Only 88%

[jubal81]

New Study Finds Only 88% Of Guitar Center Customers Become Famous Musicians

[RobA]

Damn, I knew a needed to buy the more expensive strings.

[jubal81]

Actually, I just thought back and realized I've never actually been in a Guitar Center. Ordered a used pedal online once, but that's it.

[RobA]

I've been in four of them around where I live and from that experience, I hate going in them. I really dislike stores that cover the windows and block out the world and all of the GC's I've been in are like that. They have a very similar feeling to Best Buys to me and that's not something I like mixing with my experience of anything music related. I can't say that I think you've missed anything.

[pickdropper]

I work really close to one, but rarely set foot in it.  I guess i won't bother now that I know that there's a 12% chance that it won't result in me being a famous musician.  I guess I'll have to think about those expensive strings.

[billstein]

This explains why I'm not a famous musician. I've been in GC so many times, I never had a chance.

[selfdestroyer]

what... What.. WHAT! I can't hear you cause that kid that cant play a damn thing with out buzzing and dead fretting and needs to be on 11 for some ungodly reason and no employee cares.

I usually hide in the keyboard and drum machine section and bang on some pads.

And why is NOTHING ever in tune there. There is a smaller local shop that the people go around and tune stuff every few hours. I hate picking up something and having to spend 5 minutes tuning.. and remember, you can't hear a damn thing.

/rant
Cody

[jimilee]

I call shenanigans. I don't like going in there, usually end up educating them about what it is I am looking for. What's an sm48? sheesh!

[pickdropper]

A couple of years ago, I went in there to grab strings (admittedly the normal kind) and there was a kid just wailing a 3 chord Blink 182 tune over and over and over.  I asked the clerk behind the desk how he could put up with that all day.  He looked at me stone faced and said "What do you mean?"

Those guys must have rock solid self defense mechanisms in place.  Either that or he REALLY likes Blink 182.   

[chromesphere]

Its funny, every country has their version of Guitar Center.  Im just replacing the words "guitar center" with "billy hydes" and it all makes sense

[bcalla]

I was in Guitar Center on Sunday to buy patch cables.  I much prefer buying from small independent shops.  However, often don't have good selection of small odds & ends, and they aren't open on Sunday.

[blearyeyes]

I tried to get a job there...hmm 40 years audio engineering, guitar player forever, managed a local music store for several years, pro audio salesman for a long time...Sorry! Ended up as a Forensic Audio Video Examiner. Not dumb enough for GC.. I hate that place too!

[flanagan0718]

I worked at the local competitor chain (Daddy's Junky Music) in NH. There are 3 Guitar Centers within 30 min of my house and still refuse to go there. A while ago (last year) I went to GC to trade in some Cymbal stands and they offered me $10 a piece for my like new $150 Tama Road pro stands. I laughed in the kid's face and told him to get bent. 2 weeks later the manager emailed me and offered me $50 each store credit and i turned it down and told him i would never shop there again. I still have not set foot in there. That place is a joke, It's the K-Mart of Music stores. +1 for the "mom and pops' places!

[Willybomb]

Im just replacing the words "guitar center" with "billy hydes" and it all makes sense

Well, we don't have to worry about that any more, eh?

[bcalla]

I worked at the local competitor chain (Daddy's Junky Music) in NH. There are 3 Guitar Centers within 30 min of my house and still refuse to go there. A while ago (last year) I went to GC to trade in some Cymbal stands and they offered me $10 a piece for my like new $150 Tama Road pro stands. I laughed in the kid's face and told him to get bent. 2 weeks later the manager emailed me and offered me $50 each store credit and i turned it down and told him i would never shop there again. I still have not set foot in there. That place is a joke, It's the K-Mart of Music stores. +1 for the "mom and pops' places!

I understand your position.  I can clarify that I dislike the chain (in general I don't like what large chains have done to local business people), but happen to like the manager and some of the employees of the closest GC to me (Danvers, MA).  They all seem to be local musicians trying to cover expenses with a day job.

My late son got the drum kit of his dreams for his Make-A-Wish - a very high-end DW kit with a ton of Zildjian cymbals and hard storage/transport cases.  I'm not sure I ever discussed Steve on this forum, he died of cancer at the age of 15 - his 10th anniversary is this Friday, the 14th.

About 15 months ago I finally decided to do something with the kit.  At first I couldn't decide whether to donate it to a school or charity, or sell it and donate the cash.  One of my investigative stops was to the drum department of GC to see if they could help me figure out what it was worth.  I was VERY clear that I was leaning towards donating it rather than selling it, but knowing the value would help me decide.  An employee there spent about 2 hours researching every component of the set, found the wholesale & current retail values, and gave me a detailed list with both.  During this process he got the drum department manager and the store manager involved.  Both made it clear that there were no strings attached to the time they put into this, and that they would buy any or all components at the wholesale price they provided.  I was really moved by their help.  They even suggested a charity that might be interested in taking the set.  So clearly I have mixed feelings.