Guitar Center vs. Mom & Pop - Reality Check...

[polishcomedy]

I hate snooty mom & pop. We have a world famous bass store down the road from me called Bass Central. People all over the world order from them. They are strictly bass gear related and it's all high end stuff. They stand over you like a hawk when you play and they diss anything that isn't at least $5000. "Oh, you currently play through a Hartke? If we knew that we wouldn't have let you in". It's very intimidating in there. The place is owned by Beaver Felton (instructional video guru) and Dave LaRue (steve morse band). Maybe it's not exactly mom & pop, but it's independent and small.

[cowardm]

+1 superchicken - samash is great.

[thejerk]

My local M&P is mostly entry level guitars and school band instruments. They try to be helpful, but their inventory just doesn't overlap much with stuff I am interested in.

Sam Ash is nearby, and I hate it with a passion. I have a high tolerance for BS, but I am boycotting them. Attitude, cork sniffing... and worst of all, ignoring customers. I've been the only customer in the store before, with at least seven idle employees, and when I asked to PAY for my item I got passed around from person to person and hassled. They have screwed me over on returns, too, but that is another story.

Guitar Center is about 15 mins away, and they have a great selection, always try to be helpful, and are friendly. The downside is it can get really busy in there, which means noise and slow lines. But, they don't hassle me when trying gear, but are just the right amount of attentiveness. I don't usually go to the store for advice, anyway, and I do my own setups/string changes.

[Groovey Records]

Walk a mile in both the Mom and Pop's shoes and the help at GC


Everyone of the negative personalty traits you can assign to either multiply by the tons of idiots that walk through their door every day

I did retail for years, owned a few of my own stores. I am great with customer service.

Let me tell you, I've met my share of real winners and some real losers too.


Some very cool people too.

[SatelliteOrders]

If you're willing to go to GC, and I'm not here to talk you into it, try going before school lets out. Do that and all the wannabe shredders who make GC a bear to visit will be otherwise engaged.

[Jmezz]

I was reading through this post earlier today and then decided to head out to get a replacement jack for my tele. I live near Ft. Wayne, IN so my first destination was Sweetwater (professional recording studio with a retail "wing"). As I was driving out of my little town I remembered that a guitar shop had just opened a few weeks ago so I stopped in to see if they had anything decent. God was this place tiny, the back of the show room wasn't lit, and the guy at the counter seemed to be nursing a major hangover (at 4pm?!). He couldn't even finish his sentence. At least, I don't think he did, I could hardly hear him speak. He didn't have what I needed so I excused myself and bolted. Sweetwater wanted to order the piece for me (2 weeks? nah...I'm good) so off to good ole reliable GC I went. They had exactly what I needed and the guy knew his stuff. It was my first time in that store since I moved back to the area (used to go to a nice little place called Music Star back in the day) but I'll be heading back for everything I need from now on.