NeoConMan Posted February 22, 2010 Share Posted February 22, 2010 So the reason I’m even in Guitar Center for the aborted attempt to buy the SG Classic is because I want to pick up a couple speaker leads for my Marshall. After the SG Classic thing didn’t play out, in disgust, I decided to get the cables and get out of the place. I ALMOST bought a guitar at Guitar Center So I go to the guitar accessories end of the store where all the cables, pedals, stands, picks, strings, and such are located. I’m looking through the cables and I see microphone cable, instrument cable, this cable, that cable... But no speaker cable. Finally one of the young Emo/Slacker Dudes with the stupid haircut asks if he can help me. I reply that I’m looking for speaker leads for my Marshall stack, he tells me they’re in another area. Speaker cables would be back in Pro Audio, and he’ll follow me back there in just a minute to help me. Okay, that makes no sense at all but at least I’m headed in the right direction now. As I get to the display, I’m marveling at the prices for Monster Cables – five dollars per foot? Of course that’s the one he grabs first, I must look like a high roller in shorts and a t-shirt. “No…” I tell him. “I don’t think I need anything quite that fancy.” Obviously disappointed, he asks which brand I would prefer so I picked another Monster cable for half the price. I tell him I need two, a six footer and a three footer if he has them. Indeed he does, and he hands me the cables I chose and asks if I need anything else. I assure him I do not, and that I’m ready to get going. As we get to the cash register/computer he begins typing madly. He asks my name (here we go with this again) so I tell him my first name. (I’ll do that simply out of courtesy.) Then he asks for my last name, and notices I’m holding a couple twenty dollar bills out to him. I tell him that it’s a cash sale, yet he insists on typing my last name into the computer. “Cash” I say. "You can type in there that my name is Cash if you want to – Mr. Cash.” Okay.... I can see this is not what he was wanting, and he begins typing furiously once again. I tell him - with a smile - I’m trying to make this as quick and easy as possible for both of us – with cash. Finally, the display reads a total of $30.36, so I pull $1 bill out to add to the two twenties. Makes the change simple that way. Suddenly the computer makes a bunch of noise. The display facing me flashes a couple times before going blank. The drawer is closed, all is quiet. There we stand, looking at each other. The old guy in a t-shirt and shorts, and the Emo/Slacker Dude with the stupid haircut. He begins typing, pecking, and muttering under his breath. Mumbles an apology to me as I’m still holding the $41 in cash out for him. Finally picks up the phone and barks over the intercom "blah, blah, blah with a key blah, blah, to accessories...." Suddenly the computer kicks the cash drawer open and starts making all kinds of noise again. Well, looks like we’re making progress. He looks to be very confused holding my cash.... I tell him that he owes me $10.64. Suddenly he stops everything. “Yes,” I tell him. “That’s why I gave you the other dollar – makes it simple. A ten and some round thingies.” At this point I think he just takes my word for it and gives me that amount and shuts the cash drawer. Then some other guy steps in front of me and throws his stuff on the counter – I haven’t taken a single step yet. Emo/Slacker Dude starts ringing the new guy up, so I step back. Another Slacker asks “Sir, did you need something else?” “Yes, I’m gonna need a receipt. The girl at the door will do a cavity search on me if I don’t have my receipt.” Emo/Slacker Dude Number One stops and looks up, saying “I gave you a receipt.” “Um, no, I got nothing. I think you laid it down in the cash drawer.” Now he’s getting really irritated, and starts typing like a mad man again. Prints a duplicate receipt and just sticks it out to me. I thank him, take the receipt, and head toward the Goth Girl guarding the door. She sees that it says ‘DUPLICATE’ bigger than Texas across the top and looks confused. Okay, this is gonna piss me off. HOW DAMNED HARD CAN IT BE TO SELL SOMETHING? Then she starts talking to another customer while I’m standing there holding out my receipt. [angry] [angry] That’s it. Fxck it, I’m outta here. I simply walked out the door, expecting somebody to yell for me to return. On top of the sh!ttiest service and salesmanship on the planet, they treat you like a criminal at the door. I’ve posted many times, in many forums, about this single issue at Guitar Center. I don’t steal sh!t. And frankly, I’m a little insulted by the presumption that I would. I’m 44 years old, and my income is well into six figures. I’m not about to go to jail over ANYTHING in that goddam store. And they hire some chick (probably boning the manager) with few discernible skills in either musical equipment or retail sales to then presume to allow me passage through her station at the door if all my paperwork is proper and in good order. NOT my idea of how to treat a customer if you place ANY value on them at all. How do you stop pilfering of selector switch knobs and tremolo arms? Prosecute the living sh!t out of EVERY miscreant you catch doing it. Make SURE they have a criminal record to follow them around. Let THEM explain it for the rest of their lives. But they won’t do it. Why? Because that would be a bad PR move. They NEED the little kiddie sh!t heads as customers, and prosecuting them would make them all think Guitar Center sucks like any of the adult-oriented guitar shops I prefer to buy from. If the place wasn’t run as a Romper Room for the musically curious, they might sell new guitars undamaged. The more I thought about it, I decided that I’m gonna take advantage of another thing they use to destroy their independent competitors – the 30 day return policy. I talked to my amp guy when I got home, he’s gonna make me a set of right-angle cables for my stack so I can back it up to the wall. Proper length and everything. I’ll be returning my $30.36 worth of cables to Guitar Center. I’ll be sure and update this if it doesn’t go as it should – and we all know what the odds of that are... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dem00n Posted February 22, 2010 Share Posted February 22, 2010 Neo this happens at every store. I hope you know this... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FennRx Posted February 22, 2010 Share Posted February 22, 2010 its much worse at GC than any other store i've ever been in Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NeoConMan Posted February 22, 2010 Author Share Posted February 22, 2010 Neo this happens at every store.I hope you know this... No it doesn't - because I'm an adult with manners. I hope you know this... And are you talking about the cash register locking up too? Not being able to make change even though it's their F-ING JOB? Not giving a receipt with a sale? Yes, all that stuff happens much more than it should because we allow it to happen. If sh!tty service is all you expect, it's all you'll ever get. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silenced Fred Posted February 22, 2010 Share Posted February 22, 2010 I get the same treatment. Sometimes actually worse. A teenager who actually has some (as little as it may be) knowledge on guitars other than BC Rich and Epiphone starter kits?!?!?!!?!?!!? This is unheard of where I am. Someone who likes a Vox amp, and a nice semihollowbody? You have to be kidding me. They think I'm trying to pull something on them. I buy my own stuff, and I only deal in cash. My sister has gotten in way too much trouble with money that was "available" to her via credit/debit cards. It's terrible, they make a big ordeal when I pay with cash ("Don't you have a credit card? Or are your parents here so they can pay?") I hate going there, they always check and look in the bag, but here is my problem with that whole situation: One time I went in, and bought strings, picks, a tuner, a winder, and something else. I showed my receipt, she glanced in the bag, and then stamped the receipt. Me being me, I asked "How could you see everything in there?" Bad decision. Got a speech about how it is to keep punks like me from stealing stuff, then she promptly decided to search every single item I had, causing a back up. I still don't know why though..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NeoConMan Posted February 22, 2010 Author Share Posted February 22, 2010 Got a speech about how it is to keep punks like me from stealing stuff Point out the clerk who did that, let ME talk to her. I'll change her life - and probably her career choice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ledzep59 Posted February 22, 2010 Share Posted February 22, 2010 Neo this happens at every store.I hope you know this... No it doesn't. I posted another reply in Neo's "almost bought" thread referring to Dante's "Divine Comedy". Well after reading this post I feel like Neo has taken me on a journey through the 9 levels of retail hell. A great reminder for us all to shop locally or order from independent businesses on the internet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silenced Fred Posted February 22, 2010 Share Posted February 22, 2010 Point out the clerk who did that' date=' let ME talk to her.I'll change her life - and probably her career choice. [/quote'] It was pretty awesome, I think she might actually look in bags now. doubt it, but I can remain hopeful. If you come to the Northwest suburbs of Chicago sometime, I'll bring ya there. All the store consists of is a bunch of kids who go in, pick up a BC Rich and plug into a Line 6 on"INSANE" and let it rip. Meanwhile, I am there, trying out a Mesa, or a Vox, or a Egnater, with a Gibson, Fender, Epi Sheraton, whatever, and can't hear myself. I tried to be able to hear me, and got asked to turn it down. And they let the schmucks "shredding" crank it louder "so they could be heard over me" Honest to god quote. I no longer go there, I drive a few more miles to a different one, the manager there is annoying, but I actually get some respect and am able to try out some gear without being pestered. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andre S Posted February 22, 2010 Share Posted February 22, 2010 Heyy! That sounds kinda like the store closest to me, who don't know jack diddley squat about guitars and insist that a chinese Squier, is just as good as the American series, ( the two that they have on display) Here they don't try to push the expensive stuff, but the complete sh*t I only go there for picks and Ernie Ball Slinkies...and the occassional cable Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NeoConMan Posted February 22, 2010 Author Share Posted February 22, 2010 I drive a few more miles to a different one' date=' the manager there is annoying, but I actually get some respect and am able to try out some gear without being pestered.[/quote']Ever go to Make'n Music? Went there when I was in Chicago for a conference in 2007. Nice place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zippy Posted February 22, 2010 Share Posted February 22, 2010 A great reminder for us all to shop locally or order from independent businesses on the internet. Pretty much sums it up..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silenced Fred Posted February 22, 2010 Share Posted February 22, 2010 Ever go to Make'n Music? Went there when I was in Chicago for a conference in 2007. Nice place. I have not, I will have to look that up and see if I can get the chance. XDemon- I got you. They probably have a better margin on that stuff actually (IDK shooting from the hip here), or they think they will be able to make an easier sale on it because it's cheap. They tried to get a guy to buy a 3,000 dollar Taylor acoustic. It had a HUGE slash in the finish. Guy said he would be tempted if they could lower the price a bit. Salesman (I use that term loosely) came back, and replied that they would be able to take 100 off. 100 dollars off a 3000 guitar, with a giant slash in the finish!?!?!?!?!?!?! He promptly said no, and said he would go somewhere that they would treat him right. I applaud him. I go there to bang on guitars, try stuff out because they have a huge selection. That is the only reason I will ever go there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rocketman Posted February 22, 2010 Share Posted February 22, 2010 Wow yet another chapter in the book of Sad GC Buying Experiences. You actually did quite well and you have much more patience than me; my Greek blood would have boiled about halfway through your saga! I never did understand that whole "body search" fiasco. There are a lot more people walking in and out of the HOG and that store is easily twice as big as any GC, yet they don't need a "bouncer" at their doors. What really gets me going is when one of these sales people tells me something like "That's a Ten 10 PRS you're playing, isn't it great?" to which I reply "it's a great guitar but it's not a Ten 10." They don't even know that a "10" must to be on the back of the headstock. Now on the other hand when I go to the HOG and I talk to a 22 year "kid" salesman, it'll be more like "Everything You Wanted To Know About Guitars But Were Afraid To Ask!" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
L5Larry Posted February 22, 2010 Share Posted February 22, 2010 The most business I do at GC is buying my adult stepson gift certificates for Xmas. Fortunately, in the Greater St. Louis Area, there are still a few Mom & Pop stores left because there are enough professional musicians in this town to support them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaxson50 Posted February 22, 2010 Share Posted February 22, 2010 They are selling Cash and GC? I thought they just sold music stuff....I should go get me some of that cash I could use it to buy more guitar's! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
milod Posted February 22, 2010 Share Posted February 22, 2010 Nathan... Sorry, you may be a teenager, but you sound a lot more like the adult side of those years than the "kid" side. Hmmm. Now that I think of it... I dunno why I'm apologizing for that comment. <grin> My problem out here is that there are essentially two guitar stores in the area. One gets $11 for Slinkies that are $4 mail order and is 14 miles away or so. The other is about 65 miles away and they're nice guys but... usually don't have what I'm looking for at much of any price. OTOH, driving to Billings or Omaha or Denver just ain't in the cards. #%#$# m Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silenced Fred Posted February 23, 2010 Share Posted February 23, 2010 Nathan... Sorry' date=' you may be a teenager, but you sound a lot more like the adult side of those years than the "kid" side. Hmmm. Now that I think of it... I dunno why I'm apologizing for that comment. <grin> My problem out here is that there are essentially two guitar stores in the area. One gets $11 for Slinkies that are $4 mail order and is 14 miles away or so. The other is about 65 miles away and they're nice guys but... usually don't have what I'm looking for at much of any price. OTOH, driving to Billings or Omaha or Denver just ain't in the cards. #%#$# m [/quote'] Ouch... that one hurt man. I still don't get how they can charge 11 for slinkies though The one GC farther away, but still only about 12 miles away is a lot better. Not as many of those damn kids running around Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichCI Posted February 23, 2010 Share Posted February 23, 2010 I've never been to a Guitar Center; it sounds like Best Buy with the checking of receipts and crap. It pisses me off too and that's why I rarely shop at Best Buy (that, and the place is so friggin' huge that it takes forever to find or get to anything). If these stores want my business, they should stop assuming that me and everyone else is a criminal and come up with some other form of security that is less insulting. Stores stopped assuming I was a thief the day I cut my hair short and I resent them treating me like one again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thundergod Posted February 23, 2010 Share Posted February 23, 2010 HOW DAMNED HARD CAN IT BE TO SELL SOMETHING? Man that's a question I've asked myself and others a lot of times for a long time. Tell you what' date=' next time you need a cable for your full stack, you ask me and I'll make one to the exact specs, ship it to you for no charge, and it should be at your doorstep quicker than GC amployees can pick their noses. It's f-ckin' unbelievable, if they hired monkeys and gave them a 2 day trainning they wouldn't f-ck up as much. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EVOL! Posted February 23, 2010 Share Posted February 23, 2010 Neo this happens at every store.I hope you know this... It happens at every big box music retailer like GC or Sam Ash, not at you mom & pop places. Over the New Years weekend I found a Sam Ash out in the 'burbs near my in-laws so I decided to check it out. Just needed a polishing cloth and some FastFret. The sales guys are such vultures. Some new guy attached himself to me and kept asking, "you sure this is all you need?". Yes, I am sure. It was just like GC. I have gotten some great deals on clearance stuff at GC like my SG and Taylor acoustic, but even after I get a great deal I still feel dirty; like I am walking out of an adult bookstore with a bag full of movies. And they still stick you. The sales guy refused to give me a gig bag with my SG. Should have reported him to Gibson. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EVOL! Posted February 23, 2010 Share Posted February 23, 2010 Ever go to Make'n Music? Went there when I was in Chicago for a conference in 2007. Nice place. Nice? Hands down this is the best guitar shop in the city of Chicago. Everything is top of the line and they treat you like royalty. When looking for boutique pedals this is the first place I check. If they have it, I'll go there to buy it. You want to try a pedal there? The sales guy will let you pick a guitar, take you to a room full of amps, and leave you alone to have at it. It's a musicians nirvana. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NeoConMan Posted February 23, 2010 Author Share Posted February 23, 2010 I've never been to a Guitar Center; it sounds like Best Buy with the checking of receipts and crap. Guitar Center is worse by far... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ksdaddy Posted February 23, 2010 Share Posted February 23, 2010 I think the nearest Guitar Center is in Portland at the other end of the state. I've heard so many horror stories about GC I don't think I'll ever darken their door. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Riffster Posted February 23, 2010 Share Posted February 23, 2010 I don't care for music stores anymore and GC is the worst. Last time I was at GC the dude was following me around, in conversation I told him I was a bedroom player and he started showering me with suggestions when he realized I actually knew my stuff he proceeded to ask me if I needed a professional wireless system for my guitar, trying to be an *** I guess. What a ******, I have seen him playing bass with his band and they ain't that good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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