At Guitar Center. No budget limit. Closed my eyes. All guitars sucked. Anyone else?

[State of Epicicity]

I lived in Denver for several years, and I really hated all three metro area Guitar Center locations. The one on Colorado Blvd had so many guitars on unplayable condition, and they would just stay that way, like a guitar with a floating Floyd but a broken string. Or a guitar with an action so low it fretted out entirely for a quarter of the fretboard.

I went to one of the suburban locations where they had two Strandbergs in stock. Turns out an employee was selling both, and he was the biggest jackass. As in trying out his guitar to see if I want to buy it, he starts blasting Symphony X parts on a ukulele to show off. Now, I love shredding, but I couldn't focus on the tone of the guitar because the dude was trying to hard to show off. The dude playing country licks a few feet away looked over at me and we both started cracking up.

I have so many stories like that. But that chain killed so many mom and pop interesting shops there weren't a ton of other options. Drum City Guitar Land had an incredible stock, but the tech there screwed me over so badly with terrible work, and the owner was such an asshole, I didn't even want to go in to look at what they had.

I'm glad to live now where I can drive to some interesting shops within a few hours.

 

[spawnofthesith]

I lived in Denver for several years, and I really hated all three metro area Guitar Center locations. The one on Colorado Blvd had so many guitars on unplayable condition, and they would just stay that way, like a guitar with a floating Floyd but a broken string. Or a guitar with an action so low it fretted out entirely for a quarter of the fretboard.

I went to one of the suburban locations where they had two Strandbergs in stock. Turns out an employee was selling both, and he was the biggest jackass. As in trying out his guitar to see if I want to buy it, he starts blasting Symphony X parts on a ukulele to show off. Now, I love shredding, but I couldn't focus on the tone of the guitar because the dude was trying to hard to show off. The dude playing country licks a few feet away looked over at me and we both started cracking up.

I have so many stories like that. But that chain killed so many mom and pop interesting shops there weren't a ton of other options. Drum City Guitar Land had an incredible stock, but the tech there screwed me over so badly with terrible work, and the owner was such an asshole, I didn't even want to go in to look at what they had.

I'm glad to live now where I can drive to some interesting shops within a few hours.

I've always like Drum City Guitar Land, bummer about the tech. And the owner is... interesting lol

Wildwood Guitars is peak for me in the area... I kind of wish they were still in the downtown Lousiville building though. Just sad to see that empty building there with the sign still. But at least the new location is back to having in store shopping by appointment... for a while there post covid couldn't go in at all. Absolutely incredible selection of seriously nice stuff though, amazing chill staff and as far as setups go they are pretty top notch.

I haven't been in National Speaker and Sound in a while but at least a while back they had a cool amp selection

Flipside music is pretty cool as well

 

[mbenigni]

Last guitar I bought at a GC was a used Jem Jr. $375, and I doubt there was another guitar in the store, at any price, that I'd enjoy playing more.

 

[LeftyLoungeLizard]

Try a Charvel.

 

[EOengineer]

There’s no consistency. I walked into a couple GCs in the NOVA/DC/MD in 2021 trying to find a LP and half the guitars I pulled off the rack had major binding cracks, broken tuning keys, etc. I tried a dozen guitars and left empty handed.

That said, I’ve bought 2 Gibsons NOT from GC and I’ll be damned if both of them aren’t insanely good pulls.

I think the path forward will be owned by the manufacturer that ships the guitar with good/consistent setups and fretwork. I’ve been very impressed in the consistency of recent Gibsons I’ve played.

 

[0XI0]

budget guitars today have really good pickups and electronics but shit wood joinery and cheap poorly cut nuts. used to be budget guitars had shit wood joinery and shit pickups and all of the above. u can't get around bad wood and glue but a well cut nut on a modern epiphone makes a really really good guitar

 

[State of Epicicity]

I've always like Drum City Guitar Land, bummer about the tech. And the owner is... interesting lol

Wildwood Guitars is peak for me in the area... I kind of wish they were still in the downtown Lousiville building though. Just sad to see that empty building there with the sign still. But at least the new location is back to having in store shopping by appointment... for a while there post covid couldn't go in at all. Absolutely incredible selection of seriously nice stuff though, amazing chill staff and as far as setups go they are pretty top notch.

I haven't been in National Speaker and Sound in a while but at least a while back they had a cool amp selection

Flipside music is pretty cool as well

Oh Man, I forgot to mention Flipside; we lived like ten minutes from them, and I think they're a great store. Cool staff, cool gear. Just cool all the way around.

 

[norminal]

While on the topic of Guitar Center, this episode of The Chasing Tone Podcast is a must-listen:

 

[metropolis_4]

I lived in Denver for several years, and I really hated all three metro area Guitar Center locations. The one on Colorado Blvd had so many guitars on unplayable condition, and they would just stay that way, like a guitar with a floating Floyd but a broken string. Or a guitar with an action so low it fretted out entirely for a quarter of the fretboard.

I went to one of the suburban locations where they had two Strandbergs in stock. Turns out an employee was selling both, and he was the biggest jackass. As in trying out his guitar to see if I want to buy it, he starts blasting Symphony X parts on a ukulele to show off. Now, I love shredding, but I couldn't focus on the tone of the guitar because the dude was trying to hard to show off. The dude playing country licks a few feet away looked over at me and we both started cracking up.

I have so many stories like that. But that chain killed so many mom and pop interesting shops there weren't a ton of other options. Drum City Guitar Land had an incredible stock, but the tech there screwed me over so badly with terrible work, and the owner was such an asshole, I didn't even want to go in to look at what they had.

I'm glad to live now where I can drive to some interesting shops within a few hours.

I've always like Drum City Guitar Land, bummer about the tech. And the owner is... interesting lol

Wildwood Guitars is peak for me in the area... I kind of wish they were still in the downtown Lousiville building though. Just sad to see that empty building there with the sign still. But at least the new location is back to having in store shopping by appointment... for a while there post covid couldn't go in at all. Absolutely incredible selection of seriously nice stuff though, amazing chill staff and as far as setups go they are pretty top notch.

I haven't been in National Speaker and Sound in a while but at least a while back they had a cool amp selection

Flipside music is pretty cool as well

Do you guys remember Guitar X over by National Speaker and Sound?

That was a great shop!

Drum City Guitar Land was where I bought my black Strat because the ‘80s metal guy working there told me it was what real rockers played and the Tele I wanted was just for country

Over in Aurora we had this shop on Parker Rd we just called “The Crazy Lady Store” because the lady who owned it was crazy

 

[norminal]

I lived in Denver for several years, and I really hated all three metro area Guitar Center locations.

I didn’t mind the one in Englewood, but only because the people at that location were cool to deal with.

I didn’t make it to the city that often so most of my purchases were online during those days.

 

[Axe]

I have one within 7 miles from me in Sarasota. I can't remember the last time I was in there. I liked the Sam Ash better and it's now gone

 

[State of Epicicity]

We lived right in the Baker / South Broadway neighborhood. I wish we had lived in the suburbs. We used to live in Golden, when it was affordable. People were much kinder there.

 

[Jynx]

Try a Schecter next time.

 

[Eagle]

budget guitars today have really good pickups and electronics but shit wood joinery and cheap poorly cut nuts. used to be budget guitars had shit wood joinery and shit pickups and all of the above. u can't get around bad wood and glue but a well cut nut on a modern epiphone makes a really really good guitar

Not true.
Electrics and hardware are mostly garbage in the budget end. It often looks good because it is a visual copy of something decent but made in low quality soft metal. Badly cut nut and over bevelled frets are also common. The wood is usually bad too BUT the fit, finish and woodwork is usually pretty good. CNC has fixed most of the issues in these areas. Oh I appear to have described a Duesenberg.

 

[Eagle]

Most people seem to think that the guitars they see in shops with set up and other minor qc problems left the factory this way but they didn’t. They have been shipped half way around the world on the cheapest possible slow boat and subjected to the climate in containers for months. Fret sprout and truss rod adjustment are likely. The setup WILL be out straight from the box but it was probably 8/10 when it went in to it. Guitars often spend time in warehouses at the distributor and the manufacturer too to add to this.
In order to buy a good budget instrument you need to be able to see past the setup and find something that is fundamentally good in the core materials with no irreversible issues. For example if you passed on an otherwise good instrument because of fret sprout you are shooting yourself in the foot but no fret sprout and too much bevel on the fingerboard edge and you should be handling it back.

 

[Jarick]

Tons of good used guitars coming in as people are selling stuff off. Every time I walk in there’s something tempting on the wall.

I got a PRS McCarty 594 S2 for $1000 last week, excellent condition with a hard shell case. I’d put that against any Gibson under $3k.

 

[Jarick]

I’m lucky to have Willie’s guitars near me which is one of the top shops in the country. They deal mostly in high end used guitars but still a fun shop to visit.

We used to have a fantastic local drum shop too (Ellis) but they went out of business. Now it’s a clothing bazaar which kind of buns me out but it’s a block away from where the tweakers and zombies camp.