Digital Larry
Friend of Leo's
South San Jose - Almaden/85 near Best Buy/Walmart. Wonder if they'll close the one in Santa Clara. The one over by the coast in Capitola closed years ago.
New Guitar Center opening up nearby
- Thread starter Digital Larry
- Start date
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definitely a sign that they are going out of business....
Having many stores probably gives them some leverage when they DO wind up in bankruptcy court.
Oh brother....
Cantbreak100guy
Tele-Holic
They just consolidated two stores by me. Another has been redecorated to make room for classrooms. I was there today for 30 minutes, no one asked if I needed anything. I was dressed like a bum, though.
I guess I've been lucky.
The Guitar Centers that I have frequented over the years have been really top notch, and the employees helpful and knowledgeable.
Huntsville, AL. My nearest store.
Arlington, TX.
Grand Prairie, TX.
Killeen, TX.
Johnson City, TN.
All have been good to me.
I hate to hear it when others have had bad experiences there.
The Guitar Centers that I have frequented over the years have been really top notch, and the employees helpful and knowledgeable.
Huntsville, AL. My nearest store.
Arlington, TX.
Grand Prairie, TX.
Killeen, TX.
Johnson City, TN.
All have been good to me.
I hate to hear it when others have had bad experiences there.
stratman54
Tele-Meister
I live between Atlanta and Birmingham, Birmingham being the closest. I get better service at the Marietta GA GC for another 30 minutes driving time. I haven't been able to get a decent deal at the Birmingham store. Now there IS Bailey Brothers in Birmingham. Those guys know their stuff.
The one by me in Roseville Ca the inventory has been declining for years. I'm betting once the lease is up that will be it.
Ours has been remodeled, classrooms added and the inventory greatly increased. Looking good. It has better, friendlier service than any M&P I've ever been in in the area.
Cantbreak100guy
Tele-Holic
If you get on their email list they send a deal of the day. Lots of 15% off coupons, too. Got this Epiphone traditional pro 2 for 350. Decent guitar, as if I could tell the difference. 
2blue2
Friend of Leo's
time to start diving the dumpster out back
I got an incredible deal on a sparkling, like new '65 Super Reverb reissue, at that B'ham (Hoover) store. No, nobody there knew a thing about that amp.
_
I need to check out this Huntsville AL location. Now, I'm constantly shuttling from Memphis to the Cabin in western North Carolina, and 72 and Alt 72 and I-565 are the way better route back and forth.
jaybones
Friend of Leo's
My last foray into GC was to buy a budget gig bag to get the precision bass I was buying home safe.
It was during the day around noon so I hoped I'd be spared the cacophony of the guitards playing the latest drek from Rob Zombie, Avengedsevenfold, or Enter Sandman at stadium volumes- all at the same time over each other.
I was wrong.
I couldn't find the case and bag section- it was against the wall parallel to the entrance and had to ask the girl at the counter. Nose ring, tongue stud, hair shaved on one side with steps cut into the temple, looked like natural color was dark brown or black but was mostly purple with streaks of magenta, black lipstick, heavy eyeliner, a leather choker and velvet bustier top with a microminiskirt.
Asked her where the gig bags were, and she just looked at me blankly. I explained what it was, and said "Usually with the cases and stuff."
She said "Oh, yeah OK. Accessories are along that wall."
Walked over and immediately found what I was after. Came back to the counter and she was talking to a kid (who obviously worked there since he was wearing a GC polo, that looked like it hadn't been washed lately and when he wasn't wearing it was keeping it balled up in the back seat of his 30 year old Camaro) with long greasy blonde hair (hadn't been washed since the shirt had).
Miss nose ring was complaining about a migraine. Long hair said "You know what I've heard cures them?" Nose ring asked what, and he said "Orgasms."
Nose ring said "I won't be off work until closing." Long hair said "Well, you've got a break coming up. Just go to the bathroom and rub one out."
To nose ring's credit she blushed as she asked me "Find what you were looking for?"
I was embarrassed for them, and I'm in my early 40's and definitely not a prude. Worked in bar/restaurants for 25 years, and the stuff staff talked about amongst themselves was even worse.
Shouldn't be surprised, since I'm sure the mcwage earners these days haven't been taught what's appropriate for the workplace and what isn't.
It was during the day around noon so I hoped I'd be spared the cacophony of the guitards playing the latest drek from Rob Zombie, Avengedsevenfold, or Enter Sandman at stadium volumes- all at the same time over each other.
I was wrong.
I couldn't find the case and bag section- it was against the wall parallel to the entrance and had to ask the girl at the counter. Nose ring, tongue stud, hair shaved on one side with steps cut into the temple, looked like natural color was dark brown or black but was mostly purple with streaks of magenta, black lipstick, heavy eyeliner, a leather choker and velvet bustier top with a microminiskirt.
Asked her where the gig bags were, and she just looked at me blankly. I explained what it was, and said "Usually with the cases and stuff."
She said "Oh, yeah OK. Accessories are along that wall."
Walked over and immediately found what I was after. Came back to the counter and she was talking to a kid (who obviously worked there since he was wearing a GC polo, that looked like it hadn't been washed lately and when he wasn't wearing it was keeping it balled up in the back seat of his 30 year old Camaro) with long greasy blonde hair (hadn't been washed since the shirt had).
Miss nose ring was complaining about a migraine. Long hair said "You know what I've heard cures them?" Nose ring asked what, and he said "Orgasms."
Nose ring said "I won't be off work until closing." Long hair said "Well, you've got a break coming up. Just go to the bathroom and rub one out."
To nose ring's credit she blushed as she asked me "Find what you were looking for?"
I was embarrassed for them, and I'm in my early 40's and definitely not a prude. Worked in bar/restaurants for 25 years, and the stuff staff talked about amongst themselves was even worse.
Shouldn't be surprised, since I'm sure the mcwage earners these days haven't been taught what's appropriate for the workplace and what isn't.
gkterry
Tele-Afflicted
We lost a GC store that I frequented seemingly overnight in Terre Haute, IN. The guys there were real cool and quite helpful. Supposedly, GC couldn't agree on a lease extension and abruptly closed the store down.
I have sworn not to buy anything else 'new' of significant value from a GC store. They rip you off in any trades and any guitars or amps you buy are really B-stock or used items. The last amp I bought from them I got neither any kind of manual or box. Just carried the amp out of the showroom after it had been sitting there for who knows how long after being played/ abused by who knows how many folks.
At least that is the way it is in the store I have been to recently. YMMV.
My money will go to Sweetwater from now on whenever possible. Their customer service is extraordinary.
I have sworn not to buy anything else 'new' of significant value from a GC store. They rip you off in any trades and any guitars or amps you buy are really B-stock or used items. The last amp I bought from them I got neither any kind of manual or box. Just carried the amp out of the showroom after it had been sitting there for who knows how long after being played/ abused by who knows how many folks.
At least that is the way it is in the store I have been to recently. YMMV.
My money will go to Sweetwater from now on whenever possible. Their customer service is extraordinary.
bgmacaw
Doctor of Teleocity
Yep. The Marietta store is pretty good. I used to go by their frequently years ago when I lived and worked over that way. Now, it's about a 2 to 3 hour trip, depending on traffic. Fortunately, the new-ish Athens store is pretty good and only about 20-30 minutes away.
GC is great for used gear. You search the website, wait a few days or weeks, and by golly, what you are looking for pops up in a store 1400 miles away. But no problem, shipping is reasonable. They ship to your local store so no worries about having to be home to take delivery. Best of all they will take it back if you aren't happy, no questions asked. Beats the crap out of fleabay.
JayFreddy
Poster Extraordinaire
The GC stores around me have all gone downhill in the last year or two.
Mostly they cater to lowest common denominator stuff and their prices are nothing special.
Several decent privately owned stores have opened up to pick up the slack, so we're doing fine in Dallas.
But it is disappointing that GC seems to be more like what Best Buy was trying to be than what GC used to be.
Mostly they cater to lowest common denominator stuff and their prices are nothing special.
Several decent privately owned stores have opened up to pick up the slack, so we're doing fine in Dallas.
But it is disappointing that GC seems to be more like what Best Buy was trying to be than what GC used to be.
Old Tele man
Friend of Leo's
GC, MF, AMS = too many "discounting" stores out to undercut local Mom & Pop stores!
I don't know the last time I was in our local GC. A couple of years maybe?
I go to GC when my self-esteem is really low, I play the opening riff to Crazy train, or any Metallica song I can vaguely remember, and instantly I'm transported back 30 years.... and have 2-3 kids totally mesmerized by my completely average playing.
