I've never been to GC. What's it like? I love my local shop. Everybody brings in their own guitars and is allowed to jam behind the register. It's just a layed back kinda place, always feels good to go in there. My mom's friend told me about this one store in MD and it sells discounted gear. I want to go pretty bad, because I'm always hunting for bargains.

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1984 Squier Contemporary Stratocaster
1986 Peavey Envoy 110
1967 Kingston Acoustic

I'm not cool enough to go there. I'm lucky to have several small family type music shops in my area. Only go to GC if I have no other choice.

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My ability to spell is in direct proportion to the amount of coffee I've had.

Ever think of opening your own small neighborhood store someday? Get a job at GC learn the business, Quit and go out on your own. If your smart and don't let your friends behind the counter you might make it. A lot of folks do real well.
----Danny,

I actually work at Guitar Center, and while I agree that most employees don't know much about the gear, there are salespeople there that know their stuff. And yeah, don't expect much for your used gear at Guitar Center, they still have to make money when re-selling.

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Check out my new FB music page!

https://www.facebook.com/TheDevilandMe.Music

I've been visiting our local GC on a pretty regular basis since it opened in 2007. The employee turnover rate is high - most employees get paid minimum wage and commission, plus get a good discount on gear they buy (part of why many of them work there). At my GC most of the employees are gigging musicians - seems that only the managers are not and usually don't even play an instrument.

Whenever I visit it seems that I am more often bothered by the employees, not ignored. I know what I am looking for (or want to look at) when I go in, so I usually don't require assistance. When I am ready to buy, I try to deal with my regular sales person (a guy who gigs almost every weekend) as he treats me well and always figures out a way to get me a discount, even if it cuts into his commission. He's also one of only two employees who has been there since the store opened.

As far as taking gear in to trade or sell, I think everyone who goes in there thinks their stuff is worth more than it is, myself included. When trading in used equipment the rule of thumb is - they are going to offer you 25% of original purchase price. Then they are going to mark it up 100% and TRY to double their money, selling your gear for roughly HALF of its original purchase price. It's a very simple system

Some gear will get a better offer - high end guitars and amps and gear that is obviously almost new are usually offered 30-35% of original price and GC will try to get 2/3 of the original value - allowing them to double their money and still give prospective buyers a good discount over brand new gear. Guitars that hang on the wall in the Trade-In Corner for more than a few months are ripe for discounting - sometimes even GC is happy just to break even.

If you think your gear is worth more than GC will give you, then sell it somewhere else - eBay or CL or on consignment at Music-Go-Round. Assume, realistically, that you are not going to get what you paid for your gear. Guitar Center exists for just one simple reason - to make money (and to stay in business).

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Dennis in CR
Rockin' since 1963

My local stores suck! They sell only CHEAP stuff, like Johnson, AXL, and Washburn guitars. When I drive 2 hours to the closest Guitar Center, it is like heaven to me when I walk in the door. 2 of the best guitars I have ever owned I have bought from this store. As long as you know your stuff, the inexperienced sales people will not concern you, you will know what you are looking at. As for trading in gear, I never will do that because you will always feel ripped off.

The Fender company (and Gibson as well) doesn't make it easy for mom and pop shops to be authorized dealers. Depending on where you live GC could be the only game in town if you actually want to play before you buy.

We don't have GC in Canada but we do have a music store chain called Long & McQuade. There are 2 big stores pretty close to me. They also own a bunch of smaller shops in smaller towns that don't have the L&M name and the locals don't even know who they're really dealing with. Some L&M outlets have good people, some just have morons. I do a fair amount of business with them because they always have good prices and if they don't have it in stock they can bring it in within a day or two. They also have an excellent return policy. You just can't count on the service being very good and I don't reccommend using them for tech service (repairs) either as they can lose stuff and/or damage it. They will make good on it but who wants it to happen in the first place? You also don't want to trade anything in on newer gear either because they will give you half of what you think it's worth. Large music stores need to be thought of in the same way you think of Walmart. You need to know what you want before you go in, buy it and get out. If you linger and lounge around you will see all sorts of things and weird people that you'll later wish you hadn't seen, just like at Walmart. Also avoid L&M on Saturdays like the plague unless you enjoy headaches.

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Just think of how awesome a guitar player you could have been by now if you had only spent the last 10 years practicing instead of obsessing over pickups and roasted maple necks.

In a lot of countries you'd be happy to have a GC.

Cheers

David

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"Humans think they are smarter than dolphins because we build cars and buildings and start wars etc...and all that dolphins do is swim in the water, eat fish and play around. Dolphins believe that they are smarter for exactly the same reasons."

You could do what the owner of my local store does. He comes in and "Supervises" meaning testing all of the guitars and amps and putting on a show for everyone. I asked him if he worked there (Because I saw a strange set of pickups on a Strat) and he started doing some crazy bluesy stuff and when he was finished he said "Hardly" Be like him. He is one of the coolest people ever.

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1984 Squier Contemporary Stratocaster
1986 Peavey Envoy 110
1967 Kingston Acoustic

I don't know of too many stores in my hometown. I just always go to GC because I know where it is and its convenient.

I plan on buying a used strat in May and I can almost guarantee I will get it from GC just because I know exactly what I am looking for.

Most of the time when I am in there, the guys are always nice. Some of the new guys just push products while others seem to understand that if we talk first and have an understanding, they will have more luck selling a product.

GC is a real hit or miss company. Some stores are awesome and others I would rather burn in Hell before ever stepping back into. Trade there, never. They are definitely looking for profits only, but they are in the business to make money.

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RK

2007 Fender Highway 1
2012 American Deluxe
2015 MIM Dave Murray HHH
2010 Fender Blacktop
1987 Fender Avalon Acoustic
2012 Marshall DSL 15 watt head

GC Columbus has never ever given me any problems. A good number of knowledgeable sales reps. funny thing too that whenever I'm in the store I end up helping out customers more then I actually browse! Lol

Good selection of products, and they really take care of their frequent shoppers.

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http://www.twitter.com/CAE_Music

there are some excellent small music shops in my area and I visit them looking for rarities. When visiting the 2 GC stores near me I am always greeted when entering and asked if I might need assistance as I enter each department. I find what I'm looking for and when I do ask a question I've always got an answer. I traded an amp head for a new one, a floor model to save a little and when I got it home it wouldn't work properly so brought it back and the salesperson gave me another one still in the box. Saved me some buckaroos. Give them another chance, things have a way of coming around

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you can save the world with your guitar one love song at a time it's just better, more fun, easier with a fender solid body electric guitar or electric bass guitar.

I'm sure there are some good Guitar Centers. If I walked in and could talk with someone like Tim that would be cool but, the one in my area only has teenagers that look at you like you're stupid if you try to get them to answer any questions or help you. Other places treat the worst player as good as the best player in their shops without attitude. However, In GC's defense I would burn out quick working there, with kids playing those licks all the time and the BS they probably have to deal with from them.

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My ability to spell is in direct proportion to the amount of coffee I've had.