Hollowbody II in fire red burst - out of stock!!

[Mixstar]

I've finally made my mind up to buy a Hollowbody II in fire red burst, they're a bit expensive for me but you only retire once. My dealer says there's none about in the UK and tried to sell me a black gold burst or a grey black one but I'm digging my heels in, it's the red or nothing. It's a bit of a catch twenty two, if he orders one special just so I can look at it I have to pay a deposit refundable if I don't buy the guitar. Well, that's not happening, he's got a thousand PRSi in his shop(s) and he can sell another if I don't have it.

 

[jeffgoobs]

Have some faith! Order it. You'll have a guitar which was built for you in the color you want, and you and I both know it will be spectacular.

My two cents (or pence as the case may be.)

 

[C&M Music - Lafayette]

I have a beautiful Hollowbody II Artist package in Faded Abalone Smokeburst with rosewood neck. I love that guitar. The sound is heavenly and it just feels like part of me! A PRS Hollowbody 1 or II just may be the best out there. If you want it and it is practical for you to get it. Do it. Fire Red Burst was a color I had in mind also when I ordered mine.

 

[garrettb]

I put a bunch of money down way back when I had a dealer order mine. If I understand right, your deposit is refundable, so I see little risk. They're consistently great guitars, so I think once it arrives it'll come down to how you feel about the looks of the top and back.

 

[Whitecat]

You may want to inquire about a lead time if you do it... they're not always making the models the instant the order comes in, they have production schedules etc...

If I were you, and I had to custom order anyway, I'd save up a little more and do an Artist Pack. Then you can spiff it up with some fancier options and you'll get a higher-grade top too.

 

[veinbuster]

A hollow body is a great choice of a retirement treat. I would hold out for a colour I want too.

 

[Johnny]

Please correct me if I'm wrong, but that color appears to be blood orange. Fire red burst is a lot more red and has black edges.

Just thought I'd point that out in case you were going through with the deposit. Would hate to see the wrong color come.

Blood Orange.

Fire Red Burst.

 

[garrettb]

Please correct me if I'm wrong, but that color appears to be blood orange. Fire red burst is a lot more red and has black edges.

Just thought I'd point that out in case you were going through with the deposit. Would hate to see the wrong color come.

Blood Orange.

Fire Red Burst.

Ooh yes, very good point. You are correct.

 

[László]

Let's see if I have this right: you want the dealer to undertake the obligation to pay PRS for a custom order for you, but you aren't willing to meet him halfway and honor his request for a refundable good faith deposit?

Somehow that strikes me as wrong-headed.

 

[Mixstar]

Please correct me if I'm wrong, but that color appears to be blood orange. Fire red burst is a lot more red and has black edges

You may well be right but it is the fire red I'm after. The colour seems to be one of those that looks different depending on the light etc. I have an SC that looks a totally different piece of kit depending where you snap it from.

you want the dealer to undertake the obligation to pay PRS for a custom order for you, but you aren't willing to meet him halfway and honor his request for a refundable good faith deposit?

No, not at all, it's not a custom order, the fire red bursts are supposed to be in stock in the uk and advertised as such but they've all gone, alledgedly. The last PRS I bought from him he wanted £90 deposit and refundable but he wants £1500 on this and I'm not paying it. I've just seen one at a German distributor so there are still some about. I wouldn't pay more that the catalogue price as that is my absolute limit.

 

[garrettb]

I still don't get the fuss over the deposit. You want a specific guitar in a specific color. The dealer can get said guitar. You would give the 1500 plus remaining balance to the dealer anyway. If you back out, you get your money back. The dealer is left holding the guitar and assumes responsibility of selling it. All the risk lies with the dealer and zero with you. It's a reasonable deposit in my mind to show you're serious.

Of course the other option is that if you are not happy with this particular dealer, take your business elsewhere.

Just make sure you have your color sorted for certain. Fire Red Burst and Blood Orange are VERY different colors.

 

[Johnny]

I am not trying to bash on the OP, but I really don't understand the position. Maybe the customer culture is a little different in Europe than the US.

If the deposit was non-refundable, I would be hesitant on buying a high end instrument sight unseen too--Especially since the tops can vary so much. But you are saying it is a refundable deposit, so I don't understand how/what makes it a catch 22. I only see two scenarios:

1) Dealer orders fire red burst guitar and you don't like it, so you ask for a refund on the deposit.

2) Dealer orders fire red burst guitar and you like it, so you pay the remainder of balance less deposit.

If you want something, you are expected to pay for it (or put a deposit on it). Wanting a particular color qualifies as wanting something in my book.

Having 1000s of PRS in his shops does not entitle a consumer to have the store carry the exact one he/she "might" want.

 

[jay]

I don't understand the problem with the deposit either. You should end up spending the same ... the deposit will be part of the overall price, should you end up buying it.

Anyway, PRSi are offered in many many colors and there are many different models and they are not massively stocked/sold because of the high level/price, so it's quite common that you cannot find when you want, the model you want, in the color you want, especially in Europe, unless you go for a very "classic" combination.
Hollowbodies are relatively rare in general, and I wouldn't say they are out-of-stock ... because you will never find "stocks" of Red Burst Hollowbodies. If you have found one in Germany and none in UK, at this particular moment, I'd say it's normal (or you have been lucky).

 

[László]

No, not at all, it's not a custom order, the fire red bursts are supposed to be in stock in the uk and advertised as such but they've all gone, alledgedly.

I don't understand your logic (or illogic, as the case may be); it's not reasonable. Nothing is "supposed to be" in dealer stock. Dealer stock is what a dealer orders, whether that's in the UK or the USA. There's no requirement that any dealer order every color, and even the importer isn't required to do so under any representation/importer agreement I've ever seen (yes, I've seen a bunch from various manufacturers, including international agreements).

If it's not in stock, and you don't want to call it a custom order, then call it a special order.

Either way, most dealers would ask for an upfront deposit unless they planned to order one that color anyway. And in fact, most dealers would make the deposit non-refundable.

Placing an order obligates the dealer to buy the guitar from PRS or the importer. Period. They can't send it back, but you can walk away with your full deposit? I'd say that's pretty generous of your dealer.

 

[Huggy Love]

What the fam says is right, "refundable" is what it means and you should have no reason not to take advantage of that to at least touch your dream axe. If you don't love it, it's a free test drive, that simple.
Beyond that, you simply have to do what every self respecting PRS devotee must do.................

 

[drdoom8793]

I don't understand your logic (or illogic, as the case may be); it's not reasonable. Nothing is "supposed to be" in dealer stock. Dealer stock is what a dealer orders, whether that's in the UK or the USA. There's no requirement that any dealer order every color, and even the importer isn't required to do so under any representation/importer agreement I've ever seen (yes, I've seen a bunch from various manufacturers, including international agreements).

If it's not in stock, and you don't want to call it a custom order, then call it a special order.

Either way, most dealers would ask for an upfront deposit unless they planned to order one that color anyway. And in fact, most dealers would make the deposit non-refundable.

Placing an order obligates the dealer to buy the guitar from PRS or the importer. Period. They can't send it back, but you can walk away with your full deposit? I'd say that's pretty generous of your dealer.

This. Not sure what the issue is. Seems like a win-win to me.

 

[Whitecat]

Seriously man - refundable deposit sounds absolutely fair to me.

Slap it on a credit card and you've got Section 75 protection in the UK too so if the dealer goes bust then your card provider has to cough up the refund. Other than you being out the cash for a few extra months (and with BoE interest rates being at 0.25% and probably falling it's not like you'd have gained much interest anywhere anyway) - I can't see a downside.

Can I ask who the dealer is? I will be brutally honest in my opinion if I've ever dealt with them (and I've dealt with a lot!)

 

[rugerpc]

REFUNDABLE deposit??

C'mon! That's a really generous offer from the dealer.

Your risk: zero, nada, zilch, bupkis.

No dealer is obligated to stock every color. They aren't even obligated to stock every model.

 

[tabl10s]

I've finally made my mind up to buy a Hollowbody II in fire red burst, they're a bit expensive for me but you only retire once. My dealer says there's none about in the UK and tried to sell me a black gold burst or a grey black one but I'm digging my heels in, it's the red or nothing. It's a bit of a catch twenty two, if he orders one special just so I can look at it I have to pay a deposit refundable if I don't buy the guitar. Well, that's not happening, he's got a thousand PRSi in his shop(s) and he can sell another if I don't have it.

Stop being an old guy and cough up the deposit. You have nothing to lose. If the dealer had thousands of PRSi's, he must have a lot of money to waste or he's not very good.

 

[CVS]

I don't see how you can lose, if your deposit is refundable. If you have played any HB II that was made last year or this year, you will know pretty much what you are getting in terms of tone, quality and neck pattern.
FYI - If you want 10's on your guitar instead of 11's (normal factory supplied strings) - I would tell the dealer now.