Like many musicians, as I get older, I find myself becoming a bit more set in my ways and less forgiving of things that don’t quite measure up. Maybe I’m turning into the grumpy old man of guitar gear.
My story revolves around a Helix LT purchase back in April 2017. Being a long-time Line 6 user, the Helix LT was the pinnacle of modeling technology for me. In fact, since getting it, my perfectly good amp and even my less-than-stellar backup amp have been gathering dust. While modelers aren’t for everyone, the Helix was that “last piece of gear” kind of purchase, at least until the next groundbreaking innovation comes along.
When deciding on my Helix, the LT version had everything I needed, which was a pleasant surprise. So, I headed to Guitar Center, negotiated the price down a bit, and then the “Pro Warranty” was presented to me. It sounded fantastic: the same coverage as the factory warranty, but also protecting against accidents like spills, water damage, and general abuse. “Perfect,” I thought, “I play in bars, sometimes with a beer in hand – this warranty is a smart move.” Plus, the salesperson implied in-store replacements if anything went wrong. Surely, this was far superior to the standard factory warranty, right? WRONG.
The “Guitar Center Pro Warranty” is definitely presented as this incredible, hassle-free solution when you’re in the store, creating the impression of robust support for any gigging musician, thanks to Guitar Center’s nationwide presence and seven-day-a-week availability. However, the reality is far from “pro,” especially after the initial 60 days. Beyond that initial period, the warranty service is handled by Asurion, the same company known for cell phone insurance. Suddenly, that “pro” level warranty that seemed ideal for touring musicians transforms into something decidedly more amateur. Just yesterday, I was at Guitar Center at noon, and I’m still waiting for the shipping label to return my Helix for a warranty issue. Leaving the store that day, I was incredibly frustrated, feeling misled by the warranty pitch and annoyed that I’d driven over 100 miles for nothing.
Driven by this frustration, I decided to investigate the factory warranty offered by Line 6 directly. It turns out, for my issue—a broken expression pedal—Line 6’s standard 2-year warranty would have provided the same level of coverage. Even better, Line 6 would have covered priority shipping to get the issue resolved quickly (major kudos to Line 6 for their customer service!).
This whole experience has led me to a firm decision: my recent Guitar Center transaction will be my last. This extends to any of the Berkshire Hathaway-owned music companies that, in my opinion, have “innovated” their way to negatively impacting our beloved music industry. I’m sharing this experience as a warning to anyone who might not be aware of the reality behind the Guitar Center Pro-Am Warranty and hasn’t meticulously read the fine print. Don’t make the same assumptions I did about their “Pro Coverage.”
