I saw my first ZON while at the Sunset GC in '97. I ordered my first one, a Sonus Special 5 through my local GC. Back in those days they had some nice basses in stock, none anymore.
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Went into Guitar Center, Wow
- Thread starter stuntbass77
- Start date
True enough.
But in my area Zon and other high end basses are readily available at small independent stores. I go to Gelb music and they carry mainly high end instruments like Zon, Elrick, FBass, Suhr, Anderson, etc. Of course, Gelb is in the same city as Zon itself. GC and stores like Gelb can co-exist because they no longer overlap. GC covers the low and some of the middle area while stores like Gelb do the high end.
This is one of the issues raised by this thread. For those of us who have access to small independent shops with good gear, the fate of Guitar Center is merely a matter of curiosity.
I have a pretty decent GC near me in Commack Long Island NY. Decent stuff, and fairly well maintained. Just the standard stuff, but the customer service is very good.
Hate to say it, but GC would probably still be doing pretty well, even with their current business model, if the whole economy hadn't taken a dump 7 (or more) years ago. I was flipping basses for awhile back then and was actually able to make a little $$ every now and then, and suddenly, not any more.
Most people don't have the disposable income they once did, and GC is a victim of that. Just like fast food companies and Walmart, who have all been whining about lower profits for years.
Snake eats tail. Go figure. But that's all fodder for a different thread in a different forum lest ye be banned.
Most people don't have the disposable income they once did, and GC is a victim of that. Just like fast food companies and Walmart, who have all been whining about lower profits for years.
Snake eats tail. Go figure. But that's all fodder for a different thread in a different forum lest ye be banned.
we went to the sherman oaks GC yesterday. despite the fact that they basically cut the bass area in half, so the floor area was literally smaller than my livingroom - it's not THE smallest bass area i've seen - they had some cool used stuff (although not as much as they used to have) and a better selection than the hollywood GC. they still had danelectro guitars, which were gone from hollywood recently, and they had gretsch, a couple hofners (a high ender and an icon), both new and used rics, as well as fenders, squiers, cheap and premium ibanez, sterlings and music mans (music men?), schecters, yamahas, epiphones (not sure if they had any gibsons). it wasn't too bad.
the sales guys were pushing cheap stuff on clueless buyers in both guitars and basses, and i got a super nasty look from a sales guy who was telling a hapless semi-newb that the 40 watt fender combo would be enough to play with a band when i told the guy it really wouldn't be enough to play with a drummer. it made no sense - some of those guys weren't on that tight a budget, but it seemed like some of the sales reps just wanted to sell them something cheap and get them out the door.
the sales guys were pushing cheap stuff on clueless buyers in both guitars and basses, and i got a super nasty look from a sales guy who was telling a hapless semi-newb that the 40 watt fender combo would be enough to play with a band when i told the guy it really wouldn't be enough to play with a drummer. it made no sense - some of those guys weren't on that tight a budget, but it seemed like some of the sales reps just wanted to sell them something cheap and get them out the door.
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Eric Garland finally throws in the towel.
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I was going to make a topic about this a while back and decided against it, but the guitar center on 14th st (Manhattan) has on 3 occasions refused to let me try out gear. saying that they will not get an item for me if i don't agree to purchase it today.
when i say "try out gear" I mean, pull down a 700 dollar ibanez that i couldn't get without a ladder or to try out a particular MXR pedal i was interested in.
when i say "try out gear" I mean, pull down a 700 dollar ibanez that i couldn't get without a ladder or to try out a particular MXR pedal i was interested in.
That's normal for 14th street...
Depending on what mood the sales guy is in, I could go either way. And I can understand them, too....every time I walk in that store there are about 10 guys trying stuff out super loud. I can't handle it for more than 10 minutes....I don't know how those guys work there all day.
Last time I was there, a saleswoman was trying to explain to a customer why he needs more amp on stage, while some dude in a suit was playing on 11 right next to them.
I remember Sam Ash on 48th being the same way....wouldn't let me try a Wah pedal unless I buy it first...I then casually tried one out across the street at Rudy's, then bought it.
I've had nothing but pleasant experiences with the Sam Ash on 34th street. I've been able to play anything on their wall without any hassle. and they keep a much higher quality of instruments in stock over there. I only visited the old flagship location a handful of times spread out over several years, but they were courteous to me there as well.
As far as I'm concerned, "don't try till you buy" completely undermines the value of a brick and mortar store. I mean, i just ended up buying pedal on Amazon the next day since i never got the opportunity to try one and had no idea what to get. Actually, looking back, i got my Sire soon after not being able to reach the Ibby sr 755 i was interested in.
As far as I'm concerned, "don't try till you buy" completely undermines the value of a brick and mortar store. I mean, i just ended up buying pedal on Amazon the next day since i never got the opportunity to try one and had no idea what to get. Actually, looking back, i got my Sire soon after not being able to reach the Ibby sr 755 i was interested in.
Better to go to the one in Brooklyn. Just not between the hours of 2pm-5pm where it's often full of highschoolers. I never saw a sadder, more beat-up collection of electronic drumsets...
Seem to be the same here in Beaumont tx location go in and see a full wall of guitars and go look at the basses and it slim picking two squier maybe one Ibanez and some dean's but a&s and nederland as more and actually carry some fenders
- Jun 30, 2010
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Interesting take on it from an across-the-board basic business standpoint. But aside from shifting markets, tastes and trends that are the musical industry trade (what's actually in the stores) - the point of hiring quality people (employees) and customer service/(friendliness/help/good advice) seem paramount to real success and is what differentiates a brick & mortar store from on-line sales. I mean, people can be friendly and helpful on-line, but this is a hands-on personal interface. I still like it, and it becomes part of a general well-being when purchasing something special. (seems obvious but guitar shops sell special things) So to make that happen people need to be paid fairly which wasn't really talked about here. Seems like a really big part to not mention.
