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Worst GC experience?

jmoore5000

By jmoore5000
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jmoore5000

jmoore5000

Posted
Posted

A week ago, I went to a guitar center for the first time. (My local music store is a Gibson dealer where I got a beautiful fire burst studio BTW) ....Any who I went to the GC and it wasn't until I went to the counter(to pay) before someone said hello. Much different from what i'm used too (where someone who knows what they are talking about actually approaches you and listens to what you say.) While I was at the counter at GC I asked for a certain distortion pedal. "No, no, no...you want this one!" said the kid behind the counter. (I'm only 24 and this guy was younger than me.) "Na I want the other one." I said. I walk over to grab a magazine and when I walk back to the counter I see the 2 DVDs i bought along with a pedal that I didn't want. (Hint: that pedal was more expensive than the one I wanted.) I calmly asked the guy to get me what I wanted. Fast forward 3 minutes later, the guy was mumbling under his breath while tossing the other pedal back on the shelf (not setting, tossing!) and walking away while going to get the pedal that I asked for. On my way out, I told the guy at the door, "I don't think I'm ever coming back here." He shrugged, looked at my receipt and said see ya. I wasn't rude to them but I was very disappointed and felt very unwelcome.

 

What I want to know is what is your worst GC/Big box music store experience? I'd heard some tall tales, but I didn't believe it until I experienced it for myself.

 

Aside: I'm sure GC employees might be reading this but don't hate me. I know you're people too and its just business. All im saying is I don't get how some of the people who work there do the things that they do.

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ElectricLeftyLand

ElectricLeftyLand

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In all honesty, I really have never had a bad experience with GC. Some of the employees could have handled some situations better, but on average they were pretty nice.

 

While the employees might be nice, their handling of guitars is not what it should be. I've seen many a guitar with input jacks sunken into the body since the nut fell off. My friend alerted an employee about this on a guitar and she replied, "oh, yeah, that happens all the time, don't worry about it", and just left it alone. On top of that, the strings on the guitars I've tried, (i.e., lefties, so I'm sure they get even worse care...), always have the nastiest strings on them. I can feel the grime on them, It's terrible! They leave my fingertips discolored :-&

 

Unfortunately, GC is the only music store within reasonable distance that sells Lefty Gibsons, otherwise I'll have to wait for my local store to get a used one. And finding one that I can play will take a LOT of waiting #-o

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Shnate McDuanus

Shnate McDuanus

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Posted

I don't think I've really had a bad experience with GC.

 

The worst I've dealt with were dismissive or disengaged employees, which is acceptable--I mean, we've all had bad days, right?

 

I still go to the local Sam Ash for everything, but that's really just because it's closer to where I live--they're not any better or worse.

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ElectricLeftyLand

ElectricLeftyLand

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I don't think I've really had a bad experience with GC.

 

The worst I've dealt with were dismissive or disengaged employees' date=' which is acceptable--I mean, we've all had bad days, right?

 

I still go to the local Sam Ash for everything, but that's really just because it's closer to where I live--they're not any better or worse.[/quote']

 

Actually, SamAsh popped into my mind when I saw this thread. I've heard tons of GC bashing, but I can't recall ever seeing a post about someone being disgruntled with SamAsh.

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Tman5293

Tman5293

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I've only had one bad experience at Guitar Center. I had bought the BOSS DS-1 Distortion Pedal and the one I got didn't work. So of course I took it back to get a different one. I walk up to counter to return it and the guy there asks me why I'm returning it. I tell him that it's broken and he just kinda rolls his eyes at me. He actually didn't believe me and had to go plug it in to see for himself. It was really sad when he found out it was broken and looked at me and just said, "Oh it is broken." After that he got me different one which I took home and it worked just fine.

 

Other than that i've never had any bad experiences there.

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dem00n

dem00n

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GC's alright in my book.. I've always been treated very well there. Honestly' date=' I've had worse experiences at Taco Bell.. but I keep going back.

[/quote']

I know how you feel.

I say no ice...and they give me ****ing ICE!

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WahKeen

WahKeen

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I can't say bad things on GC. They always let me exchange stuff even if I bring it a few days after the 30. Plus, the new guitar I have, the Gibson Custom 68 Flame Top, I got it as an even swap (an $800 upgrade, no joke!) b/c they wanted to make me happy due to an issue with the other one I had bought (long story, I posted it on the Historics forum). I was floored and I'm even thinking of sending the guys who helped me a card. I got blessed! Plus, it helps if you try to have good store relationships with them and not come across like an arse off.

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pohatu771

pohatu771

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With HOG right there. Gawd' date=' you did have a terrible experience...[/quote']

Well, the only thing I've ever paid retail for at Guitar Center is strings and a guitar stand. HOG doesn't really beat those prices in most cases. The three guitars I bought at Guitar Center were either used or discounted - the Casino was used, the Strat I paid $100 less for, and the C3 I paid $150 less for. With the C3, HOG wasn't much of an option - their classical guitar selection is quite lacking, understandably, and they're all low-end models.

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ChanMan

ChanMan

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Worst experience I ever had was they knocked a bunch of money off of a guitar and let me have it for the old sale price, after the new "no wheelin' and dealin'" rule was in effect.

 

Guitar Center Nashville rocks.

 

 

Thanks again, guys!

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ChanMan

ChanMan

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Neo will tell you both GCs in Phoenix suck. He has good reason for that, too. He's also been in a number of others, and says those were equally "teh suck".

 

He will tell you Bizarre Guitar in Phoneix is worth the drive from where ever you are. He's got me convinced he's right about that.

 

 

He will also tell you he's not been to GC in Nashville, but he'd probably suspect that they suffer from some of the issues the others do.

 

Like missing knobs.

Little kids playing expensive guitars.

No haggle policy.

"Hat check" girl at the exit.

 

 

 

He'd be right about those. But despite all those limitations, I've still manged to find both my #1 and #2 there, and gotten good deals on both. The sales guys were all musicians, very low key and knowledgable.

 

What's not to like?

 

:-

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bobrollar

bobrollar

Posted
Posted

Living in the Phx area and having been to the GC's out here. Its true they are no good. Bizarre is the place to go!! I live in Mesa so its Musicians Discount for me but I would be more than happy to make the drive to see the guys over at Bizarre, that's where I got my SG back in 2000. Good people, good vibes.

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Artie Owl

Artie Owl

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I had an initally negative experience at a few local big box guitar dealers, I was made to feel like a n00b, when in all likelyhood I really was, but they don't need to make you feel like that.

 

In my opinion, unless GC starts stocking their stores with robot employees with the exact same programing we'll all continue to have positive and negative experiences there, just like anywhere else. Some people know what they're talking about and want to get up in the morning, and some people don't. Depends on who you get. Management can also make good people go bad which could account for a whole store going sour.

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sexybeast14

sexybeast14

Posted
Posted
I've only had one bad experience at Guitar Center. I had bought the BOSS DS-1 Distortion Pedal and the one I got didn't work. So of course I took it back to get a different one. I walk up to counter to return it and the guy there asks me why I'm returning it. I tell him that it's broken and he just kinda rolls his eyes at me. He actually didn't believe me and had to go plug it in to see for himself. It was really sad when he found out it was broken and looked at me and just said' date=' "Oh it is broken." After that he got me different one which I took home and it worked just fine.

 

Other than that i've never had any bad experiences there.[/quote']

they always do that to me at gc, for instance i'll take a cable back cause its shorted out and they dont believe me and have to try it out themselves

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rockstar232007

rockstar232007

Posted
Posted
There's good and bad sales people at guitar stores' date=' car dealerships, shoe stores and appliance stores.

Know what you're looking for before you enter the store.

There's enough places to find info these days that sales people are obsolete.

 

[/quote']It's not about WHO is selling, but WHAT they're selling! Most of their "inventory" consist of floor-models and used, overpriced gear. In most cases they won't even let you touch the "new" stuff, unless you're planning on buying it![confused]

 

Also, every GC I've been to was like a war zone...and the LPs usually get the most battle wounds (damn 16 year old, Slash wannabes)!:-k

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