Ever get hassled for playing too loud??? Alchemist & GC content

[RockStarNick]

Re: Ever get hassled for playing too loud??? Alchemist & GC content

I don't think it's tacky or immature to crank an amp if you are SERIOUS about buying it, and need to put it thru it's paces before you potentially waste $1500 on an amp that doesn't sound good at stage levels.

I do think it's tacky, though, to just just go into GC, and start hacking thru shred licks, badly, extremely loud, just for an afternoon of fun.

 

[That90'sGuy]

Re: Ever get hassled for playing too loud??? Alchemist & GC content

Long and McQuade has the acoustic guitars in a separate sealed room. The good ones also have a soundproofed amp demo room, where you can shut the door and crank anything you want as loud as you want. It's a great system for everyone.

The one GC I've been to (Orange CT) has an acoustic guitar room. I'm surprised they don't all have one.

The Manchester GC has a pretty decent acoustic area, it's better than the Orange one

 

[jerryjg]

Re: Ever get hassled for playing too loud??? Alchemist & GC content

aftr 5pm, I could play at Madison Square levels. :cool2:
(why does the smiley face guy get a goatee when he drops his glasses down?)

 

[Skullkrusher]

Re: Ever get hassled for playing too loud??? Alchemist & GC content

It was no different at the Nashville GC.

Another thing....being in Nashville I kind of expected some good players to be in the store checking some stuff out.....no. I was literally the best player in the house that evening. lol In fact, there was a small group of people standing watching me.

 

[ImmortalSix]

Re: Ever get hassled for playing too loud??? Alchemist & GC content

I don't think it's tacky or immature to crank an amp if you are SERIOUS about buying it, and need to put it thru it's paces before you potentially waste $1500 on an amp that doesn't sound good at stage levels.

I do think it's tacky, though, to just just go into GC, and start hacking thru shred licks, badly, extremely loud, just for an afternoon of fun.

I am with you all the way

 

[JOLLY]

Re: Ever get hassled for playing too loud??? Alchemist & GC content

It was no different at the Nashville GC.

Another thing....being in Nashville I kind of expected some good players to be in the store checking some stuff out.....no. I was literally the best player in the house that evening. lol In fact, there was a small group of people standing watching me.

The good guitar players in Nashville don't go to Guitar Center.

 

[Skullkrusher]

Re: Ever get hassled for playing too loud??? Alchemist & GC content

The good guitar players in Nashville don't go to Guitar Center.

I figured that, but none the less I expected at least a few decent players to be in such a big GC.

 

[ex-250]

Re: Ever get hassled for playing too loud??? Alchemist & GC content

If it's the GC I'm thinking of, there's a Sam Ash directly across the street. :scratchch

cherry hill! haha.



ive never had anybody tell me to turn down. i have had people tell me to turn up though

now I'm constantly checking the volume and being overly considerate.

i do the same. hence the above comment

 

[Vetteboy]

Re: Ever get hassled for playing too loud??? Alchemist & GC content

cherry hill! haha.

Well, that too. :laughing:

I was talking about Springfield.

 

[J Moose]

Re: Ever get hassled for playing too loud??? Alchemist & GC content

Got a few minutes to check in here...

The biggest crime, IMO, was the level of the background music over the house sound system. I'm not sure what the advantage is of pumping music through a sound system in a store that sells musical instruments.

Yes indeed... I've often wondered about that myself. Don't see the point... If the store is going to start with music blasting at 90dB from schitty intercom speakers, then uhhhh... logic would dictate that it's only going to get louder faster.

I actually carry, and usually even wear my earplugs in GC.

The GC in question actually DOES have an acoustic room, a rather large one... and one of those glass doored amp rooms. But rather then having amps in that amp room, it's stacked with guitar cases & a bench for the "repair" guy.

This all went down at the Totowa NJ store actually. I live in Morristown and there are at LEAST four or five GuiTargets within a 25 mile radius. There are two in Paramus alone, about 3 miles apart. Every one of 'em is a unique experience and you couldn't pay me enough to go near ANY of 'em on a weekend.

The real kicker here is that the whole time I was plugged into the amp, which I had actually turned DOWN from the starting volume... there was a guy who must've grabbed about four different strats off the wall & was playing out of tune SRV licks through an overally gained... like "metal" distortion amp a row or two over... and he kept turning up!

All I wanted to do was play at the same volume I was at which wasn't loud. There have times at shops when I've shaken the walls... years ago at Rudys in NYC I was playing 100 watt heads, VHT's & the like in the upstairs level and the guys were letting me open 'em up. And then we got a call from the acoustic room downstairs, asking to turn down because everything was shaking... haha Ok! That's fair.

I'm just super tweaked about this because it was yet another and quite probably the LAST miserable experience I've had at a GC, and I've been in a bunch of 'em from Scottsdale AZ though Memphis & New Hampshire.

Several weeks ago when trying a Rebel head with the master around 10 o'clock and the watts knob around halfway one of their sales drones yelled from across the store to turn down. Maybe these kids are all tweaked themselves... but what about the time I was in an audio department and heard a LUDICROUSLY loud & out of tune rendition of Stairway to Heaven?

Walked the source, and saw two employees... one playing & the other standing there... blasting it from a Marshall full-stack with a red doubleneck. I guess neither one had ever seen Waynes World...

How about the flyer I got in the mail that day, and out of a half-dozen items in there, they have ONE I want in the store? All the busted up, mal adjusted guitars? Maybe I could make a case about some of the trade deals gone horribly wrong or special orders that were botched... but it's not worth it.

Seems like every time I go to GC I walk out talking to myself for wasting the time to make the journey. Coming over while I'm playing & ranting that you can't make another sale... bro... that ain't gonna fly.

And it couldn't have been that loud if you got my attention by speaking from five feet away...

 

[BloodRose]

Re: Ever get hassled for playing too loud??? Alchemist & GC content

I too always play low at GC cuz Im very self concious about my playing.. I will let loose alil in the amp room but always stop when someone opens the door or comes in..
My playing is limited and sadly, Im even more limited as to what I can play in Drop D and it seems that every guitar in GC is in drop D if it is tuned at all.

 

[live-I-evil]

Re: Ever get hassled for playing too loud??? Alchemist & GC content

Long and McQuade has the acoustic guitars in a separate sealed room. The good ones also have a soundproofed amp demo room, where you can shut the door and crank anything you want as loud as you want. It's a great system for everyone.

The one GC I've been to (Orange CT) has an acoustic guitar room. I'm surprised they don't all have one.

The one here in Ventura is the same way. Sound proof acoustic room and a sound proof room of the big boys(Triple Rec's Bogners and Marshalls among others) but better yet, they never tell anyone to turn anything down. I've heard tons of ass weasels sit for hours just jerkin around on loud tube amps. Come to think of it, it can be pretty annoying sometimes, but I guess that's the price you pay.

 

[ibanezrocks]

Re: Ever get hassled for playing too loud??? Alchemist & GC content

I rattled the walls at the one in Winnipeg with an Orange AD140 pegged on 10. I guess it's not quite as soundproof as they said it was.... :lmao:

Anyway, I've had a few dickhead experiences. I even had a guitar grabbed out of my hands once. I usually shake my head and walk out without saying anything.

lol those tiny rooms definitely aren't soundproof. Honestly based on their size and construction I'd guess they're just storage closets with foam attached to the walls.

 

[wanmei1]

Re: Ever get hassled for playing too loud??? Alchemist & GC content

I'm sure a lotta you guys have experienced this problem too.

When I play too loudly at home the neighbours call around and plead to be let in so they can hear me play.
Most annoying are the teenage girls that throw their underwear at me when I drive down the street.

Anyway, I've learned to live with it.

 

[Thunder]

Re: Ever get hassled for playing too loud??? Alchemist & GC content

Your not alone moose. Have had the same problem after spending thousands of $'s and the
vol wasn't that loud! I think GC's customer relations has gone downhill. Yes, punk sales kids
and the feeling your dealing with sleazy used car salesmen. And I havent seen any good deals there in a long time either. Still get flyers in the mail ... 10% OFF! Wooooooo!

 

[J Moose]

Re: Ever get hassled for playing too loud??? Alchemist & GC content

I'm sure a lotta you guys have experienced this problem too.

When I play too loudly at home the neighbours call around and plead to be let in so they can hear me play.
Most annoying are the teenage girls that throw their underwear at me when I drive down the street.

Anyway, I've learned to live with it.

Man... that is the WORST!!! Hate it when that happens...

Actually, funny enough... a few months ago I had a borrowed JTM45 & 4x12 in the house for a week and played it dimed with the channels jumped... even at 2am... never heard anything from the neighbors.

Maybe it seems like I'm piling on GC... and maybe it's only because I am... but I just couldn't believe what happened and still can't. I didn't have the amp loud to start with... and the kid at first was all "you're too loud..."

Me ~ "Really?! I'm too loud?" (dumbfounded & still noodling)

"Yeah... "

"If I turn down any I won't be able to hear it over the music on the PA... and I'm going to be buying an amp..."

"I'm telling 'ya its too loud!!!"

(diming the Alchemist) "OK! Now THAT's loud!!!" and then he tried to remove the guitar from my hands.


There's a happy ending though...

I went to my favorite local music store yesterday & bought an amp... one that they said they'd hold when the shipment came in. And they let me crank it, max volume through a 4x12... actually, they turned the volume up for me! I didn't even have to touch the amp!

Paid cash. Dead presidents.

Still haven't called GC corporate yet but there's no way I'm ever shopping at their stores again... too many other options out there.

 

[Empty Pockets]

Re: Ever get hassled for playing too loud??? Alchemist & GC content

there really is no good reason to shop at guitar center. Most shops have the same prices and if they don't they usually 'price-match' the competition.

Not to mention most shops are staffed by musicians that actually play and think about guitars, not teenagers that primarily think about partying.

 

[Gearjoneser]

Re: Ever get hassled for playing too loud??? Alchemist & GC content

It usually works out alright, but a few months ago I got some bitter moron who got in my face, and he found out how hardcore I can get on a person. I got a foot from his face, told him "I hear your phone ringing, Mr. Minimum Wage.....so why don't you run along and answer it." I don't take any crap whatsoever from anyone, and never have.

Not trying to be Mr. bada$$, but, well......me against a GC clerk ain't gonna work out well for him.

 

[Mr 9finger]

Re: Ever get hassled for playing too loud??? Alchemist & GC content

It usually works out alright, but a few months ago I got some bitter moron who got in my face, and he found out how hardcore I can get on a person. I got a foot from his face, told him "I hear your phone ringing, Mr. Minimum Wage.....so why don't you run along and answer it." I don't take any crap whatsoever from anyone, and never have.

Not trying to be Mr. bada$$, but, well......me against a GC clerk ain't gonna work out well for him.

Joe, we must go to guitarget some time together!

 

[ex-250]

Re: Ever get hassled for playing too loud??? Alchemist & GC content

Well, that too. :laughing:

I was talking about Springfield.

d'oh.