Minor Guitar Center Rant

[Laurent]

These Guitar Center rants have been a staple of Talk Bass since Talk Bass started. Same thing with rumors of their imminent demise.
Yet they are still here.

I am not a Guitar Center critic. I like the fact that I have been able to try and buy a large amount of gear in their stores over the years. Where else can you try a wide array of gear without having a store employee breathing down your neck?

I visited 4 different stores recently and indeed noted the lowest amount of staffing I have ever seen in their stores. They have plenty of gear on the shelf which was not the case at different point in their history when they had financial problems. Just like on one of the picture posted, I have seen bass departments which are disorganized and I often have to move the cabinets near the amps I want to try. I also visited a store which had 10 to 15 cabinets and no heads.

Reading between the lines, I would gather that management is trying to drive profitability up by compressing staffing. I would assume that it's a better strategy than limiting the amount of products available in the stores. As consumers that means that we probably need to arm ourselves with patience while visiting their stores or visit them during quiet hours.

 

[VeryTallBassist]

These Guitar Center rants have been a staple of Talk Bass since Talk Bass started. Same thing with rumors of their imminent demise.
Yet they are still here.

I am not a Guitar Center critic. I like the fact that I have been able to try and buy a large amount of gear in their stores over the years. Where else can you try a wide array of gear without having a store employee breathing down your neck?

I visited 4 different stores recently and indeed noted the lowest amount of staffing I have ever seen in their stores. They have plenty of gear on the shelf which was not the case at different point in their history when they had financial problems. Just like on one of the picture posted, I have seen bass departments which are disorganized and I often have to move the cabinets near the amps I want to try. I also visited a store which had 10 to 15 cabinets and no heads.

Reading between the lines, I would gather that management is trying to drive profitability up by compressing staffing. I would assume that it's a better strategy than limiting the amount of products available in the stores. As consumers that means that we probably need to arm ourselves with patience while visiting their stores or visit them during quiet hours.

I agree to the extent that when they have inventory it's great to be able to try it. They don't carry much in terms of 5 strings, but I did buy a bass from them last year after having it in my hands.

I don't think they're going anywhere just yet. Our local Sam Ash shut down a year ago and now I hear they're closing 18 more stores. GC is all we have left unless you're willing to travel to a specialty shop.

 

[Wambemando]

When was the last time you walked into any store and were greeted by someone (except a place where salespeople work on commission)? The art of customer service is dying. In the modern world, you can rent a car, gas up your car, buy groceries, rent a movie, and return home all without interacting with a single human being.

I had to work my first retail job a while back.
They constantly reminded us to greet the customers and "not let them feel ignored".
Yeah, well, guess what... most people don't like it. (Remember Radio Shack?!)
I ended up avoiding customers because they were unnecessarily rude 80% of the time, just for "greeting" them.
Perhaps this type of thing was absent for so long that people now find it strange and off-putting.
I'm never working retail again - hat's off to those that can handle it!

 

[fhm555]

I’ve been in Guitar Center for about 30 minutes now. There are 3 basses I would like to try and I have tried ZERO lol. The ones I want to try are locked up and there is no staff free to help me grab the ones I want to try. Meanwhile, Sweetwater connects you immediately with a sales person who gives you their full attention one on one.

I wonder why Guitar Center is always on the brink of Bankruptcy? They absolutely refuse to invest in an adequate amount of staff to provide even a barely adequate level of service.

This is my bad for driving 40 minutes each way to think I would be able to try a few basses.

Rant over.

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But no matter how attentive a sales minion is over the phone, they can’t take down a few basses for you to try. You can try a few, but only if you are willing to wait on the delivery guy six times over a span of weeks.
I try to plan my in person trips to bass farms so I’m there when traffic is light and a couple of minions are hanging around the door waiting to pounce. This allows me to try what I want and since my minion wants to sell me something, they pretend what I’m playing sounds great, but the best part is no suffering through the same 3 bars of slap 63 times while waiting for a little break in the action to try out a new bass.

 

[logdrum]

I actually called the Albuquerque store last week about a used Stingray that’s on their website. The only picture looks like it was taken underwater 30 feet away. Can’t tell if it’s red or orange if that gives you an idea. I’m intrigued either way. So I call and ask if they could simply text me a clearer pic of the front and back. Just 2 pics. Nope. Extremely dopey “dude” says “Um we aren’t like allowed to do that”. I told him that he, in fact was, and that I have bought MANY used basses and guitars from GC over the years and usually asked for clearer pics and they happily sent them in the past. This was greeted by total awkward silence. I then kindly repeated my request remindering this kid that the bass is $1600 and I AT LEAST would like to see it first. His answer ? “Well you have 45 days to return it if you don’t like it”. Umm yeah F that. Just absolutely clueless, lazy and full of contempt.

If I have time and it's still there. I'll snap pics and PM you. Don't worry tax-time and I owe The Man! The only GAS I can indulge are picks

 

[Michedelic]

I’ve been in Guitar Center for about 30 minutes now. There are 3 basses I would like to try and I have tried ZERO lol. The ones I want to try are locked up and there is no staff free to help me grab the ones I want to try. Meanwhile, Sweetwater connects you immediately with a sales person who gives you their full attention one on one.

I wonder why Guitar Center is always on the brink of Bankruptcy? They absolutely refuse to invest in an adequate amount of staff to provide even a barely adequate level of service.

This is my bad for driving 40 minutes each way to think I would be able to try a few basses.

Rant over.

View attachment 5380419

I actually don’t want to be bothered by any sales staff. There are five or six that I visit on a semi-regular basis, including the original one on Sunset Blvd.(when I’m in town), and every experience is different, every time. The one closest to me, Palm Desert(Palm Springs area)was fairly pathetic, but it has actually improved. If you don’t like the staff, wait a month, there will be a turnover. But I did have to explain to a younger floor person what ‘spring reverb’ on an amp was not long ago.
One thing that I haven’t seen mentioned is that not only do they have their website, but they’re just one part of the Musician’s Friend/Woodwinds and Brass online universe, so I just see them as a token brick’n’mortar presence. They’re not going anywhere. They’re like 7/11.
My first inclination, always, is to seek out remaining mom’n’pop/vintage/weird used places, pawn shops as well, ‘cause that’s where the cool stuff really is.

 

[BadMonk]

When was the last time you walked into any store and were greeted by someone (except a place where salespeople work on commission)? The art of customer service is dying. In the modern world, you can rent a car, gas up your car, buy groceries, rent a movie, and return home all without interacting with a single human being.

Yesterday while making my once in a blue moon trip to Burger King. LOL. I know greetings at fast food is not unusual but they asked for my first name when taking the order and called me by name when it was ready. Again, not unusual. However, as I turned to leave, the young girl at the register said "bye john...have a nice day" and likewise the manager (?) who handed me the bag. That was very different and very nice of them. LOL, but I def get your point.

 

[logdrum]

I actually don’t want to be bothered by any sales staff. There are five or six that I visit on a semi-regular basis, including the original one on Sunset Blvd.(when I’m in town), and every experience is different, every time. The one closest to me, Palm Desert(Palm Springs area)was fairly pathetic, but it has actually improved. If you don’t like the staff, wait a month, there will be a turnover. But I did have to explain to a younger floor person what ‘spring reverb’ on an amp was not long ago.
One thing that I haven’t seen mentioned is that not only do they have their website, but they’re just one part of the Musician’s Friend/Woodwinds and Brass online universe, so I just see them as a token brick’n’mortar presence. They’re not going anywhere. They’re like 7/11.
My first inclination, always, is to seek out remaining mom’n’pop/vintage/weird used places, pawn shops as well, ‘cause that’s where the cool stuff really is.

Even though I still go to San Diego and Santa Clara for work, I have not visited the California GCs since COVID but I always liked Lemon Grove and San Marcos - I've brought high $ stuff there and the people were great. That the store by the border San Ysidro is well stocked. They have a lot of MIA guitars there and looks like a lot of sales. And of course Santa Clara (Silicon Valley) where 120k household income is probably considered poverty level. Great selection and well thought layout.

 

[Killing Floor]

Why do they lock up the $300 Epiphone basses?

It’s funny. Was at one of the local GC recently and the Les Pauls were bottom row and I was able to grab on my own and some much less expensive axes were high.

 

[wysiwyg248]

GC is just awful.

Agreed, but remember use their own faults to your advantage.
I was at their Southfield, MI store last year, they had a Devon used bass listed at $1,100. I asked for help to bring it down to check it out, 30 min. later an assistant helped me.
The bass was in great condition but had old strings, way too high and bad intonation, so I asked for a small screwdriver to set it up. I guess the associate thought that I was a pesky customer that was there only to mess around and don't buy a thing. He told me that could not help me with the screwdriver, but if I was interested he was going to talk to the manager to see what he could do about the price.
I walked out of the store with a Devon bass that cost me $1,000 plus taxes.

 

[jimmydean]

I hate that GC (Maryland) puts locks on basses costing $400.00 up , it's really annoying to say the least . It's bad enough their selection of basses/gear is so limited but then they compound the problem(s)by making it difficult to play the gear . Been to the stores in Hollywood and NYC that are good , but to be honest , I prefer to shop at shops that specialize in used gear .

 

[dbsfgyd1]

I’ve been in Guitar Center for about 30 minutes now. There are 3 basses I would like to try and I have tried ZERO lol. The ones I want to try are locked up and there is no staff free to help me grab the ones I want to try. Meanwhile, Sweetwater connects you immediately with a sales person who gives you their full attention one on one.

I wonder why Guitar Center is always on the brink of Bankruptcy? They absolutely refuse to invest in an adequate amount of staff to provide even a barely adequate level of service.

This is my bad for driving 40 minutes each way to think I would be able to try a few basses.

Rant over.

View attachment 5380419

The only reason CG is open is because of Music Friend Online business is so much more profitable it’s not even funny. They don’t have any or very little inventory and have sales shipped directly from the company. A call center is much cheaper to operate that 200 brick and mortar stores full of gear.

Odds are what will find in these stores is mostly entry level up to a smattering of Weekend Warrior gear that have high profit margins. You are not likely to find a huge mount of pro level gear. My local store doesn’t carry much of anything I’m really interested in other than on occasion somebody will trade in something useful.

My thought on the deal is, as long as they have money back satisfaction guaranteed plus return shipping, if you want to try out a bunch of stuff, just order it online and return it if it doesn’t suit. Call it the bass of the month club..LOL!!!

 

[StayLow]

The only reason CG is open is because of Music Friend Online business is so much more profitable it’s not even funny.

Are you sure? Or maybe they’re doing so well they don’t bother to advertise.

I’ve recently been searching often on some popular Fender products. GC came up maybe 2% of the time, nowhere near top search result. MF came up never. Sweetwater often at or near the top, of course.

Could be curated results to my browser cookies, but am using no-tracking, blockers, etc.

Been spending too much time in gear threads here too, where MF has been mentioned twice: once by you just now, the other in an existing years-old MF thread.

On YouTube there’s no sign of GC or MF.

Just sayin’.

 

[dbsfgyd1]

I hate that GC (Maryland) puts locks on basses costing $400.00 up , it's really annoying to say the least . It's bad enough their selection of basses/gear is so limited but then they compound the problem(s)by making it difficult to play the gear . Been to the stores in Hollywood and NYC that are good , but to be honest , I prefer to shop at shops that specialize in used gear .

in certain parts of Maryland they should be kept in a locked crypt 30 feet underground.

Are you sure? Or maybe they’re doing so well they don’t bother to advertise.

I’ve recently been searching often on some popular Fender products. GC came up maybe 2% of the time, nowhere near top search result. MF came up never. Sweetwater often at or near the top, of course.

Been spending too much time in gear threads here too, where MF has been mentioned twice: once by you just now, tje other in an existing years-old MF thread.

Just sayin’.

 

[Michedelic]

I don’t blame them for the locks; ‘customers’ have forgotten how to behave.

 

[dbsfgyd1]

Hey thanks Stay Low. I always appreciate being told when I’m off a bubble or two.

It’s my understanding that MF sells a boatload of merchandise, and in the past I’ve seen in catalogs and other forms of media, selling a Fender product. That said, I’m not so sure their target market is working guitarists and bassists. School Band directors?? Oh yeah.

Thanks again.

 

[Clark W]

A 66 Reissue, an MIJ Special Fun Maui Blue, and a Performer PJ

You're not talking about this Maui Blue MIJ are you?
If so what's their price?

 

[StayLow]

Hey thanks Stay Low. I always appreciate being told when I’m off a bubble or two.

It’s my understanding that MF sells a boatload of merchandise, and in the past I’ve seen in catalogs and other forms of media, selling a Fender product. That said, I’m not so sure their target market is working guitarists and bassists. School Band directors?? Oh yeah.

Thanks again.

We’re probably both right.

The school band market is a ma$$ive churn, and I have zero clue who rules that roost. Whomever does would only regard our crowd’s business as a time-sucking annoyance.

 

[dbsfgyd1]

LOL!! Been a died in the wool time sucker myself for 71 one years now.. Hilarious Friend!

 

[Chrisk-K]

I love GC/MF and passionately dislike Sweetwater.