The Demokratik Republik of Kalifornia

Do you ever get the feeling that something is wrong?

Guitar Center Sucks

We all know it… Guitar Center Sucks… GC is like the Wallmart of the music world… Corporate Amreika BS and all but this particular bit of BS really bent me out of shape.

Guitar (Totally Sucks) Center

So here is my story: I was in the market for a 12 string acoustic… Basically so I could make dying cat sounds with a little harmony added in. After scouring FleaBay and Craigslist I tripped into GuitarCenter.com and started perusing their used equipment deals and I’ll be damned if I didn’t find what I was looking for… Not once but twice.

Ordering online from GC is a pain in the A$$

USED FENDER CD100-12GUARANTEED LOWEST PRICE Now: $179.99

and I said alright!

So 20 or 30 minutes later after filling out the asinine online forms and poking in my credit card number… TaDa! it was on it’s way to me… Or so I thought.

 

12 String Guitar
Guitar Center Corporate BS and All… It was a deal

 

Then the next day I got this Email: 

 

 

Dear Village Idiot,

Per your request, your order  has been cancelled. Please call us at 866-498-7882 if you have any questions or want to place a new order.

Sincerely,
Guitar Center Customer Service

 

So I replied: “Huh Wut?” And got this:

 

Dear Guitar Center Customer,

Your recent email to us arrived at an unstaffed, automated email address. We’re sending you this response because your questions and comments are important to us, and we want to address your concerns.
For personal service, call our toll-free customer service number 866-498-7882
If you prefer online support, visit Guitar Center customer service online at
http://www.guitarcenter.com/GC—Contact-Us-Landing-g10075t0.gc
We’ll get back to you promptly with answers to your questions.
You’ll also find answers to commonly asked questions at:
http://guitarcenter.custhelp.com/cgi-bin/guitarcenter.cfg/php/enduser/std_alp.php

Thank you for giving Guitar Center this opportunity to meet your musical gear needs.

Okay… I checked the FAQs page… Alright I missed on that one, lets try again…

So I found this Ovation pulled the trigger… Email the next day ORDER CANCELLED… DICKHEADS!!!!!!!

 

Finally after calling Guitar Center’s Customer Service Line on the verge of a rant  it was explained to me that my guitar was sold before the order went through… Okay fine I can dig that… It was also explained that I could call the store of origin to check on the availability before my next attempt… Okay Fine I can dig that.

 

I searched some more…

 

12 String Guitar
Found my Damn 12 String Guitar woot, Woot, WOOT

 

Woot Woot!!! USED FENDER DG-16 12 STRING NATURAL TOP  GUARANTEED LOWEST PRICE Now: $149.99

Instead of jumping the gun I carefully copied down the item number and called customer service and received the number of the store where my guitar was located. I got the guitar department after listening to some distorted shredder music on hold for a good 5 min… Talked to two guys before I found one to go grab the guitar I was after and look at it for me. Very cool the guy said…  Good action, no buckle rash and he played a few licks on it… Heck even over the phone I could hear it was in tune so I told him…

I’m pulling the trigger on it now hold it there for me. “Sure thing dude”

So Again… 20 or 30 minutes later after filling out the asinine online forms and poking in my credit card number… TaDa! it was on it’s way to me… Or so I thought… I’m an idiot.

Email the next day Again:

 

Dear Village Idiot,

Per your request, Order # ********* has been cancelled. Please call us at 866-498-7882 if you have any questions or want to place a new order.

Sincerely,

Guitar Center Customer Service

Followed by:

I am very sorry to inform you that the Fender 12 string you ordered was sold yesterday. There is a very small window where someone can order a guitar from the online facility that has already been sold in the store, unfortunately this is what occurred.
Again, we are sorry for the inconvenience and thank you for your patronage.
I will be canceling this order after sending this mail.
Good luck on your search for a new guitar. Feel free to let me know if there is anything I can do to help.

Cheers,

Brandon Tuber
Store Manager
Guitar Center Austin
(512) 419-1717

 

Son – of – a – bitch

Epilogue:

I hear so much bad stuff about GC day in and day out you’d think I wouldn’t even get mixed up with them… But here I am and I’m ranting (well that’s nothing new)… A sub $200 12 string was a very attractive item but after spending the better part of six days getting bounced around I am now willing to pay for some service… I don’t mean sickly sweet apologies and yet another coupon stuffed in my inbox… I mean someone that gives a damn about the person on the other end of the transaction for more than just their $$.

Massive Corporate Big Box Amerika… You can stuff it up yer a$$.

 

7 thoughts on “Guitar Center Sucks”

  1. Greetings,
    I work for Guitar Center and I’m surprised to read about your experience with buying used. I’m very sorry for the inconvenience we have caused you. I would appreciate a chance to look further into your situation to see what can be done to avoid this issue. Will you please email me your order details to yourvoice@guitarcenter.com? Thanks for your time and I hope to hear from you soon.

    Thanks,
    Skaught

  2. I got my VOX AD120 VTH amp head used from a GC in California and they were actually quite cool to work with. The only oddity was that I had to send them a check that had to clear before they could ship the head. For some reason they could not process the order with a credit card (???). Otherwise I was quite happy with the deal and the head came in well packed and in great shape. I’ve had my share of GC headaches but that transaction was positive.

  3. On the whole I agree with your assessment of GC’s suckyness but some of the stores are OK. Really depends on the management and the people that work in the store.

  4. I’m ashamed to say that I USED TO work for Guitar Center and I’m NOT THE LEAST BIT surprised that this happened. We did it ALL THE FREAKING TIME!! It’s why GC isn’t on eBay anymore. eBay has pretty strict ethical rules, unlike Guitar Center, and does not allow an item to be for sale on a showroom floor while simultaneously being offered for sale online.

    A sales clerk doesn’t make a commission when an item sells online. So why would the guy who talked to you on the phone and had the guitar in hand NOT sell it to the next guy that came in and not only make a cut of the sale, but avoid having to box and ship it. Cash in hand, guitar out the door, smoke break.

    Trust me, this was a daily ritual. I’m so very glad to no longer be a part of it. Google “Guitar Center class action” and you’ll see the place in a whole new light per public court records.

  5. Wow, I’m surprised that the guy you talked to on the phone didn’t take your credit card number and sell it to you right then and there. They completely have the ability to do that.

  6. Yeah knowing what I know now I guess that would have been the way to go. I was just thinking that “Sure thing dude” was a Yes I understand you are pulling the trigger on it now and I will hold it here for you…

    Live and learn.

  7. I hear ya brother. I will never ever do business with Musicians Friend or Guitar Center again, ever.

    They screwed me on a limited edition release guitar. I preordered everything was going great, 2 months in I get a cancellation e-mail as you did.

    I called only to get some pimplie faced teenager working in a basement someplace up north. He cannot help, the call center manager cant help, in other words, no one can help me. After days and days of trying to reach someone with a little pull, I gave up and re-ordered the guitar.

    Guess what, since it was a limited production, I missed out. ***kers.

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