SmartWood Les Paul Studio

Oh, the agony.  I'm looking at this really cool looking SmartWood Les Paul Studio, and I just can't find anyone that has one I can play and check out before I buy.  It's not a high-end Les Paul or a Custom Shop axe.  It's just an inexpensive Les Paul that nobody seems to want to stock.    Same problem with the Swamp Ash Les Paul Studio.  The guy I talked to at Guitar Center said he saw one of these come into their Southfield store and it never made it to the showroom.  Some employee snagged it.  When I spoke to a salesman (and 2 and 3) at Guitar Center they told me both guitars would have to be special ordered.  And get this, each salesman has given me a different price, none of which has been as low as the online price until I mention it.  Then I get a, "yeah, I can do that".

I've been researching this one only for a week now, but I feel like I'm running out of time, if I want a new one.  Based on my research so far, these guitars I've been looking at are not going to be produced for long; and I've sort of started looking a bit late.

Also on my list of possibles is the American Deluxe 50th Anniversary Stratocaster.  Today I was told by a Guitar Center Salesman about how this one would be hard to get because Fender quit manufacturing them in November, 2004.  It is currently in stock at Musicians Friend, and I could order one right now.  I've never bought a guitar this way, and I don't feel comfortable doing so.  But it seems the only way I will be able to get one of these 3 beauties, is to order, either online or from a shop.  I can't stand Guitar Center for high-end shit.  You never know if they are really giving you a good price on the piece (unless you've researched it).  For example, I was quoted $1076 for the SmartWood today; and that was without the SmartWood case as advertised at Gibson and everywhere I looked.  When I asked about the case, he quoted me $1160 with the SmartWood case (which is specialy made for this axe).  Then I told him I'd seen it elsewhere for $1080 with the case, and I got a "yeah, I can do that".  That's just a lotta crap.  I will continue my research on these 3 lovelys until I am satisfied I have done a thorough job.  For right now I'm not happy with what I have uncovered about purchasing methods for these guitars.

By the way, I have sent some email to SameDayMusic and zZounds regarding some prices I found at shopping.com for the SmartWood.  If you click on the link to each website you are taken to a SmartWood, but with a price $250 dollars higher.  The reply I got from both companies was that the price I saw was for a "blemished" guitar.  That being the case, then why didn't the add at shopping.com mention something about the blemish?  Even if it is an old ad, if it were blemished, the ad should have mentioned something.  So basically I feel like I can't trust these 2 online retailers.  And they are the only ones I found so far that have a SmartWood (or so they say).  Plus each of these 2 have several negative reviews from people who have had bad experiences purchasing from them.  Oh, the agony.  Maybe I'll look at Amazon next.

Comments

[Mike]

I just bought a used one for $750.
I went in to buy another guitar (Schecter C-1 Classic) and saw some guy playing it. After about a half-hour of waiting for him to either buy or put it up, I made the salesguy nab it from the dude.
If it played half as good as it looks -- and I'm not a huge fan of Gibson necks (yes, I've owned a couple) --I was gonna buy it.
Well, my opening sentence says it all. I can't express how >good< this guitar feels.
Go buy it.