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Posted: Tue Dec 30, 2008 2:24 pm
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Okay, here's my issue with my local GC in Chattanooga, TN. I've gone in there a couple of times and played various Les Pauls. Both times, dealing with separate employees, I asked them to give me a little bit of info on each LP I was interested in. Both of these young dudes, said to me, "Oh, man. It rocks!"
I said, "Sure, I know that, that's why I'm interested in an LP. What else can you tell me about it; give me details, etc."
Both responses were variations of, "Man this guitar rocks! Especially if you run it through this rockin' amp, which rocks. It will be a rockin' setup, man."
"Is the amp a tube or not?" I ask, just because I am now enjoying the circus-freak-show.
"Uh, this is one mother of an amp, man. It rocks!" the "dude" answers.
I felt like I was in a bad remake of Spinal Tap.
So, I go the the other guitar store in town, L&M Music (which is pricey but roomy, and they aren't playing earsplitting Slipknot to such a raging volume that you can't really hear and feel the instrument you are trying to assess. This is one of my BIG issues with GC. You can't hear!), and the man, a guy over nineteen years old, gets down the LP I want to buy and we actually discuss what styles of music I want to use the damn thing for, then we select a Marshall amp that is similar to the one I currently use. As I play the guitar he explains the benefits of this particular guitar, then leaves me to myself so that I may get aquainted with the beautiful piece of craftmanship before I decide to buy.
That's why I hate GC!

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Posted: Tue Dec 30, 2008 2:48 pm
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GC sure is hit or miss. The one in San Bernardino, CA is a pleasure to visit. (I don't think I ever heard the word "dude" from any of the guys there). All the help you want; they don't bother you or show off their skills. Same goes for the one in Tempe, AZ. Some of the others, "Oh Well".

It sure beats my days, mid "60's, when 10% off list was the best you could get.

Daddy-R


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Posted: Tue Dec 30, 2008 3:01 pm
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I guess I got lucky. The local GC is staffed by very friendly and helpfull people and they have been great to me. I have used other local stores also, and GC beats them in service.

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Posted: Tue Dec 30, 2008 4:46 pm
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I wonder......................

If I were Mr. Guitar Center Owner and I saw these threads with the majority of the people stating that they were unhappy with my business - would I enact a new "Customer Service Directive"? Or maybe some additional employee training??? Or would I just sit behind my desk counting the cash thinking "well, I am making money so everything must be OK".

I wonder??????......................

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Posted: Wed Dec 31, 2008 11:43 am
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jeffo46 wrote:
Beaubs wrote:
I wonder......................

If I were Mr. Guitar Center Owner and I saw these threads with the majority of the people stating that they were unhappy with my business - would I enact a new "Customer Service Directive"? Or maybe some additional employee training??? Or would I just sit behind my desk counting the cash thinking "well, I am making money so everything must be OK".

I wonder??????......................
Well, I don't how it is in your neck of the woods over there in Maine,but the nearest one over where I live is in North Attleboro, Mass. and in the last 3 years, that store has seriously gone downhill. You have guitars hanging on the walls with scratches on them along with strings on them that have crud and dirt that is very visible to the naked eye. Over a year ago, they had the balls to sell a used Fender Princeton 65 combo minus 3 knobs, for the price of $250.00. I mentioned that to a salesperson and he told me that it was priced low because it was used. I said,how about lowering it down to $100.00 and I'll buy it from you. They didn't want to hear that, and told me no way.

I was in the GC in Raleigh yesterday trying to buy a DC Brick for my pedal powering needs. This younger guy is pleased to help me and offer me Sam Ashes price, which was $10 cheaper. I start getting a little worried when he is digging around behind him, looking for the right box, and all of the extra power cords. He then stuffs these in the battered looking box. I figure "f" it, as long as it works, I'll take it. Get it half way home, and no power cord. Plus, the dang thing is used, when I was paying full price. The salesman told me it wasn't used, and I pointed out that it already had velcro attached to the back. I eventually get him to take it back and go to Sam Ash, which happens to be across the street. Plus, Sam Ash had Ike Willis playing there last week as a surprise guest. He was great. I think I'll be heading to Sam Ash first, then GC as a last resort from now on. GC owners and managers, please take notice.


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Posted: Wed Dec 31, 2008 11:54 am
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The moment I walked into a GC for the first time in Springfield MO and seeing that big pile of Guitar Hero/Rockband games, I haven't really been so supportive of them. That's why I go to the locally owned music store in Dexter, MO...friendly customer service, and they're willing to help work things out to fit your budget. :)

http://www.dextermusiccenter.com/web/index.php

I'd live there if I could...I really would. :lol:


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Posted: Wed Dec 31, 2008 12:17 pm
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I got an eye opener when I bought my AmStd Strat in the summer of 06. I'd been looking at them at GC, so I knew the price and I thought I knew what came with the Strat -- nothing. Case extra, etc. But I happened to be in my home town and walked into an independent that I'd bought from for years when I lived there.

I found a Strat that I fell in love with on the spot -- it played like butter, sounded like ... well, you get the idea. Now the price was the same as at GC but then out came the custom hard case with the care kit inside. The owner said that this is the way the come from Fender but the "big stores usually remove the case and care kit and sell them separately."

Yep, true. Back in LA, I went to two GC stores and one Sam Ash and in each case, the case was extra. They could "do nothing for me" even when I pointed out that I knew for 100% fact that the case came with the guitar directly from Fender. There's evidently no requirement that the end retailer give you everything that shipped in the box.

So in effect, I didn't pay the same at the local store. I've found the same situation in more cases than just the Strat since then. It seems that except for the "starter sets" where what comes with them is advertised as a set, they will often take out anything that came with the guitar, so your deal is the guitar only.


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Post subject: Re: Why GC sucks
Posted: Wed Dec 31, 2008 12:45 pm
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windwalker9649 wrote:
So someone bought me a new practice amp for christmas. They were never given the manual for it. I called Guitar Center and asked if they had it out back, they said no. I asked them to order me one, and they want to charge me the $10 Fender charges for manuals. Is this ridiculous or what? Ive spent over $2500 there in the last 9 1/2 months, and they want me to pay the $10 for the owners manual. I swear, if I can help it I'll never give that outfit another dime. I really wish there were some decent independently owned music stores around my area. Well, there are, but they don't sell what I use, so I get stuck going to GC which has turned into the Walmart of music shops...... Just venting :x


So why not
A) Put the amp back in the box, return it for store credit and then buy another one (make sure it has the instruction manual before you leave)
B) lightly sabotage the amp so that it doesn't work, take it in and exchange it for a new one (again make sure it has the instruction manual before you leave)

I agree that GC is just a sales machine but that's all it's ever claimed to be (I worked there back in the 80's so I know). I've never had a problem exchanging or returning items.

Sure they have to charge you for the manual, they are going to have to buy one from Fender in order to give it to you. To give you one "free" they'd have to take it out of a boxed amp and then someone else gets an amp without a manual (probably what happened in your situation).

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Posted: Wed Dec 31, 2008 5:51 pm
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GC is terrible. Stopped in yesterday to try a few basses, I fully intended on buying a new Jazz active 5. No one would even look at me in the store. I'm fed up with their attitude as well. Fortunately I have a few other shops to choose from.

rtc713


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Post subject:
Posted: Wed Dec 31, 2008 9:26 pm
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Musiciansfriend and Guitar center can both kiss my A%^ . I could go on for a whole page here. I either but local or I use Sweetwater. Sweetwater has been great so far but I've only had a few small orders there. They really go over the top though, I ordered a Fulltone pedal that wasn't in stock. They called in a week and gave me an update !!!!! They gave me an approx arrival date and it came early.

Once again musicinasfriend and Guitar Center can kiss my A&^ !!!!! Boycott them !!!!!!


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Post subject:
Posted: Wed Dec 31, 2008 10:00 pm
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Walmart and GC exist to make a profit. They're not running any charities. I think a lot of you guitar players are pretty spoiled. I think it's nice to have something called the "guitar center" near where I lvie that carries any guitar item I need. That's a luxury to be honest and I'm willing to pay a little extra for the small things.

And why the hell would you migrate to Holland just because there are no Walmarts there? Tht has got to be one of the stupidest things I've heard in a long time. Talk about a bunch of babies.. Just because you guys don't get what you want every damn second you're talking about migrating rofl.


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Post subject:
Posted: Thu Jan 01, 2009 9:19 am
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folkrock91 wrote:
Walmart and GC exist to make a profit. They're not running any charities. I think a lot of you guitar players are pretty spoiled. I think it's nice to have something called the "guitar center" near where I lvie that carries any guitar item I need. That's a luxury to be honest and I'm willing to pay a little extra for the small things.



There is a HUGE difference between making a profit and providing crappy, slipshod, lackadaisical, nonexistent customer service.

My local mom and pop guitar store makes a profit. So do Sweetwater and ZZsounds - all of whom provide excellent customer service and get my return business on a regular basis.

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Post subject:
Posted: Thu Jan 01, 2009 10:56 am
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Troublecall wrote:
folkrock91 wrote:
Walmart and GC exist to make a profit. They're not running any charities. I think a lot of you guitar players are pretty spoiled. I think it's nice to have something called the "guitar center" near where I lvie that carries any guitar item I need. That's a luxury to be honest and I'm willing to pay a little extra for the small things.



There is a HUGE difference between making a profit and providing crappy, slipshod, lackadaisical, nonexistent customer service.

My local mom and pop guitar store makes a profit. So do Sweetwater and ZZsounds - all of whom provide excellent customer service and get my return business on a regular basis.


I agree with you 100% Troublecall, asking for some customer service isn't being spoiled is it ? Asking to get a quality product for a fair price isn't spoiled is it?
Getting decieved, ignored and insulted isn't big in my book either when I want to make a purchase.

Boycott GC and MF !!!!!!!!!


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Posted: Thu Jan 01, 2009 11:03 am
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Troublecall wrote:
folkrock91 wrote:
Walmart and GC exist to make a profit. They're not running any charities. I think a lot of you guitar players are pretty spoiled. I think it's nice to have something called the "guitar center" near where I lvie that carries any guitar item I need. That's a luxury to be honest and I'm willing to pay a little extra for the small things.



There is a HUGE difference between making a profit and providing crappy, slipshod, lackadaisical, nonexistent customer service.

My local mom and pop guitar store makes a profit. So do Sweetwater and ZZsounds - all of whom provide excellent customer service and get my return business on a regular basis.


You're misssing the point entirely. Whenever a company is as big as Guitarcenter the customer service is obviously going to be a lot worse than say my local guitar store where I can talk directly to the oner everytime I walk in.


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Post subject:
Posted: Thu Jan 01, 2009 11:06 am
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tonefight wrote:
Troublecall wrote:
folkrock91 wrote:
Walmart and GC exist to make a profit. They're not running any charities. I think a lot of you guitar players are pretty spoiled. I think it's nice to have something called the "guitar center" near where I lvie that carries any guitar item I need. That's a luxury to be honest and I'm willing to pay a little extra for the small things.



There is a HUGE difference between making a profit and providing crappy, slipshod, lackadaisical, nonexistent customer service.

My local mom and pop guitar store makes a profit. So do Sweetwater and ZZsounds - all of whom provide excellent customer service and get my return business on a regular basis.


I agree with you 100% Troublecall, asking for some customer service isn't being spoiled is it ? Asking to get a quality product for a fair price isn't spoiled is it?
Getting decieved, ignored and insulted isn't big in my book either when I want to make a purchase.

Boycott GC and MF !!!!!!!!!


I can understand getting ignored, and possibly insulted (although they seem nice as hell everytime I walk in, as opposed to my local guitar store where they just stare at me and give me dirty looks), but deceived? Come on now, you're starting to sound paranoid. I know where you're coming from, but that's just the way GC is and they're not going to change just because you're not satisfied with every damn little thing they do. They're not perfect, just like anything else isn't.


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