Pleasant visit to GC

[StringPicker6]

So, our favorite big box store has a new CEO, and he's trying to improve the shopping experience. I stopped by the one close to me at lunch time yesterday, and was pleasantly greeted and found some nice couches next to the electrics.  Biggest surprise was that the top shelf Gibsons and fenders were out on display and at hand to pick up and plug into a few amps set up by the couches. I didn't play any, but it was nice to finally see a real USA Les Paul and a strat up close instead of 20 feet up on a wall by the ceiling. Very nice improvement! Sadly, the acoustics were still locked into the wall hangers, but they are out of view from employees so understandable.

[unclrob]

Its been years since I've been in one,Years ago I did 1250 bucks worth of re repair  and caught them lying to a customer about a guitar they order for him as a new guitar that was really four years older.No desire to go back.

[B0WIE]

Always good to see a nice GC story. I try to give them business when it's practical because, now, they're helping keep guitars alive. I remember when the Walmartization of America was a concern and it was cool to be negative toward big box retailers. The landscape has completely changed yet I still see people on AGF dumping on GC as if it's still cool. It's not. GC is the only chance a lot of people have to feel a guitar in their hands and get the confidence to take up the instrument.

 I visited SamAsh a year or so ago, before they announced closure, and it was depressing. Mostly super-cheap instruments and, while it was great for beginners and low-income folks (there were a lot of families there) I couldn't find anything to buy besides strings. A store that size can't survive without appealing to all players.
Glad to see GC going back to what drew folks like myself, the ability to play everything and fall in love with an instrument. That's the only reason I even got into nice guitars was being able to sheepishly pick one up at a GC and be blown away when comparing it to the type I already owned.

 I never realized this until now, but all the guitars I bought from GC, I still have all these years later. My mind is blowing as I'm thinking about it. I've had a lot of great buys online but I've sold most of them, keeping just a few. There really is something to be said about playing everything on the wall and picking the one that speaks to you.

[StringPicker6]

I'll admit, it was exciting to stare at a gorgeous brand new shiny Les Paul, and also a brand new USA strat with those hum cancelling single coil pickups. It was like going to a museum and staring at pieces of art up close. I'm useless on electrics, but I still look at them like a kid at a candy store!

[B0WIE]

I'll admit, it was exciting to stare at a gorgeous brand new shiny Les Paul, and also a brand new USA strat with those hum cancelling single coil pickups. It was like going to a museum and staring at pieces of art up close. I'm useless on electrics, but I still look at them like a kid at a candy store!

If I wanted to get a new guitar, I'd try every version of that model, w/o looking at prices, and pick my favorite sounding one.

I had it down to two Telecasters and it was a coin toss so I looked at the tags and one was a $3,500 custom shop and the other was a discounted USA Tele for $650 so I got the USA and, 18 years later, I never needed another Tele.

The tough one was playing every LP and falling in love with the Supreme model with the chambered body (the most expensive factory moderl). It had this growl that haunted me for weeks so I negotiated that price every day for 3 days and finally gave up. Then, my girlfriend came outside and said, "Carry this, it's heavy". She put it on her credit card. That girl became my wife and we're still married.

[Silence Dogood]

Always good to see a nice GC story. I try to give them business when it's practical because, now, they're helping keep guitars alive. I remember when the Walmartization of America was a concern and it was cool to be negative toward big box retailers. The landscape has completely changed yet I still see people on AGF dumping on GC as if it's still cool. It's not. GC is the only chance a lot of people have to feel a guitar in their hands and get the confidence to take up the instrument.

 I visited SamAsh a year or so ago, before they announced closure, and it was depressing. Mostly super-cheap instruments and, while it was great for beginners and low-income folks (there were a lot of families there) I couldn't find anything to buy besides strings. A store that size can't survive without appealing to all players.
Glad to see GC going back to what drew folks like myself, the ability to play everything and fall in love with an instrument. That's the only reason I even got into nice guitars was being able to sheepishly pick one up at a GC and be blown away when comparing it to the type I already owned.

 I never realized this until now, but all the guitars I bought from GC, I still have all these years later. My mind is blowing as I'm thinking about it. I've had a lot of great buys online but I've sold most of them, keeping just a few. There really is something to be said about playing everything on the wall and picking the one that speaks to you.

This is a really great post!   

I went through a phase where I'd also dog-pile on GC, but as I've done in many other areas, I've mellowed out and seen things for what they are.  When it comes to GC, in all reality, what is there NOT to like as a guitar-lover?  There are walls of guitars, piles of amps, etc., etc.  If nothing else, it's a really fun way to spend an afternoon.  Do they have boneheads working there sometimes? Of course.  But that is true everywhere. 

I still go to my local GC (Arlington, Texas) often and remember going in there for the first time circa 1992.  I got both my first electric and first acoustic in that shop (still have the acoustic - an old Takamine that's seen better days and lives in a closet now).  That place holds a lot of memories for me.  I've spent quite a bit of money in there over the decades, and played some wonderful guitars.  It's also the place where I discovered Larrivee guitars.  I played my first D-03 in there circa 1998/1999 and was hooked (they used to carry the brand back then for a short time).  If nothing else, it's a great place to stop in when I need some strings or a new cheap tuner.  There are other local shops I go to as well, but at this stage of life (midlife!) I no longer feel obligated one way or the other to any shop. 

I'll even add this: a few weeks ago I caught my local GC doing something shady.  They had repaired a guitar and were still selling it as new.  The sales guy (typical meathead type) knew about the repair and only discounted the guitar when I spotted it.  That was truly shady, and the manager was even in on it!  Some poor schlub would have bought it thinking it new and flawless.  Even with that in mind, I'll still go in there and enjoy the store, but I'll also keep my eyes wide open and realize when someone is trying to screw me around.  That's really the same anywhere these days.  Integrity is in short supply and things are what you make of them.   I'm just determined to have fun when I go into GC.  I take my young son with me and he loves looking at all the shiny guitars.  It's still a place I'm building memories. 

[B0WIE]

Do they have boneheads working there sometimes? Of course.  But that is true everywhere. 

Absolutely. I've had a lot of frustrating experiences. Even recently tried to buy a $1,400 used uke and the GC store couldn't bother to email back so they lost that sale. But, I don't feel bad customer service is systematic there.

 I'm quick to boycott a store if I feel they are a "bad" company (stopped using Amazon for 10 years until recently). But, I'm pretty forgiving of the fact that low-wage employees usually aren't going to be highly knowledgeable or competent. I guess the argument some might have is that GC should higher skilled workers, but I've been to plenty of stores with great musicians working there and they are the WORST to deal with.

[Silence Dogood]

Guitar buying, and the guitar life in general, are deeply personal things.  We care so much about our guitars, the music we make, and everything associated with it.  It seems to me that this all translates and spills over in our guitar buying life as well.  Many people seem to want to find some perfect place to go buy guitars, be made to feel like family, etc.  It's actually kind of strange.  I have found myself doing this over the years as well: looking for the perfect shop with a staff I connect with, etc.  It's really kind of silly when you think of it. 

So when people go into GC and find bonehead staff, cocky customers shredding away at high volume, etc. etc, it ruins what they are looking for in a guitar shop.  So it then becomes cool to hate Guitar Center, or wherever.  When in reality, all GC (et al) has ever been is a place to go buy a guitar (or not), some strings, etc, etc.  It was never meant to be anything more than a cool place for people who like guitars. 

[StringPicker6]

- and to sell a guitar at a DEEPLY discounted price, yet very conveniently. I sometimes wonder if GC's generous buybacks of used guitars helped contribute to today's buying/selling/shuffling frenzy of guitars. Maybe that along with the internet. Ok, I'll stop whining now. 

[Myopic Squirrel]

Getting caught up on my Forum reading, and this thread - pardon the pun - really struck a note, especially after seeing more negative than positive GC posts in the AGF.

Like Silence Dogood, GC has been - more PUNishment - instrumental in my introduction and affinity with Larrivee. My first - a wonderful OM-05 - was from GC, a beautiful sounding and wonderfully playing instrument. Made the purchase decision after excellent in-depth conversations with the LA. manager. Upon receipt at my local GC, the OM was given a thorough review by the former manager of the local Larrivee dealer, which was even more reassuring. Due to some shoulder problems, downsized to a very nice maple Larrivee parlor, and compliments of GC, while after 40 days realized I couldn't get use to the smaller body, in spite of the great tonal qualities, I was sold on Larrivee. The result - upsized to a 00 and after playing a 000 in a MD GC, currently playing a 000-40. Very happy with my Larrivees & GC experience.

[jpmist]

Myopic Squirrel- My first - a wonderful OM-05 - was from GC, a beautiful sounding and wonderfully playing instrument.

Likewise, I found my first Larrivee, a beautiful LSV. This led me to this forum and then to the Forum IV I got which was my first 12 fret. But true to form, the salesdude claimed the original LSV case was lost and then tried to pitch me a replacement which I declined. It's incomprehensible that the original owner of a high end guitar didn't have the original case when he traded it in, so it's apparently an entrenched sales tactic that stupidly GC's games it's customers. Tsk, tsk.

That said, I have been tempted to visit the GC 10 minutes from me just to see if I can find any 12 fret guitars on their walls . . .

[StringPicker6]

I'm also bewildered how guitars can lose their cases. I once bought a used Gibson LG-2 from a guitar center in California, shipped to Pennsylvania. When it arrived, it was wrapped in bubble tape and shoved in a box. The guitar was fine, but I gave it back to them because no case.

[B0WIE]

I'm also bewildered how guitars can lose their cases. I once bought a used Gibson LG-2 from a guitar center in California, shipped to Pennsylvania. When it arrived, it was wrapped in bubble tape and shoved in a box. The guitar was fine, but I gave it back to them because no case.

 I've never got a case with any of the guitars I got at GC. They always said it was because I talked them down in price. But, I recall around 2008, my local GC has a case sale where they unloaded an unbelievable amount of cases for $20ea. I bought two car loads worth and sold them on ebay for a profit. So head-scratching to me that, instead of giving me cases, they filled their storage with them and then practically gave them away.

 I will say that GC receives a lot of guitars w/o cases from the manufacturers. I know this because I used to get guitar boxes from GC's cardboard dumpsters all the time when I was flipping guitars. A lot of the shipping boxes have styrofoam braces inside for stabilizing guitars that are not in cases. It's not just the cheap ones. They probably get it worked into their pricing.

[Silence Dogood]

I may have posted this before, but GC will try some shady stuff with cases.  I bought an electric guitar there a couple years ago and asked for the case.  I was told no case was included.  I got on the manufacturer's website via my iPhone and showed where a case was listed with the purchase.  The sales guy still argued the point and wouldn't budge. 

The situation got a little tense but I wouldn't budge because I knew I was in the right and that GC needed to honor what was on the guitar maker's site.  I finally got hold of the manager and he caved in and gave me the case. 

GC was going to sell me the case for an extra charge and pocket the money.  Shady!  Caveat emptor.  Know your stuff before you go in.