Hey, BP! You're gonna love this . . .

[tadawson]

What with the thread with the CEO of Guitar Center, I find this particularly amusing . . . .

Well, anyhoo, I was bored today, and decided to stop at the GC in Plano Texas, just to see what they had. I was bumping around, and the sales droid came by who claimed to be the "bass guy". We talked amps for a bit, and he asked what I played. I told him a couple of Bongos, primarily. He proceeded to tell me that MusicMan was sold to Fender (of all people) about six months ago, and that all MusicMan production was now coming out of the Fender factory! He really didn't want to accept the fact that my last bass shipped from SLO, or that Sterling had not seemed to hear of this . . . . . . then again, this was the same guy who didn't know what a Mesa Bass 400 was, despite being a dealer, so perhaps not the sharpest pencil in the bunch.

It might be entertaining to ask the GC CEO, though, why his stores are basically slandering the MM name by calling it Fender . . . . . .

- Tim

[TSanders]

I had a guy tell me that the Atlanta GC, that Leo Fender invented/designed the Bongo. I just shook my head and said, "cool".

[tadawson]

I guess it just keeps reproving the old saying:

"Even genius has it's limits. Stupidity, however, is unbounded . . . ."

- Tim

[bovinehost]

He proceeded to tell me that MusicMan was sold to Fender (of all people) about six months ago, and that all MusicMan production was now coming out of the Fender factory!

Oh my. This is going to be interesting.

Where do these people GET this stuff?

[shamus63]

Don't you guys know? Fender and Gibson own everything...including Maytag!

[Dees]

Don't you guys know? Fender and Gibson own everything...including Maytag!

hmm, I thought Stagg overruledsthem all

[midopa]

Yeah, one of the staffers at GC once told me that ESP was headed by Leo Fender after he left Fender.

[Randracula]

Don't you guys know? Fender and Gibson own everything...including Maytag!

That explains why Geddy Lee uses Maytag's for his backline

[shamus63]

That explains why Geddy Lee uses Maytag's for his backline

Good catch!

[Dr Stankface]

You guys are all wrong.

Yamaha owns everything.

Yes. Even Congress.

Andrew

[basserfire17]

Yes, I have actually informed at least 5 individual GC employees that Musicman is coming out with new two pick-up models. How could they not know? I don't think a couple believed me, thinking "how could this teenager know this before me?" kinda thing.

Oh well, I must say I still give them business for certain things, but only for convenience' sake

[BigBallz]

Very disapointing stories...and yet they continue.......

[todd4ta]

Our GC here in Indy is actually one of the best. The manager makes a strong effort to run it as a top rate musical instrument store. He has a very nice inventory of new and used basses. I usually deal with about one of the 4 or 5 salesmen that I know best. They know me by name.

When the new dual-pickup Stingray showed up, I took the time to point it out to them and go over how the new switch works. I told them that the bridge pickup is in the same spot as the single-pickup basses, and some other relevant info. I mentioned attending the Open House and factory tour in SLO, and sang high praises of Sterling and the whole EB staff.

The director of our band at church goes to GC quite a bit, and he's invited a few of the sales guys to come play in the band at times - guitarists and a keyboard player - and it's worked out really well.

Most GC's, however, aren't in the same league. When I'm travelling and stop in, I'm usually in and out in about two minutes. I walk to the bass section, take a quick look, and out the door.

[Mr Light]

Oh well, I must say I still give them business for certain things, but only for convenience' sake

I know what you mean... Ampeg and D'addario are the only two reasons I keep my Guitar Center card handy.

This thread is hilarious!

[Disquieter]

in 6 years working at GC, only once did i see an EBMM catalog....


most of the time, you just wing it at those stores.

you may know more about EBMM basses and such, but most of the good salesguys (read: ones i trained ) could talk circles when it comes to general guitarness stuff.


when you've got 250 different product that you are expected to know the in's and out's of, it's tough. Sometimes new stuff falls through the cracks, whether due to lack of management training, or lack of promotion by the company. We all knew about the dual PUP basses, but did anyone see an ad for them? i didn't.

My pals who are currently at GC only knew about them because I wouldn't stop talking about them. and if they don't know how it all works and sounds, it's because I bought it before any of them could touch it with their bigmac hands.

Oh well, give GC a break, a few stupid kids get hired, but they don't last long, and when they spout off a falsity, correct them, educate rather than ridicule. Whenever i didn't know something, or I was wrong, i wanted to know the truth, and I appreciated when someone informed me in a polite manner that was neither judicious or belittling.


everyone learns sometime....