GOOD Guitar Center experiences?

[Lady Kayri]

My first few experiences at the GC on the Black Horse Pike in Mays Landing weren't so hot - the two 'sales associates' I talked to seemed shocked, shocked that a woman might be interested in playing bass guitar. I haven't seen either of those gentlemen in the last year or so. Since then, the newer hires treated me like someone who was serious about music & bass, and I've bought a fair amount of stuff as a result, and most of the guitarists & bass players on staff now know me pretty well. I usually do research online before I go in, and the few times I've asked questions I got good answers; one time I asked one of the guitarists a question about one of the GK amps, and he said, "I'm not a bass player, so I'm not sure; let me get ____, he plays bass and can answer your question better than I can."

I do frequent one of the two local mom & pop stores here (take lessons there too, I suspect a lot of their income comes from students like me - they teach a lot of adults like me, as opposed to mostly school-aged kids) as they have stuff for a decent price and give you a discount if you're one of their students. Problem is that it's a small store, not a lot of room for anything other than the most familiar stuff, and don't do a lot of special orders. So I end up going to GC for stuff the local store doesn't have - flatwound strings, longer cables (the longest one the local carries is 15'), and I got my used P bass there. I'll end up getting my head & cab there eventually as I want a GK set up, and the local only carries Fender and Ibanez rigs. If the local had GK I'd happily buy it there, even if it were a bit more expensive than GC - same for other stuff - as the local store is about 15 / 20 minutes from my front door while GC is a good 1 1/2 hours up the road - I usually go to GC when I'm going to be going to the Mays Landing mall (Borders, Suncoast Video, FYEs, BJs, Target, etc.) and am making a day of it; as a result I only get up there about once a month. All in all, since I've become known as a serious bass player, and someone who is willing to spend $$ to get the stuff I'm looking for, they've treated me pretty well; several of them even know my name and greet me when I come in. Considering how many customers probably come through their doors, I appreiciate that effort on their part. Of course, I also try to make trips to GC during the week while school is in session, so I avoid a lot of the wanking that goes on during non-school hours.

I've only been to the other local store twice - I'm not happy about the area it's located in, and their selection of products is really, really sad (at least compared to my want list, I'm sure there are others who want what they have, or they wouldn't still be in business!). Of course, local store #2 also has a full studio set up, and I suspect that a lot of their income come from renting studio space and running classes in Pro Tools...

There are also items I've ended up buying on line as neither the local store nor GC carried them, of course. I'd rather buy in person than online when I can (I'm one of those folks who likes to check stuff out, pick it up, etc. before buying) but it's not always possible. All in all, though, I've taken the time to figure out which stores have what on hand, what stuff I can special order through the local store and which they can't get for me, and act accordingly. As has been said above, if you 1) establish some sort of relationship with store staff, and b) do some research as to what you're looking at buying before you go shopping in person, you're most likely come out of any shopping situation with a better outcome. (How's that for psuedo-psycho-babble??) That is, of course, assuming that there are at least a few good people on staff in whichever store you're going to. I'll admit, if I'd kept meeting the "a woman interested in bass guitar? Really?!?!" attitude at the local GC, I would have quit going there even to try out instruments, etc. On the other hand, if I'd let my initial experiences there put me off GC for good, I would have missed out on some pretty good bargains some of the guys who work there have managed to help me get there when they saw something they knew I was interested in come up for sale, clearance, etc. Perhaps I have a somewhat thicker skin for stupidity than some other people (of course, dealing with it on an almost daily basis at the hotel I work at helps in that regard - compared to some of the stupid stuff some of our guests have pulled, and their extreme rudeness, even the dumbest & rudest GC 'sales associates' aren't all that bad...

 

[quale213]

Helllo all, I went with a friend to GC the other day actually and had a weird experience, which I hope someone could help with. He was looking for an ESP guitar, which Guitar Center did not have. We asked one of the floor guys and was told that they would never carry that ESP (the Standard Series).
In short, has anyone been rejected by guitar center for wanting to order a guitar for you? Thanks

 

[Oric]

All the basses I've seen have been in good condition. Occasionally, a 9v battery is out on an active bass, but they'll replace it if you tell them. Most of the salespeople have been very knowledgeable, they actually know what flatwounds are, etc. I bought my Squier VM fretless there, and it was in great shape and set up perfectly. I've never really had a bad experience.

 

[My name is Mudd]

In short, has anyone been rejected by guitar center for wanting to order a guitar for you? Thanks

I know that GC does not deal with ESP or carry their guitars, and that would make it difficult (to say the least) to order a guitar from them (ESP), especially if another store in the area DOES carry ESP. In most cases, dealer agreements are in place that would protect Small Store A (which deals Guitar X) from losing a sale to Large Store B (which does not carry Guitar X).

Simply put, GC cannot order up just anything from anyone without a prior contract, and it would be too expensive and time-consuming for GC to set up a contract for a one-shot special order, and almost impossible for a single GC store (like the one in your town) to do so.

 

[drewhrt2]

the basses at the GC in atlanta are usually pretty messed up (bad strings, poor action, etc) but its nice to be able to go in the little bass room to play where you can escape the endless metal guitar licks and stairway to heaven intros.
my best experience there was when charlie wooten walked into the bass room and jammed with me

 

[jmattbassplaya]

The GC in Memphis is alright at best. The staff varies when it comes to knowledge of equipment; The ones who know anything(like the manager) tend to be very snobby and unpleasant to work with unless they know you`re buying, and the rest couldn`t locate a saddle if one bit them in the @$$. The bass room is also unplreasantly tiny in comparison to the rest of the store. It`s nice and tucked away in a corner with only one stool, and you`d be lucky if the amp you want to try out is plugged in. I also had an experience where they didn`t fix my Gibson that was under warranty for free. I contacted Gibson and they got the money from them, but that whole ordeal pissed me off when they said I owed them for a new input jack.

Having said that, they tend to have a very wide selection of instruments. They also(well they use to) have an in store repair man who was incredible and would fix things on the spot for very resonable prices. They are also very easy to talk down if you say you only have cash.

My advice if you`re in Memphis. Go to Martin Music. Much smaller store, yet a much larger selection. And the guys are incredibly nice and don`t intrude.

 

[MadMan118]

The GC in Memphis is alright at best. The staff varies when it comes to knowledge of equipment; The ones who know anything(like the manager) tend to be very snobby and unpleasant to work with unless they know you`re buying, and the rest couldn`t locate a saddle if one bit them in the @$$. The bass room is also unplreasantly tiny in comparison to the rest of the store. It`s nice and tucked away in a corner with only one stool, and you`d be lucky if the amp you want to try out is plugged in. I also had an experience where they didn`t fix my Gibson that was under warranty for free. I contacted Gibson and they got the money from them, but that whole ordeal pissed me off when they said I owed them for a new input jack.

Having said that, they tend to have a very wide selection of instruments. They also(well they use to) have an in store repair man who was incredible and would fix things on the spot for very resonable prices. They are also very easy to talk down if you say you only have cash.

My advice if you`re in Memphis. Go to Martin Music. Much smaller store, yet a much larger selection. And the guys are incredibly nice and don`t intrude.

I think youve missed the point of the thread.

 

[austinso]

I had a great experience with GC, even though I'm out of country!

I was gunning to get a rapture 5-er, and I did a search on their used website. There were a couple of candidates, but I ended up trying to pick-up one in El Toro, CA. Asked if they could ship up the coast across the border first, and they said no problem (!). And then I asked for a few more pics. Looked great, and I was told it was in pristine condition. So talked to the PM manager Jay, and he was just a fantastic guy to work with. Gave a great deal on the bass (!!), had it shipped UPS priority (included in the price ~$60), and I received it in 1 week (!!!).

That being said, I took a close look at it, and it was clear that it was not "pristine", and I had some issues with it. Called them up, forwarded pics to them, and they agreed to a full refund. As it was, I was making my way down to Seattle, and was able to bring it in right there for a return (including shipping), avoiding any shipping costs back to El Toro. Awesome. Totally awesome.

While the bass itself was not what I had hoped, the service was top notch. Add to that that I was an international customer and could have been left hung out to dry, I completely regret that things didn't turn out with them. And being a big company, shipping costs are less, so any deals that can happen through them, I'm always on the look out for.

Totally recommend the Seattle GC and the El Toro GC.

 

[LaughingGroove]

I haven't had a bad experiance with Guitar Center in about 4 years. (oh yeah, I got so pissed 4 years ago that I said I would never go into one agian. Hey it worked)

 

[bandl]

I've only been to the GC in Manchester CT. So far it hasn't been great for me. With all the buying power they have, you would figure one could get a great deal there. I feel their prices are quite high overall.
I went there about a year and a half ago looking to buy a StingRay. As an example, there was one USED one, quite beat up, I saw on the rack with a price tag of $1200!! (a new one was about $1500). I thought this had to be a mistake. I got one of the sales guys and he said "we can take $100 off". I was like, "Are you kidding?? I see used ones in great shape for around $800-$900." He said that was the deal. I got in my car, drove about 20 miles north and picked up a brand new StingRay HH for $1289 at their competition.

 

[cassanova]

I've only shopped G.C. one time.

I went in looking to buy something in the $600-$700 price range a month or 2 ago so that my better basses wouldn't risk accidental injury at rehearsals and other types of jam sessions.

The sales staff was pretty polite and catered to my minimal requests I wanted 3 stands and 3 straps so that I could play 3 particular basses both sitting and standing. He got me what I requested without question. Then goes about his business.

I thought he would leave me alone for a while and let me test drive the 3, but within 10 minutes he comes back askin me questions, and telling me he'll let me have the MIM Dlx Active Jazz V for less than $500. Told him I was'nt sure yet, he says "I'll let ya play them a little while longer then get back with ya and see which you like." Five minutes go by and he comes back. So I politely told him that I was going to be here a while going over all 3 with a fine tooth comb to see which one I liked best. He left and I never saw him again until after I made my decision.

The Fender MIM Dlx Active Jazz V had dead strings and its action was quite high. I bring it to the counter and explained to them that I was planning on making a purchase today but wasn't sure exactly which bass yet, so I requested it to be restrung and set up so I could get an accurate idea of how it sounds and plays. By the look on his face, I don't think the tech wanted to do this but he did it anyway without complaint.

The Ibanez needed some minimal tweeking as well and when I brought that one to the tech and requested a set up he complied without question.

All in all I spent about 3.5 hours in the store and they did every thing I asked them to do without complaint, so I really cannot complain about G.C. other than they couldn't find the allen wrenches that come with the bass, so I had to make a 2nd trip there but, that's no biggie.

 

[swojo]

I go into the Manchester, Ct store quite often. I equate it to Walmart. There's a lot of stuff. Some is good , some is cheap. I have found some good pricing on closeout or used stuff. There is usually some wiggle room as far as negotiating. If you need them to look into something, they will never call you back. I've tried 3 or 4 times to get them to call a manufacturer or get replacement parts. They take my info ad promise they will call me back and never do. When I call them to check up on it, nobody knows anything. I haven't tried using them for service, I prefer smaller places that aren't corporate driven. I get particularly frustrated when I want to buy 2 sets of strings and I have to wait for the overly busy department manager's approval because the dollar amount is more than $50 when it's an "associate trainee"

I keep my expections low when it comes to GC and I find it better that way.

 

[Lunchbox4u_6]

Alright . . . I've heard enough (nothing personal!)

99 out of 100 GC guys ARE COMPLETE F$$##KING MORONS!

They're young, <21 years, they have zits, and they think they know more than you do . . . There's nothing worse than talking to some dink pink-hair punk who thinks he knows more than you but -painfully- doesn't.

If you talk about something they don't know about or haven't heard of they behave like YOU'RE the moron . . .

They try to come off dressing and acting f$$king cool and hot, but they couldn't play you a meaningful lick if their miserable life depended on it!!!!

Thus, I object to the, "These guys are musicians, you can tell, and it's good to speak from musician to musician," statement.

YOU CAN TELL????@@@@!!!! YOU CAN TELL???? HOW IN THE HELL CAN YOU TELL???? GAWDALMIGHTY GIMME A BREAK, B.S.!!! If YOU can tell then criminey, I sure can't!

I ain't met one yet who could read a 12 bar blues.

They might pretend to be musicians but . . . they are morons . . . and in nearly 20 years of GC visits, I've only met one guy who I had any respect for . . . and even he was a tad peculiar.

GC is more like "Zits -R- US", and bring your (illegitimate) kids along for the ride! They are fresh-out-of-high-school (or less) kids who don't know a C# from a Db.

I've only bought from GC out of necessity . . . it's never been a "good experience",

whew . . . damn . . . where's the bar?

Wow, i think you make some assumptions that may be false. There are several at my local GC that are older than 21 and what's wrong with having pink hair? I have blue hair, does that make me a punk? I'm sorry you've had bad times at GC, but this is a GOOD times thread, so leave it at the door.

That said, i've only had positive interactions at the GC in Milwaukee. The guys know my name and I've always gotten amazing deals.

 

[Thorsoundcore]

idk if any of you guys on here live in the albany area,but the albany guitar center is always great to go to.the sales people are always extremely nice,with the exception of one older guy,who i tend to avoid.but other than that,it's a great store.there are alot of certain basses they don't have,ever.(ATK's,GIBSON thunderbirds,and ESP's.)but,still,they have a pretty wide selection.

 

[Thorsoundcore]

Alright . . . I've heard enough (nothing personal!)

99 out of 100 GC guys ARE COMPLETE F$$##KING MORONS!

They're young, <21 years, they have zits, and they think they know more than you do . . . There's nothing worse than talking to some dink pink-hair punk who thinks he knows more than you but -painfully- doesn't.

If you talk about something they don't know about or haven't heard of they behave like YOU'RE the moron . . .

They try to come off dressing and acting f$$king cool and hot, but they couldn't play you a meaningful lick if their miserable life depended on it!!!!

Thus, I object to the, "These guys are musicians, you can tell, and it's good to speak from musician to musician," statement.

YOU CAN TELL????@@@@!!!! YOU CAN TELL???? HOW IN THE HELL CAN YOU TELL???? GAWDALMIGHTY GIMME A BREAK, B.S.!!! If YOU can tell then criminey, I sure can't!

I ain't met one yet who could read a 12 bar blues.

They might pretend to be musicians but . . . they are morons . . . and in nearly 20 years of GC visits, I've only met one guy who I had any respect for . . . and even he was a tad peculiar.

GC is more like "Zits -R- US", and bring your (illegitimate) kids along for the ride! They are fresh-out-of-high-school (or less) kids who don't know a C# from a Db.

I've only bought from GC out of necessity . . . it's never been a "good experience",

whew . . . damn . . . where's the bar?

wow,you've got to be one of the most ignorant a*******
i've ever seen on here.and i supose im the jerk right? just cause i don't(or ain't) know how to play 12 bar blues,well just cause someone can't play it doesn't make them a bad musician.sorry mr.redneck,the whole world doesn't revolve around blues.

 

[xjeremiahx]

all of my GC exp is great...i've got a cousin who's a GM & a good friend of mine who's an AM @ two different stores in IL

paid $500 for my 300t
paid $800 for my stingray(brand new)

paying cost rules. always.
he(my cousin) is also looking around at all GCs and locating me a used Spector Classic 5 at the moment(got quoted @ $280 for one today hee hee heeeee)

GC = win for me.

 

[jmattbassplaya]

I think youve missed the point of the thread.

How so?

 

[PBASSER]

"How so?"

It's in the title.

 

[BillyRay]

I've only shopped G.C. one time.

I went in looking to buy something in the $600-$700 price range a month or 2 ago so that my better basses wouldn't risk accidental injury at rehearsals and other types of jam sessions.

So far so good.

The sales staff was pretty polite and catered to my minimal requests I wanted 3 stands and 3 straps so that I could play 3 particular basses both sitting and standing. He got me what I requested without question. Then goes about his business.

I wouldn't call asking for three straps and three stands "minimal" But again, where would you put the bass when you were done ?

I thought he would leave me alone for a while and let me test drive the 3, but within 10 minutes he comes back askin me questions, and telling me he'll let me have the MIM Dlx Active Jazz V for less than $500. Told him I was'nt sure yet, he says "I'll let ya play them a little while longer then get back with ya and see which you like." Five minutes go by and he comes back. So I politely told him that I was going to be here a while going over all 3 with a fine tooth comb to see which one I liked best. He left and I never saw him again until after I made my decision.

Typical grade A customer service. Man he got you a quote (without you asking) and got interested in you enough to show up two times. When you made quite clear you would take your sweet time, he stopped bothering you. +1.

The Fender MIM Dlx Active Jazz V had dead strings and its action was quite high. I bring it to the counter and explained to them that I was planning on making a purchase today but wasn't sure exactly which bass yet, so I requested it to be restrung and set up so I could get an accurate idea of how it sounds and plays. By the look on his face, I don't think the tech wanted to do this but he did it anyway without complaint.

I would understand the tech. Guy plays a bass for half an hour and THEN asks for it to be restrung. Ho yeah, and another one too.

All in all I spent about 3.5 hours in the store and they did every thing I asked them to do without complaint, so I really cannot complain about G.C. other than they couldn't find the allen wrenches that come with the bass, so I had to make a 2nd trip there but, that's no biggie.

My God, three and a half hour. That's more picky than me. But then I go by my gut and initial reaction and I play simple passive elctronics. You're right, you shouldn't complain.

 

[southshoreconor]

when i bought my jazz bass back in 2006, i had a good experience. they were trying to get rid of the (i think) candy apple red jazzes for 899, i had my heart set on the black one, and the guy sold it to me for the price of the red one, less the hardshell case, saving me a little over 300 bucks.

lately my gripe has been their taking away the "up deals" or ascap member pricing by slightly lowering their prices, and saying that "all musicians are on a level playing field." meaning the teacher, student, hobbyist, and arena rock star all get the same deals. this sounds nice, but its just not the truth. i play every night almost 8 months a year all over the world, not to toot my own horn, but i'm not on the same playing field as the bassist of my town's junior high school band.