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Hello fellow jazz guitarists,
I am flying to NYC for about 2 weeks to audition at a couple of colleges there. Does anybody know where I can get an archtop guitar for 2 weeks? Maybe rent one or do you know someone who can lend me an archtop?
Thanks in advance.
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01-31-2020 06:38 PM
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If this is serious to me it would be like entering a bike race on rental. I would not be winning.
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One thing you might consider, and I say this as someone who worked in the chain, is see if you like a guitar that the Guitar Center has. They have a policy of 30 days no questions asked returns for the full purchase price. Their pricing and business model is designed so you can try out a guitar, and if it isn't exactly right for you, just come back and return it. They'll put full credit back on your credit card. There are a number of regulars who'd do this, find one, have it shipped to the local store, buy it and about 80% of the time, return it. Always done with a smile and a full refund.
There would be rental sections in some stores, but quite often, they'd recommend that a customer buy and return a guitar. If they returned it, the store didn't actually lose anything but it created good will. If they liked it, then... good business, it works for everyone.
It's an option, and who knows, you may find a keeper. It's their hope. It's your option. There's a store in Union Square and two in Brooklyn.
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Guitar Center does rentals. You can rent almost anything they have in stock.
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If you Google musical instruments in New York City, here's what you'll find. I'm sure there's at least one archtop available...
Top 10 Best Instrument Rental in New York, NY - Last Updated January 2020 - Yelp
Best Places To Rent Musical Instruments In NYC – CBS New York
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Guitar Center's return policy... to me it seems a bit of an honor system to act in good faith. In other words, you actually have an intention of buying the instrument if you like it.
It is a great way to buy used and I have done that myself, the 1st two bass guitars I had issues with and returned, the third one, I'm keeping. Guitar Center employees were really good about the returns and even refunded the shipping (as they should have as there were undisclosed issues with the instruments).
And to show it off, and my dog...
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Buying and returning when you had no intention of buying in the first place, instead of renting, seems dishonest to me. Your moral values may be different from mine, however.
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+1
Originally Posted by sgosnell
Karma is a bitch......
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I agree with sgosnell. I would never do that. I’m sure you can find someone who will rent one to you. It’s easy enough to do where I live, and it’s a lot smaller city than NYC. Originally Posted by sgosnell
Keith
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I just played an out of town gig on a borrowed LP Standard two weeks ago. It was sub-optimal in many ways, even though I acquired the borrowed axe a day before the gig and had semi-adequate time to get used to the slightly different neck width and setup from my own LP Deluxe.
I would urge you strongly to arrange travel in a way that would allow you to bring your own axe, if at all possible. To be guaranteed that your guitar won't wind up as checked baggage, you'll need to buy a seat for it on the airplane. Two weeks out, you won't find GREAT prices on airfare, but not as bad as if you wait at all longer.
Good luck..!
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Originally Posted by sgosnell
I completely agree.
Tony D.
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I am sure the college has one for you to borrow but you are not likely to make a good impression if you don't have one of your own.
I can't imagine not bringing my own favourite guitar with my favourite strings to a college audition if I am at all serious about the colleges. Borrowing an amp I can understand. So my takeaway is that you are not very serious about these colleges so why bother going? Don't mention piano students because a piano is a very different thing. It is sort of expected that you play what you find.
Anyway, most jazz departments don't care if you bring a Telecaster so bring a Telecaster if you play and have one. Or just bring what you have. You do have a guitar as a guitar player, don't you? Don't tell me you borrow that, too.
Sorry for being snarky. You are not helping yourself. An audition is stressful enough without having to deal with an unfamiliar guitar and strings.
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jabber, the college doesn't care, at all.
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Unless I'm missing something, he seems to be saying that GC doesn't mind. Originally Posted by sgosnell
"There would be rental sections in some stores, but quite often, they'd recommend that a customer buy and return a guitar. If they returned it, the store didn't actually lose anything but it created good will. If they liked it, then... good business, it works for everyone."
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That's an edited post, not what was originally posted. And I still don't think that's the official policy. And it seems dishonest to me even if that is their policy. Most GC stores have a rental section. My daughter used to be the rental manager at a store, and that was not the store policy there. They do have a money-back guarantee, and they know that some people use that to bypass the rental fees, even though there isn't much they can do about it, but that doesn't make it right.
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Guitar Center website:
Abuse of Return Privileges
Our return policy is in place to ensure our customers don’t get stuck with the wrong piece of gear. We may, in our sole discretion, limit or suspend return privileges for customers who abuse or attempt to violate our return policy
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