[SmoothD]

I've got a Guitar Center near me now. About 25 miles away actually. I know this is a national chain so my question is, has anyone dealt with them? What did you think about their prices, service, etc? I know that their selection is pretty darn good!

Also, beware b/c they asked me to sign up to win some handmade guitar and last night a salesman called and left a long rambling message about all the stuff that he wants to sell me! Shsssh!

[AxSlinger]

You have felt the wrath of guitar center!!!!! Hahahahaha!

Yeah, I go to guitar center all the time. They have a couple private rooms in the "Acoustic Room" and I love to just go in there and play with their expensive guitars.

I don't know who they hired, but the general thing is the employees they hire are smart arses. If you're a good bargainer, you can talk down some prices, but then they'll always stick it in you when you buy anything else (ie accessories).

Hmm.....what else. oh, they DO have lots of SALES! Take advantage of them. Actually, the only time you should be buying from them is when they have a sale. Then you can talk the price down even more. You can get away with a $800 acoustic for like $300-$400. Now THAT'S a good deal.

Umm...that's about it. Other than, be carefull on the equipment you buy from there. If you suspect the slightest thing wrong with it when you buy it, take it back. I've never had any problem getting things replaced within the first couple months, but I don't know if all Guitar Centers do that.

[improviduto]

I like guitar center; i dislike sam ash -- at least the ones in columbus

[jtown]

Its a great place to go and "sample" a guitar or amp your looking at, but anytime I buy anything I go to a local guy whos been in bussines forever, he always has met their prices so I'd rather buy from him.

[Less Paul]

Personally, I like Sam Ash a little better. The good thing about Guitar Center (for me anyway) is that people respect you. In Sam Ash they treat you like crap.

[SmoothD]

Personally, I like Sam Ash a little better. The good thing about Guitar Center (for me anyway) is that people respect you. In Sam Ash they treat you like crap.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Okay, so the people at the Guitar Center are nicer but you like the other place better because of....its selection, prices, sarcastic salespeople???

[mikeyo24]

u can talk guitar center ppl down alot!
I TOOK HOME AN 200 DOLLAR USED FENDER FOR 80 BUCKS

[dadfad]

Like anywhere else, just be careful of what and how you buy. They can usually give a good deal (a guitar they wanted $3,000 for when we started talking went out the door for $2500 + a new hard-shell case, five packs of strings, a fifty-dollar strap and a handful of picks big enough to choke a horse. Which I don't use! haha). But not always (a guitar I was promised on the phone for $750 was $1000 when I got there and the guy I'd talked to on the phone two hours earlier was "gone for the weekend." I passed on that one. A thousand was a decent price but I wasn't going to be b.s'ed). The employees usually have MODERATE experience with guitars (especially newer electric models) but they are no "fountain of knowledge". If you eventually get on their computer as a "big-spender" they'll usually kiss your ass like a ten-dollar whore after that (just like I was told they would by a friend who was once a GC district manager). Most of their guitars are set up from poorly to moderately-okay, but that's usually not a biggie because even a good factory set-up is rarely "perfect" for you and will need tweaking. Their exchange policy is pretty fair. Like Axslinger said, take advantage of their sales whenever possible. All things being equal (like price and availability) I prefer small shops, but you can do okay at a Guitar Center.


(They are now owned by Musician's Friend. Or vice-versa, I forget which.)

[SmoothD]

Like anywhere else, just be careful of what and how you buy. They can usually give a good deal (a guitar they wanted $3,000 for when we started talking went out the door for $2500 + a new hard-shell case, five packs of strings, a fifty-dollar strap and a handful of picks big enough to choke a horse. Which I don't use! haha). But not always (a guitar I was promised on the phone for $750 was $1000 when I got there and the guy I'd talked to on the phone two hours earlier was "gone for the weekend." I passed on that one. A thousand was a decent price but I wasn't going to be b.s'ed). The employees usually have MODERATE experience with guitars (especially newer electric models) but they are no "fountain of knowledge". If you eventually get on their computer as a "big-spender" they'll usually kiss your ass like a ten-dollar whore after that (just like I was told they would by a friend who was once a GC district manager). Most of their guitars are set up from poorly to moderately-okay, but that's usually not a biggie because even a good factory set-up is rarely "perfect" for you and will need tweaking. Their exchange policy is pretty fair. Like Axslinger said, take advantage of their sales whenever possible. All things being equal (like price and availability) I prefer small shops, but you can do okay at a Guitar Center.


(They are now owned by Musician's Friend. Or vice-versa, I forget which.)

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Sooo, you wanna share some of those unused picks??? LOL!

[dadfad]

Like anywhere else, just be careful of what and how you buy. They can usually give a good deal (a guitar they wanted $3,000 for when we started talking went out the door for $2500 + a new hard-shell case, five packs of strings, a fifty-dollar strap and a handful of picks big enough to choke a horse. Which I don't use! haha). But not always (a guitar I was promised on the phone for $750 was $1000 when I got there and the guy I'd talked to on the phone two hours earlier was "gone for the weekend." I passed on that one. A thousand was a decent price but I wasn't going to be b.s'ed). The employees usually have MODERATE experience with guitars (especially newer electric models) but they are no "fountain of knowledge". If you eventually get on their computer as a "big-spender" they'll usually kiss your ass like a ten-dollar whore after that (just like I was told they would by a friend who was once a GC district manager). Most of their guitars are set up from poorly to moderately-okay, but that's usually not a biggie because even a good factory set-up is rarely "perfect" for you and will need tweaking. Their exchange policy is pretty fair. Like Axslinger said, take advantage of their sales whenever possible. All things being equal (like price and availability) I prefer small shops, but you can do okay at a Guitar Center.


(They are now owned by Musician's Friend. Or vice-versa, I forget which.)

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Sooo, you wanna share some of those unused picks??? LOL!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

If I ever run into you I'll dig some out of the bottom of one of my gig-bags! However, there is a much bigger issue at hand!!!!!! Why do you need so many picks when the Good Lord attached five of them permanently to your hand???!!!

[SmoothD]

Sooo, you wanna share some of those unused picks??? LOL!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[/quote]

If I ever run into you I'll dig some out of the bottom of one of my gig-bags! However, there is a much bigger issue at hand!!!!!! Why do you need so many picks when the Good Lord attached five of them permanently to your hand???!!!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[/quote]

The answer is quick and dirty, I don't fingerpick!

When I first started playing guitar, I thought that I had THE stupidest left hand in the world. Well, that's changed and truth, I've tried to fingerpick a bit and found that I have THE stupidest fingers of a right hand in the world! And there youu have your answer.

Picks please! *Holding out hand to monitor*

[dadfad]

Sooo, you wanna share some of those unused picks??? LOL!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

If I ever run into you I'll dig some out of the bottom of one of my gig-bags! However, there is a much bigger issue at hand!!!!!! Why do you need so many picks when the Good Lord attached five of them permanently to your hand???!!!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The answer is quick and dirty, I don't fingerpick!

When I first started playing guitar, I thought that I had THE stupidest left hand in the world. Well, that's changed and truth, I've tried to fingerpick a bit and found that I have THE stupidest fingers of a right hand in the world! And there youu have your answer.

Picks please! *Holding out hand to monitor*

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

(Dadfad inserts picks into his floppy-port and clicks "send"....)

Fingerpicking will come if you practice it fairly regularly (honest). I learned with a pick originally too and I thought it would never "happen". But it did. First the thumb and index. Next thing ya know the old middle is doing something too, then the ring, etc (actually, some of the finest fingerpickers who ever played only used a thumb and index. A buddy of mine who's mentor was Rev. Gary Davis asked the reverend once why he didn't use more fingers. Davis said "Cuz I ain't needed to yet.") Anyway, it will come with practice. One day you'll be flubbing stuff up as usual, the next day you'll pick up the guitar and be finger-picking. That's how it worked for me anyway.

[mrbreeze]

Don't be afraid to bargin with them like Dadfad stated. I got my Epi LP for $100 less than I would have paid for it by simply acting like I was a bit uneasy about the price.

employee: "So how's this one? You like it?"

me: "yeah" (make sure you draw it out and wince a bit) "..but to be honest I didn't
really want to spend that much.."

employee: "ok...how much did you want to spend"

me: "well I was hoping to spend around $500 or so"

employee: "ok well I think we can do $525 on it"

me: "ok that sounds reasonable...lets move forward with that then"

Simply making an unsure face saved me a bit of money.


Another thing you can do when buying multiple items like an amp and guitar,etc is to state your limit and make them stick to it. They are always going to try to upsell you. That's what sales is all about. Be firm and stick to your guns.

I learn all of this from my dad who is a great great negotiator when it comes to buying things.

Lessons from my dad...all of the following are negotiable:

furniture, jewlery(it's marked up sooooo much...), vehicles, appliances (refrigerators, washers,dryers, etc), electronics (not a $100 dvd player...but stuff like tv's, theatre equipment,etc)

Don't be afraid to bargin. Not everyone is a natural when it comes to it but you can easily save a few bucks here and there.

Also take someone that is good at it along with you. Especially if they know what they're talking about in a particular market.

Sorry for rambling but I felt like it was decent advice.

[SmoothD]

Don't be afraid to bargin with them like Dadfad stated. I got my Epi LP for $100 less than I would have paid for it by simply acting like I was a bit uneasy about the price.

employee: "So how's this one? You like it?"

me: "yeah" (make sure you draw it out and wince a bit) "..but to be honest I didn't 
        really want to spend that much.."

employee: "ok...how much did you want to spend"

me: "well I was hoping to spend around $500 or so"

employee: "ok well I think we can do $525 on it"

me: "ok that sounds reasonable...lets move forward with that then"

Simply making an unsure face saved me a bit of money.


Another thing you can do when buying multiple items like an amp and guitar,etc is to state your limit and make them stick to it. They are always going to try to upsell you. That's what sales is all about. Be firm and stick to your guns.

I learn all of this from my dad who is a great great negotiator when it comes to buying things.

Lessons from my dad...all of the following are negotiable:

furniture, jewlery(it's marked up sooooo much...), vehicles, appliances (refrigerators, washers,dryers, etc), electronics (not a $100 dvd player...but stuff like tv's, theatre equipment,etc)

Don't be afraid to bargin. Not everyone is a natural when it comes to it but you can easily save a few bucks here and there.

Also take someone that is good at it along with you. Especially if they know what they're talking about in a particular market.

Sorry for rambling but I felt like it was decent advice.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Thanks for all of the tips and you made me realize something, you can't do any negotiating when you buy online. Well, there's always the "contact us" route but noone can see your facial expressions which can be key!

Now, I'm going back to the jewelers and renegotiate the cost of my wife's diamond!