saturn Posted December 26, 2015 Share Posted December 26, 2015 So I was out doing some running on Christmas Eve and decided to swing into the local Guitar Center and kill some time. Really only two things worth mentioning. I couldn't help but notice there were only a handful of new Gibson guitars. Normally there are 30 to 40 Gibsons hanging just to the right as you walk in the door. The guy did point out that it's Christmas Eve and they pretty much blew their inventory out with sales. Duh There was one 2015 LP left and he showed it to me. I commented that it didn't have to Mini Tune or G Force or whatever it's called, and he told me Gibson paid GC to switch them all out. I made my way to the Used wall. In close proximity to one another were a PRS Single Cut and a Les Paul both priced about the same ( about $900). The PRS wasn't an Asian made SE, but it was like the equivalent of the Gibson Studio model. Was an ugly pee yellow color but did have Bird inlays. The Les Paul must have been one of those Tributes or something. It was Faded and had P90s. So I had to play and compare them out of curiosity. Sorry to say the PRS felt and played much better than that Faded LP! No comparison in this case. That PRS was butt-ugly and I don't need another guitar, but damn! If I find myself with some leftover cash after this holiday, and if it's not sold (fat chance) I might have to make a purchase. Anyway. That's my boring GC story. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Californiaman Posted December 26, 2015 Share Posted December 26, 2015 Unfortunately I got $50.00 Guitar Center Cash for Christmas. I was just told by a new guitar dealer in town that GC is four billion dollars in debt. That explains why they don't have a lot of Gibson and in the case of my local store Fender guitars. The sad thing about GC is that the company has been around a long time. To be that far in debt is inexcusable. Plagued by poor management and customer service, it's no wonder GC always seems to be an afterthought. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rct Posted December 26, 2015 Share Posted December 26, 2015 Unfortunately I got $50.00 Guitar Center Cash for Christmas. I was just told by a new guitar dealer in town that GC is four billion dollars in debt. That explains why they don't have a lot of Gibson and in the case of my local store Fender guitars. The sad thing about GC is that the company has been around a long time. To be that far in debt is inexcusable. Plagued by poor management and customer service, it's no wonder GC always seems to be an afterthought. GC's debt problems are entirely the result of the extremely predatory way they were taken from a public company to a private company. It is what is wrong with nearly all big, failing businesses in this country. They become somebodys personal bank and to fukk with what they actually do. It is a real shame. If the bottom drops out and gets too far away and they can't recover it could have serious effects on all of our music stores and the three big guitar companies. rct Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaxson50 Posted December 26, 2015 Share Posted December 26, 2015 Maybe Congress will decide they are too big to fail! Not! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stein Posted December 26, 2015 Share Posted December 26, 2015 GC's debt problems are entirely the result of the extremely predatory way they were taken from a public company to a private company. It is what is wrong with nearly all big, failing businesses in this country. They become somebodys personal bank and to fukk with what they actually do. It is a real shame. If the bottom drops out and gets too far away and they can't recover it could have serious effects on all of our music stores and the three big guitar companies. rct As I know it, Fender is in the same boat. I don't disagree with the way you put it, but another way of putting it is the WAY big companies are leveraged to "make money". Buy company, inflate the company by making it successful as possible, sell company. The company is then stuck with paying off it's own debt from being sold. So, I guess the way I might view it, is buying a company and building it up to sell is a great way to make money. But "big, failing businesses" are the end result of it, not the cause. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sparquelito Posted December 26, 2015 Share Posted December 26, 2015 I don't think that Guitar Center is singing their swan song quite yet. Things are slowly getting better, apparently. http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-guitar-center-20150610-story.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rabs Posted December 26, 2015 Share Posted December 26, 2015 It does make me wonder what will happen to Gibson in the future... I mean Henry is 62, how long before he decides to retire? Then what will happen? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quapman Posted December 26, 2015 Share Posted December 26, 2015 Well I know of at least one Mom and Pop shop would be happy to sell any of the big 3 again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flight959 Posted December 26, 2015 Share Posted December 26, 2015 4 Billion..... I very much doubt that! GC wouldn't be worth anything like that amount! IMO..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rct Posted December 27, 2015 Share Posted December 27, 2015 As I know it, Fender is in the same boat. I don't disagree with the way you put it, but another way of putting it is the WAY big companies are leveraged to "make money". Buy company, inflate the company by making it successful as possible, sell company. The company is then stuck with paying off it's own debt from being sold. So, I guess the way I might view it, is buying a company and building it up to sell is a great way to make money. But "big, failing businesses" are the end result of it, not the cause. Fenders boat is less leaky and a little different, they pretty much own their debt and can recover over time. They may have to change stuff and how they do things, but they can recover. More retail outlets would help them. GC was basically vulture capitalized, some guys came in, gave them a huge amount of money to keep them afloat in return for just under majority stake, then convinced the remaining 51% to buy the company from them by borrowing the money from them to buy it. I invest in your company, I lend you the money to buy it back, I sell my half to you for what you borrowed from me, I make money as the company has a brief spate of success, I make money when that runs its' course by taking your payments and interest on the money I loaned you while you gurgle into insolvency because all you can do is service your debt. Remember, I'm a 49% shareholder, so when we go to bankruptcy I'm going to see to it that I'm paid first, because I'm also a 60%, 70% creditor. It's a beautiful scam that only this country tolerates. rct Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cookieman15061 Posted December 27, 2015 Share Posted December 27, 2015 GC's debt problems are entirely the result of the extremely predatory way they were taken from a public company to a private company. It is what is wrong with nearly all big, failing businesses in this country. They become somebodys personal bank and to fukk with what they actually do. It is a real shame. If the bottom drops out and gets too far away and they can't recover it could have serious effects on all of our music stores and the three big guitar companies. rct If they weren't taken over by the "predatory company" they would've closed up shop a long time ago. Fact is GC was run poorly for years before that. A tanking economy didn't help either. Guitars are a luxury and huge amounts of inventory collecting dust is not conducive to a winning business model. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rct Posted December 27, 2015 Share Posted December 27, 2015 If they weren't taken over by the "predatory company" they would've closed up shop a long time ago. Fact is GC was run poorly for years before that. A tanking economy didn't help either. Guitars are a luxury and huge amounts of inventory collecting dust is not conducive to a winning business model. All true and I agree. The sad thing is that this is how things used to go, but they've learned how to have a couple dozen people make some obscene amounts of money off of flushing a company. rct Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cookieman15061 Posted December 27, 2015 Share Posted December 27, 2015 All true and I agree. The sad thing is that this is how things used to go, but they've learned how to have a couple dozen people make some obscene amounts of money off of flushing a company. rct True dat. My brother worked there. Busted his *** and worked his way up to store manager. He left once he realized the mismanagement of people, inventory and funds would eventually spell doom for GC. Smart kid because now he's part owner of two thriving restaurants and he is clearly better off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZettaVita Posted December 27, 2015 Share Posted December 27, 2015 I've been run out of my local GC by overzealous sales people who must work part-time in a used car lot. Plus the fact I am a lefty, and among their entire inventory there was only one left-hand guitar in the entire store. I had more courteous service from a Sam Ash store across the country by telephone than here in town. YMMV. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ksdaddy Posted December 27, 2015 Share Posted December 27, 2015 I work with farmers every day who are constantly increasing acreage, buying more equipment, irrigation systems, GPS this and that.... keep putting air in a balloon and what happens to it? Meanwhile I work with ONE dairy producer who has had X number of head and X number of acres all his life. He knows what he can handle. And by handle I mean have a sustainable business that pays the light bill. His father told him a long time ago, "You won't get rich, but you'll make a living". He smiles and jokes and enjoys his day and on the weekends he and his wife hop on their Harley and go for rides. He's not trying to take over the world. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kidblast Posted December 27, 2015 Share Posted December 27, 2015 went there last week to get the grandson some new hi-hat stuff. 5 wankers trying out guitars and/or amps, fighting for who can noodle the loudest as soon as you walk in the door. Wanted to hang around and check out some acoustics but honestly, once the cymbals and stand was paid for, it was straight to the door. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grovesnor Posted December 28, 2015 Share Posted December 28, 2015 Meanwhile in England .. all the big music stores consolidated all their regional stores in to a single warehouse (with a small shop front) and do 90% of their business online with bare bones staff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rocketman Posted December 28, 2015 Share Posted December 28, 2015 I used to stop by our GC at least once a week because it's very close to where I work. But I did notice that they don't have a wide selection of higher-end stuff. So I just go in there when I need something small. All my big purchases are done at the HOG in Rochester. That place is like a museum, and I get great deals! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rct Posted December 28, 2015 Share Posted December 28, 2015 Went over to the local shop that changed hands again about a year ago, his last day open is December 31st. sigh. Don't do what we did kids, don't rely on casinos to create an economy, it just doesn't work. Stopped at GC. They took out 95% of their used amps, replaced them with a long two sided rack of vinyl. Records. Yup. Our GC is now a record store. Weird. rct Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duane v Posted December 28, 2015 Share Posted December 28, 2015 Man..... Every time I walk into a GC, I instantly turn into a 12 year old, and want everything that's hanging on the walls Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blueblooded Posted December 29, 2015 Share Posted December 29, 2015 I'm with Duane, Maybe not everything but I usually find several guitars and other pieces of gear I wouldn't mind having. This thread sure has twisted a bunch from what the OP started. In any case, I find most GCs are decent and I don't rely on having stellar sales help from all the sales staff. But I usually know what I'm looking at and really don't need their help other than to take my money. I guess I can't blame the stores for the kids shredding on the gear. I look forward to those kids growing up and keeping the love alive. I do visit every music store I can when I travel. Been to many GC's/Sam Ash stores around the country. In the last 12 months I visited three GCs in and around San Diego and also the Nashville store. After seeing the jaw dropping platinum room in the Nashville store I look forward to going back in 2016. I also look forward to visiting the Hollywood Ca. store someday which I hear is the most impressive of them all. When I was in the Tampa Fl. area last year I visited a Sam Ash store and found it much like most GCs. I also visited the Carvin factory store in San Diego - some really impressive stuff coming out of there. A few years ago I stopped by the Sweetwater showroom. Was not impressed with their showroom for guitar stuff but I understand they have redone it since. I've also stopped in many mom & pop stores and some are very cool. One I found just north of San Diego had a huge assortment of Heritage and some other high end brands. I talked to the staff quite a while and they said they were doing fine. With 4 large GC stores in the Detroit area, we also have several good sized independent stores that carry high end gear and all have a good customer base. I think the world would be ok with or without the GC stores. I do hope they make it as it is convenient to have them around. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rocketman Posted December 30, 2015 Share Posted December 30, 2015 My GC has about 5-8 good guitars in it. These are typically pictures of the HOG selection though: Oh and if you want records, here is picture of the back of their store: I'm a kid in a candy store when I'm there! The entire upper floor is synths and drums. One time I was there and saw this beautiful drum kit. Turns out it was Steve Gadd's. He grew up in Rochester, and comes back to give clinics at the HOG. A lot of famous players come there, and even bands. Trust me, it's worth a road trip! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bender 4 Life Posted December 31, 2015 Share Posted December 31, 2015 during 3 separate Septembers (my profit-share month) I've walked out of GC with $3k, $6k & $8k, burning a hole in my pocket due to the utter lack of customer service for anyone that's not dressed like they just crawled out of a dumpster and is over 25 yrs old. Sweetwater did me OK though....for much less $ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdgm Posted December 31, 2015 Share Posted December 31, 2015 These are typically pictures of the HOG selection though: Sorry to be thick but I'm in UK....HOG? Hall Of Greats? Home Of Guitars? Now that looks like near-heaven to me...... HNY! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrNylon Posted December 31, 2015 Share Posted December 31, 2015 I've been doing really good with my local GC. Driving by it, on the way to, and from the local Sam Ash store. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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