Guitar Center in Trouble

[Photojeep]

As an academic, I belong to the group of people who publish mountains of data that, depending on the definitions and methods used, can be used to say absolutely anything about anything. (I regularly upset my dean, who is an engineer who worships numbers, when I quote Mark Twain who once said, "...There are liars... and statisticians..."

I actually came to academia from the real world. By that I mean the world where one had to actually sell something and/or make a payroll. That is something most academics simply don't understand or even value.

In spite of my advanced degree, I don't like to use "quantitative" (numerical) data alone when discussing consumer habits and actions. I would rather use "qualitative" (observational data not tied to numbers) instead.

I recently spent some quality time in 2 different Guitar Centers in Las Vegas over the past week and a half and based on my qualitative observations (see above) I can say that guitar and music related sales seem to be doing just fine. At the first store (the larger of the two), I personally witnessed 4 acoustic and 2 electric guitar sales in about a 30 minute period. Is that a lot? I honestly have no idea. What I do know is that people were lined up 3 and 4 deep to buy various bits and bobs of various musical paraphernalia they found at GC.

Yesterday, while I was buying my first Martin (sorry, couldn't resist) at the second GC in Las Vegas (the smaller of the two), I personally witnessed 3 acoustic guitar and 2 electric guitar sales. Each of those sales was well north of excess of $500. And I'm not even including the many accessory sales that averaged over $50.

All of this happened over the 40-45 minutes it took my sales guy to sort out the 2 acoustics I traded towards my Martin. As I was leaving the store with my new treasure, I had to wade through about 30-40 people in the store all perusing the various musical offerings in the store.

I even ended up holding the door for a group of about 10 people going into the store.

I know it is the holiday season but since that is when most retail operations produce most of their sales, I'm ok using this observation to back up my assertion that from what I could see, GC in LV seems to be doing ok.

This is NOT to be construed as a scientific study but from my personal observations I'm not worried.

Best,
PJ

[Dwight]

Originally Posted by David MacNeill

And nowadays I only buy Collings guitars because they are utterly consistent in quality, tone, looks, and that indefinable thing I just call greatness.

Welcome to the forum.

[markrj]

I know this is anecdotal but..

We visited the GC in Tampa back in February. The one by the airport. Could hardly walk through the place it was so packed full of people. Super busy, checkout line, etc.

[menhir]

I don't think it is fair to judge GC exclusively on it's lack of high-end or boutique guitars. Even though we have on this forum a gathering place for a lot of people who use, buy and trade in that arena, I'm guessing the vast majority of players....just don't.

I worked for years with a talented guitarist who owed only two guitars...a Silvertone that he started out with as a kid, and a Gold Top that he was so happy with that he's been using it all the decades since.
The lead vocalist had one acoustic in all the time I knew her...she liked it, and she performed on it all the time. Most of the guitarists I know are the same way...They find a guitar or two they like and play them. They're not shopping for new ones all the time.
Nor am I. Oh, I drool over some of the offerings out there, but I've only purchased two guitars over the last 17 years. I'd argue that reflects the majority of the players out there.

GC isn't going to stay afloat satisfying that portion of the market alone.

...Several years back I walked into another local store with a roll of cash fully intending to walk out with a new Larrivee. I walked out with my cash instead. I couldn't even hear the guitar I was trying out due to the incessant loud shredding constantly coming from the electrics. Those players had just as much right to put the guitars they were trying out through their paces as much as I did, but it was all essentially happening in the same room. The store is still set up the same way, and truth be told, maybe acoustic players weren't where they we making their money from anyway...So how much would I expect them to spend to accommodate me?

I may walk out of a GC because they don't have anything I want on any particular visit, but I won't dismiss them because they don't have everything I may want.

The one near me still offers a greater choice of guitars, gear and accessories for the average musician than any of the smaller shops in my area. They have a humidified and relatively quiet acoustic area to play in, too...

I purchased my amplifier there this year because they actually had it in stock to try and buy. I bought a Shure SM58 there because of the numbers of reported fakes being sold on Amazon...and I even had Amazon gift cards. :-)

I'm not intending to argue or interpret the numbers.
I'd just hate to see GC close.

[Ed-in-Ohio]

Originally Posted by menhir

I don't think it is fair to judge GC exclusively on it's lack of high-end or boutique guitars. Even though we have on this forum a gathering place for a lot of people who use, buy and trade in that arena, I'm guessing the vast majority of players....just don't.

I worked for years with a talented guitarist who owed only two guitars...a Silvertone that he started out with as a kid, and a Gold Top that he was so happy with that he's been using it all the decades since.
The lead vocalist had one acoustic in all the time I knew her...she liked it, and she performed on it all the time. Most of the guitarists I know are the same way...They find a guitar or two they like and play them. They're not shopping for new ones all the time. ...snip... I've only purchased two guitars over the last 17 years. I'd argue that reflects the majority of the players out there. ...snip...

My observations of the better local performers confirm this. Most of them are playing the same guitars they have played for years. "New guitars" used by top local acts are almost all made in Mexico Taylors (100 and 200 series) or Martins (Road Series). It is very rare that I see a new, made in America guitar being used by a local performer.

Originally Posted by menhir

...snip...I'd just hate to see GC close.

Me too, but as you point out, they really can be their own worse enemy.

Not only do they not offer an environment conducive to acoustic buyers, but in my experience, they tend to ignore potentially good customers in favor of easier to close, low-end customers.

Also, in my experience, they tend to be stubbornly inflexible when it comes to the product discounts necessary to be competitive with on-line sellers...It's almost like they do not know that potential customers have the option of price comparing and shopping on-line.

They often don't seem to want the business.

[Dwight]

Originally Posted by Ed-in-Ohio

Also, in my experience, they tend to be stubbornly inflexible when it comes to the product discounts necessary to be competitive with on-line sellers...It's almost like they do not know that potential customers have the option of price comparing and shopping on-line.

They often don't seem to want the business.

Or maybe they have learned through experience that selling with no profit is futile.

[Reasley]

Originally Posted by Photojeep

I actually came to academia from the real world. By that I mean the world where one had to actually sell something and/or make a payroll. That is something most academics simply don't understand or even value.

You're painting pejoratively with a pretty broad brush, aren't you?