Is guitar center in trouble?

[fronobulax]

The same experience here - the GC near Scranton PA is great, the one near Binghamton NY is one of the worst shopping experiences I've ever had, of any kind!

I live about half-way between the two. Anybody want to guess which one gets my business?

I was going to guess PA because the sales tax is less and we know no one pays the Use Tax on out of state purchases if they can get away with it, but that was the right answer anyway ;-)

 

[Jeff_L]

The same experience here - the GC near Scranton PA is great, the one near Binghamton NY is one of the worst shopping experiences I've ever had, of any kind!

I live about half-way between the two. Anybody want to guess which one gets my business?

I was going to guess PA because the sales tax is less and we know no one pays the Use Tax on out of state purchases if they can get away with it, but that was the right answer anyway ;-)

Good answer! (And good reasoning!).

One of my complaints about every GC I've been in was the Richie Sambora and Keith Richards wanna-be's in there with the amps all cranked to 11. I asked the one of the guys in the Binghamton store if there was a better time to come in and he just shrugged his shoulders as if to say "If it's too loud you're too old, old man". (I do have gray hair.)

I asked one of the guys in Scranton the same question and he said anytime during the week before school is out.

You know what? He was right. Just another reason to give my business to a store that cares about all of its customers.

 

[twocorgis]

One of my complaints about every GC I've been in was the Richie Sambora and Keith Richards wanna-be's in there with the amps all cranked to 11. I asked the one of the guys in the Binghamton store if there was a better time to come in and he just shrugged his shoulders as if to say "If it's too loud you're too old, old man". (I do have gray hair.)

You're far more forgiving than I am Jeff. I'd be asking for the store manager after a comment like that. I certainly don't need to be reminded that I'm old!

 

[Jeff_L]

You're far more forgiving than I am Jeff. I'd be asking for the store manager after a comment like that. I certainly don't need to be reminded that I'm old!

It wasn't something he said out loud, more of a look, so there was nothing I could go to the manager with.

Although with the manager in that store, I would almost bet he would agree with the clerk.

 

[walrus]

In one of the two GC's I frequent the most, I saw the the manager actually tell the "wanna-be's" to turn it down! Love it!

It's Business 101 - I think he knows that it's much more likely a guy with gray hair has money to spend, and the "wanna-be's" in high school don't. Good for him...

walrus

 

[Westerly Wood]

I hope GC stays afloat as I want everyone to keep their jobs and the guitar economy to be strong. However, I do not frequent my local GC as I just do not like the experience. I can buy my strings online and old Westerlies on the LTG...

 

[Los Angeles]

The only shame of guitar center is that it has guitar in its name. Believe me, there are lots and lots of musicians still out there looking for music stuff, but most of the kids I know are switching over to singing/electronica/DJ stuff. They still need to buy thier gear somewhere, and in a lot of towns, the only place to demo this kind of gear is at guitar center.

 

[walrus]

That's actually as good point - I have noticed over the years that the space allocated for guitars, etc. has gotten smaller, while the DJ, etc. space has gotten bigger. I guess that's a good thing for the business given the shift in music. But it's also why I still visit my local "small private" music store often too, as they are still in essence a "guitar store", and of course are staffed by the same knowledge guys for literally decades.

walrus

 

[adorshki]

In one of the two GC's I frequent the most, I saw the the manager actually tell the "wanna-be's" to turn it down! Love it!
It's Business 101 - I think he knows that it's much more likely a guy with gray hair has money to spend, and the "wanna-be's" in high school don't. Good for him...
walrus

Been 'dat way ever since Mose Allison wrote "Young Man Blues", eh?:
"But you know nowadays
It's the old man,
He's got all the money
And a young man ain't got nothin' in the world these days
I said nothing"
Sooo...all ya gotta do is go in, pick up a Rick, an play it Townshend style, right?
:laughing: