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another GC experience to forget

#22
everyone is so right...back when...the stores used to be so fun to go to..tons of gear...how about if we could just have back the amps basses cabs & even cars we got rid of or passed on ...what i wonder is all this new stuff for sale now...well, will it be considered vintage in 25 years ? or are the days of that really cool stuff gone ?
 
#23
bftbassman said:
everyone is so right...back when...the stores used to be so fun to go to..tons of gear...how about if we could just have back the amps basses cabs & even cars we got rid of or passed on ...what i wonder is all this new stuff for sale now...well, will it be considered vintage in 25 years ? or are the days of that really cool stuff gone ?
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Personally, I find that I have WAY more access to gear now than I did "back in the good old days".
 
#24
Part of the reason nobody sees anything they want at music stores anymore is because the "Disneyland, but with free rides" business model is a proven failure. Why should a store stock a bunch of crap everyone wants to drool on but nobody wants to buy. At the end of the day, retail stocks what sells or tries to build a market or brand that will be beneficial to their bottom line...not stuff the place with toys for children to come and put their grubby mitts all over before figuring out they have no realistic chance of paying for them. That's why all we see is budget line crap. They aren't marketing to the people with REAL money anymore...they're marketing to the kids of parents with real money.
 
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#25
petrus61 said:
Part of the reason nobody sees anything they want at music stores anymore is because the "Disneyland, but with free rides" business model is a proven failure. Why should a store stock a bunch of crap everyone wants to drool on but nobody wants to buy. At the end of the day, retail stocks what sells or tries to build a market or brand that will be beneficial to their bottom line...not stuff the place with toys for children to come and put their grubby mitts all over before figuring out they have no realistic chance of paying for them. That's why all we see is budget line crap. They aren't marketing to the people with REAL money anymore...they're marketing to the kids of parents with real money.
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Amen. Just last week, I was cruising the local GC for an acoustic guitar. There was a dad with a 3 year old child in the acoustic room. She was crying as she manhandled an expensive uke. I said "poor baby" and the dad replies "yeah, she's tired, she's been throwing up all day" Gag.
 
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#26
GC is just representative of our overall economic environment and its NOT capitalism

hedge funds, M&As, consolidation all adds up to little choice

the interwebs is one thing but the Big Box stores ruin local independents in all markets, see Wallymart
 
#29
Munjibunga said:
OK. But Fender is still producing a lot of new gear that, apparently, no one wants.
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You got that right...the Dimension goes from import to US status at the speed of light, gets an ash option and a model in virtually every line Fender offers, but they are perfectly content putting out another white P bass with alder, slapping a black guard on it and calling it a Dee Dee.
 
#31
Not that Im much of a Fender fan, thier prices have gotten crazy, I used to own the Sting and Geddy Lee sig models, paid about 1200 for both, I think they are like 800 or more now for each of them, I would rather get a nice squier.
 
#33
By far Fender combos have always been in the most demand....that's why I acquired my 62 Bandmaster and 63 Tremolux for dirt cheap years ago!

Seriously, check the music forums and Ebay for the bigger Fender heads....I would go for a Showman head if it were me.
 
#34
Boy, do I miss those old days. Being a heavy rock bass player in the Nashville area is kinda rough. If you don't play a Fender or a Gibson, other choices are pretty limited. I think due to their recent financial situation, GC is getting more and more limited in their new stuff. For amps, they have several combos of the Ampeg, TC Electronics, Markbass, and Acoustic and their only bigger stuff of late have been the Acoustic. What's interesting is how fast the Nashville GC (there's another one about 20 or so miles away in the suburb of Brentwood) turns used gear. There are a couple very niche items that have been there a long time (like a Burns Bison...weird), but by and large their used stuff turns with a quickness. The new stuff in basses doesn't seem to change all that quickly, but that stands to reason because there's a perennial shortage of bass players in the region. That's one of the reasons I managed to get into a band when I've been back playing bass since January. :D
 
#35
Thats how my GC is. When it comes to guitars and drums they actually have one of the best selection of stuff I've seen at any GC, plus staff is actually pretty chill for the most part. Unfortunately, you are SOL when it comes to bass and bass equipment (almost found the best GC ever).
 
#37
Haji said:
Boy, do I miss those old days. Being a heavy rock bass player in the Nashville area is kinda rough. If you don't play a Fender or a Gibson, other choices are pretty limited. I think due to their recent financial situation, GC is getting more and more limited in their new stuff. For amps, they have several combos of the Ampeg, TC Electronics, Markbass, and Acoustic and their only bigger stuff of late have been the Acoustic. What's interesting is how fast the Nashville GC (there's another one about 20 or so miles away in the suburb of Brentwood) turns used gear. There are a couple very niche items that have been there a long time (like a Burns Bison...weird), but by and large their used stuff turns with a quickness. The new stuff in basses doesn't seem to change all that quickly, but that stands to reason because there's a perennial shortage of bass players in the region. That's one of the reasons I managed to get into a band when I've been back playing bass since January. :D
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Nashville here, too. I was in a few music stores last week and I could pick from Lakland, G&L, EBMM, Rickenbacker, fender, Gibson, lull, and several others.....all new and in stock.

And, I have to add, there is NO shortage of bass players in Nashville.
 
#39
In my experience working at GC (I quit last year), don't talk to the most important looking guy but the most bored looking guy. That would be the gear nerd of the store. He doesn't care about anything new or what he should sell. He just likes what's vintage and actually useful and well made.
 
#40
I'm glad it's not just my GC. It seems like whenever I walk in that place I'm being judged and belittled in a backhanded kind of way. It also seems like people who work there know less and less actual information about products and its more of their personal opinion.

I'm also really getting tired of employees there trying to sell me every freaking thing I see. I will be looking at something and it seems they aren't interested in answering any of my questions but more how I'm paying for it. "Will this be on your guitar center credit card today?".

Just gets annoying, I do have a nice indie shop not too far from me but everytime I go in there they watch me like I'm going to steal something. I don't get it, wait, maybe it's me?! Lol
 

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