I Friggen HATE Guitar Center

originally posted by: projectvxn
In Reno we have Bizarre Guitar(also a gun shop)

They also own the shop next door (Star Audio Sound I think it's called.)

I did an install for them before...they own the whole building and have some pretty lavish rooms below


Bizarre Guitar is pretty good. There's a lot of other little shops around town though.

a reply to: projectvxn

With a name like that, I would surely try shopping there!

originally posted by: JinMI
a reply to: projectvxn

With a name like that, I would surely try shopping there!

Their staff is just the same as Guitar Center though. A bunch of people buzzing up top.

Same selection, same prices, same hopheads anywhere you go.

originally posted by: MiddleInitial
a reply to: JinMI

In the real world, we might make great friends.

Well, ATS is very much part of the real world. It's people and the topics are living breathing things.

a reply to: NarcolepticBuddha

Ah, what a shame.

What really gets me is that it's one of the few businesses left that could really benefit from the customer service aspect. Sure you'll get aholes and know-it-alls but by and large people learning could use good sound advice. No pun intended.

a reply to: JinMI

I'll give you a hint:

Most people (in my experience) learn their stuff from the customers. I am a cable guy. Customers usually know more about the latest trends and changes in tech than I do. I have to learn my job from the customers. I have to learn a lot of new things on the fly

I think that's really the way it works in any sales or service position.

Buying guitars and accessories at GC is like buying car parts at Oreilly or Auto Zone. I often feel like I know more than the average employee and I never ask advice. I also usually disregard any advice or suggestion they may offer. At my local GC the strings are hung on a wall where you can retrieve them yourself and take them to the counter to pay for them, maybe so as not to confuse the clerk when asking for anything other than Daddario XL's.

a reply to: NarcolepticBuddha

You are dropping hints? I'm horrible at putting together puzzles.



Well there is a shop that has been in the area since the late 60's. Same guy runs it although he has a few young helpers now. Best guitar tech in town hands down. The amps and all the new technology that comes out he leaves up to the new guys.

This man however has no problem listening or explaining in detail what goes on with an electric or acoustic guitar. He values his customers, some loyal for over 40ish years. They bring their grandkids there. It's rare.

a reply to: NagoyaW6

My life would be so much better if shops around here would adopt that policy!


Yes that's a sad statement but very true!!

a reply to: NarcolepticBuddha

The owners are pretty active members of the Reno art scene too.

a reply to: JinMI

True enough. I suppose I meant that, were the common thread of alternative topics and conspiracies ruled out, we'd still have lots to talk about.

I'm a "multi-instrumentalist" and self-recording songwriter and I approve your anti-GC sentiment.

Roll on brother, see you in the threads.

a reply to: MiddleInitial

a reply to: JinMI

Nice Thread Jin!

Crap .. i don't blame you i'd have gotten p'd off at these guys too.

I will say, not my first choice however, Amazon does tend to have a wide variety of things not findable.

damn my Guitar string broke! actually it did and i've no idea in hell how to fix it lol, those things are hard to replace by yourself, if you're me anyways.

I Friggen HATE Guitar Center

Thats exactly what Guitar Center wants , if they can turn you to the darkside you would be an enormous asset for their agenda in achieving global domination... Remember the music flows from the force.

Guitar Center


Global Asset Manager - Ares Management

They also own the shop next door ....they own the whole building and have some pretty lavish rooms

Not a musician in any way but the few times I ever did go inside a GC just to look around I immediately got bad vibes from the place. Very stuffy and unfriendly seeming atmosphere. And like many of those types of stores, I could feel their eyes on me the instant I walked through the door. I could see them stalking me in the corner of my eye the whole time. Since there were maybe 3 people in the store other than the employees, they are apparently very bored and are instructed to watch you like a hawk. I used to get the same feeling in places like Radio Shack and Circuit City.

a reply to: awareness10

I'll help ya, it's not difficult. Otherwise yt is a great reference.

originally posted by: JinMI
a reply to: awareness10

I'll help ya, it's not difficult. Otherwise yt is a great reference.

Thank You Jin! Yes, yt actually is perfect great vids there.

My story with GC begins with me finding a 12-string guitar. I was rather excited about the find, but wasn't at all familiar with it.

In attempting to learn how to tune it, I broke a string and that is where my journey truly began.

I called my local GC in order to get a pack of strings, and perhaps some "tips and tricks" for tuning it as it turned out to be more involved than I expected. I was in the middle of getting it up and running, so I didn't want to wait.. but I should have known better.

I stated my general needs on the phone, thinking it was a rather basic interaction. I was taken aback when I was told that 12-string guitars do not exist. Not only that, but everyone knows "all guitars have six strings." The statement was, of course, laced with equal amounts of condescension and certainty.

I asked them to perhaps look up some on their computer, or just treat the exchange as hypothetical. The GC employee obliged, and after a time on hold, they came back to state that while they may exist, they are so rare that no one knows anything about them. But, obviously, I would be best served to come in and sell it to them.

After some.. progress.. in the conversation, I was told that they simply use two same sets of normal guitar strings.

Furthermore, they did not actually need to be tuned at all. You just installed the strings and it was good to go!

The next noise in the call was a simple, concise *click*

originally posted by: JinMI
I've been a musician (debatable) for just about 20 years. I've played bass, drums, guitar, violin, cello and can read (debatable) sheet music for strings. I'm also a geek. I tear apart guitars, amps and replace parts, fix broken ones give setups etc.

So here are a few reasons I can not stand GC.

...

Have you considered the possibility that these might have been false flag operations by a rival company, aimed at discrediting Guitar Centre?