Guitar Center — Attraction in Houston

Wow! Where do I begin? My son was accused of placing bongo drums on top of their Display Kit that they have out for drummers 2 play on for what reason I have no idea. That's not to say I didn't jump on them and play them until I realized all the parts were falling off the drum set. When I spoke 2 Hakeem one of the best salesmen I've ever met and most understanding, he made me realize that one of their head honchos was there that day and he was responsible to ensure that all the display items are in their proper place. I explain it to my son and we both laughed about the whole thing because it struck us both that this guy really cares enough about his customers to ensure that they have the most Pleasant visual experience when they come to his store, he'll even get out there with a customer to ensure Justice is served. Wow, what a guy, huh? Also, I asked Hakim if he could take some time to put all the parts back on the drum set they have on display. He said they really don't have time for all that. So, I volunteered to come in on my days off and fix them up and maybe give a few drum lessons for free. I was really just joking with him but he took me very seriously and told me I need to talk to the manager about that. Hakeem, if you're reading this, I hope you get a good laugh out of it. It's not that serious bro! I checked the board in the back near the bathrooms a strange place to have a community board I suppose. Seems it would be better serving the community if it were right up front instead of all the notices about weapons not being allowed on the premises and all that unimportant stuff. I don't know too many musicians that carry weapons. We're all pretty much a friendly bunch of folks. Anyway I think these guys practice Voodoo there because I spent probably $80 in that store but I had no business spending albeit it on stuff that I definitely needed for the next 3 years. About 40 drum sticks, a drum key the kind that's really fast and shaped like two L's stuck together for high-speed cranking and putting new heads on. I bought a Remo practice pad which I thought looked pretty durable. And, it probably is. I was used to them being made out of metal instead of plastic so I was a little disappointed when I took it out of the package and discovered what was I hope high-impact plastic. I bought a rattler. You can make one of these by taking a peanut butter jar and sticking beans in them and painting it black and then putting tape all around it and it'll be essentially the same thing it just won't look pretty but the camera probably won't pick it up anyway cuz it's so small and you're behind all those drums and cymbals. They have this weird item that goes in the back of your shoe that looks like a shoe horn and has a rattler attached to it so you can I don't even know what it's called and shake it while you're bouncing your knee back and forth keeping the beat with your guitar or pounding your poor heel bone hopefully into the back of your gel-support-insole-equipped tennis shoe before full impact with the floor. What I was drooling over the most were the inexpensive name brand gently used drum kits especially the ones with the super high-quality heads on them, which I realized later was a trap. Where they get you is the cymbals and I was so enamored by the drums I forgot to check the prices of the cymbals. My thoughts were the whole time though looking at all the prices, man oh, this is very reasonable. While everything else is getting more expensive, it appears acoustic drums prices are going down. That is, except for the really well-known premium drum makers. Marketing musical instruments is probably a fascinating study. I decided I'm just going to get electronic drum kit. They have so many different sounds in them. But before I do that I'm just going to buy one of those OCTA pads because they're packed with neat stuff and all kinds of different sounds and they got great response sticking wise. The sound systems they have here are incredible I stayed in the store for about 2 hours looking at all the weird...

I don't normally write reviews, and I usually dismiss one-star non-reviews as "waaah I didn't get what I demanded so I'm gonna show you, I'm gonna post a bad review!"... but in all seriousness, it has taken me 2 years to get to the point where I can even think about what they did to me at the Heights Guitar Center.

In January 2017 I brought a couple of my guitars in for routine stuff, no problem there, but I also (made the mistake of bringing in) my 1964 Gibson Firebird VII for a check on the electronics & frets. This guitar has been in the family since I was in diapers (I am almost 55) and my dad gave it to me when I turned 18. I heard nothing for a few weeks and finally in March 2017 or so I got back in touch with them, and the tech asks me what I want to do with the guitar, they didn't want to touch it because of the cracks on the neck. I was like, WHAT CRACKS?? I collected the guitar at the Westheimer store, where they had sent it for that tech to look at. Without checking with me, they threw my guitar case in a UPS box without securing the neck & gave it to a driver, during which time (and I have confirmed this this week with an independent luthier), the banging around not only undid the previous (and very successful) repair I had done in 1983 (by a real luthier), but also further cracked the finish, leaving the headstock loose & moving back & forth.

I know for a fact (as do people working there) that the guitar was fine and intact when I brought it in, as one of the salesmen played it. When I returned to the Heights store, the manager Troy (whom I see is referenced in another review) did everything he could to 'retail'-splain to me why the damage was my fault and that it was like that when I brought it in. How unbelievably maddening, not only did these inept people (re-)break my guitar, but this s.o.b. Troy lied to my face & implied I was a liar at the same time. The most unprofessional person I have ever encountered in retail. He lied his way out of responsibility for the damage, even though they 100% caused it. This is a GIBSON FIREBIRD, not some dinky Squier needing a refret or something, the way they treated my guitar was obscene; and the way Troy treated me was the ultimate in snide disrespect.

There is nothing that customer service can do to assuage my anger at this situation, it's been everything I can do to not take them to court for these damages. I will stick to small music stores from now on, and suggest that others do the same - from the CEO's quotes on employees and compensation, down to this moron Troy, it's evident Guitar Center is all about the profits and not at all...

Too Much Help I walked in to the acoustic room looking for 000 28 or a 0000 36 M-36 I had the room for about 5 min and was able to check out a skinny Taylor and a couple of Gibson Then enters a kid who asked if I knew what I was looking for, I told him + used and he did not know what a 28 was so he goes for help and I go back to contemplating the Gibson’s . Reenters the kid who informs me he can ship in a used 28..... At which Point I had to explain that the wand chooses the wizard and I was not interested in purchasing any guitar that I had not held in my hand first. He countered with a 30 day return policy as they’ve all done to which I respond, I’m not interested in making a purchase of the level that I’m speaking and having hassles, I want to know that I like my purchase before I walk out the door. The kid exits again and I go back to being drawn to the Gibson’s. There was a J19 and a songwriter I was being drawn too. The kid reenters with a more senior sales with him. And we go through the whole shebang again. I explained to them I needed a little time to think a hold to feel. This concept seemed to go right over their heads they continue trying to engage in idle small talk. And would not let me breathe. It was as if they were watchdogs? Whenever I go to check out guitars I make sure I have no buttons, buckles or sharp objects in my pockets. I was dressed well It was as if they were determined to talk me in to the guitars had in mind and we’re trying to pull me out of the acoustic room and show me lesser guitars. Please don’t get me wrong and I am not against help but you can’t give what you ain’t got. I have not experienced this in any of the other stores of this chain. I do believe somebody in management needs to explain to sales when someone is contemplating the purchase of a guitar in the price range 2K and up the buyer and the guitar need a little time to bond.

I finally got fed up and left. I was literally chased out of the ...