Guitar Center Amps

[Ace]

Is it me, or does anyone else here think that your average GC stocks NO decent amps? When I go in there and find the rare guitar that I might be interested in, I am at a loss as to what to plug into. Their flagship amps are the Marshall Mode Four(bleh) and TSL 2000(ass). Then they have the Crate "I'll make up for what I don't have in tone with ass-sounding wattage" stacks. They have the Fender stuff that has at least an OK clean tone, but really, they have not a single amp in there that I can get into for a metal sound. I usually just end up biting the bullet and plugging into the first Crate combo I see with a cable coming from it, and just test the guitar's playability, because there is aboslutely NO WAY that I can find a tone I like in that store. Anyone else sympathize?

[Number Of The Priest]

Re: Guitar Center Amps

I rarely even plug in anymore when I go to a store either, mostly because I can never seem to dial in a good tone whenever I'm shopping around. [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img] Also, I don't think anyone wants to hear my terrible playing anyways... [img]/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

[hippietim]

Re: Guitar Center Amps

The best amps they have are typically Boogies. I'm not a Rectifier fan but the Mark IV's are very sweet.

[quiksilver]

Re: Guitar Center Amps

How 'bout Line 6? They usually have a Pod set up with headphones, and probably a Vetta. Or plug into a Tech 21 Trademark 10, if they have one on the floor (they used to, but I don't live near a GC anymore).

[Ace]

Re: Guitar Center Amps

They only carry Boogies at certain GC's, and when they are there I go straight for them. Mark IV's are sweet, but since they are discontinued I don't count them. I have seen some decent used stuff at GC's, incliding Soldano and VHT gear, but since that is not something that is stocked, rather exchanged, I don't count that.

If I owned GC I would want all of my guitars to play like butter and all my amps sound awesome. It is so much easier to sell a guitar that has an awesome setup and an amp that totally kicks as opposed to selling just crap. I've walked into a GC and seen Jacksons with the trem lifted up as far as it can go. Who the hell is going to pick up a guitar with an action of 1/2" and say "gee, that's awesome, I think I am going to buy this one!!" Same goes for amps that sound like a box of angry bees. When you go to a BMW dealership, do they give you the keys to a car with flat tires? Hell no.

As for the Line6 stuff, yeah the POD sounds OK through headphones, but when I'm playing a gig, I don't say, "Hey man, put these headphones on and I'll sound friggin' awesome, trust me!!"

[Cleveland Metal]

Re: Guitar Center Amps

I haven't seen an amp in a store that I'd want in years...

Bah... To seek the holy grail of tone, is a sad and lonely journey...

[hippietim]

Re: Guitar Center Amps

I gravitate to the Vetta myself. I've got one so I can relate to it pretty easily. For clean stuff I go for a Fender Pro Junior.

[Ace]

Re: Guitar Center Amps

I'm not looking for the Holy Grail in there. It's taken me(and you) years of tweaking to get the tone that I have now that I love. But at LEAST something that doesn't make me cringe!! Is that too much to ask for?

[guitarsjb]

Re: Guitar Center Amps

In our GC they have the "EXPENSIVE" room...mostly collectable stuff, but that's where they keep the high end amps. I just know it's too rich for me, so I stay out..only been in there a few times.

[Shawn Lutz]

Re: Guitar Center Amps

I don't normally go to CG's but the Plano had a good selection of used amps and the Central Dallas CG had a Killer selection, lot of new Mesa amps, the usual Marshall new crap but man they had the best used amps I have ever seen at a GC, Bogner, Matchless, Soldano, Vintage Marshalls, Z's and a bunch of boutique **** that I never heard of with insane price tags [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[Ace]

Re: Guitar Center Amps

I regularly go into the GC in Hollywood, which I assume is the biggest GC of them all. They used to have an "expensive room" with VHT, Bogner and stuff in there, but now it's gone. Probably because if they stock a VHT Pittbull it will sit on the shelf for a month before anyone knows what it is, let alone wants to buy it. I miss that room. They replaced in with a Gibson display. I love Gibsons, but I sure miss the good amps too.

[Boxcar Willie 84]

Re: Guitar Center Amps

When demoing stuff for customers I usually use a Line 6 HD147, cuz I can get a lot of different tones done well at a low volume. I agree with you about the setup thing though. I've put several guitars in the shop only to have them kicked back out with an email from my ops manager telling me that only certain high-end guitars are to be set up by the tech and the rest of them are to be set up by us salesmen. I think that's bullshit, I don't have time to sell and do the other stuff they ask to do and set up a guitar at the same time, sorry.

[Dreamland_Rebel]

Re: Guitar Center Amps

[ QUOTE ]
To seek the holy grail of tone, is a sad and lonely journey...

[/ QUOTE ]

you got that right buddy.

remixes up soon in th mp3 section
~JW

[bluebullet]

Re: Guitar Center Amps

they really should do a better job with the setups if they want to sell em. at least on the more expensive stuff. even the les pauls are set up like crap in there. how hard is it to adjust the action on a les paul or any fixed bridge for that matter.

[PowerTube]

Re: Guitar Center Amps

I'll second the Line 6 idea. At least you can hook up to a Vetta or POD and get a playable tone for trying out the guitar.