Guitar Center nearly $1bil in Debt...

[BScout]

What Bob said.

They were owned by Bain Capital for a while and Bain is in the (only) business of liquidating assets and closing companies down. The fact that they were able to go private again is amazing.

And yes, a few years ago, they re-strategised to reduce sunken capital in inventory by cutting the turnover by 1/2. Which is a major deal. In essence stores need a sell through in 3 months of their inventory vs 6 months. So inevitably that reduces higher-end goods for lower-priced goods that are more appealing to the "man off the street."

And of course their biggest competitor as a B&M is the internet.

As for remodelling -- the big Hollywood store has been remodelling for quite a while and a real focus is the pro audio market (consoles, listening rooms.) The West LA store put in "education" rooms for teaching instruments and are expanding their equipment rental segment. So I don't know about all their stores but it seems they are trying to diversify and encourage more customers to come into the stores. Might be a winning strategy or they may have already passed the point of recovery.

[YYR123]

Seemed on topic

[Bob L]

As to the remodeling situation...

Both of the locations that I used to frequent (Denver and Englewood) have had their second remodels in the last few years. Both have made their interior walls at odd angles, such that almost nothing runs parallel or perpendicular to the entry. It's disorienting to the extreme. That, and the fact that they regularly rearrange the floor space. I'm sure that's for the same reason that all retailers do it, to force traffic around the store.

Over the years, I've spend a few bucks at GC. Not much in the past 8 years. I dislike even going through the doors. I also have bought just about everything I need already; coincidentally, I've been cured of my GAS, so there's that....

And all that said, I had been contemplating whether I wanted to (or even should) go to GC to pick up a couple cables this afternoon. My aversion got the best of me. I didn't go.

[zedhed]

Originally Posted by musicman691

I remember for years with the GC I wrote about - you could go in there on a Saturday or Sunday afternoon and hear a whole bunch of guitarists playing away on various axes.

I don't live in the USA but used to travel to Los Angeles frequently. Of course I'd check out every music shop I could get to. Hearing those 'shredders' all competing with each other making a godawful racket turned me right off going to GC....it was often a truly horrible experience. I found myself seeking out smaller boutique outfits with soundrooms.

As far as the younger generation wanting this or that, trends go round and round. Ultimately there'll always be a place for true talent IMHO.

I believe places like GC have just flooded the market with crap instruments choosing to mainly cater to all the dreamers in the world. Now those dreamers have discovered a new medium.....virtual.

Big music stores will come and go.....all that really matters is the talent, and as such it is they who'll prevail in the end.

[musicman691]

Guitars and keyboards are two instruments I would never buy online no matter the price. I want to be be able to actually play what I'm thinking of buying. There's enough variation in guitars that you just can't say I'll buy this particular Strat model online - I need to get my hands on it & play. No amp, just fretting and picking. If it fits good to me only then do I plug it in.

Same with keyboards. Not all weighted piano action or semi-weighted actions are the same. A couple of months back I tried the top of the line Korg, Roland and Yamaha synths. All weighted piano action. Plenty of double note hits with the Korg & Roland units; the best of the bunch was the Yamaha Montage. Problem with the Montage was a high-pitched whine on the audio output. No Kurzweils; played several some time back and at the time they had the best (for me) keybed action. Remember that I started with accordion and migrated to piano so I have all that muscle memory & technique down pat.

The upshot of this screed is that in the Trenton NJ area there's almost no brick & mortar store that fulfills my needs/wants. I really don't want to have to go to NYC to shop for my music equipment. Philly ain't much better than my local stores either. The local GC used to be THE place to go but no more.

[64GTOBOY]

Originally Posted by musicman691

...The upshot of this screed is that in the Trenton NJ area there's almost no brick & mortar store that fulfills my needs/wants. I really don't want to have to go to NYC to shop for my music equipment. Philly ain't much better than my local stores either. The local GC used to be THE place to go but no more.

This sux

[musicman691]

The local mom & pop (Russo's) completely dropped their keyboards and don't carry full drum kits anymore though they do have a wide selection of snare drums and drum accessories.

In guitars they're the only ones around who carry & stock Gretsches, decent variety of Fender electrics and precious few Gibsons. They do have a good selection of amps on the sales floor but not much actual stock.