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Another GC thread about being disappointed

shawshank72

shawshank72

Mar 22, 2009
5,493
8,311
Canada
#1
Took my one son out to GC as im down in the states for a couple months and thought id take the time to try out a bunch of basses and amps as i dont get the chance much from where i am in canada.
What an absolute waste of time, every bass that i picked up was set up like crap! Necks were bowed and actions were sky high.
Only one bass out of the 7 or 8 i wanted to play were playable, why do they do this? Next time im showing up with a set of tools and doing setups myself.
 
#2
Ed Zachary! And it's not only the cheapies. I'm always on the lookout for something unusual or vintage. I went in to a GC the other day and played (tried to play) a '76 Ric and a '68 Precision. The most expensive basses on the wall and they were horrible. No way they took any time at all to give them any sort of attention before they were displayed. Super high action on both, I'm talking 1/2", and rusty strings on the P-Bass. Forget the $2K and up prices. I wouldn't have given them $500 for either one. Probably would have, but you know what I'm saying.
 
#3
Are you allowed to do setups on music stores' guitars? I thought that was only for expert employees only...

I live in CAN and we have Long and McQuade and only the vintage vintage really expensive ones are set up properly. By this I mean the ones in the 3000-5000 range CAN. The other expensive models, like the Am. Std or stuff, they're terribly set up. I'm not doubting some may have come that way, but I'm pretty sure most of the employees tweak something here and there and often make it worse. It was what turned me off from ALMOST buying a Stingray a couple years back.
 
#4
Big box stores are always a mixed bag. Sometimes you get high-motor employees who want all the instruments to look and feel just right, but often, you don't. And with the hundreds and hundreds of guitars, basses, acoustics, etc on the walls in a place like that, it's hard to keep everything in line.

Also, employees there aren't hired for their guitar maintenance knowledge. With what they pay these guys, they're lucky to attract someone who knows the difference between rosewood and ebony. They might have ONE guy on staff capable of giving a good setup... maybe.

Like I said, every store is different. My local GC is one of the better ones, but I've been to plenty that were just sad.
 
#6
My favorite GC story: I had some time to kill with my son while his big sister was at a birthday party. He was about 3 or 4. We went into the newly opened Guitar Center in Madison just to look around. When the salesman approached, my son pointed to the electric guitars and asked: "What are those little basses?"
 
#7
fdeck said:
My favorite GC story: I had some time to kill with my son while his big sister was at a birthday party. He was about 3 or 4. We went into the newly opened Guitar Center in Madison just to look around. When the salesman approached, my son pointed to the electric guitars and asked: "What are those little basses?"
Click to expand...

Way to go little man!
 
#9
I was in GC last Saturday buying a double bass drum pedal for my son. Whilst kindly hagglin with the rep, he actually had the gall to try and tell me what a deal I was already getting (at full retail/street price) because the pedal is regularly (MSRP fantasy price). I just kinda stared at him...I gave up trying to buy basses there years ago...

(yes, I ended up getting the pedal at the price I wanted)
 
#12
GC doesn't set up anything. They take it out of the box and hang it on the wall. The locally run stores here in Nashville do a monthly set up on every guitar and bass in the store. GC even farms out their repair work to these local stores. Their repair people (especially the ones who do set ups) are people I avoid like the plague. I have done minor tweaks on basses I've played there, though. I wanted to get an idea of how well the instrument can play. I always have toold with me, and GC is always in such a state of chaos that no one notices if I change a bass. They could at least keep them in tune!
 
#13
The GC here isn't too bad. They have a huge number of guitars, so it doesn't surprise me a bit that they aren't all set up, but I'm usually pleasantly surprised to find things at least mostly tuned up. I don't expect perfection, since what I like isn't going to be the same as what somebody else likes anyway.
 
#16
I actually like the GC in my area better than the more popular local shop. It is more expensive, but the guys there are pretty decent to do business with.

I live in Iowa and don't have too many options to begin with though. Trying to learn to do more stuff myself.
 
#17
I work for GC about 30 min outside of Chicago. I will grant you that there are a few basses/guitars hanging on the wall that aren't set up properly. But, at least at my store, we take pride in keeping everything as tuned as possible, and at least REASONABLY set up. I've got a good crew here, and there's at least 4 of us that can (and do) full setups just to keep things nice.

Just my 2 cents here-your experience may vary
 
#18
Fender05 said:
I work for GC about 30 min outside of Chicago. I will grant you that there are a few basses/guitars hanging on the wall that aren't set up properly. But, at least at my store, we take pride in keeping everything as tuned as possible, and at least REASONABLY set up. I've got a good crew here, and there's at least 4 of us that can (and do) full setups just to keep things nice.

Just my 2 cents here-your experience may vary
Click to expand...

The people who worked there were great.
I just find it unprofessional to come to a music store and every bass i pick up expensive and inexpensive are set up extremely poorly.
Its good to know there are people like you who take some pride in this.
But i guess i ran into one that dosent.
 
#19
I would use the bad set up/ rusty strings condition a a bargaining position if I were really interested. With their generous return policy, how can you go wrong if it goes out the door with you at a price you are happy with ?
I walked into a GC with a '67 Vibro Champ in natty but all original condition. After the door guy with the clipboard checked me in, the first person to approach me was a young kid, maybe 19.
Him: whatcha got?
Me: this! (Showed him front and back of amp)
Him:whatcha want to do with that?
Me: get a price to sell or trade some gear.
Him: well... There's no real value in an old amp like that.

An older guy behind a counter heard this exchange and shot me a huge raised eyebrows look and told me to see Zach in the vintage guitar section. Zach made a very generous offer after taking pics and making phone calls. I declined.
 

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