Great video. Nobody's saying don't go to a mom and pop, which not everyone has, or don't use Sweetwater and Reverb. But give guitar center a chance. I've gotten used and brand new/clearance pedals dirt cheap. I don't always see the greatest deals on new and used guitars at my local GC, but they always have great deals on used amps, and aways have a few interesting, oddball trade-ins. Just got a H&K 1×12 cab for $99. People that hate will probably pitch and moan when they're stuck with Sweetwater, Amazon and Reverb.
I have been to guitar centers from New York to Hawaii and it’s always the same they talk to people like you dont have money, last year I went to guitar Center in Levittown, Pennsylvania, and I was asking them if I buy a guitar from there they offer to get it plek’d, and the I was talking to did not know what that was the other guy who was helping someone else did, but he was acting like it was something that got done on the moon like it was impossible to do, if I buy a guitar for Sweetwater they offered to do it for $300 and every guitar that I have now I have had them all plek’d it is a serious game changer because they did not really understand what the process was. Everything that came out of her mouth was condescending. It’s been like that since the first time I went to Guitar Center in San Diego when I was 13 years old condescending.
Well, if you're close enough to levittown, maybe someday you can get down to May's Landing New Jersey where my Guitar Center is... If I judge by the comments I get about all the horror stories people seem to have, it must be the best guitar center because no one has ever been rude to me there 😂
@@BillySoundFarm I San Diego after I bought my first Marshall half stack a few guys in there how recognized me treated me different, and I understand how probably 1 out of 25 people actually spend money and not just wanna play @$5k Les Paul then steal the 1 pick they gave them lol… 😂✌🏽it must be tiring love & respect to you my friend ✌🏿🦅🤜🤛🏿
My thing with Guitar center is when you do buy a guitar from them in person, I feel like they should mark down the floor models if they don't have an unused one in the back. Or at the very least order you a brand new one. I just bought a ukulele from them for in store pickup. I saw it at the store and it was on sale, thought about it for a few days and then bought it for $250. Before I picked it up, I went in the acoustic room to see if they gave me the same one I saw from the wall. Lo and behold it was the exact same one, with fingerprints and all. I was a bit off put. I figured I can return it and ask for a brand new one. luckily for them I liked that particular instrument. That same week I bought a used Fender. I feel like the used gear is worth the price but I feel like I'm getting ripped off when I'm buying a 'brand new' guitar off the floor.
I don't know what to say about this. I purchased a Gibson DC that they said was in excellent condition. They had to ship it from another store and they do charge for shipping. I brought the add in with me to show them what it said. I opened it on the counter and it was a piece of shit. It was all scratched up and when you turned it upside down and you could hear something rattling around. I said I did not want it and they had the balls to say I had to pay for the shipping. I showed the add from guitar center and I asked them if this was in excellent condition and they had to give me the look of shame and he said no its not. But they still wanted to hit me with the shipping till I ask for the manager and he did refund my credit card in full. When you buy it online copy the add they have for it, that saved me.
When you buy used you do pay for shipping if they have to bring it in from another store. Every time I've done that and returned it they refunded me shipping and all without even mentioning it.
@@BillySoundFarm They charged me for shipping to another store. Like I said they refunded me for the guitar and tax but said I was responsible for the shipping. That is when I ask for the manager and he took care of it. The guitar was not like they said in the add and he agreed. I was surprized when they said I was responsible for the shipping and had to call the manager over.
Don't you think the death of the big box stores will leave a vacuum in the retail space allowing small shoppes to re-establish themselves and fill the niche?
In most parts of the country, no I don't. If we don't support the guitar shops we have, then obviously we won't support the ones that we hope would emerge in a vacuum.
@@BillySoundFarm I am guessing, I could be wrong, the overhead for a space the size of a guitar center has to be a lot more than that of a normal small vendor. The cutting of music education in grade schools has impacted young people's involvement in music. Sometimes, I even play more video games than I should and put off my music practice from time to time. That said, smaller-scale shops can succeed. I see how well my neighborhood music store is doing in Avon Indiana (IRC music), they have no Sam Ash or Guitar Center within probably 15 -20 miles and are in a decent-sized population center.
I've got no issues with Guitar Center. I usually buy from their used gear section and the no questions 90 day return policy makes it easier to end up with a guitar I'm happier with.
The problem is the private equity firms that took over GC loaded GC with debt that the proceeds from loans went into insiders pockets! They will not be able to refinance the debt at today’s higher interest rates! Bankruptcy will be coming 6-18 months out! That’s $1 billion with a “B”
I'm not saying it's not true, but it seems insane to me that a company just emerging from bankruptcy would be lent significant money in a way that would permit any kind of payouts to new stakeholders... If that CAN happen, then the incentive structure of banking and corporate America is more broken than I thought.
You're comparing GC only to online sales. So the four reasons are: 1. you can take it back, and 2. they have a lot of stock. The other ones aren't unique to GC. Support your local business!
With the caveat of course that there are plenty of local businesses that will take back an instrument if you're not happy with it. Just not all of them.
If there was any other guitar shop in most towns besides Guitar Center, you would be right. In reality, in most towns, there is nothing else after Guitar Center and Sam Ash are gone. If you live in a lucky place that has Mom and Pop guitar shops, then great! Definitely support them.
