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Guitar Center Etiquette (Trying out Gear)

#42
Nev375 said:
That's why I treat Guitar Center differently than all the small independant stores.

So far it isn't working, they still exist. That's why we should all band together.
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Right now you piss and moan about their existence. When they are gone, and you have nowhere at all to try out gear, you will piss and moan about that too. Besides, I have had nothing but great dealings with them. Why should we band together to shut down an entity that pissed you off again?
 
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#43
buldog5151bass said:
It's still a matter of respect. I don't care what you think about GC, or Bain, or whatever. But that store is managed by a human being, whose livelihood depends on how the store does. Remember that - and treat him as you would want to be treated.
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I'm not advocating insulting or abusing human beings or damaging merchandise. I treat the employees there with the same respect I treat everyone. (Which is more than other people tend to respect people) Also I'm not responsible for other people's jobs or a businesses success just because they are human beings. It's not my fault they choose to be part of a team where one of those humans thinks it's ok to rip a customer off.

two fingers said:
Right now you piss and moan about their existence. When they are gone, and you have nowhere at all to try out gear, you will piss and moan about that too. Besides, I have had nothing but great dealings with them. Why should we band together to shut down an entity that pissed you off again?
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Obviously you shouldn't if you are happy with them.

If they didn't exist, all those instruments would be being sold in other (Better managed IMO) independant stores. So would the people that work there if they are genuinely good at what they do.

But in my experience, they ripped me off on some special order stuff and refused to honor a warranty claim. I'm pretty sure they knew what they were selling was damaged too and just glad to find the one guy interested in esoteric stuff to allow them to move it. My fault for getting excited and not checking it out thouroughly enough before the purchase, their fault for refusing to make it right.

But fear not, the nearest GC is over 100 miles away from me and I only go there about once every 5 years or so. So my effect on your favorite store's livelihood is minimal. But I know I'm not alone in my dissatisfaction with them.
 
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#44
Nev375 said:
Obviously you shouldn't if you are happy with them.

If they didn't exist, all those instruments would be being sold in other (Better managed IMO) independant stores. So would the people that work there if they are genuinely good at what they do.

But in my experience, they ripped me off on some special order stuff and refused to honor a warranty claim. I'm pretty sure they knew what they were selling was damaged too and just glad to find the one guy interested in esoteric stuff to allow them to move it. My fault for getting excited and not checking it out thouroughly enough before the purchase, their fault for refusing to make it right.

But fear not, the nearest GC is over 100 miles away from me and I only go there about once every 5 years or so. So my effect on your favorite store's livelihood is minimal. But I know I'm not alone in my dissatisfaction with them.
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Fair enough. That being said, there isn't one within 80 miles of here either. And that hasn't exactly brought about the grand opening of a dozen well-managed independent stores with great employees either. The days of the small mom and pop stores carrying great gear at reasonable prices is all but over. They can mostly only afford to carry MIM Strats and a few Ibanez guitars and basses. There are three of those here in my small town. Not exactly a bonanza of equipment opportunity. And I say that being old friends with the owners of one of those shops. There are maybe a dozen independent dealers in this half of the state. And none of them carry a wide variety of even mid-grade gear, much less "the good stuff".

So, I think the closing of every GC would not create the vacuum you think it will. "Fred's Hometown House of Guitars" won't suddenly carry 20 really nice basses and have great prices on strings.
 
#45
two fingers said:
So, I think the closing of every GC would not create the vacuum you think it will. "Fred's Hometown House of Guitars" won't suddenly carry 20 really nice basses and have great prices on strings.
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Around here there are a lot of little music stores starting to pop up and be successful. I live near Cape Girardeau MO which has a once great store named Shivelbine's that is about dried up with guitar gear. Huge store, maybe 20 guitars and basses alltogether. Lots of percussion and band instruments, pianos and sheet music and whatnot though. Don't think they have an online presence.

Another store opened up last year here in Jackson (same town, other side of freeway) and they are growing steadily and the gear they are carrying keeps getting better and better. Not much Fender and Ibanez, but they got G&L, PRS and Ashdown stuff.

30 miles away over the river in Illinois is a little town with a big store and a lot of Fender and Gibson and Country/Bluegrass stuff galore.

60 miles south in the little town of Dexter with a Big store with a more balanced selection that includes Ibanez, Jackson, PRS as well as Gibson/Fender.

I can name a lot of little Stores in Joplin and the outskirts of Kansas City that are growing too. Most of the better stores in Joplin were wiped out with the big tornado went through. (I was almost in that BTW. I had driven through there and stopped earlier that day) But some little stores came back and those people who worked and managed the previous stores seem to have done quite well after the disaster.

So It does happen, but maybe one of us is living in an area where business works different than the rest of the world.
I agree with you that the prices aren't AS cheap as the big box stores, but I'm happier to support the little guys when they have what I need.
 
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#47
Nev375 said:
If they didn't exist, all those instruments would be being sold in other (Better managed IMO) independant stores. So would the people that work there if they are genuinely good at what they do.

But in my experience, they ripped me off on some special order stuff and refused to honor a warranty claim. I'm pretty sure they knew what they were selling was damaged too and just glad to find the one guy interested in esoteric stuff to allow them to move it. My fault for getting excited and not checking it out thouroughly enough before the purchase, their fault for refusing to make it right.
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Respectfully, you've jumped to a massive conclusion that simply isn't true.
 
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#48
guy n. cognito said:
Respectfully, you've jumped to a massive conclusion that simply isn't true.
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Which part? That manufacturers would move their gear through other stores? That people would be able to find jobs in their field of experience?

Or are you trying to say GC didn't know they were ripping me off? How would you know that any better than I? Were you the Manager that day?
 
#51
Nev375 said:
So you're saying that without Guitar Center factories will also fold or sell direct online because they won't deal with smaller retailers.
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You stated that "smaller, independent stores" would pick up the slack.
That's untrue. Smaller, independent stores cannot afford to stay open, and it's not from GC's pervasive share because, as you clearly noted, even GC is having difficulty staying afloat.

You guys can bemoan the big box atmosphere of GC all you want, but when it goes there won't be any corner shops popping back up to pick up the slack. It'll continue to move to online storefronts and your ability to try before you buy or easily shop secondhand will vanish.
 
#52
At this point, there is no way that smaller, independent retailers will get a foothold, unless the internet crashes. Too many people buying on line, too many people using brick and mortar stores for nothing other than demoing gear, even if they price match.

Most people refuse to admit - there is a value to the buyer for being able to see and try out equipment in person, and significant extra cost for the retailer to maintain such a store. It doesn't matter if it is Guitar Center, or Joe's Centre of Guitars. If you are unwilling to pay for that service, the service will continue to disappear - to all our detriments.
 
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#53
Nev375 said:
So you're saying that without Guitar Center factories will also fold or sell direct online because they won't deal with smaller retailers.

or

Pretty much all sales will shift to large internet based companies like Sweetwater etc...

I don't see any other possible scenario.
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I'm saying the LMS has faced a number of challenges, including poor management and business sense. there no way to predict what would have happened if a single retailer that you don't like didn't exist.

Heck, Sam Ash might just have become twice as big.....
 
#54
No belt buckles! Keep the amp volume down we don't all need to hear you, Don't stand in front of the wall of basses bsing on the phone begging mommy if you can get, it call from outside. If I am in there trying something out, I don't have time for 20 questions you have to live with it not me. And that is for those people running around with the GC logo on their shirts. And for God sakes don't eat at Wendys and come and starting trying out basses without washing your hands. oh one more leave your band members at home nothing is more annoying than trying to check out gear I am gassing for and you and your buddies are in a impromptu jam session playing some lame song you wrote. Oh yeah get off my freaking lawn! ha ha ha (Every one of these things has occur over the years during visits to GC ) now you wonder why I buy on line when at all possible.
 

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