Guitar Center

[ewalling]

Originally Posted by fpuhan

I feel sorry for anyone who only has Guitar Center as their sole resource.

That's a whole lot of anyones. A problem with the US (as opposed to my home country England) being so big is that the slim pickings of walk-in stores that remain are distributed across a vast land tract.

[personatech]

Originally Posted by Don W

All I know is there seem to be a lot fewer guitar players these days. When GC first started almost everyone I knew played guitar...not now. It does not surprise me that they are in trouble. I always went there to buy strings and try guitars and amps and just look around. Customer service was always "hit or miss". Still, I think the guitar love affair that overtook young people after the Beatles made their appearance is over.

Maybe, but the kids haven't given up on music. They'd just rather go with a keyboard or DJ setup (also sold by GC) than a guitar.

[antvas1963]

The weird thing is I new they were in financial trouble, yet they opened a brand new store in my town. One year after the last music store closed in this town. I really don’t know how they will stay in business.

[The Growler]

Originally Posted by theghostwriter

I visit my local GC every now and then. It's good if I want to sell a guitar and don't want to deal with the hassle of selling. Also good for quick accessories sometimes, but they charge a higher price in store than what they list on their website. I've bought a few guitars from them in the past, but I don't do it often these days.

Show the item on their website and they’ll match it.

[fpuhan]

Changing times, changing tastes.

Once upon a time, Budweiser was (as they were happy to tell you) "King of Beers." They had bottling plants everywhere and distributors seemingly on every corner. They boasted of "beechwood aging" and seemed untouchable by other brewers. But then, something happened.

A competitor (Miller?) came up with ads attacking Bud's aging process as "stinky," and touted their "fresh" beer. Game on.

Next thing you know, "craft" beers are all the thing. Every corner bar now has its own house brand, and Bud is left in the convenience store coolers for every Tom, Dick and Harriet on their way to a beach bash or frat party.

Long story short: Budweiser was acquired by a Belgian company who, shady practices aside, has attempted to turn the perception of the beer into another craft brand. It still sells well, but hardly anyone considers it the best beer available.

Guitar Center is the Budweiser of the instrument world. Sadly, it's easier to create a craft brew in one's basement than it is to create and sell musical instruments.

[JERZEY]

Originally Posted by David Eastwood

That was 15 years ago. Practically every time one of these GC threads starts up, someone brings up the Bain thing. The political taint to that is as long gone as this buyout.

Is this really still relevant?

Yes. GC has never become a profitable company. It has been a big fat looser for a long time.

[Guilty Spark]

Just for fun, last year I took a Roland AC-60 acoustic amp into a local GC to see what they'd give me for it. It was in mint condition, and they had several advertised on their website for $400+. I was asking $425 on Craigslist.

The young gal at the counter took it and went to a different counter, looked it up on their "program", and came back with "I can give you $125 for it. That's what the program says."

I just chuckled, took the amp back, and walked out. It was beyond a lowball offer - to an insulting level. They could have offered me $200 and still doubled their money on a resale. I knew they'd never offer me close to my expected price (which was very fair based on current market conditions) but their ridiculous lowball really turned me off.

A week later I sold it from the CL add for $425 (I threw in a mint Zoom A2 pedal).

[menhir]

My GC is fine. Yes, not every trip there has customer service tripping over themselves to serve me, but so far, so good.
I've purchased a guitar, an amp, microphones, stands, and other accessories there at decent prices.

I've also shopped and bought at other smaller local stores, too. Not all of them have had an extensive inventory or unfailingly good sales help, either. Some of them downright sucked.

The more shopping options we have, the better.
I hope they get their act together.

[ewalling]

Originally Posted by menhir

My GC is fine. Yes, not every trip there has customer service tripping over themselves to serve me, but so far, so good.

They do vary considerably. I've traded quite a bit with GC Used Online, which has meant I've called many GCs throughout the country for information about different guitars. Sometimes I get a bright, polite, efficient-sounding voice on the other end, and sometimes I get a person who sounds as if he's just crawled out of bed (always a man). I've noticed a correlation between the quality of the instrument/service and the type of voice I get.

[rllink]

Is there any evidence that young people aren't buying and playing guitars like they did in the past or is it just a feeling we have because we don't know any young people who are playing guitars? Just wondering what the reality is.

[jacot23]

Originally Posted by rllink

Is there any evidence that young people aren't buying and playing guitars like they did in the past or is it just a feeling we have because we don't know any young people who are playing guitars? Just wondering what the reality is.

All I can speak to is my 18 year old son and at least 3 of his friends buy and play both electric and acoustic guitars. I am in a pretty small town not too far from Nashville.

[cc132]

Originally Posted by rllink

Is there any evidence that young people aren't buying and playing guitars like they did in the past or is it just a feeling we have because we don't know any young people who are playing guitars? Just wondering what the reality is.

There isn't a single song in the Billboard Top 10 right now that prominently features guitar, and there are only 2 in the Top 20 (both of which are country).

It's nearly inevitable that rock and folk will both have revivals at some point in the future, but the guitar just isn't hugely important to the cultural zeitgeist right now.

Who is the last musician that you remember rising to fame because of their guitar work? John Mayer? Jack White? That era was 20 years ago.

[ewalling]

Originally Posted by rllink

Is there any evidence that young people aren't buying and playing guitars like they did in the past or is it just a feeling we have because we don't know any young people who are playing guitars? Just wondering what the reality is.

I've taught large numbers of 18-25 year-olds over the last 20 years or so. I could count the ones who played the guitar one hand and still have a few fingers to spare.

[rstaight]

The closest GC is an hour+ away. So I don't go. Luckily there are 2 guitar stores where I live.

[biotechmgr]

At my workplace, we can earn points for good or extra work. These can be converted into many different types of gift cards. One of these is GC so I shop there.
I have been able to buy up on a few guitars that might otherwise been too expensive.

I am within driving distance of several, and found a few which are well managed.
In fact in one I had a great convo with the very knowledgeable manager about the guitar business etc.

In my experience there are good stores and poor ones, just like any chain. My view is GC makes musical instruments highly available with a good selection for the average consumer to try and buy. As such, this rather benefits those consumers of a certain market - perhaps just some of the connoisseurs here.




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