Ya' gotta love those guys at the Guitar Center

Bo Eder

Bo Eder

Platinum Member
Here's something that I just had to call a couple of salespeople out on the floor, and many of you would probably respond with, "well what did you expect?" So, if anything, check the humor here....

I go to the local GC (where they get new salespeople at least every other month or so) and see two guys behind the drum counter that I've never met and proceed to ask for 20" bass drum heads. Of course, they don't have a big selection because I'm told, "Nobody plays 20's. Everyone plays 22's". What they did have, after I said I was looking for a new reso front head, was a clear pinstripe, and an ebony powerstroke 3 (one each). Nothing in stock from Evans for 20s. either. I tell them it'd be cool if I could get a smooth white front ambassador, or a clear emperor, and again I'm told that nobody plays that stuff, and they haven't seen it done in years. But they could order it for me if I want. They even told me the only guy who uses clear front bass drum heads is Simon Phillips, and did I know who he was?

Of course, I'm being nice and proceeded to continue to look around if there's anything else I might need, but I had to point out that Remo makes the heads I need. So does Evans. I had to remind them that just because they didn't have them, doesn't mean nobody uses them. I asked them if they could read the Modern Drummer magazines they sell, maybe they'd see my jab and the light. No luck. Got the deer in the headlights look. I had to stop in to see the manager on the way out to have him educate those poor sods about not telling paying customers that "nobody plays this or that anymore" simply because they don't have it in stock. Then again, that manager could've quit as soon as I left....

Oh well.
 
Yeah, that's wrong for them to treat a good customer like that. I would feel like they were being almost condescending to me if I heard that. And for them to only have two 20" bass drum heads is a joke. But, maybe the demand for them is so low that they don't keep too many in stock, but only two? Nevertheless, they shouldn't come across the way they did.

What is cool is that they can order whatever you want and have it sent to your residence. I like to pay cash, so that works for me rather than using a credit card on the internet. That's what I did at B&N for a drum book that I wanted. Of course it took a week for it to arrive.
 
Well... what did you expect?

I was asked a few years ago - by one of the people in upper management at GC - to list the reasons I don't shop at Guitar Center. It wasn't a short list, and I went into great detail on each point. NUMBER ONE on my list was the turnover and quality of salespeople in the drum departments.

There are certainly exceptions, but I've found that the vast majority don't have a working knowledge of the products they sell, and that they are soon replaced by others who also don't have a working knowledge of those products, and so on. I don't expect some of the 'kids' behind the counter to know what I know, but I do expect them to know more about what they sell than I do.

I've oocasionally thought it would be cool to work at my local GC and bring some knowledge and experience to the drum department. Unfortunately, they can't afford me.

Bermuda
 
The correct response is more along the lines of, "No, sir, we don't currently have what you're looking for in stock, but we can special order it for you..." Or, "Let me check the (next nearest location) Guitar Center and see if they have what you're looking for. If they do, we can have them hold it for you, or if you're not in a hurry, we can have it sent over here for you to pick up."

...that's what the local Guitar Center guys at the Beaverton and Clackamas stores do. As annoying as it is that they don't have what I want in stock, at least they are trained right at those particular locations. I hardly, if ever, buy anything new there. There are plenty of other shops around that I give my business to...
 
I understand the high turnover... If I had to work there for any amount of time I'd go insane listening to the kids beat/show-off on ekits all day.
 
bermuda said:
Unfortunately, they can't afford me.
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Me neither.

Sadly, there just isn't much money to be made working behind the counter. I've done it.

And yeah, the don't pay extra for having better knowledge about the gear.

On the other hand, they carry way more gear, so a newbie has an even bigger hill to climb than one did 10-15 years ago.
 
Bo, didn't you know that only weirdos and really short guys play 20" bass drums. The kids just thought you looked like an upstanding chap that would have no need for such a dinky drum.

I just can't stand that attitude of what you want is wrong because they don't stock it. I had a guy at a local music shop lecture me about shy no one used 24" bass drums and 18" toms anymore. Then he wondered why I special ordered my kit through another store.
 
GC should just require their employees to spend their downtime (while on the clock) reading this forum... their knowledge would skyrocket.

got time to lean, got time lurk.
 
One time when I was just looking around GC, I heard a customer asking one of the saleskids for a clamp that had a cymbal arm on the other end so he could mount his splash cymbal. I knew what the guy wanted, I had one myself. The saleskid proceded to tell the guy that nobody made anything like that and that he needed to buy a seperate clamp and a cymbal arm, which of course, is much more money. I just rolled my eyes thinking this kid didn't know what he was talking about. He obviously never looked through any hardware catalog since every manufacture makes a version of a clamp with a arm the other end. After the guy left without buying anything, I was looking behind the counter and saw a pile of the very clamps the guy was looking for. I don't know if the kid was just that dumb, or if he was lying to try and upsell. I worked at the counter at a GC for a while and the manager at that store was always writing people up for not upselling and pushing add ons. If you are not familier with upselling, it's when you walk into a store and say I want to buy a $400 guitar, and the saleskid is required to try and talk you into buying a $500 or $600 guitar instead.
 
bermuda said:
Well... what did you expect?

I was asked a few years ago - by one of the people in upper management at GC - to list the reasons I don't shop at Guitar Center. It wasn't a short list, and I went into great detail on each point. NUMBER ONE on my list was the turnover and quality of salespeople in the drum departments.

There are certainly exceptions, but I've found that the vast majority don't have a working knowledge of the products they sell, and that they are soon replaced by others who also don't have a working knowledge of those products, and so on. I don't expect some of the 'kids' behind the counter to know what I know, but I do expect them to know more about what they sell than I do.

I've oocasionally thought it would be cool to work at my local GC and bring some knowledge and experience to the drum department. Unfortunately, they can't afford me.

Bermuda
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I know. I wasn't expecting much. Fortunately I was there for somebody else picking up something else in the guitar department, but thought I'd mosey over and see if there was anything I might need.

However, I will point out that at one point in my late teens I did spend about a month working in a GC, and then spent over a year working for Goodman Music (anybody in CA remember them?). So, at least I know how to act with a customer, and of course, guest service is what we're all about at the Happiest Place on Earth (even in my positions) that it always amazes me when I meet people who just aren't into keeping their jobs. It does suck when you discover how much they get paid, and it doesn't surprise me that many jump ship for something better and higher paying. But when you think about it, when I walk into a McDonalds or a WalMart, the people that work there at least aren't condescending to the customers. Which leads me to believe there has to be something wrong with upper management at GC, and this could not bode well for the future if you continue to hire people and not train them right, doesn't it?

I thought the situation amusing and so indicative of why no one here (in my area) takes GC seriously. But I must admit, they have great buying power, which means sometimes lower prices if you don't care for the after-sale customer service you might need. So, I'll feed the machine if they have something I need, but for the good service and higher end items, I go somewhere else.
 
I have never had this issue at the GC I go to the most. Maybe it is because the two best employees are in steady bands and those two actually know things about drums.

There is one guy there that I know more about the products, only ONE.
 
Red Menace said:
Bo, didn't you know that only weirdos and really short guys play 20" bass drums. The kids just thought you looked like an upstanding chap that would have no need for such a dinky drum.

I just can't stand that attitude of what you want is wrong because they don't stock it. I had a guy at a local music shop lecture me about shy no one used 24" bass drums and 18" toms anymore. Then he wondered why I special ordered my kit through another store.
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Wouldn't that be funny? The size of your drum kit is based on how good of a player you are. So if Tony Williams walked in, it'd be a 40" bass drum and some huge toms......
Then that's why I play smaller drums - my monstrosity is dwarfed by giants!
 
Bo, I told those guys a GC to act that way and mess with your mind a bit.
Who in their right mind would play a 20 inch bass drum anyway? Oops, I just realized that I have two 20 inch bass drums. Never mind!

I was told a few weeks ago by a Sam Ash associate that dw didn't make 16 inch Rims Mounts anymore.
Here is the whole story. http://www.drummerworld.com/forums/showthread.php?t=85177
 
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caddywumpus said:
The correct response is more along the lines of, "No, sir, we don't currently have what you're looking for in stock, but we can special order it for you..." Or, "Let me check the (next nearest location) Guitar Center and see if they have what you're looking for. If they do, we can have them hold it for you, or if you're not in a hurry, we can have it sent over here for you to pick up."

...
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+1

I don't really "hang out" at Guitar Center. I try to get in and out if I have to go, so I really don't have much experience personally with the kids that bang forever on the kits, but it seems to me that's more the fault of the store for allowing it to happen than the kids for banging endlessly for hours.

Seems easy enough that after about 10 minutes, you just go stand by the kid and start asking him a bunch of questions. "So, whadya think?' "Nice eh?" "Which one you like better?" "Yeah me too." "Should I start writing up the paperwork on it?" "You want me to include the pedal and that throne?" "Do you have a Guitar Center charge card?" "No?" "Do you want to sign up for one?" "C'mon, let's go over over to the counter?" "Oh, your not interested in buying this kit today?" "Have you seen the awesome new Mapex wrap designs" "No?" "Dude, come check these out", and turn off the e-kit.
 
...

in the DC area there's a GC and the Washington Music Center.

Its black and white. The Music Center is everything the GC isnt. Smart knowledgeable guys, catering to a serious buyer, lots of choices, be it a hobbyist or a pro, keen on making a sale.

I guess their marketing strategy isnt aimed at rich wannabe-a- rockstar kids. No wonder they dont do as well.

GC is part of the same conspiracy that designed grunge music to exploit the millions of kids that couldnt play guitar and couldnt sing- but thought they could, and made a music business out of the phenomenon. Ha!

...
 
Fuo said:
I understand the high turnover... If I had to work there for any amount of time I'd go insane listening to the kids beat/show-off on ekits all day.
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You nailed that right on the head. You'd think the people they hire responsible for selling drum kits for upwards of $1,000 and over would have a clue.
 
Do other guitar centers plug the Ekits into speakers or something?

Haven't they heard of headphones? The GC near me uses them.
 
All the knowledgeable people end up at real drum shops. Two that I know personally are now working at a Five Star shop.

Dennis
 
I had a situation at the GC drum dept. in my area where the salesman was giving me some odd answers to questions....so I asked him if he even plays....he proceeded to tell me he plays some piano and that he got the job because of his experience working at Macys.....

so dont go into these stores expecting anything

the Sam Ash drum dept. in my area at least has drummers working it.....but isnt all that much better to be honest

I try to keep most of my major business between Jacks formerly in Boston....(now in Cape Cod I believe) .... and Pro. Drum in LA .......Stan and Jerry are second to NONE....

but I do still shop at these super stores of course for heads and sticks and whatnot........never for drums or cymbals
 
Well, the GC here in Kalamazoo has headphones for their e-kits, so there's now problem there. I've been going to this store off and on for a year or so and it's the same guys behind the counter. The only problem I've found is they actually try to see me some of the cheaper stuff. I was in there one day looking to buy one of those cymbal clamps, and the guy handed me a cheap SP clamp for like, $20.00 and I had to ask the guy for something better, like a Tama clamp. He's said yeah, handed me the clamp, and all I could think was why he didn't try to sell me the more expensive piece of hardware? But it seems that most of the douchebags that go to my GC play guitar...
 
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