Why not GC?

[BigBallz]

Gc benifits every single Mom and Pop. Information is power.

Tell that to the hundreds of small music stores that have gone out of business because they could not compete.

Yes, information is indeed power, but ignoring or "downplaying" negative information, and focusing on the postive information only.....is a misuse of that "Power".

 

[bovinehost]

I truly cannot understand why any dealer, large or small, would not be involved in the forum. We know more and we know it sooner. If I were working on the floor at Guitar Center, I would use this place ruthlessly! Not just to try to sell basses to the forumites, but to stay on top of the valuable information.

As Dargs said, information is power. Think about it.

You guys wanted to know, way back before they became available, how the 5-way switch worked on the new dual pickup basses. How long did it take for Drew to get you an answer?

This sort of thing happens all the time. So often, in fact, that it's easy to forget how remarkable it is.

And 'bashing' is just a common term used, as nearly as I can tell, to refer to a story about a negative experience. To me, 'bashing' doesn't necessarily mean that the story in question isn't true. Might be just me, though.

Humans love to bitch. I know I do. Get together with your pals from the office and complain about management? An American tradition. And what's to talk about when the experience is unremarkable? For instance:

1. I walk into a music store to buy a bass. They have it, the salesperson is okay, the price is right, I buy the bass and nothing is wrong with it. How often do I talk about it? Probably only when someone asks me, and probably "Yeah, it was cool, I'd buy from them again."

2. Reverse the above. Add a problem or two. Then how often do I talk about it? "The salesman didn't know what the switches did. They wouldn't take my check. They told me they had the bass and then they sold it before I got there." And so on and so on. NOW, babies, we got ourselves something to talk about!

Dont you guys think that there should be more than 1% of our dealers participating here?

I don't understand it, but it certainly benefits ME.

However, if things don't change at THE STORES...then you will still hear the complaints.

I think we're seeing here a representative sampling of Guitar Center experience, and this is from a group of very smart customers. I wouldn't minimize your experience or tell you that you're wrong - it's yours, you own it. I would, however, say that it seems to me that there is a range of experience, from good to bad, and if I had more coffee in me, I'd go back and total them up and give you percentages.

And, um, good morning, boys.

Jack

 

[shamus63]

I was guilty of bashing Guitar Center here, based on my personal experiences with them over a certain period of time.

Since having open discussions here, and having seen first-hand improvement of the service (at least at San Francisco), I have reconsidered my outlook at the organization as a whole ~ as opposed to the few bad apples I dealt with.

Probably the best approach.

 

[maddog]

Some observations from over the years:

Corporations have positives: Liability shield for inventors, Greater resources for more innovations, Greater visibility in promoting stewardship of the Earth and the Human Race, etc. They have their negatives as well. I have a feeling we are all aware of alot of them so I won't repeat them.

Businesses hardly ever stagnate. They grow or die. Follow that thought to the extremes.

Facts observed and related by a person become opinions.

People with reasonable complaints often don't complain to the right person. People with unreasonable complaints make the right person less receptive to a reasonable complaint.

People abilities fit to a bell curve. So when 10,000 jobs have to be filled you will get some far reaching outliers, good and bad. The good either leave because they are leaned on until they get sick of being leaned on or get promoted because they are good. Either way, the good don't stay in the trenches for very long. Layoffs, firings and redundancies are for the bad. The median for better, worse or indifferent are left where they are.

If one doesn't like shopping somewhere, don't shop there.

The internet doesn't allow the salesman to spoil the sale. It allows the warehouse or shipper to.

People tend to focus on the negative. There are trade-offs being made in everything we do. Find the positive to balance the negative. If no balance, no business.

I have a tendency to kill threads. I'm hoping this is one of those instances.

 

[koogie2k]

My local GC is absolutely wonderful....and I will tell you why.

I bought strings from them by the case load (for when I went over seas) and was always given extremely low prices.

I found my first EBMM guitar ever there. I bought it on the spot.

I know all the sales staff.....they have been there for YEARS. No high turn over rate at this one.

All sales personnel know what they are talking about, but if they don't, they get someone who does.

Personally, I have bought the rest of my guitars through a forum member here. I did that for one reason. To help support them. It has turned into a great friendship as well. Good for both of us.

My wife bought my bongo at GC for Christmas in 2004. Did she get duped? No. She was treated even better than I was and the price was unbelievable. At first I was worried she paid to much, so she told me and I was floored. The bongo was in prestine condition as well.

IF NOT for GC, I would not know EBMM guitars/basses. In which case, I would not be here. I would not have met several of the forumites. I keep in constant contact with several of you peeps and it all goes back to GC.

I would not have met Big Poppa and his family and staff if it were not for GC steering me towards EBMM guitars. I have become friends with Big Poppa and several peeps at EBMM and it all comes to that fateful day at.....GC! Thanks by the way!

Now, this is the only one I have been to. I cannot comment on others. But the one in Virginia Beach is absolutely wonderful. I took my photos of the Open House in there and all the staff got to see all the fun. We spent almost an hour talking about it while customer's were milling about. I believe my photos and me talking about the Open House and EBMM sold many guitars/basses that day. I know for a fact 5 left the shop after customer's talked to me about EBMM and GC.

So, my complaint now is this.....with me "helping" move those axes.....where is my commission check? LOL

 

[shamus63]

Some observations from over the years:

Corporations have positives: Liability shield for inventors, Greater resources for more innovations, Greater visibility in promoting stewardship of the Earth and the Human Race, etc. They have their negatives as well. I have a feeling we are all aware of alot of them so I won't repeat them.

Businesses hardly ever stagnate. They grow or die. Follow that thought to the extremes.

Facts observed and related by a person become opinions.

People with reasonable complaints often don't complain to the right person. People with unreasonable complaints make the right person less receptive to a reasonable complaint.

People abilities fit to a bell curve. So when 10,000 jobs have to be filled you will get some far reaching outliers, good and bad. The good either leave because they are leaned on until they get sick of being leaned on or get promoted because they are good. Either way, the good don't stay in the trenches for very long. Layoffs, firings and redundancies are for the bad. The median for better, worse or indifferent are left where they are.

If one doesn't like shopping somewhere, don't shop there.

The internet doesn't allow the salesman to spoil the sale. It allows the warehouse or shipper to.

I have a tendency to kill threads. I'm hoping this is one of those instances.

Excellent points, Tom.

 

[BigBallz]

I truly cannot understand why any dealer, large or small, would not be involved in the forum. We know more and we know it sooner. If I were working on the floor at Guitar Center, I would use this place ruthlessly! Not just to try to sell basses to the forumites, but to stay on top of the valuable information.

As Dargs said, information is power. Think about it.

You guys wanted to know, way back before they became available, how the 5-way switch worked on the new dual pickup basses. How long did it take for Drew to get you an answer?

This sort of thing happens all the time. So often, in fact, that it's easy to forget how remarkable it is.

And 'bashing' is just a common term used, as nearly as I can tell, to refer to a story about a negative experience. To me, 'bashing' doesn't necessarily mean that the story in question isn't true. Might be just me, though.

Humans love to bitch. I know I do. Get together with your pals from the office and complain about management? An American tradition. And what's to talk about when the experience is unremarkable? For instance:

1. I walk into a music store to buy a bass. They have it, the salesperson is okay, the price is right, I buy the bass and nothing is wrong with it. How often do I talk about it? Probably only when someone asks me, and probably "Yeah, it was cool, I'd buy from them again."

2. Reverse the above. Add a problem or two. Then how often do I talk about it? "The salesman didn't know what the switches did. They wouldn't take my check. They told me they had the bass and then they sold it before I got there." And so on and so on. NOW, babies, we got ourselves something to talk about!



I don't understand it, but it certainly benefits ME.



I think we're seeing here a representative sampling of Guitar Center experience, and this is from a group of very smart customers. I wouldn't minimize your experience or tell you that you're wrong - it's yours, you own it. I would, however, say that it seems to me that there is a range of experience, from good to bad, and if I had more coffee in me, I'd go back and total them up and give you percentages.

And, um, good morning, boys.

Jack

Well Jack, thank you for talking to me, not at me. I appreciate the respect.

 

[high mileage]

Gc benifits every single Mom and Pop. How many of you test drove a product at GC then purchased from an independent?

A friend has a local shop (not an EBMM dealer) and this happens fairly often to him. OTOH, I wonder what effect this will have on the other local store when they open a GC here in town on Feb 1st.

 

[CodeMonkey]

My ears were burning. Someone said "bananas"...

 

[shamus63]

My ears were burning. Someone said "bananas"...

"Large" ones, at that!

 

[SteveB]

I, for one, have taken some shots at GC in the past. My main gripe was their policy of selling EBMM guitars without the case, and asking $100 more for the case. I think GC really heard us on this issue, because they have indeed reversed that policy, and that's a real improvement in my book.

My only remaining gripes are the ones that everyone mentions, so I think they will be enumerated (with great tact) when Mr. Albertsen comes around. I am terribly impressed that Mr. Albertsen cares enough to listen... whether we see any changes as a result or not.

 

[tkarter]

Mr Albertson should probably not have to go past the first page of this thread before he figures out we ain't going to be no help.

tk

 

[BigBallz]

Mr Albertson should probably not have to go past the first page of this thread before he figures out we ain't going to be no help.

tk

Actualy, he will gain great insite.

 

[BigBallz]

This is entering a slippery slope.....ending this string would probably serve us all well.

 

[bovinehost]

Good call.

Let us now move on to fruits and vegetables!

Should anyone revisit this thread and find their posts edited or deleted, I did this in an effort to remove the personal comments and arguments and to leave the thread as intact as possible - and as ON TOPIC as possible.

I singled out no one and I ignored no one. I deleted some of my own posts as well. My criteria was simple:

Was it on topic?

If it was, I left it. If it wasn't, it said bye-bye.

Now stop making me work. I want a sandwich.

Jack