Guitar Center Mandolin Experiences

[DataNick]

DISCLAIMER If you have a family member or loved one that works at Guitar Center, this post is not a personal attack on my part against you or them! If you own stock in Guitar Center's corporation, I doubt the post on this web site will affect their bottom line. If the subject of "Guitar Center" is too sensitive for you to bear, it might be better to avoid reading further. This post is an observation on experiences at a local GC (Guitar Center) and nothing more; seeing as I have purchased a lot of merchandise there over the years, and continue to do so, I harbor no ill will against GC...so please, let's not get all in a lather over GC, if Aunt Matilda works there, I'm not attacking her!

I stop off at my local GC at least 1x/month on a Friday on my way home during my 50 mile commute...I check out their mando selection, bring in my tuner and a pick, then proceed to tune and play what's out in stock. Currently there are a few Gretch mandos, an F Alvarez model, an Epiphone A, a Washburn F model that lists for $749, and a Kentucky km250. I'm not going to review each mando, but suffice it to say that of all these low-end asian manuf. types that the Washburn was pretty good tone-wise, neck-feel, construction quality(distressed model at that!), etc; all could have benefitted from a real good basic set-up, but the winner hands down of being ready to play with good/decent tone, etc. was....you guessed it, the Kentucky km250, priced at $419.

I'm curious as to your own local GC experiences re: mandos...what kind of stock, any deals in the past, etc. It's interesting to me that at least at this local store, they've only been carrying Kentuckys for about 6 months or so, and of course they don't get much traffic re: mandos, I get the "you're the only dude pretty much who comes in here and looks at our mandolins" comment...anyhoo would be interested to hear your GC mando tales.

[Pete Summers]

Well, they ain't called Guitar Center for nothing.

The one nearest me is a 25 mile round trip, so I only go there if I need strings or picks, or something I don't want to wait for. Last time I was there they had (I think) an Epiphone A model and a Mitchell A (and something else in a similar vein, I forgot what it was). But all were unplayable as they were horrendously out of tune, and bridges out of place. Obviously just stuck on the wall right out of the box.

But then again, the people were friendly and they would probably have let me tune one and try it out, if I desired. I didn't.

If I played guitar, I would have no hesitation trying out the ample stock at GC, but mandolins are just a novelty to them. Fair enough. It's a guitar store.

[shortymack]

My nearest GC mando tale usually goes like this......3 to choose from, usually either a gretch, low end kentucky and another either washburn, alvarez and one time there was a lm220. I pick up the best one there and play some on an instrument badly needing a set up especially bridge placement. Usually stay in first position due to this. Everytime I get some interaction whether an employee or acoustic guy walks in circles and smiles..." how long you been playing?"..."started last July"....."really? wow!"...."Ive always wanted to play one of those", or.."its nice to see someone who actually knows how to play those things". 15 minutes later, I rack it and walk out thinking "boy, I wish I lived near the Mandolin store".

[DataNick]

Well, they ain't called Guitar Center for nothing.

The one nearest me is a 25 mile round trip, so I only go there if I need strings or picks, or something I don't want to wait for. Last time I was there they had (I think) an Epiphone A model and a Mitchell A (and something else in a similar vein, I forgot what it was). But all were unplayable as the they were horrendously out of tune, and bridges out of place. Obviously just stuck on the wall right out of the box.

But then again, the people were friendly and they would probably have let me tune one and try it out, if I desired. I didn't.

If I played guitar, I would have no hesitation trying out the ample stock at GC, but mandolins are just a novelty to them. Fair enough. It's a guitar store.

Yup!

And BTW, the staff guys at my store are very customer friendly, they do a good job!

[DataNick]

My nearest GC mando tale usually goes like this......3 to choose from, usually either a gretch, low end kentucky and another either washburn, alvarez and one time there was a lm220. I pick up the best one there and play some on an instrument badly needing a set up especially bride placement. Usually stay in first position due to this. Everytime I get some interaction whether an employee or acoustic guy walks in circles and smiles..." how long you been playing?"..."started last July"....."really? wow!"...."Ive always wanted to play one of those", or.."its nice to see someone who actually knows how to play those things". 15 minutes later, I rack it and walk out thinking "boy, I wish I lived near the Mandolin store".

I hear ya! And I want to re-iterate, they are nice folks and have done me some good deals over the years on Guitars.
Yeah Shorty, you wanna feel like a mando celeb, just pop in to the local GC and play awhile...LOL

[DataNick]

Another thing to observe is, consider how popular acoustic music (and bluegrass in particular) has become!
My GC has a whole section of inventory, titled "Bluegrass Instruments"...besides all the mandos, 3 Deering Goodtime banjos, ukes up the yin/yang (did I get that right?)...I don't remember anything like that years ago...

[mandroid]

I looked a week or so Ago...

If anything Decent and Used it will be on their website... then tell you which branch store it's at.

[jmalmsteen]

I have had excellent experiences buying used at Guitar Center. I bought my F5G from Nashville, had it sent to NY and I just bought a Stelling Golden Cross banjo from FL. You have thirty days to check out the stuff, unless its vintage.

[DataNick]

I have had excellent experiences buying used at Guitar Center. I bought my F5G from Nashville, had it sent to NY and I just bought a Stelling Golden Cross banjo from FL. You have thirty days to check out the stuff, unless its vintage.

Nice!

I'm waiting for the day when my local store(SoCal) gets a Gibson F9 "by mistake"...that way I could purchase it on lay-away..LOL
though their policy is 30 days, I've been told by the local staff that as long as you come in and put $ in the kitty regularily, they'll hold it for ya!...

[JEStanek]

WE have a chain, George's Music around here. Similar experience. Not much to speak of mandolin or banjo wise. Less expensive $100-400 import stuff, the tops were pressed (solid and laminate ones). The staff was very friendly and encouraging... I was there mostly to let my daughter goof on some electric guitars (through headphones!). There were many more Ukes than mandolins and banjos combined but I expected that.

Frankly, that's been my experience with GC and George's Music. There are a lot more guitar players out there.

Jamie

[P.D. Kirby]

The GC and big chain stores of the like have a target demographic of 15 to 25 year old Electric Guitar Shredders and apparently they make good enough money off them to turn a tidy profit. They don't need highly trained musicians or setup techs so they can keep a low overhead by hiring the people that can't get a job at McDonalds because most of them play in local rock bands and cant get up before noon. We have a GC and a Sam Ash local to us and I don't bother to go to either one anymore. Thankfully I live in the middle of Bluegrass country so there are plenty of small music stores that cater to the acoustic crowd plus we have people like Geoff Stelling and John Hamlett if you want a top shelf instrument. I feel your pain if all you have are Big Box Stores. I lived in NYC for 27 years and most music stores up there couldn't spell Mandolin...

[gauze]

the CG I go to most often has exactly 1 mandolin a $150 black Ibanez. I assume it's never been touched.

[JEStanek]

They don't need highly trained musicians or setup techs so they can keep a low overhead by hiring the people that can't get a job at McDonalds because most of them play in local rock bands and cant get up before noon.

That's a bit unfair, and inaccurate in my experience. I'll agree it's more geared towards starters and hobby guitar players, certainly a younger demographic. My interactions with the sales staff has been pleasant and they could answer questions. I'll agree they don't know much about mandolins or banjos but I don't expect the folks at American Eagle or Gap to know the differences between linen, cotton, and a cotton blend or how to repair a split pants seam either. Large chain music stores are like large chain anything stores. They are staffed to do retail.

Jamie

[Mike Bunting]

I imagine that shopping at Guitar centre is like shopping at Walmart.

[Caleb]

I bought my first guitar (electric) at my local GC (Arlington, TX). I go in there from time to time, mainly when I gift a gift card for Xmas or just need a set of strings in a bind. They have a pretty nice acoustic room with lots of nice guitars. There are usually several Michael Kelly mandos and a few Epiphones. I used to see a few Breedloves but haven't in a while.

The place gets a bad rap, and it's an easy target to make fun of just because it's big and popular (like Walmart, modern Country Music, etc.). GC does what it does and I'm ok with that. When I was one of those "young shredders" it was a wonderful and almost magical place to hang out. I don't want to turn into a cynical old fart just because I've "moved on."

[Jeff Budz]

A few months ago I came across a 1923 A1 Gibson at GC in Warwick RI. I was surprised to see it hanging there for a decent price, I asked to check it out, the kid was friendly and helpful, telling me it was recently traded and checked out by the vintage dept in Cali. Sounded and played great, good price, it's mine now, couldn't be happier.

[clobflute]

The guitar centres I've gone to usually have 1-2 low end mandolins. Most diversify and even have flutes and djembi drums or the odd saxophone and clarinet.

I don't have the nerve to ask to demo the mandolins - they look pristine but are mostly mass produced gear. My own mandolin came from a guitar centre and the guys didn't know anything about mandolins but were very helpful as a non-specialist guitar centre can be. They left the decision to me and let me play with it as long as I liked hoping I made the right decision

[fiddler37]

I ordered a Flatiron Festival F5 type mandolin about 18 months ago. There were many things that it needed for a proper set up. I did not want to do it or pay to have it done, so I took it back to a GC store and received a full credit card refund with no questions asked. It probably would have been a decent import type mandolin with a proper set up. The single most irritating thing was the nut which was at least twice as high as it should have been.

[sgarrity]

Support your local independent music store!

[JeffD]

I think there are likely to be differences between Guitar Centers, depending on the size, age, and tastes of the local market. It is pointless to go to our local GC for anything mandolin. They may have a Fender on the wall amidst all the ukuleles. And only one type of mandolin strings, (luckily its the one I buy).

But for other things, like PAs, microphones, earphones, digital recorders, they seem pretty knowledgeable. (Or is it like those huge maps which appear absolutely accurate except around home, the only place you know the terrain well.)

[greg_tsam]

[QUOTE=DataNick;1160035...I get the "you're the only dude pretty much who comes in here and looks at our mandolins" comment...[/QUOTE]

My nearest GC mando tale usually goes like this......3 to choose from, usually either a gretch, low end kentucky and another either washburn, alvarez and one time there was a lm220. I pick up the best one there and play some on an instrument badly needing a set up especially bridge placement. Usually stay in first position due to this. Everytime I get some interaction whether an employee or acoustic guy walks in circles and smiles......."Ive always wanted to play one of those", or.."its nice to see someone who actually knows how to play those things"...

This was my visit last month almost verbatim. I avoid GC like the plague but I had some time to kill during lunch and figured the rock god teenagers playing million dollar licks x100 would not be there at noon on a school day.

[Austin Bob]

There's one in Austin that has a very nice acoustic room, and the guy that runs it is knowledgeable and friendly. Still, their mandolin section is very sparse, and they keep them high up so you have to get a ladder to pull one down.

The did have a Breedlove that looked pretty nice a while back, but mostly lower end stuff.

BTW, they have a string club right now that's a fairly good deal. You pay $20 to buy a card, then once a month you get $5 off a set of strings of your choice. So you'll end up saving $40 over the year.

[Josh Levine]

I had a very positive experience with GC's used inventory online. I ordered a Gibson A9, that was appropriately cheap. Played it for a week or two, took it to my luthier, decided to return it, cost me like $14 in shipping cost to test drive. Then a Gibson f9 popped up online for $1500. I called the store and talked it over, ordered it, and never returned it. It is a great mandolin and is in good shape. Great experience, would do again (if I didn't have a keeper).

[DataNick]

...Thankfully I live in the middle of Bluegrass country so there are plenty of small music stores that cater to the acoustic crowd plus we have people like Geoff Stelling and John Hamlett if you want a top shelf instrument. I feel your pain if all you have are Big Box Stores. I lived in NYC for 27 years and most music stores up there couldn't spell Mandolin...

Nice perspective! We do have a couple of good acoustic/bluegrass type instrument stores; I just like to stop off there at GC and get off the parking lot (freeway Friday eve commute) and check out what they've got. I've also heard that once in a while you can find a decent deal there...I picked up a used Deering Goodtime banjo there once(had a resonator) for $200...the same store had a used Breedlove mando about a month ago that was very nice too!

[DataNick]

I imagine that shopping at Guitar centre is like shopping at Walmart.

Yes, however I must also point out that here in SoCal there are invariably HOT chicks roaming around, and the mando you're test driving (if it's playable) becomes that "chick magnet"...just last nite I'm going "Hendrix mando" on this Kentucky and this HOT red-head about half my age walks up to me with a big smile and tells me how great my playing sounds...these type of experiences are part of the GC ambiance, and one reason I make it point to go in from time to time...LOL