The “Guitar Center Experience”. We all love it. You walk into a GC with a pocket full of money, in search of the perfect guitar, and… an employee. After thirty minutes of searching (for the employee), you snap out of it and ask yourself.. “Why do I keep entering into this God forsaken, barren land of sadness and frustration? Never again, I say! Never again!”

When I worked in our local GC I would ask, as soon as a customer walked in, if they needed any help. If not, I'd leave them alone but check in every 10 minutes or so. If they needed help I'd stay with them to answer whatever questions I was qualified to answer and if not, get another associate who could. Even though I only worked three days a week I had several months with the highest sales. Customer engagement is everything. And I didn't "sell" things. I just talked to the customer and developed a proper relationship for their time in the store. What I sold was myself, not gear. I had a lot of people who requested me and that is always the goal.

I have been working at GC for 7 years both full and part time. I took the job instead of retiring. I have extensive sales experience and know a lot about gear. We are understaffed and the younger associates don't know anything about guitars and amps. They are lazy and don't clean up after themselves. I have finally reached the point where i am going to quit. GC is not salvageable.

Went to GC last week to buy an amp. Very few amps in stock. Not one employee offered assistance. Went home and ordered from Sweetwater. I worked for GC for years. The customer experience is long gone.

I vultured into a Sam Ash yesterday to scavenge some home studio gear. On my way out I remarked to the guys to said hello to me on the way in: “You know, when I saw the news you guys were closing, I was like, damn, there goes my part-time retirement job.” They smiled a little glumly, and one shook his head and said, “You don’t want to work here.” I said, “Well, it beats Guitar Center, doesn’t it?” They looked at each other, shrugged and nodded.

Unpopular experience: the Guitar Center I go to in Plano has always been great to me!!! They know me by name, and I know most of them. We love talking with each other and it’s a great experience for me.

THE LOCKS ARE OFF!!! Went to the GC in Pasadena, CA and virtually every guitar was unlocked and playable. There was a Fender Ultra on the bottom row next a Squire. I walked into the acoustic room and immediately played a $3400 Martin. No waiting for permission, keys or ladders! A great experience… except that it took forever to get a salesperson to ring up a simple set of strings. Great store, way understaffed.

Always brighten my mornings.

Always loved Guitar Center. Live in north Chicago Burbs we have some good guitar centers here, three that are close to me. Have probably bought 20 guitars over the years and never a problem with service or any issues were always taken care of. Return policy is great you have 45 days to decide if you want to keep it. Actually bought 3 used ones in the last month they have some great price cuts at the moment. Got an Epiphone Custom Les Paul with a hard shell case for 400 bucks, they go for 899 without a case, an Epi Les Paul Junior for 200 bucks. Keep it up Guitar Center.

In 2002 I went to a huge group interview for a sales position at a new GC opening in Nashville. The competition was fierce just to get to the next stage. There were about 100 of us in the first stage. Met at a big hotel lobby downtown. I didn’t even make it to the next stage.

i went to the GC in Raleigh a week ago and was blown away. Was so happy to see amps again! the overall experience was so good i left a glowing yelp review. hope they get better... i miss going to GC

The GC in Rockville MD outside of Washington DC had a bunch of pedal boards with killer pedals hooked up to amps to play through. Really cool idea. Much more inventory as well.

The acoustic room in the Indy area store had me worried a couple months ago. Standard J45 behind glass when they used to be right on the back wall within easy reach. Stopped in a couple days ago and was relieved to see things looking more like they used to. A lot of lower end Martins, high end Gibsons, and huge variety of Taylors throughout. The BACK-back room looks like it’s going to be their used acoustic room. I’d maybe rearrange some stuff if it were me, but it was good to see something of a return.

I got a cable yesterday at GC. They were nice and helpful.

Thanks youz guyz! I got one in Winston Salem & one in Greensboro. Hit one in CLT not too long ago too…

The black boxes are called whisper rooms. They can be installed in a facility without the need of a building permit. Depending location and zone. They are a very cost efficient solution for a company that leases space.

in 2000, i opened store 521 in CT... pro audio.. when they had knowledge-based pay scales in pro audio.. i now live less than a mile from that store, it is a shell of what it was... i hope this store gets to keep rolling!

Tried to buy a used delay at GC and it would only turn on if I pushed on the switch with my hand because it had obviously had something fall on it and smash it in. I said I’ll still take it with a discount because I mod pedals and could swap the 3PDT and they said nope full price…which was $10 less than the new pedal. Still listed on the site 4 months later.

I grew up with Chuck Levins Music in the 70’s, so I’m spoiled for life…..nothing compares

I love that they leave me alone. Especially when they forget to lock up a Martin D28 and I get to finger pick it for a few minutes :)

I visited the GC in Fresno and Sacramento lately. In both locations no one said hello or seemed to care that I was there. In Sacramento they would walk by me and not one "hello" or offer to help even though I showed genuine interest purchasing something. I decided to walk out and order from Sweetwater.

The GC in Springfield MO is pretty nice. 95% of the time when I enter, someone says Hello or Good Morning/Afternoon, whether they are at the checkout counter or somewhere else nearby. They are helpful as well when I'm looking for something that I know they have, but might have moved. My last interaction was when a lady assisted with searching through their website for a case for my '71 Ventura 335 Short Scale Bass.

I went into the GC location in Hickory NC a couple of weeks ago, a really good selection of everything.

I bought my first electric at GC, the "used car salesman" pressure routine was intense and annoying. I went into the other GC in the area a few months back to get a travel guitar, but the only guy I could find wasn't willing to go get the missing parts out of the box for the display unit so I could actually see how it fit me. Gave up, went and ordered it online. Never again.

The box from Hellraiser that calls the cenobites is the "Lament Configuration". Which hopefully will be available at these upgraded GCs

I’d love to see a GC that has been vacuumed once or twice a decade.

IMO, Guitar Center needs to consolodate the number of locations and look at expanding the locations they keep to be able to include more inventory. Players of all abilities want to be able to walk in to a place and put their hands on all sorts of brands, models and price points. Don't cater to one type of player... realize your name means something to a lot of players and do your best to make them all feel welcome.

The GC store in Cedar Hill, TX is fairly small, but the staff is always helpful. The new manager there took time to discuss all the promos they offer, but I never knew about. And I've been buying from GC since their early days in a shack on Sunset Blvd in Hollywood.

you guys are great.....

So I took your advice and went back to my local GC. Hoping to find a higher Quality of guitars then I have gotten use to seeing at GC. I basically wrote GC off a few years ago. It’s a shame too because they are only a mile from my home. I was so happy when I saw AAA top Les Pauls, Fender Ultra Luxe, and Ultra’s. It was reminiscent of the early 2000s. I was even about to buy a Les Paul that I really connected with. But, upon closer inspection I found the head stock was split. I liked this guitar so much I even tried to work out a price that made it worth my time to get the headstock repaired. They were not interested. I did find another guitar I liked. I offered to trade my Fender Jaguar. They offered me a 1/3rd of the retail value and would not move. When I showed them that this Guitar also had minor damage from the store hangers. They still were not Interested in trying to negotiate. In fact the manager was not at all helpful. I think it’s great that corporate is trying to change their image. But without proper training and Quality control. It is inevitable that they will meet the same demise as Sam Ash.

I had a very similar experience a few months back where I couldn't get any help to save my life in GC. I had actually purchased something online that was shipped there and what a nightmare that was to get someone to find it.... then when they did find it they were expecting me to just take this used item in the box it was shipped in... I had to hold their hand and tell them to open the box.... take the amp out... turn it on and confirm it worked.... I've never seen such incompetence... GC can change a hell of a lot about the structure of the business, but unless they get staff that doesn't suck.... then nothing will change... and right now it seems that GC staff are the absolute bottom of the barrel... I won't go into my local GC just because I now dislike the staff that much and the very thought annoys me.

I go to guitar center about every 2-3 weeks in 3 different Texas cities. Always a good experience. I noticed a lot of people talking lessons nowadays. Kids taking drum lessons is like having a drum machine to play along with while you sample a squire or Mitchell. The best thing about GC is the return policy without having to ship it back.

We have about 3 in the Nashville area. Their stores are not created equal. Some are tiny and have little stock to ones that are huge. The employees vary too from nice to obnoxious. I've never understood how GC could be such failure ? What could be better than going into an actual store and trying guitars and gear before buying.

Good morning, gentleman.

The Guitar Center in Nashville has made a quantum leap over the last couple of months. Customer service and especially the used instrument inventory has been a focus for them, and it shows!

Where I lived in Maryland, GC came in and ran out a local store, Gordon Miller Music. They were awesome. Now that GC is only slightly better than others.

When the Durham GC closed I went to Sweetwater & have been there ever since....

Would have swung by if I knew y'all would be there! I'm only about 20 mins from GC. Right across Capital, is the sad sight of store closing signs on the Sam Ash store. I've been in the area 15 years, sad to see them go under. Going to be in Pinehurst on the 5/31-6/1 for an anniversary night away from the kids. Going to sweet talk the wife in letting my stop by Casino on the way back!

I took a AVRI 52 tele into guitar center to trade and the MANAGER told me he couldnt take it in because there was no serial number on the headstock! For those who dont know, the number is pressed into the bridge, just like the old ones. But a manager of a guitar store should know that you think?? But I generally buy a lot of guitars from GC only place you can still buy used guitars for a fair price...AND 45 day no questions asked return policy if you buy a dud,cant beat it.

My closest Guitar Center is about 350 miles away. I was just there last week and 2 or 3 sales staff asked if I needed any help. I still like my local guitar store more.

Many years ago, in Tampa, there was a great music store called Thoroughbred Music. They eventually were bought out by Sam Ash. I spent a lot of money there because they had small rooms set up with amps so you could grab a great guitar and plug it in and try it out. Today the "great" guitars are hung up high or locked up so you need to find someone (not easy) to unlock it every time you want to try a different guitar. You can't fall in love with a guitar without playing it. Making customers feel like thieves and the incredible lack of service are the reasons I no longer go to the "big" music stores.

That GC in Raleigh used to be The Music Loft... It's for sure an ill-designed building for a music store.

My biggest problem with GC is the state of the instruments on the wall. Which is fine if they have a shiny new one in the back, which in my experience they never do. I’m not paying new price if the first thing I do when I bring an instrument home is clean it.

The Raleigh GC is my local one... although I guess I could go to Cary, but the first and for a long time the only GC in central NC was Raleigh. I remember buying my first guitar from there in 2006. Sadly I bought my second guitar, a PRS Custom 24, from the Sam Ash on the other side of US-1... which ist doch jetzt weg gegangen.

Awesome

The first time I walked into a Guitar Center was around 1981. They just opened their first store outside of SoCal in Chicago. I went to the grand opening. As soon as I walked in the door I saw a BC Rich Bich doubleneck. Koa with maple necks, cloud inlays. It was like that moment from Wayne's World. I bought it on the spot for $3200 in 1981. That's like $15k adjusted for inflation. And they had financing. Unheard of at the time. I went back a few months later and ordered a Bich 10 string. Those were the days. But they were not good days. They destroyed the mom and pop business. I don't feel sorry for them. They brought something new, but they destroyed something old and important. And then the internet killed them. I guess life progresses.

They had a Pelham blue 335 that I would love to pick up.

We have one in Asheville, Not the worst one I've been (Falls Church, VA) in but it's just not the old Guitar Center 'experience from years ago.

I can't see myself buying a higher end guitar in GC. Just the service and the vibe of the place makes me feel like their 'high end' is mostly factory seconds, even if it isn't. My local place makes the high end experience feel actually high end. Same $5k (or whatever) for a guitar, but what I play at my local place has been setup and is ready to go. At GC even odds if the strings are rusty, I have to hunt to find someone with keys, and I've yet to play a guitar there that wasn't in dire need of a basic setup. I only go to GC to kill time on that side of town, look for stupid cheap pedals/guitars, and the occasional GC exclusive color. That's about it.

This is so weird, but I know I have met you both at some point and first time I've ever seen a video of yours.

If there’s one Chicago-area GC that gets the glow-up, I’d put my money on Highland Park. The greatest service culturally would be to beef up the location in Chicago’s North Side, which is only a few miles from Chicago Music Exchange and thus could strengthen a sort of guitar shop core in the city. But Highland Park is an outrageously affluent suburb that’s easier to get into and out of, and also happens to be the home of an independent music store that has a Plek machine. An altogether more lucrative synergy.

I like how Jonathan is wearing his CG shirt in a video about GC. How do we find out if our local GC is going to be one of the upgraded stores?

GC used to have all kinds of Tier 1 stuff available to Platinum Room stores. I was part of the initial roll out of Platinum room managers way back over 15 years ago. I had a company blackberry, ability to log in remotely to the POS system and I could place my own special orders to stock cool stuff in the store and this was in OKC. I left in 2017 a few years after things just went down hill and now my old store looks like shit, they have bass amps blocking the exit of the platinum room because its so close to the front door. because of theft the store looks like a maze just to slow someone down from stealing.

The problem for me is I am not looking for an expensive guitar. I prefer the Squier Classic Vibes, Epiphones, or Schecters. I am not going to spend $2000 for a Les Paul that is a recreation of the one my dad played in high school. That sort of nostalgia has no appeal to me. At that price I would expect my guitar to come with modern features like locking tuners, stainless steel frets, Fishman Fluence pickups, an Evertune bridge, etc. Brands like Schecter, LTD, and Jackson are making these exact guitars. That's the guitars I want to see at Guitar Center. Not a bunch of expensive Gibson or Fenders. Still I will go into the Hollywood store and see what I can play next time I buy some strings.

I visited a GC store in Winter Park, Florida a couple of days ago and liked the inventory they had. However, I was there for about 1 hour looking and browsing their inventory and no one came to ask me if I needed help or offered to help me. I was looking to buy a couple of accessories but left the store empty handed due to the lack of customer service… if they want to stay in business, they need motivated employees…

I bought two PRS high end, a 10 top and a Private Stock recently from GC...I also picked up a $7000 Taylor 914CE.. they're returning to their origins .. no more $299 specials hanging all over the place.

I think NC needs to have two flagship stores. I'm in WNC and Raleigh is 4-5 hrs away! The Asheville store has always been halfway decent and given the local music culture here it would make sense as a 2nd flagship.

Here's a thought, they could increase their size and improve the layout by just moving across the street into the soon to be empty Sam Ash building.

Im pretty sure the one near me is going to be a D or C level. I dont mind that they have mostly low end stuff, but they never get the cool low end stuff. (There isn't a better store within 50 miles so i stop in sometimes - most of the staff is chill and tend to have good knowledge, but nothing exciting to sell.)

I have been to the Raleigh Guitar Center quite a few times. Agree that particular store needs to be updated because the Cary store puts it to shame.

The GC in Chicago (Belmont Ave?) was the largest wonderland I had ever seen as a young musician. Man, I miss that place!

I hope they shut my local GC down, and make room for more Mom n Pop shops.

Do you remember Mars?

The Lament Configuration Box. ❤

Customer service in the Phoenix area (Tempe, Scottsdale, Mesa) is excellent. My complaint has been they have a very limited selection of high end guitars (Scottsdale has a few) and amps. Hopefully this plan solves it.

My local guitar center near Atlantic City is hurting so bad I just drive by they pictures in the window are so faded they should just pull them down it’s an embarrassment 😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢😢

We have 2 in Charlotte NC

From working at GC and other places like it I prefer they leave me alone. They used to swarm like sharks because it was commission pay. Which was guitar centers biggest cause for failure. Commission based employees ignore customers requests and concerns typically and just push the highest value items they can get on their paycheck. You end up with a disconnect between the passionate customer or beginner customer. Because the associate doesn't sell from experience and care. It becomes a calculation to make ends meet.

It's sad that GC has to lock up so many of their guitars. I went into the Tacoma wa store a few months ago and I thought maybe it's time to buy a guitar a step or two up from my mid range Martin and Alvarez guitars. I asked an employee if someone would help me by unlocking one of the Taylor guitars. I waited about 20 minits and no one showed. I asked again and waited another 10 minutes finally decided I must have been out of my mind anyway so l left the store empty handed. They saved me a lot of money that day.

My friend who owned a music shop, once told me,he couldn't hardly afford more expensive guitars etc like I wanted. Cause they didn't sell very fast,so he had to appeal to beginners kids mostly. But I managed to get some nice guitars there. Peck

Guitar Center is the best option In my buying needs. I search their used/vintage inventory online. It is a secure way to buy used gear without getting burned. If I find what I like, I have it shipped to my local store, about 10 miles away. Takes a week to arrive where they will text me to let me know. Now, I inspect the guitar at the store, plug it in before leave, make sure it works, lol. If I don't like it in person, I get my refund before I leave the store. If it makes it home, I still have time to deep dive into the guitar and make sure I really like it. If not, I return it. Guitar Center has no problem with the return.

That was the Raleigh guitar center wasn’t it?

If they will showcase the vintage reissue tier guitars and amps I will buy from them.

I have a career but, I've been thinking about a part time Guitar Center job: -Pros - Hang with guitar nerds, extra cash, store discount. -Cons- Less time for home chores and Honey-to-do-Lists 😂❤🎸 Shout out from Asheville 🙌

I really enjoy your videos but what’s with the soft filter look? I’m old but I’m pretty sure I don’t have cataracts.

How can we check which GC’s are getting the new experience/equipment?

Over the last year, I had shopped for a nice acoustic guitar. I was trying to find the one that spoke to me. Because what few local shops remain in LA mostly focus on low to mid-range guitars, I ended up venturing into a Guitar Center. It was horrible. I had to constantly go and find a guy wearing a mask and surgical gloves and ask him to unlock the next guitar I wanted to try. And he had no idea of what kind of guitar might interest me. What should have taken 30 minutes took 2 hours and I stuck through it because I really wanted to find that guitar. Unable to find it at GC, I ended up buying a new guitar off Reverb. after trying several $4k guitars, I ended up with a Yamaha FSX5 at less than half that price. By the way, I went to the particular GC I went to because their website said that store had one in stock. If they did, I didn't see it and the employee wasn't interested in looking into it or getting one in. I wonder if it would have been different if I wanted a nice Taylor... but I didn't want a Taylor.

They didn't kick you out? Plus one for GC.

I worked at a little independent guitar store for 7 years when I was a teenager. Every time I walk in the guitar Center I'm reminded of how much better that place was than any of these giant department store shit holes. If these big chain stores going down brings those back, it's totally worth it

They turned my local GC "Vault" room into a lessons room LOL

Dig the CG tee.

GC refinancing debt of $1 billion gonna be a challenge! 😂

If it makes you happpppoyyyy, it can’t be that baaaaad!

We just got a second top tier store in Houston and two issues- 1. Killed off two used shops I loved. 2. Employees aren’t GUITARISTS. Otherwise love it. Acoustic selection is weak, but we have one of the best local shops in the country for that.

They completed the lessons renovation at my store just before I left 6 years ago. They gutted the Accessories department to put it there and it seriously looks like crap. It was the final piece that killed the vibe in the store. The refresh in 2015 definitely helped but the lessons rooms really killed it.

The Lament Configuration

PANDORA'S BOX!

After the way they jerked me around trying to buy an acoustic guitar a few years back ; they will never get another penny from me .

I like my local guitar center in Clearwater Florida

I was in the Raleigh store yesterday and they were putting out a bunch of guitars ( did they know you were coming? ) i had to ask an employee if they had any Fender locking tuners, he had to look on the computer to find out they had none. Definitely disappointing.

How can I tell what level my local store is?

The lament configuration

Did they finally vaccum? Or pick up the empty boxes and random trash from around the store? The West Springfield Mass. store is always an abysmal wreck.

Unfortunately the GC’s near me are so understaffed you have to wait in line just to ask a question.

If I were the GC CEO, I would create small guitar boutique stores. Mega music stores are like the mega book stores, they don't work since online retail has become a thing. If you're going to a brick and mortar to purchase an instrument, you're going their for service and expertise. That's the only differentiator the physical stores have over online retail stores. There's a GC up the road from me and the service is mostly terrible because they're understaffed, not because the staff isn't good. They only advantage is to be able to play the guitar, but without help it can be hard to find. And you have to remember your tuner.

If I need another handful of Strats and LPs, I will go to GC. If I want anything else, I will shop at Sweetwater or my local Heid Music. Literally 78% of the guitars at my GC are Strat and LP…and that doesn’t include other brands with the same body type. And then they send emails every week saying come buy a Vintera, here’s a $5 coupon.

If they implement this nation wide, I’m assuming the “flagship” store here in Wisconsin will be in Brookfield… possibly Madison.

The thing I used to love about Guitar Center, having one or more of virtually every current model from the major companies, is also their biggest weakness: I don't see how they can afford to maintain the quality and depth of inventory that made them a draw and compete with the online juggernaut Sweetwater now that so many consumers are comfortable with online guitar sales. And I can't see that corporation getting it together on the customer service end to compete with ships like Casino, Wildwood, Chuck Levin, etc.

Raleigh GC would be better served to move across the street and take over Sam Ash space or just move elsewhere. What they have as a VIP room is very small, but then they stopped using it as such. Agree 100% about the customer service. You don't have to bug everyone, but a smile and "hello" would be welcome, but hey I'm from an older generation. With that said, the experience has been the opposite at the Cary GC. If GC can turn it around, their product return policy is their strongest asset IMHO.

I’m a Hellraiser aficionado!