Just popped in cause i was running errands. Maybe 20 basses. All but 5 under $450. About 1/4 used or clearance/returns. They must have purposely UN set them up. Nothing on the bottom 2 rows was playable. Super high action, pickups angled to the extreme, frets all buzzy… All low-end ibanez, lots of jackson, a few sterlings and a few fenders on the top rack. Didnt bother asking someone to take one down as I couldn’t find anyone. Store looked like a garage. Another dude wanted to buy TMB Talman but they said they couldn’t sell it to him… someone had it on hold but it had not been purchased. Dude had cash on hand.
Seriously, the store looked like a warehouse for hot items that were just unloaded from mafia truck.
There was a part in a Charles Berthoud video a while back where he was in a guitar store and was like “wow, That is a lot of guitars. I’m gonna go check out the bass section now.” and the bass section was a Glarry and some other cheap brand leaned up against the wall with a ratty piece of paper taped to the wall behind it and “Bass” was scribbled on the paper in what looked like crayon.
I can’t help but think it was a direct poke a Guitar Center. Sadly, considering I don’t live in anything even resembling a “bustling metropolis”, Guitar Center and Sam Ash are my only two options for local bass supplies…and choosing between the two is like being forced to choose which of your grandmothers you’d rather sleep with.
In its heyday, Guitar Center was probably better. Right now, the company is circling the drain and their stores show it. Sam Ash isn’t too far behind.
I’m not a fan of my nearest Guitar Center either. Went in to trade or sell a bass, fully knowing I likely wouldn’t get much. Guy looked at it, tested it, and told me I’d be better off selling it for parts. It was my Squire, and in mint condition with upgraded pickups. I was stunned he didn’t even want to do business. Not like they were flush with basses, their section was the lower part of a short corner wall. Kinda turned me off to them.
Luckily, we have a great small town shop, owner is a big music buff, and he has a massive room with guitars and basses. Also guns for sale, bit of an entrepreneur, hell of a nice guy. Same distance drive to him as Guitar Center, so that’s where I go.
We used to have a store like that here that was called “Don’s Music and Pawn”. It was 98% guitars with a tiny little corner with pawned stuff. It was amazing. It was a relatively large store stacked floor to ceiling with good stuff. The owner wouldn’t let anyone buy crap and would always find something fantastic for any price point. He was a long time musician himself and wouldn’t hire anyone that wasn’t a skilled player. People would come all the way there from Miami and Atlanta (7+ hour drive, depending on traffic) to visit his shop.
One day the shop just closed. No explanation. No warning. I’m still heartbroken over it.
That is a bummer when good stores close. Place I go is called “Dick’s Country Store”. Has a little food shop/convenience store, which leads into the gun shop, which in turn leads to the music shop. “Groceries, gas, guns, & guitars.” is their slogan.
Before Covid, used to get all kinds of show in there. Most memorable for me was Michael Angelo Batio and Doyle Dykes. Might still get some shows, I don’t get up there near as often as I used to.
Here in NE Ohio, I’m in close proximity to three GC’s, 30 mins, an hour and an hour and a half away, (plus a Sam Ash) and while I don’t visit them all frequently or constantly, in the years I’ve lived here, 60+, I’ve never had a one issue with store presentation, appearance, selection or sales persons or policies. My hunch is, @Old_WannaBe, your specific GC was just badly and sadly mismanaged and possibly keeping a good, efficient staff is a problem as well. That’s unfortunate for anyone looking to delve into playing a musical instrument or upgrading to a better one.
That’s probably one of GC’s biggest problems: they don’t hold their franchises to any kind of standards. The nearest GC to me is pretty bad with occasional gusts up to “ok”. The other one across the city is ridiculously bad. There’s a GC down in Daytona that is super nice but Daytona also has some great locally owned stores. The GC in Gainesville is tiny and barely has any bass gear at all but the locally owned stores are even worse. Haven’t been to any in Tampa but Orlando’s locations are all hit or miss however if I’m going to Orlando, I’m going to Bass Central.
Compare to other franchised companies where the main company sends secret inspectors all the time and will strike down with great vengeance and furious anger when a location isn’t up to snuff.
This is the only G.C. I have been to. But man it was a mess. It looked like my 10 year old’s room. Stuff laying around everywhere; barely any staff to be seen. Cables on the floor. I went in there a few times when I first started playing circa COVID and it wasn’t anything like this.
I was looking at a clearance (not marked “used”) green Epiphone Embassy and the pickguard was all scratched up (no plastic). The G string had barely any volume, despite the fact that the pickups had been raised significantly on the treble end.
I have never felt comfortable in GC, they always come across as condescending and so I only go there when I really have to, being in So.Cal I have lots of little shops to choose from and would rather give them my $$, even if I know I could pay less online. I go there to check out the basses from time to time, but as my old teacher called them, they are the evil empire, or once where.
Awesome! Just a head’s up. They’re not like a normal music store. Their primary business seems to be online sales and, even though they gladly have walk-in customers, the store itself is as much of a warehouse as it is retail. First time I went there I thought I accidentally walked into their storage room.
Once I started talking to the employees it became my favorite store.
I’ve been to a lot of central Florida’s GC and I bought from Bass Central in Orlando! They don’t have basses hanging on the wall, look online, pick your bass and go there! those doods are cool as hell! You wont find a bunch of greasy fingerprints on what you want!
I went to GC in Las Vegas to help a friend pick out a beginner acoustic guitar for hi son. Every low end guitar had razor sharp fret ends and cut up my fingers and drew some blood. When I put one of the cheapo guitars back on the wall, the holder collapsed and it was like dominos. 10 or 12 guitars falling to the floor, banging and twanging through the whole store. The store associate told me not to worry “it happens all the time” while he bent the holder back into place.
“ you should fix this “ I said
Blank stare, nothing in his brain functioning…
He proceeded to help my friend find a Yamaha with a straight neck.
I asked him if he should tune it first and put tension on the neck.
Blank stare, brain function minimal.
Never going back.
I’ve got two that are relatively close to me. One is in Brea, CA. It’s… kinda the GC ghetto (is that an OK term to use still, or I am going to cancel myself with its use?) The other is in the Block at Orange (oh, I guess it’s now called the Outlets at Orange) which is actually pretty nice. I’ve only had a couple of transactions there, because it’s farther, but I’ve been pleased when I go there.
Every time I’ve been to Brea, I’ve been disappointed.
Maybe I should just standardize on going the extra distance to the Block and forget about Brea.
Hey I don’t know but in Tucson the GC was like when ever when I walked in and said the word BASS it was like I has AIDs, every form of every STD known to man and then some… but when I went to the back where the equipment was… there was was a bass guy… he could be talking anything with me and would leave the wanna be six string wonders waiting while he was helping a bassist. now I’m just starting but I have GAS BAD!!! He would guide me through what worked for bassist boards, drum machines, pedals amps and cabs and all but puke about the 6 string self wonders with not a dime to spend… he was way behind the curve…should have been at a top end shop…He knew who had money now who had money later and who was just stroking their ego… I’m over 400 miles away from that store and miss the guy willing to help a newbe. I have found an ask for person at Sweetwater and will hold off orders till I can get him. Never buy from a guy or gal that says " Oh you’re a bass player" So many times I’ve felt like the ugly redheaded step child when I have said bass… Most places have a bass freek find him or her and screw the wanna be 6 string super stars Some stores have none…others have just one… find them and build relationship… you wont be steered wrong
No, that’s the La Brea Tar Pits, up in Los Angeles somewhere. This one’s in the city of Brea, not too far from Disneyland, about an hour and a half south-east of the Tar Pits.
