guitar center jacksons?

[Wylde06]

The place I go for my lessons have a few Jacksons...and like 2 or 3 USA Soloists. Looks like if im gonna buy another Jackson it will either be from one of the Dealers here, or the smaller shop I go to for lessons..

[roodyrocker]

At NAMM some friends and I talked to John Walker at the Jackson booth as to why places like GC don't stock more USA Jacksons. He told us it was because Jackson could not build the large numbers a place like GC wants and still maintain the high quality and I believe him. I've always found way more USA Jacksons at smaller, local stores or on the net than any GC and I've been in quite a few GC's when I travel just to check out what they have. I'd rather buy from someone like Matt or Lloyd anyway. Also, if you notice there aren't a whole lot of real ESP's on the walls at GC or Sam Ash either. LTD's yes, but ESP's are scarcer than even a USA Jackson. I think at these huge chains, their average buyer is buying entry level guitars and for high end stuff its either Gibson or Fender for them. They stock PRS too but I have yet to see anyone buying much PRS' from GC.

[thez0r]

I used to go to the one in Tonawanda, Buffalo it had a whole back wall full of used and new Jacksons... USA's/Imports, Soloists, USA's, Kelly's, Warrrior's.

Last year I went in one day and they were all gone. Ibanez and Schecter fills the space now.

[Cygnus X1]

They operate on the 80/20 Rule, like a lot of stores these days. The 80/20 Rule is something that the corporate beancounters came up with some years ago. It means that 80% of the customers are buying 20% of the available gear (these numbers are estimations, of course). So, since their logistics show that 80% of their customers want an el cheapo Epiphone, Ibanez, or a Squier Starter Pack, that's what they stock. Of course, what they'll tell you when you ask about something decent is that "we don't have a market for that here."

There's a few retailers that can chip in, I'm sure, and tell you more.

But even running my small shop, I had an inventory of about 50 some guitars at a time. The ones that moved were the ones I would dedicate
floor space to. It's a Wal Mart principle, but it works. I would sell a lot of epi's, squires, Ibanez EX series, etc. It kept my stock fresh, and the profit margin was high on these lower end guitars...but I absolutley stood behind them, and set them up to the customer's liking. The more expensive items were there, Jackson, Charvels, BC Rich, Fender, Gibson, but no more than six or seven at a time. If I kept "buying up", then my stock would get old, the profit would shrink, and the business would spiral downward.
I quit while I was ahead, but I made good money with this method, and had a good customer base, with plenty of new ones all the time. Nothing worse, to me, than going into a place and seeing the same old "overpriced" stuff all the time.

My .02 cents.

[Rich#6]

The only time I ever say a lot of Jacksons in GC was back in 94-95 when I bought my JDR94 and my PS1(that looked like a JS1). I bought my first charvel used at a GC in 88. I bought my model 1 down the street at Make N Music for $225 new. GC didn't have any model series that I remember. That was back. Around here they have about the same number of Jackson as deans, schecters or BC Richs.

[Firebird V]

GC sucks... lol.

[Rockinloud]

My first USA Jackson (SL1) was actually purchased at that Monroeville PA GC just after they opened about 5 or 6 years ago. Wasn't planning on buying one that day but the price was too good to walk away from. Since then I've only seen one USA model there and that was several years ago. If you're in Pittsburgh check out Pianos-n-Stuff in Blawnox. I was there this summer and they had a small handful of USA models. Really good people to deal with and good service as well. A couple weeks ago I was in Buffalo and stopped by the GC there. Just a couple imports was all they had and one strange USA model (not sure what it was). Don't bother asking them about rack gear though. When I asked what they had the guy looked at me like I was bothering him and said all they carry are some tuners, everything else is special order and turned & walked away. All in all I'm not too crazy about GC. There may be alot of stuff in the store but when you look around it's a whole lot of the same thing. Also check out Music Emporium in Altoona. They have 2 USA Dinkys and 2 USA Soloists.

[BODOM]

I remember in the 80s a music store in tampa carried nothing but charvels and jacksons.it was like walking into a candy store.After gurnge hit I did not see a USA jackson in the orlando until I walked into the musik shack and saw the RR1 I just bought.When I go to sams ass or gutter center I always see kids playing lower end jacksons but mainly see them buying LTDs or Ibanezes and always here them saying shit like alexi laiho plays one of these so they must be cool.some kids now dont give a shit about quality especially when you have these guys on MTV playing cheap LTDs in thier videos and making them look cool.I sadley thin jackson lacks severly in thier marketing areas and it seems like when they try to do cool things like a kevin bond rhaods or a mark morton it just backfires.there has been a KB rhoads a my local sams ass for a month on clearence for 750.00 and no one cares.these guitar stores thrive on cheap crap to keep thier buisness going as well as the latest craze they could care less about jackson unless its hot at the moment.

[ihocky2]

The GC in Allentown, Pa almost never has Jackson's and if they do it is only one or two low end imports. The best chain store I found for them is Sam Ash. The one in Norristown or King of Prussia (can't remember what the address lists) always has a decent assortment and even carries the occasional USA Jackson. Better customer service and even better prices than GC usually.

[pro-fusion]

GC is becoming the Wal-Mart of musical instruments. They are decreasing the number of high-end guitars by all manufacturers, not just J/C. Heck, they don't even carry as many of the higher-end Korean Ibanez and Schecter guitars as they used to, let alone nicer Japanese Ibanez guitars. And they just introduced their own Chinese-made brand of guitars (can't remember the brand name they use for them).

I pretty much only go there now to look for used guitars.

[anuske9]

The GC closest to me has a section devoted to jackson's, with randy rhoads as the wall backdrop, no less. But in the few times I've been there, I haven't seen any USA's, maybe I'll go again some time.

[sl2lover]

The GC here in Albuquerque NM, has a cpl USA's and one or two imports but not much! I also agree that Jackson has been poor in the marketing area as well! But over all I have had good luck at GC as far as rack/PA stuff etc... Though one time I went in and asked for an EMG 60/81 and the guy told me "that's the Hetfield pack, Hetfield sucks, get the Zakk Wyld pack!" That's when I told him I don't care who endorses them I just want a 60 and an 81. Bastard!!

[StukaJU87]

there has been a KB rhoads a my local sams ass for a month on clearence for 750.00 and no one cares.

There is a red bevel one at the Sam's Ass here in Paramus too. It is marked $799, but I am sure that seven $100 bills layed on the counter would probably walk with it.

[Spivonious]

When I first started playing guitar, the Plymouth Meeting GC had a whole section of the wall devoted to Jacksons. They had SLs, DKs, KEs, KVs, RRs of all different sorts. Now whenever I go there might be two RRs and a DK. And the Fender wall always seems bigger each time I go.

At least the Harrisburg GC has a decent selection of used gear.

[Rich#6]

At least I have never seen a ESP in GC.