Today's Guitar Center wierdness:

brillocaster · July 7th, 2008, 02:58 PM

So, against my better instincts (school's out) I went in mine (Broad Street, Richmond VA) today at lunch time. I had fun. They had guitars I was interested in, the salesdudes were nice. But this is normal for my GC.

Here's what I noticed though:

1. There were no teenage shredders in there. Only one kid the whole time I was in there, and he went straight to the counter, got strings, took a spin around the guitars, and split. I don't really have anything against that style, and as a noob actually I kinda like to hide behind them a little when I demo stuff, it's just that they are a GC staple and were notably absent.

2. Observation #1 may be due to the fact that the wall space once devoted to a healthy selection of "pointy guitars" there was now home to even more Fenders and an expanded left-handed section. The Jackson/Ibanez selection was about the size of the old lefty collection, maybe 15 guitars scattered around the store.

3. The "small stuff" section was greatly reduced and now housed an expanded (and frankly, easier to decipher and demo) effects department.

4. I'll go back this weekend to get a book that I wanted and will be lucky if I make it out of there without an Epi SG that I tried out. It had that "c'mon dude, take me home" vibe that I desperately wanted the MIM Jazzmaster or Jaguar to give me. I also liked the Squier Jagmaster. Something about the neck finish on those MIM Jag/Jazz...they felt...plastic-y.

superbadj · July 7th, 2008, 03:08 PM

check the classifieds....my CIJ jazzmaster is up for sale.

back on topic, though, I've been in that GC (i have a buddy that lives in richmond). Seems decent enough. And yeah, they had fewer "pointy" guitars than expected. Good to see, though. They even had a Tele Custom (the '72 reissue) which is much harder to find, along with a Gretsch 5122 (the new double-cut).

e-merlin · July 7th, 2008, 04:18 PM

I don't think our local GC has a lot of pointies. They have some, but there're a lot more Strats and LPs. Quite a bit of the Epi stuff, but not many Squiers. Curious.

I think your experience is more a matter of timing. I find if I go in before noon there isn't the horde of Drop-D metal players you usually find later in the day.

brillocaster · July 7th, 2008, 04:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by e-merlin

I don't think our local GC has a lot of pointies. They have some, but there're a lot more Strats and LPs. Quite a bit of the Epi stuff, but not many Squiers. Curious.

I think your experience is more a matter of timing. I find if I go in before noon there isn't the horde of Drop-D metal players you usually find later in the day.

Good point. It was 12:15...they might still have been asleep.

chet · July 7th, 2008, 05:03 PM

Probably all at the pool (or beach).

SMPTE · July 7th, 2008, 06:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by brillocaster

Good point. It was 12:15...they might still have been asleep.

And what's wrong with getting up at the crack of noon??

studio1087 · July 7th, 2008, 06:35 PM

Was it the 400 series SG Epi with the set neck?

Those are pretty nice.

I hope all the youngsters weren't TP'ing your house or raiding your beer fridge. Sometimes GC is a beautiful thing because GC keeps the youngsters off the streets. That could be GC's new motto; picture a sales guy standing in a room or chainsaw buzzing bedroom amps........

"Guitar Center, keeping teenagers off the streets since the day we opened....please support your local Guitar Center. Guitar Center Rawks"

e-merlin · July 7th, 2008, 07:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SMPTE

And what's wrong with getting up at the crack of noon??

You get stuck with prime noodling time at GC!

And you don't get the worm.

July 7th, 2008, 02:58 PM	#1 (permalink)
brillocaster Tele-Holic Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Richmond, VA Posts: 750	Today's Guitar Center wierdness: So, against my better instincts (school's out) I went in mine (Broad Street, Richmond VA) today at lunch time. I had fun. They had guitars I was interested in, the salesdudes were nice. But this is normal for my GC. Here's what I noticed though: 1. There were no teenage shredders in there. Only one kid the whole time I was in there, and he went straight to the counter, got strings, took a spin around the guitars, and split. I don't really have anything against that style, and as a noob actually I kinda like to hide behind them a little when I demo stuff, it's just that they are a GC staple and were notably absent. 2. Observation #1 may be due to the fact that the wall space once devoted to a healthy selection of "pointy guitars" there was now home to even more Fenders and an expanded left-handed section. The Jackson/Ibanez selection was about the size of the old lefty collection, maybe 15 guitars scattered around the store. 3. The "small stuff" section was greatly reduced and now housed an expanded (and frankly, easier to decipher and demo) effects department. 4. I'll go back this weekend to get a book that I wanted and will be lucky if I make it out of there without an Epi SG that I tried out. It had that "c'mon dude, take me home" vibe that I desperately wanted the MIM Jazzmaster or Jaguar to give me. I also liked the Squier Jagmaster. Something about the neck finish on those MIM Jag/Jazz...they felt...plastic-y. __________________ ************************** Make it have many characteristicses of these musical instruments, include the quasi- and generous sound area and vivid key of specially accurate sound to respond, can give musical performance to start out to hear easily thus of voice!

July 7th, 2008, 05:03 PM	#5 (permalink)
chet Poster Extraordinaire Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: The Jersey Shore Posts: 6,867	Probably all at the pool (or beach). __________________ In Brett & Eli We Trust!

July 7th, 2008, 06:35 PM	#7 (permalink)
studio1087 Friend of Leo's Join Date: May 2003 Location: Near Milwaukee Age: 44 Posts: 3,988 36 Photos	Was it the 400 series SG Epi with the set neck? Those are pretty nice. I hope all the youngsters weren't TP'ing your house or raiding your beer fridge. Sometimes GC is a beautiful thing because GC keeps the youngsters off the streets. That could be GC's new motto; picture a sales guy standing in a room or chainsaw buzzing bedroom amps........ "Guitar Center, keeping teenagers off the streets since the day we opened....please support your local Guitar Center. Guitar Center Rawks" __________________ JLG Carry On

July 7th, 2008, 03:08 PM	#2 (permalink)
superbadj Tele-Holic Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: roanoke, va Age: 34 Posts: 555	check the classifieds....my CIJ jazzmaster is up for sale. back on topic, though, I've been in that GC (i have a buddy that lives in richmond). Seems decent enough. And yeah, they had fewer "pointy" guitars than expected. Good to see, though. They even had a Tele Custom (the '72 reissue) which is much harder to find, along with a Gretsch 5122 (the new double-cut).