Costco is now selling Martins !

Started by Tony Burns, September 07, 2007, 05:54:55 PM

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Just found out from the Unofficial Martin Guitar Forum that Costco is now selling D-28's - visited them on line and its true -- whats next Walmart ?

wonder if Costco is now a official authorized Martin dealer, if not, no  matter how cheap they are it will be worthless without a factory warranty which is only valid if guitar is sold through a authorized dealer.  I also wonder if they can be haggled to the 40% off msrp which most credible Martin dealers will give?


Costco also sells Taylors. Their prices are prety good. They had a few Gibsons some time ago. My preference is to always try to buy locally first, small online dealers second, and "other" as a third option. I'd rather buy a Martin from Costco than Musician's Friend.  Costco offers a 100% refund on any purchase if you are not satisfied for any reason. Unlike Walmart  they are a class organization.

I'm sorry but this just put Martin right up there with Yamaha.  Mass produced and sold at Costco.  There is just something really wrong with this picture, IMHO. :yak:

With GC/Musicians feinds moving to there own brands in the 200 to 700 dollar range and the burning of past small dealers don't be suprised.The majors are going to have to do something too stay alive. :whistling:
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Quote from: Steve on September 07, 2007, 07:38:00 PM
I'm sorry but this just put Martin right up there with Yamaha.  Mass produced and sold at Costco.  There is just something really wrong with this picture, IMHO. :yak:

I think it could be argued that Martins have been mass produced for decades. I also think Costco has a good reputation compared to a competitor of theirs. There's also a lot of data to show the people often say one thing and do another (a flock heading  to the cheapest price).

I guess I'll be the Archie Bunker of the bunch and just say that it seems completely "unAmerican" to me to sell guitars at Costco/WalMart/Target or anywhere else like that.  What's next...guitars at Home Depot? 

The first thing that I don't like is that ALL of these big box stores are run by corporate THUGS who are only interested in money, money, and more money.  They don't care about anything but the bottom line: money.  They'll sell whatever the law allows simply to make a little bit more.  It sickens me. 

There is nothing wrong with ambition and wanting to be successful, but when is enough actually enough with these folks?  The answer is simple: never.  They won't stop until they've put every small dealer of EVERYTHING out of business.  They not only want to put the hardware stores out of business, but the grocery stores, shoe stores, clothings stores, and now guitar shops. 

It may be convenient to get everything in one place, but it's robbed us of something as a culture to move toward this stuff.  I like to listen to my grandmother talk about the old drug stores, grocery stores, etc. of yesteryear. You got to know the butcher, the pharmacist, etc. personally.  Now it's just one trip down to the soulless WalMart to get everything all at once.  And on top of that you get to get checked out by some kid with tattoos on his neck and corks stuck in his ears, and you even have the option to use Spanish on the clever little machine that lets you swipe your ATM card to pay.  But hey, at least there's some old guy at the door being paid to be nice to you and pretend like he cares that you stopped in. 

We've lost something as a culture in all of this.  Something that was important, but it's all but gone now.  I hate it and try my best to not be a part of it all. 

Screw Martin and Taylor for putting their guitars in these stores and for feeding the greed machine that they have become a part of. They're as bad as the guys running these places.  All they care about anymore is money as well.  Once upon a time a guy named Martin built gutiars because he probably loved music and wanted to build fine instruments.  I'm sure he wanted to make a living as well, which there's nothing wrong with, but I'm pretty sure this isn't what he had in mind.


:yak:

Amen, Creature!!!!
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 :+1:
I'll second the Amen!!!

Here's the problem: Creatures preaching to the choir. We all realize the benefit of a quality instrument at a reasonable price. How do we get others to see it?

To the uninitiated, running through Walmart/Costco/etc and seeing a "name brand" like Martin or Taylor while little Bobby wants to learn to play - well you can't go wrong with a "name brand" can you? So, Bobby gets a bottom of the line guitar and there is no luthier available for a proper set up (or to even identify numerous other issues) and he loses interest inside a month because it is too hard to press the strings down.

I'm not saying you can't mass produce a decent guitar. But the night stock clerk would probably grab a crescent wrench if he heard the Martin had a loose nut! They wouldn't know a separated bridge from a cracked sound board. A decent guitar shop serves a plethora of services not even considered by soccer mom who loves Bobby.

But, we have a saying in my shop. You get cheap, quality, and good, but only two.
good and cheap = no quality
cheap quality = no good
good quality = not cheap

I don't want to draw a direct corelation to price paid and quality received. But, there is no way your going to Walmart for a guitar and end up with much of anything unless you take it somewhere else for a set up and inspection. I really feel bad for the local guys. They are eeking a living out and working their fannies off.
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2006 Larrivee LV-10 MR   1980 Les Paul Custom Natural   2008 Larrivee LV-03-12   1998 Carvin LB75 Koa Bass

I don't think Costco is an authorized dealer, they just got some inventory. This is just a guess, but I would be surprised if Martin, Taylor or Gibson were thinking about Costco as part of their core strategy. It's possible that selling a bit of inventory to Costco on a one-time basis is seen as a quick way to improve cash flow or reduce overstock or prevent temporary layoffs.  Just guessing.

If I was an authorized Martin dealer, I would be annoyed though.


I agree, don't like to see Martin's at Costco.  But if the warranty card is in the case, you should be covered.  Surprised they are actually selling D28's.  I would have thought the lower line laminates.  Martins are certainly mass produced but they do put out some very nice guitars.  My daughter's OOO28-EC is a beautiful guitar, I will be doing a side by side comparison with my Larrivee Custom OMV-03 shortly.  I want the same strings on each guitar, so this may take a few weeks or so.   Both guitars were probably produced about the same time.  The Martin was picked up from factory in April, and Dave (at Guitar Adoptions) invoiced the OMV in May.  I am still waiting to hear on the serial number request from Brian at Larrivee.  Sorry for the digression.

:arrow



   

Creature wrote:

"And on top of that you get to get checked out by some kid with tattoos on his neck and corks stuck in his ears, and you even have the option to use Spanish on the clever little machine that lets you swipe your ATM card to pay."

Creature, I agreed with you until you said the above. Would you prefer we all look like the salesmen at Sears? I smell a contradiction here in your desire to preserve the little guys.


If it sounds good, it is good.


Quote from: bearsville0 on September 08, 2007, 07:30:37 AM
Creature wrote:

"...get checked out by some kid"

"Do you want your eggs in the bag with the guitar, dude?"
Larry

<1 or 2 nice ones>

The Martin warranty is only valid if you purchase the guitar from an authorized Martin dealer with a shop physically located in the US or Canada.

Costco is not an authorized dealer, so the warranty will not be valid.  The prices are also not great - you can do way better from the same guys we buy our Larrivees from.

Guitars bought off ebay (new) are not covered by the warranty either, nor are any guitars bought new from a store here in the UK!  :doh
~Lynn :guitar

Quote from: the creature on September 07, 2007, 09:12:50 PM

The first thing that I don't like is that ALL of these big box stores are run by corporate THUGS who are only interested in money, money, and more money.  They don't care about anything but the bottom line: money.  They'll sell whatever the law allows simply to make a little bit more.  It sickens me. 


There are ethical and unethical players big and small and big and little players are quick to do the same selling what the law allows. It is foolish to think that money is not the ultimate goal whether the organization is big or small .in most economies.

In the case of Martin and Taylor my two local outlets are Guitar Center and a fancy place that has no time of day for you if you're not buying $3000-$20,000 guitars and neither will even put fresh strings on a D-28 or $1000+ guitars. Maybe the Costco being built in the area will mean better service from these other merchants and if not it will probably mean a buyer of a D-28 saves $100 and doesn't have to deal with jerks.

There is probably no vote better than or more effective than voting with your wallet.

Quote from: thistle on September 08, 2007, 08:19:08 AM
The Martin warranty is only valid if you purchase the guitar from an authorized Martin dealer with a shop physically located in the US or Canada.

Costco is not an authorized dealer, so the warranty will not be valid.....

If you go to the COstco site and look at the Shipping and Terms info on the page for say ..the MArtin D-28 they do explicitly state
QuoteThis item is covered by Costco's guarantee to refund your purchase price if you are not completely satisfied. Costco's guarantee applies, even though this item may not be covered by the manufacturer's warranty, because Costco is not an "authorized" dealer of the merchandise.

So at least they are upfront about that.
Ian (in Cedar Creek, TX)
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Quote from: the creature on September 07, 2007, 09:12:50 PM
We've lost something as a culture in all of this.  Something that was important, but it's all but gone now.  I hate it and try my best to not be a part of it all. 


We did the math and we're well ahead with our saving money, keeping cars longer, avoiding debt and the premium we paid for our home. We can walk or ride a bike for most all of our needs and our kids will have same distance for k-12. We're even crawling distance from a brewery as we like to joke. Even though we're in a broader metro area of 500,000 people most all of life is in a 6 mile circle of home. We are not high earners, and it did not kill us to save the premium for the home over 6-7 years and the life that you might think of as old fashioned is here and great and it pays. Our neighborhood goes up in value while the rest of the area and nation have been hurting. Our dumb a$$ friends and relatives sit in cars for a total of a few days a year so they can have a stupid status car that will be junk and a plastic covered cheap box in a former corn field to live in.

We weighed the cost of cutting out thousands of miles in a car a year and the associated hours wasted and have no regrets. My wife can bike to work now and still take less time than the former drive and 5 hours (min.) a week in a car eliminated translates directly to parenting, cooking, quality of life and even playing guitar. We're not alone in being not so high earners in a higher level neighborhood and it it is about status those we know who put it in what they drive and other life style choices seem to be the fools.

These old fashioned businesses are not gone either. My biggest customer is a small chain of grocery stores bucking the big boys via doing everything well including compensating their employees. My neighborhood hardware store is not a chain, nor are the many little business in my down town.

When i was a kid if you wanted a guitar you could afford - you ended up with a harmony and maybe someday you could afford a semi pro instrument - but back then if you had a Martin D-28 etc- you were for the most part making your living or at least playing out 1-2 nights a week making some bread- you also didn't have GAS - that was something for some Rich A--hole who had more money than Brains---- Now a days if you play the guitar you might start in the middle , but you usually ( if you stick with it ) end up with a couple of so called high ends with maybe a beater somewhere in the middle ( and not be Pro- or play out ) -- we have more than we did back then , and these higher end guitars are more in reach to guitarists -- i have guitars that most of the pros back then couldn't afford ( I'm not talking about some mega Rock stars here )-- 

I'm not against Walmart or Costco - just wounded my pride I guess about the status of going to a real Mom and Pop or top end music store and having that once in a life time feeling of a special event in my life -- ordering it from Costco - just feels like getting your hamburgers at McDonald's .


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