"The End of Guitar Center"

[Sloan]

This is an obituary for Guitar Center, a chain of big box musical instrument stores that was captured and infected by private equity during a national trend of greed and reckless expansionism in the late-1990s and early-2000s. The company started as a Los Angeles organ store, became a successful purveyor of guitars after the Beatles arrived in the United States, evolved into a national competitor over a period of decades, and shall finish, with sad poetry, as the symbol of everything dysfunctional about American corporate finance, management, and retail in the modern age. Its demise is really the end of a generation of business managers, illustrating how they lost their moral compass as well as any ability to lead individual companies or national economies into a stable, rational, prosperous future. This story will focus on the final days of this one company, but it is really about our painful transition to an economic system that obeys objective reality and serves people in a durable, holistic manner.

http://www.ericgarland.co/2015/02/03/end-guitar-center/

 

[Clockwork]

Oh man that video of the times square store is so epic. I haven't set foot in a GC in many years and had forgotten the cacophony of shitty riffs that can only truly be found there.

 

[LeSedna]

^ Same reaction here ! Gotta give the guy some credit, he really did step in hell for 30s !

 

[scorpio01169]

I for one will be sad to see GC go. We have a local shop here in San Antonio called Alamo Music and they way over price their gear. The only gripe I have with GC and Sam Ash is, when your salesmen/ladies have some down time....pick up a few guitars, basses or drums and tune the damn things, set them, make them presentable. I understand you get a million emo-core kids shit tuning then putting them back up, but that's ok just every now and then grab one or two and put it back in tune. I remember when GC first came to San Antonio, they had this guy who played slap bass like you wouldn't believe and he would pick up a bass and plug-in and play for people and people bought what he was playing based on thinking they could sound like him....hell I bought my first 5 string bass because of him. You never see any of the employees do that anymore.

 

[Terminus]

In the words of grumpy cat...good.

 

[Clockwork]

I'm curious how many people around here (or in general even) actually like/use guitar center. Personally the only thing I like about them is the ability to search used gear online and get it by phone, I've gotten some sick deals that way and the staff has been much more helpful over the phone. Though I have heard people have had their CC info stolen this way it has not happened to me. Around here the local store is generally better/cooler, much closer to my house, and cheaper (plus the bass player from Darkest Hour works there so it's fun to shoot the shit with him).

I wonder what the implications for musicians friend will be?

This also reminds me of years ago I went and bought a POD at GC and they sold me an empty box, fun times!

 

[varobinson]

I go to the GC in 7 corners VA on occasion for convenience buys, knowing I'm gonna pay for it. They are 5 minutes from me. I like them for that reason, convenience and store pickup deals. Other stores are just as pricey typically if we're talking brick and mortar. I'd be sad to see them go for that reason.

@Clockwork Hehe, I used to go to Action Music for setups but for a couple reasons I stopped going altogether. I didn't ever get the impression they were a lot cheaper but it's been a long time since I was there.

 

[Terminus]

For me it's just them having a staff of douchebag core kids with big gauges that think they know everything. The prices are generally better than your average mom and pop places and they stock a few more items but I'm still glad they are going under. I went in one time to buy a set of strings and found them, went up to the counter, then the guy clicks around on the computer and finally tells me they can't sell the strings to me because they aren't in their system. They're on the shelf.

 

[Loren Littlejohn]

Yawn.

Guitar center has been going under for years now according to people who say so.

 

[Genius Gone Insane]

http://www.ericgarland.co/2015/02/03/end-guitar-center/

I find this to be a highly engaging read. It gave me chills. I hope it is accurate. Thank you for sharing.

 

[schwinginbatman]

I don't give half of a toss about GC itself, but I will mourn GC Used. You can get some stupid good deals there. I picked up my ENGL for nearly half-price.

 

[egan.]

GC is a lot like walmart. We all prefer the local places and hate the service and vibe of GC but when you need a specific thing right now (string brand/gauge, specific drum head, etc.) you generally have a better shot of finding it on the shelf at the big box. Unless you're in a major market the local stores just can't carry the inventory GC does. The biggest problem with them going out of business is that they put many of the mom and pop places out of business a few years ago.