Guitar Center Opinion?

[ggvicviper]

Being in Brooklyn/New York City, we have several nearby Guitar Centers. Here are some opinions of the ones I have frequented.

Manhattan's has a pretty good bass selection. Staff is not particularly great from what I recall.

Brooklyn's is pretty cool an probably the most balanced of all the stores. A fair amount of basses, and the staff is good. Once in a while you find some cool used too.

Guitar Center Queens (Long Island City) was once good some years ago. Now their staff is unhelpful and bass selection is, aside from some Fenders, crappy.

Carle Place/Westbury isn't bad. Just a lot of their instruments have poor setup.

Commack was awesome when I first went to it some years ago in 2000. Still pretty good, nice selection of basses.

I went to one other in North Paramus, NJ. They had a really nice selection of basses. Don't recall much about the staff, but I saw plenty of basses.

We should do a Sam Ash thread too. I can tell you much about them as well

[detoxxx]

In my opinion, the bass selection in Atlanta is awful. They tend to only stock the same two to three models of basses (4 String MIMs, Ibanez and Musicman)semi setup on the instruments, No Fender 5's, and they are horrible at keeping accurate online information on the used items.

Now I just order strings and gear online and just ship it back if I'm not happy. I've had a much better experience that way.

Originally Posted by bordinco90

Ok everyone I was just wondering what everyone's opinion is of guitarcenter? Personally I have been to 3 different guitar centers (Beaumont texas, Tuscon arizona, and Scottsdale arizona) and my experience was not so pleasant. At all 3 guitar centers the selection for basses were not so good, also the people were very rude. Just wondering what everyone else thought of Guitar center?

[smgleitch]

I have a favorite guitar center and I have one that I wont ever set foot into ever again. Just how it goes with these kind of stores. There online used section is good and there are deals to be had there. I have bought a lot of stuff online from them and shipping has need reasonably priced and well packaged. Take advantage of the deals and stay away from the bad stores. Sorry but that is the best gc advice I have.

[fdeck]

By my estimate, Bain Capital (GC, MF, WWBW, Music123) sells enough gear to equip 500 new bands every day. So they must be doing something right.

The only thing I don't like is having to give them my name, address, phone #, and a urine sample, just to pay cash for a $5 cable, and then show the receipt to the heavy metal kid at the podium by the front door.

[SurferJoe46]

Originally Posted by fdeck

By my estimate, Bain Capital (GC, MF, WWBW, Music123) sells enough gear to equip 500 new bands every day. So they must be doing something right.

The only thing I don't like is having to give them my name, address, phone #, and a urine sample, just to pay cash for a $5 cable, and then show the receipt to the heavy metal kid at the podium by the front door.

Once you're in the system, you only need to tell them your phone number for them to write a receipt.

This might be the way they figure who/what/when is buying gear at that store and if you hope the border, they know. I'm sure this has a lot to do with stocking stores in anticipation of future sales.

[electracoyote]

You gotta know how to work the big box format to enjoy the GC experience. If you're a needy shopper, you're probably going to walk out disappointed.

Once I laid out a little cash and hooked up with the right sales associate/manager, GC became a really positive experience for me.

Educating yourself and knowing what you want going in, and not giving in to, or getting riled by, the sales associate, is the first step. Also, sometimes you have to stand around for a bit if they're busy. Moving merch is Job #1 with those guys. And yeah, it's like the TSA with the security and check out procedure. Again, if you're impatient, easily offended, or needy, skip the GC.

I've got three in my area. I know the names of sales associates and managers at all three. They never take me for a ride. If anything, it's the other way around. And in terms of inventory and access to gear, and return policy, it's really hard to beat.

And the ability to shop online, receive free delivery, and return what you don't want to the nearest retail outlet is way cool.

[bassguitarthund]

I have had nothing to complain about at the GC in Grand Rapids, MI. Seem to get good deals. They know me there and treat me well!!! When I lived on the other side of the state I shoped at the one in Westland/Canton (near Detroit), this was several years ago. I got good service at the time. Not sure if it is still the same at that one though. Have not been back there in years (moved away in 03).

[SlowpokeJoe]

Originally Posted by SurferJoe46

The San Berdoo store can't hold a candle to the Murrietta GC, and I've been to both.

Randy - the manager of the Murrietta store runs a pretty good ship and there's a good selection of basses, new and used.

I hear good things about the Murrieta store. I'll have to make a day trip there.

[SurferJoe46]

Originally Posted by SlowpokeJoe

I hear good things about the Murrieta store. I'll have to make a day trip there.

Try to get there on Friday or Saturday - Randy is usually there then for sure. Tell him 'Hi' from me.

[BassPlayer900]

Originally Posted by No Neck Shrek

The G/C in Columbus is great! Everybody is friendly & knowledgeable.

Cody - the Assistant Manager has taken very good care of me & my wife when we need anything.

Chris & Mike - in Pro Audio are always very helpful.

It probably helps that I seem to have met almost everyone that works there and we (my wife & I) are recognized as soon as we walk in. I know she can go by herself and is well taken care of. (They ask her where I am )

Sam Ash is 2 blocks away but we always get better deals at G/C !

As far as basses & equipmet G/C as a better selection than Sam Ash.
(I did get to meet Victor Wooten at Sam Ash {he signed my LH1000 amp })

I went to that same GC a few weeks ago!! It was my first visit to GC and it was great.

[TheGreatSealof]

In my area of Cherry Hill, NJ, there is a GC and Sam Ash about 100 yards from each other.

I have had great experiences at both stores. Friendly staff and lots of basses, new and used.

As a matter of fact, I purchased my American Standard Jazz at GC and it is awesome!

[fjadams]

The one in Lincoln is average I guess. Adequate selection of basses, I think last time I was there they had 1 short scale. As for bass strings, no tapewounds 1st clerk never even heard of them, 1 set of D'Addario flat wounds in their clearance bin, about a hundred sets of roundwounds. A few amps, mostly their Acoustic house brand, but that's to be expected.

You can do a lot better at Dietze's Music. Been in Lincoln since 1927 and has always been run by musicians for musicians.

[countrybass007]

Our local GC seems to change help constantly. I prefer the three Mom and Pop strores in our area.

[bassbully]

Overall I have had no major issues with GC and have scored some killer deals in the past..like last week. I got a Gibson/epiphone artist with US made parts. Its an accoustic guitar that was discontinued in the 90's for 150.00 used.

[MOEBASSPLAYER]

Anybody know any tricks to get GC to lower prices on used gear? There is a Bass I have had my eye on for about 6 months, and it still hangs on the wall. It seems they will not budge on the asking price. Does it have to do with it being classified as Vintage?

[pablomigraine]

Originally Posted by MOEBASSPLAYER

Anybody know any tricks to get GC to lower prices on used gear? There is a Bass I have had my eye on for about 6 months, and it still hangs on the wall. It seems they will not budge on the asking price. Does it have to do with it being classified as Vintage?

This is an unfortunate fact of used gear at GC. Coupons, specials, discounts etc do not ever apply to used gear. Doubly so for Vintage. They automatically reduce the price (slightly) after its been in stock for 90 days, and that's the best you're ever gonna get. The will not discount it just because you want a discount, and bear in mind, the most they would really ever discount even NEW gear would be 15% or $75 on a $500 bass....and that's new gear that you have the choice of buying ANYWHERE.... finding Brand X model XY used is by nature usually unique or very rare, and they're only making a profit of like $80 on a $500 piece so if you go in hoping to get like hundreds or even one hundred off anything under several thousand dollars be prepared to be turned away.... When I was working at Daddys Junky Music people would come in and want $100 off on a $400 bass.... they'd look at me like I was a jerk when I offered $40 off instead... yeah a hundred dollars isn't a lot of money but that's 25% off and we only made a profit of 15%!!... Try going in to a car dealership or a mattress store and asking for 25% off.... they'll laugh you right out the door... this stuff is not like clothing or Yankee Candles where they can offer you 50% off and still turn a profit.....trying to explain to people that there was literally only $28 worth of profit on a $250 bass was like talking to a wall ...but yeah in any case they're very tough on used gear... buy it at the tag price or someone else will buy it or it will be shipped out to another store.....

Originally Posted by SurferJoe46

The San Berdoo store can't hold a candle to the Murrietta GC, and I've been to both.

Randy - the manager of the Murrietta store runs a pretty good ship and there's a good selection of basses, new and used.

But what I don't understand is when people rag on GC for not having as many basses as they want to see. It's like going to buy ice cream and they don't have the flavor you want - so what?

Honestly GC cannot be faulted for not having every permutation of every bass YOU want - the floorspace won't support it and the costs are egregious.

I wouldn't be surprised to see that GC has some algorithm that tells them which basses, strings or wooden rhythm sticks sell in their particular stores local niches too.

I have seen over and over where people (who proudly post their acumen here on TB) go to GC to try a bass and complain about it and then either buy the same bass at a mom-n-pop or order it online.

What do you expect if the basses never sell from the store? They stop keeping them on the floor and the bass area gets smaller and smaller.

+1 I read threads all the time about where someone complains that their local GC's selection is "Garbage" for not having a half dozen Foderas, Zons and Nordstrands on the wall... and how the staff are "rude" and "idiots" for shrugging their shoulders and suggesting a nice Ampeg when they walk in with their noses turned up and ask what variety of EBS and Tecamp gear they have in stock.... GC is GC, not the Atlanta Bass Gallery..... Guys like me who like really nice gear but live in small cities are out of luck... we represent like 0.002% of the gear-buying population and bass is the smallest niche in there.... huge cities like New York and Atlanta and LA can support Bass Specialty shops and shops that sell only high end guitars, basses and amps, but a shop like that would go bankrupt almost anywhere else... why would GC stock a single Brubaker when they can make 10 times the profit in one tenth the time stocking Ibanez? That's like going to Best Buy looking for Bang & Olufsen or McIntosh.....

GC, like any major retailer, has very sophisticated data analysis systems for determining what gear is best to stock (ie being the most likely to sell quickly) so what you see on the wall is whatever is selling the best. Walmart for example, rates inventory by gross margin per square foot of retail space taken up by that item and even more in-depth than that..... so, If you don't live in downtown Manhattan or West Hollywood chances are your local GC will have lots of Ibanez, Squier, Fender, Schecter and maybe a Musicman or two on offer and that's it.

However, to my knowledge, GC can order pretty much anything that exists outside of the boutique stuff and have it there within a week.... if you're going in seriously considering some high-end gear, be prepared to order it with the understanding that if for any reason it doesn't suit you, they give you your money back on the spot... and have the good sense to ask for a manager rather than expect to get service commensurate with your purchase from the teenager who's only ever been trained on how to effectively sell Epiphone and Yamaha.... many times the GC "idot" knows more about Gibson or Paul Reed Smith or custom guitars you've never even heard of than you could learn in a lifetime.... but because guitarists outnumber bassists like a bagillion to one, he might have no idea what a Fodera is.....that doesn't make him an idiot, it makes him a guitar enthusiast

I used to work for Daddy's Junky Music and I would hear the GC complaints all day... but more than half of the time the customer would need only to get halfway through their tale before I realized they were just as much at fault as the GC employee.... as in the hypothetical scenario just presented....

I will never forget this one customer who came in to Daddys ... he was standoffish right from first .... he walked in and with this big exasperated gesture exclaims: "you dont have anything but crap here EITHER!!" ....referring to my humble selection of new and used basses..... I asked what he was interested in and he immediately turned his nose up and said how he was "considering a Sadowsky" but that he "remains unconvinced" that the Smiths were going to "Agree" with his Aguilar DB750 and "May consider a Lakland" instead, using his "Ken Smith" as a trade-in.... as I began to respond he interrupted me saying "I wouldn't expect you to really understand the difference" (between the Lakland and the Sadowsky). I was chewing my lip the whole time this guy is bending over backwards to impress me with his acumen .... and when he felt like he had sufficiently humbled me..... I told him hey, as it just so happens I have a Used Lakland 44-94 custom with a 5A Quilt Top and Chi-Sonics just came in from the Boston store sitting out back... and why don't you grab your DB750 and your Ken Smith from the car and we'll try them out together! He looked at me like he'd been caught kissing himself in the mirror..... he starts backpedalling right away saying the DB750 was "at the studio" and that he knew I wouldn't be able to offer him a fair price for his Smith.... no no I said... bring it in we'll make a deal....

So he brings in his "Smith" which in fact was a KSD import (still a nice bass...but not the BSR he'd led me to believe he had) and I bring out the Lakland... He can't help but start drooling and I realize it's easily the most expensive bass he's ever held and he'd likely never even SEEN a bass, of any brand, costing more than $700 outside of the interwebs... he was none to slick a player either! I offered him $350 for his trade, leaving a roughly $2,000 balance to pay off the Lakland.... he goes on to say how he's also saving for a "Nordberg" so he couldn't make the deal today.... I let him leave with his pride and didnt correct him on the NORDSTRAND....

As far as GC employees go, I hear a lot of people talk about them being snobs or gear snobs.... I think people are misinterpreting this sometimes..... from what I understand, most GC employees don't make very much... and the people who work there are by nature gear enthusiasts... so they often try to engage customers or find a common thread of enthusiasm by talking about high-end gear.... in an effort to start a conversation about gear in general. I think GC shoppers misinterpret what is merely the employee's attempt to connect with them through mutual appreciation, admiration or lust for nice gear ....as them being "gear snobs" or talking down to them. The GC employee is a gear enthusiast... that's why he works there.... he talks the same way to his coworkers and in all likelihood to anyone else who will listen... not because he owns said gear or feels like lesser gear (which the customer may or may not own) is unworthy or of less interest or value in their opinion....

But hey.... Im a retail apologist.....

[DeadHeadSF]

Originally Posted by bordinco90

Ok everyone I was just wondering what everyone's opinion is of guitarcenter? Personally I have been to 3 different guitar centers (Beaumont texas, Tuscon arizona, and Scottsdale arizona) and my experience was not so pleasant. At all 3 guitar centers the selection for basses were not so good, also the people were very rude. Just wondering what everyone else thought of Guitar center?

My (thankfully few) experiences with Guitar Center (the Evil Empire) have been anything but pleasant. First off, you're just dealing with the faceless Corporate Machine. Secondly, the employees tend to be low-paid kids working a part-time job; I even had one belch in my face once. Third, I'd rather keep my money local and visit the mom & pop shops that DO give a damn about customer satisfaction - if you can find one that GC hasn't run out of business yet. Much more personally satisfying to me to NOT contribute to the Corporate Machine.

If you get bad service at GC, you can threaten to "take your money elsewhere" and they'll just laugh at you. For every one of us that refuses, there's a hundred more ready to plop down the cash without so much as a shrug. GC knows it and they don't care. The local shops want every sale they can get and will often bend over backwards to make you happy (provided you're not nasty to them).

Ok, in all fairness, I have seen the occasional helpful and competent GC employee. They are definitely a rare breed.

[ebonalley]

The tech in S Austin is real nice and knowledgeable

[Hopkins]

The ones around Houston are all pretty good, the Westhimer Rd. and Sugarland stores are awesome. The other two are kinda small with limited inventory.

[DeadHeadSF]

Originally Posted by MOEBASSPLAYER

Anybody know any tricks to get GC to lower prices on used gear? There is a Bass I have had my eye on for about 6 months, and it still hangs on the wall. It seems they will not budge on the asking price. Does it have to do with it being classified as Vintage?

I think it has more to do with GC being the faceless Corporate Machine - if you won't pay the high price, somebody else will eventually. I've never gotten GC to budge on prices for *anything* - not that I go there often enough to experiment.

I routinely get discounts from local shops.