TRUE. TRUE. TRUE. My buddy was a manager there for a while ( knows his stuff, took a break from the studio, divorcing, etc). At any rate, he left quickly and told me that the turn-over there is awful. One day @Taco Bell drive-thru, the next day they're selling guitars on the floor or even worse: selling in the "pro audio" side of the store.
Here's a good Banjo Mart story that happened last week when I realized i was one DB25 short on an install. So, with a cringe, I entered GC:
Me:Have any Mogami DB 25 to XLR less than 2 feet long?
GC Mook: No, we don't carry a db25. We do have DBX, though. Never heard of Mogami.
Me: You may know it as a D Sub Conector used to interface gear and Mogami is an industry standard. I know I've seen Mogami in here before.
GC Mook:What? When?
Me:You're kidding me, right?
GC Mook: No. Hold on. I need to ask someone else but I think you'll need to go to somewhere else for that, not a music store. Sure it was here? Maybe a computer store if it interfaces. We just have cables. I'll be right back.
Me: Wow!!!! ( So I decided to have some fun)
New GC Mook: What is it you're looking for, sir?
Me: A Mogami DB 25 to XLR cable with Gold connectors.
New GC Mook: Oh, yes, we do have that, sorry. But not Mogami. We have HOSA- Wayyyy Better cables. And it's silver. So, What length?
Me: 2 feet long or less, but I don't want a Hosa.
New GC Mook: Why? They're the best. Besides, they do not make them that short and they don't make any gold cables. Not sure where you heard that, but silver is best.
Me: Really? Why? ( Gettin' good now).
New GC Mook: Because the cables need to be long to allow the sound to travel better using the oxygen in the wires! Also, the silver "imparts" ( big word for him) better electricity -- Haven't you read about the new advancements in this field? It's in MIX, you should really read that magazine. All of us pro's here do!
Me: Wow... That's good to know... So, what length do you recommend?
New GC Mook: Anything that's not too short.
Me: What's short?
New GC Mook: Any cable that's not too short, like maybe 20 - 25 feet. The longer the better is the rule around here.
Me - (really havin fun now!!) Well, I'm using this cable to interface my rack with my vintage outboard gear thru my custom DB25 patchbay and they are close to each other , that's why I need a short cable.
New GC Mook:Outboard gear? You mean external equipment? Why would anyone use external equipment when you have plug-ins that sound so much better and are way cheaper? Ya know, gear like that is old school and really hurt the sound. I mean, plug-ins are pristine cause they use your computer's calculator. Guys today use plugins. In fact, ebay is littered with old equipment no one uses anymore because they're going to plugins (which make your computer run better, by the way).
Me: 100% amused beyond belief and staring at him with a blank stare. External equipment? Plug-ins?
New GC Mook:Don't you get this? I'll explain... You don't need external stuff. You just need a good interface like a firepod, and you're set. Everything else is taken care of by the computer with plug-ins. I have a firepod and record bands in my home studio all the time. And I get at least $10-$12 per hour!
Me: ( wow, this is entertaining). So what do you use for cables?
New GC Mook: Walks to the wall and hands me a Hosa rca snake. WOW!
Me: What about Protools for recording? Is that good because I own an HD3? Is the Firepod better?
New GC Mook: Hard to say. Protools is good and we sell them here. But rather than spend money on software, just buy more plugins and some mics. The way you get sound into the computer doesn't matter. It's how you record. If you want to come to my studio to check it out and pay me for lessons, I'll charge you like $10.00 an hour and let you try some really nice recording equipment.
Me: Really? Where's your studio? Why do you work here?
New GC Mook: It's in my bedroom at my Mom's house and we can't make much noise. But it's cool for now. Beside, pros use headphone not big speakers 'cause today it's all about mp3's and that's how they listen to music so that's how you need to record music. Smart, right? But you'd have to be done by 8:00 pm cause that's the cutoff. As far as working here, it's for the discounts to build my studio AND TO GIVE BACK!!!! ( all sincere and crap --- PRICELESS --- )
Me: Can you record guitars amps there?
New GC Mook: No. But Amplitube is better than any amp could be and that's all anyone here uses. Like I said, it's a plug-in and they are just better. Make sense, yet?
Me: Perfectly.. Thanks. You've really added to my day.
As I left, I told him I was 39 and not as hip as everyone here with these new fangled plug-ins and would stick with my Pultecs, Neves, Api's, BA6A, etc. I also told him I did use PTHD with Melodyne, Sony Oxford stuff and Altiverb convolution plugs and would locate the Mogami from Vintage King on Monday.
New GC Mook: What's Vintage King? If that's a store, we can beat their price ya know and we can probably get the Hosa in gold or a Mogami if that's what you really want. If we don't have it, nobody else will. We're the biggest. WOW!!!!!
Bye, bye!
There's my recent GC story... I'm still laughin'
TJ