Well, everything isn't perfect so don't complain. You can always suggest to them or do something so that at least your comments are heard. ....
You'll call ahead a pizza, but won't for a guitar? I guess then you really aren't wanting to play it. If there was an instrument that I was serious about purchasing I would have no problem making them set it up. ...
I have seen beautiful guitars come in from high end manufacturers that still had issues. Hell, I had a Martin guitar arrive UNFINISHED.
You're right. You totally got me. I drove to guitar center and pulled down multi-thousand $ instruments b/c I didn't want to play them. I should have called ahead and asked them to set up every 5-string over $1k. After all, It's my responsibility as a customer. I should probably throw down a credit card, CV, and endorsement list to prove I'm 'serious' enough too.
Give me a break. This wasn't some random unfounded generalization-- This was my real experience in a real store.
How can I be 'serious about purchasing' an instrument that is unplayable?
And it is a company issue. Great employees will be great. But, certainly the company can dictate policy that would encourage employees to feel a sense of ownership and responsibility for the stock. Frankly, the fact that you're incensed about my disappointment is symptomatic of the problem.
BTW, these issues are not b/c people played these basses. Necks don't go slack b/c some kid did a shitty victor wooten impression. Maybe these instruments did arrive that way. So what? You didn't put that unfinished Martin on the rack did you?
I don't know, perhaps I've just been lucky but my 'D' bass is a $400 ibanez that has NEVER been set up and since I bought it in 1995 and it still plays well.....not perfect...but certainly playable....which is all I was asking of brand new instruments costing 5-times more at GC. It really didn't seem unreasonable to ask. Perhaps I was wrong.
edit:
I feel like perhaps I didn't articulate just how bad these instruments were. These basses didn't have "bad action" they seriously could not be played. The stingrays strings were laying on the frets making it so NOTES WOULDN'T SOUND. The Warwick had action like an upright bass, so there was so much slack in the neck it seemed like there was no truss rod tension at all. Now, I've been playing quite a long time and have taken instruments on planes (baggage handlers), tours (50deg. Fahrenheit difference from stage to trailer) and subjected them to tons of abuse and have NEVER seen an instrument get that screwed up before. Let alone if it's just hanging on a wall. So I was really taken aback at the condition of the instruments. The fact that it was more than one lead me to the conclusion that this wasn't an anomaly.
Also..I did tell the salesman about the issues. And he set them on the rack behind the counter and told me about humidity. haha.