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Guitar chord forum - chordie → Chordie's Chat Corner → Guitar Center ??????
Anyone been to Guitar Center lately and notice how the instore stock in a lot less ? Lots of empty space in my local store. I had heard rumors the GC is in financial trouble and may be closing or just closing some stores. Anyone else seen this or know of the what I've heard ?
Yup. The place has been a financial disaster for a while. Tons of debt, Bain Capital squeezing it dry... Honestly, I thought it would be gone by now. It's too bad, as while I'd never buy a guitar there, I've bought tons of electronics, strings, microphones, and recording gear there.
I have made a few major purchases there a while ago, it's less now. Less recognizable faces than when I started. Great Article in Forbes . Answers a lot of questions. I have been doing more with smaller shops lately.
Joe
I love shopping at mom and pop stores for instruments. So much more personal.
I love shopping at mom and pop stores for instruments. So much more personal.
I do, but it's generally because they take much better care of their inventory than the Guitar Center guys do. I've been in the GC acoustic room and took a guitar off the wall. The strings were completely corroded, and the neck was warped. I asked the guy at the counter about it and he said "Oh yeah, we had a humidifier problem in here a couple of weeks back and a bunch of the guitars got really wet...." Even when that didn't happen, they were poorly tuned and weren't set up at all.
Compare that to the American Music where I usually shop for guitars. The guy that runs the room is named Johnny. He's got a son in the Navy, serving on submarines. Used to be a pretty serious grunge rocker in the 90s'. I know all of this because he talks to his customers, and he treats every instrument on his wall like it belonged to him, personally.
this is in Tacoma? idd like to check this store out. let me know when.
Jerome, I totally agree with you on the way GC takes care of acoustics. I was in their acoustic room one day and the temp. was about 90. You couldn't stay in there for more than a couple minutes. What does that do to guitars. That's only one of the things I've seen.But when you read the Forbes article you start to understand why the employees don't have much dedication.
This is just going to help out the small guys.
Joe
I love shopping at mom and pop stores for instruments. So much more personal.
That depends. It's possible for the Mom and Pop (or in my experience, Mom and Pop's eldest son) to care a little too much. I've gone shopping for acoustics and been forced to sit on a stool in the middle of a big area and have guitars brought to me, after my clothes were inspected for buttons, zippers, and I was made to wear an apron and wash my hands before being allowed to touch an instrument. Other times I have been in that store and was only permitted to hear the instrument be played by the store clerk. I don't buy guitars there. I do buy guitars from another store in the chain where the owner is a bit more relaxed.
That's overboard. Were you looking at high end instruments?
$600 range. Not Yamaha beginner packages, but not high end either.
Wow. Were it a 4k box I could see it, but that's a bit out of the ordinary.
Plus who wants a perfectly clean guitar? I like dings and scratches.
This is one of my favorite places to shop in the area. Not only is the shop well stocked, but the staff is friendly and encourage you to have a seat and play away to your heart's content on anything you fancy. I've known Kent since 1976 and even took a couple of lessons from him to get back into playing after Nam. Good folks and kind of a landmark hereabouts. every instrument is dusted and tuned daily, Outstanding Customer Service!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=zcTxxHvKksA
I go tonGC to look at used instruments. Otherwise, it is like Wal Mart for guitars. I always go to Union Music . Worcester, Mass for anything else. It is a chain of one store. They know me by name. They also have a great used selection. I would rather see them get my money instead of a big chain.
I buy online when I can. Musician's Friend, usually. Good folks.
Bill
I buy online when I can. Musician's Friend, usually. Good folks.
Bill
Musician's Friend is the online side of Guitar Center.... same parent company.
Also, keep an eye open on the model numbers at Guitar Center - they have a LOT of guitars that are not the actual model, but some similar model made cheaper JUST for Guitar Center. Sadly... Martin makes some "just for Guitar Center" guitars. In fact, last time I was in the local Guitar Center I was hard pressed to find a Martin guitar that was not a "GC exclusive". It's pretty sad when the guitars in the high end room are out of tune. Every. Single. One.
Amy, right on about the tuning and models. Lately a lot worse than when they first came on the scene. Doug , I'd like to find a local place like Troubadors. Looks very interesting.
I used to know most of the people at the local GC by name and they new me, not so for at least the last 4-5 years. I wonder if Musicians Friend, being the parent company of GC is in the same $$ mess that GC is ?
Joe
We're very fortunate to have a Long & McQuade's only 3 blocks from where I live. The staff there are very friendly and helpful, and haven't ever steered me wrong. They seem to be more concerned about musicians enjoying their music, rather than just trying to sell you something ... which is very refreshing. I've even seen their logo come up as a Chordie advertiser on the home page from time to time.
We don't have Guitar Center, Sweetwater, Musician's Friend, or other large chains like that in our area. But then again, Canada has 1/12th the population of the USA, so it wouldn't be viable for most of them.
Amy, right on about the tuning and models. Lately a lot worse than when they first came on the scene. Doug , I'd like to find a local place like Troubadors. Looks very interesting.
I used to know most of the people at the local GC by name and they new me, not so for at least the last 4-5 years. I wonder if Musicians Friend, being the parent company of GC is in the same $$ mess that GC is ?Joe
Methinks you have that backward. Guitar Center is the parent company and yes they are all in trouble, although I would guess MF doesn't have the huge overhead of stores, employees, etc. Easier business to run.
Dude, Thanks for the info on who own's who. I knew they were both a part of each other, didn't know complete story.
This is why I like Chordie so much. There aren't many answers you can't find here.
Thanks.
Joe
Guitar chord forum - chordie → Chordie's Chat Corner → Guitar Center ??????
