This one seems to be ok. The first one i tried to watch kept stopping, and had loud music drowning out your voice midway through, and also wouldn't let me comment on it
I used to work there and they treat their employees like 💩! But I still go there because I live right up the street. However, they take for granted that their loyal customer base won’t jump ship, and that they’ll get new ones through word of mouth. But based on what you said and what I know they will not last long! What do I know? 🤔 Well, I fit that demographic I started playing guitar and still have my first guitar an old Aria and I’m 56 yrs old. Well, I’m one of their loyal customers and previous an employee when all their loyal customer base that started pre internet die out, they’re up 💩 creek!
What, so that first upload with the second half with overmodulated rock (the bass had exceptional "compression") wasn't actually what you meant? I heard some background stuff in the first half. I thought the whole thing was supposed to be like the sound of a Guitar Center, and the second part was a band with a couple full stacks going. It totally ducked your speaking to inaudible.
Hey Robert, love the videos. I used to work for GC from essentially 1992-2005 and in that time, I went from a lowly promotions intern to National Promotions Mgr. and then Mgr. Of Store Openings, acquisitions and moves. I opened close to 80 stores for the company and it really hurts me to see them in this position. There are a number of reasons for how they got into this situation: expanding too much too fast and cannibalizing their own stores, going public and now the focus was on dbl digit increases each quarter instead of how to serve the customer clients well. And then there was the decision to sell to Bane Capital, which *borrows* the money to buy the company and then saddles said company with the debt when they sell them. But before they sell the company, they come in and gut what they consider overly redundant, inefficient, and generally “unnecessary” to make the operating expenses look low on paper. I have a few friends that lost their jobs or had hours cut way back b/c of Bane. And now it’s a ghost town in the stores so who’s going to sell and ship the gear? That said, I totally agree w/ your assessment of their social media. GC has always chosen to put their money behind call to action sales events and it was like twisting arms to get upper management to put any time or money into an informative and entertaining social media presence. Also, and this may have changed since my exit in 2005, but they were never keen on any employee, from promotions or even a sales person becoming too popular in the public eye. I’m sure they have a myriad of reasons for this (anyone say Jerod from Subway?) but the optics are that they’ve screwed the pooch on this one too. Sometimes, I almost wish that a group of past GC employees that actually still give a shit about GC, like myself, could band together and buy it back from whatever venture capital firm currently owns it and bring it back to it’s former glory. Nothing against the bean counters, but they don’t know how to run an MI business. Fingers crossed for GC and that Sweetwater doesn’t start to go south after their recent big-time financial doings. 🤞🤘✊🎸🎶
@@shreddedcheese9982 basically, it’s a joke; they have a good return policy so it’s always worth a shot knowing if it’s a lemon, you can get $ back. I got two beautiful guitars from them which are both keepers.
Anytime I’ve been to a guitar centre the employees tried to push products I didn’t want or need on me, were condescending, and everything was filthy. Not just the guitars, the entire store I last went to smelled like someone was constantly peeing in the corner of the shop
What I love about Guitar Center is that they are physically huge and you can jam out and really test a guitar on a ton of different amps and not feel like you're in the way. I spent almost 4 hours there a few weeks ago before walking out with a Squier Classic Vibe Jazzmaster (the best one I had found after trying dozens at many different locations). While mom and pop shops often offer a better setup product, I can't help but feel like I'm in the way if I spend more than an hour there playing around. Also, the variety of amps to work with is often minimal. The sheer variety of guitars you can access and play and compare is also great. Also, I can go into a GC every day of the week, fuck around and not buy anything and no one cares. I doubt a mom and pop shop would be as accommodating (and also honestly, I would feel embarrassed to do that)
My GC is not huge, it's quite small and only has about 10 amps at any given time. Pretty sure they've been the same models for a couple of years, there's never anything new to the market in mine. Good for you, though!
At least one mom and pop near me is OK if you play stuff even if you don't buy. I'm sure if you do that a lot and never buy anything from them, they'll sour on it though.
Agreed. The Guitar Center site is also a pretty good spot for used gear, often at lower prices than on Reverb, with a better return policy. The stores set their own pricing even for the same items and if you have it shipped from a different store to your local one, you don't pay shipping (Edit: This is apparently no longer the case). They still need better, and consistent product photos also.
Is that true? Circa six months ago I bought a Peavey Rage 158 amp for $30 with $30 shipping from out of state. The website showed the same cost if shipped it to the nearby (3 miles away) Guitar Center so I had it shipped to the house. It was just like the pic, beat up, paint and stickers on it, but it works. Wudda been a bargain for total price of $30. There's a local Music-Go-Round that's my usual go-to place for used gear, they have a LOT of stuff and it's all listed online!), but be SURE to check out if something works before you buy.
Maybe it's changed. I've had items shipped to a local store for free but have also paid for things to ship to my home. I also call and ask for a discount code or coupon 😊. Can't beat trying things in person if you can.
Holy hell yea, the return policy is a must, Reverb risks shipping damage and people claiming things are mint when they aren't. Not to mention taking the usual hit selling gear at GC is sometimes worth it when Reverb does additional fees, and when the buyer makes a complaint Reverb will back them. I had a horrible experience when I listed a guitar as having "normal wear" and the buyer demanding a refund since small Knicks are dings supposedly go beyond normal wear.
An issue I’ve had with Guitar Center and where Sweetwater shines is inspecting a guitar before it’s shipped to the customer. I know that a lot of the guitars are shipped from one of their stores, so they don’t have the advantage of one central location with the resources to do a full inspection. But at least opening the manufacturer’s box for a quick visual check would help. I’ve returned 3 guitars with very obvious issues. This includes receiving obvious display models with no notification or discount offered.
I have had pretty good experiences with Guitar Center. I have bought a couple Gibsons, Taylors , Fenders and a few amps and pedals. They have always been helpful and have stood behind what they have sold to me. They have a much larger selection than most of the local shops and unlike the online stores, you can pick it up and play it. It would be a shame to lose them. However, it may just be too late for them to recover.
They kinda killed local shops so it would be kinda funny to see them go down and the local shops start to do better. I'm definitely guilty of buying stuff from guitar center and I don't regret it but it would be great to see local shops make a come back.
@@JustTheTip556I agree with you. The reason I stopped going to guitar center is because Corson Music (local) by me I got to know personally and they know me and my styles (quirks) and preferences. I think so many people, especially beginners, go through Guitar Center and employees generally may not be invested in their work so much and may get burned out.
I have the same observation. I am in the tech world working for a huge creative software company. In the beginning I was required to do podcasts, MySpace, twitter, UA-cam… so I know what good social media can do. I also love GuitarCenter, we have multiple stores around me with one being a specialty shop for custom shops and vintage guitars. The manager of the vintage shop would call or email me when something cool came in. I grew up jamming and playing at Charlie’s Guitar Shop here in Dallas, I never got this kind of personal experience. I bought 12 custom / vintage guitars from him in 15 years (my wife hated when she saw an email or call from Guitar Center, LOL). I walked into one of the other Guitar Center’s stores last week, and it was depressing! It was dark, the guitars where midrange at best, I wanted a new acoustic guitar, a Martin or Taylor, they had zero in stock! Even my wife was surprised. I miss the days you walked into a Guitar Center and there was a buzz, kids trying to play the latest metal tunes, the newest pedals out to try out, the PA’s with the lights going crazy. I guess it’s just good ol days syndrome! I hope they they can come back. Kids need a place to experience music!
Watching the original post was like BEING in a Guitar Center on a saturday afternoon - you know someone's talking because you can see their lips move but the music is too loud to hear them.
My last guitar purchase was at a GC. It was influenced by the ease that you could try out a lot of guitars quickly and easily. I also liked that they have a separate room for acoustic instruments. The last time I went in to the same store all of the acoustics were locked. On a general note I noticed over the years that businesses that do well have really good management. And that this has to come from the top down. You can see how it influences everything about their establishment.
Guitar Center have multiple plagues going on. I walked into one a few weeks ago and there were three people working the whole store. It was packed in there. Their drum department had literally, SEVEN people in there wanting buy different kits but couldn’t get help. I saw two guitars I wanted. Both were over $3K. I wanted to grab one there and then but couldn’t get help, so I ended leaving. I went across the parking lot to Sam Ash & they were packed and people were being helped left and right. Nobody waited for more than a few minutes. The employees were playful and fun. There wasn’t the overwhelming stress that was felt in Guitar Center. I think there needs to be some serious restructuring soon or we will loose Guitar Center. They certainly don’t know how to utilize their online presence & it would appear that they’re not taking care of customers in store either. Simple changes could make big progress.
I was recently looking for a specific dynamic guitar tone, nothing worked. I went to a good small guitar shop here in town. Explained in just a few sentences what I was looking for. He went straight ahead to a wall, picked one guitar, gave it to me "That's the guitar you are looking for" . Never thought about playing a guitar with just 1 P90 pickup. But this guitar is my main guitar now and works perfectly in that project. The shop is Jimmy Egypt in Glasgow.
I am in Utah, and we do have a few music shops aside from GC, but when it comes to selection of accessories they are hard to beat. It's also nice that I can see their inventory on the website and know if it's in stock in my local store. They're also a good place to find used deals. I have bought a bunch of used pedals and even a Fender rarities Tele for a really great price there used.
Nicely said, Rob. I don’t get the hate that some people have towards Guitar Center. We need guitar music to be popularized more than ever and what could be better than having a nationwide chain called Guitar Center to make people at least curious about guitar? I wish they never go out of business.
As someone who used to work in a small mom and pop music store part of it is the sort of Walmart effect. Guitar center could offer a wider selection for cheaper than we could afford to keep on our shelves because they could buy in bulk and negotiate exclusive deals with companies that while popular with our consumer base wasn't at all friendly to work with especially in a smaller capacity. Beyond that any company we would have success with because we were their local dealer would almost always jump ship as soon as gc wrote them a big enough check. Again undercutting our prices and basically making it impossible for us to carry that companies products. Beyond that they generally offered next to no service, awful techs, and would neglect their guitars soo much they'd be all but unplayable within 6-8 months. They basically represent a lot of the laziness and gluttony of the guitat industry from 15-20 Yeats ago. And I think we're slowly realizing we don't need them as an industry. Look at the meteoric rise of sweetwater a company that basically changed how we bought guitars over night because of their customer service. Never had a single bad experience with sweetwater and the reps check in on me almost more than my mother lol. I'll just add for disclosure I mostly shopped at Sam ash growing up when I went to box stores. My folks bought me my first guitar from a guy named Martin and he became my guy for the better part of decade and got me insane deals. Most notably a 2007 tremonti core model for $2700 out the door. Also he had to fight management to get it sent back to his store since it was sent out after I demoed but before I committed to acquiring it. These kinds of experiences definitely jaded me especially since the first time I tried to play a usa prs was at a guitar center and was told it wasn't a toy and I was too young for it. (That might have been true) but the dumbest sales decision that guy ever made. So I think they're are very real gripes to be had with the company however it's not all nightmares. When I lived in SD I was extremely impressed with the LA Mesa store. Great selection friendly (if unattentive) staff. It was a breath of fresh air. And do I want to see them go under probably nit. I'd prefer it they got bought out and rebranded by Sweetwater but that would probably be financial suicide
@@daniellowry660 Sweetwater's run by private equity now, so over time the customer service will not be as good. In 5 years, especially after the firm that has it now sells it to get their money back and a hefty profit, it'll continue to slowly go downhill. Also, having only one big place will be terrible for customers.
My recent experience with Guitar Center: I called to order a guitar. Verified that they had some at the warehouse (3 to be exact) and told them to order one from the distribution center. They still sent me one from a store for some reason. That was the last straw with them. Nothing but bad experiences lately.
Nailed it Robert. I speak from experience, I’m an old fashioned guy myself and lost many opportunities and got behind in business because I was so stubborn and insisted to not adapt and embrace the new technologies. Adaptability is key in all areas of life.
I love GC. Never had a bad experience at a guitar center. Plenty of eccentric employees, plenty of strange customers, plenty of great visits. Never been bothered, never wished my experience was "better". It's a store....full of guitars....that you can play. Go in there, be normal, and usually everything will be fine lol. Hope they stay in business. I love mom and pop shops too, but there is something super cool about going into a GUITAR - CENTER. it's just a different vibe and I have always liked it.
I think that their biggest weakness is their employees. Back in the day, I would walk into Guitar Center, and I would see my peers. The employees were musicians from the local music scene. Now, it seems like most of their employees had never even held a guitar before they started working there. At that point there is only one reason to go to Guitar Center. To buy something I need today. Going into a Guitar Center is not a fulfilling experience. There's no more, "Hey man, when are you guys playing out again?" or, "How is that new demo coming?" It's more like going to Walmart.
Up to maybe 3 yrs ago, I was able to talk shop with some of the staff there. Now, it's like the passion isn't there. Idk if it's the "part time economy" where the staff don't want this gig long term. Regardless, I do remain loyal and like trying out the gear and buying small things here and there.
From Leo: Like any store, the customer has to sort through and find what is valuable to them. Some people get frustrated because they don't remember they are dealing with a clerk, not a business owner who can make big decisions. Guitar Center is sort of like a Walmart for musicians. Don't expect to have the "expert buying experience" you get at the Mercedes Benz dealer, where you pay heavily for the white glove pampering. I have never been unhappy with purchases I made at Guitar Center because I had realistic expectations and understood what exactly I was looking to buy.
I have had tons of great experiences at my local GC. The staff knows me and is super friendly. I have a great relationship with one of their techs whose worked on many of my guitars and is very personable and attentive. He calls on the phone prior to completing work and double checks with me that he's covering everything. He's done some custom work for me as well and the costs are always very reasonable. I actually gave him my business card and told him to give me a call should he have to go private in the future. I would be super bummed if they closed as I have been going there for close to 20 years.
Ha! You fixed it! I watch the orig post and there was some weird music bleed into it starting around 3 minutes. It drowned you out. Thanks for fixing! As for the video, I agree. GC is owned by a venture capital firm now, and has not leveraged a regular relationship with people unless they are standing right there. SW and my sales guy? We send Christmas emails to each other. Sometimes he emails me when they get a floor model of something I’ve wanted but before they list it in the site as a demo. It’s great! I feel like he cares. I’m not emailing “customer service” I’m emailing him. I have a good local relationship with GC, but if one of them quits I have to start all over again. That’s the contrast- I have to be standing there for the relationship to happen.
I've always enjoyed going to Guitar Center. I did have one major issue with them. I ordered a limited run PRS McCarty model. PRS made 500 guitars in this particular run. When I went to pick up the guitar it was the wrong color. I pointed out the mistake and asked if they could locate a guitar in my preferred color. I was very adamant about wanting the particular color I ordered. As it turned out, they couldn't find one in the color I ordered. I told them I didn't want the guitar. The asked what I would be willing to pay for the guitar. The salesperson had already discounted the guitar about $800. I said, drop the price another $1000 and I'll buy it. They did and, I did. I still have the guitar.
The staff at the one near me are no longer knowledgeable and act bothered when you ask for help. They started going down hill after merger with musicians friend. It is really off putting. I honestly don’t think they will survive if they do not make some big changes.
I travel for work and I try and stop at guitar centers whenever one is near me. One problem for me in their actual locations is lack of certain models/brands in most locations. 75% of their guitars on the wall are Fender, Squire, Gibson and Epiphone. With a few esp, jackosn and charvels sprinkled in. The models I want to see are hardly ever there.
I had a real strange experience the last time I was in GC. I'm a young 71, and I went in to look at a used Strat. A very nice young lady found it for me, and asked a question. So I was telling her about the wood types, the neck, lam vs slab, old construction vs new, the radius changes and so on. I happened to turn a bit and there were 2 other employees and 3 customers that had crowded in behind us and were listening to me. I didn't know what to say, so I said 'any questions'? Several people, including 1 employee asked a question! Then they all thanked me! That was really strange. My GF said I was the 'Mr. Rodgers' of guitars at that GC. LOL I don't think I was insulted, but I'm not sure. LOL I can still rock a Strat, that's all that counts!! 8) --gary
Guitar Center is failing because they’re owned by an Equity Firm. Typically when a firm like this buys a company (and this seems to be the case for GC) they only focus on quarterly earnings above all else. They get these numbers in various ways, some can be actual company growth or they get rid of all “unnecessary” spending to boost quarterly numbers. Usually it starts with cutting the staff in stores, firing “overpaid” staff (usually the most knowledgable) staff, adding near impossible, and ever increasing sale quotas. It can even extend to cutting lights in the stores to “save money on electricity” making the stores dull and uninviting. They also massively increase annoying sales calls. Eventually, the stores end up poorly staffed with like 2 people on duty, one guy part-time minimum wage with no benefits, the other salary but working like 50-60 hour weeks and hating his life. Sometimes companies crawl out of this rut with proper leadership but GC is so in-debt it’s gonna be rough. If they don’t get out of the rut they go bankrupt, but hey, they made them quarterly earnings and those shareholders happy! Damn shame, hope they come out of it. Side note: they do have an online presence they just call it something else. They own Musician’s Friend and seem to be running that site as poorly as GC.
I've bought two used guitars from Guitar Center online and had good experiences both times. One of them, my shipping address was messed up, I don't know if it was my issue or theirs, causing UPS to not deliver my guitar. I got on the phone talk to a couple of people at Guitar Center and they grabbed the guitar as soon as UPS delivered it back to them, slapped a new shipping label on it and sent it back. It took an extra week but they got the guitar I bought and they seemed happy to help. So I can't bash on them but will say they could obviously improve, especially in with their photos and descriptions of used guitars. However, that would take more time and possibly increase prices. Of course when you're owned by a large holding company you don't always get to be as innovative and dexterous as you should be. Perhaps Guitar Center is like a kindly old grandpa that means well but isn't as nimble as he use to be and can't always find his teeth. And yes, your milage will vary.👴😁
GC worked twenty years ago. With Sweetwater and other online retailers it's too easy to buy what I need. GC is really only useful for two things: #1 buying small items *IF* I happen to be in the neighborhood, and #2 Showrooming, i.e. testing out an amp or checking out a neck profile of a guitar to see if I can live with it...and using that information to make the purchase from one of the big online retailers. Bonus of not setting foot in a GC: I don't have to listen to the obligatory teenager loudly playing death metal & speed scales through a loud half stack.
Dude, my local GC, Knoxville Tn, is currently better than it's ever been (25+ year). There were a bunch of years when the inventory sucked but now they have over a 100 used guitars for sale and tons of other gear. I still use Sweetwater and others but the convivence of GC's return policy allows me to take home whatever I want and then bring it back if I don't like. Browsing the used products on GC is so easy now, it's a definite benefit for me.
For me it comes down to one thing: proximity. I can get to 2 Guitar Centers before I find a new guitar anywhere else. Beyond that distance Guitar Center is competing against used gear in pawn shops. I don't order anything online that can be bought in a store. I will say, I like smaller, more intimate guitar shops, but I'm gonna need Guitar Center to stick around.
I think 2 reasons: 1: They don’t invest money into their stores. Walking into a guitar center feels like walking into k-mart before they went out of business, an old store desperate for remodeling. 2. Their online is sus to say the least. I’ve ordered online a few times from guitar center and every time the packaging was terrible. I had a pedal where the knobs came off because they just threw it in a box with nothing else, no padding no nothing.
I love GC's used gear. They usually have good stuff, sometimes good deals, and inventory is always changing. I think that's where they should be putting more of their marketing budget/ social media efforts.
I just picked up a '96 Kelly last week...I'm always checking the local GC website - they keep their corner of the interwebs neat & clean. And the employees at my local GC do the best with what they have and I've never had a bad experience there, but they are always short-staffed.
About two years ago I bought a guitar they had on clearance which was on their website. I also bought a case to go along with it. The case came within a couple of days but no guitar. After 3 months of back and forth and run around...the guitar in question they didn't even have yet it was on their main page and remained so for weeks AFTER I bought one and AFTER I never received it. The Customer service I got was horrid and like I said 3 months of run around is more than a bit much. Guitar Center absolutely sucks. Sometimes going out of business is necessary for something better to come along....go Sweetwater!
If I were to make a couple of suggestions for improvement: - Better website (more Sweetwater-ish - Guitar weights/photos with guitar training videos) - Pay better for luthiers so they don't lose them and train new ones to solder/restring guitars/replace nuts/etc. - When buying online, stop selling guitars that have been on the store floor for weeks or months. I see too many people drop guitars. - Staff should make a point to know routine customers and online customers.
I very much agree, Robert. I generally buy those extended warranties to help the sales people and I buy their gear whenever they have something I want locally.
I will never forget my first time walking into a Guitar Center. It was 2006 and I had only been playing guitar for about a year, acoustic, and the sales rep grabbed an Ibanez, plugged into a Line 6 Spider 3 and that was it. I went home and bought an Ibanez RG370DX and the Spider 3. Dam, I wish I had never sold that guitar. The other thing I’ll never forget was an all female Led Zeppelin Tribute band was in the parking lot rocking out. Not sure if it was Gretchen Menn and Zepparella, but they were rocking. It is too bad about Guitar Center and their possible demise. Thanks for the video and giving us this update.
I've made some purchases from Guitar Center amd enjoyed the items including my Les Paul Tribute. And only one purchase from Sweetwater. Sweetwater immediately impressed me with how much they were willing to communicate with me after I got the product. (Midi adapter) On top of the candy, I was reached out to being offered any advice or a chance to ask any questions about what I got from a couple phonecalls and texts. I get that behaviour is pretty much for customer rentention. (I work in retail) But it.. it just felt really good for such a simple thing. Really makes me wish we had a Sweetwater building in SC.
that customer retention strategy is pretty effective. it's why i don't shop anywhere else. i'm not a session guy, i can do set ups and and some guitar mods. for the rest i have a fantastic luthier. i don't really need a physical location. for me, sweetwater works
Being a lefty..... it makes no difference...... GC doesn't stock them..... and we have to order online anyway........ and Sweetwater makes it so much easier
A local guitar shop can often be a lot more personal. They offer more money on trade-ins and will work with you on payments when buying. GC wants the poor kid musician who cant afford a guitar to open a credit card, and when trading in, they offer the bottom of the barrel. They will literally go on eBay and offer the lowest price on whatever you want to trade-in. I think, at least in my area, if Guitar Center disappeared, it would open up more possibilities for the local shops.
Guitar Center won't close, because if they do Gibson and Fender won't have anywhere to ship 300+ guitars a day. it would destroy Gibson and Fender IMO.
I don't live in the States, so I don't have a GC around here, but it is nice to have a place where you can bring your guitar to get repairs or adjustments done.
My bad GC experiences are all isolated to one store, which was my local one (Lexington, KY). It definitely tainted me to the point when I go into other GCs I still mentally think, “Oh yeah! These don’t all suck.” Over the course of at least 15 years, I only had one good experience at the Lexington store, which it even soured afterwards because they reneged on a promise to get a replacement case for the new guitar i bought (they couldn’t find the case at purchase, but told me they were ordering one) which was the final straw. I attended an event they put on and only me and another person showed up. They were going to raffle some small door prizes, but didn’t because not enough people came. I didn’t care about the door prizes, which was a hat or a pack of strings, but in hindsight, that should have told me a lot about how that store operates because they’d rather not give a set of strings or a hat to the two people who did show up and instead keep them to sell or use another day. I gave them many, many chances. The store is just poorly run, staff is generally disinterested in assisting people (I think that largely a result of poor training and a lack of knowledge), store was often dirty and cluttered, and they regularly couldn’t physically find things in the store that their computer said was there (including instruments people brought to them for repairs or other work). They have a good amount of brick and mortar competition in Lexington, and the competition got my business most of the time. I have since moved and, although not near the top of my favorite local music stores, the GC in my new town is a functioning store with competent employees and regular upkeep.
Having friends that work for GC corporate, and being a former Sweetwater SE, I’m on the fence. But… they’ve made so many mistakes (in the business), and keep getting bailed out. Maybe it’s time to let it go and allow someone else to fill any void left in the market. I haven’t been inside a GC in over a decade and have no plans to any time soon.
As a person from Latin america, where you don't get that kind of content from a business company, its great for us consummers to get to know what you are getting when you buy.
Guitar Center is the Walmart of music stores and I would love to see them go out of business. In the late '00s, two of them opened up, each a county away from me and almost immediately, three of the four small, privately-owned music stores that were 20 minutes from my house were gone. I had good relationships with two of those stores. I took lessons at one and bought a lot of gear at the other over several years. The one store that survived has a deal with the local school system to provide band instruments and barely has a guitar section. If Guitar Center went under, local, privately-owned music stores would be able to flourish again and all of those former Guitar Center employees would have plenty of places to find work.
I have zero issues with my local Guitar Center store, the issue is their online services. I've had the wrong amps shipped to, amps that I ordered new came to me in used condition, not floor model condition, used. One had a drink ring on top of it and was just dirty. I've had orders canceled with no reason given. I have canceled an order only to have the stuff show up at my door anyway. It was not always like this, it just became this way the last couple of years. Maybe due to the pandemic?
I remember that the ones near me used to be more friendly in the sensevof letting people try gear. They used to have whole rooms for drums. I miss that
I worked at Guitar Center and most of my guitars I bought from them but what I think is a problem is they put a lot of guitars on the floor and they hang very close together so they get banged up. If someone buys a brand new guitar and it shows in stock that could be the floor model. The original box is not saved and the guitar arrives in another box it gives customers fits and rightly so.
I was playing a Gretch and asked the kid the best price. He said that’s it my man. I bought it and went home. 2 days later I found the same guitar from another company for $100 less. I took it back, they gave me $100 cash back and I still have the guitar. Why not a better deal upfront. I will never go back,
Earlier 2000s I’ve had good experiences with GC: butterscotch Tele MIMs, Les Paul trad pro, Ibanez GB10, Marshall 100w 1959slp, All of these stage/studio everyday carry. Never looked back. You need to know your gear as always.
Broke a string, no strings at home, in a hurry, went to GC @15 min drive. They had my exact strings in stock, as a 3-pack at a decent price. I wanted three 3-packs for a total of 9 sets. Counter person told me they only had one 3-pack, but.. and seriously here.. said "but we can sell you the other 6 sets at our regular price". Worked out to be about $15 more. I thought he was kidding. He was not, so I asked to talk to a manager. He told me the manager was in a meeting with specific instructions to NOT interrupt him. I do not mind spending an extra $15 on anything if there's a valid reason, or you're actually getting something worth that extra money. He actually.. lol.. said this gem - "I guess you can look at it as - you're buying 9 sets of strings and getting a deal on 3 of them because they are in a bulk pack". I bought my first Strat in GC back in 1981. In those 42 years I have spent thousands upon thousands in their stores. I won't ever step foot into another one. They can go ahead and die off. If they are going to allow online supplies and Amazon beat them so easily in both price and customer service, then I'm not going to fight for them either.
I think one of the biggest things folks don't realize, and it's mentioned here in this video, is that Guitar Center keeps a lot of working musicians employed which in turn allows those musicians to keep playing music, because nowadays it's nearly impossible to make a living just playing music; you have to have a side gig. That would be the biggest loss imo.
I was in a Guitar Center in March and I had to beg to get anyone to help me. First I spent a half hour in the acoustic guitars. No one in sight. I went to the electrics, all the good stuff was up on the third tier and again, no one in site. I tracked down an employee, who had to track down another employee to bring the ladder around to look at a couple Gibsons. The guy I eventually got knew his stuff but why should a customer have to jump through hoops to get service? Sadly, it's one of the few places where you can try several different brands.
I would say, Robert, that Guitar Center needs to do something that the other retailers you mentioned almost certainly have already done, which is to hire a staff to handle GC's online presence -- and then have that staff GIVE THEM ONE! GC's sheer size could be an asset to them, as they could reach people locally that they would miss otherwise, but they need also the get full leverage out of their Internet possibilities. That's one take.
Hey Robert, thanks for this video 1st of all. It's not just all the people GC employs. It's having a big music store to go to, that wouldn't exist anymore if they closed! That's what happened to record stores. It's happening all over this country! Places are going out of business, cause for whatever reasons that make them obsolete? I remember going to my local music store and spending hours there! Going to a record store and just going crazy over what they had in that place. All kinds of stuff! Now, most people can just go on the internet and buy whatever they want, and get it delivered right to their door. They don't want to leave their house! Everything is at the tip of their fingers! It's a MUCH different world we live in now... People just don't understand!
And it's a pain to get something shipped, and if you don't like it, now you have to pack it back up, fight with someone about shipping, and drop it off at FedEx, UPS or USPS.
@@Scott__C 100% I had a decent experience with Sweetwater- but it did cost me $25 to test drive an $1100 guitar that just didn't jive with me. Get a label, box it back up...worry about damage...yadda yadda. It worked out and $25 isn't a big deal....but I don't want to do that over and over. I could test drive 50 guitars at GC for free. I'd hate to see them go. My local store in Idaho has always been good to me (20 years now) - low pressure and cool people.
You know why I like Guitar Center? Where I live there really aren't great guitar shops. Most sell off-name brands and maybe some low end Fender guitars, but if I want anything else, it's GC or nothing. I love Sweetwater and other places too, but when I buy a Gibson, I want to play it first because we all know how you can play 10 Les Pauls and fall in love with 1. That's something you can't do shopping online and something that local shops in my area can't even get in the door.
I did a stint at a busy GC in Southern California many years ago. Pay was all commission based and super hard to hit targets. In turn the incentive was to sell customers not what was necessarily best for them but what made the most GP (gross profit). Otherwise you made sub minimum wage. I considered that a huge disservice to people. I left to produce and engineer another band and get them signed. Fast forward the other side of the country and in more recent years I had applied to maybe work there teaching perhaps in the recording. Keeping in mind I have many very prominent engineering credits. After an initial callback of interest I was locked out of the system. Now add the fact that capital groups have gained stake it is only a matter of time until they bleed it dry. Thanks for the memories but time marches on. The only thing we can always count on is change.
My son a a I have had a bunch of great memories at that same Guitar Center In Columbus… he got his beloved PRS SE Marsden Signature model there and it’s his “forever” guitar…for my first American Gibson there too
I LOVE Guitar Center. It’s damn near the only real game in a lot of military towns. Thank God they are there! Without them, there would be no place to physically go and try and BUY new gear! I like being able to physically pick something up and try it before I buy it. It would be a damn shame if they went away. 😞
I've been back to GC a couple times in the last year and it's not a pleasant experience. They have so many guitars on the wall but everything over $200 is locked up. They are actually busy, but that means you have to stand around for 5 minutes at a time just to get someone's attention. The smaller shops around me still have good selection and much better service. If I don't buy from one of them I usually go to Sweetwater. I appreciate having one guy who checks in with me after each purchase. If GC's online model is going to be distant and impersonal, they could at least offer better pricing.
First time I ever walked into a Guitar Center, I was awestruck. Then I noticed right away that their left handed selection was nearly non existent, which sucked, but I get it: Left handed guitar players are only a small percentage of those who play. I agree with your comment about empty buildings and all those lost jobs if Guitar Center *does* go bankrupt. And yes, Andertons'; Peach; Thomann and others are killing it with social media presence, and GC should, ideally, take note of that reality.
Back in the late 80’s the local GC brought Glenn Frey in to promote his second LP. The place was packed to meet Glenn. Since that time they haven’t had any big names to come in.
I called GC twice about a used Schecter Banshee, just wanted the serial number and a couple closeups of the body and neck. They said they’d call me back and email the info. Never heard back. Emailed them three times with the same request, never heard back. I guess they didn’t want the business. But a shame for sure…poor management.
My problem with GC, their customer service & they never have what I need, I don’t even waste my time & fuel anymore ….Sweetwater is my go to source, they have a fulfillment center in my city so 3 out of 5 times I get my order the next day…free shipping & faster than that other company.
I appreciate your positive diplomatic views of GC. I wish I could agree but my experiences have not been all that good. Now having said that I will NEVER wish ill will on any company/business etc...Every time(not 8 out of 10 or 6 out of 10 but everytime!) I pick a guitar off of the wall Their guitars are WAY OUT OF TUNE! They are often dirty and not well cared for. I have played through amps with scuffs, dents, nicks, tolex tears yet they are priced as brand new. Often times their staff are unable to answer my questions OR even willing to spend the time with me or even show interest. I have called on more than one occasion and the staff said " I will take a message and make sure someone gets back to you to get you the information you need" and NOT ONCE has anyone EVER called me back(I could on and on). Again, these are my experiences YMMV! So I stopped going into GC years ago-it is just not worth it AND I would much rather give my business to a local music store with hard working staff(who are also musicians) who actually care about making sure their customers receive the attention they require...again, I dont wish ill will on GC I simply will never give them my business.
Two different times, I found a Great deal on a used pedal, then it was cancelled because "they could not find it." I have bought A Lot of stuff off of Reverb, but we need to start a movement and bring back the Over-All Latest Listings! They took it away for like 6 months now. I used to discover all kinds of things I would not have even thought of, and now you are limited to searching specific items. And BTW, Dovydas is in Nashville, would love to see a long hair contest or you teach him note for note licks and then he just goes off on a tangent.
They are behind competition in many ways. Sweetwater’s 55 point inspections makes a difference too. Also the post service is totally different. I have bought from both, and Sweetwater will ask you a few months later how are you doing with your guitar. Guitar Center has lots of data of their shoppers and they don’t use it proactively
I've bought 4 schecter guitars and a heritage from Sweetwater. None of these guitars were close to factory specs especially the heritage but the schecter solo blackjacks 3 way toggle didn't work right out of the box. I've never seen a hint of a 55 point inspection. I still buy from sweetwater but not my guitars.
they made it impossible for employees to make comissions..if they dont make the sales quota they get fired..they make less on comission from where it was before
Owned 5 guitars, bought 4 from GC, including a really nice used Fender acoustic I saw online. Nothing like picking up a guitar and playing a bit before buying. Online can't replicate that and not every city/town has a mom and pop guitar store.
Even as corporate as they are, I actually don't hate Guitar Center either. I grew up on them and have lots of awesome memories in the 90s of getting my first drum kit, guitar, keyboards, even recording gear over the years - at a time when online shopping wasn't really a thing, and other brick-and-mortar stores in my city were too small and dusty to have anything in stock. One of the things I still enjoy about GC to this day is the fact the employees are often a little clueless and not the most useful. Maybe that is hurting their image, but for me it's a positive. Allow me to explain - a few weeks ago I went on a guitar shop crawl looking at various offset guitars. The smaller local shops I went to were really pushy, talking to me while I tried to demo guitars, really feeling like a used car salesman trying to make a sale. I could barely enjoy the headspace to listen to and feel out each guitar. Contrast that to GC - I walked in and the employees just let you do your thing. "Let me know if you need anything." They're friendly but don't bother you. I spent nearly two hours playing dozens of guitars and it was the best experience of all the shops because I could actually experience each guitar! That said, when I say they are clueless, I have found when asking GC employees technical or advanced questions, they usually have no idea what I'm talking about. I have found it's better to research online first before going in so you have an idea of what to look for. One other weird way in which this has benefitted me as a customer (and probably not helping them) is when it comes to used sales - they often price them too low because they don't know what they are selling, especially anything non-guitar. For example I've picked up synths and mics in almost new condition, priced half of their market value because they looked like another one a lot cheaper. Not always the case, sometimes they are overpriced, but if you scour their website used section you can find some crazy deals where they got the name or model wrong haha. Definitely love/hate relationship with GC but I would be sad if they were gone!
I have had some very good and some very bad experiences at Guitar Center. Losing GC would be really bad. As some have mentioned their online presence is awful, bad inventory management and the used guitar information is horrid. My local GC is so understaffed I have walked out many times because I knew it would take way too long to get any assistance. But I Hate buying guitars online. I need to feel it and play it.
From St. Louis here - Without Guitar Center, there are few places where I can actually touch a guitar. The smaller shops often carry just a few brands, so comparing is difficult. All that variety gives me many learning opportunities that I would really miss. I learn a lot there.
My problem visiting Guitar Cener recently is their lack of selection. It's tons of similar guitars and mostly the Squires and Epiphones. I'd like to check out different guitars and there's not much variety in the store.
The standard for GC took a nosedive post 2010-ish. The guitars are usually out of tune, grimy, and not set up at all. The prices are still a little ridiculous, usually if a guitar has a significant chunk missing from the paint or out of the wood from being dropped or whatever, they might put 50$ off the sticker. Their used gear inventory is now obsolete due to Sweetwater’s gear exchange, as is their customer service in general. Just my opinion, Seeetwater converted me a long time ago and has continued to provide so much excellent customer service that I just can’t go back. I do miss the GC hay days back in like 2005, when I would go into the store and feel like Wayne and Garth, just blown away stepping into their music store lol
The great thing about brick and mortar guitar stores.... is you can just pick up a guitar and play a few notes to see how it sounds. Can't do that with online shops.
I used to really like my local Guitar Center. It's where I started taking lessons. Bought my first 2 guitars there. Went in a few months ago to look at a guitar they had on sale. It had been about 6 months since I was there. Everyone that I knew there was gone. Three people working there.....none knew anything about guitars or amps. Terrible experience.....I see no reason to go back
GC Employee here, the used photos are a problem that the company is well aware of. We are currently beta testing company IPhones for taking used photos, price checking and for use of many other applications. Apple Pay coming soon as well hopefully.
The main issue I have with Guitar Center in my city is all of the employees think they are super cool because they work at a guitar store. So cool in fact, that I have had to stand at the counter and say excuse me but....every single time I have been there. You ask to see a guitar and they are like ,"yeah I'm sure you are gonna buy it" they treat customers like a distraction from there little clique....
I think one of GCs problems is they ship open box and return guitars as new. I don't like doing returns and if it does not say open box in the description I expect new. I will still order used guitars from them, but done with ordering anything new. Our local GC store had a bass I liked but the pick guard was all scratched to hell and they were still selling it as new. From what I have seen on the net I suspect their employees are not very motivated by the way they get treated by the company. I don't know for sure just going by what I read and view. I walked around one store with a guitar I wanted to buy and couldn't find anyone to check me out so after 10 minutes put it back and left. I don't want them to go out of business and do understand sometimes things don't go smooth, but it's to frequent there.
I would look at closing the bottom 20% of their stores. The ones that are least profitable and focus on their top 80% of their better performing locations. Try when possible to transfer the employees that would be affected into other locations. Focus on employee training and development. I’ve been a customer for decades. In the last ten years, the brand lost many experienced employees that had great knowledge. Today, I find that a good portion of employees will read back to you what the product description says on the box. They don’t understand features and benefits or how it integrates with other gear. That is not the employees fault. It’s managements responsibility to train them. But when their regional VP says cut labor, guess what? Little training occurs. Watching videos is not good training and that’s a big miss. Many stores are severely understaffed. The store design team takes over locations that are not well suited to be able to visually see who is in each department. Imagine 3 employees working a shift in a 15 thousand square foot facility that has drums, audio, guitars etc. not connected in a way that you can see who needs help when you don’t have enough help. Employees get frustrated, customers get frustrated. The other issue is the inability to maintain inventory clean and well adjusted. I can’t tell you how many times I visit stores all over the country and the strings are rusted, necks bowed, electronics scratchy. It kills the experience. I miss the old days going back 15 years they still had better operating stores. I don’t blame the staff or the managers at the store level. I blame the executive level who is so focused on getting the company out of debt they end up doing the “Addition by substraction” The cycle will continue. As a last comment their used gear shipping and packaging is below standard and the photos they are taking for used gear are awful. Things that can easily be fixed. I wish them the best. There are many great employees and they deserve better.
Another thing that doesn't help Guitar Center is the lingering Old School idea of playing 100 guitars before you find that one guitar where everything comes together... it has the magic! I know there's always a chance at getting a lemon, but my personal experience has been the last 5 new guitars I've bought haven't had any issues. There's a much higher level of consistency in production these days because of machine precision. I've gotten a couple lemons buying vintage guitars online, but it's kinda hard to justify traveling a thousand miles to demo a guitar when I'm not buying a $10,000+ old guitar. I hope Guitar Center sticks around because I can't think of another large presence physical location music store that keeps such massive inventory and the great thought of being able to just walk into a musician's version of a candy store. Online is great, but seeing some of these guitars in person is a much better experience. Most of the smaller music stores around have a few music instruments, but are mainly for school bands/orchestra because they actually make money renting out trumpets and repairing flutes versus the occasional sale of a new Gibson guitar.
As a german i LOVE thomann. but i do really miss just getting out and try out a bunch of guitars. of course we do have small local stores here but they dont have as much gear as a brand like guitar center does. i really wish we had it (or something equivalent) here!!
Sweetwater is so much better. When I go into guitar center, countless incompetence or mistakes keep happening. And Sweetwater just offers lower prices and has the stock. Guitar doesn't. They have to order it, well might as well go to Sweetwater. But I do agree.
This is coming from someone who works there. The main problems with GC are first and foremost a terrible labor model. The stores are understaffed with predominately part time employees with little knowledge and limited work experience. The customer service manager and store leads who handle most of the sales under the new model are not on commission and have little incentive to work hard on selling and provide a quality in store experience. The website sucks. They have no presence on social media. Understaffing makes merchandising very difficult and a lot of inventory gets stuck in the warehouse. The corporate geniuses priorities are out of wack with the in store reality.i could go on but at this point in time i don't see it getting any better.
Twice now I have found a guitar at GC when it was "coming in a few months" on Sweetwater. Ibanez SML721 and Schecter Apocalypse. That's something I think. And everyone's mobile app sucks ass. It's amazing. Tap a link, nothing happens. Tap again, wait 30 seconds for the screen to change. Filtering is open the full screen filter bank, scroll down, select a value, wait for the whole damn app to reload, repeat to add a second filter.
Fewer GC’s with better trained and compensated staff. Cleaner stores, better online presence, and strong collaboration with small, independent stores. Understand the niche GC can play in the guitar ecosystem and build that brand. The guitar world will appreciate it.
I work for Guitar Center as a repair technician and though I agree that GC is outdated and behind and doing many things wrong, they’re not going anywhere anytime soon. The company is in the process of turning around with new technology and new processes and in my opinion you can’t beat the feeling of playing a guitar, falling in love with it, and taking it home.
Umm you gotta have guitars in stock to play and fall in love with though.. Which they barely have any in their stores.. Their supply is horrible if you are a player that isn't a newbie.
I have been cursed with audio issues today. Lets hope that this is the final reupload of the day!!!
100%
I liked the musical interlude. 😊
This one seems to be ok. The first one i tried to watch kept stopping, and had loud music drowning out your voice midway through, and also wouldn't let me comment on it
I used to work there and they treat their employees like 💩!
But I still go there because I live right up the street. However, they take for granted that their loyal customer base won’t jump ship, and that they’ll get new ones through word of mouth.
But based on what you said and what I know they will not last long! What do I know? 🤔
Well, I fit that demographic I started playing guitar and still have my first guitar an old Aria and I’m 56 yrs old.
Well, I’m one of their loyal customers and previous an employee when all their loyal customer base that started pre internet die out, they’re up 💩 creek!
What, so that first upload with the second half with overmodulated rock (the bass had exceptional "compression") wasn't actually what you meant? I heard some background stuff in the first half. I thought the whole thing was supposed to be like the sound of a Guitar Center, and the second part was a band with a couple full stacks going. It totally ducked your speaking to inaudible.
Hey Robert, love the videos. I used to work for GC from essentially 1992-2005 and in that time, I went from a lowly promotions intern to National Promotions Mgr. and then Mgr. Of Store Openings, acquisitions and moves. I opened close to 80 stores for the company and it really hurts me to see them in this position. There are a number of reasons for how they got into this situation: expanding too much too fast and cannibalizing their own stores, going public and now the focus was on dbl digit increases each quarter instead of how to serve the customer clients well. And then there was the decision to sell to Bane Capital, which *borrows* the money to buy the company and then saddles said company with the debt when they sell them. But before they sell the company, they come in and gut what they consider overly redundant, inefficient, and generally “unnecessary” to make the operating expenses look low on paper. I have a few friends that lost their jobs or had hours cut way back b/c of Bane. And now it’s a ghost town in the stores so who’s going to sell and ship the gear? That said, I totally agree w/ your assessment of their social media. GC has always chosen to put their money behind call to action sales events and it was like twisting arms to get upper management to put any time or money into an informative and entertaining social media presence. Also, and this may have changed since my exit in 2005, but they were never keen on any employee, from promotions or even a sales person becoming too popular in the public eye. I’m sure they have a myriad of reasons for this (anyone say Jerod from Subway?) but the optics are that they’ve screwed the pooch on this one too. Sometimes, I almost wish that a group of past GC employees that actually still give a shit about GC, like myself, could band together and buy it back from whatever venture capital firm currently owns it and bring it back to it’s former glory. Nothing against the bean counters, but they don’t know how to run an MI business. Fingers crossed for GC and that Sweetwater doesn’t start to go south after their recent big-time financial doings. 🤞🤘✊🎸🎶
Their used photos are taken by a Polaroid that is 1/2 broken, found by a crime scene. They need to fix that too!
To top that off, it’s usually just one picture as well. From very far away.
@@TylerJohnstonGuitar blurry, and by an employee that smoked a bowl and downed a colt. My mom can take better photos LOL
And the photo is of a completely different product than the description.
@@shreddedcheese9982 haha, yes indeed. Or just the back of a guitar…
@@shreddedcheese9982 basically, it’s a joke; they have a good return policy so it’s always worth a shot knowing if it’s a lemon, you can get $ back. I got two beautiful guitars from them which are both keepers.
Anytime I’ve been to a guitar centre the employees tried to push products I didn’t want or need on me, were condescending, and everything was filthy. Not just the guitars, the entire store I last went to smelled like someone was constantly peeing in the corner of the shop
What are people supposed to do when the toilets are locked ? 😂
What I love about Guitar Center is that they are physically huge and you can jam out and really test a guitar on a ton of different amps and not feel like you're in the way. I spent almost 4 hours there a few weeks ago before walking out with a Squier Classic Vibe Jazzmaster (the best one I had found after trying dozens at many different locations). While mom and pop shops often offer a better setup product, I can't help but feel like I'm in the way if I spend more than an hour there playing around. Also, the variety of amps to work with is often minimal. The sheer variety of guitars you can access and play and compare is also great. Also, I can go into a GC every day of the week, fuck around and not buy anything and no one cares. I doubt a mom and pop shop would be as accommodating (and also honestly, I would feel embarrassed to do that)
My GC is not huge, it's quite small and only has about 10 amps at any given time. Pretty sure they've been the same models for a couple of years, there's never anything new to the market in mine. Good for you, though!
At least one mom and pop near me is OK if you play stuff even if you don't buy. I'm sure if you do that a lot and never buy anything from them, they'll sour on it though.
@Eric_01 that's odd which GC?
Bring your own amp and/or guitar.
Agreed. The Guitar Center site is also a pretty good spot for used gear, often at lower prices than on Reverb, with a better return policy. The stores set their own pricing even for the same items and if you have it shipped from a different store to your local one, you don't pay shipping (Edit: This is apparently no longer the case). They still need better, and consistent product photos also.
Is that true? Circa six months ago I bought a Peavey Rage 158 amp for $30 with $30 shipping from out of state. The website showed the same cost if shipped it to the nearby (3 miles away) Guitar Center so I had it shipped to the house. It was just like the pic, beat up, paint and stickers on it, but it works. Wudda been a bargain for total price of $30.
There's a local Music-Go-Round that's my usual go-to place for used gear, they have a LOT of stuff and it's all listed online!), but be SURE to check out if something works before you buy.
Agreed. I got an $80 used Yamaha Pacifica 012 that played great after I set it up. Definitely worth what I paid for it.
Maybe it's changed. I've had items shipped to a local store for free but have also paid for things to ship to my home. I also call and ask for a discount code or coupon 😊.
Can't beat trying things in person if you can.
Ya for sure at least 3 to 4 photos showing the guitar or item.
Holy hell yea, the return policy is a must, Reverb risks shipping damage and people claiming things are mint when they aren't. Not to mention taking the usual hit selling gear at GC is sometimes worth it when Reverb does additional fees, and when the buyer makes a complaint Reverb will back them. I had a horrible experience when I listed a guitar as having "normal wear" and the buyer demanding a refund since small Knicks are dings supposedly go beyond normal wear.
I love the fact that I can go in and try something out. They just need someone to go over the guitars before they go on the rack. Great return policy.
An issue I’ve had with Guitar Center and where Sweetwater shines is inspecting a guitar before it’s shipped to the customer. I know that a lot of the guitars are shipped from one of their stores, so they don’t have the advantage of one central location with the resources to do a full inspection. But at least opening the manufacturer’s box for a quick visual check would help. I’ve returned 3 guitars with very obvious issues. This includes receiving obvious display models with no notification or discount offered.
I have had pretty good experiences with Guitar Center. I have bought a couple Gibsons, Taylors , Fenders and a few amps and pedals. They have always been helpful and have stood behind what they have sold to me. They have a much larger selection than most of the local shops and unlike the online stores, you can pick it up and play it. It would be a shame to lose them. However, it may just be too late for them to recover.
They kinda killed local shops so it would be kinda funny to see them go down and the local shops start to do better. I'm definitely guilty of buying stuff from guitar center and I don't regret it but it would be great to see local shops make a come back.
@@JustTheTip556I agree with you. The reason I stopped going to guitar center is because Corson Music (local) by me I got to know personally and they know me and my styles (quirks) and preferences. I think so many people, especially beginners, go through Guitar Center and employees generally may not be invested in their work so much and may get burned out.
I have the same observation. I am in the tech world working for a huge creative software company. In the beginning I was required to do podcasts, MySpace, twitter, UA-cam… so I know what good social media can do. I also love GuitarCenter, we have multiple stores around me with one being a specialty shop for custom shops and vintage guitars. The manager of the vintage shop would call or email me when something cool came in. I grew up jamming and playing at Charlie’s Guitar Shop here in Dallas, I never got this kind of personal experience. I bought 12 custom / vintage guitars from him in 15 years (my wife hated when she saw an email or call from Guitar Center, LOL). I walked into one of the other Guitar Center’s stores last week, and it was depressing! It was dark, the guitars where midrange at best, I wanted a new acoustic guitar, a Martin or Taylor, they had zero in stock! Even my wife was surprised. I miss the days you walked into a Guitar Center and there was a buzz, kids trying to play the latest metal tunes, the newest pedals out to try out, the PA’s with the lights going crazy. I guess it’s just good ol days syndrome! I hope they they can come back. Kids need a place to experience music!
I’m here in Dallas, and see my post from above!!
Watching the original post was like BEING in a Guitar Center on a saturday afternoon - you know someone's talking because you can see their lips move but the music is too loud to hear them.
HAHAHA
My last guitar purchase was at a GC. It was influenced by the ease that you could try out a lot of guitars quickly and easily. I also liked that they have a separate room for acoustic instruments. The last time I went in to the same store all of the acoustics were locked. On a general note I noticed over the years that businesses that do well have really good management. And that this has to come from the top down. You can see how it influences everything about their establishment.
Guitar Center have multiple plagues going on. I walked into one a few weeks ago and there were three people working the whole store. It was packed in there. Their drum department had literally, SEVEN people in there wanting buy different kits but couldn’t get help. I saw two guitars I wanted. Both were over $3K. I wanted to grab one there and then but couldn’t get help, so I ended leaving. I went across the parking lot to Sam Ash & they were packed and people were being helped left and right. Nobody waited for more than a few minutes. The employees were playful and fun. There wasn’t the overwhelming stress that was felt in Guitar Center.
I think there needs to be some serious restructuring soon or we will loose Guitar Center. They certainly don’t know how to utilize their online presence & it would appear that they’re not taking care of customers in store either. Simple changes could make big progress.
I was recently looking for a specific dynamic guitar tone, nothing worked. I went to a good small guitar shop here in town. Explained in just a few sentences what I was looking for. He went straight ahead to a wall, picked one guitar, gave it to me "That's the guitar you are looking for" . Never thought about playing a guitar with just 1 P90 pickup. But this guitar is my main guitar now and works perfectly in that project. The shop is Jimmy Egypt in Glasgow.
I am in Utah, and we do have a few music shops aside from GC, but when it comes to selection of accessories they are hard to beat. It's also nice that I can see their inventory on the website and know if it's in stock in my local store. They're also a good place to find used deals. I have bought a bunch of used pedals and even a Fender rarities Tele for a really great price there used.
Nicely said, Rob.
I don’t get the hate that some people have towards Guitar Center. We need guitar music to be popularized more than ever and what could be better than having a nationwide chain called Guitar Center to make people at least curious about guitar? I wish they never go out of business.
well put
As someone who used to work in a small mom and pop music store part of it is the sort of Walmart effect. Guitar center could offer a wider selection for cheaper than we could afford to keep on our shelves because they could buy in bulk and negotiate exclusive deals with companies that while popular with our consumer base wasn't at all friendly to work with especially in a smaller capacity. Beyond that any company we would have success with because we were their local dealer would almost always jump ship as soon as gc wrote them a big enough check. Again undercutting our prices and basically making it impossible for us to carry that companies products. Beyond that they generally offered next to no service, awful techs, and would neglect their guitars soo much they'd be all but unplayable within 6-8 months. They basically represent a lot of the laziness and gluttony of the guitat industry from 15-20 Yeats ago. And I think we're slowly realizing we don't need them as an industry. Look at the meteoric rise of sweetwater a company that basically changed how we bought guitars over night because of their customer service. Never had a single bad experience with sweetwater and the reps check in on me almost more than my mother lol. I'll just add for disclosure I mostly shopped at Sam ash growing up when I went to box stores. My folks bought me my first guitar from a guy named Martin and he became my guy for the better part of decade and got me insane deals. Most notably a 2007 tremonti core model for $2700 out the door. Also he had to fight management to get it sent back to his store since it was sent out after I demoed but before I committed to acquiring it. These kinds of experiences definitely jaded me especially since the first time I tried to play a usa prs was at a guitar center and was told it wasn't a toy and I was too young for it. (That might have been true) but the dumbest sales decision that guy ever made. So I think they're are very real gripes to be had with the company however it's not all nightmares. When I lived in SD I was extremely impressed with the LA Mesa store. Great selection friendly (if unattentive) staff. It was a breath of fresh air. And do I want to see them go under probably nit. I'd prefer it they got bought out and rebranded by Sweetwater but that would probably be financial suicide
@@daniellowry660 Sweetwater's run by private equity now, so over time the customer service will not be as good. In 5 years, especially after the firm that has it now sells it to get their money back and a hefty profit, it'll continue to slowly go downhill.
Also, having only one big place will be terrible for customers.
My recent experience with Guitar Center: I called to order a guitar. Verified that they had some at the warehouse (3 to be exact) and told them to order one from the distribution center. They still sent me one from a store for some reason. That was the last straw with them. Nothing but bad experiences lately.
Nailed it Robert. I speak from experience, I’m an old fashioned guy myself and lost many opportunities and got behind in business because I was so stubborn and insisted to not adapt and embrace the new technologies. Adaptability is key in all areas of life.
I love GC. Never had a bad experience at a guitar center. Plenty of eccentric employees, plenty of strange customers, plenty of great visits. Never been bothered, never wished my experience was "better". It's a store....full of guitars....that you can play. Go in there, be normal, and usually everything will be fine lol. Hope they stay in business. I love mom and pop shops too, but there is something super cool about going into a GUITAR - CENTER. it's just a different vibe and I have always liked it.
I think that their biggest weakness is their employees. Back in the day, I would walk into Guitar Center, and I would see my peers. The employees were musicians from the local music scene. Now, it seems like most of their employees had never even held a guitar before they started working there. At that point there is only one reason to go to Guitar Center. To buy something I need today. Going into a Guitar Center is not a fulfilling experience. There's no more, "Hey man, when are you guys playing out again?" or, "How is that new demo coming?" It's more like going to Walmart.
Up to maybe 3 yrs ago, I was able to talk shop with some of the staff there. Now, it's like the passion isn't there. Idk if it's the "part time economy" where the staff don't want this gig long term. Regardless, I do remain loyal and like trying out the gear and buying small things here and there.
From Leo: Like any store, the customer has to sort through and find what is valuable to them. Some people get frustrated because they don't remember they are dealing with a clerk, not a business owner who can make big decisions. Guitar Center is sort of like a Walmart for musicians. Don't expect to have the "expert buying experience" you get at the Mercedes Benz dealer, where you pay heavily for the white glove pampering. I have never been unhappy with purchases I made at Guitar Center because I had realistic expectations and understood what exactly I was looking to buy.
I have had tons of great experiences at my local GC. The staff knows me and is super friendly. I have a great relationship with one of their techs whose worked on many of my guitars and is very personable and attentive. He calls on the phone prior to completing work and double checks with me that he's covering everything. He's done some custom work for me as well and the costs are always very reasonable. I actually gave him my business card and told him to give me a call should he have to go private in the future. I would be super bummed if they closed as I have been going there for close to 20 years.
Ha! You fixed it! I watch the orig post and there was some weird music bleed into it starting around 3 minutes. It drowned you out. Thanks for fixing!
As for the video, I agree. GC is owned by a venture capital firm now, and has not leveraged a regular relationship with people unless they are standing right there. SW and my sales guy? We send Christmas emails to each other. Sometimes he emails me when they get a floor model of something I’ve wanted but before they list it in the site as a demo. It’s great! I feel like he cares. I’m not emailing “customer service” I’m emailing him. I have a good local relationship with GC, but if one of them quits I have to start all over again. That’s the contrast- I have to be standing there for the relationship to happen.
I've always enjoyed going to Guitar Center. I did have one major issue with them. I ordered a limited run PRS McCarty model. PRS made 500 guitars in this particular run. When I went to pick up the guitar it was the wrong color. I pointed out the mistake and asked if they could locate a guitar in my preferred color. I was very adamant about wanting the particular color I ordered. As it turned out, they couldn't find one in the color I ordered. I told them I didn't want the guitar. The asked what I would be willing to pay for the guitar. The salesperson had already discounted the guitar about $800. I said, drop the price another $1000 and I'll buy it. They did and, I did. I still have the guitar.
The staff at the one near me are no longer knowledgeable and act bothered when you ask for help. They started going down hill after merger with musicians friend. It is really off putting. I honestly don’t think they will survive if they do not make some big changes.
Exactly! They act like I’m bothering them. So I’ve taken my money and gone to Sweetwater.
I travel for work and I try and stop at guitar centers whenever one is near me. One problem for me in their actual locations is lack of certain models/brands in most locations. 75% of their guitars on the wall are Fender, Squire, Gibson and Epiphone. With a few esp, jackosn and charvels sprinkled in. The models I want to see are hardly ever there.
I had a real strange experience the last time I was in GC. I'm a young 71, and I went in to look at a used Strat. A very nice young lady found it for me, and asked a question. So I was telling her about the wood types, the neck, lam vs slab, old construction vs new, the radius changes and so on. I happened to turn a bit and there were 2 other employees and 3 customers that had crowded in behind us and were listening to me. I didn't know what to say, so I said 'any questions'? Several people, including 1 employee asked a question! Then they all thanked me! That was really strange. My GF said I was the 'Mr. Rodgers' of guitars at that GC. LOL I don't think I was insulted, but I'm not sure. LOL I can still rock a Strat, that's all that counts!! 8) --gary
Guitar Center is failing because they’re owned by an Equity Firm. Typically when a firm like this buys a company (and this seems to be the case for GC) they only focus on quarterly earnings above all else. They get these numbers in various ways, some can be actual company growth or they get rid of all “unnecessary” spending to boost quarterly numbers.
Usually it starts with cutting the staff in stores, firing “overpaid” staff (usually the most knowledgable) staff, adding near impossible, and ever increasing sale quotas. It can even extend to cutting lights in the stores to “save money on electricity” making the stores dull and uninviting.
They also massively increase annoying sales calls.
Eventually, the stores end up poorly staffed with like 2 people on duty, one guy part-time minimum wage with no benefits, the other salary but working like 50-60 hour weeks and hating his life.
Sometimes companies crawl out of this rut with proper leadership but GC is so in-debt it’s gonna be rough. If they don’t get out of the rut they go bankrupt, but hey, they made them quarterly earnings and those shareholders happy!
Damn shame, hope they come out of it.
Side note: they do have an online presence they just call it something else. They own Musician’s Friend and seem to be running that site as poorly as GC.
I've bought two used guitars from Guitar Center online and had good experiences both times. One of them, my shipping address was messed up, I don't know if it was my issue or theirs, causing UPS to not deliver my guitar. I got on the phone talk to a couple of people at Guitar Center and they grabbed the guitar as soon as UPS delivered it back to them, slapped a new shipping label on it and sent it back. It took an extra week but they got the guitar I bought and they seemed happy to help.
So I can't bash on them but will say they could obviously improve, especially in with their photos and descriptions of used guitars. However, that would take more time and possibly increase prices. Of course when you're owned by a large holding company you don't always get to be as innovative and dexterous as you should be.
Perhaps Guitar Center is like a kindly old grandpa that means well but isn't as nimble as he use to be and can't always find his teeth.
And yes, your milage will vary.👴😁
GC worked twenty years ago. With Sweetwater and other online retailers it's too easy to buy what I need. GC is really only useful for two things: #1 buying small items *IF* I happen to be in the neighborhood, and #2 Showrooming, i.e. testing out an amp or checking out a neck profile of a guitar to see if I can live with it...and using that information to make the purchase from one of the big online retailers.
Bonus of not setting foot in a GC: I don't have to listen to the obligatory teenager loudly playing death metal & speed scales through a loud half stack.
Dude, my local GC, Knoxville Tn, is currently better than it's ever been (25+ year). There were a bunch of years when the inventory sucked but now they have over a 100 used guitars for sale and tons of other gear. I still use Sweetwater and others but the convivence of GC's return policy allows me to take home whatever I want and then bring it back if I don't like. Browsing the used products on GC is so easy now, it's a definite benefit for me.
For me it comes down to one thing: proximity. I can get to 2 Guitar Centers before I find a new guitar anywhere else. Beyond that distance Guitar Center is competing against used gear in pawn shops. I don't order anything online that can be bought in a store.
I will say, I like smaller, more intimate guitar shops, but I'm gonna need Guitar Center to stick around.
I think 2 reasons:
1: They don’t invest money into their stores. Walking into a guitar center feels like walking into k-mart before they went out of business, an old store desperate for remodeling.
2. Their online is sus to say the least. I’ve ordered online a few times from guitar center and every time the packaging was terrible. I had a pedal where the knobs came off because they just threw it in a box with nothing else, no padding no nothing.
I love GC's used gear. They usually have good stuff, sometimes good deals, and inventory is always changing. I think that's where they should be putting more of their marketing budget/ social media efforts.
I just picked up a '96 Kelly last week...I'm always checking the local GC website - they keep their corner of the interwebs neat & clean. And the employees at my local GC do the best with what they have and I've never had a bad experience there, but they are always short-staffed.
About two years ago I bought a guitar they had on clearance which was on their website. I also bought a case to go along with it. The case came within a couple of days but no guitar. After 3 months of back and forth and run around...the guitar in question they didn't even have yet it was on their main page and remained so for weeks AFTER I bought one and AFTER I never received it. The Customer service I got was horrid and like I said 3 months of run around is more than a bit much. Guitar Center absolutely sucks. Sometimes going out of business is necessary for something better to come along....go Sweetwater!
If I were to make a couple of suggestions for improvement:
- Better website (more Sweetwater-ish - Guitar weights/photos with guitar training videos)
- Pay better for luthiers so they don't lose them and train new ones to solder/restring guitars/replace nuts/etc.
- When buying online, stop selling guitars that have been on the store floor for weeks or months. I see too many people drop guitars.
- Staff should make a point to know routine customers and online customers.
I very much agree, Robert. I generally buy those extended warranties to help the sales people and I buy their gear whenever they have something I want locally.
I will never forget my first time walking into a Guitar Center. It was 2006 and I had only been playing guitar for about a year, acoustic, and the sales rep grabbed an Ibanez, plugged into a Line 6 Spider 3 and that was it. I went home and bought an Ibanez RG370DX and the Spider 3. Dam, I wish I had never sold that guitar. The other thing I’ll never forget was an all female Led Zeppelin Tribute band was in the parking lot rocking out. Not sure if it was Gretchen Menn and Zepparella, but they were rocking. It is too bad about Guitar Center and their possible demise. Thanks for the video and giving us this update.
I've made some purchases from Guitar Center amd enjoyed the items including my Les Paul Tribute. And only one purchase from Sweetwater. Sweetwater immediately impressed me with how much they were willing to communicate with me after I got the product. (Midi adapter) On top of the candy, I was reached out to being offered any advice or a chance to ask any questions about what I got from a couple phonecalls and texts. I get that behaviour is pretty much for customer rentention. (I work in retail) But it.. it just felt really good for such a simple thing. Really makes me wish we had a Sweetwater building in SC.
that customer retention strategy is pretty effective. it's why i don't shop anywhere else. i'm not a session guy, i can do set ups and and some guitar mods. for the rest i have a fantastic luthier. i don't really need a physical location. for me, sweetwater works
Being a lefty..... it makes no difference...... GC doesn't stock them..... and we have to order online anyway........ and Sweetwater makes it so much easier
My sister went to GC to buy a lefty guitar and the only one they had was a Kirk Hammett
A local guitar shop can often be a lot more personal. They offer more money on trade-ins and will work with you on payments when buying. GC wants the poor kid musician who cant afford a guitar to open a credit card, and when trading in, they offer the bottom of the barrel. They will literally go on eBay and offer the lowest price on whatever you want to trade-in. I think, at least in my area, if Guitar Center disappeared, it would open up more possibilities for the local shops.
I love Guitar Center. My dad bought my first Gibson SG in 1977 in San Francisco. My current go to is in Katy TX. Love it!
Guitar Center won't close, because if they do Gibson and Fender won't have anywhere to ship 300+ guitars a day. it would destroy Gibson and Fender IMO.
I worked at Guitar Center for 4 months when I was 16 a LONG TIME ago. It was quite possibly the worst job I had next to washing dishes when I was 15.
It's kinda similar to Target's dilema, making sure each store is consistent in look, feel, management, and inventory.
I don't live in the States, so I don't have a GC around here, but it is nice to have a place where you can bring your guitar to get repairs or adjustments done.
My bad GC experiences are all isolated to one store, which was my local one (Lexington, KY). It definitely tainted me to the point when I go into other GCs I still mentally think, “Oh yeah! These don’t all suck.” Over the course of at least 15 years, I only had one good experience at the Lexington store, which it even soured afterwards because they reneged on a promise to get a replacement case for the new guitar i bought (they couldn’t find the case at purchase, but told me they were ordering one) which was the final straw. I attended an event they put on and only me and another person showed up. They were going to raffle some small door prizes, but didn’t because not enough people came. I didn’t care about the door prizes, which was a hat or a pack of strings, but in hindsight, that should have told me a lot about how that store operates because they’d rather not give a set of strings or a hat to the two people who did show up and instead keep them to sell or use another day. I gave them many, many chances. The store is just poorly run, staff is generally disinterested in assisting people (I think that largely a result of poor training and a lack of knowledge), store was often dirty and cluttered, and they regularly couldn’t physically find things in the store that their computer said was there (including instruments people brought to them for repairs or other work). They have a good amount of brick and mortar competition in Lexington, and the competition got my business most of the time. I have since moved and, although not near the top of my favorite local music stores, the GC in my new town is a functioning store with competent employees and regular upkeep.
Having friends that work for GC corporate, and being a former Sweetwater SE, I’m on the fence.
But… they’ve made so many mistakes (in the business), and keep getting bailed out. Maybe it’s time to let it go and allow someone else to fill any void left in the market.
I haven’t been inside a GC in over a decade and have no plans to any time soon.
As a person from Latin america, where you don't get that kind of content from a business company, its great for us consummers to get to know what you are getting when you buy.
Guitar Center is the Walmart of music stores and I would love to see them go out of business. In the late '00s, two of them opened up, each a county away from me and almost immediately, three of the four small, privately-owned music stores that were 20 minutes from my house were gone. I had good relationships with two of those stores. I took lessons at one and bought a lot of gear at the other over several years. The one store that survived has a deal with the local school system to provide band instruments and barely has a guitar section. If Guitar Center went under, local, privately-owned music stores would be able to flourish again and all of those former Guitar Center employees would have plenty of places to find work.
I have zero issues with my local Guitar Center store, the issue is their online services. I've had the wrong amps shipped to, amps that I ordered new came to me in used condition, not floor model condition, used. One had a drink ring on top of it and was just dirty. I've had orders canceled with no reason given. I have canceled an order only to have the stuff show up at my door anyway. It was not always like this, it just became this way the last couple of years. Maybe due to the pandemic?
I visit my local guitar center , nobody ever talks to me I buy my strings & leave I hope it doesn't close ya know but 🤷♂️
I remember that the ones near me used to be more friendly in the sensevof letting people try gear. They used to have whole rooms for drums. I miss that
I worked at Guitar Center and most of my guitars I bought from them but what I think is a problem is they put a lot of guitars on the floor and they hang very close together so they get banged up. If someone buys a brand new guitar and it shows in stock that could be the floor model. The original box is not saved and the guitar arrives in another box it gives customers fits and rightly so.
I was playing a Gretch and asked the kid the best price. He said that’s it my man. I bought it and went home. 2 days later I found the same guitar from another company for $100 less. I took it back, they gave me $100 cash back and I still have the guitar. Why not a better deal upfront. I will never go back,
Earlier 2000s I’ve had good experiences with GC: butterscotch Tele MIMs, Les Paul trad pro, Ibanez GB10, Marshall 100w 1959slp, All of these stage/studio everyday carry. Never looked back. You need to know your gear as always.
Broke a string, no strings at home, in a hurry, went to GC @15 min drive. They had my exact strings in stock, as a 3-pack at a decent price. I wanted three 3-packs for a total of 9 sets. Counter person told me they only had one 3-pack, but.. and seriously here.. said "but we can sell you the other 6 sets at our regular price". Worked out to be about $15 more. I thought he was kidding. He was not, so I asked to talk to a manager. He told me the manager was in a meeting with specific instructions to NOT interrupt him. I do not mind spending an extra $15 on anything if there's a valid reason, or you're actually getting something worth that extra money. He actually.. lol.. said this gem - "I guess you can look at it as - you're buying 9 sets of strings and getting a deal on 3 of them because they are in a bulk pack".
I bought my first Strat in GC back in 1981. In those 42 years I have spent thousands upon thousands in their stores. I won't ever step foot into another one. They can go ahead and die off. If they are going to allow online supplies and Amazon beat them so easily in both price and customer service, then I'm not going to fight for them either.
I think one of the biggest things folks don't realize, and it's mentioned here in this video, is that Guitar Center keeps a lot of working musicians employed which in turn allows those musicians to keep playing music, because nowadays it's nearly impossible to make a living just playing music; you have to have a side gig. That would be the biggest loss imo.
I was in a Guitar Center in March and I had to beg to get anyone to help me. First I spent a half hour in the acoustic guitars. No one in sight. I went to the electrics, all the good stuff was up on the third tier and again, no one in site. I tracked down an employee, who had to track down another employee to bring the ladder around to look at a couple Gibsons. The guy I eventually got knew his stuff but why should a customer have to jump through hoops to get service? Sadly, it's one of the few places where you can try several different brands.
I would say, Robert, that Guitar Center needs to do something that the other retailers you mentioned almost certainly have already done, which is to hire a staff to handle GC's online presence -- and then have that staff GIVE THEM ONE! GC's sheer size could be an asset to them, as they could reach people locally that they would miss otherwise, but they need also the get full leverage out of their Internet possibilities. That's one take.
Hey Robert, thanks for this video 1st of all. It's not just all the people GC employs.
It's having a big music store to go to, that wouldn't exist anymore if they closed!
That's what happened to record stores. It's happening all over this country! Places
are going out of business, cause for whatever reasons that make them obsolete?
I remember going to my local music store and spending hours there! Going to a
record store and just going crazy over what they had in that place. All kinds of stuff!
Now, most people can just go on the internet and buy whatever they want, and get
it delivered right to their door. They don't want to leave their house! Everything is at
the tip of their fingers! It's a MUCH different world we live in now... People just don't
understand!
And it's a pain to get something shipped, and if you don't like it, now you have to pack it back up, fight with someone about shipping, and drop it off at FedEx, UPS or USPS.
@@Scott__C 100% I had a decent experience with Sweetwater- but it did cost me $25 to test drive an $1100 guitar that just didn't jive with me. Get a label, box it back up...worry about damage...yadda yadda. It worked out and $25 isn't a big deal....but I don't want to do that over and over. I could test drive 50 guitars at GC for free. I'd hate to see them go. My local store in Idaho has always been good to me (20 years now) - low pressure and cool people.
You know why I like Guitar Center? Where I live there really aren't great guitar shops. Most sell off-name brands and maybe some low end Fender guitars, but if I want anything else, it's GC or nothing. I love Sweetwater and other places too, but when I buy a Gibson, I want to play it first because we all know how you can play 10 Les Pauls and fall in love with 1. That's something you can't do shopping online and something that local shops in my area can't even get in the door.
I did a stint at a busy GC in Southern California many years ago. Pay was all commission based and super hard to hit targets. In turn the incentive was to sell customers not what was necessarily best for them but what made the most GP (gross profit). Otherwise you made sub minimum wage. I considered that a huge disservice to people. I left to produce and engineer another band and get them signed. Fast forward the other side of the country and in more recent years I had applied to maybe work there teaching perhaps in the recording. Keeping in mind I have many very prominent engineering credits. After an initial callback of interest I was locked out of the system. Now add the fact that capital groups have gained stake it is only a matter of time until they bleed it dry. Thanks for the memories but time marches on. The only thing we can always count on is change.
My son a a I have had a bunch of great memories at that same Guitar Center In Columbus… he got his beloved PRS SE Marsden Signature model there and it’s his “forever” guitar…for my first American Gibson there too
I LOVE Guitar Center. It’s damn near the only real game in a lot of military towns. Thank God they are there! Without them, there would be no place to physically go and try and BUY new gear! I like being able to physically pick something up and try it before I buy it.
It would be a damn shame if they went away. 😞
I've been back to GC a couple times in the last year and it's not a pleasant experience. They have so many guitars on the wall but everything over $200 is locked up. They are actually busy, but that means you have to stand around for 5 minutes at a time just to get someone's attention. The smaller shops around me still have good selection and much better service. If I don't buy from one of them I usually go to Sweetwater. I appreciate having one guy who checks in with me after each purchase. If GC's online model is going to be distant and impersonal, they could at least offer better pricing.
First time I ever walked into a Guitar Center, I was awestruck. Then I noticed right away that their left handed selection was nearly non existent, which sucked, but I get it: Left handed guitar players are only a small percentage of those who play.
I agree with your comment about empty buildings and all those lost jobs if Guitar Center *does* go bankrupt.
And yes, Andertons'; Peach; Thomann and others are killing it with social media presence, and GC should, ideally, take note of that reality.
I love how we’re having a conversation in this vid, & you still have a guitar in hand 😂
I watched it holding one too
Back in the late 80’s the local GC brought Glenn Frey in to promote his second LP. The place was packed to meet Glenn. Since that time they haven’t had any big names to come in.
I called GC twice about a used Schecter Banshee, just wanted the serial number and a couple closeups of the body and neck. They said they’d call me back and email the info. Never heard back. Emailed them three times with the same request, never heard back. I guess they didn’t want the business. But a shame for sure…poor management.
My problem with GC, their customer service & they never have what I need, I don’t even waste my time & fuel anymore ….Sweetwater is my go to source, they have a fulfillment center in my city so 3 out of 5 times I get my order the next day…free shipping & faster than that other company.
The thing about GC in my area is the personnel aren't knowledgeable. The online presence you mentioned is a big factor.
I appreciate your positive diplomatic views of GC. I wish I could agree but my experiences have not been all that good. Now having said that I will NEVER wish ill will on any company/business etc...Every time(not 8 out of 10 or 6 out of 10 but everytime!) I pick a guitar off of the wall Their guitars are WAY OUT OF TUNE! They are often dirty and not well cared for. I have played through amps with scuffs, dents, nicks, tolex tears yet they are priced as brand new. Often times their staff are unable to answer my questions OR even willing to spend the time with me or even show interest. I have called on more than one occasion and the staff said " I will take a message and make sure someone gets back to you to get you the information you need" and NOT ONCE has anyone EVER called me back(I could on and on). Again, these are my experiences YMMV! So I stopped going into GC years ago-it is just not worth it AND I would much rather give my business to a local music store with hard working staff(who are also musicians) who actually care about making sure their customers receive the attention they require...again, I dont wish ill will on GC I simply will never give them my business.
Two different times, I found a Great deal on a used pedal, then it was cancelled because "they could not find it." I have bought A Lot of stuff off of Reverb, but we need to start a movement and bring back the Over-All Latest Listings! They took it away for like 6 months now. I used to discover all kinds of things I would not have even thought of, and now you are limited to searching specific items. And BTW, Dovydas is in Nashville, would love to see a long hair contest or you teach him note for note licks and then he just goes off on a tangent.
They are behind competition in many ways. Sweetwater’s 55 point inspections makes a difference too. Also the post service is totally different. I have bought from both, and Sweetwater will ask you a few months later how are you doing with your guitar. Guitar Center has lots of data of their shoppers and they don’t use it proactively
Terrific point
I've bought 4 schecter guitars and a heritage from Sweetwater. None of these guitars were close to factory specs especially the heritage but the schecter solo blackjacks 3 way toggle didn't work right out of the box. I've never seen a hint of a 55 point inspection. I still buy from sweetwater but not my guitars.
The problem is internal theft.
Over 50,000 in one week at SJ location.. in 1993.
One week only.. prices slashed!!!
they made it impossible for employees to make comissions..if they dont make the sales quota they get fired..they make less on comission from where it was before
Owned 5 guitars, bought 4 from GC, including a really nice used Fender acoustic I saw online. Nothing like picking up a guitar and playing a bit before buying. Online can't replicate that and not every city/town has a mom and pop guitar store.
Even as corporate as they are, I actually don't hate Guitar Center either. I grew up on them and have lots of awesome memories in the 90s of getting my first drum kit, guitar, keyboards, even recording gear over the years - at a time when online shopping wasn't really a thing, and other brick-and-mortar stores in my city were too small and dusty to have anything in stock.
One of the things I still enjoy about GC to this day is the fact the employees are often a little clueless and not the most useful. Maybe that is hurting their image, but for me it's a positive. Allow me to explain - a few weeks ago I went on a guitar shop crawl looking at various offset guitars. The smaller local shops I went to were really pushy, talking to me while I tried to demo guitars, really feeling like a used car salesman trying to make a sale. I could barely enjoy the headspace to listen to and feel out each guitar. Contrast that to GC - I walked in and the employees just let you do your thing. "Let me know if you need anything." They're friendly but don't bother you. I spent nearly two hours playing dozens of guitars and it was the best experience of all the shops because I could actually experience each guitar!
That said, when I say they are clueless, I have found when asking GC employees technical or advanced questions, they usually have no idea what I'm talking about. I have found it's better to research online first before going in so you have an idea of what to look for. One other weird way in which this has benefitted me as a customer (and probably not helping them) is when it comes to used sales - they often price them too low because they don't know what they are selling, especially anything non-guitar. For example I've picked up synths and mics in almost new condition, priced half of their market value because they looked like another one a lot cheaper. Not always the case, sometimes they are overpriced, but if you scour their website used section you can find some crazy deals where they got the name or model wrong haha.
Definitely love/hate relationship with GC but I would be sad if they were gone!
I have had some very good and some very bad experiences at Guitar Center. Losing GC would be really bad. As some have mentioned their online presence is awful, bad inventory management and the used guitar information is horrid. My local GC is so understaffed I have walked out many times because I knew it would take way too long to get any assistance. But I Hate buying guitars online. I need to feel it and play it.
From St. Louis here - Without Guitar Center, there are few places where I can actually touch a guitar. The smaller shops often carry just a few brands, so comparing is difficult. All that variety gives me many learning opportunities that I would really miss.
I learn a lot there.
My problem visiting Guitar Cener recently is their lack of selection. It's tons of similar guitars and mostly the Squires and Epiphones. I'd like to check out different guitars and there's not much variety in the store.
The standard for GC took a nosedive post 2010-ish. The guitars are usually out of tune, grimy, and not set up at all. The prices are still a little ridiculous, usually if a guitar has a significant chunk missing from the paint or out of the wood from being dropped or whatever, they might put 50$ off the sticker. Their used gear inventory is now obsolete due to Sweetwater’s gear exchange, as is their customer service in general. Just my opinion, Seeetwater converted me a long time ago and has continued to provide so much excellent customer service that I just can’t go back. I do miss the GC hay days back in like 2005, when I would go into the store and feel like Wayne and Garth, just blown away stepping into their music store lol
The great thing about brick and mortar guitar stores.... is you can just pick up a guitar and play a few notes to see how it sounds. Can't do that with online shops.
People have been saying that for 20 years and each time Theres a video or article about it. It just gets bought out and then never goes away
I used to really like my local Guitar Center. It's where I started taking lessons. Bought my first 2 guitars there. Went in a few months ago to look at a guitar they had on sale. It had been about 6 months since I was there. Everyone that I knew there was gone. Three people working there.....none knew anything about guitars or amps. Terrible experience.....I see no reason to go back
GC Employee here, the used photos are a problem that the company is well aware of. We are currently beta testing company IPhones for taking used photos, price checking and for use of many other applications. Apple Pay coming soon as well hopefully.
Man all that stuff would be amazing!
The main issue I have with Guitar Center in my city is all of the employees think they are super cool because they work at a guitar store. So cool in fact, that I have had to stand at the counter and say excuse me but....every single time I have been there. You ask to see a guitar and they are like ,"yeah I'm sure you are gonna buy it" they treat customers like a distraction from there little clique....
One of Guitar Center’s issues is when you buy a new guitar and they send you an obvious floor model. Not cool.
Our local Guitar Center has a B inventory.
No American made Telecasters in stock.
I think one of GCs problems is they ship open box and return guitars as new. I don't like doing returns and if it does not say open box in the description I expect new. I will still order used guitars from them, but done with ordering anything new. Our local GC store had a bass I liked but the pick guard was all scratched to hell and they were still selling it as new. From what I have seen on the net I suspect their employees are not very motivated by the way they get treated by the company. I don't know for sure just going by what I read and view. I walked around one store with a guitar I wanted to buy and couldn't find anyone to check me out so after 10 minutes put it back and left. I don't want them to go out of business and do understand sometimes things don't go smooth, but it's to frequent there.
I would look at closing the bottom 20% of their stores. The ones that are least profitable and focus on their top 80% of their better performing locations.
Try when possible to transfer the employees that would be affected into other locations. Focus on employee training and development. I’ve been a customer for decades. In the last ten years, the brand lost many experienced employees that had great knowledge.
Today, I find that a good portion of employees will read back to you what the product description says on the box. They don’t understand features and benefits or how it integrates with other gear. That is not the employees fault. It’s managements responsibility to train them. But when their regional VP says cut labor, guess what? Little training occurs. Watching videos is not good training and that’s a big miss. Many stores are severely understaffed. The store design team takes over locations that are not well suited to be able to visually see who is in each department.
Imagine 3 employees working a shift in a 15 thousand square foot facility that has drums, audio, guitars etc. not connected in a way that you can see who needs help when you don’t have enough help.
Employees get frustrated, customers get frustrated. The other issue is the inability to maintain inventory clean and well adjusted.
I can’t tell you how many times I visit stores all over the country and the strings are rusted, necks bowed, electronics scratchy. It kills the experience.
I miss the old days going back 15 years they still had better operating stores.
I don’t blame the staff or the managers at the store level. I blame the executive level who is so focused on getting the company out of debt they end up doing the “Addition by substraction”
The cycle will continue. As a last comment their used gear shipping and packaging is below standard and the photos they are taking for used gear are awful. Things that can easily be fixed.
I wish them the best. There are many great employees and they deserve better.
Another thing that doesn't help Guitar Center is the lingering Old School idea of playing 100 guitars before you find that one guitar where everything comes together... it has the magic! I know there's always a chance at getting a lemon, but my personal experience has been the last 5 new guitars I've bought haven't had any issues. There's a much higher level of consistency in production these days because of machine precision. I've gotten a couple lemons buying vintage guitars online, but it's kinda hard to justify traveling a thousand miles to demo a guitar when I'm not buying a $10,000+ old guitar. I hope Guitar Center sticks around because I can't think of another large presence physical location music store that keeps such massive inventory and the great thought of being able to just walk into a musician's version of a candy store. Online is great, but seeing some of these guitars in person is a much better experience. Most of the smaller music stores around have a few music instruments, but are mainly for school bands/orchestra because they actually make money renting out trumpets and repairing flutes versus the occasional sale of a new Gibson guitar.
As a german i LOVE thomann. but i do really miss just getting out and try out a bunch of guitars. of course we do have small local stores here but they dont have as much gear as a brand like guitar center does. i really wish we had it (or something equivalent) here!!
Sweetwater is so much better. When I go into guitar center, countless incompetence or mistakes keep happening. And Sweetwater just offers lower prices and has the stock. Guitar doesn't. They have to order it, well might as well go to Sweetwater. But I do agree.
This is coming from someone who works there. The main problems with GC are first and foremost a terrible labor model. The stores are understaffed with predominately part time employees with little knowledge and limited work experience. The customer service manager and store leads who handle most of the sales under the new model are not on commission and have little incentive to work hard on selling and provide a quality in store experience. The website sucks. They have no presence on social media. Understaffing makes merchandising very difficult and a lot of inventory gets stuck in the warehouse. The corporate geniuses priorities are out of wack with the in store reality.i could go on but at this point in time i don't see it getting any better.
Twice now I have found a guitar at GC when it was "coming in a few months" on Sweetwater. Ibanez SML721 and Schecter Apocalypse.
That's something I think.
And everyone's mobile app sucks ass. It's amazing. Tap a link, nothing happens. Tap again, wait 30 seconds for the screen to change.
Filtering is open the full screen filter bank, scroll down, select a value, wait for the whole damn app to reload, repeat to add a second filter.
At my local Vegas store they have the guitars locked up and you have to beg them to try a guitar out.
Fewer GC’s with better trained and compensated staff. Cleaner stores, better online presence, and strong collaboration with small, independent stores. Understand the niche GC can play in the guitar ecosystem and build that brand. The guitar world will appreciate it.
I work for Guitar Center as a repair technician and though I agree that GC is outdated and behind and doing many things wrong, they’re not going anywhere anytime soon. The company is in the process of turning around with new technology and new processes and in my opinion you can’t beat the feeling of playing a guitar, falling in love with it, and taking it home.
Umm you gotta have guitars in stock to play and fall in love with though.. Which they barely have any in their stores.. Their supply is horrible if you are a player that isn't a newbie.