as per tb rules, you have to put that you work at GC in profile disclosures. Aside from that, I wish I would have gone there last november when we were in hollywood. as well as the mesa boogie hollywood store.
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Ugh, Guitar Center...
- Thread starter Barnabas
- Start date
as per tb rules, you have to put that you work at GC in profile disclosures. Aside from that, I wish I would have gone there last november when we were in hollywood. as well as the mesa boogie hollywood store.
That's right, another GC complaint story.
I got my bass back from the shop (fret dress)
My repair shop is right next to a GC, so I went in to see how she sounded.
I had to check my bass in, so the guy takes it out of the case, stares at the headstock (for about a minute) to get the serial, and puts it back in the case. Then he asks me...
"So is that a jazz or a precision?"
It says "Jazz Bass" in huge letters right next to the serial number.
I can't tell whats worse: the management or the employees.
Of course GC and others are idiots. But you guys are the fools. You all need to learn how to "shop like a woman".
First you don't want the instruments tuned or fixed or in anyway repaired PROVIDED that you can do the repairs. You don't want them cleaned or knobs tightened or anything else that is minor. Can you do a setup? Can you adjust a truss rod? Can you tune a bass? Can you clean the crap off the bass? Can you tighten jacks, switches and controls so they aren't all loose and rotating all over the place. If you can't then go buy a new bass from some high end store, pay the cash and go play it.
But those of us without money to burn, CAN do those fixes. And each one detracts from the asking price of the instrument. Hey, even if I have to rip ALL the controls out of a bass, yeah that's a serious repair but certainly within the realm of my abilities. So just HOW do you guys suppose I got my Ken Smith burner 6 string? By forking over a few grand? Come on. It was $300. It was high mileage and even the tuners had to be replaced. The only real expense beyond parts was a fret job by the local luthier ($80).
Hosed management is not a "problem" it's opportunity knocking. When a store is full of idiots (as was the local Sam Ash store for years until they started to clean up their act) you see all manner of weird things. You simply laugh at and ignore all the things priced higher than new prices and scarf up all the things priced nearly free because the clueless store manager has no idea what it is. I can't tell you the vast amounts of money I've saved due to clueless store management. I've got music gear like a king and paid next to nothing for most of it.
Of course if YOU are clueless and don't know how to tune your bass or replace a knob then you are just an opportunity for someone else. There was a local bass player who'd buy all manner of new gear, play it for a while, get unhappy with it and then sell it used for a song. That guy supplied me with SO much stuff for next to nothing I was really disappointed when he finally found a rig he liked and quit buying new stuff.
On the other hand you ALSO have to know your limitations. A twisted neck is probably not going to be fixed by you (except by a new neck if that's possible). The fret job on my Ken Smith was scary until the luthier managed to fix it. (replacing all the frets is much more expensive than just leveling them).
But in spite of all this, never forget that when you see a bargain, BUY IT. "ya snooze, ya loose" is the rule. The bottom line is that if *I* am out there looking for things I can fix and pick up for a song, there are some other people out there who ALSO can fix them. There are quite a few footprints all over my butt from cases where I thought I'd think about something until tomorrow. Bzzzt. Too late.
And as for having work done at a GC or similar store, forget it. Our GC is pretty good, but It's pretty obvious that the "repair department" is that they asked among the clerks to find who knows how to change strings or do a rough setup. Search out a real luthier who knows what he's doing. It will be a much bigger bargain in the long run.
Of course GC and others are idiots. But you guys are the fools. You all need to learn how to "shop like a woman".
First you don't want the instruments tuned or fixed or in anyway repaired PROVIDED that you can do the repairs. You don't want them cleaned or knobs tightened or anything else that is minor. Can you do a setup? Can you adjust a truss rod? Can you tune a bass? Can you clean the crap off the bass? Can you tighten jacks, switches and controls so they aren't all loose and rotating all over the place. If you can't then go buy a new bass from some high end store, pay the cash and go play it.
But those of us without money to burn, CAN do those fixes. And each one detracts from the asking price of the instrument. Hey, even if I have to rip ALL the controls out of a bass, yeah that's a serious repair but certainly within the realm of my abilities. So just HOW do you guys suppose I got my Ken Smith burner 6 string? By forking over a few grand? Come on. It was $300. It was high mileage and even the tuners had to be replaced. The only real expense beyond parts was a fret job by the local luthier ($80).
Hosed management is not a "problem" it's opportunity knocking. When a store is full of idiots (as was the local Sam Ash store for years until they started to clean up their act) you see all manner of weird things. You simply laugh at and ignore all the things priced higher than new prices and scarf up all the things priced nearly free because the clueless store manager has no idea what it is. I can't tell you the vast amounts of money I've saved due to clueless store management. I've got music gear like a king and paid next to nothing for most of it.
Of course if YOU are clueless and don't know how to tune your bass or replace a knob then you are just an opportunity for someone else. There was a local bass player who'd buy all manner of new gear, play it for a while, get unhappy with it and then sell it used for a song. That guy supplied me with SO much stuff for next to nothing I was really disappointed when he finally found a rig he liked and quit buying new stuff.
On the other hand you ALSO have to know your limitations. A twisted neck is probably not going to be fixed by you (except by a new neck if that's possible). The fret job on my Ken Smith was scary until the luthier managed to fix it. (replacing all the frets is much more expensive than just leveling them).
But in spite of all this, never forget that when you see a bargain, BUY IT. "ya snooze, ya loose" is the rule. The bottom line is that if *I* am out there looking for things I can fix and pick up for a song, there are some other people out there who ALSO can fix them. There are quite a few footprints all over my butt from cases where I thought I'd think about something until tomorrow. Bzzzt. Too late.
And as for having work done at a GC or similar store, forget it. Our GC is pretty good, but It's pretty obvious that the "repair department" is that they asked among the clerks to find who knows how to change strings or do a rough setup. Search out a real luthier who knows what he's doing. It will be a much bigger bargain in the long run.
I feel like an idiot for never really thinking of it that way. If a bass has been played to heck and back in gc, ask for a discount, duh.
godofthunder59
Life is short, buy the bass.
- Feb 19, 2006
- 9,057
- 38,405
- Disclosures
- Endorsing Cataldo Basses, Whirlwind products, Thunderbucker pickups
I like GC because every once and a while they screw up and have something like this and have priced it way low
You know, before I moved to Ohio(about 2.5 years ago), I never understood these GC complaints. I used to go to the GC in Castleton, IN which, I thought, was a pretty cool place. They always had tons of Fenders, Music Man, Warwicks, Ibby's and a great selection of used(many high-end) basses. First place i've ever played a Sadowsky..... for real.
They had a bunch of sweet gu!tars too. I was told the manager there was the biggest buyer of vintage/high-end instruments of all GC's in the country. I haven't been there in a while, so don't know if that's changed.
Now that i've moved, every GC i've been to in Ohio pretty much matches all of the negative descriptions i've heard here on this site..... pity.
They had a bunch of sweet gu!tars too. I was told the manager there was the biggest buyer of vintage/high-end instruments of all GC's in the country. I haven't been there in a while, so don't know if that's changed.
Now that i've moved, every GC i've been to in Ohio pretty much matches all of the negative descriptions i've heard here on this site..... pity.
That's right, another GC complaint story.
I got my bass back from the shop (fret dress)
My repair shop is right next to a GC, so I went in to see how she sounded.
I had to check my bass in, so the guy takes it out of the case, stares at the headstock (for about a minute) to get the serial, and puts it back in the case. Then he asks me...
"So is that a jazz or a precision?"
It says "Jazz Bass" in huge letters right next to the serial number.
I can't tell whats worse: the management or the employees.
It's called OJT (On the Job Training) and a LOT of GC employees are going through it. It helps to remember that going in.
The hollywood one has some really nice stuff on their website (I have no business in California and thus have never been) I will grant. I for one am not anywhere near financially situated enough to be buying that kind of stuff though. However, my uncle is. He owns in the neighborhood of 55 vintage guitars and basses as of the last time I saw his collection (in 2000). A few years ago when I had a windfall and was looking at a vintage Ric from there I brought it up with him. His response was to avoid them at all costs. Apparently they treat high roller collectors much like they treat us normal players, they just charge a hell of a lot more.
I don't expect every instrument to be tuned and shiny, that would be ridiculous. I do almost all of my repairs, and paid practically nothing for all of my instruments. (Sales, damaged, etc.) I don't have money to burn either.
But when an employee looks at my headstock for a full minute and fails to read "Jazz Bass" in large letters, I can't help but be irritated by the incompetence.
That's one thing I love about going to most of the music stores in my area. But at a GC it's hard to jam with people when there always seems to be a 14 year old kid running through his repetoire of Flea licks and TOOL songs with the amp's volume at '11' and playing a bass he can't tell is out of tune.
davec
Supporting Member
- May 4, 2006
- 1,891
- 878
- Disclosures
- Owner; Cody Electric Basses ( Now Closed) sales @ Sweetwater
I have to agree that a GC "beater" is usually one of the greatest deals on the planet. A stop by the Autozone to buy some matching touch up paint, hardware store for some 0000 steel wool and 1000 grit Imperial wet/dry, couple of tubes of crazy glue and Meiguiers haze remover and naptha. Tighten up everything, quick fret level and dremmel polish and some fresh strings that GC will normally throw in. Set it up. Heaven!
As far as the volume, and not being able to hear. I will usually bring a some good noise canceling head phones and a Korg Pandora if I know I'm gonna looking to buy, then take the bass to the acoustic room
As far as the volume, and not being able to hear. I will usually bring a some good noise canceling head phones and a Korg Pandora if I know I'm gonna looking to buy, then take the bass to the acoustic room
I'm 49. I have $100K of gear in my studio, and have bought and sold $200K more.
Everywhere else I go, I get the here's-a-guy-in-his-peak-earning-years treatment (but the joke's on them). But at GC I get asked for ID when making a $20 purchase with a platinum card, implying I may be a low life criminal. This from guys who just spent the previous 5 minutes interacting with me like church greeters on speed.
The result is that I will never spend more than $20 at GC, and only then in a pinch. Too many other great options.
What dummies.
Everywhere else I go, I get the here's-a-guy-in-his-peak-earning-years treatment (but the joke's on them). But at GC I get asked for ID when making a $20 purchase with a platinum card, implying I may be a low life criminal. This from guys who just spent the previous 5 minutes interacting with me like church greeters on speed.
The result is that I will never spend more than $20 at GC, and only then in a pinch. Too many other great options.
What dummies.
I haven't had the horrors of going to Guitar Center as here in Western Massachusetts there isn't much in terms of big box stores concerning musical instruments (aside from the local stores which I do frequent). That said, the largest "big box" we have here is Daddy's, and while it isn't bad I did have to deal with a few people who I thought weren't competent.
And as for trying out a bass, I usually play the same song on different basses so I can get a feel for what it sounds like (ironically it's a Tool song but really that doesn't matter).
And as for trying out a bass, I usually play the same song on different basses so I can get a feel for what it sounds like (ironically it's a Tool song but really that doesn't matter).
Hate me if you want but this needs to be said.
1. I can't believe I'm joining this thread ... nuff said about that!
2. The best way to deal with GC is to NOT GO! You guys are dying a slow death by continuing to visit these locations and continuing to BITCH about them like little girls (yeah I said it). Anybody hear ever touched a hot iron? What happened? Burnt you, right? Anybody gonna touch a hot iron again? If you do, you'll get what you deserve. It kills me to see how many people will keep going back to GC knowing what they are in for.
3. I worked for GC for 10 yrs. I become unhappy with so many things my last 2 yrs or so of my GC career so I did what an intelligent person would do ... I QUIT! And i repay them the best way I can. Not by bad mouthing them on line but by spending my money elsewhere or at least at my local GC I respect the most and with the salesman of my choice. We all flaunt around here like bass gear Gods so why do we have to ask a salesman a question. You know what you want so go try it out and if it appeals to you, buy it. You really don't need a salesman cause that will just be another reason for you to come here to bitch about it later.
Now that I've gotten that off of my chest ...
... back to what you where doing!
1. I can't believe I'm joining this thread ... nuff said about that!
2. The best way to deal with GC is to NOT GO! You guys are dying a slow death by continuing to visit these locations and continuing to BITCH about them like little girls (yeah I said it). Anybody hear ever touched a hot iron? What happened? Burnt you, right? Anybody gonna touch a hot iron again? If you do, you'll get what you deserve. It kills me to see how many people will keep going back to GC knowing what they are in for.
3. I worked for GC for 10 yrs. I become unhappy with so many things my last 2 yrs or so of my GC career so I did what an intelligent person would do ... I QUIT! And i repay them the best way I can. Not by bad mouthing them on line but by spending my money elsewhere or at least at my local GC I respect the most and with the salesman of my choice. We all flaunt around here like bass gear Gods so why do we have to ask a salesman a question. You know what you want so go try it out and if it appeals to you, buy it. You really don't need a salesman cause that will just be another reason for you to come here to bitch about it later.
Now that I've gotten that off of my chest ...
... back to what you where doing!
Maybe one day your card will get stolen and the criminal will try to use it. You'll be thankful if ID gets checked.
Off subject maybe: Your using a credit card and insulted because they ask for you ID? Its done for your protection. Every retail employee must do this or be fired.
Ok, here is one of my quick visits to Guitar Center story.
I purchased an 8 ohm cabinet and wanted to use it with an old Eden WT500 amp. However, you had to use an alligator plug for the 8 ohm input. So, I went to GC and purchased a cable that had a 1/4" on one end and an alligator plug on the other end. When I got home, I noticed that the Eden plugs had black and red inputs (obviously, for neg and pos). However, the alligator plug was all red and I could see the black and white wires going into the plug.
Now, because I am not too knowledgeable about electronics and because I did not want to damage my equipment, I decided to call GC and ask them how do you determine the correct way to plug it in. The salesman responsed with, "I do not think it makes any difference, however, if you plug it in wrong and it begins to smoke, take it out and try to plug it in the other way".
I purchased an 8 ohm cabinet and wanted to use it with an old Eden WT500 amp. However, you had to use an alligator plug for the 8 ohm input. So, I went to GC and purchased a cable that had a 1/4" on one end and an alligator plug on the other end. When I got home, I noticed that the Eden plugs had black and red inputs (obviously, for neg and pos). However, the alligator plug was all red and I could see the black and white wires going into the plug.
Now, because I am not too knowledgeable about electronics and because I did not want to damage my equipment, I decided to call GC and ask them how do you determine the correct way to plug it in. The salesman responsed with, "I do not think it makes any difference, however, if you plug it in wrong and it begins to smoke, take it out and try to plug it in the other way".
I can't help but be irritated by the incompetence.[/QUOTE]
Oh Yeah? How about this story:
The GC near me has a used Yamaha BB615 listed for 599.00
This bass sells new for 499.00. I pointed this out to the salesman who so was standing there. So I played the bass(after they went on a 15 minute expedition to find a battery for it)
As I was leaving the salesman asked me what I thought and was I interested. So I asked the price. He said " can let you have it for 550.00"
He said this as if he was doing me a favor.
Now I understand that pricing is controlled by their computers, but how could you, with full knowledge of the the MSRP, ask a customer to pay more than it cost new!
I said but that's more than a new one from your site "He said hey man it's almost closing time don't give me a hard time"
It wasn't just the price or the rudness, it was mostly the complete lack of comprehension that I found appaling.
To this day you can still see it listed at that price on their used page. And to this day I will never step foot in that store.
Oh Yeah? How about this story:
The GC near me has a used Yamaha BB615 listed for 599.00
This bass sells new for 499.00. I pointed this out to the salesman who so was standing there. So I played the bass(after they went on a 15 minute expedition to find a battery for it)
As I was leaving the salesman asked me what I thought and was I interested. So I asked the price. He said " can let you have it for 550.00"
He said this as if he was doing me a favor.
Now I understand that pricing is controlled by their computers, but how could you, with full knowledge of the the MSRP, ask a customer to pay more than it cost new!
I said but that's more than a new one from your site "He said hey man it's almost closing time don't give me a hard time"
It wasn't just the price or the rudness, it was mostly the complete lack of comprehension that I found appaling.
To this day you can still see it listed at that price on their used page. And to this day I will never step foot in that store.
