Guitar Center — Attraction in Nashville-Davidson

I'm normally not one to go out of my way to make time and write a review, but this is definitely an exception... The last few weeks, I'd really had a desire to get another Fender tube amp, having sold my Blues Deville several years ago (I mainly play a Marshall JCM2000). I was looking at the Fender Super Reverb, as I'm a huge Stevie Ray Vaughan fan, and a Fender Vibroverb is absolutely impossible to get my hands on... These last few years I have constantly battled my Marshall, Fender, and Vox amps that have PCB'S... I've had trouble with all three at some point... multiple times... and I'm definitely out on the modelling amp thing... I've played guitar since the Line 6 Pod and Zoom 505 came out. I've never heard one that FELT like the real deal.

Well, I'm doing some searching, find a handful of vintage 1970's Fender Super Reverbs... closest one being in Nashville at GC... 5 hours away from me... BUMMER. No way I can drive 300 miles to try out an amp

That's Friday Night... Well, I wake up Saturday morning to some live Joe Walsh video clips my mom sent me... I'd totally forgotten she had gone to Nashville to see The Eagles perform Friday night... I call her, she's still there, leaving to come back in an hour. I call Guitar Center and talk to Zack (I'm about 92% sure I remember his name... He answered the phone before opening Saturday April 30'th). I told him the deal, he spent about 20 minutes on the phone talking about the amp, assured me it had been checked over, that he would give his personal information in case I had any issues, etc, and offered me the abilityto return it at my local GC if i didn't like the amp . He then handed me over to Josh on Acoustics who took my payment over the phone and got me all set up. My mom and step dad swung by the store just as they open and linked up with Josh, who gets the amp loaded up, and they drive it back home to me... The amp sounds killer... It's an awesome edition to my Marshall JCM and Vox AC30. I was pretty sketched out buying a vintage amp over the phone that I have never played, then having my mom drive it back home 5 hours before figuring out whether or not I will even like it. I took a gamble and I'm very satisfied. These guys killed it. I was very impressed, especially having worked as a merchandiser for a big box hardware chain for 14 years... I know it's a thankless job 95% of the time... Well these two guys, Zack (I'm more like 95% sure now) and Josh (100% on his name) deserve a nice "thank you"... You guys were awesome! I never felt so totally confident and comfortable making such a big purchase over the phone for a 40+ year old amp that I haven't even heard, seen, or tried out... because this was my first time doing so....

Alright so....WARNING KAREN REVIEW COMING IN! Let me start by saying that there are some EXCELLENT employees at this location. Like Josh in the Acoustic guitar room. He is a stand up guy and will help you to the best of his ability. Very knowledgeable and polite. Love the guy. But I have been in search THE electric guitar for the past idk... month or 2. Still have not found it unfortunately... Anyway... So with Covid going on of course they are practicing health safety which is great. BUT there is this taller, lanky dude with long hair that has been rude the past couple times I have been in there. Which isn't much. Maybe 3 times the past 3 months. Trying to figure out which guitar I am going to go with. And make sure it is the one so I don't have to end up returning. He complained today when he asked what guitars I wanted to look at. And actually said, "Sheesh, how many guitars am I going to have to clean today?" Which of course, makes me NOT want to look at any others. So I don't make his work day SOOOO much harder. Anyway there were some other times he wasn't pleasant either. I get that covid is annoying. I wish it were done with as do everyone else I think. But no need to make me feel like looking at guitars because I am trying to spend a good chunk of my money on one feel like SUCH a burden.... So since me trying to figure out what guitar to purchase is a HUGE pain in the butt, I just won't. I will look elsewhere. I want to mention I also wear gloves every time I go in there. On top of the mask. I will still shop there for other items. Hopefully deal with the more pleasant side of the store. That's it. I have NEVER left a review like this anywhere. But I left there today feeling like I must have made the dudes life harder. And I wouldn't want to do that. That would...

So I had a very hit-or-miss trip to Guitar Center. Let me start with the bad — the part that made me not want to come back for a while.

I went in for my 16th birthday last year, not necessarily to buy a guitar, but to try out and get a feel for some higher-end models. I was seriously considering investing in my first custom shop or pro-level guitar, and I wanted to actually put my hands on a few before making that kind of purchase.

I walked in and Tony was there. I expected to be treated respectfully — not like royalty, but at least not like a burden. As soon as I walked in, he basically said, “If you’re going to buy something, tell me and I’ll get it down.” I told him I just wanted to play a few to get a feel for them, and he shut me down instantly.

I stepped out, tried a few PRS guitars, then came back in and asked if I could try a Fender Custom Shop model. He responded — in an honestly offensive tone — with something along the lines of, “I’m too busy, try again another day.” That really rubbed me the wrong way.

Look, I know who Tony is. I know the bands he’s played with. But at the end of the day, I was still a customer. I didn’t feel welcome — in fact, I felt like a burden. Not because of the guitars, but because of the way I was treated. It was like I was a kid in a glass shop being told not to touch anything.

BUT — a year later, I went back and met Patrick. Total opposite experience. We talked about Rush (I’m a huge Alex Lifeson fan), and he helped me pick out my Ibanez Paul Gilbert guitar for my 17th birthday. He made the trip completely worth it.

I love this store. Most of the people there are great. I’m not saying Tony isn’t a nice guy, but that day, it felt like I just wasn’t important enough for him to care. And that...