Guitar Center discrace

[Just Bill]

I normally don't partake in any of the GC bashing, but I just went to the Manchester, CT one and got two whammies in one visit:

1.) Went into the bass room (about the size of a large walk-in closet, but as bassists it's something we have to live with ) to check out a Geddy Jazz. I couldn't try it out because an employee was jamming in there for over a half hour with apparently two of his friends on acoustic guitar. One other friend eventually picked up a bass to join in, apparently justifying all of this. Every time I popped back in there and attempted to interrupt to even ask a question, it was clear I was being a nuissance. Finally, he asked me, "so what do you want?" I've seen this happen more than once with different employees at this GC, since they like using the room (which has a glass door) as their own little jam space, with no regard to actual prospective customers.

Yes but this happens at small stores, too. Many years ago, a friend gave me the first bass that her father had bought for her, (I believe it's) an old Teisco short scale. It was taken apart and needed a new nut, pots & a 2 piece pickguard and I wanted it put back together. Playable and looking like it did when she got it.

I took it to a small local shop and found no one there but another guy playing a bass and ignoring me. When I finally asked if he worked there, he said yes and put his bass down.

I showed him the bass and asked if they could do what I needed and he replied "Probably but that thing's not worth the money that you would put in to it. We have a bunch of nice starter basses down here. It would, really, be better for you to pick up one of those and decide if you really want to play bass. Then you could move up to a nicer one.".

I had, at that time, been playing longer than he had been alive. I've never been back to that store.

 

[LilloEsquilo]

Yes but this happens at small stores, too. Many years ago, a friend gave me the first bass that her father had bought for her, (I believe it's) an old Teisco short scale. It was taken apart and needed a new nut, pots & a 2 piece pickguard and I wanted it put back together. Playable and looking like it did when she got it.

I took it to a small local shop and found no one there but another guy playing a bass and ignoring me. When I finally asked if he worked there, he said yes and put his bass down.

I showed him the bass and asked if they could do what I needed and he replied "Probably but that thing's not worth the money that you would put in to it. We have a bunch of nice starter basses down here. It would, really, be better for you to pick up one of those and decide if you really want to play bass. Then you could move up to a nicer one.".

I had, at that time, been playing longer than he had been alive. I've never been back to that store.

Technically he was correct, that old Teisco probably isn't worth what you would put into it. He had no way to know that didn't matter to you, but as a rule that would be good advice for the customer.

He was just assuming you were a newbie, I know never assume. But all you had to do was point out your experience and that you wanted THAT particular bass regardless of its value, because of it's value to you personally, and he would have had the chance to go with that. I guess I would have tried that approach and if he still didn't "get" it then yeah I wouldn't go back there. But you didn't give him that chance.

Maybe it was best you went elsewhere though.

 

[Just Bill]

Can't argue with any of that.

I did find another shop and the owner thought it was a cool bass and was actually excited to bring it back to life. He did a great job on it, too.

 

[jugglingfreak]

I wish we had a Guitar Center where I live. Though the music store I go to is great, I like a little variety.

Well we have 3 companies around. one is new and I haven't been there yet. The other 2 I have. One has a one large store (I'll call it the "big store") and the other has two small locations (I'll call it the "Small store")

The small store is the reason I shop at the big store. The small store employees were all very knowledgeable about all the equipment and had a pretty good selection. However, they all were "gear snobs". I had about $500 to spend (I was just starting out) and basically, they didn't want to waste time selling equipment that low end..

So, I went to the other store. They're much nicer, still knowledgeable, but don't attempt to force their opinions on you. They have a pretty good selection as well, but no where near the selection of the Guitar Center's I've seen.

Admittedly, I've only been to the Guitar Center in Jacksonville Fl. and Charleston SC. but I like what I saw.

 

[whitedk57]

I did a bunch of research on compressors, and my local GC had the one I wanted, the Markbass Compressore (Which I now own and love). The pedal comes with its own adapter, but the employee I was dealing with grabbed some random 12 v adapter to accompany it. The pedal starts smoking and a burning smell enters the air. He panics and unplugs it, then goes to get another of the same pedal with the adapter. So I'm standing there and testing the pedal out. He starts asking me questions about compressors.... Are you kidding me? I gave him a half hour lesson on what threshold and ratio mean. GC needs to take a long hard look at its help.

Cmon! It's like Radio Shack!!! They hire people willing to work for minimum wage. They aren't experts! Experts get paid better and don't work for cheap.