Guitar Center a tale of Woe

[Bobsk8]

I have been buying keyboards and amps from Guitar Center ( formerly know as Rhythm City ) for over 20 years, and have spent thousands and thousands of dollars there . This week I have had some really bizarre experiences and I am wondering if others have had experiences like this as well?

 

I wanted to buy some equipment at a Guitar Center than I had never been to before, so on my way to the location this sunday, I called the store on my cellphone and asked them where they were on this particular road, in relation to the interstate, so I could turn in the right direction when I exited the highway. On the first call, the person immediately says " hold On" and puts me on hold. Five minutes go by and the line disconnects. I call 411 again because I didn't write the number down while I was driving, and get connected again. The same person answers, I said, "which way off the interstate, should I turn" , a split second later he says " hold on" and another 4 minutes goes by and "disconnected again ".

 

Now I am starting to really get ticked off, so I call them a 3rd time and as he picks up the phone and starts to say " Guitar Center", I yell, " Don't hang up on me again, and he responds by hanging up the phone instantly.

 

I finally find the store and walk in and I see this idiot answering the phone, and I walked up to him and asked him if he was the one that hung up on me 3 times. I told him all I wanted to know was which way to turn off the interstate to get to the store and if he was capable of walking and chewing gum at the same time, he should have been able to tell me that on the first call He then tells me that only the manager can give directions. Standing next to him, lo and behold, is the manager, and the two of them look just like Beavis and Butthead, side by side. I tell the manager that I was going to buy a $2300 keyboard and about $1000 worth of amps, but I will be damned if I spend a penny in that store, after what happened, and I walk out.

 

Now today, I go to the other Guitar center near my home. I never go to this store on the weekends, because all the teenagers are in the keyboard section trying to play hip-hop on the jam boxes and you can't hear yourself talk. I walk into the empty keyboad section at 10 AM and the house music is blaring from all the ceiling speakers in the entire store. I mean freakin loud!!!!!!!! I asked the Keyboard manager if he could turn it down a bit because I want to try a couple of keyboards and he responds by handing me some earphones. I put the phones on, but all I can hear is the store music, which is overpowering what is coming out of the earphones, no matter how loud I turn the keyboard up. Finally I walk out of the keyboard section to the main counter and I ask someone out there if they can turn the *@**% music down so I can hear what the keyboard I am thinking about buying , sounds like. He responds that " Everyone else shops here with that music and they have no problem with it", like I am some kind of retard or something. I told him that if everyone else was stupid enough to buy something that they can't even hear, that was their problem , not mine, and if they didn't turn the music down, I was leaving. The person behind the counter gives me a really nasty look and takes a pair of needle nose pliars and gets a ladder and goes into the keyboard room, gets on the ladder, and takes the plate off the ceiling speaker and pulls a wire off it. Instantly the sound in the room drops about 70 db. He then tells me , that as soon as I leave, he is going to reconnect it.

 

Now the Keyboard manager comes back, and says... " Gee it's much nicer in hear without the blaring music, isn't it.....

 

Well I left without buying anything, and I am now going to see if I can purchase what I want somewhere else in town.

[Steve Force]

I suggest pinging GC HQ... Nothing we can do for you here...

[Steve Nathan]

It was just as bad (maybe worse) when George owned it (Rhythm City)!

Steve Nathan

[Dick Ward MP Hall of Fame]

Yeah dude, I've no good stories about that place in general. Some great guys in management that I've met, but the drones are useless.

[synthetic]

How about Atlanta Pro Audio? Those guys seem to know their stuff, have a good keyboard selection, and no house music I can remember. They had a Korg Oasis with ADAM monitors hooked up to it when I visited, I played with it for a while. Cool shop.

[r33tr33t]

Only good thing I've found ( so far, fingers crossed ) is their return policy.

 

I'll buy stuff and trade it for other stuff all the time cause I can never decide what to commit to.

[Pursuitboy]

Any place is only as good as it's sales staff. Not many places pay well enough to keep anybody whos good.

Thats why I get my advice from users on this forum and order out (usually from Sweetwater,where they have a great sales staff)

I remember listening to Eric and TonySounds about how great the Electro was, so I bought it without playing it. I think it has been the best buy I have made in years.

Alot of people on this forum are more intelligent than any GC rep. Besides I think the stores cater to younger kids

[Felix_dup1]

Originally posted by r33tr33t:

Only good thing I've found ( so far, fingers crossed ) is their return policy.

 

I'll buy stuff and trade it for other stuff all the time cause I can never decide what to commit to.

A liberal return policy is great if you're the guy who's returning gear, but I've heard plenty of stories from people who thought they were purchasing new gear, only to find out it was previously returned.

 

What a horrendous experience. I sincerely hope you vote with your $ and purchase somewhere else where they deserve the sale.

[captainmri]

I would NEVER shop there again. Just because customer service is practically nonexistent in our society is no reason to accept it. I would do my best to let the highest level of their management know about your experience.

[Tony Bennett]

Yeah, the places are something else. What I do is call guitar center to be sure they have what I want before I go as Im an hour and half away. I then make an appointment with who ever runs the area I want to purchase something from. On one such call I was pleasantly surprised that the fellow managing the keyboard section was an old class mate. Even at that it was impossible to get his complete attention there so darn busy all of the time. Im really quick at making decisions too, just give a freaking half hour of your time.

[cnegrad]

Your experience really depends on the the individual staff at each store. I've had great and terrible experiences at virtually every major retailer out there. Whether we're talking about Sam Ash, GC or Sweetwater, your satisfaction is directly dependant on the one single person that you're interacting with; and unfortunately the quality of that person can vary greatly. That just seems to be the state of music retailing...

[Napster]

I go to GC occasionally to try to see equipment I might be interested in. Usually I find the staff at the two stores in my area to be almost totally useless. Last week I bought some monitor speaker stands there and had to bring them back when I found pieces missing as well as directions for assembing them. So now I pretty much know that Sweetwater is reliable and knowledgable and to stay with them. It's soooo nice to talk to sales people who can speak in complete sentences and know what they are talking about. I don't like shipping things back if they aren't what I wanted, but that rarely happens and is preferable to the GC experience. I know that I have to do my research on my own because to ask questions at GC is a waste of time. One time I asked a saleman how to split the keyboard on one of their floor models and two salesman and the manager couldn't figure it out. I could go on and on, but I know this is not news to many of you out there.

[RABid]

I think a big problem with GC or SA is lack of responsibility of the staff. There is no store owner in the building. I have a long drive no matter where I shop. 80 miles to GC in Knoxville, 160 miles to SA in Cincinnati, 170 miles to Far Out outside of Louisville or 80 miles to Carl's in Lexington. I found out long ago that a trip to GC only results in anger and frustration. Sam Ash is like rolling the dice. Some days it is OK, other days you cannot get anyone to acknowledge your presence. Car'ls has a nice selection for a mom and pop store, but I stopped going there when they refused to even talk about taking my Karma in trade for a MotifES. I bought the Karma from them.

 

So I drive the longest route and go to a store with good service. It's worth it to have someone sit down and show you the features of a keyboard before you buy.

 

Robert

[Joe Muscara]

I agree with the rest of you. GC is pot luck. You can walk in one day, and get a great person to help you out, and another day they are useless. I've even had guys there try to push me on to gear I told them I did not want, as if I hadn't said that at all. I attribute that to the overall management. It's been so bad I don't feel guilty about trying something out in the store and buying online for a lower price. I generally think that's uncool, but after the way GC has treated me, I don't feel so bad about it now.

 

OTOH, while I haven't made many major purchases from Sweetwater, I've dealt with *one* guy there every time and he's helpful and cool. I guess they keep a database or something, and once in a while he lets me know about new gear in a category that I've asked about in a previous call. He's also pointed me to their demo units when they had a demo in a model I want (and Sweetwater's demos don't get the abuse a normal store gets, just the sales staff trying something out).

[shakeyeraz]

FWIW - my local GC is OK and I know the guy in the KB dept very well - he always gets me the best price which is why I buy there. If anything is wrong, he takes care of it.

 

When I travel I usually visit a local GC if I have time. I've visited Hollywood, Seattle (both), NYC, Philly (NW) - also loud music, LV, others - wide variation on the staff. Since I get to NYC a lot, I just visit shops on 48th and 30th (then still buy new at my local GC). Pre-owned is a different story of course.

k

[Phred]

I am surprized that more emphasis is not put on decent customer service. Especially in the electronics industry. The two main reasons that people tell me they don't buy more elctronics on line are:

trust - afraid to by something from a faceless thing, especially when they have never even looked at it.

customer service - like to able to have a person that they can deal with directly.

 

If customer service stops being a reason to buy from a store, I figure stores will not do very well against on line sales...

[Desert Rat]

It seems like these days customer service is non-existent...in any industry. Unless, of course, the public has a nasty way of recourse - like lawsuits. My father left the broadcasting industry because, he said, "The whole thing is being run by people who don't even know the product." He started in sales and felt you could not effectively sell something you didn't believe in or understand. I can see it in the GC stories above and most places I shop these days. I can tell you that I am more likely to buy from someone who knows what the (bleep) he/she is talking about , even if it isn't what I intended to buy,than someone who just wants to make the sale. I hope someday this thing comes full circle and the customer becomes the focal point and not the sale.

 

Don

[Gods element]

Originally posted by Pursuitboy:

Alot of people on this forum are more intelligent than any GC rep. Besides I think the stores cater to younger kids

Get used to it guys. There are over 63 million Generation "Y's" which is more then the 54 million baby boomers and 16 million gen Xers. LOL The 16 to 24 year olds is a hugh market, of retards.

[RABid]

Originally posted by God's element:

Originally posted by Pursuitboy:

Alot of people on this forum are more intelligent than any GC rep. Besides I think the stores cater to younger kids

Get used to it guys. There are over 63 million Generation "Y's" which is more then the 54 million baby boomers and 16 million gen Xers. LOL The 16 to 24 year olds is a hugh market, of retards.

I wonder if the older generation thought that way about us. If not, they should have.

[synthetic]

Most people don't value customer service, they go to GC because they think they can get it for $40 cheaper. Or they go to the place with the good service, get the demo, buy it online to save on tax, then go back to the place with good service and ask for help using the product!

[Joe Muscara]

I'm always looking for good places to buy stuff, and I ask around to see what other people think. I have had several people say to me "I buy wherever is cheapest. Period." (Though I know some of the same people won't shop at certain places because of exceptionally poor treatment.)

 

Personally, I think that attitude is stupid, especially when putting your money in a piece of gear that a) costs a lot of money and 2) you'll have for years hopefully.

 

I was getting close to buying a new weighted 'board a month or so ago, and was looking forward to talking to Sweetwater about it. Oh well, maybe the next thing.

[Bartolomeo]

Music stores have always been lousey places, although the reasons have shifted. GC is run like a Target store. You can't expect to go in there and have somebody care. They are useful because they have inventory and display items. I buy things there occasionally, because there isn't any place better in town and I'm sometimes in too much of a hurry for mail order or actually want to see the thing or something.

 

There's never been any sort of golden era of music stores, as far as I can tell. When I was a kid they had crap merchandise, limited selection, and high margins but the service was better. Now there is better selection of pro gear, the margins are lower, but the service is terrible.

 

I buy most stuff from the internet because there is no local store worth supporting.

[NoahZark]

Customer service at GC sucks because there's seemingly no need for them to focus on it to succeed. Seriously, every time I'm in a Guitar Center, the place is absolutely hopping with activity. The registers (and the phones) are constantly ringing. I've bought stuff there, but it always takes at least an hour to complete even a simple transaction because you simply cannot get the undivided attention of a sales person to ring you up and because they don't have dedicated "cashiers" (perhaps because all salespeople are on commission). Anyway, when the customers stop coming, the service may well improve out of necessity. Until then, no chance. I just think if you want to buy from GC, you need to go in with the attitude that customer service will suck but (i) you're going to get a decent price and (ii) you've got a local outlet to return your purchase to if something goes wrong (unlike Internet purchases).

 

My two cents,

Noah

[Markyboard]

Originally posted by Napster:

One time I asked a saleman how to split the keyboard on one of their floor models and two salesman and the manager couldn't figure it out.

At least they didn't take an ax to it.

[ITGITC]

Hmmmmmm...

 

Fact: Most musicians aren't rolling in disposable income. They're looking for a sweet deal when they buy equipment. True?

 

For many, if not most of us, after price, everything else is secondary.

 

So you go to the local Mom 'n Pop's brick&mortar and try out the latest set of 88 keys.

 

What's next? Get the best price, of course.

 

Here's the rub. If Joe-Musician-Consumer walks out of the store without at least offering to purchase the board if the store matches (or comes close to) the lowest price he's found on the 'net, then sooner or later, Mom 'n Pop's brick&mortar will be outta business and Joe will have nowhere to try out the latest toys.

 

Support has already gone the way of downloading manuals and flash ROM updates from the manufacturer's website and/or taking your ax to the 'Authorized Service Center' and forking out the bucks.

 

So, these days, before I take a step into a music store, I already have a good idea what I want and have already researched it and priced it all over the 'net. Why be disillusioned to think that the guy who just last week was asking "Do you want to Biggie-Size that?" has any clue how to split the keyboard and/or transpose up a major third. Can you say 'Duh-Huh'?

 

If you want decent service and don't have time to do the exhaustive research yourself, get on the phone to Sweetwater Sound. Otherwise, don't kid yourself thinking that the guys at Guitar Center can offer you any more than you'll know after doing a five minute search on Google.

 

As far as I'm concerned, the only thing that Guitar Center has to offer is inventory and an OK price.

 

Turn down the background music so that you can audition a $2,500 keyboard? You're kidding, right?

[GuitarPlayerFL]

In your case I would:

 

1) Write a letter to GC Corporate and give copies of receipts of purchases bought there (hopefully you have receipts of all major purchases from there).

 

2) Explain in detail what you wrote here and why you're not going back.

 

3) Go back to both stores and try out keys for a couple of hours...ask lots of questions. Then tell them your going to buy from Sweetwater.

[meccajay]

Reading your story I was saying to myself.. That sounds like the 2 GC's in my town(Atlanta). Then I saw where you were from...

 

That 'Hip-Hop Saturday' GC store was much worse when it was Rhythm City! In those days you couldn't find a salesman, and if you did they wouldn't let you test out equipment..

 

I actually asked to see an FX pedal once there, and the d**khead hooked it up and played it for me, then said, that's all the sounds in it, then disconnected it and tried to put it back until I snatched it out his damn hands and glared at him!!! He went away mumbling but I wasn't even in the mood to play music after that s**t.

 

Then came Mars and all that changed! NOBODY I knew went to Rhythm City anymore.. Then suddenly GC was born. My current tactic is to NEVER EVER go on the weekend(emergencies not withstanding)! I Only go during the week in the early am or on lunch if I can.

[NYKeys]

Check this out On Monday I caught some serious Gas bought a Motif ES Rack from them. My Wife found out and told me to return it. Trying to keep peace in the house I decided the next day to return it.

 

Besides my wife crushing my gas attack, I tried the es out with my current setup and although it has phat sounds. I don't think this solution is going to work for me in a live situation.

 

Since I wrote them a check they said they have a 15 day clearing period before they can take the rack back and issue me a refund. Now I could not find this on the reciept or on any signs in the store. Have you guys heard of this.

[Gods element]

I remember a time when i bought an SM58 Beta at GC for a voicist singer with cash-- walked out, got in my car-- and got a phone call telling me that Guitarshow case had it for cheaper. I walked back in GC(only gone for about 5 minutes mind you)and wanted a refund. They said my cash went in the safe and they could only give me a check. I tried to raise hell but to no avail.

[b3keys]

I recently had quite the opposite experience at GC. On Monday, I purchased a Korg MicroKorg. There was a sign posted on the display at these were availabe at the reduced price of $349. When I was at the checkout, the price quoted to me was $399. I mentioned the clearly displayed $349 price and was given that price.

 

Today, I received a follow-up call from the GC salesman who wanted to know if I had any questions about the product and if they could do anything else for me. That's great customer service.