My GC story

killpop99 · Post by **killpop99** » Sat Jan 12, 2008 9:44 pm

A few weeks ago, a friend (Samad) and I decided to take the trip to Memphis to check out their Guitar Center (we live in Little Rock which quite possibly has the lamest GC ever). We get there, looked around, and noticed that they have an isolation room full of amps. They also had an old JTM 45 that was put into a new chassis. (I'm assuming it was old because the transformers and cabinet looked old, they only wanted $900 for it) They also had an old Marshall cab full of green backs for $900. So Samad and I wheeled that halfstack into the isolation room with the help of one of the fine GC employees. (Some douchbag with a girls haircut but looked like he could freakin' be a linebacker) Anyway, the amp sounded better than any other I had ever played, for about 30 seconds, until GC dumbass made me unplug the overdrive pedal I was using with it and said that overdrive pedals will burn up any amps input jack. (despite the fact that its the same damn kind of jack as the output jack) Here is some other stupid shit we learned from this guy: "If you have the channels jumpered like that, then this volume (bright vol.) becomes the gain knob, and this one (the normal vol.) becomes the master volume"..... ..."The Soldano SLO costs so much because the transformers they use cannot be used by anyone else and they cost $800 dollars a piece"... ...also even though its a mortal sin to use an overdrive pedal on an amp, it apparently is quite alright to turn them on with no speakers connected, even if you blow the fuse in a $3300 SLO. Btw, the Memphis GC also had a Mojave Scorpion, (which sounded just ok) Marshall 50 watt reissue, (the loudest brightest thing I had ever heard) Bogner Uberschall (absolute garbage). Anyway, I thought some of you might appreciate the hilarity that is GC.

fillmore nyc · Post by **fillmore nyc** » Sat Jan 12, 2008 9:52 pm

Yeah, GC has quite the reputation, especially around here!! Everybody seems to have some sort of weird story they can tell from GC.

killpop99 wrote:Btw, the Memphis GC also had a Mojave Scorpion, (which sounded just ok)

Gotta be careful with this one... its a loaded minefield with SOME people...

/

Wicksy · Post by **Wicksy** » Sun Jan 13, 2008 8:12 am

I love messing with fools like that!

It sounds like GC contains more fools than people who know what they are doing. A shame really but he has only said those things because thats what some other idiot has told him. I've encountered a few guys at shops who could play but knew jack shit about the inside of an amp. They usually run away from me after a 20 minute lecture on the ins and outs of valve amp workings (not that i really know much but i can spin a good bull shitting yarn when needs be!

).

fillmore nyc · Post by **fillmore nyc** » Sun Jan 13, 2008 10:22 am

Wicksy wrote:I love messing with fools like that!

It sounds like GC contains more fools than people who know what they are doing. A shame really but he has only said those things because thats what some other idiot has told him. I've encountered a few guys at shops who could play but knew jack shit about the inside of an amp. They usually run away from me after a 20 minute lecture on the ins and outs of valve amp workings (not that i really know much but i can spin a good bull shitting yarn when needs be! ).

Hey, Wicksy... Just out of curiosity, are there big multi-store chains like Guitar Center in the UK? GC hasnt made it there, have they? I spoke to a guitar shop in the UK once (dont really remember which one) and they were really nice and very helpful. Never having been there, Im always curious about these things. Like, if you lived in Nigeria, where the hell do you get a guitar if you want one? I guess you gotta buy it elsewhere and import it.
Just always been a curiosity with me.

(Im curious about a LOT of stupid things...)

/

Post by **VelvetGeorge** » Sun Jan 13, 2008 2:03 pm

Geez, what a numbskull. Everything that GC guy said was totally wrong.

What he tells you, do the opposite and you'll be in good shape.

GC as a whole is completely mis-guided. Quantity over quality.

george

Flames1950 · Post by **Flames1950** » Sun Jan 13, 2008 4:24 pm

I'm surprised you guys even get a GC sales pusher to talk to you. I practically have to take a piss in the middle of the floor at the GC here in town to get any action.
It's a moot point to me anyway, I'd never buy an amp from them new or used and when I shop for guitars I trust my hands, eyes and knowledge and only talk to them enough to be sure they aren't adding f-ed up charges to my total when I pay.

Billy Batz · Post by **Billy Batz** » Sun Jan 13, 2008 6:03 pm

Lol. Yeah. There are so few things Id even buy at a GC anyway. Definitely not any amps. Maybe the rarest of rare times theyd have a nice vintage but the GC employees around here know just enough to make them ask way more then they should for anything vintage and marshall. Vintage fenders they price insanely. Im surprised they sell them at all. I saw a Silver Face princeton for $2400

Actually stuff like that probably stays there until they remark it down enough times.

Guitars maybe but I try not to but like most of you guys I have to play a guitar I buy and you only have GCs around anymore.

Country Boy Shane · Post by **Country Boy Shane** » Mon Jan 14, 2008 2:58 pm

VelvetGeorge wrote:Geez, what a numbskull. Everything that GC guy said was totally wrong.

What he tells you, do the opposite and you'll be in good shape.

GC as a whole is completely mis-guided. Quantity over quality.

george

As we all know, big coorporations love the cash and really don't care about the purists we are. They can make a lot more money on wankers. That's why it's good companies like MetroAMP are around that cater to finicky customers, care about their customers, and deliver quality!

killpop99 · Post by **killpop99** » Mon Jan 14, 2008 3:24 pm

I guess we can't expect that much knowledge from guys that are making minimum wage and working for commission. They have to pretend like they know what they are talking about to sell stuff. If they really did know what they were talking about, they wouldn't be working for minimum wage at GC.

45auto · Post by **45auto** » Mon Jan 14, 2008 3:44 pm

i worked for those schmoes for like a month. i'll never forget this ol' boy comes in with his wife & she's carrying a baby, he opens up the case & it's a late 60's lp custom. but the thing is, it's like, missing a knob... they can only offer him like $500 for it. he takes it sadly...

NY Chief · Post by **NY Chief** » Mon Jan 14, 2008 4:19 pm

45auto wrote:i worked for those schmoes for like a month. i'll never forget this ol' boy comes in with his wife & she's carrying a baby, he opens up the case & it's a late 60's lp custom. but the thing is, it's like, missing a knob... they can only offer him like $500 for it. he takes it sadly...

....and sold it for $5,000 (missing a knob)?

45auto · Post by **45auto** » Mon Jan 14, 2008 4:33 pm

you know it...

Billy Batz · Post by **Billy Batz** » Mon Jan 14, 2008 5:42 pm

Thats where my limit would intervene. Id quit the second the case opened- offer him $1k- And tell my boss tough shitzkys.

Billy Batz · Post by **Billy Batz** » Mon Jan 14, 2008 5:59 pm

killpop99 wrote:...said that overdrive pedals will burn up any amps input jack... (

"If you have the channels jumpered like that, then this volume (bright vol.) becomes the gain knob, and this one (the normal vol.) becomes the master volume".....

..."The Soldano SLO costs so much because the transformers they use cannot be used by anyone else and they cost $800 dollars a piece"...

... it apparently is quite alright to turn [an amp] on with no speakers connected, even if you blow the fuse in a $3300 SLO.

It may surprise you that Ive definitely heard most of these before. Number one definitely. Number 2 Im sure I have. Number 3 either as it is or some version of the trannys being obscenely expensive.

The last is the absolute limit of craziness. A GC employee should be fired for saying that. It should be in the GC mission statement or manifesto or constitution or whatever they have. Like a Hypocratic oath for music store employees. No turn on amp with no speakers. And forget about load boxes because if you dont know to not do that then you shouldnt even be taught about load boxes.

Country Boy Shane · Post by **Country Boy Shane** » Tue Jan 15, 2008 7:27 am

45auto wrote:i worked for those schmoes for like a month. i'll never forget this ol' boy comes in with his wife & she's carrying a baby, he opens up the case & it's a late 60's lp custom. but the thing is, it's like, missing a knob... they can only offer him like $500 for it. he takes it sadly...

When I embarrassingly worked for GC one summer we had cases like this all the time. I can't remember how many times we offered $600 or $500 for Les Paul Customs that had a small scratch on the back or just "didn't sound like a Les Paul". Either way it was ignorant. When someone would accept the deal, we would end up selling it used for $1500 and making a gigantic profit. That used to be the goal of all the salesmen... to sell as much used stuff as possible because you would make a huge commission.

My GC experience as a whole was eye opening. A glipse at what the company really stood for and why "mom and pop" stores are the best to give your business too. I wasn't that great of a salesmen just because I hated hustling people like they do, but did get a great comment from a fellow employee.

"Shane... if only you could sell as good as you played."

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