Guitar Center — Attraction in St. Matthews

I have purchased many instruments here over the years, but will not return. The quality has dropped significantly in the last year.

I recently purchased a new Epiphone guitar here. Not used. Brand new. I tried it out in the store briefly, not noticing any issues, but when I got home, I realized the front pickup intermittently cut out completely.

I also recently purchased a sustain pedal for my keyboard, which, when I got home, didn't work at all.

Finally, I also recently purchased a brand new Shure SM7-db. When I got home, I realized it was used instead of new. Likely it had been purchased and returned. It was presented to me as new in box.

I called the store manager following these incidents, and he was extremely callous, rude, unprofessional, and at times talked down to me like I was a child. To note, I was calmly explaining the scenario. Not raising my voice, not being disrespectful.

After, I tried to escalate the conversation to the regional/corporate level, but after calling several times and leaving several messages, I gave up. To date, I've never received a return phone call.

I have spent tens of thousands over the years at this location. Countless guitars, amps, PAs, keyboards, drums, and so much more. I cannot believe the lack of quality both in the products they are selling, and in their service. The staff working the floor are kind, thoughtful, and attentive, but leadership leaves much to be desired. I would be embarrassed if I were the manager of this location treating long-standing customers this way. And I would be equally embarrassed at the corporate level for your lack of oversight and follow-up.

I waited about 4 months to post this, hoping to get resolution, but clearly the manager and regional/corporate level are fine with selling damaged or used products as brand new.

My advice? Find a locally owned store near you instead of this...

Decided to recently get into Harmonica playing, and loved it. After purchasing a Lee Oskar C from Guitar Center, I decided to buy a Hohner 1896 Marine Band G from them. Number 3 blow and draw was dead, and the comb swelled after a minute or so of use, to the point of protruding and hurting the lips/tongue. Bought a Hohner Blues Harp from them following this to try with none of these issues. The employee working the counter, while I was there, told me that if I brought the 1896 back with a receipt that they would replace it, since it was faulty. So, this weekend I made the 20 minute trip over to St. Matthews only to have a different employee tell me that they couldn't take it back and that Hohner would have to deal with it. I explained to him that another employee working there told me I could return it, and he did not care.

What's really disappointing to me about this experience is that I could have bought these Harmonicas for around $5 cheaper on Amazon Prime, and had them in two days, or in some cases, the same day.....however, I decided that I'd rather shop around a brick and mortar store (which didn't matter anyways because none of the employees there had any advice or knew anything about what I was looking for). And, I could have returned this harmonica to Amazon, free of charge, WITH NO QUESTIONS ASKED had I been smart enough to just buy it from them to begin with. Now I am stuck trying get it replaced so I can get my $45 worth.

Witness the disappearance of these brick and mortar stores in the next several years.......no remorse for just resorting to Amazon anymore when possible. I know that the next several hundred dollars I spend on my new hobby will be spent there,...

Bought gift cards in another state in 2019. I told the sales people some recipients would use them for lessons and others for gear or instruments. All of my cards said "lessons" across the front. I was assured that was only for marketing and that the cards could be used for any purchase. But the manager in the Louisville, Kentucky, store said he refuses to accept them for anything more than lessons. Customer service live chat on the GC website confirmed they are suppose to be redeemable for any purchase. Unfortunately this is the only location within 100 miles, so it's hundreds of dollars wasted all because some manager at this location is either unknowledgeable of something as simple as their gift cards, or because he wants to pad their lessons numbers at this location. Either way, it's one more reason why GC has always been a joke in the music community, and definitely why I'll never shop at this location or any other, again.

• Updated 10/20/2021 *

Per the response below from GC. I actually contacted corporate customer service months ago, shortly after this incident. I was merely told that I could return to that particular store, to whom I do not wish to give the business, or purchase online (for which that location would still be receiving the business). Unfortunately, what I was trying to purchase was a used guitar that I particularly liked, and which had already been sold by the time that I received that response. So the original statement remains - these were a complete and total loss of money due to improper training...