Guitars locked at GC - Page 4

pickinray · #46 12-15-2019, 01:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by C-ville Brent

At GC in Columbus, OH last summer. It's about 80 miles away so I don't get there often. Their sub $1k or so guitars seemed to be free range with those above locked. The guy I talked to was cool about unlocking guitars I asked to look at/play. One of them, a Gibson J15 or J45 studio had a bit of a nick on the side of the neck, possibly from blunt force trauma. I understand why they lock up some guitars.

My local GC in Houston has a similar setup. Plenty of sub-$1000 guitars unlocked and available to play, with the higher priced ones locked up. Staff has always been friendly and helpful. I have no issue with GC protecting their merchandise.

RXMoore · #47 12-15-2019, 02:25 PM

Last weekend, I traveled to the GC in Canton, Michigan to check out a Martin that my local store didn't have. The experience was a good one. The acoustic room was spacious and comfortable and actually had three smaller rooms inside it; one with classical guitars, one with used guitars, and a third where they kept the higher-end guitars, all locked up, of course.

I was assisted by an old guy named Eric, who was just the right mix of attentive and absent. There was a dude in the room with the high-end models playing a Gibson and I didn't want to bother him too much, so Eric would sneak in and grab me another guitar to play every time he came to check on me. Rather than put the previous one back each time he brought me a new one, he brought out a few guitar stands so I could keep some around and compare them. I was there for about an hour and a half and bought the guitar I had come to look at, but only after playing several guitars that were WAY above my intended price point.

It's fashionable for people to rip on Guitar Center, but I can't imagine a more pleasant purchasing experience. Maybe I get treated differently than most people because I'm a distinguished-looking, slightly greying 62 year old, but I played six or seven guitars and the fact that 4 of them had to be unlocked was never more than a slight inconvenience. I had great service, a comfortable place to sit and play, and absolutely no pressure. That's about all you can ask of any retailer

RalphH · #48 12-15-2019, 03:06 PM

Many people seem to think hanging a guitar on their own wall is too risky and store it back in the case when not playing it. I bet if you had to hang it, itd absolutely be a locking hanger if there was any chance of a bunch of teenagers coming and trying to have a go. Personally I don't want kids fiddling with my guitar after or before I buy it

Tony Burns · #49 12-15-2019, 03:47 PM

In alot of the GC's they typically have the best of the best out of harms way
either in their cases or a locked cabinet -you dont want to have some kid beat on a 5 grand guitar

ctvolfan · #50 12-15-2019, 05:16 PM

I was told by my local GC that it was because people would literally just run out of the front door with them. For liability reasons they can't chase them. So as usual, it takes a bunch of numbnuts to screw it up for everybody else.

ziapack · #51 12-15-2019, 07:16 PM

Good move on their part as far as I'm concerned, the ridiculous abuse of the guitars prior to locking them up was absurd in the somewhat local GC I use to visit. I rarely find a reason to go into a Guitar Center, prefer the smaller shops around me.

dermeister1331 · #52 12-15-2019, 11:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Roksbug

Hi,

not sure if this has been posted before. Last night we stopped by the Guitar Center in Santa Clara, CA and found all the high end acoustic guitars locked up. They have new locking hangers on the walls.

Does anyone know if this is a new policy at all GC locations?

On one hand it seems like it will be a hassle if you are a serious buyer but on the other hand it will cut way down on theft and dings.

I was in this same store a little over a week ago and was off-put by the locks (and a little bummed out as I only had a couple mins to peruse and it’s a bit of a hike up from where I live). The San Jose and Gilroy GCs don’t have locks on the high end acoustics, at least they didn’t the last time I was there several weeks ago.

MikeBmusic · #53 12-16-2019, 07:44 AM

The Nashua, NH used to have locks on the 3rd tier of guitars (anything over $2000), but now has them on the 2nd tier as well (anything over $1000). They have so many cheaper guitars crowded into the room right now (on stands) that there's barely any room to move around, let alone sit and play. They are obviously catering to the 'gift for the holidays' crowd.

rmp · #54 12-16-2019, 08:58 AM

about time...

JERZEY · #55 12-16-2019, 09:33 AM

Yea... People like guitars free from hipster stink. I dont blame them one bit for locking them up. If its a floor model the first question I ask is "What kind of discount do I get for this used guitar?" and the second is "Do you have any still in the box?".

Photojeep · #56 12-16-2019, 10:14 AM

GC in Las Vegas has been doing this for a couple years now. It is frustrating but I completely understand why they do it.

There is another guitar store in Las Vegas that locks up every guitar on the wall. They are very happy to unlock any you want to try. They also stand at a respectful distance while you play it. Close enough to see if you are damaging it but far enough away to let you play in peace.

Best,
PJ

RalphH · #57 12-16-2019, 12:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dermeister1331

I was in this same store a little over a week ago and was off-put by the locks (and a little bummed out as I only had a couple mins to peruse and it’s a bit of a hike up from where I live). The San Jose and Gilroy GCs don’t have locks on the high end acoustics, at least they didn’t the last time I was there several weeks ago.

So you weren't there to as actually buy a guitar, just have a fiddle...?

Quote:

Originally Posted by JERZEY

Yea... People like guitars free from hipster stink. I dont blame them one bit for locking them up. If its a floor model the first question I ask is "What kind of discount do I get for this used guitar?" and the second is "Do you have any still in the box?".

Funny enough, that's exactly what I do. "Love it, go get me a fresh one"

In fact, that seems to be the default. Normally I dont have to ask - if i take a guitar to the counter I kinda expect the person to offer to fetch me one from the stock room

dermeister1331 · #58 12-16-2019, 10:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RalphH

So you weren't there to as actually buy a guitar, just have a fiddle...?

Well yes, fiddle. You don’t think I’d actually go to a guitar center and do anything more than dirty up all their guitars do you???

Sarcasm aside, I WAS looking to try out a couple models since I’ve got some money to burn from the sale of another guitar. I promised my wife, stuck in the car with a fussy toddler, that I’d be quick. The locks on the guitars made my trip extra quick.