Bought a Custom 24 SE from GC

[BigdaddyRN]

Bought a Custom 24 SE from GC supposedly new for 486.99.
It didn't come with a gig bag (they said they don't come with one).

The Low E string buzzes like crazy from about the 7th fret all the way to the 12th.
Also the strings are really heavy. The Low E sits way up in the nut with well over 1/2 of the string exposed above the nut.

The guitar looks great and sounds great but I am worried that I may have got a bad one.

Comments suggestions.

 

[]-[@n$0Ma☩!©]

Personally? I'd return it and buy one that's properly set-up - WITH the gig bag.

 

[carpincowboy]

i agree with Hans

 

[jfb]

Personally? I'd return it and buy one that's properly set-up - WITH the gig bag.

Same.

 

[BigdaddyRN]

So are we sure that Guitar Center SE's come with a Gig bag?

 

[jetydosa]

So are we sure that Guitar Center SE's come with a Gig bag?

ALL SE's come with a gig bag.

 

[CantankerousCarl]

I am tired of GC's BS with the SE bags. They come from PRS with the bags. I wonder what they do with them...but I was given that BS a few times so when I have bought new SEs it has been from other places. They're really nice bags.

Unless you are totally in love with that SE I agree with the others...return and rebuy somewhere else.

 

[]-[@n$0Ma☩!©]

GC does, in fact, get some SE's without gig bags from PRS. Pay accordingly.

 

[BigdaddyRN]

486.99 was a good price, right? As long as the the buzzing can be corrected I I can live without the bag.

 

[Chris B.]

ALL SE's come with a gig bag.

I have been down this road with GC. They order them from PRS sans the gig bag. Complain loudly enough(I did) and they will locate one for you.

 

[]-[@n$0Ma☩!©]

I have been down this road with GC. They order them from PRS sans the gig bag. Complain loudly enough(I did) and they will locate one for you.

I'm not down with that at all. Be accountable for your decisions.

If you bought it knowing there was no gig bag but now you want one, fine. Return it and negotiate a new deal that includes one.

 

[swede71]

Have you changed strings?If strings sits high in the nut anf feels heavy they are most likely 11s.I think SEs comes with 9s or 10s.Try a set of 10s and adjust trussrod.Hopefully buzz goes away.Cool looking guitar btw!

 

[Desperado]

Sounds like it just needs a proper setup. If you aren't sure fund a local tech to get it sorted for you.

I bought a used SE from eBay months ago. It buzzed and generally played like a dog. I have a great PRS dealer a few miles away. I dropped it off to him and its been great ever since.

A full setup and replacement nut made all the difference.

 

[izzyizborn]

You bought it for a great price, therefore I would not worry about the bag, personally.

GC has guitar techs on site. I would let them know what your issues are with the buzzing. Chances are they'd rather solve them for you than deal with a return or exchange. Just call your sales guy and bring it in for that set up. Do this during the return period while you have leverage. Good luck.

 

[rugerpc]

ALL SEs are supposed to be checked in the Stevensville factory before they are shipped wherever, even to GC. That means they should be properly setup. Someone other than a PRS employee has messed with this guitar. For that reason alone I would take it back. I would NOT have anyone other than PRS make any adjustments to it - ti's brand friggin' new!

The gig bag thing with GC is an ongoing problem. Conversations with a LONG-time employee who is in a position to know on this subject proved fruitless. He would neither confirm nor deny that all SEs are shipped with gig bags, even to GC.

Major retailers can and do get special pricing and packaging deals. GC is a big dog in PRS's dealer chain. Who knows what deals they have cut with the company? So the bottom line for buying an SE from GC is get a price that includes a gig bag if you want one. Take it or leave it.

But this guitar with it's setup problems? Leave it.

 

[andy474x]

Yep, someone at GC messed with it - sounds like they put new strings on it, but used too big of a gauge. SE nuts are cut for 9's, so anything bigger and your strings will start to not fit in the slots, as you described. If you like the guitar, first thing I would do is put a set of 9-42 strings on it, and see if your problem goes away. Also, a truss rod adjustment and/or adjust the height of your bridge saddles IF you're comfortable doing those things. It's too sweet of a deal not to at least try to get it playing right! If neither of those things help, I would take her back to GC, and see if they will right the problem - maybe they will, otherwise return the guitar.

 

[ElrytNamrogo]

Great looking guitar!!! I'm with the notion of trying to get it set up the way it should be. SE's do come setup for 9's and should be sold that way. It's most likely that someone who works at that GC thought they'd try to get it to play heavier and put a heavier set of strings on it. If it were me, I'd take it back, tell them that it's not properly set up and, if it's an honest business, they will at the very least provide you with the correct set of strings. One thing to always keep in mind, when looking at new guitars, try your best to check these things before you buy otherwise the store can easily tell you that you were the one to set it up wrong. I always check intonation, action, buzz, and even look down the neck to check for any twisting or too much relief. I really hope it all works out for you, it's a great price and a gorgeous guitar....good luck!!!!

 

[]-[@n$0Ma☩!©]

The gig bag thing with GC is an ongoing problem. Conversations with a LONG-time employee who is in a position to know on this subject proved fruitless. He would neither confirm nor deny that all SEs are shipped with gig bags, even to GC.

Post 48

http://prsguitars.com/forum/showthread.php?2468-Gig-Bag&p=75465#post75465

 

[blaren]

That is a beaut! Does it seem brand new and unplayed or does it sport tons of pick scratches/swirls and bucklerash?
It was a great price and is one sexy looking SE. If it looks brand new...if it is not a USED guitar at a NEW price...I'd storm back in there mad as HELL! I would DEMAND my money back and STORM back out of there and either place an order at MF or hit another store (NOT GC) and find a NEW unit...and let those DBs know that you went and bought somewhere else.

Now...if it looks brand new, I'd go STORMING back in there and say...now WHY would you idiots put the wrong strings on this thing and not set it up? You know...why not just leave it as it was from the factory? I would make them put the proper gauge of strings back on and set it up as well as it was when it left the PRS USA shop. I would ALSO say...no..DEMAND a gigbag be thrown-in at no cost. Partly because they SHOULD come with one. OK..maybe they tell PRS to ship their guitars sans bag to save some money (which makes NO sense unless they were charging the "with bag" prices) but that is ridiculous. Don't the majority of us want/need a case of SOME sort? So I assume most GC PRS SE buyers then turn around and buy a case or bag. Why not just include it at first and charge a little more??? IDK...something just really STINKS about that.
God I'm pissed-OFF now!

Either way...if it were me, and it isn't...I'd go STORMING back in there and SCREAM at those DBs and demand either a new/different/PROPER SE with the PROPER strings and a PRS set-up AND a gigbag...or if you otherwise love this guitar, force them to make it right.
BUT...again...something STINKS! If they put fatter strings on there...WHY? I would assume maybe it was to try to fix that nasty buzz...which clearly didn't work even though the string is sitting way higher than it should in the nutslot. Of course the nut is not in the equation once a string is fretted so should have NO effect on buzzing.
You know what? I changed my mind.
Go STORMING in to that GC, slap that guitar on the counter (might get damaged since no gigbag...serves them right) and show them all the things WRONG with it and then demand your money back and say...THANK YOU! I'm now off to buy a CU24SE from a GOOD store.
The SEs are amazing guitars. You will have NO trouble finding a different one that looks as sexy (or moreso) as this one but that FEELS and PLAYS like magic..and that COMES with the gigbag..and as gigbags go, the SE bags are pretty sweet!

It's a shame cause that IS a sweet guitar but just to put GC in their place I'd make them give your $ back and let them know that they are NOT making any friends or customers this way. That you've been online and have heard about all the slimy moves GC pulls (like the no gigbag "trick") and that you've been online discussing THIS specific guitar and how badly GC treated it.

The only GOOD thing about all of this and GC is that they have a pretty solid return policy. USE IT!
God I'm MAD now. Stupid GC!!!

 

[Shawn@PRS]

When GC gives us a large order they request that the SE’s are shipped “Less Bag”. But if a customer places a special order for a SKU that GC doesn’t normally carry, that guitar will show up to the store WITH a gig bag. Most of the SE’s GC receives don’t come with a gig bag.