I worked at the Nashville GC, when Bain bought them. Before that, it was a great place, with great people, and you could make great money. They had a Saturday meeting, to announce the Bain takeover and I told my buddy next to me that I wouldn't be there in 2 weeks, and I wasn't. They changed the payscale and all the good people left, which is why its like shopping at Best Buy now...
Really enjoy your videos Gary. Cool to hear about the business side of musical instruments (as sad as that is these days) and your knowledge of gear (recently watched the amp series). If I lived anywhere near NH, I would happily spend some money at your store. As it is I will continue to buy gear from the few locally owned shops that still are in business here in Seattle. Thanks for spending the time to make these videos.
Am former outside counsel for Bain (practiced at Ropes & Gray) and want to point out that the PE model is based on leveraging the acquisition of the company with loans that are then assigned to that company. That creates some serious issues for the target company.
The friendly, LOCAL, independent guitar store has always been worth its weight in gold. I’ve been shopping at the same store with the same guy for over 20 years. He knows every guitar I have (12), what I’ve done to them, and what I like. I’ve never traded out of a piece of gear I’ve bought from him ( probably the #1 way guitarists beat themselves up financially). When I get a new piece of gear & want to customize it, he knows what I need to make it do what I want. The few extra bucks he might need from me to come out on a deal vs. what a the Big Box Guitar Store might, comes back to me 100 times over. Parts, strings, picks, straps? Yeah, whatever. Serious purchases? Go to the guy you’ve got the long-term relationship with, not the Box that pays their employees minimum wage + commission, has high staff turnover, and can’t guarantee the person waiting on you knows any more than you do.
The GC in the Lehigh Valley in NE Pennsylvania is pretty small and a little cramped and slightly dingy. I’ve seen much better GC’s in New Jersey and the Harrisburg, plus Bucks County, Pa stores. Was at the one in the middle of north Jersey at Springfield which was very roomy and not bad but went right across the street to a big Sam Ash which was a huge world of difference. GC must give these sales people the same exact same training because a few years ago when I visited different ones the first thing they all said when you walked through the big doors is “DUDE!” like I’m some 15 year old kid who wants to play Van Halen songs on a Saturday afternoon. Our area’s privately owned super-store (Dave Phillips Music & Sound Phillpsburg, NJ) closed after a new owner-a young guy-bought it from the original owner in Phillipsburg, New Jersey. Back in the day it was always exciting to visit it-had tons of stuff in lots of space. Being about 70 + years old he sold it a few years ago-the new guy buying it during the first parts of C o \/ I d. When I saw this guy NOT order and stock lots of new amps and guitars like Marshall, (they did have new Fender’s but not many top of the line Strats and Tele’s), I knew then it wasn’t going to last with all this online ordering people do. Phillips did have a big selection of Earthquaker Devices (carried over from before the store sale to the new owner) for a good boutique pedal although I liked Wampler. So…..December 30th he shut the doors, just couldn’t make it go any longer. Was very sad-this young guy was heartbroken over it. 😢
I hear you but I literally had a great experience at GC a couple hours ago. Traded in two pedals I don't use for a new one - they gave me a great price and I didn't have to spend out of pocket. The store was packed too.
50 years ago, bought both my first guitar (acoustic) and second (electric) from a walk in smallish local music store. That's how it was in the day unless travelling in to the city to a larger store. Today, or rather 6½ years ago when I returned to playing, I visited my smallish regional town LMS and did purchase my initial and then only guitar from them based upon their advice in reciprocal courtesy for that customer service. Since then, 21 guitars and a dozen amps later, every other instrument purchase has been distance-online. I've pretty much hit my personal discipline "NO MORE!" limit, but if there's another, it likely will be too. Reason? Significant price & product range advantage, with no real benefit or advantage to buying locally.
Bruh no online presence, good luck with that. Sweetwater is pretty sweet when it comes to customer service from my experiences. GC though, it’s been a minute for me….like 2009
One of Guitar Centers biggest problems imho is that they don’t pay out worth a crap on used gear, especially on trades. I’ve had stuff where they’ve offered less than 30% of what they sold stuff for. But I’ve also had stuff where they paid more than expected. The problem is there is no consistency and because of them lowballing people who bring in stuff to sell either because they want to or because they don’t have a choice there is little to no incentive to trade up. When I worked at music go round, they did 40-60% of what they could sell something for minus any repairs. If you traded toward other gear it was always close to 60% and if you had a nice name brand piece we would occasionally go higher than that. GC needs to adopt this same thing. They also nickel and dime you to death on stuff. You can buy a guitar but then it costs $75 to have a setup done which is insane
I worked at the Nashville GC, when Bain bought them. Before that, it was a great place, with great people, and you could make great money. They had a Saturday meeting, to announce the Bain takeover and I told my buddy next to me that I wouldn't be there in 2 weeks, and I wasn't. They changed the payscale and all the good people left, which is why its like shopping at Best Buy now...
Your videos are great, super informative. Your knowledge of the business is deep and nuanced.
Really enjoy your videos Gary. Cool to hear about the business side of musical instruments (as sad as that is these days) and your knowledge of gear (recently watched the amp series). If I lived anywhere near NH, I would happily spend some money at your store. As it is I will continue to buy gear from the few locally owned shops that still are in business here in Seattle. Thanks for spending the time to make these videos.
Certainly awaiting part 4!
Am former outside counsel for Bain (practiced at Ropes & Gray) and want to point out that the PE model is based on leveraging the acquisition of the company with loans that are then assigned to that company. That creates some serious issues for the target company.
The friendly, LOCAL, independent guitar store has always been worth its weight in gold. I’ve been shopping at the same store with the same guy for over 20 years. He knows every guitar I have (12), what I’ve done to them, and what I like. I’ve never traded out of a piece of gear I’ve bought from him ( probably the #1 way guitarists beat themselves up financially). When I get a new piece of gear & want to customize it, he knows what I need to make it do what I want.
The few extra bucks he might need from me to come out on a deal vs. what a the Big Box Guitar Store might, comes back to me 100 times over.
Parts, strings, picks, straps? Yeah, whatever. Serious purchases? Go to the guy you’ve got the long-term relationship with, not the Box that pays their employees minimum wage + commission, has high staff turnover, and can’t guarantee the person waiting on you knows any more than you do.
"Good intel" as always. Thanks Mr M
Ive been enjoying your videos, I will have to come stop in sometime the next time I'm in NH.
The GC in the Lehigh Valley in NE Pennsylvania is pretty small and a little cramped and slightly dingy. I’ve seen much better GC’s in New Jersey and the Harrisburg, plus Bucks County, Pa stores. Was at the one in the middle of north Jersey at Springfield which was very roomy and not bad but went right across the street to a big Sam Ash which was a huge world of difference. GC must give these sales people the same exact same training because a few years ago when I visited different ones the first thing they all said when you walked through the big doors is “DUDE!” like I’m some 15 year old kid who wants to play Van Halen songs on a Saturday afternoon.
Our area’s privately owned super-store (Dave Phillips Music & Sound Phillpsburg, NJ) closed after a new owner-a young guy-bought it from the original owner in Phillipsburg, New Jersey. Back in the day it was always exciting to visit it-had tons of stuff in lots of space. Being about 70 + years old he sold it a few years ago-the new guy buying it during the first parts of
C o \/ I d. When I saw this guy NOT order and stock lots of new amps and guitars like Marshall, (they did have new Fender’s but not many top of the line Strats and Tele’s), I knew then it wasn’t going to last with all this online ordering people do. Phillips did have a big selection of Earthquaker Devices (carried over from before the store sale to the new owner) for a good boutique pedal although I liked Wampler. So…..December 30th he shut the doors, just couldn’t make it go any longer. Was very sad-this young guy was heartbroken over it. 😢
Hey Gary! Great information! Like those 40th Anniversary Squires next to you! Take care.
The Squier gits ain't none too shabby neither, Clem! 🙃😇
I SO wish I was near Portsmouth :(
I hear you but I literally had a great experience at GC a couple hours ago. Traded in two pedals I don't use for a new one - they gave me a great price and I didn't have to spend out of pocket. The store was packed too.
50 years ago, bought both my first guitar (acoustic) and second (electric) from a walk in smallish local music store. That's how it was in the day unless travelling in to the city to a larger store. Today, or rather 6½ years ago when I returned to playing, I visited my smallish regional town LMS and did purchase my initial and then only guitar from them based upon their advice in reciprocal courtesy for that customer service. Since then, 21 guitars and a dozen amps later, every other instrument purchase has been distance-online. I've pretty much hit my personal discipline "NO MORE!" limit, but if there's another, it likely will be too. Reason? Significant price & product range advantage, with no real benefit or advantage to buying locally.
Bruh no online presence, good luck with that. Sweetwater is pretty sweet when it comes to customer service from my experiences.
GC though, it’s been a minute for me….like 2009
i plan on opening a guitar store in my small town called ''guitar sinner''.
- 2:26 Oh Mark! Ketchup on a hot dog !? First mustard, then maybe onions or relish if in the mood. But it all starts with mustard 🌭
One of Guitar Centers biggest problems imho is that they don’t pay out worth a crap on used gear, especially on trades. I’ve had stuff where they’ve offered less than 30% of what they sold stuff for. But I’ve also had stuff where they paid more than expected. The problem is there is no consistency and because of them lowballing people who bring in stuff to sell either because they want to or because they don’t have a choice there is little to no incentive to trade up. When I worked at music go round, they did 40-60% of what they could sell something for minus any repairs. If you traded toward other gear it was always close to 60% and if you had a nice name brand piece we would occasionally go higher than that. GC needs to adopt this same thing. They also nickel and dime you to death on stuff. You can buy a guitar but then it costs $75 to have a setup done which is insane
It was my understanding Guitar Center had filed chapter something like last year or maybe the year before?
They had an investor bailout which prevented the bankruptcy... let's see if they get bailed again.
Anyone know what is a hut dug?
He did say it right after a few times. Maybe part of N.H. dialect? Haven’t you had a dirt foundation for a hut dug? 😁
where is your store located what state
Portsmouth, New Hampshire
Thanks 👍
Ketchup and “rolls”? This man must live 2,000 miles from the nearest city that actually sells hotdogs.
What’s the point of this comment?