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Posted: Tue Jan 25, 2011 3:35 am
by xmlguy
Synthoid wrote:JimH wrote:Guitar Center regularly has 15% off sales, though they limit it to $500. That's probably how I'll get a Kronos
Before you visit Guitar Center, read the "excluded manufacturer list" on their sale coupons.
I believe Korg is on that list, so GC probably won't give you a 15% discount on the KRONOS.
Sam Ash and Best Buy Music Gear will match competitors sales, and they don't always read the fine print too carefully, although sometimes they might call to verify on a particular expensive item. Guitar Center seems to always be trying to pull the ole' bait and switch routine. My experience with Best Buy music gear departments has been very positive in the past, particularly their amazing clearance prices. There's a very good chance Best Buy will carry KRONOS, since they stock the Motif XS 88, VSynth GT, & M3, which are in the same price range. I'm not talking about every Best Buy - only the ones with music instrument gear departments.
Posted: Tue Jan 25, 2011 1:49 pm
by Synthoid
xmlguy wrote:Synthoid wrote:JimH wrote:Guitar Center regularly has 15% off sales, though they limit it to $500. That's probably how I'll get a Kronos
Before you visit Guitar Center, read the "excluded manufacturer list" on their sale coupons.
I believe Korg is on that list, so GC probably won't give you a 15% discount on the KRONOS.
Sam Ash and Best Buy Music Gear will match competitors sales, and they don't always read the fine print too carefully, although sometimes they might call to verify on a particular expensive item.
This is true, but I wouldn't
count on a 15% discount on the KRONOS if everyone else is selling it for MAP for the first 3 months.
Posted: Tue Jan 25, 2011 2:16 pm
by BillW
JimH wrote:Synthoid wrote:Before you visit Guitar Center, read the "excluded manufacturer list" on their sale coupons.
I believe Korg is on that list, so GC probably won't give you a 15% discount on the KRONOS.
Ouch. Major bummer.
I'd be surprised if GC even carried the Kronos.
Posted: Tue Jan 25, 2011 2:46 pm
by Synthoid
BillW wrote:I'd be surprised if GC even carried the Kronos.
I certainly hope they do! Some of their stores in smaller cities might not though... we'll see.
Posted: Tue Jan 25, 2011 5:37 pm
by jimknopf
I'm not living in the US, but after all the stories I heard from guitar centers over there, I wouldn't buy ANY halfway decent keyboard from them.
Many user experiences I heard so far tell me that you can be lucky, if any of their local staff knows more of a modern synth or workstation, than a casually asked McDonalds seller from the next corner.
They should be happy to still sell guitar stompboxes after all ...
Posted: Tue Jan 25, 2011 6:25 pm
by BillW
jimknopf wrote:I'm not living in the US, but after all the stories I heard from guitar centers over there, I wouldn't buy ANY halfway decent keyboard from them.
Many user experiences I heard so far tell me that you can be lucky, if any of their local staff knows more of a modern synth or workstation, than a casually asked McDonalds seller from the next corner.
They should be happy to still sell guitar stompboxes after all ...
I keep my eye on their used inventory and occasionally get a great deal on something -- most recently a Motif XS6 in great shape for under $1000 (with no interest or payments for 12 months).
Posted: Tue Jan 25, 2011 6:28 pm
by Randelph
Jim Knopf wrote:
I'm not living in the US, but after all the stories I heard from guitar centers over there, I wouldn't buy ANY halfway decent keyboard from them.
Many user experiences I heard so far tell me that you can be lucky, if any of their local staff knows more of a modern synth or workstation, than a casually asked McDonalds seller from the next corner.
They should be happy to still sell guitar stompboxes after all ...
YMMV. I've bought 3 major keyboards (XS7 / PSR 3000 / Nord Stage Classic) through my local GC, and would buy the Kronos through them once the clamor settles down and I can verify the best price elsewhere.
I don't need the sales guy to know his stuff- I've already done my research. And I sure as hell would miss it if they went out of business. I go down on a fairly regular basis and check out gear there- there's no place else like it in San Francisco for the variety of gear they have in store and that means a lot! Gotta get my hands on a board, can't just rely on others evaluations.
And to counter the usual GC bashing: they had a Nord Stage 88 that'd been a floor model for a long time and were blowing it out at $1,500. Not only was the price right, but they went ahead and payed for the minor repairs it needed.
And yes, there are a few of them running around there that know their stuff-
Kronos arriving within the next few days??
Posted: Wed Jan 26, 2011 4:37 pm
by jahrome
Sweetwater wrote:
It's Arriving Soon!
We've confirmed this item (Korg Kronos) has shipped from Korg and should arrive in our warehouse within a day or two. Please call and place your order now. We will ship it immediately, the very same day we receive it from Korg.
Re: Kronos arriving within the next few days??
Posted: Wed Jan 26, 2011 5:37 pm
by RonF
jahrome wrote:Sweetwater wrote:
It's Arriving Soon!
We've confirmed this item (Korg Kronos) has shipped from Korg and should arrive in our warehouse within a day or two. Please call and place your order now. We will ship it immediately, the very same day we receive it from Korg.
I'm being told the exact same thing from SW....20 units of the 61 key Kronos should be arriving at SW on or shortly after Feb 1st, and will ship immediately upon receipt. My pre-order is made! I pressed them hard on this info, and they swear their purchasing team has confirmed this directly from Korg. Telling me they typically get inventory before the mainstream. This info was upgraded, and they contacted me (unsolicited) to advise me of the change in ETA.....because they were originally quoting late March/April just last week.
Re: Kronos arriving within the next few days??
Posted: Wed Jan 26, 2011 6:06 pm
by apex
RonF wrote:jahrome wrote:Sweetwater wrote:
It's Arriving Soon!
We've confirmed this item (Korg Kronos) has shipped from Korg and should arrive in our warehouse within a day or two. Please call and place your order now. We will ship it immediately, the very same day we receive it from Korg.
I'm being told the exact same thing from SW....20 units of the 61 key Kronos should be arriving at SW on or shortly after Feb 1st, and will ship immediately upon receipt. My pre-order is made! I pressed them hard on this info, and they swear their purchasing team has confirmed this directly from Korg. Telling me they typically get inventory before the mainstream. This info was upgraded, and they contacted me (unsolicited) to advise me of the change in ETA.....because they were originally quoting late March/April just last week.
RonF... maybe you should post this in the other thread too... there's some retard over there giving me a hard time just for posting the info that was given to me....
Posted: Wed Jan 26, 2011 9:36 pm
by ozy
jimknopf wrote:you can be lucky, if any of their local staff knows more of a modern synth or workstation, than a casually asked McDonalds seller from the next corner.
I can't see any problem with that.
The guys at the store where I buy my instruments can't tell a "Little Phatty" from a "McTasty" or from a "Corolla Verso",
and that's no problem.
They can handle big boxes without breaking what's withn, bank my cheques and apply discounts.
I deal with wholesale distributors about prices, features and availability. When I'm ready to buy I go to the store, ask for the instrument in show a pair of headphones and a stool,
test the instrument, pay and take it away.
On the contrary, at McDonald I have no previous info about the Novelty of the Month, nor can I ask to taste it before I buy.
I need more information from the McDonald girl than from a salesman at the the synth shop.
And I trust her more than anybody whose job is pressing me into buying the Akai Miniak.
Posted: Wed Jan 26, 2011 9:40 pm
by maphill
I just got a quote from SW (today), and they said "it's going to be quite a while before we get the NAMM stuff but we'll ship it the instant we get it".
Mark.
Posted: Wed Jan 26, 2011 10:31 pm
by ozy
maphill wrote:I just got a quote from SW (today), and they said "it's going to be quite a while before we get the NAMM stuff but we'll ship it the instant we get it".Mark.
Sounds like Sweetwater is less like a CIA-cum-OpusDei monolythe than previously supposed.
Their concept of "stick to the party line" is "count to three before improvising your own story".
Posted: Thu Jan 27, 2011 11:11 pm
by hammondcuni
Ordered my Kronos 61 from SW today. 23rd person to order the Kronos 61 according to the sales person. He said they have sold
22 Kronos 88
7 Kronos 73
23 Kronos 61
These dogs won't hunt!!!
Posted: Tue Feb 01, 2011 9:13 pm
by dingo_klectos
Sweetwater has already revised its return policy because it knows the majority of these dogs are coming back to them DOA.
Keep your receipts, fanboys!!!!!!