

by **riffer7777** » Thu Aug 07, 2008 8:01 pm

we have cash converters in uk and these guys are a joke.they buy off you for £70 and put it in the window for sale the same day at £300.now thats bad !!!

Pootertunes · by **pooterpatty** » Thu Aug 07, 2008 8:14 pm

Charvelguy wrote:Is your EVO MIK? I forget the specs on that.. kinda PRS double cut?

No it's more of a Les Paul shape, but more sexity:

It's an arched flame maple top, set neck, picture doesn't do it justice, the color is really very beautiful. It is MIK, but the quality is definitely there.

by **pbbobkanobi** » Thu Aug 07, 2008 8:34 pm

Nice guitar Pooter...what do you estimate the real value is?

I am curious how bad they were trying to rip you off. I have a 1981 Gibson Les Paul Firebrand that I bought brand new. It was my main axe for many years. I even broke the headstock off twice but had her repaired. I hardly ever play "Old Bessie" anymore but she is pretty special. They were only made for 2 years and are like a cheaper version of a Les Paul mixed with the thin light body of a SG. Here is a link to a review of it:

http://www.ultimate-guitar.com/reviews/electric_guitars/gibson/les_paul_firebrand/index.html

I bet they would give me a whole $15 dollars for her......geeeeesh.

by **Charvelguy** » Thu Aug 07, 2008 8:43 pm

Well, looking in my trusty MF catalog....

Pootertunes · by **pooterpatty** » Thu Aug 07, 2008 9:11 pm

pbbobkanobi wrote:Nice guitar Pooter...what do you estimate the real value is?

Well Bob it's worth exactly what someone is willing to pay for it

Seriously though, I bought it for $419 new from MF 2 years ago, and they're still selling for the same price. The Evo comes in so many different configurations, and the prices new range from $99 up to $700 or more (depending on whether you get a flat top with crappy pickups or a quilted maple top trans amberburst with all the fancy hardware). I haven't seen any used ones for sale that are exactly the same as mine, so it's hard to put a price tag on it. Make me a ridiculous offer

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