Funny comment about Guitar Center

[FoxHound4690]

I read a funny comment one time with regards to relic'ing.

On a different forum site someone was looking for advice on good ways to relic their guitar and someone posted a funny comment like "Lend it to guitar center as a demo model for a weekend".

What's the story here? do they have demo models available for people to play that get roughed up alot or was it just a smart comment?

Just curious, I live in Australia and we don't have Guitar Center stores over here.

[Alathea]

Oh my sweet summer child, you have no idea. Every thing in their store is playable and if you don’t specifically ask they sell you their whatever right off the wall and then unbox a new one in its place most of the time. You are paying for a new guitar off the wall or amp that’s been played by every wanna be kid rock star and couch dad guitar player and tire kicker that’s ever touched it.

[FoxHound4690]

Originally Posted by Alathea

Oh my sweet summer child, you have no idea. Every thing in their store is playable and if you don’t specifically ask they sell you their whatever right off the wall and then unbox a new one in its place most of the time. You are paying for a new guitar off the wall or amp that’s been played by every wanna be kid rock star and couch dad guitar player and tire kicker that’s ever touched it.

Ok so they don't specifically do "demo models" as such.... I understand how a nice looking strat for example would get played by zillions of people. the volume of customers going through your guitar center stores over there in the US would be parallel to none compared to the volume that goes into my local store here in NSW, and my local store is a fair size...

[Alathea]

I go in a few times a month to my local GC, and I know the manager. They can’t refuse any instrument to anyone. Gretsch white falcon? Here you go sonny.... they lose 4-5 thousand dollars a month just in instruments that are damaged by customers, not by shipping. We have one GC in my city, of around 250,000 people. A few other local shops, but GC are the wal mart of stores for music instruments. Their stock set ups are really bad, their humidity is all wrong or not at all for the acoustic room.... and they will sell you a two year old model as new at full price if you don’t really get on them. And no negotiating price, at least at mine.

[FoxHound4690]

Originally Posted by Alathea

I go in a few times a month to my local GC, and I know the manager. They can’t refuse any instrument to anyone. Gretsch white falcon? Here you go sonny.... they lose 4-5 thousand dollars a month just in instruments that are damaged by customers, not by shipping. We have one GC in my city, of around 250,000 people. A few other local shops, but GC are the wal mart of stores for music instruments. Their stock set ups are really bad, their humidity is all wrong or not at all for the acoustic room.... and they will sell you a two year old model as new at full price if you don’t really get on them. And no negotiating price, at least at mine.

My local store here in Aus is the same.... They stock fender custom shop guitars that you first saw there 2 and 3 years ago and no one in my local area buys them because they're way too expensive, 5 grand plus (Aus dollar)... They never have sales on them or anything to try and encourage people to buy them.... same as the Gibsons and Fenders and all the rest of the "regular" guitars people tend to aim for....

[Alathea]

See, we aren’t so different after all! LOL

[FoxHound4690]

Originally Posted by Alathea

See, we aren’t so different after all! LOL

Doesn't sound like it lmao, just curious though how do they get so many damaged instruments just from people playing them in store? I can understand it if a small kid dropped a les paul for example because they're so hefty in weight but that dollar amount in damaged instruments???? are people going in there and chucking a Jimi Hendrix and pouring lighter fluid over guitars and lighting them on fire or something?

[Alathea]

Every idiot in town knows they can play whatever they want, including those that have never played, and worse, the employees won’t balk at selling somebody way more guitar than they are ready to stick with or learn to take care of.

[seannx]

Originally Posted by FoxHound4690

I read a funny comment one time with regards to relic'ing.

On a different forum site someone was looking for advice on good ways to relic their guitar and someone posted a funny comment like "Lend it to guitar center as a demo model for a weekend".

What's the story here? do they have demo models available for people to play that get roughed up alot or was it just a smart A** comment?

Just curious, I live in Australia and we don't have Guitar Center stores over here.

It was a joke, because the guitars on display in Guitar Center stores often get lots of dings, scratches, etc. from careless customers. This is changing. Now the more expensive models are in locked wall hangers, and the most valuable ones are in locked cabinets. An associate will get them for people to try. There may not be enough staff to stay and supervise while they get played, but it’s a way they can assess the risk of potential damage, and better than the past when everything was fair game to get beat up.

[Alathea]

I can’t wait for that to make its way here...

[Salzburg Steve]

We read a lot about Guitar Center here on the forum so when I was in the US, just before the virus kicked off, I found one near where I was staying so I visited a couple of times.

I think I read some time ago that they were in not a good place financially.
All I will say is - I am not surprised.

Steve

[Jobe]

Well, one time I tried a guitar at Guitar Center and pulled a Pete Townsend helicopter move. Then I smashed it on the floor. I decided that guitar wasn't for me as it was in splinters. Anything else I can try?

[Marty C]

I do most of my shopping at GC since there aren’t too many shops around that carry so much variety in the things I want in one place. From Guitars to sound equipment.

If I go shopping for a guitar, I take a day off and go in the morning, in the middle of the week. I can play any guitar I want and there is usually someone there to help me and they often negotiate. Typically not the price of a new guitar, but often get some additional components with my purchase - depending on what I spend. Maybe a hard shell case if a lower price model only comes with a gigbag or a gigbag if it come with a case. Maybe a guitar stand, tuner, strings. If the guitar tech is in, I have a setup done with the strings I like.

I have four within an hours drive, but I usually prefer one. The manager there is a great guy to work with and doesn’t pressure me or show any false appraisal for my playing skills.

I often ask for a new guitar out of the box if I purchase. I usually get that.

I hope they make it through this bad time.

[Jobe]

I know I might joke. But I am with Marti C. I wish the best for all. And that includes any Guitar Centers.

[Bob Womack]

It is amazing to see people whine so much about GC. Our local one has always practiced a triage on guitars, and that is a particularly apropos word because their guitar wall is three guitars tall. They always put their best on the top row where no-one can touch them, much less play them, without asking. You can see the smart salesmen sizing up customers to decide whether to be available to get the ladder and pull down the $2000 and above instruments or simply disappear into thin air just before the customers ask. Of course, that triggers whines on the internet as well: "They don't want to let me touch the good guitars!" Lately they've also begun locking up the expensive instruments, and that triggered a chorus of cries on the internet, too.

Now, I will admit that the psychological impact of seeing all those guitars locked up affected me, as a serious customer, but the normal quiet protection that goes on has always been evident to me. Yes, the low to mid level instruments are treated differently.

Bob