Stupid things you've been told at Guitar Center

[matt thomas]

Originally Posted by nooneimportant

I bought two AKG 414's they had used, and noticed some minor defects in one a little after I bought them. I went right back, because I knew they had a 3rd used one for the same price, and asked to exchange it. There was a guy "testing" the mic out in the back studio. When he came out, the salesman with him said he decided to get the mic I wanted. The saleswoman helping me said she could knock the price down on the one I had bought already, but THEN the guy who was buying the mic said "ok, I'll be back for it tomorrow!". I then promptly exchanged my mic for the other one, and left.

Ummmm, I'm not sure I agree with this, that mic you took was the other guys..

matt

[excellrec]

Originally Posted by matt thomas

Ummmm, I'm not sure I agree with this, that mic you took was the other guys..

matt

I think it's fair so long as he hadn't paid for it. Intention to buy something with no money to back it is not grounds to hold something in my opinion.

[Gary Ladd]

You can't do that!

Some 90s Williamsburg keyboard player in an alternative band walked into GC Manhattan with his *Mint* M1 Korg, and the manager offered him like $150, I happened to be standing at the counter when the whole deal went down...

When I offered $250 for the M1, the manager upped his offer to $175 and said to me "You can't do that!"

To which I replied, "Watch me " and told the guy and his guitarist to meet me outside, where I promptly bought the M1 for $250, ca$h.

[matt thomas]

Originally Posted by excellrec

I think it's fair so long as he hadn't paid for it. Intention to buy something with no money to back it is not grounds to hold something in my opinion.

Actually I agree, although I would extend it to if the store had said they would hold it for him, which it is not clear if they did or not, so I'll give him the benefit of the doubt and take back what I said.

matt

[jeremy.c.]

True bro's don't let bro's work at GC.

I went in looking for a cheap MIDI controller, the Korg NanoKey specifically, and after four guys debated whether or not it was released yet or was a pre-NAMM announcement (not in the store's computer) I suggested that it was for sale on GC's website so it's a real product and one of them had the brilliant idea to google for it.
Needless to say it wasn't in stock, but "we can order it for you and have it in a few days bro."

Yeah, I can do that too bro, it's called Sweetwater and they're on the internet.

[npulsipher]

I haven't been to or ordered anything from GC in years for good reason. But I a really good coupon so I decided to give them another shot.

After I placed the order...

"Your order will be shipped in 3 days."

3 days later:

"Your item is on backorder, we will receive this item in 1 week."

1 week later:

Me: "Where's my order?"
GC: "We will receive this item and ship it to you in 1 week."

1 week later:

"We still have not received your item. We will ship it as soon as we receive it"
Me: "When will that be?"
GC: No Response

Save a few hundred dollars on gear, but lose several hundred dollars in customer service.

[Kiwi Audio]

I went in once to pickup an insert cable. I spent 10 minutes trying to explain to the guy what it was used for. In my explanation I described putting a compression inline thru an insert jack. Blank stare.

[krusty]

Originally Posted by Gary Ladd

Some 90s Williamsburg keyboard player in an alternative band walked into GC Manhattan with his *Mint* M1 Korg, and the manager offered him like $150, I happened to be standing at the counter when the whole deal went down...

When I offered $250 for the M1, the manager upped his offer to $175 and said to me "You can't do that!"

To which I replied, "Watch me " and told the guy and his guitarist to meet me outside, where I promptly bought the M1 for $250, ca$h.

Ha! Love it! Fair deal for both.

[anthonythecat]

This wasn't at GC (we don't have GC in Oz) but at my local music shop.

I was buying a new guitar, a cheap LP copy (cause I had a bit of money burning a hole in my pocket). Not a bad guitar but not a great one either. As I was paying for it the salesman was explaining how some other guy had bought the same type of guitar only last week and now he was down in Sydney recording his new album with it. "Yeah, sure he is mate" I thought while trying to keep a straight face. This is why I prefer buying over the internet, you don't have to put up with all the salesman BS.

[anthonythecat]

Originally Posted by npulsipher

I haven't been to or ordered anything from GC in years for good reason. But I a really good coupon so I decided to give them another shot.

After I placed the order...

"Your order will be shipped in 3 days."

3 days later:

"Your item is on backorder, we will receive this item in 1 week."

1 week later:

Me: "Where's my order?"
GC: "We will receive this item and ship it to you in 1 week."

1 week later:

"We still have not received your item. We will ship it as soon as we receive it"
Me: "When will that be?"
GC: No Response

Save a few hundred dollars on gear, but lose several hundred dollars in customer service.

I had something like this happen to me a while ago while buying something over the internet (not from GC). After waiting nearly a month it turns out that the shipment from the distributor had gone missing so I asked for a refund which they happily and quickly did.

[nooneimportant]

Originally Posted by matt thomas

Ummmm, I'm not sure I agree with this, that mic you took was the other guys..

matt

It was Guitar Center's mic... He could've bought it, but for whatever reason, he didn't.

[garryspicer]

Originally Posted by HIGHENDONLY

pretty soon you will see a usb microphone and preamp plugins.....than ssl will come out with a ssl9003 firewire interface....Adam will come out with digital wireless monitors...so no more converters needed......oh and itunes will be the new stardard no more cds...just itunes and ipods,everything will play just mp3's.....and best of all you will be able to buy everything at walmart in the electronic section next to the playstation.....than you can go up to one of them old ladys with the "how may i help you" apron and ask them if the neve 1073 plug in is as good as the original....when that day comes...come back and post her reply.

Fast forward - hasn't some of that come to bite you on the ass LOL

[chiimba]

I don't mind GC for getting out of it what I need..which is basically to try guitars / amps / pedals. There are no other music stores around with much of a selection here so I have no choice (and GC is like 45 minutes away). I just ask the salesmen to leave me alone while I try what I want. I don't care much about the specs / etc of a guitar; I just go by ear and feel.

I've had worse experiences at a local small music store. I went in for some strings and wanted to ask about wireless system prices for my guitar / amp combo. The customer service is horrible at this place...I always feel unwanted as soon as I come in.

So I ask this old dude at the counter "Hey, I'm not sure what it's called exactly; but do you guys have anything that would give me the ability to play my electric guitar wirelessly through my amp; like an adaptor or something?"

He looks at me like I am a moron, and says "Well what are you looking for?" with attitude. I basically just repeat my question and use hand gestures to explain the concept in a cavemen like way. He then grabs exactly what I was asking about right behind him on the shelf and tells me the price. I also dropped a speaker off to get fixed once and they made it sound like a small job; but I didn't get it back for like 5-6 weeks. One day I walked in and just saw it sitting in the back weeks after I'd dropped it off in basically the same place.

[PRobb]

Originally Posted by chiimba

I don't mind GC for getting out of it what I need..which is basically to try guitars / amps / pedals. There are no other music stores around with much of a selection here so I have no choice (and GC is like 45 minutes away). I just ask the salesmen to leave me alone while I try what I want. I don't care much about the specs / etc of a guitar; I just go by ear and feel.

That's the problem with buying instruments on line. Even if you know you want a model XYZ, three of them are going to feel different.

[Iamcory]

Originally Posted by jeremy.c.

True bro's don't let bro's work at GC.

What about the Best Buy music department?

[jeremy.c.]

Originally Posted by Iamcory

What about the Best Buy music department?

When I first moved to LA and worked at Sam Ash I realized that selling drums/guitars/kazoos had as much do with being a musician and being in the music industry as working at Barnes and Nobles bookstore. Turns out a few of my coworkers there and a manager didn't really play an instrument either. Go figure.
Best Buy just has to be the next step in that logical progression.

[anthonythecat]

"We can order that in"

I live in a rural area in Australia, the local music stores don't have much in the way of good stock but if I need something I will at least call them up to see if they have it anyway (you know, help the local economy etc etc). Naturally they don't have it but "They can order it in". Well, with the magic of the internet so can I and at a cheaper price. I don't actually say this of course. That would be mean.

[Paulie Storm]

I guess FX corporate has heard of this thread. Just saw their new commercial and guess what? Not one tattoo,piercing or non professional looking person in the whole commercial!!!! And they state that guitarist work in guitars, drummers in drums etc etc. I will report again tomorrow AFTER I visit my local GC! :-)

Sent from my DROIDX using Gearslutz.com

[Michael Jin]

Originally Posted by Iamcory

What about the Best Buy music department?

I'm ashamed to say that I actually applied for a job at Best Buy's music department at one point. Didn't take the job, but I was pretty desperate for work. >.<

[cargojon]

Here's a good one from yesterday. I bring in my Sennheiser MD 431 mic to get a clip for it; I bring the mic along to make sure the clip fits because I didn't have the time nor inclination to order a $50 one from Sennheiser.

Anyhow, our GC (don't know if they're all like this) is like Fort Knox. You have to check in at the front desk with any gear you bring in, and they sign it in.

The guy at the desk couldn't spell "Sennheiser". I mean, it's not like he mixed the i and the e up or something. He just looked like he'd never heard the word before in his 19 year life and thought I'd made it up. After four times of trying and not getting it even close, he crossed it out and wrote "MD 431".

[Torea]

Originally Posted by cargojon

Here's a good one from yesterday. I bring in my Sennheiser MD 431 mic to get a clip for it; I bring the mic along to make sure the clip fits because I didn't have the time nor inclination to order a $50 one from Sennheiser.

Anyhow, our GC (don't know if they're all like this) is like Fort Knox. You have to check in at the front desk with any gear you bring in, and they sign it in.

The guy at the desk couldn't spell "Sennheiser". I mean, it's not like he mixed the i and the e up or something. He just looked like he'd never heard the word before in his 19 year life and thought I'd made it up. After four times of trying and not getting it even close, he crossed it out and wrote "MD 431".

Mine was like that at a time. I went in with my guitar to get a tremolo arm, and the bouncer at the door didn't want to let me take it in. He kept telling me I had to check it in, and I kept saying the guy behind the desk told me to bring the guitar in. I finally got through to the bouncer, and got in.

Then, the dumbass behind the desk found "the perfect one!" (aka the first tremolo arm he found on the floor behind the repair desk) for my Strat and managed to get it into the threads, even though it was a 1/16" too big! That's some swell customer service. He didn't even charge me...
Took me 2 hours to get it back out when I got home...

[DaveUK]

431? Semhoser?

[Humanomusician]

Originally Posted by chiimba

I don't mind GC for getting out of it what I need..which is basically to try guitars / amps / pedals. There are no other music stores around with much of a selection here so I have no choice (and GC is like 45 minutes away). I just ask the salesmen to leave me alone while I try what I want. I don't care much about the specs / etc of a guitar; I just go by ear and feel.

I've had worse experiences at a local small music store. I went in for some strings and wanted to ask about wireless system prices for my guitar / amp combo. The customer service is horrible at this place...I always feel unwanted as soon as I come in.

So I ask this old dude at the counter "Hey, I'm not sure what it's called exactly; but do you guys have anything that would give me the ability to play my electric guitar wirelessly through my amp; like an adaptor or something?"

He looks at me like I am a moron, and says "Well what are you looking for?" with attitude. I basically just repeat my question and use hand gestures to explain the concept in a cavemen like way. He then grabs exactly what I was asking about right behind him on the shelf and tells me the price. I also dropped a speaker off to get fixed once and they made it sound like a small job; but I didn't get it back for like 5-6 weeks. One day I walked in and just saw it sitting in the back weeks after I'd dropped it off in basically the same place.

I have a similar story. Round here there are two main networks: "Kley Zemer" and "Marom". Each one has a small shop in the city. Actually, the same street.

One bus-hour away is a 3.5 story store with a nice service and everything, but I don't go there much.

You see, I don't drive yet, and one hour on the bus per direction (two total) plus waiting plus finding the right entrance/the wrong one+the way to the right mall sector *all equals* a big pain. It's of "Kley Zemer".

Anyways, I usually go to the local two. When I was in the process of buying my first electric guitar, I went to Kley Zemer and checked out a few ones. Then I went to try Marom's, where I received good service from an old guy at the counter before. Only I have never been there alone before.

I came in, looked at the wall where most the electric guitars were, and asked a few innocent questions. The guy was the same one, but he answered shortly and hostilly.

After four questions, he asked me what I wanted of him. I said I was looking for a new electric. Then I asked to try one of the cheaper ones out.

He told me to get out and come back only with either my parents or my teacher, even if for looking around only.

Since then, I don't even get inside. I only go to either the small Kley or the large distant Kley.

And the same speaker thing happens to my school's music teacher, who is also the technical team's head with one of the two main PO's. He has periodic visits At the lab Marine has, which is not too near. And then it takes up to a month or so to get it back. They even dented the PO a few times when fixing, forcing him to go through it again.

The reason I know this is because I am his second man. I'd say right-hand, but I'm a lefty, and it seems like he might be one too. Or maybe he is ambidextrous.


P.S. I forgot to mention that it turned up well for me. My teacher is a friend of the small Kley Zemer shop manager, and he gets me discounts. Both Kleys are run by good natured musicians only. No matter your age and funding.

[JoRillo]

I'm guna say something good about Guitar Center (close your eyes Haters):

Yesterday I wanted to get my Yamaha HS80's - found them for $500 on ZenProAudio - which is NOT a official dealer of yamaha speakers - not only did they price match it (which Sam Ash said they wouldn't do because it completely cut out profit from the equation for them) - but they allowed me to come in after they had already closed and purchase them.

Sometimes you just gotta give props where props are do - I applaud you for your service yesterday Guitar Center - Thank you.

[PRobb]

Originally Posted by Humanomusician

He told me to get out and come back only with either my parents or my teacher, even if for looking around only.

Since then, I don't even get inside. I only go to either the small Kley or the large distant Kley.

Nice move, asshole. The last thing you want to do is have a young person have a good experience in your store. That sort of thing could lead to a long term customer.

[jeremy.c.]

Originally Posted by PRobb

Nice move, asshole. The last thing you want to do is have a young person have a good experience in your store. That sort of thing could lead to a long term customer.

When I was a bit younger there was a guy I played music with who was in his early forties and ran his own business on the side of his music gigs. He told me that running his business wasn't particularly difficult because he found his clients were surprised when he would call them back timely, speak professionally and just generally act cooperatively when offering a service. After he told me that I noticed how it's amazing what a bare minimum of work ethic and customer service will do for a small business and how few small businesses actually put that in.

[Don Cameron]

When I worked at that silly place a customer came in who had purchased a Les Paul two years before and had gotten the GC extended warranty. He was under the impression that he could exchange his perfectly good guitar for a brand new one. Getting angrier and angrier no matter how many times it was explained to him. Funny thing was, he was a lawyer. I couldn't resist tweaking his ass.

[audiobob]

You know what...I'll say something good about an employee at the GC on Westheimer in Houston.

Went in around Nov of '11 and was hanging out in the custom/relic shop. There was a guy working there (don't know his name) and he asked if I wanted to play anything. I said...nah..thanks...just looking around. So he says "look...there's just you and me in here and I've got the key...what do you wanna play".

So ended up playing classic tele's, strats and les pauls for over an hour. He was very knowledgable and was explaining in great detail about each one. You could tell he was a lover of classic electric guitars and knew what he was talking about. Left with a great feeling. Yeah, guys like that are the exception over there...but some great people there nonetheless.

Not sure if their prices on relics is accurate, but playing a Les Paul with a $60,000.00 price tag on it is a rush.

[JoRillo]

Originally Posted by audiobob

You know what...I'll say something good about an employee at the GC on Westheimer in Houston.

Went in around Nov of '11 and was hanging out in the custom/relic shop. There was a guy working there (don't know his name) and he asked if I wanted to play anything. I said...nah..thanks...just looking around. So he says "look...there's just you and me in here and I've got the key...what do you wanna play".

So ended up playing classic tele's, strats and les pauls for over an hour. He was very knowledgable and was explaining in great detail about each one. You could tell he was a lover of classic electric guitars and knew what he was talking about. Left with a great feeling. Yeah, guys like that are the exception over there...but some great people there nonetheless.

Not sure if their prices on relics is accurate, but playing a Les Paul with a $60,000.00 price tag on it is a rush.

Until you break one of the 3,000 dollar strings on it. Then it's a rush out of there so he doesn't get your name.

[PRobb]

Originally Posted by audiobob

.

Not sure if their prices on relics is accurate, but playing a Les Paul with a $60,000.00 price tag on it is a rush.

A guy let me play his $40,000 D'Aquisto. I was kinda afraid to touch it.