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Post subject: I honestly don't like GC
Posted: Sun Apr 07, 2013 10:28 am
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Guitar Center is not my favorite place to go, but I have no other choice since there are not many music stores where I live, except one Robbie's Music Center (which I will go to next time). GC is very uncomfortable. I feel like someone is always watching me. I was trying out a Hofner violin bass and one employee was literally watching me until I put the thing back on the wall. They don't really have the biggest inventory at my local GC, either. When you ask someone for help they often seem annoyed.

Are any of you guys also uncomfortable in/displeased with Guitar Center?

The only reason I will be going back there is for strings and a Hofner violin bass, but that won't be for quite some time.

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Post subject: Re: I honestly don't like GC
Posted: Sun Apr 07, 2013 10:39 am
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Recent GC related thread:

viewtopic.php?f=13&t=85205

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Post subject: Re: I honestly don't like GC
Posted: Sun Apr 07, 2013 10:41 am
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I can't say that I do, but I can relate to what your saying. I actually feel more uncomfortable in the smaller mom and pop shops than I do the big retailers. To me I feel more pressured by them to buy something than at the big retailers.

I usually try not to end up at guitar center until I know what it is I'm getting and I'm there to purchase. If you do your homework before hand they are pretty easy to negotiate with. I've been able to get some pretty great deals through them. They'll match online prices and even go down a bit more to make up for taxes. Although my circumstances are a bit different. I live in L.A. so there's a lot of competition, even amongst GC. With 4 locations within a 30 mile radius if I don't find what I'm looking for at one location, I'll move on to the next.

Oh and one more thing, like Bill has eluded to in other threads. Don't ever walk into a GC expecting to trust their opinions or advice. Do your homework before hand. :wink:

Just my 2 cents.

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Last edited by socal323 on Sun Apr 07, 2013 12:14 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Post subject: Re: I honestly don't like GC
Posted: Sun Apr 07, 2013 10:47 am
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If I owned a music shop and my employees didn't watch the people trying out guitars I would fire them. People steal knobs and switch tips and damage guitars then the shop is out of luck. Why would you feel uncomfortable cause someone is watching you. Your in a public place


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Post subject: Re: I honestly don't like GC
Posted: Sun Apr 07, 2013 12:11 pm
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M1KE...did it ever occur to you that maybe the staff of your local can sense what we see here...that you can't make a decision on what instrument it is you play? First it was guitar, then drums, then bass, then back to guitar, now back to bass, maybe they mistrust you for actions? Not throwing any stones, but people pick up on stuff like that, and as a business that might make them suspicious about your intentions? Just a thought.

And TBAZZ is right, the staff should be watching you, if that makes you nervous, then maybe you need to practice more so you have confidence in your playing to not worry about the salesman of GC.

Just some food for thought.

T2

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Post subject: Re: I honestly don't like GC
Posted: Sun Apr 07, 2013 12:35 pm
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T2Stratman wrote:
And TBAZZ is right, the staff should be watching you, if that makes you nervous, then maybe you need to practice more so you have confidence in your playing to not worry about the salesman of GC.

Just some food for thought.

T2


Frankly, at my local GC, the staff doesn't watch you. In fact, it seems at times they go out of their way to totally ignore you.

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Post subject: Re: I honestly don't like GC
Posted: Sun Apr 07, 2013 12:41 pm
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Bluesky...I find that hard to believe, how could anyone ignore you? :mrgreen:

T2

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Post subject: Re: I honestly don't like GC
Posted: Sun Apr 07, 2013 1:16 pm
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Yeah, Guitar Center, Thee only music store that I've ever been to that one can go to Play MOST of the equipment in the store for three hours or so, and walk out never having bought anything. Back in "The Day" late seventies early eighties, if you were in a music Store, Believe me, You Were Being Watched. and every bit of equipment touched had to be asked for. The Guitar Center scenario I described, Would have been a Fantasy. So I got no problem with GC, because, When I was young, small shops really had a thick air when you walked in.


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Post subject: Re: I honestly don't like GC
Posted: Sun Apr 07, 2013 2:18 pm
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T2Stratman wrote:
Bluesky...I find that hard to believe, how could anyone ignore you? :mrgreen:

T2


Beats me, but my wife does it all the time. :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:





Not really. She has been extremely helpful while my foot heals. :D

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Post subject: Re: I honestly don't like GC
Posted: Sun Apr 07, 2013 2:29 pm
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Have to agree with previous posts here. GC is a business, and for the reasons cited, employee's may keep an eye on "visitors". When I have gone to a GC to try out equipment (amp or guitar), once they seem cognizant of my intent, they pretty much leave me to try out and compare items I am considering, occasionally offering assistance. I also agree, and have felt the same when visiting local "mom and pops", when you enter, there seems to be the expectation that you are there to do business, unlike just checking things out, as in the case of GC, and might I say, the Sam Ash store also near by me. I suppose if someone feels that they are being watched, and reflects that in their manner, it could also raise some concern to a vigilant employee. How different employee's act and deal with customers is typically a reflection of the caliber of the individual employee.


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Post subject: Re: I honestly don't like GC
Posted: Sun Apr 07, 2013 3:50 pm
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To be completely honest about it, I frequently "SHOWROOM" at Guitar Center and buy elsewhere. The local Fender dealer is like 3 miles away, GC is like 45 miles. I like giving the local dealer the business on new instrument purchases. So I go to GC to try out stuff and when I decide on something I go to the local dealer who usually has to order it because they only keep a limited selection of new instruments in stock. The local dealer does full setups on new instruments prior to delivery and if there is an issue they will usually address it right there. Plus the local dealer price matches GC and online pricing now. GC might hand you a sealed box, the instrument inside untouched since it left the factory who knows when. There's a lot to be said for a mom & pop, especially if they have a talented setup tech.

That being said the GC staff in the Matthews, NC store doesn't really hover over you. The good stuff is up high out of reach so they have to get it down, but otherwise they are fairly unobtrusive, low pressure and the atmosphere is relaxed. They frequently are not fully knowledgeable about specific features, etc. Then again, how can anyone keep up with all the different features on so much gear with stuff changing so often these days? The used gear is usually in pretty good shape there also.


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Post subject: Re: I honestly don't like GC
Posted: Sun Apr 07, 2013 4:07 pm
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The manager at the local GC hired some good associates. I've been treated well. No hassles, I know what I'm looking at when I walk in the door.

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Post subject: Re: I honestly don't like GC
Posted: Sun Apr 07, 2013 4:13 pm
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We have 3 GC's in my area. They're all fine with me.


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Post subject: Re: I honestly don't like GC
Posted: Sun Apr 07, 2013 4:17 pm
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M1KE wrote:
When you ask someone for help they often seem annoyed.
Are any of you guys also uncomfortable in/displeased with Guitar Center?


Yes, It's like they either think you're a waste of their time or it's a forced pretending to care. Never seems like a comfortable situation. I guess I'm just some old dude who doesn't "get it". When I go to the smaller shops I can actually have a short normal conversation with the sales person without feeling like they hate me. And I am super easy to deal with normally. I don't waste their time or expect them to be anything other than a business. I think some GC's have a punk attitude problem. Those young whippersnappers don't realize how un-cool they really are.

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Post subject: Re: I honestly don't like GC
Posted: Sun Apr 07, 2013 4:37 pm
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M1KE wrote:
I was trying out a Hofner violin bass and one employee was literally watching me until I put the thing back on the wall.
You should have politely asked that employee if there was a problem. And if you were not happy with the response you should have spoken to a manager. You were there to possibly spend a lot of your hard-earned money, you deserved to have been treated with respect. There is a difference between keeping an eye on a customer and staring rudely and provocatively.

My own experience with GC and SA is that which stores are tolerable depends on who is working there. You can walk in a store one day and have helpful, courteous people working there, then go back a few days later and find yourself dealing with a bunch of losers.

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