What the hell happened, Guitar Center???

Re: What the hell happened, Guitar Center???

Mincer said:
I am not willing to put the time into catching them at the right time. I avoid chain music stores as much as I can. I don't think I've been in one in 5 years.
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That's nice for you Dave, but you've got chops, phrasing , and style. You only need one guitar. Those of us with mere mortal playing ability need to hide our mediocrity behind gear bling....
 
Re: What the hell happened, Guitar Center???

Aceman said:
That's nice for you Dave, but you've got chops, phrasing , and style. You only need one guitar. Those of us with mere mortal playing ability need to hide our mediocrity behind gear bling....
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Ha! Well, I don't mind having instruments, but I hate shopping. This isn't just music stuff, either. I hate shopping of any kind.
 
Re: What the hell happened, Guitar Center???

It's become great to quickly find an adapter, at least the GC near me. They have a few racks of every adapter known to man. Either I didn't used to buy adapters as much in the past, or this is a new thing. Their gear looks pretty OK, I just don't shop for gear anymore.
 
Re: What the hell happened, Guitar Center???

As a wise man once said, "If you want it done right, do it yourself."

Picks, strings, maybe a stomp once in a big f'n blue moon. Even then I typically buy online.

Guitars and amps? fugeddabouddit. Especially left-handed guitars. I do it myself.

Warmoth, WeberVST, online build clubs, etc there's tons of resources and parts out there so you can have exactly what you want... the first time.
 
Re: What the hell happened, Guitar Center???

I was in the Manchester NH Guitar center because they had an amp listed I was interested in. Of course, the amp was not there. What raised my eyebrow was they had a large section of classic albums rereleased on 180-gram vinyl. There were other sections that were dedicated to "consumer" goods that were not gear related. I think we are going to see more and more Bluetooth speakers, Fender barstools and tee shirts shortly in the GCs and less gear.
 
What the hell happened, Guitar Center???

I’m not so sure that Guitar Center has changed as much as I have. My local GC his ALWAYS had tons of guitars on the walls, and I used to think of it as a toy store for adults. In the past several years though, as I’ve learned more about the instruments and associated gear, I’ve come to realize that they have tons of the same old crap… There’s never anything new or exciting.

I guess I am saying that I feel like they probably always sucked… I just didn’t realize it until more recently.

I do find them to be handy for picks, strings, cables, or adapters in a hurry, but that’s about it.
 
Re: What the hell happened, Guitar Center???

something like that hit me last year during a visit to GC....thought immediately that they are fading away too....like the Gibson and the music...but then arrived at the conclusion that GC is just going the same way all the big chain stores are going...untrained part time employees with no benefits and an attitude to match...just a sign of the times...but can't help clinging to memories of different experiences that have no doubt gone thru the filter keeping good times and leaving the bad times along the side of memory road...the time of American Folk Blues Festivals is gone forever and EDM is the where we are if we're not careful...
 
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Re: What the hell happened, Guitar Center???

Securb said:
What raised my eyebrow was they had a large section of classic albums rereleased on 180-gram vinyl. There were other sections that were dedicated to "consumer" goods that were not gear related. I think we are going to see more and more Bluetooth speakers, Fender barstools and tee shirts shortly in the GCs and less gear.
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Remember when 1/2 of the floor space of Best Buy was CDs?
 
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Re: What the hell happened, Guitar Center???

Remember when Best Buy had guitars? They actually had a decent selection of gear. I miss that.
 
Re: What the hell happened, Guitar Center???

I try to never get caught without cables, strings, picks, etc. I never have to have any of that stuff *right now* that it can't wait for 2 day shipping from some place.
 
Re: What the hell happened, Guitar Center???

Adieu said:
Drove past my local SoCal GC today, went in to take a look around... SOOO depressing
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Which one? I wonder if it is one I used to frequent.

No different out here. Years ago there were lots of things to buy. Slim pickings now.
 
Re: What the hell happened, Guitar Center???

I go to a few SoCal locations and they ebb and flow: but both Orange and Brea seemed pretty cleared out of good used gear last time I dropped in (and used gear at GC is what's often amazing.) Lawndale, Fountain Valley, Moreno Valley and Murietta have some pretty cool stuff recently. Haven't visited the San Bernardino location in years. I feel OP on new Gibsons- the latest ones I tried feel terrible (the paintwork primarily.)

Hollywood was blowing out leftover cases for $5 last time I was there; got one for my Mustang.

I have never seen a pawn shop that had any decent gear they wanted to negotiate down on. When people talk about pawn shops that seems mythical to me.
 
Re: What the hell happened, Guitar Center???

Ascension said:
Man those shops like you describe are the BEST ones to hit!! Sometimes you have to be able to see see the diamond in the rough to get the deal though!!!
Deals like THIS 2003 mahogany neck and body quilt top Carvin DC 400 is a good example. I snagged it from a Pawn Shop for $500 with the case. Guitar was unplayable as some idiot had jacked the floyd up badly and had the neck so far out of adjustment you could bow hunt with it. Took her home pulled it apart cleaned it up polished the frets adjusted the neck and set up the floyd without changing a single part or so much as dressing a fret. One of the best playing /sounding guitars I have ever owned and is just stunning in person!!

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Nice Carvin! I too have a old Carvin that is my best playing guitar. Here in Nashville our GC's are pretty nice. Can't complain about the selection in Middle Tennessee!
 
Re: What the hell happened, Guitar Center???

Van Noord said:
I've never been inside a Guitar Center, so I couldn't tell ya...

My local shop is great...

23326119.jpg
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awesome shop ! where is that??
 
Re: What the hell happened, Guitar Center???

I would guess that the GC in Nashville would be pretty well loaded as it is a music mecca..

The GC in Jacksonville used to have a ton of used stuff. There for a good while, it seemed the used selection was larger than the new selection.. Last few times Ive been there, the had almost no used gear and most of the new stuff was lower budget, cept for a few Gibbys hanging behind the counter
 
Re: What the hell happened, Guitar Center???

Silence Kid said:
I go to a few SoCal locations and they ebb and flow: but both Orange and Brea seemed pretty cleared out of good used gear last time I dropped in (and used gear at GC is what's often amazing.) Lawndale, Fountain Valley, Moreno Valley and Murietta have some pretty cool stuff recently. Haven't visited the San Bernardino location in years. I feel OP on new Gibsons- the latest ones I tried feel terrible (the paintwork primarily.)

Hollywood was blowing out leftover cases for $5 last time I was there; got one for my Mustang.

I have never seen a pawn shop that had any decent gear they wanted to negotiate down on. When people talk about pawn shops that seems mythical to me.
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$5 hardcases???

Sh!t, cant believe I missed that. I'd have folded the seats and stacked the entire back of my Navigator with as much as I could carry.

Cases are surprisingly lucrative on Craigslist

If it's not too far out of the way, check out Lake Forest, it has some pretty interesting stuff sometimes.

Still kicking myself years later for letting a $250 Laney AOR slip away from me. Grabbed the old Carvin cab loaded with 2x 12-65's and 2x 12-k85's that it was hooked up to, for like the price of one speaker, and ran out of money for the day (back then I was a kid with no credit cards). Best sounding rock/metal halfstack I'd ever heard, before or after.
 
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Re: What the hell happened, Guitar Center???

Yep, five. By the time I got there it was mostly bass & Les Paul cases though. Actually I just found something I might not be able to resist in Cerritos- never been to that store before. May report back.
 
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