So I'm browsing around my local GC. They've done an FSR "Player" HSS...Atomic HB and 2VN's w/a 25db midboost. How do I know??? I read the flyer I got in the mail. [However, I remember this after the fact.] So have a small question about what I'm looking at and I approach a salesperson who I know has been working there since the Titanic sank and is a journeyman musician to boot. He doesn't know squat about this guitar. However, I know a. that the one with the maple neck is a '50's-V, and tne with the rosewood board is a '60's-C, because these are a mod on the Classic Player guitar, but I'm not sure about the boost circuit, and I can't get any information out of him, so I put my credit card away and go home. Interesting that even the description of this gear in their bulletin is wrong. You would think that they would get their copy correct and have their sales people read the promotions material going out to their catchment area. Why the hell do they bother at all???

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"Another day in paradise!"

Free Concert at Guitar Center

This is a special thanks to all of the guys that put on a free concert at guitar center everyday, we appreciate everything you do for our community. Like when I go in to actually purchase something, you come sit right next to me and play your "top shelf" Ibanez through any solid state monster in the store, and show me how fast you can tap. Or, like when I am asking someone a question and you stepped up to the plate and instead tell us all how incredible your band is. Another reason I am so impressed by you guys, is how you find time to come to guitar center every day when you're always out on the road touring. It's already pretty hard to sift through the wealth of knowledge available behind the counter, but when you add your countless years of experience in to the equation, there is no end.

Another way that you guys have changed my life is through my use of equipment. Over the years I've always thought that boutique pedals and custom tube configurations really contributed to my overall tone, yet you proved me wrong. Just from watching you play both measures you know from Free Bird, I learned that all I really need is a Digitech floor board or a Line 6 product to get the job done. Just hearing you guys really shred on your speed metal makes me wonder why people still listen to bands like The Beatles, Coldplay or U2.

Thanks again for all you've done for me personally, you've really taught me that everything I thought I knew must be wrong, I am forever in debt to you. Because of this, I am now looking for a new drummer. Currently my drummer plays with a metronome and is way to solid and tasteful, consider him gone! If you are one of those guys in the drum dept. that knows that fast double bass is so much more important than keeping time, you're the one for me. So what if you don't own a drum set and therefore never practice, who needs practice when you're a prodigy? Who care's if you came in 7th place at last years drum off, the judges were conspiring against you.

Last but not least, I am also holding auditions for a bass player. Currently my bass player plays through this stupid little Ampeg 8x10 cab & head with a few vintage fender basses, and all he knows how to do is stay with the kick drum. Who cares that he's never made a mistake, or that he could write a book on music theory, what matters is that he can't slap. If there's one thing that can make any passionately slow song sound even better, that would be slap bass. So what if these pocket bass players like Adam Clayton are living in mansions and you're working at the mall, you know that slap bass is what's gonna bring in the big bucks. don't worry, you'll get your chance, the world won't know what hit 'em.

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Being able to play and enjoy music is a gift that's often taken for granted.

Don't leave home without it!

Mike...my friend...not only are you an accomplished musician..[which some out there may not know],but it appears that you have a flair for humor and a well constructed sentence .

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"Another day in paradise!"

Great post Mike!
Everytime I go to GC,I can only stay for a few minutes before I get run off from each section by the guys you describe...last time there was a young virtuoso who made sure he made the rounds at the guitar amps,vintage room,pedal display and who knows what before I got there....I grabbed a tilt back amp stand,paid and got the hell outta there....followed by the young gun who strutted out empty handed with a look of pride on his face that showed he really burned this time!

Actually, I read this on a craigslist posting!

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Being able to play and enjoy music is a gift that's often taken for granted.

Don't leave home without it!

Thanks for sharing and copping a not guilty plea on the plagiarism.

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"Another day in paradise!"

regardless of the authorship it was well said.

Great post. I have solved (at least locally) the having to listen to kids wanking away on guitar or drums...I only go in on Monday mornings (I have Mondays off) and it is as quiet as a church in there (well at least a catholic church).

Now if I could just figure out how to get the guys (and gals) behind the counter to give a crap about thier job enough to know something about thier products, the great GC mystery could be solved (again locally)!

FWIW

T2

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What time is it? It's Fender Time.

I have come to view GC as a necessary evil, much like Wal-Mart.

Reasonable prices for items I want/need.

I would rather go to the mom&pop shops, but they're few and far between in my neck of the woods.

Oh, well...

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Good Vibes To Y'all!



Screamin' Armadillos
Texas Roadhouse Music
Guitar/Slide Guitar/Harp/Vocals

Yep the Wal Mart of music stores, i like that, never heard that one before!

We have one pretty good Mom and Pop here, and they seem be doing well. They have a good selection of guitars, amps, drums, you name it...and their prices are on par with GC and once a year they have a blow out sale and everything is 50% off, and they even have some decent used gear...and not a bad place to hang out and have a coffee at either...the guys behind the counter know about thier gear for the most part.

Sorry to hear no good mom and pop in your area...now if I could just get rid of the cold winters here near St Louis...

T2

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What time is it? It's Fender Time.

Which just goes to show you why they really don't have to give a damn, as long as the bottom line keeps rising.

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"Another day in paradise!"

The more I read about Guitar Center on the forum, the more I wish there was one in Canada. I'd like to witness first hand the inept employees and constant shredding. I think that would be good for a laugh. I always try to equate Long and McQuade to Guitar Center. I assume it is a similar big box store where you can grab pretty much anything off the wall. The thing about my local L&M (I can't speak for all locations) is that there are some knowledgable staff there. I only speak to those people. If someone is playing an amp a little loud, they will ask you to take the amp into one of the more soundproof rooms as to not disturb the other customers. As much as I would like to visit a GC, I am more than happy with L&M, even if it is a chain store.

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There was a Long and McQuade near my town when I lived in Northern NJ some 25+ years ago. That's where I first saw the newly released Clapton Stratocaster. It was red, I made the mistake of going in there that day, with my two sons, who are now 32 and 30, respectively. That'll give you some idea of the timeline. Didn't get much time with the guitar. I also looked into a location in Vancouver once, on the occasion of visiting there. I was more impressed with them than Guitar Center. As far as 'mom and pop'...I don't know that I'd put The Music Zoo in that category, but I'm most pleased that they are now located 30 min closer to me by automobile, than they used to be.

Bottom line is, and the reason for my post, my curiosity as to whether not Larry will see any of this and pass it along to his successor at Guitar Center, he, a player himself, and having worked himself up from the sales floor at GC to CEO there, and now to his current perch at FMIC. IMHO there hardly a member of this Forum who couldn't serve as a competent 'go to' person for Fender in any one of their stores, and blow everyone of their sales persons out of the water when it come to selling Fender gear, and satisfying the customer.

Have any of you had the occasion to help out a perplexed parent on a budget who is trying to do their best for a starry eyed off-spring while the sales force is doing their best to boost their personal end of the month percentage? I have, and with great appreciation from the parent for the effort.

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"Another day in paradise!"

Yes, I have had such an opportunity, and it's very rewarding.

One lady was about to plunk down well over a grand for a Fender Strat (American Standard), and was worried she couldn't afford an amp for him.

I pulled her aside and asked, "How long has he been playing?"

"Oh, he doesn't...he starts lessons tomorrow!"

We discussed what kind of music he wanted to play ("Stevie Ray," she said)She ended up leaving with a clean-but-used rosewood-fretboard Mexican Standard Strat (a very worthy instrument, especially for a beginner) and a decent little practice amp for well under $500, at my recommendation...and some gratitude that somebody didn't screw her financially.

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Good Vibes To Y'all!



Screamin' Armadillos
Texas Roadhouse Music
Guitar/Slide Guitar/Harp/Vocals

Yes, many times. And more often than not, I assist in consummating a private-party sale via Ebay or C/L rather than permit these innocent neophytes to be sodomized by some snot-picking "sales counselor" at the local GC.



Arjay

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"Here's why reliability is job one: A great sounding amp that breaks down goes from being a favorite piece of gear to a useless piece of crap in less time than it takes to read this sentence." -- BRUCE ZINKY