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Post subject: Re: Guitar Center...Why do you bother!?!?!?!?
Posted: Mon Oct 24, 2011 9:01 am
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I love going in there an asking the sales people questions I already know the answers to :wink: its amazing how little the employees know about the products they sell. the smaller shops are always better in my opinion. just go to GC to test things out and buy elsewhere :lol:

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Post subject: Re: Guitar Center...Why do you bother!?!?!?!?
Posted: Mon Oct 24, 2011 9:51 am
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As I think back, I believe our little local GC opened it's doors in time for Christmas of 2007. Since then the main thing I have noticed is the high turnover rate for both employees and managers. The fourth manager is due in any day now. While there are still two of the original employees, one is strictly a guitar tech now and cannot do sales. The other has been demoted to live sound instead of guitars and amps where he started out. The person in charge of guitars and amps now is a fat chick covered with tats and piercings who seems never to remember me, though I go in at least once a week and she always asks me, how ya doin', man? The one time I asked her about a guitar, I was wondering if they had the reissue Epi Nighthawk and she said, no, man, just buy the Gibson. Right.

The guitar tech kid is pretty good. He's a guitar player and as a tech spends most of his time setting up guitars, swapping pickups or bridges. He's intelligent, looks presentable and always greets me by name when I come through the door, but as stated above, he can't sell me anything.

If I can't drag Jeremy out of the live sound department so he can help with a guitar or amp purchase, then the purchase is just going to wait. I don't have time to deal with the young wannabe's working there for the discount who always seem to be busy doing something else when I have a question.

Better to get your answers here on the Forum (or on the MF web site), then go to GC.

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Post subject: Re: Guitar Center...Why do you bother!?!?!?!?
Posted: Mon Oct 24, 2011 10:00 am
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Miami Mike wrote:
Free Concert at Guitar Center :P

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. :P


One of the best GC rants ever posted here. Congrats Mike!


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Post subject: Re: Guitar Center...Why do you bother!?!?!?!?
Posted: Mon Oct 24, 2011 10:13 am
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(The Doc & Mike Show)
Well folks, you've just heard in 1000 words or so what the rest of us have been saying to our selves with Two well selected words. But, we love them and continue to shop there just the same. Oh, and I also shop at Wall-Mart/Target/Best Buys/Home Depot & many other establishments. There all the same. Remember that when you take out that Credit Card, the name of the game becomes (Buyer Beware). :lol:
----Danny,


Last edited by Danny Duke on Mon Oct 24, 2011 10:25 am, edited 1 time in total.

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Post subject: Re: Guitar Center...Why do you bother!?!?!?!?
Posted: Mon Oct 24, 2011 10:19 am
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Those two anecdotes sound about right down the pipeline. :wink:

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Post subject: Re: Guitar Center...Why do you bother!?!?!?!?
Posted: Mon Oct 24, 2011 7:20 pm
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When I go into GC I know what I want and I go in and buy it. I don't ask the Salespersons for input, explanations, or opinion. For these reasons my GC experience is usually satisfactory. In the case of the testdriving "shredtards"; if you want to try an amp undisturbed you need to approach the Mgr, or Asst Mgr if you can find him (even an older Sales Associate will do) and let him know that you are actually considering buying a piece of equipment but want to put it through it's paces and be able to hear it first (indicate that "eruption" is interfering with the process). The folks that work there know the test drivers better than we do. They will usually get the "shredtard" to move on for the time you need. Bear in mind that this will not work repeatedly if you don't actually buy the amp or pedal that you tested in relative peace.

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Post subject: Re: Guitar Center...Why do you bother!?!?!?!?
Posted: Mon Oct 24, 2011 10:59 pm
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I love our GC here in Vegas. The people there are really cool. Sure there are the kids who work there that should know a little more about what they're selling you. But if you walk in there knowing that, just tell them you're looking around, and they'll usually let you browse. Then there's always a couple guys in our store who DO know what they're selling you. Any questions, and they're usually on top of it. I've got no complaints with our Vegas GC.

Around Christmas time is the BEST!! It's a total madhouse and complete comedy.

Last year around Christmas time, this guy walks in with his kid to buy a guitar. He looks like a model biker. A total burly bruiser with the whole American flag bandana, tats, etc.. He let's his kid look around for a bit while he takes off somewhere else.

Later I see them again, and he asks his kid if he sees a guitar he likes. His kid goes "yea!! Come check this out!" And what did the kid point out?

Image

The look on that guy's face was PRICELESS!! It looked like he bit into a clove of raw garlic. He stares at it a little, looks at his son, puts on a straight face and says.. "Son.. That guitar is a p_ssy.."

I never laughed so hard at a GC in my life. You gotta love it.

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Post subject: Re: Guitar Center...Why do you bother!?!?!?!?
Posted: Mon Oct 24, 2011 11:15 pm
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Jah Soldier wrote:
"Son.. That guitar is a p_ssy.."


LMFAO!

:lol:

Arjay

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Post subject: Re: Guitar Center...Why do you bother!?!?!?!?
Posted: Tue Oct 25, 2011 12:21 am
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I'm not american but my english teacher has been in GC and she thinks the salesperson in the GC was stoned cuz he was playing a righty strat upside down like hendrix and she bawled her eyes out

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Post subject: Re: Guitar Center...Why do you bother!?!?!?!?
Posted: Tue Oct 25, 2011 2:16 am
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Jah Soldier wrote:
I love our GC here in Vegas.

If Jer Gervasi is the manager there I can understand why. I did business with him for years back east. Let me know.

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Post subject: Re: Guitar Center...Why do you bother!?!?!?!?
Posted: Tue Oct 25, 2011 3:54 am
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Miami Mike wrote:
Free Concert at Guitar Center :P

This is a special thanks to all of the guys ...

Not sure if this is irony or ...
Image

:lol:

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Post subject: Re: Guitar Center...Why do you bother!?!?!?!?
Posted: Tue Oct 25, 2011 4:06 am
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Screamin' Armadillo wrote:
ZZDoc wrote:
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.

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.


soooo....you really met "IMISSSTEVIERAY"s Mom at a GC????
:lol: :mrgreen: :lol:

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Post subject: Re: Guitar Center...Why do you bother!?!?!?!?
Posted: Tue Oct 25, 2011 5:08 pm
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IMissStevieRayVaughan wrote:
I'm not american but my english teacher has been in GC and she thinks the salesperson in the GC was stoned cuz he was playing a righty strat upside down like hendrix and she bawled her eyes out


:?: :shock: :?: :shock: :?: :shock: :?: :?

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Post subject: Re: Guitar Center...Why do you bother!?!?!?!?
Posted: Tue Oct 25, 2011 7:44 pm
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I am no fan of my local Guitar Center. I think I have been in there 4 times total. The store I do frequent is right across the highway. I just do not go there any more.

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Post subject: Re: Guitar Center...Why do you bother!?!?!?!?
Posted: Tue Oct 25, 2011 10:57 pm
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Screamin' Armadillo wrote:
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...


Very well said. I order bulk strings from GC.com out of sheer convenience & good pricing. I've bought quite a few other things from GC over the years too. More recently though (the past couple of years), I've bought 2 amps, 1 guitar, & an Alto Sax from a local Mom & Pop Shop. I plan to go to that same Mom & Pop shop to buy my son his DRRI.

Sadly, the Walmarts & GC's of the country are the reason that Mom & Pops are few & far between.

We should all support our local "little guys". If there are any near you.


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