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Originally Posted by mattq  price is the only reason to go to guitar center in the first place. that and they might actually have something in stock whereas the small place wouldn't. but for accessories, which are guitar center's bread and butter i might add, if they're the same price as the local place there's no reason to shop at gc. just makes me wonder if they know they're putting themselves out of business with that |
There's a music store near me that belongs to the IMM. They're not a chain store. The store is as big (if not bigger) than Guitar Center, they have the same amount of guitars as GC, a much bigger selection of basses, actually, they're better than GC and they match GC's prices without the customer even having to ask. Their sticker price is the same as GC. The only reason I would go to GC was because they would give deals to be lower in price. Now with that gone away I have NO reason to go to the local GC for anything. I don't need the hassle of having to go in and proove to the GC staff that this music store has it for the same price then have to tell the GC crew that this guitar store also gives free set-ups for the life of the instrument if you buy it from them, which is worth quite a bit over time.
The GC salesman told me they tried this in Boston for a while and it didn't affect business at all. I really don't believe that because I'm originally from up there and they have quite a bit of competetion up there. It may not have affected business for the month that they first tried it but I can almost guarantee that it will affect business in the long run. They may be able to stay afloat from selling beginner packs, but it will hurt them.
First they loose the Rickenbacker contract, now this. The new head honcho's at GC are going to run it to the ground. I even told the salesman that those guys are going to do to GC what CBS did to Fender in the 70's.
Well, they do own Musicians Friend, Music 123, and others, but I can forsee bad things happening.
