The Guitar Factory — Local services in Town of Orchard Park

Update 9/4/24

Sweetwater is doing all requested upgrades, and giving my guitar a Plek Setup Pro Bono given the guitar factory failing so hard. Added more photos of what the guitar factory claimed was impossible. Idiots.

Original review:

I recently brought my guitar into the Guitar Factory in Orchard Park, New York, expecting professional service, but what I received was anything but that. From the moment I walked in, the technician’s rude demeanor was apparent. He made it clear he wasn’t interested in taking on the work because it was more complicated than the usual tasks he’s accustomed to. Instead of stepping up to the challenge, he tried to talk me out of it entirely.

After reluctantly agreeing to take a look, he called me later with a laundry list of excuses about how the work I requested would affect the guitar’s tone. When I asked if that meant he wasn’t going to do the job, I was met with a dismissive response. Let me make one thing clear: a guitar technician’s role is to perform the physical repairs and upgrades requested by the customer, not to impose their personal preferences on what a musician’s tone should be. Offering advice is fine, but refusing service because of personal opinions is absolutely unacceptable.

As someone who has been active in the Buffalo music scene for over 15 years, has toured across the country, and recorded, have mutuals, or have worked with with heavy hitters in the music scene such as Hidden in Plain View, Gym Class Hero’s, Adam Lagivine, the ataris, Bowling for soup, sum 41, our own goo goo dolls plus hundreds of other opening acts on tours. I’ve even been an artist in warped tour, and played over a thousand shows. I’ve seen a lot, and I can confidently say this was one of the worst experiences I’ve had with any music shop across the nation outside of guitar center. That is a bad bar.

Your store doesn’t even participate in manufacture promos of popular brands, (looking at you Taylor) so I assumed your repairs and lessons would be your strong suit, but clearly, I was mistaken.

I will never be shopping at the Guitar Factory again, and I will make sure my extensive network of musicians and bands in the area hears about how terrible the service is here. You’ve lost a customer for life, and I won’t hesitate to steer others away from this place. I was simply looking to pay someone to do something that I didn’t have the time to do. But as the old saying goes, if you want something done, right you need to do it yourself so thanks for reminding me employees at the guitar factory.

Do better. Actually, go out of business so you don’t taint our music scene in WNY.

ETA: You guys didn’t even bother putting my guitar back together. I’m having your world class competitor, Sweet Water, do the the work that I straight don’t have tools for, however I do have a screw driver and was able to put the pickups back onto the guitar without them falling into the body PROPERLY . Stay away from Guitar “Factory” 🙄

Photos also added to show the DAMAGE they caused. Truly, if you do not know how to do guitar work yourself to clean up this circus’s mess, do...

I went to the guitar factory on July 5 to purchase D'Addario acoustic guitar strings. I live 30 minutes from the store and it's the closest music store. Of course they didn't have them. The salesman there suggested elixers at $16.99 a set. Way too much says I. Then he says it's worth it because they will last 2 or 3 times longer than the D'Addarios. He then said they could last a year AND it's buy 3 get 1 free! I told him I bend a lot and I play everyday. He said so do I and these strings can take it. Since they didn't have what I wanted I decided to trust this guys word. Can't remember his name but he was tall and lanky with long hair. He also was disingenuously friendly, always annoying. Anyway, $56.00 later I walked out with 4 sets of these super strings. I put them on and they sounded ok, nothing special but I was ok with that as long as they were as durable as mr. Disingenuous promised. About 2 weeks later the strings started developing fret bumps. The bumps got worse daily until the E string actually broke in a little over 3 weeks. I haven't broken an acoustic string in so long I can't even remember. The strings were shot after 2 weeks anyway. So I called the store but I forgot they are closed 3 days a week.

The next day I called and talked to the guy that sold them to me and explained what happened. He then said we have the D'Addarios now. And I said ok will you give me a refund? No, our policy is 7 days. You told me these strings would last 2 or 3 times longer than the D'Addarios. He said "just give them to a friend" I said are you going to stand by your word or not? He said "dude they're strings" I told him I will not be shopping at your store again said thank you and hung up. Very poor way to run a business. To add insult to injury I'm stuck with 3 more sets of the super strings that I'll have to change every 2 weeks. I talk to musicians wherever I go and at the very least this experience gave me some subject matter. Every time I share this story it'll make me feel a little better about getting suckered by this salesman. But hey, at least the store made an extra $30.00

Beware The Guitar...

Excellent service/sales people (shout-out to Mike!) They notice you come in to the store but they don't rush you and suck up to you with a fake smile like at most car dealerships.

They let you browse around and leave you be until you approach them. Then they will spend the time with you that it should or could take finding the right guitar for you within your budget. They ask you what you are looking for and really listen trying to get a really good feel of what music you want to play on the guitar and then set you down to try out some and bring you several others to try, all while taking in your analysis of each guitar you've tried oit and then bringing you more guitars to try based on this new analysis.

They know that finding the right guitar for you is way more important than just getting that next sale, and THAT is why I keep going back to them, even after their move.

And if you aren't ble to find that one guitar that just calls out to you, they won't try to force you to buy something else instead.

My only complaint is that I got there too late near closing time to find the guitar I needed. My fault of course, because I know that finding the right next guitar takes time.

I plan to revisit soon to continue my search for my next perfect guitar and I am confident that Guitar Factory will help me conclude my search with the perfect next guitar for me and my budget.

I know they also have excellent guitar teachers...