Another GC moment

[jeff300]

So I went to GC today to try to get a stand for my Rhoads. I'm looking around at the different guitar stands they have on display and don't find any of the "V-hangers". So one of their topnotch guitar saleskids comes up and asks if I need help choosing a stand. I tell him none of these will do and that I need one for a Rhoads.

He says, "Whoa, I think you better go to the keyboard department. These things won't support a Rhodes, its way too heavy."

After rolling my eyes, counting to ten and sighing heavily, I say, "Er, no. Not a Rhodes piano, I mean a Jackson Rhoads guitar." [img]graemlins/brow.gif[/img]

He says, "Huh, never heard of one. What's it look like?"

Again, disgust, so I look over to the Jackson wall, which is sizable in this store, and I quickly see that there is nothing on the wall other than Dinkys. At that point I just gave up. [img]graemlins/eyes.gif[/img]

How was your day? [img]graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

[metafaza]

Re: Another GC moment

Sorry, man [img]images/icons/tongue.gif[/img] I know how it feels. Around here there is one music store I've been avoiding for the last few years. There is that old b/witch that will try to talk you into buying anything you don't need. She doesn't know shit about instruments except their prices, yet she she pretends to be a professional and tries to make you buy things you don't want. I feel sorry for her husband who owns the store.

[KidPredator]

Re: Another GC moment

Originally posted by jeff300:
How was your day? [img]graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Just fine, thank you for asking! [img]graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

Those morons at GC [img]images/icons/rolleyes.gif[/img]

I'm sure if you would've said something about popKorn or Sliponmysnot, they would've known what you were talking about.

Trust me I have QUITE A FEW GC stories [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img]

They should ban me from there...

[RacerX]

Re: Another GC moment

Do tell! [img]images/icons/tongue.gif[/img]

[ABSOLUT CHARVEL]

Re: Another GC moment

I was looking at guitars at a GC and this kid walks up and asked if I had any questions. I don't remember what guitar I was checking out, but it was really light, so I asked "What is this guitar made out of" thinking it was ash or something. He tells me "Wood"! I'm a easy going guy that seldom loses composure, but after a moment of silence I wasn't sure if he was a dumb shit or he was making me out to be one, so I busted out "No fucking shit!". I wanted to smack that ***** right up side the head with the guitar.

[etaeniura]

Re: Another GC moment

YOu guys must live near the crappiest GTC stores on earth. I have been to three in the not so immediate area, and have never had anything terrible happen. Sure, the Harrisburg, PA store is really small and has a crap selection, and the sales guys bug you every ten seconds, but a simple "no thanks, I'm fine" usually gets rid of them for 5 or 10 minutes. THe 7 corners, VA store had a great selection of used stuff, but when I wanted to check something out-there was no one around to help me. Then the Rockville, MD store is great-huge selection, the sales men are nice and let you try out whatever you like and will leave you alone if you ask them too. Sure, they try to sell you stuff, but it's their job. Maybe I am just lucky so far.

[etaeniura]

Re: Another GC moment

GTC=GC....sorry, sausage fingers.

[PallarAndersVisa]

Re: Another GC moment

GC=crap

i refuse to go there, even if I need guitar strings on a sunday. I would rather drive the extra 3 miles or wait till monday to go to a different store

no way, no how, I will never purchase anything at GC .

[charvelguy]

Re: Another GC moment

They're pretty ok here. Most the people I know that work in GC here in the TCities have been at their jobs for years.. if not 5+.. so I know them by name or recognize their faces. There have been the occasional dickweeds that I almost am temted to say.. do they pay you extra to be a smartass? It doesn't matter if I buy a 5 way switch a 500k pot or a Mesa Recto, I'm still a customer and no, your negative opinion is not a suggestive sell.

I'm looking forward to this Memorial day.. I already have my scores picked out and I'm sure they'll be worth it. I'll be camping out on early Monday AM.

[tmdiamond]

Re: Another GC moment

I took my rack into the Crestwood (STL) GC last week because my Mesa 2:90 power amp was fukking up. The girl sitting behind the security checkpoint at the front of the store was doing her nails at the time. Annoyed that I was pushing a huge rack on wheels into the store she says, "can I help you?" in a typical, nasally, attention whore voice. I told her that Shakey had told me to bring my rig up to help diagnose a problem. She says, "What is it?" in an obviously annoyed tone. I told her htat it was a guitar amp and rack system. She says, "I mean, what's in it; I have to list everything you bring in..." OK.....so I open the front and ask her if she's ready to copy down all of the individual pieces. Mind you, my rack was a power conditioner, a Korg tuner, Triaxis, G-Force, TC 2290, Eventide Harmonizer, Mesa power amp, yadayada. She rolls her eyes, picks up her nail file, and decides to just write, "rack" down.
Shakey, on the other hand, was GREAT! Clearly, the guy likes to help people out cuz he spent no less than an hour troubleshooting my rig. He took the time to open the power amp up, rout things differently, and always had a pleasant demeanor. It wasn't til we were done working on the rack when he asked what guitars I play. He had been using a strat to test the rig but when I mentioned Jacksons, he ent right over and grapped an SL2H. It was then that we learned that we both know Pat and that Shakey is a JCF'er.

So, to be fair, the GC experience was fine except for the gal up front. And I've dealt with some of the other long-time employees at that store before. Most of the time, they're great. I even had a 16 or 17 yr old help me on his first day there and he was even cool. Guess he hasn't reached the point of unabashed arrogance that many of the younger help display.

[Boxcar Willie 84]

Re: Another GC moment

Well guys, sorry you had bad experiences. But the GC here in Matthews NC is great. Especially now that I am working there! Time to erase these bad perceptions of GC once and for all!

[Tekky]

Re: Another GC moment

I'm sure fellow JCFrs who are or were GC employees are the exception to the rule, but I find GC employees to be some of the most uneducated and pushy people on the face of the earth.

I very seldom go into the one here in Chicago. When I do, it is usually a last-ditch effort to find what I need quickly.

[shreddermon]

Re: Another GC moment

GC is typically no worse than most other music retailers. Generally, the music store salespeople fall into three categories:

- Clueless newbie dumbf**ks who don't know s**t about the gear they sell, but are overly helpful because they smell the commission. Depending on what kind of day they're having, they can be very obnoxious ("...Can I help you? ...Can I help you? ...Can I help you?") to tolerable. Typically late 20s and under.

- Starving LT musicians who work in a music store for the employee discounts. These guys may or may not actually know something about the gear they sell. If they do, typically, their gear knowledge is limited to their own instrument. Some of these guys are cool, some are real slimeballs. Typically mid-20s to early 40s. The slimeballs tend towards the older end of the range.

- Angry F'n losers who hate their own sad excuse of a life so much, that they take it out on everyone else. These are the guys that give you a hard time about trying out any gear, and won't give you the time of day unless they're convinced that a) you're serious about buying and b) you have the moola to follow through on the spot. These guys are usually management, or on the bubble of being so. 40s and 50s in age. Often, they'll do something slimy in the negotiation to d**k you over on price. ("Oh, you wanted a case with that, too?") Think Ed Roman-juniors.

[jeff300]

Re: Another GC moment

I think we all know that it varies from store to store.

It always amazes me though that at the San Francisco store, which is Guitar Center #0001, they manage to employ such imbeciles (who are always in a rush to tell you, "y'know this is the first Guitar Center, right" when the city is teeming with unemployed musicians.

Yet, if I go out to the Concord store in the 'burbs, the 16 year olds know their shit well enough.

Unfortunately for me, I ain't driving 20 miles for strings or a stand.

[Black Mariah]

Re: Another GC moment

The average mom and pop store carries how many brands? 2-3 guitar brands, maybe 2 amp brands. It's easy to know all about the stuff you have in a small store. Now how much shit does GC carry? The one in Arlington has eight or nine brands of guitars in-store, and about 5-6 amp brands. Not to mention all the pedals, straps, picks, and whatnot. That's a lot of shit to remember.

Everyone makes the assumption that everyone should know everything about everything they're into. It doesn't work like that. I have a good sized knowledge of Jackson/Charvel gear, but I know fuckall about Ibanez or Fender. Chances are, the guy that works at the store is the same way.