GC employees

[vulture2600]

am i the only one here?

 

[vulture2600]

i no longer work there.

 

[cvansickle]

I was in a GC this past Saturday. I saw a few employees there who weren't exactly working either!

Seriously, I will give GC credit. I have noticed an improvement of sorts in two Atlanta stores, if only a slight one. Still, any improvement is better than none at all.

 

[JamesD]

I have noticed a little improvement in the guitar center closest to me. It used to seem like they didn't really care if you were happy in what you were looking at, but there seems to be more effort now in the "help" area. I got a lot of help and advice when purchasing my recording equipment. The salesperson was really nice and answered every question i had with his best knowledge and let me A/B studio monitors for a long time to let me choose which ones i wanted.

 

[RR]

Don't get me started. Had too many bad experiences there. I go there, get the items on their flyers and leave as soon as possible.

I guess if you are young, its overwhelming seeing all those guitars and amps. But as you get older, it gets old. Young salespersons seem to ignore me because I don't have piercing, tattoos, weird hair, weird clothing or questionable gender. I guess I don't look like a good customer.

I would say 1 out 10 salesperson I am pleased with. The rest, I just can't stand.

Actually from another board, there some Texas GC stores that the salespersons are pretty good and knowledgeable.

Actually one of this member on this board is a GC salesperson. Personally he sounds arrogant and has this "I against the World Mentality"

 

[ctoddrun]

For the record, I've YET to see a price on the GC flyers that was anything better than the standard sales prices.



And I'm a regular (read: NOT rockstar) guy who goes to GC fairly often.

I've had hit or miss service with the folks that are there, but I will ask for a more knowledgeable salesman if the first Joe that comes up to me is less educated than I am.

I live in Houston, Texas. Maybe we just got a better batch of GC help in Texas?

 

[Valtyr]

The local GC has only been open since June. The service has been fine so far. I do avoid that place during peak hours, they get swamped.

My only gripe with GC is that there isn't much selection when it comes to better gear. Their primary focus appears to be the beginner and mid level market.

 

[dylan7620]

ok thats it! i've had it up to here *makes hand level to head* with GC. going into the store yesterday i was looking at getting a rectifier. at first i was talking with the store manager who was really cool to talk to and were talking about the older 2 channel heads and i was really after one of those but wanted to try out the variety. they had single 50s rectoverbs, duals and triples. so he said "i'll quit talkin and let ya plug in, get me if you need anything." i thought, cool, finally someone who knows how to treat a customer.

a few minutes later as im plugged into the solo 50 this other guy comes along and talks about the triple rec and upon noticing that i have the single proceeds to tell me "the triples have 3 channels" im thinking thanks man, but thats why im trying this one. i've talked to this guy before and he said he owns a mark III and it seems the only thing he knows about it is "it's loud" after getting him to go away i plug into the rectoverb and im starting to like it better than the solo 50. then the guy comes back and goes "this one has reverb". then proceeds to hit the reverb button and swamp me with reverb and starts messing with the controls. ah! who hired this guy?!?!

then i keep playing with it for about 10-15 more minutes he comes back over and puts the output to 0 and goes "turn it down so i can talk..." ?!?!?!? i was at like 7 o clock(so pretty much at volume 1) on the output knob. the 1x12 is facing away from him and hes all the way across the store. know what hes doing? cranking up blue voodoos and DSLs for some 15 year old kids who brought their dad in with a blank check. where the hell has all the customer service gone? i was starting to serioulsy consider goin for the rectoverb which probably would be a nice little chunk of change in his pocket had he not been such a huge dick. thank you very much but my next amp won't be coming from Guitarget.

 

[SabuJSE]

I have purchased a LSS, A Martin Acoustic, a Pod XTL, and a cab ext for the LSS (which had to be special ordered) and they have been nothing but helpful and professional with me. And I am far from the typical "looking" modern guitar player.

Much <3 for the Danvers MA GC and speicfically for Matt and Chazz...

 

[JoeVFR]

We have a Sam Ash and Guitar Center no less than 1/4 mile apart. I used to go to Sam Ash consistently but it didn't matter if you were spending a grand or 4.50 for strings, it took 40 minutes to get checked out. Drove me nuts. I started going to GC and have been very happy. I know a couple of the guys in there from local bands and that probably helps. Although the other day they pissed me off. I took in two distortion pedals to trade for a TU-2. They are older, but in perfect working condition. The guy asks how much I want for them, I said 60.00, he says he'll be right back. The guy comes back and says they're going for 5.00 on ebay, he would give me 12.00 for both! I told him make it 14.00 and he had a deal. He said "Really?" I laughed at him and took my pedals home. I realized I wasn't going to get top buck, but that was insulting.

 

[dylan7620]

just like when the "could do" 300 on my nomad.... ummmm no? i understand they gotta make a profit, but the don't do anything to them and they will turn around and sell it for 600+ the next day.

 

[X-1]

My experiences with GC are all sub standard (when compared to locally owned stores).

IMHO, shopping at GC is like shopping at a Kmart store. There is a bunch of stuff and there are some things on specials (OK, I won't say Blue Light... ) but if you want any decent service, then you are screwed.

The GC store is ALWAYS my last resort. Well, wait a minute. I just bought some stuff from Musicians Friend that came damaged. I shipped it back and the replacement came damaged. I gave up and got a refund. The whole debacle took more than a month before I actually got my money back (because they are pretty slow on processing returned items at their warehouse.) So... hmmm maybe GC is my next to last resort. Oh who cares, MF & GC are the same **** company anyways. I plan to avoid both in the future. I feel sorry for any poor sap who doesn't have a close alternative.

 

[ned]

I think the trick is to find someone who has been there awhile and that you can establish a relationship with. I've got 2 guys - 1 in guitars/amps and 1 in accessories that I always buy from, they are extremely helpful and always treat me right.

 

[RiffMaster91]

^^ you got the right idea man, i had really good service from this guy i've been talkin to for a while there. I wanted to get this dc-10 head they had for a really long time, so i bring my old amp in there (tsl-122) and talk to the guy. We go into the loud room and we try to get the head workin, but there where no tubes in it! so the guy gets brand new tubes and puts them in, we fire it up, sounds AWSOME! I'm tryin to turn it down but another guy goes to shut the door and says "crank it man, that's what the door is for He let me try the kh-2 custom shop too. I got 700 for my marshall and the guy really helped bring the price down on the dc-10. He was really, really helpful, i'm definetly goin back there

 

[toddzilla]

I have to wade in here... I have worked in music stores and played profesionally for a long time (a really long time). Anywhere you go to do business try to establish a relationship with a particular person. Even if "your guy" is not there, knowing some one in the store usually helps. If you get someone you just can't get along with -- find someone else: or move on down the track. You are the customer, they need you more than you need them. A GOOD salesperson knows that. GC is not the problem (at least not the whole problem).

 

[Peace]

I'm not trying to sound like mr cool billy badass BUT

like many and probably ALL of you I work a pretty healthy days work for my money. I have a modest home, a modest vehicle and a crappy one and we get our bills paid and mind our pennies.... In short, I, like you, am not made of money....

Having said that, when I make a purchase, like a 1300 dollar strat or 1400 dollar tele REAL ONES and a +3500 dollar road king, I don't give a **** where I'm at I'm the **** boss....

I'm not some flunky **** up kid hobbling my way through Sanitarium on a top knotch amp with a top knotch guitar with absolutely NO intention of or funds to make a purchase... When I go into a music store 9 times out of ten I'm buying something and most times its not a cheap item..

If you go into Guitar Center and you truly intend on making a purchase or are seriously considering picking something up and its a hefty priced amp, I myself would find great pleasure in slamming some punk *** flunky salesman with my purchase power and you can bet your sweet *** the manager would know about it too.....

AT A MINIMUM I would lay the sarcasm down very thick, make sure a manager knew what the hell was going on and see how they respond to it.. Maybe turn the table a bit....

Its your hard earned cash you spend it or don't spend it how and where you like....

If someone behaves that way, ie "turn it down I'm trying to talk" dude I'd hit the fucking roof.

When I go someplace to spend my money and someone thinks they can blow me off or treat me like **** I put my disdain for stupid people into heavy play....

Sometimes, I break even, sometimes I make out on the deal and sometimes I leave without spending a dime...

I'm not saying I'm a boligerant *******, I'm just saying, as a consumer, I will not be disrespected and ignored. I'm AT LEAST as valuable as any POTENTIAL buyer in the store...

I'm the boss....
They provide a service.....
I have the power......
They only have a confused crap attitude......

It's almost your DUTY to smack them around with your sarcasm and Benjamins.....

They're only idiots because we're not helping them in this manner.....

If we don't bust their chops and set stuff straight then we're just enablers... :lol:

YOU SEE!!!!!!!!!!

IT'S OUR FAULT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :lol:


...stop this madness..... bust a salesman's chops for goodness sake....

 

[eldi]

I was in GC today, was looking at the used fx pedals. The clerk came up and asked "Can I help you?" & I said "No thanks, I'm just seeing what you got?" He then said "Is there anything that your looking for?" & I said "I just want to see what used pedals you have" Then he asked "Is there anything in particular that you are looking for?" and I reponded with an irritable tone in my voice "I'm just want to see what you got!"....I'm one of those shopper when it comes to gear, I usually don't shop for anything in particular, but if I happen to see something that I think I can use, then I buy it. I like to buy used when ever possible, I'd rather let someone else take the depriciation of there gear. I've thought about applying for a job at GC, I've been in sales before, & I probably know more about guitar & recording gear than most GC sales people do. If they have a good commision /pay program, I may try & do it. (I wonder how long it would take me to get into management?)

 

[Russ]

I love this typical interaction:

Can I help you find something? No, not right now thanks I am just checking stuff out...

Is there something that you are looking for? Not really...

Is there anything that I can show you? No, just looking....

(Salesman walks away and your finally allowed to be at peace while shopping until.........)

Hi, Can I help you? (Voice of another salesman standing behind you) No, not right now thanks I am just chekcing stuff out...

(Same questions and responses)

(It happens again)

Finally you find something that you want to know the price on because it is not obviously on one of their last chance of the season big blowout this weekend only green tag liquidation sales event of the year or on their preferred customer carry this stupid postcard around with you for special savings and markdowns that you can't pass up because they won't be undersold even though the prices are still high and you look like an *** thinking it makes a difference while seeing that there are never really any savings anyway and there is not a soul to be found or they are all busy and keep telling you that they will be right with you until you finally get tired of waiting and put it back. As you head for the door another a final salesman approaches and starts the sequence all over.

Sometimes I like to go in and just mess with them to get them off my back long enough to look around. I find it funny to send the new salesman on a wild goose chase. You can tell how much they know about stuff in the first few seconds. Also, if they are new you and have never seen them in there before so that helps too. I like to get prepared first by asking someone I know if there is a particular item in stock yet and if not the trap is set.

I have a select few that I like to deal with there. I have a few of the stores that I go to and a few I won't. For me if they are too hardpressed to make a sale then they have not earned the sale. Overly pressured sales to me do not give the happy and comfortable vibe. If I am looking for something in particular then it is typically known after a few weeks and they just leave me alone for the most part. The guys I know just smile and wave until they can come and just catch up with me. They know that if I am going to buy something that they will get the sales if I buy it there. They also know that I don't need them standing over my shoulder.

 

[Brewski]

OK, just in. The local Guitar Center moved to a new location a few blocks from where it was. Just today, I went in to take a look around the new store. Perhaps there would be a small treasure on the floor that had been camouflaged from years of neglect at the old location. I felt like I was in a warehouse hardware store. The only reason music was being piped in was to cover up the sound of my own echoes. I walked to every department and was not approached once. I passed an old keyboard player that looked lost, confused, and hungry.

There were many faces that I did not recognize, although, I couldn't be sure if they were employees or if they were customers. Usually the tattoos give away the employees identities. I did get a nod and a semi-quasi smile from one individual, however, I wasn't sure if the guy's grimaced greeting was welcoming me into the store, or if it was a precurser for him trying to pick me up! I sure hope that it was the former. I pressed on in the opposite direction from "Buffalo Bob".

I finally spotted the manager in the corner. A familiar face with whom I have had friendly conversations with in the past. I walked up and asked how he liked his new store, as I was watching my six for "Bob". The short answer, well ok, the only answer I received was an annoyed, "I like it just fine". Then his phone became surgically fused to his ear as his skin began to glow red.

There was only one other time that I felt that truly alone in the world, and that was on my arrival to Death Valley at 9PM on a camping trip, where my buddy forgot to pack the tent. A feeling of empty surrealism overcame me. I believe that it was an omen. The whole scenario was like something out of the Twilight Zone. The new location must be directly over a swirling vortex to hell and the store now has to be under management directly by Satan. I should know, I've lived with his sister for years!

My parting gift was having some little %)$)$* park his POS Civic so close to my driver's door that I had to crawl in from the passenger side. I look back with relief that I didn't possess a baseball bat or a cutting torch with me. I looked to make sure, as I would've beat that Civic unmerciful!

I did manage to make it back from the Netherworld to scribe these words, however, I'm not sure that I would be that lucky on a second attempt. I can only hope that I don't have to go back, as this experience had temporarily drained any notion, that I had, that music was supposed to be fun.

 

[RR]

Is this the Santa Clara on Steven Creek? Where did it move to?

I would say, at that store, 1 out 10 salespersons that worked there, I trusted and enjoyed doing business with. The rest are lousy.