Guitar Center - your opinion?

[JacksonMIA]

Re: Guitar Center - your opinion?

I would say they're good for when you're working on a guitar on a Sunday afternoon and you find out you need a new pot or switch and all the other stores are closed, but that would only be true if ours ever kept anything like that in stock.

They've got all the Les Paul knobs I want, though.

:smack:

 

[guitarded]

Re: Guitar Center - your opinion?

Yes.... I shop there regularly. Even purchased a guitar that way. Maybe I got lucky with that one, but they shipped a really nice Epi Paul to me. For me it's really easy to buy things like strings, picks, and misc odds and ends in bulk. They almost always have what I am after in stock, and they ship fast.

I also use Sweetwater once in a while. They take customer satisfaction to extremes. An example is I bought a gig bag for my PodXt. Hours after placing the order, I received a call from a sales engineer asking me if I had any questions about the product and providing me with a ship date, and when I can expect to receive it. As their usual policy my order was shipped with a Thankyou note and a bag of candy

What do you guys think of Guitar Center and their website www.musiciansfriend.com ? Do you shop there? What do you like about it or not like about it? Do you think the company has a good future?

Thanks

 

[El Dorado]

Re: Guitar Center - your opinion?

Yes.... I shop there regularly. Even purchased a guitar that way. Maybe I got lucky with that one, but they shipped a really nice Epi Paul to me. For me it's really easy to buy things like strings, picks, and misc odds and ends in bulk. They almost always have what I am after in stock, and they ship fast.

I also use Sweetwater once in a while. They take customer satisfaction to extremes. An example is I bought a gig bag for my PodXt. Hours after placing the order, I received a call from a sales engineer asking me if I had any questions about the product and providing me with a ship date, and when I can expect to receive it. As their usual policy my order was shipped with a Thankyou note and a bag of candy

I agree about sweetwater. They have great service in my experience. I oredered some computer hardware stuff, and they called me the next day (not even 24 hours later) just to make sure if the hardware would be compatible with my computer. I don't know of too many other online stores that would do that.

 

[Perry D]

Re: Guitar Center - your opinion?

i like to see the selections of guitar center but i think the business itself sucks. most of the employees there dont even know what the **** anything is. they are just trying to make a sale and be as helpful (i mean anoying) as possible. i just really despise going there. i love my local shop much better.

 

[dystrust]

Re: Guitar Center - your opinion?

I agree about sweetwater. They have great service in my experience. I oredered some computer hardware stuff, and they called me the next day (not even 24 hours later) just to make sure if the hardware would be compatible with my computer. I don't know of too many other online stores that would do that.

I once placed an order with Sweetwater online from my home while on a lunch break, and I entered my shipping address wrong. When I got back to my office (it's a 10-15 min drive max) there was already a message from my sales engineer in my voicemail asking to verify the address. How's that for service?

 

[lex666]

Re: Guitar Center - your opinion?

+1 for Sweetwater

I bought my LP classic from them and they "profesionally" inspected and set it up for me. they even asked what string brand/gauge I prefer and set it up with those. The salesguy called me to let me know when it was shipped, and a few days later to be sure it arrived okay. A few weeks later they called again to follow up how I liked it and to see if I wanted to spend thousands of dollar on recording equipment.

 

[big_black]

Re: Guitar Center - your opinion?

I don't like to support MF or GC. I think their poor service and "warehouse" mentality has damaged the industry. Particularly with Gibson, a lot of crap instruments that would otherwise be sent back are making it to the streets. Lower price does not always mean a better deal.

 

[jeremy]

Re: Guitar Center - your opinion?

I don't like to support MF or GC. I think their poor service and "warehouse" mentality has damaged the industry. Particularly with Gibson, a lot of crap instruments that would otherwise be sent back are making it to the streets. Lower price does not always mean a better deal.

i very much agree with this. i try and buy as much as possible at locally owned shops and ill even pay more money than i would at gc to the local guys. at gc i pay about 7% over cost as of late. i give the local guys 15% or more all the time

 

[Dirtbagg]

Re: Guitar Center - your opinion?

With Guitar Center I agree it is a love/hate relationship.
Most of the people there don't know a truss rod from a tuning peg, but you do get a few that do. I do like the selecetion better than my local shop that has Aria ProII there. When I was working on the road I would stop at a local GC to jam on my lunch break, which was cool.

For Musician Friend, I like them, I bought a Fender Standard Fat Strat, it is great, and I would something from them last Christmas with there daily giveaway, so I am bias now.

 

[jmh151]

Re: Guitar Center - your opinion?

I don't trust any salesmen, period. That being said, if you know what you want, I have no problem buying from Guitar Center or Musician's Friend- I've bought many things from them in the past. Guitars I'd try out first, but you can't go wrong with anything that's factory sealed.

If you're a regular customer at Guitar Center and get to know the employees, they'll tip you off to special sales, such as end of month clearance.

I have a salesman at Guitar Center that gives me a call anytime any new used gear comes in, and calls me for upcoming or secret sales since I buy so much there and have one of their credit cards...

So I get great service at Guitar Center and can't complain.

Most of the employees at my local guitar center are pro musicians so they're very knowledgable of the gear and helpful.

 

[ksmith63]

Re: Guitar Center - your opinion?

I don't like to support MF or GC. I think their poor service and "warehouse" mentality has damaged the industry. Particularly with Gibson, a lot of crap instruments that would otherwise be sent back are making it to the streets. Lower price does not always mean a better deal.

is it really musician friend's fault that crappy instruments are showing up? i agree there is the occasional damage due to shipping but none of the guitars that i purchased online has had a problem like this.

 

[big_black]

Re: Guitar Center - your opinion?

is it really musician friend's fault that crappy instruments are showing up? i agree there is the occasional damage due to shipping but none of the guitars that i purchased online has had a problem like this.

Yes. Reputable dealers will inspect the guitar and send it back if the guitar is not something they can/will sell. CG and MF has made it easer for manufacturers to lower build quality (more apparent in some than others) because the quantity they can move. Ultimately I feel like this lowers the expectations of the buyer (what they will "settle" for) and the quality of production guitars across the board.

 

[TS2]

Re: Guitar Center - your opinion?

I don't know...I usually get some great deals at my local GC, and the guys in the guitar area know their stuff decently. If I don't like what I got when I get home, or find something wrong they have no problem in taking it back and replacing it until I am satisfied. On the other hand....accessories guys are total ass. I'm pretty sure at this point that they probably don't know how to read, much less know absolutely ANYTHING about guitar accessories.

 

[J Moose]

Re: Guitar Center - your opinion?

I don't like to support MF or GC. I think their poor service and "warehouse" mentality has damaged the industry. Particularly with Gibson, a lot of crap instruments that would otherwise be sent back are making it to the streets. Lower price does not always mean a better deal.

+100,000,000


Guitarget... Banjo Depot... Musicians Fiend... Scam Cash...


They ALLLL suck donkey ballz.


There's something like 3 or 4 Guitargets within 30 mintues of my door & none of 'em are really worth stopping into anymore. Lame selection, lamer employees...

What kind of 'service' can you REALLY expect when the pay is about $7.00 an hour IF that?!?

They've blown through the pool of knowledgeable people in the NY/NJ metro area so they hire monkeys.

The concept of a 40 hour week & 'normal' life just doesn't exist there... They also make the employees work 6 day, 60+ hour weeks.



They also like to 'dictate' prices & terms to manufactuors...

We'll take 1000 of "______" at X price (sometimes 30% BELOW what your local dealer is paying) with 180 day terms otherwise we won't carry your products at all.

Lets face it, if your making musical 'widgets' and they aren't in GuiTarget & Scam Cash then you might as well not exist at all.



Sorta like "American Idol" I guess...



It's a fukked up situation.

I can't even begin to go through the laaaaaaaaaaaaaame experiences I've had at GC.

The LAST one just fukking burned me to NO end...


I left a deposit on a used Tele (the Bigsby ride) and was going to pop back into the store later that night to seal the deal...

Friend called me up with car problems, never made it back so I went in the next day and the guy I had struck the deal with wasn't there so I was dealing with some manager kid who was none-to-happy about the deal we struck but hey, there's paperwork...

It's binding.

He was trying to either kill it or get more cash out of me...like a few hundred dollars more.

I was there to pick up a guitar...

It was taking fukking HOURS to do...

After enough BS on his part (and some ranting on my part!) I told him I was going to call corperate and let 'em know what was happening... reached into my pocket for the cell & turned towards the door...


Maybe 20 minutes later I was walking out of the door with a guitar in my hands.

WTF?!?!?!

:soapbox:

 

[Fender_Punk]

Re: Guitar Center - your opinion?

None up here. I'd rather go to a local shop than a chain though, just seems more musical and less business-like in non-chain music stores. However chains are good for getting accessories and parts (winders, strings, pots etc) as it's cheaper.

 

[matt99camero]

Re: Guitar Center - your opinion?

Yes. Reputable dealers will inspect the guitar and send it back if the guitar is not something they can/will sell. CG and MF has made it easer for manufacturers to lower build quality (more apparent in some than others) because the quantity they can move. Ultimately I feel like this lowers the expectations of the buyer (what they will "settle" for) and the quality of production guitars across the board.

I've been to quite a few mom and pop shops around Oklahoma and a few in Texas and with that statement I can honestly say I've never been in a reputable shop. They will sell you a crap guitar and charge you $50 extra in the process. So MF and GC usually has what I want, I can get it for less than any mom and pop shop, and I get a better return policy. Heck yeah I'm gonna buy from them.

 

[Jeffrec]

Re: Guitar Center - your opinion?

I totally agree with what most folks are saying. You have to do some research before purchasing. It really blows when you have to educate the salesperson. I've had to do that a few of times.

I was at GC one time and this guy and his kid were trying out Hamer imports. I gave them some pointers and they picked out a nice one, however, the guitar needed to have to frets polished (a little grainy feeling) and a decent set-up. When the sales guys heard me he got all pissy and tried to convince them that the guitar was perfectly set-up. I took the guy to school and he shut up after that.

 

[ibanezrocks]

Re: Guitar Center - your opinion?

Long & McQuade is basically the Canadian Guitar Center... I'll never forget how mad my friend got when they still had all the strings behind the counter and he had to ask the sales guy to get him a 7-string set, only to have the guy argue with him for 15 minutes that guitars only have 6 strings. He tried explaining it every possible way but still couldn't get the guy to look for them.

 

[J Moose]

Re: Guitar Center - your opinion?

I totally agree with what most folks are saying. You have to do some research before purchasing. It really blows when you have to educate the salesperson. I've had to do that a few of times.

Yup.

But that's what happens when you pay like Starbucks & hire their ex-employees.

 

[devastone]

Re: Guitar Center - your opinion?

I see some people like their "price match" policy, my feeling on that is, if someone else is selling it for a better price, especially if it is an independent store, you should buy it from them, not give GC a chance to match the price. If GC can beat the price, okay, but if they just match it, the other store earned your business first.

Just my $0.02...