GC rant.

[fairlanericky]

I have a good one here in Oxnard. They're not perfect, but no store is. I've never bought a new guitar from them, but my SG was a wall display that was discounted for it.

Hey Thump, how long has that been there? I left in '98 and don't remember
GC being there.

Ric

 

[krab]

so stop complaining & just don't shop there any more

Only reason I went back this last time was to give them a last chance. Jeremy Cole went above and beyond. I thought it was worth the shot. The problem is they set up shop in a town and run everyone else out or at least try to. I do not like to buy over the internet. I want to play before I buy. That is why I do not have a single guitar in the color I wanted it in. I have a Red Dot a black strat and a vintage sunburst acoustic. I wanted a Black acoustic a red strat and sunburst dot. Wait I have the colors just not on the right guitars...

 

[HOT-BRIT]

just spend less time worrying and more time playing then you will be happier

 

[Strato]

I've used all of the ones here except the Medford one and the new Keizer one. I have a pretty good re pore with the folks at ours and usually get great deals. Once in awhile I'll get jacked on something from the used online section but it's usually resolved in a decent manner. I'm sure there is a bad apple in every group but a few bad apples don't spoil the cart. Other wise I don't have a hell of a lot of options sitting here in a small coastal town to choose from and although Mom and Pop are great folks, their prices are higher than groceries and the waiting for them to order is just too much sometimes. When I want a Gibson or a Fender I don't want talked down or offered a Godin or a Cort.

I wish they would set up here. Mom and Pop don't have enough supplies and it's more of a hang out. I don't know how they keep the lights on.

 

[krab]

just spend less time worrying and more time playing then you will be happier

All I do is play. I can;t work so I play for about 8 hours a day now. This is more or less a public shaming of GC for tossing the stuff that comes with the guitars. Ask Malikon about how many students of his didn't the arms and wrenched for their guitars from GC.

 

[HOT-BRIT]

All I do is play. I can;t work so I play for about 8 hours a day now. This is more or less a public shaming of GC for tossing the stuff that comes with the guitars. Ask Malikon about how many students of his didn't the arms and wrenched for their guitars from GC.

Wow 8 hours! thats great keep it up!

 

[Thumpalumpacus]

Hey Thump, how long has that been there? I left in '98 and don't remember
GC being there.

Ric

About ten years. It's over by Auto Center Dr, off of Rice Rd between the freeway and Nyeland Acres. The manager of their guitar shop is a good joe and while I've found the occasional problem child on the sales floor, it's a pretty good operation.

I'm convinced that local management makes a much bigger difference than most people seem to acknowledge.

 

[SparkyGuitar]

GC sucks.
I pay more for one pick than you pay for the lot, don't complain to me.

I pay close to $5 per pick - and it's worth it.
I've yet to wear one out...three years and counting.
V-Picks Guitar Pick, Electric & Acoustic Guitar Picks

Those are quite possibly the best picks to exsist. I own pretty much everyone imaginable from them!

In regard to the OP's post.....
I only read half of it but... sounds like your getting angry over paying a extra few dollars on picks. Are you that customer who complains that it smells weird in the store?

 

[Thumpalumpacus]

All I do is play. I can;t work so I play for about 8 hours a day now. This is more or less a public shaming of GC for tossing the stuff that comes with the guitars. Ask Malikon about how many students of his didn't the arms and wrenched for their guitars from GC.

As I said above, I'll bet that local management has a lot to do with this.

While you're right that big box stores chase out the locally owned stuff often, it isn't always the case. We also have a small local chain in the country with inventory the quality of GC, if not quite the quantity.

 

[Publius pro tem]

Are you that customer who complains that it smells weird in the store?

Thanks for that.

It just occurred to me that odors are about the only thing I haven't found wrong in a GUITAR CENTER.

 

[lespaul01]

blurble garb

 

[Skintaster]

I also live in Houston, and the North Houston GC blows. The Westheimer store has pretty good long time management, and I've always had good experience there.

As far as driving mom and pops out of business, I don't know what the scene is like in far north Houston, but most of the mom and pops that were open in the 80's are still around in central Houston.

If you want mid to high end Gibsons and Fenders go to Fuller's Vintage Guitar, or check out Rockin Robin... There are also a ton of other places scattered around town.

 

[Skintaster]

More Houston guitar shops:

Southpaw Guitars - The world's largest selection of left handed guitars (They carry right handed ones too)

Infinity Guitars - Mid to high end boutique stuff.

Evan's Music City

Parker Music - Pretty close to that north Houston GC, and they have good stuff.

There's quite a few more, that's just a few I can remember offhand.

 

[krab]

I also live in Houston, and the North Houston GC blows. The Westheimer store has pretty good long time management, and I've always had good experience there.

As far as driving mom and pops out of business, I don't know what the scene is like in far north Houston, but most of the mom and pops that were open in the 80's are still around in central Houston.

If you want mid to high end Gibsons and Fenders go to Fuller's Vintage Guitar, or check out Rockin Robin... There are also a ton of other places scattered around town.

I grew up in Northern Ohio. After Sam Ash and GC opened most of the smaller places couldn't pay the bills trying to sell for the same prices or they lost their Fender/Gibson Dealerships to GC/Sam Ash. In WV it was better because we had Pied Piper. IN North Houston/Humble/Kingwood area well it is GC Humble Music and Andrew's Music. Texas Music Emporium is there across from GC on 45 but I over heard one employee tear the ass of the new guy over putting out a nice used guitar he had planned on buying. They keep the good stuff for themselves. Andrews is a Fender dealer and they have Gc or lower prices. And they great you by name after stopping in a few times.

 

[Kamen_Kaiju]

Krab plays out weekly, he's not a gearhead or collecter, he plays.

He's a good guy. I think (I could be wrong) but I think from his posts he's most outraged that GC is throwing out new guitar parts that should be included with peoples guitars. I mean if you pay for a guitar you deserve to get what came with it.

The last time I got a git-fiddle at GC it was such a bad experience that they called the next day to apologize for being asses.

Not that they offered a partial refund for the slightly damaged guitar I paid full price for.

Apologies are cheap. Had they offered a discount instead of selling me a dented guitar for full price I would've been happier. It also made sure that I'd never buy from them again.

(for the record it was a hard to find limited edition strat that I couldn't find anywhere else. It was a floor model, and had 2 dents in the neck.)

Hey Krab, what are you talking about when you mentioned an Eric Clapton string/pick thing that was won?

 

[Thundergod]

it is what it is

No it's not. It is not what it is. It is another completely different thing.

 

[krab]

Those are quite possibly the best picks to exsist. I own pretty much everyone imaginable from them!

In regard to the OP's post.....
I only read half of it but... sounds like your getting angry over paying a extra few dollars on picks. Are you that customer who complains that it smells weird in the store?

I'm upset because I wanted the wrenches for my NEW guitar. I wanted the gig bag, wrenches and trem arm that came with my New Strat. The picks were part of the tweet when I checked in on Four Square. As for it smelling bad in GC? Only on the weekend when all of the teenagers are in there because Mommy and Daddy think it is a child care service. I use to love GC. It was the first time i could go in and really play a nice guitar before I bought it. No more taking a shot in the dark ordering from a catalog. Now with the internet it is a bit better to find out how something sounds before you buy.

This is going to make me sound older than 33 but... People are just willing to buy sight unseen off of the internet now like they are in the middle of now where and all they have is a Sears catalog. Personal service is a dying art. There is something about walking down the row of guitars. Getting to play the color you want first and then trying the others in your price range to find IT. That guitar that you put you hands on and it feels like and old friend. Being able to try the brands you want. But as time has gone one and Guitar Center has grown larger and larger, well it's not the same. It really does feel like a Wal-Mart with one lane open at 4pm on a Saturday.

 

[Thumpalumpacus]

See, that's a trip. Three weeks after I bought my SG, Josh from GC called me up and asked me if everything was all right with my purchase and if there was anything I was unhappy about. I know he was doing it to prevent a return under the deadline, but that's fine.

It's true they have know-nothings there (I went into their effects dept once and asked to see a tube-based overdrive, and the guy there recommended a Tube Screamer I had to explain to him that that was only a name), but that's everywhere nowadays. Finding a 20-year-old kid who takes his job seriously is difficult here.

 

[Skintaster]

I grew up in Northern Ohio. After Sam Ash and GC opened most of the smaller places couldn't pay the bills trying to sell for the same prices or they lost their Fender/Gibson Dealerships to GC/Sam Ash. In WV it was better because we had Pied Piper. IN North Houston/Humble/Kingwood area well it is GC Humble Music and Andrew's Music. Texas Music Emporium is there across from GC on 45 but I over heard one employee tear the ass of the new guy over putting out a nice used guitar he had planned on buying. They keep the good stuff for themselves. Andrews is a Fender dealer and they have Gc or lower prices. And they great you by name after stopping in a few times.

Honestly, I've had worse experiences from some of the mom and pop places than I have from GC... It just depends on the place, and usually the salesman involved.

My point in listing those other places is only that there are tons of stores in Houston, and you'd probably find a pretty good one if you checked them out. I've had pretty good experiences at Fuller's myself.

As for the "keeping the good ones for themselves"... I think that's pretty common in retail generally. Especially when you're talking about music stores, since the sales staff are generally also musicians.

 

[Publius pro tem]

Fuller's Vintage Guitar, or check out Rockin Robin...
Evan's Music City

I bought a Les Paul from Evan's - it wasn't a very good experience.
Fuller's was first-rate when I was there in the nineties.
I bought the most gear from Rockin' Robin because I knew a coupla guys there.