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March 2002
Posts: 14842
Location: NJ | The problem in my town is that about 85% of the population are Wall St. droids who do the train in/out of the City every day.
That leaves the token wife to bring his second set of kids to the music store (in the Hummer) for the obligatory violin/oboe lessons & supplies. By the time the kids get into guitar, they just take the BMW that they got for graduation to the GC out on the highway . . . |
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February 2005
Posts: 11840
Location: closely held secret | Partially Competent? |
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March 2002
Posts: 15680
Location: SoCal | close enough..... |
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December 2006
Posts: 36
Location: Palacios, Texas | I followed your advice. I just sent a very long email to the Corp service dept. Will just have to wait an see what or if anything is done. I have also talked with someone from the Disabled American Veterans and they are going to get in touch with GC and see what they can do. I will keep you posted on the outcome.
Thanks!
Bill |
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Joined:
December 2004
Posts: 4394
Location: East Tennessee | Originally posted by The Wabbit Formerly Known As Waskel:
Wild Bill - your move should have been to just make your own path. If they have product blocking the aisle and it winds up on the floor behind you... maybe next time they'll respond a little quicker! I would have loved to see that. I shop in the GC when I need something the smaller places normally don't carry. Some manufactures try and make these smaller stores carry a large inventory that they can't afford to have everything made by every company. :( |
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Joined:
December 2003
Posts: 13996
Location: Upper Left USA | "Originally posted by The Wabbit Formerly Known As Waskel:
Wild Bill - your move should have been to just make your own path. If they have product blocking the aisle and it winds up on the floor behind you... maybe next time they'll respond a little quicker! "
And there would be a great sale on some of the stuff you knock over! We need to team up on this one man!
I have learned to go through a couple of things over the years. When I had small children I would scope the bathroom path and what "Toy" isles are to be avoided. Later it became "where are the fire exits" and "places to be in an earthquake". I doubt you would hear the fire alarm in a GC on a Saturday after the unemployment checks come in. Safety and access is everyone's concern. |
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Joined:
September 2006
Posts: 10777
Location: Keepin' It Weird in Portland, OR | I've been to GC once. The guy did try to sell me a Celebrity, but... (I didn't tell him that I could do better online, or from you guys).
To be honest, I didn't like the place. Maybe they do have a wide selection, but the guys down the street say "Hi" and let me play with stuff. And they know I'm not likely to buy it! But I do buy strings, picks, straps, strap buttons and stuff.
I also pick the Luthier-dude's brain, before I go home and do it myself.
Maybe not quite Walmart-cheap. But they are cool. |
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Joined:
January 2004
Posts: 627
Location: Cherry Hill, NJ | In all fairness to Guitar Center, they do offer a wide selection of high and low end guitars. Before they, and Sam Ash, open stores in the suburban shopping centers, you could only find quality instruments in major cities. I remember going to 48th street, in NYC, as a kid to buy a quality guitar. Unfortunately the mom and pop stores can't afford to stock like the giants do. But that's true in most retail these days. |
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Joined:
September 2006
Posts: 347
Location: Reno, NV | I guess Im pretty lucky. We have a shop here called Bizarre Guitar which will beat the online prices at MF and GC. They don't let you just grab guitars and start playing like they do at GC, which I think is good, it keeps them from getting beat up by the kiddies. The selection is as good if not better than the local GC.
This is where I picked up my Hwy1 strat for $599. MF and GC price was $750. Sometimes things just turn out right. |
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May 2005
Posts: 120
Location: Gardnerville, NV | Yak,
Have you been down to the vault at Bizarre Guitar? Some unbelievable stuff and total silence to hear yourself play. |
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Joined:
December 2003
Posts: 77
Location: Texas | I deal with the manager of a local GC, and feel I get good pricing from him. I get the occasional new or used electric guitars, amps, and live sound (PA) stuff, usually at a discount from the marked prices. The commissioned salespeople don't like me all that much, I think they think I should buy from them at a higher price so they can get their commission (instead of getting a better price straight from the manager).
Also I like the "0% interest" financing at GC, usually not available at the smaller stores.
And yes, I have purchased guitars at the smaller stores, and gone back to the same store within a few weeks and been forgotten by the same person I originally bought the guitars from.
Admittedly, at GC the sales take priority over all else, if their staff is busy selling then you probably will not get attention from them. The thing to do is to say "I'm interested in a Martin/Taylor/Gibson acoustic" and they would likely jump to clear the ailses for you. Then go check out the Ovations. :)
-Gary K |
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Joined:
March 2002
Posts: 15680
Location: SoCal | Ok, in all fairness, I bought a Chandler lap steel for Templeman at a Guitar Center in Brea, 30 miles away. We discovered scratches on the back. My local GC busted their butt to locate a new one for me and have it air shipped in. I gave it to Temp having never opened the box and it was perfect (before you go thinking that I'm that generous, I bought it on his instructions and he reimbursed me for it).
Of course then the airlines lost it....... |
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March 2002
Posts: 14842
Location: NJ | I just call Al . . . |
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Joined:
March 2002
Posts: 15680
Location: SoCal | I've made two guitar purchases from GC's in the last 14 years. The first was my 1537 (and the salesman worked real hard to sell me a new cedar topped Elite instead of the old used one) and the second was an inexpensive bass for my son. Aside from that, it's strings and small supplies..... |
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Joined:
March 2004
Posts: 120
Location: UK - Canterbury Kent | I have only been to one GC store and that was at Manchester - CT and on a Sunday. I even bought a Telecaster. It was such a great place, as we have nothing like it (yet) in the UK.
I could have spent hours just looking and generally the price were 50% less than UK. |
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Joined:
September 2006
Posts: 347
Location: Reno, NV | Originally posted by mhaanpaa:
Yak,
Have you been down to the vault at Bizarre Guitar? Some unbelievable stuff and total silence to hear yourself play. I haven't.. but the guy offered to take me down there. I figured anything stored in the "vault" would be way out of my price range. |
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Joined:
October 2006
Posts: 5575
Location: big island | yak,
have you (or anyone else reading this) been to ed romans in vegas? if so, what is the impression? i have never been to a large music store.
we only have four or five mom & pop style stores here with not much selection, except for taylors and ukuleles. hence, i purchase just about everything online. |
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Joined:
May 2005
Posts: 120
Location: Gardnerville, NV | I haven't.. but the guy offered to take me down there. I figured anything stored in the "vault" would be way out of my price range. Everything down there starts at about $2000 but they've got some nice stuff. In addition to the guitars for sale they have autographed stuff from almost everyone who has ever performed in Reno, which is a larger group than you'd think. It's a pretty cool way to kill an hour. |
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Joined:
September 2006
Posts: 347
Location: Reno, NV | Originally posted by Lanaki:
yak,
have you (or anyone else reading this) been to ed romans in vegas? if so, what is the impression? i have never been to a large music store.
we only have four or five mom & pop style stores here with not much selection, except for taylors and ukuleles. hence, i purchase just about everything online. Never had any experinece with Vegas. Even so its in Nevada, it's still really far from Reno. It would be closer to shop in Sacramento or San Francisco even. That, and I hate the place!
You may want to drop Bizarre Guitar a line on your next purchase. They claim to be one of the nations largest in selection. I usually window shop on-line at MF and GC, then walk in and tell them what I found and ask how they can beat it. Some things are GC exclusives which can't be had though. Its typical to expect 35-45% off MSRP list.
LINK to BIZARRE |
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Joined:
July 2004
Posts: 812
Location: Hicksville, NY | During a field trip to Chuck E. Cheese two days ago, with the parents' permission, I went to the GC with my student located next door to it, in Long Island City. While there, we checked out a few basses and the sales rep was kind enough to lend a pair of drumsticks to the youngster, so he could play the drums on display.
There was a gentleman checking out a les paul, when my student decided to play with the control knobs and buttons of the amp. It's a good thing that the gentleman was very cool with it, as he decided to experiment with the constant shifting of tone, volume and effects as he played with the guitar simultaneously. He added that it would make a great sensory and auditory experience for the child, which it did.
The highlight of being there took place in the acoustic room -- and I thought that I was going to have a heart attack -- was when my student held one of the guitars that were hanging against the wall and swung it like a pendulum. Which in turn, end up hitting another guitar which did the same, and onto another and another. There were four guitars total that were swinging like pendulums and hitting each others hips in the process!! :eek:
Now that I look back two days later, I can just get a good laugh from that experience [although it wasn't funny at that time]. Whew!! |
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Joined:
May 2006
Posts: 4236
Location: Steeler Nation, Hudson Valley Contingent | I've never lived near a GC, so it's always nice to go into one. The one I've seen the most is in Atlanta. Tremendous selection, and they're willing to deal if you catch them on a slow day. :)
However, the local store owners are just as competitive given the chance: I lucked into an internet ad this week for an '05 Collectors (the usual "Call for our price" :rolleyes: ) I called, they wanted $999, I made and offer, they counter-offered---bottom line; $775 :cool: I don't think I could have done much better anywhere, either on Ebay or at the guitar center. :D |
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Joined:
October 2003
Posts: 134
Location: Lakewood, Ohio | GC is the best places to shop for an Ovation, particularly used ones and especially if you know your product. The GC staff seem to view Ovations as slow movers and they typically offer great discounts. When they get a used one in stock, they dont seem to value any hisoric or vintage quality, just that it has old electronics. Ive found older Ovation Baladeers going for $200.00 or so. A few years ago I saw a used Glenn Campbell 12 string that I thought should have been on the GC "vintage wall" next to the 1970s era Martin. Instead it was simply hung next to the other, newer and shinier Ovations. |
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Joined:
January 2006
Posts: 1486
Location: Michigan | I always use Guitar Center just to try out guitars .I can go in and pick up any guitar like Im shopping in a grocery store going thru the vegetable or meat section.Pick one up look at it touch it , feel it ,play it, put it down and grab the one next to it and the same thing, grab the one under it until I get to what I like.
Thats what I like & Dislike about G.C.
When I find what I like , I go to my smaller friendlier local guitar store that you get very personal attention & service from a seasoned pro.
There are signs posted in the rooms to ask for a salesman before picking up a guitar and wailing away on it .For some reason this store is now known to attract a more serious guitar buyer/player and you can see it in the guitars here verses G.C.s.
I have bought quite a few guitars from him and the nice thing is they set up the guitar for you before you take it home,so it is ready to jam before you leave.The price always gets matched or beat but you are getting a unit that is ready to rock when you get home.
This stores guitars are normally always in tune and you will never see or hear 12 different people plugging into all sorts of amps making so much noise that you get frustrated trying to make a decision on what is good for you.
Slipkid knows where this jewel is at( H & B )
We are very lucky where we are for there are GC's all around us and there are still some personal touch stores that can sell you all of the stuff GC can and still give you the price and service.Thats how I bought my Thinline Telecaster last month. I walked into Guitar Center & the salesman plucked it off the rack hitting the guitar next to it and laughed that it didn't do any damage to it so I played it.It had alot of fret noise and rattle.This needed a setup badly,but I did enjoy the neck feel & the action so I got his best price. I told him that it needed a setup and he told me to bring it to a luthier to have the fret noise fixed and have it set up the way I like it ( at my own cost ) and I should be good to go.
I went to my local store ( H & B ) and bought one for the same price and left with a guitar set up & ready to play when I got home. GWB |
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Joined:
March 2005
Posts: 12761
Location: Boise, Idaho | Just got back from my weekly visit. Nothing. Had a Yamaha that had obviously been dropped and cracked the top and split it from the binding. That's the problem with the stores that let everyone handle their guitars. Before Christmas there was no room to walk in the acoustic room. Then they just had the ones on the wall. Now it's getting crowded again. |
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Joined:
November 2004
Posts: 382
Location: USA | customer service in all but gone...Half the time you go back to the guitar shops they have a completely new staff...so they dont even give it time to create any customer service.
Unless your in there several times a week...they dont remember your name. |
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GC
