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Categories: Musical Instruments & Teachers, Electronics [Edit]
Neighborhoods: Lincoln Park, DePaulDiversey (Purple Express, Brown)
Mon-Fri. 10:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m.
Sat. 10:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m.
Sun. 11:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
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Its okay. I mean the selections are average here. The thing i dont like about these really big chain store are the fact they rip you off when trying to sell something. I tried to sell my guitar and amplifier for an acoustic guitar. They offered a $100 guitar or a $145 guitar and i would have to add an extra $20.
The only thing i would say about this place is that its a great spot to meet CUTE GUYS! For some reason, the atmosphere at a guitar store changes a guys mood and seems more relaxed.
I remember this guy in the acoustic room was singing so loud, i had to cover my ears ( he wasnt bad but just really loud)
Look, I'm not a guitar gearhead, so take this review with a grain of salt.
I stopped by GC today to window shop. I've been taking lessons at Old Town on an Oscar Schmidt rental that even my beginner's ears can tell is kinda...crap. I figured I'd fiddle with some guitars at GC, find one I liked, then scurry home to buy it online.
I talked to Dave. Short-spiky-haired Dave, not long-haired-Dave. Dave recommended a good beginner model (Yamaha FG700s), dragged one down for me, played a few bars and then let me fiddle with it. It sounded phenomenal when he did it, of course, but sounded pretty good when I strummed it, too.
I went home, comparison shopped online, and found it was definitely priced best at GC. So I hemmed and hawed for all of 30 minutes, and then sped back with a ride from Danielle C. so I could get it before closing.
Dave was awesome - he grabbed one for me, tuned it in about 30 seconds, and then sent me on my way with my new baby, a warranty, and a stand for less than the cost of the rental I had been murdering D chords on for the last few months.
AND IT SOUNDS MARVELOUS. I've had it for a whopping 2 hours and I'm like a newlywed - I can hardly keep my hands off the damned thing. My neighbors are going to hate me by Tuesday. Unless they really dig "Patience." My D, it is like the song of angels now!
So maybe if you know exactly what the hell you're talking about smartypants, you'd be better off at a nice little mom-and-pop. But I had no trouble getting exactly what I needed at this Guitar Center.
Let me start by saying I've made some major purchases here in the past. I bought an SWR head that was almost a grand two years ago, and come here for strings often. Came here today looking to score a Loop pedal over the President's Day Sale and was completely saddened by the complete lack of knowledge by Staff as to how the pedals worked. I was left to play with a Line 6 Pedal with no suggestions as to how it worked.
Then wanting to try another pedal, the sales clerk got frustrated and couldn't figure out the Boss Pedal, so we moved to the Roland one. Couldn't figure that one out either so (s/he) got another clerk that knew barely enough to get by. I left frustrated, but with my $300 still firmly in pocket! I'll be back for strings or picks, but nothing else. Hope they can get by with unknowledgeable amateur customers who don't know there's way better music stores with helpful knowledgeable staff.
Most people I think tend to hate on Guitar Center, but unfortunately, it is what it is. I would never expect to have my questions answered to an acceptable degree here. Thankfully, I will never feel the need to buy a large ticket item at this one due to the high sales tax in the city. So this place is more like a testing ground for me when looking for new guitars/amps, etc... However, knowing there is a store around that almost certainly carries your choice of strings, picks, and other necessities at reasonable prices is always nice. Now that Best Buy is getting into the big box music store business, Guitar Center might actually not be the ultimate bad guy on the street.
one star, because I can't give it a negative eleventy million.
I came here looking for a digital piano for my girlfriend. The sales guy (who looks like he's been sleeping under a bench all night) comes over and I swear I was talking to Beavis and/or Butthead.
"uh huh huh uh can I help you?".
"yes, I'm looking for a digital piano"
"uh huh they're - uh - like - all right here"
"yes I can see that as we are standing in the digital piano section"
Then he walks over, stands behind the counter and says to the other guy working there while pointing to me, "huh huh uh huh, he was, like, looking for a piano". Then they both giggle and disappear.
When I was younger and more impressed by stupid stuff, I used to think GC was a great place. I visit the Halsted location once in a blue moon now to try out some stuff because it is so close to my apartment and I don't feel like going to CME or MakeNMusic (both are great!).
Guitar Center...where to begin? First off, the sales staff knows nothing about gear, what they do know is how to be really annoying and dissuade me from spending my money here. I am followed by 2-3 sales people from the moment I walk in the door and am hounded by offers for stupid stuff I don't need. Stop following me, its annoying, I know you need to sell stuff but I'll ask you if I need help. Anyway, every time I'm here, I am amazed at the lack of information about products if I have questions. I couldn't make up some of the things that the staff has told me about products, its laughable. Even simple things...you would think I was asking for them to describe the chemical makeup of a product. I think you get the point.
To wrap up, I would avoid this place and support other music stores, unless you are looking to be annoyed and hounded, listen to 15 year old kids shred some wicked wankery on pointy guitars, and/or enjoy purchasing heavily abused floor model gear.
I ran Mike G ragged today.
I had read up on a little PA system online, then called the store to make sure one was in stock. Mike G was very friendly on the phone, and when I got to the store, it was hopping with customers. He took the time to find the product, let me test it with a mic and iPod (which I forgot in my car--he waited patiently for me to retrieve it), and had all the answers I was looking for.
When it came time to buy, I just bought the PA, and then had a moment of regret. I really needed a microphone. He ran from the register back to the desk with the Shure mic I wanted, and helped me pick a cord. And that was that, I thought.
On the drive home, I got a call from a number I didn't know. It was Mike G, telling me that Shure had a rebate offer going on. He told me I could find the form online. That was really going the extra mile, I thought.
Guitar center is a large scale big box chain music store. It does carry a huge selection of merchandise that you may not be able to find anywhere else, like software, midi gear, microphones- which is what brings me back to them. Aside from a very small used selection, all of the gear that they sell is brand new. With exception to some of the managers the staff is nominally literate in the gear that they are selling.
Upon entering the store there can be a bit of sensory overload - especially on the weekends. Many times I have witnessed about a dozen customers playing guitar and bass at full volume. For this reason I pretty much only enter when I have a very specific purchase to make, rather than having a laid back browse.
I recently heard that hey no longer accept haggling.
My friend gives me a cheap, shitty guitar that has a loose pickup. It needs a screw. I figured going to Guitar Center would be the best bet because hey, they're Guitar Center, I can probably get it for free if I can hold down the vomit while some moron breaths all over me telling me how he aspires to shred with Dragonforce.
I get there and there is a check in desk. There is a desk to check me in to a store I am at least pretending I will spend money in. Not only that, but a little greaseball with spiked hair puts his hand on my chest and does the little "give me that" hand gesture towards the beat to piss canvas case.
Curious, I indulge, and he zips 'er open and says "nice."
Thanks for the chivalry, I really needed everyone to see i was carrying in a delapidated hunk of a bc rich warlock that was a handmedown from my friend's high school band. In fact, not only did I need that, I needed you to give me the mandatory customer appreciation speech while you pat down my guitar for explosives. He takes the bag. Thanks "sport." Hands me a ticket, like he just checked my coat, and I wonder if people tip him when they get their stuff back. Tip: get a real job?
I walk to the counter that looks like it handles "guitar parts" aka the place being staffed by the guys with the greasiest ponytails. I wave the guitar in their direction and ask for a pickup screw.
"Sorry, the guy who knows about pickups is only here three days a week."
KNOWS (pause) ABOUT (pause) PICKUPS
Cool. Bye.
I HATE HATE HATE Guitar Center, especially this one. The scumiest, pushiest salesdorks I've ever been around. Always trying to sell me shit and cut me deals on shit that I don't need or want. Constantly fucking up the things I'm buying. These dudes are clearly inexperienced and have very little knowledge about any of the shit they're working around.
The inventory here is a joke too. They have NOTHING that even creeps out of the ordinary. Crash cymbals bigger than 18"? Nope, sorry. Bass drum heads bigger than 22"? Eh, we have two. And for the garbage they do have in stock, the prices really aren't that great.
The guitar floor always reeks of body odor, no doubt because of all the pony-tailed scumbags banging out Sabbath and Van Halen on the Jackson flying V's. Also, on the subject of odors, the elevator ALWAYS smells like burning plastic.
The worst part about Guitar Center is that you can't escape it. If I break a drumhead, the easiest thing for me to do is drive ten minutes to this dump and get my problem fixed quickly.
FUCK THIS PLACE!! JESUS, STOP SHOPPING HERE!!!
PS: The last time I was here, I witnessed two dweebs on the guitar floor playing "Sweet Leaf" back and forth. One of the dudes had a greasy pony-tail and I'm in a band with the other one. FUCK.
Whoooohooo! Ok..didn't come here to buy a guieeTARH, but I did come here to buy my first drum evAeHHRrrr. Maybeeee it was just my excitement in actually making a musical purchase that I have loooonggged dreamed of since I was about 12 and got a big fat "N-O", from my parentals, but I thought the staff were helpful and nice! I have DRuM StiCKs TOO! Whoohooo!The drum guy even told me that I would be playing like some punk kid who was pounding it out on a nearby set in no time. SMile, smile. ..inside voice..."YIPEEEE!!" Ahhh..I donno know, but I think this store is going to be my top fav candy store right up there with the Apple Store.
Until just recently I kinda liked this place. I was tolerant of all of the things bitched about by everyone else here: The pushy, not terribly well educated sales staff, the hit and miss pricing, having to listen to some 17 year old plugged into the biggest goddamned Mesa Boogie on the floor wailing away on some endless noodley solo as though he'd just been asked to play lead for some fusion metal/jam band...
A few days ago I walked into Guitar center to buy a new acoustic guitar. I've needed one for a while and just decided it was time. I was greeted halfway through the door by a dude who saw that I was wearing a tie (I had come straight from work) and who clearly thought that my tie was telling him 2 things.
Thing 1: He must have money... he wears a suit.
Thing 2: He wears a suit, so clearly I know more about guitars than he does.
Sadly, neither was true.
The guy, whose name I did not catch so let's just call him Douchebag, followed me and my friend around the store for 20 minutes repeating the last few words of everything I said.
Douchbag: Can I help you with something tonight?
Me: No thanks, just heading into the acoustic room.
Douchebag: just heading into the acoustic room, huh?
strum strum
Me, shrugging: Hm Nope
Douchbag: Nope, huh?
Me: I'm just gonna head in here
Douchebag: Just gonna head in there, huh?
This went on for 20 minutes and in the end I still couldn't find a goddamned thing i was wiling to buy.
I may stop in for strings or a cord, but nothing else ever. The lack of knowledge on the part of the salesmen is a joke. Prices are ludicrous. If you want a good selection of high end stuff there are way better places to go, and for cheap you're better off with Craigslist. I would never ever have any work done on my equipment through here.
this place is more than a guitar center. any ordinary man can feel himself as Elwis Presley here, or guitar hero. But some products are really expensive. we bought a usb converter microphone from there but we waited too much for sales assistants. they are really nice but slow guys. neverthless, this place is paradise of music..
Dear Guitar Center;
Don't get me wrong--what makes your store a train wreck is merely an example of the overall complete deterioration of that archaic notion of "customer service."
For instance; "special orders" ~may~ not mean a lot to employees (especially when they're, say, under $100), but guess what? The customer is, actually, interested in the item and ~will~ wonder what's going on when it hasn't arrived in the timely fashion outlined.
And while we're at it, when the customer asks you, roughly two months from when the product was expected, where the item is, DON'T reply, "Well, I ~could~ try calling the vendor, but I don't know what they'll tell me." Do the customer a favor and go that extra step and just ~call~ the vendor. Yes, go ahead and take that risk that the vendor might have an answer you can pass on to the customer.
One other thought: it would be extremely helpful if, when you show an in-store sample of the product a customer is special ordering, you show them one AS IT COMES FROM THE DEALER.
After all, when a customer explicitly states they need to be able to attach the special order item to a preexisting item, and you show a version of the special order item that HAS THE ATTACHMENT CLAMP AS PART OF IT, you can bet the customer will be surprised (and a tad frustrated) when the product comes in and the clamp is nowhere to be seen, because, whoops, it actually ~doesn't~ come with the item the customer was led to believe came with it.
Remember: the sooner you can follow up with a customer in a clear ~and~ coherent manner, the sooner the customer will leave you alone and you can go back to discussing whatever you and your coworkers discuss during the long days listening to people test distortion pedals with their favorite Korn tunes.
They don't do deals anymore, that was the only reason I used to go there, Nova Musik in Milwaukee has my business now. They never have cool boutique gear anymore, mostly consumer lowend crap is what they try to push, they are the best buy of music gear
Shopping at Guitar Center can be an awkward experience... it's not somewhere I go very often, but if you're armed with the right information ahead of time, you can get some pretty good deals. My first and biggest tip is: they have great Memorial Day and Labor Day sales. Those are the only times I've ever made major purchases at GC, because I knew I'd be buying exactly what I wanted at really deep discounts. Always do your research, because you should not be paying the sticker prices and you can get lots of "extras" thrown in if you know what you're talking about.
The sales team can definitely be pushy and a bit annoying, but I've had good experiences on the occasions when I actually purchased instruments. One time I bought a Strat and a lot of heavy stuff (amp, hard case, etc.) and one of the managers actually drove me and the new gear back to my apartment! Did this happen because I am a girl? Probably. Did I appreciate a bit of preferential, albeit sexist, treatment? Well I'm not gonna lie - of course I did!
For me, the decision to shop at Guitar Center is strictly an economic one. If I had unlimited funds, I'd be at CME instead.
Pros: Very good selection in terms of number of different instruments, brands and supplies. Prices are good and competitive.
Cons: Staff works on commission and it is obvious. Staff is generally not knowledgable. At purchase, the buyer tends to feel like she/he is buying demo models that are worn. The atmosphere is half circus, half Best Buy warehouse shopping. Egos fly equally from customers and staff alike. The utter lack of private auditioning rooms makes the noise level frequently intolerable.
Finally, although there is good selection in sheer number of brands and models, the store's buyers tend to stock a lot of crap within product lines.
If you must go and are serious about trying out gear and have questions, avoid the store on the weekends at all costs (emphasis added).
As the Best Buy of instrument and equipment stores, I found myself explaining various features of the digital pianos to the sales people, whom I had hoped would actually be educating me, and helping to narrow down my selections based on my needs. When I later found myself checking out instruments at their store up in Madison, I was amused by the conflicting opinions and facts I got, and could tell that they were pushing certain models based on what they had in stock, or floor models they wanted to get rid of. At this point my purchasing process began to remind me of shopping for a car - I soon found myself in the awkward game of negotiating accessories. In the end I like to imagine this helped me to save money over what I would have spent online. Definitely plan on doing your research before you go.
If you're looking for music or more obscure instruments, go elsewhere. I tried looking for a banjo here, but they had a selection of one, and no one on staff who was knowledgeable about the instrument - for this task I'll stick to mom n' pop shops.
I've seen some bad reviews for Guitar center, and I don't really understand what the big deal is. I have never had a bad time here, and I have been here many times. People seem to think that the people in sales are pushy and annoying, but I don't have any issues with them. I think that if you go in here and kind of have an idea of what you're looking for or what you're talking about, they pretty much leave you alone. I recently bought a Gibson SG Standard here, and the salesperson just gave it to me and let me rock out on it until I made my decision. No pressure at all. Although that guitar pretty much sells itself, it's pretty expensive, and I could see someone trying to push the sale, which didn't happen.
Most recently I have been going in for guitar pedals, and the people are super helpful. I've never been suckered into buying anything and usually leave happy with my purchase. Plus, if you take something home and don't like it with your setup, you can just bring it back within 30 days. No hassle. I've done it, and they didn't even ask me why I didn't want the product. They just took it back and tried to help me find something that was better for my needs.
I do have to say that going in and having to listen to some 14 year old dude struggle through old Slayer riffs on a shitty Crate amp at full volume can get annoying. Also, they don't have a lot of the stuff they have online, so you might want to call ahead on that one.
I like Guitar Center...
Wait, let me rephrase that. I like Guitar Center PRO.
I go into the store, walk past the high pressure sales floor, and straight into the GC PRO office...
It's quiet...dark...calming...soothing...it makes it easier for me to part with my hard-earned cash.
I guess I'm unlike most, in that when I walk in here, I've usually done a shit-ton of research on the gear I'm looking for already, so there's not much use in me going in and talking to one of the sales clerk folks about stuff that I probably already will know more about.
So, I go to my friends in the GC PRO office, to get FANTASTIC deals on the gear I know I need.
It beats the crap out of Sweetwater.
I don't understand all the bad reviews about this place.
It was bad. The service was actually great. They answered all my brother's questions--they were helpful about getting guitars down for him if he needed it, and plus they even did a price check for him.
I think that everyone is being a bit harsh. Don't people generally go into a place like this an know what they want?? Or if you don't...do a little research, and ask for some help. I'm just sayin'....
The staff are almost entirely idiots. Idiots on commission. This combination of things does not yield a pleasant shopping experience. I like to stick to Make'n Music or the internet for pretty much everything, but the reason I'm even giving them more than one star is for being the only place other than the used market I can pickup Markbass gear (which is about the only quality bass stuff they sell anymore).
A lot of the basses are in terrible shape: Strings not in the bridge saddles properly, electronics and controls not screwed in place properly (seriously, you're selling a fucking Alembic Epic, the kind of people who would buy an Alembic expect to be able to actually rotate the control knobs without them shaking vigorously in the mounting hole), and incredibly poor setups with the action either a mile off the fretboard or yielding so much fret buzz you'll swear that someone decided to let loose a swarm of angry bees on the couple of high schoolers playing what sounds like a free jazz version of Enter Sandman layered with whatever effect "every Boss pedal in the store" would have on the tone.
Seriously, guys. If you're not buying Markbass or something small that you need right away, stick to independent music stores and the used market and hope GC gets their shit together someday.
The customer service of Wal-mart, the salesmanship of a used car lot, and prices that run from almost reasonable to ridiculous. Not to mention they assume you're going to steal something the minute you walk in the door, as per the bag check. Skip the hassle of the drive, avoid taxes, and BUY ONLINE!
Well, first off, I'm not a guitar guy, or even a real big rock fan but I came in here because I knew they would have a lot of electronic and dj gear I can mess around with. Plus I was looking for a midi keyboard to compare with what I can get online.
The selection they have of what I wanted was pretty big. Lots of samplers, keyboard synthesizers and funky stuff that korg makes that I have no clue how to control. Its fun stuff to play around with and I was surprised that in the 4 hours I was in there, I got approached by no salesperson, that's bittersweet because in any other store I would be appalled but here I was kinda happy because I knew that I know way more than they did about my subject and didn't to be bothered. Looks like they didn't have any electronic music production or dj expert on hand because that whole half of the store was empty. I was reluctant to ask about the return policy because if I find a better deal elsewhere screw this place but when I did I knew by the stupid "huh??" reaction that I wasn't gonna take this guy seriously, my instincts were right.
Anyway, if they didn't have the selection they did for my craft they'd be getting 1 star but because I had fun screwing around in this place I give it more credit than it deserves. Oh yeah the prices are like 20-30% above http://amazon.com listings, but because I'd like to have a physical store to buy such an equipment it's somewhat reasonable when factoring in shipping.
I always feel kind of violated when I walk into stores and am asked to check my bag, walk through an antitheft gate, and be counted by one of carnival-style person counting gates. Guitar Center has all three of those things the second you walk in.
I went in for drumsticks... Not because I'm a drummer, but because my dog ate my roommate's "Rock Band" drum sticks. I stood there at the drumstick counter for a good ten minutes while the drumstick "dealer" talked on the phone. When he finally got off the phone, he walked away from the counter and didn't bother helping me. It wasn't until I was about to go to the other side of the counter to grab the sticks myself that he offered to help me by yelling, "You can't go back there. What do you need?"
You just can't treat customers like that and expect them to come back. Upon inspecting my drumsticks when I got home, I saw that one of them was cracked down the center. You'd think he would have inspected them, considering I wasn't allowed to touch them until I had paid for them.
Then they searched my bag on the way out. It's actually against the law to stop people from leaving the store unless they have a signed agreement with you saying they can check your items against your receipt when you're leaving (i.e. Costco's membership agreement).
They get two stars out of pity and because they're so conveniently located.
I like this Guitar Center, I know that G.C's can be hit or miss at times. I am mostly a guitar guy and have found both Brian W. and Nick K. to be more then helpful with advice, customer service and also making sure I got the best deal possible for my money. My wife is a keyboard player and the staff in that department was very helpful and friendly to her, also Trance was a gem helping us select the best powered monitor for her to use (he spent about an hour with us). In this day and time where true customer service has slipped into oblivion I feel it is important to point out when you are treated well. Plus free parking in the garage...you can't beat that. I also found them to fair with trades...much better than Chicago Music Exchange (I won't even buy picks there). I will continue to due business both large and small at this G.C, it's nice to have a community drive music store, they support local bands by allowing them to put up fliers and treat local musicians with respect. This G.C is run by people who actually care for their jobs and their customers.
They always have tons of guitars of all kinds in stock. There is nothing bad you can say about these guys. Yes some of their salesmen would rather be somewhere else, but that's true with other shops of this nature.
I am grateful they are here when I need them for strings, picks,cords, etc..
I prefer to make my instrument purchases at smaller shops.
Guitar Center will probably always do very well because they order in large quantitys and pass the savings along.
And please...NO STAIRWAY DUDE!
Guitar Center is fine for its target audience: kids, young teenagers, and parents of teenagers.
When you walk into GC and bitch out a clerk for not knowing his stuff, you're sort of missing the point. The clerk is not there to know stuff. The clerk is there to look like "a dude in a band" for the parents of 14 year olds who aspire to be "a dude in a band," so that the parents will then buy a guitar or drums for the child. That's the business-model that has worked for years. And that's what it's going to be going forward.
For a real, grown-up musician, it's still an okay place to get strings and cords (or sticks and heads) cheap. It is what it is. Treat it that way, and you won't be so frustrated.
I use to work here and bleck. gross. Like someone mentioned earlier--the staff are not knowledgeable because 1. the staff is put in the wrong department (I play bass so I know guitar/bass gear and was stuck in drums) 2. it's a revolving door. Only go/buy here under the following conditions: 1. You are just going to try out stuff and want to wank around (but be prepared to have the shit bugged out of you. Don't blame it on the sales staff--they don't want to bug you but their manager is breathing down their neck telling them they have to). 2. You just need something simple like strings, picks, etc. 3. You already know what you are talking about and won't get pwned. 4. Never, I repeat, never pay list price. That's bullshit. But if you do go, be nice to the employees--they are making nothing and get treated like crap.
If only I had somewhere else to go! These people bug me with their lack of help! I needed a simple guitar stand and tuner for a birthday present. I already picked them out online, brought in printed sheets of the exact item. The stands are in shambles in a corner that I'm pointed to - also not knowing anything about them I come home missing a piece. Would have been nice to tell me that! And the tuner...jeez, try and sell me top of the line? Um, no thank you - I don't trust a word out of your mouths! If I didn't have to I wouldn't go here. But it's also easy access after my les-fest at the Home Depot....darn easy access!
Guitar Center sucks. i mean, you kind of know it before you go. it's huge and impersonal and corporate. but i could've warmed up to it if the girl at the front desk hadn't been so out of it and absolutely unhelpful. i was holding 2 instruments and standing in the little holding pen you initially walk into and she basically just stared at me and then fumbled with my cases a bunch and didn't give me ample room to put them on the counter. it was just akward. and since she didn't really explain what she was doing she then thrust both instruments, taken out of their cases, into my hands and then i had to go through a turnstile.
then the buyer dude told me my guitar was cracked because it had a dent on it. i'm pretty sure he had no real knowledge of acoustic instruments because he flatly refused an over 800 dollar guitar because it had a mark on it. i guess i felt relieved and pissed off. i'll tell you what i already should have known, do not sell your instruments to guitar center. bad idea.
It's great to go in and get a feel for what you're going to buy - but the sales staff aren't really in the know. If you're willing to drop serious money for a guitar, bass or piano...go elsewhere. But if you want to spend some time checking out the goods before you go, you can't go wrong spending an afternoon or two practicing on all the instruments.
Service? Who cares. Prospects of getting laid? Mighty. I'm a girl and never come here but always leave with some dudes number. Also the guys at the counter actually have jobs. It turns me on when a guy has...a...JOB. Oh, baby!
Good Christ, I hate this store with all of my being. I have NEVER walked in here and been treated with anything but condescension -- if I manage to get noticed at all. It seems to be the general assumption that any customer with a pair of boobs couldn't possibly want to buy anything.
I will say without a doubt the crapiest guitar store i've ever known. They sell guitars and send them home without set-ups (guitar buffs will known what I mean) their staff usually know nothing about playing and are just sales men. All around they are a huge corporation that out prices little family owned guitar shops and their service is shity
Maybe if you have been in the "Biz" for a long time you may not love this place, I went there to buy my son a guitar and amp for his birthday and the staff was great, Many guitars @ target, But no on ethere could answer all the questions I had, I think the people that have left messages thus far should relax and appreciate the fact that this place even exists seeing there hasn't been that much good music released in the last decade or so.
I worked at a guitar store for 4 years, so I know what it's like to work at one. It sucks. That being said, I know the plight of the guitar store worker. You think it will be cool to get discounts and be around guitars all day. Think again. Still, you poor unfortunate soul, don't act like you are cooler or smarter than me. I was you. The service here sucks. The dude wailing on the Jackson V in the corner might have something to do with that. The guitar store shopper guy (Dude, I only use Boomers. That have the most tone. Watch me play Crazy Train badly!) ruins the guitar store workers attitude which, in turn, ruins the service for the rest of us. If you have to go here (15 months same as cash is tempting people!), make sure that you know what you want before you walk in and go over it with a microscope before you buy. NO FLOOR MODELS on new stuff, either. Pray you don't have an issue, though. I bought a bunk guitar and had to bitch the manager out and pull out all of my old industry connections to get an exchange. What can you do, though?
Guitar Center has a great selection with decent prices. I prefer getting music equipment online as you can often get better deals but I often go to Guitar Center for strings, small equipment, etc. There is a free parking garage next door.
i despise shopping for equipment at a chain store.
oddly enough,
i was surprised at how educated the sales guy was.
he had dreads down to his waist and knew EXACTLY what I needed.
as much as i hate conglomerates, i will be back.
the one thing i don't like is the checking my receipt at the door.
i am not a thief.
put your registers at the door.
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