Guitar Center's Debt

NEONMOONY

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Anymore, almost anything I buy, I go online first to get the lay of the land, the real going price etc. Many of us here would have to admit to being a part of that whole click thing as we buy and sell used gear on LTG, Reverb, Ebay, Craigslist Kijiji etc.

I have noticed MF, M123 and WWBW operate a little differently than a couple years ago. They used to be nearly mirror images of each other on their prices. Lately, one will often have a different price on an instrument than the others.

GC and all its ilk, MF, M123 WWBW etc is a big part of the music market. That'll leave a whole.
 

Westerly Wood

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Does the company that owns GC also own Instrumental Music Center? I get my strings from them, right down street from house. Better experience and I don't go there for guitars as they do not carry Guilds and the inventory is just not my style but very cordial folks. Definitely geared towards students and rentals etc...They carry D'Addario so boom.
 

Neal

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Perhaps we will see a resurgence of "Ma and Pa" guitar stores that maintain a retail presence, but also sell to the broader online market?
 

GAD

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Perhaps we will see a resurgence of "Ma and Pa" guitar stores that maintain a retail presence, but also sell to the broader online market?

I think it's more likely that they'll close up the storefronts and become a web-only business. Getting rid of brick and mortar retail sales and becoming more like the Amazon of music is just the kind of thing I think the suits think will save them all.
 

dreadnut

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Good point about the demise of brick-and-mortar retail, guys. And just about everything I get these days is free shipping. There are some things I need to actually put my hands on and inspect, however, and guitars are one of these items. Having said that, I bought my DV-52 sight-unseen from a pawn shop on ebay 15 years ago, never thought I'd do that, but I'm glad I did! But being a Guild-o-phile, I was petty confident about that purchase.
 
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bluesypicky

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Interviewer:
"What would you consider to be your strongest professional skill?"
Griehund:
"I'm a survivor."

Next question:

-"What do you consider to be your most impressive career accomplishment?"
-"Having participated in the operation of 17 related businesses prior to their obliteration".
 

griehund

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Next question:

-"What do you consider to be your most impressive career accomplishment?"
-"Having participated in the operation of 17 related businesses prior to their obliteration".

I went from retail to newspaper advertising. My best talent is knowing when to jump off a sinking ship. So far my most successful profession is retirement. I win!
 

adorshki

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You may select your prize from this very special collection:

5a2aa0845aff8f757da90c9550af18d6.jpg
 

steve488

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Perhaps we will see a resurgence of "Ma and Pa" guitar stores that maintain a retail presence, but also sell to the broader online market?

Perhaps the alternative is a "store" like the Acoustic Vibes store here in Phoenix (https://acousticvibesmusic.com/) where the guitar shop is in the same structure as the owners other business (architect I believe).

As a side bar - I believe they have (or at least had) a Breedlove model in green (not blue) not too long ago.....
 
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fronobulax

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Perhaps the alternative is a "store" like the Acoustic Vibes store here in Phoenix (https://acousticvibesmusic.com/) where the guitar shop is in the same structure as the owners other business (architect I believe).

To veer, I bought my B4 from a local collector of musical instruments who bought and sold enough to do so as a business. His shop was in his home and his day job was running his architectural firm, which was not in his home.
 

Quantum Strummer

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I bought my Supro Dual-Tone guitar from Stephen Patt, who once played in the Chambers Bros. To be more precise: Dr. Stephen Patt, whose "guitar shop" was a room in the same building as his GP medical practice. :)

-Dave-
 

Westerly Wood

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I think it's more likely that they'll close up the storefronts and become a web-only business. Getting rid of brick and mortar retail sales and becoming more like the Amazon of music is just the kind of thing I think the suits think will save them all.

yeah, sadly i think this be the case.
 
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