i had a salesman try to talk me out of a stingray

[GCIndy]

Guitar Center Indy

Hello everyone, I am BJ Hoertz and I am the store manager at Guitar Center in Castleton. I would first like to thank all of you for your honesty and helpful comments about how I can help the experience you have at my store become better. I do apologize for any situation that happened in my store. I can assure you that I personally feel that Musicman Basses are the top of the line. I had our tech go through our entire stock and set them up, clean, polish, tune and change strings. I would like to invite all of you down to the store to check them out and I encourage your feedback. I hope that each of you would ask for me personally when you visit so I can meet with you, get more feedback and any other ideas you may have to help us better serve you.

I will be going over the Ernie Ball products with our sales staff and get them trained and more knowledgable in that line so we can better meet the needs of our bass customers. Please feel free to contact me directly at the store at 317-578-9570 or you can reach me on my cell at 317-306-9457. Thank you again for your impost and I look forward to meeting you guys down at the store.

BJ Hoertz
General Manager
Guitar Center Castleton

 

[Road Pop]

^ Great reply. I will certainly stop by when down your way.

 

[Smakbass]

Thats awesome that such a big company would make this effort for one persons comments...of course they say if you annoy one person they will tell 12 others...and with the internet thats hugely magnified of course.

But kudos for GC for hopping on this.

Turnover is tough in retail, your always constantly training, nice to see they are going over this with the wholse staff.

 

[adouglas]

We are not a representative sampling of the general bass-buying public.

Sad but true.

Since we have our very own delusional universe to play in, that doesn't really matter, though, right?

Right?

To tell the truth, I kind of enjoy being way out on one end of the bell curve in most respects....

But you're absolutely correct, unfortunately.

 

[Rano Bass]

Hello everyone, I am BJ Hoertz and I am the store manager at Guitar Center in Castleton. I can assure you that I personally feel that Musicman Basses are the top of the line. I had our tech go through our entire stock and set them up, clean, polish, tune and change strings. I hope that each of you would ask for me personally when you visit so I can meet with you, get more feedback and any other ideas you may have to help us better serve you.

I will be going over the Ernie Ball products with our sales staff and get them trained and more knowledgable in that line so we can better meet the needs of our bass customers. Please feel free to contact me directly at the store at 317-578-9570 or you can reach me on my cell at 317-306-9457.

BJ Hoertz
General Manager
Guitar Center Castleton

Wow, what a great response.
I bet most GC managers know how good EB products are, but a few salesman just go with what they like and thats what they try to sell.
I love GC BTW and go there any time i can

 

[Big Poppa]

I think that they respect our company and they know that We respect them. Also because of the mature and thoughtful way beefs get aired I think that you knuckleheads opinion carries weight with the boys at GC

Great result Thanks ROad Phil BJ and all

 

[paranoid70]

Is this an awesome forum or what?

 

[RaginRog]

Ask BP what sells. EBMM could make black/maple Stingrays week in and week out, churn 'em out like flapjacks and just be done with all the new colors and stuff. We are not a representative sampling of the general bass-buying public.

Sad but true.

Black guitars/basses are the standard. They look sharp, no matter what pickguard you put on 'em, or what kind of music you play. I'm sure the paint is likely cheaper than anything with a mist or sparkle, so why not churn out a bunch of black basses. Every manufacturer is guilty of it.

I was only suggesting that it may draw some additional attention to those unaware of the reputation that Musicman instruments have.

 

[RaginRog]

says the dude playing a black bass in his avatar. haha, just kidding.

Seriously, you southeast guys should check out the ATL GC, it's got a LOT of great inventory, and I've had great service in every dept. (drums, guitar, acoustic guitar, pro aud, and this past weekend, bass). The Marietta location aint' bad either.

I like a few of the guys at the Glen Burnie(MD), GC. A couple of their sales guys constantly try and push MM basses. Go in there a few times and the guys there treat you like a friend.

 

[RaginRog]

And again I have to chime in and say:

If people don't get a chance to see any of those great colours, they won't ever buy any. And that is also part of a distrubtor's business.

Thanks Oli...you understood what I was trying to say.

 

[bovinehost]

Thanks Oli...you understood what I was trying to say.

Believe me, I did, too. If the big chains, however, believe that - oh, say, just for instance - green basses will not sell, then they do not buy those green basses from the manufacturer. And the manufacturer doesn't make any more green basses because green basses don't sell.

I dunno. Maybe the Big Chain is making it up and maybe they're checking sales numbers. I know where my money would go. You get to a certain size and you don't go with gut feelings so often. It's a business.

Now remember, this is from a guy with two green basses and a severe addiction to anything a little bit different. But I've been around this conversation for a few years now, and I think I might be finally beginning to just barely understand it from the 'other side of the fence'.

And like I always say, regarding the Guitar Center business: I remember the bad old days. I don't want to go back.

Jack

 

[oddjob]

I HAVE two but i bleeb you have 3 (Heinz is a bastardized green in some way shape or form)... but you are right. GC IS a grweat place to shop. I perfer places like TPB and DuBaldos but that is because they carry what I like but it is amazing what you can not only get in a GC but what you can play around with and tinker with - and I wouldn't want it any other way.

 

[kirkm24]

Amen Brother!

I HATE 5 Strings.....yet, I thought I should have one.

I've owned the following 5 Strings, Warwick Corvette Rockbass 5, Warwick Corvette Standard 5, SUB SR5 (missed the mids), Spector Legend 5, Ibanez SR530, Fender American Jazz 5, and none held up to the comfort and tone. The SR5 neck is also the best I've played. The only other bass I though had a nice 5 String, and felt similar was the Pedulla Rapture 5, but it had a funky appearence.

I used to hate 5 strings because of the wide neck and tighter string spacing but after playing a Bongo I changed my mind. It only took me a couple of hours to get really comfortable with the string spacing and now I can play it as proficiently as my Stingray 4.

As far as GC goes, I've never had a sales person bash MusicMan stuff but they haven't propped them up either. The GC in Columbus, OH had a Bongo tucked away back in the corner collecting dust and when I asked about it, none of the sales guys knew anything about it. I guess, to me, the sales guys could probably be better informed about the products the store is selling. I don't expect them to push things on me but if I have a question I think they should be able to answer it. I guess that's what the internet is for.

 

[kirkm24]

I HAVE two but i bleeb you have 3 (Heinz is a bastardized green in some way shape or form)... but you are right. GC IS a grweat place to shop. I perfer places like TPB and DuBaldos but that is because they carry what I like but it is amazing what you can not only get in a GC but what you can play around with and tinker with - and I wouldn't want it any other way.

TPB (The Perfect Bass right?) is a great online store. Their customer service is excellent and they are very knowledgeable about the products.

 

[TheAntMan]

Maybe GC needs a system like Barnes & Noble.

At BNG you can look up any book or music. If GC had a system that provided limited links to the manufacturers they carry and had stations located around the sales floor then a sales rep can look up an item when a customer comes asking. Additionally, a customer can look up an item to see what configurations are available and direct the sales rep to place an order for "that one".

Just a thought...it seems to work for BNG. It gives the customer a sense of purchasing confidence to point out exactly what they want. My wife and I spend hours and tons of money there - especially when we place orders in person. We are not big order online types; the human interaction makes a difference.

-- Ant

 

[Duarte]

Ever see the episode of 'Curb Your Enthusiasm' where Larry David tries to become a car salesman?

This scenario reminds me of that.

 

[five7]

I really like it when people care!

 

[MrMusashi]

I really like it when people care!

we all do

MrM

 

[Sonnyonbass]

This is so cool!
Makes me want to visit GC! (And I'm not even in the US!)
These things really make you feel like a valued customer.
Don't underestimate the power of the internet.

Hello everyone, I am BJ Hoertz and I am the store manager at Guitar Center in Castleton. I would first like to thank all of you for your honesty and helpful comments about how I can help the experience you have at my store become better. I do apologize for any situation that happened in my store. I can assure you that I personally feel that Musicman Basses are the top of the line. I had our tech go through our entire stock and set them up, clean, polish, tune and change strings. I would like to invite all of you down to the store to check them out and I encourage your feedback. I hope that each of you would ask for me personally when you visit so I can meet with you, get more feedback and any other ideas you may have to help us better serve you.

I will be going over the Ernie Ball products with our sales staff and get them trained and more knowledgable in that line so we can better meet the needs of our bass customers. Please feel free to contact me directly at the store at 317-578-9570 or you can reach me on my cell at 317-306-9457. Thank you again for your impost and I look forward to meeting you guys down at the store.

BJ Hoertz
General Manager
Guitar Center Castleton

 

[RaginRog]

That's cool...we're all fans on here, and have different perspectives, so I'm always willing to hear other opinions.