Bye Bye Guitar Center

cheyenne · Post by **cheyenne** » Sat Feb 19, 2005 6:09 am

Welcome Ken! Never been to Texas, but there oughta be few places around Dallas that you can find RICs. They host a huge vintage guitar show once or twice a year dont they?

Scastles · Post by **Scastles** » Sat Feb 19, 2005 6:58 am

Ken...as a Texan myself I have had to order all of my Rics to be shipped, and as far as a retailer the closest is likely in Austin (which is never a bad place to go)...as a matter of fact, other than for the annual Guitar Show in Arlington...the same folks are putting on a show in Austin the weekend of March 11th

jps · Post by **jps** » Sat Feb 19, 2005 7:16 am

Good move John.

When I visited Joe Zon a few years ago, he too, said that he dumped GC as they were not the right place to sell quality instruments. About a month ago I went to my local GC with my '73 4001 and a salesdrone checked it and said that RICs are no good any more, that they didn't make them like they used to. I later showed up with my '04 4003FL and changed his opinion! In defense of some of the guys there, a couple of them do really appreciate all my RICs I bring there.

rickenbrother · Post by **rickenbrother** » Sat Feb 19, 2005 8:51 am

Whenever I've been in a Guitar Center and Rickenbacker get mentioned, the choice words that the workers use about RIC are less that pleasant.
The only thing they have good to say about Rickenbacker is that if they get a used 4001 / 4003 in good condition it usually sells quickly.
I'd rather shop at a mom and pop type type of music store as long as their prices are reasonable. If their prices are just a bit more than GC or Sam Ash, that's fine with me. GC doesn't carry a good stock of accessories for bassists anyway.
I dislike big chain music stores as much as I dislike big chain restaurants.

bmi_guy · Post by **bmi_guy** » Sat Feb 19, 2005 1:53 pm

I'm one of these types that, if I get irritated with a store, because they tried to take me, I don't go back - EVER!
I've got two stores I do business with - one in Evansville, Indiana (not a RIC dealer, but went to school with the guy who owns it) I get my "necessities" there. But, I also drive four hours to another store in Terra Haute, Indiana. The Music Shoppe - RIC Dealer - and a good guy (John Beason - a fellow keyboard guy). He always has a good selection. Lots of guitars (basses and 6 - 12 strings, acoustic / electric).
And has RICKENBACKERS - some in a glass case that are not for sale!!
I too will not buy an instrument I haven't played or laid an eyeball on.
I will continue to support my local stores, even if they charge a little more - Reason? They "know me from Adam" and if I have a problem, they will make it right. To me, that's worth a few dollars more.

jingle_jangle · Post by **jingle_jangle** » Sat Feb 19, 2005 2:32 pm

I agree, Michael, that patronizing non-chain stores makes sense. Boutique guitars (so-called--JH calls them "handcrafted" in the press release) deserve boutique service, set up, and a more personal approach from knowledgeable people.

So I have to go on record once again as having been lucky twice. My 660-12 came from Dave's in Wisconsin. They were good people, very helpful and concerned when I called with a few questions. They even offered to take the guitar back and do a bit of work on it (I declined due to winter weather there).

Wildwood, where my 381 came from, was even better. Great guys and the guitar was virginal and set up just right. Packed very, very well.

I played neither actual guitar, but would do it like this again in a heartbeat.

GC here in SF feels like a new car dealership that carries every line under the sun. Feels too high-energy, busy, too many flashing lights, deals going on everywhere, thrashers wailing away, etc. I drift in for picks and straps and I'm out in a flash.

adam_swapp · Post by **adam_swapp** » Sat Feb 19, 2005 3:01 pm

Is that Wildwood in Coshocton, OH? If so, I had the pleasure of picking out a friend's Christmas present in there once. I got to play every acoustic in the store until his wife (who was writing the check) and I decided on which one he would most appreciate. Nice store, that.

BTW, it was that friend who sold me the Tele you so constantly denigrate.

Scastles · Post by **Scastles** » Sat Feb 19, 2005 3:41 pm

Not to snipe you again, Paul, but isn't the Wildwood you're speaking of in Colorado?

jingle_jangle · Post by **jingle_jangle** » Sat Feb 19, 2005 5:27 pm

Yes, Stan, Colorado. Snipe? Nope.

It was through a tip on this Forum on another Rick that I found Wildwood's website and my MB381. Two days later it was in my hands. Great people.

paul_yan · Post by **paul_yan** » Sat Feb 19, 2005 7:38 pm

Kudos to JH on dumping GC!
Wise decision, IMHO.

A friend of mine was looking for a 4003 for me in LA, in 2002. He went to the Hollywood GC on
Sunset Boulevard to see if they had any. None! The salespersons there didn't even know what a Rickenbacker was and said ignorant things like:"That's a British guitar maker, isn't it?" while Santa Ana was actually just about an hour's drive south of Hollywood! Very sad and pitiful!

ozover50 · Post by **ozover50** » Sun Feb 20, 2005 3:07 am

Can't forward an opinion on GC but the RIC dealers that I've spoken to or dealt with down here have a true appreciation of the instruments, their history and (dare I say it) uniqueness. Perhaps with one exception - no names no pack drills!

The most common reaction when asking about RICs at RIC stores? An upward rolling of the eyes, discernable raising of the corners of the mouth so the dribble stays within and an 'Mmmmmm' that would put Homer Simpson to shame!

We have only a couple of guitar 'supermarkets' in Australia (to my knowledge) and neither of them sell RICs. To me that is a bloody good situation because the salespeople at those stores have what I term a 'mainstream mindset' - if it isn't Fender, Gibson or a locally manufactured so-called 'boutique' instrument then it's 'sorry, I can't help you' or 'nice, but have a look at this......'.

That's not to say that there is anything wrong with those and many other brands. I think we all appreciate that there are tens of thousands of pros and lounge room pickers who not only play but absolutely swear by their preferred instruments - as do we with ours!

You'd like to think that if you entered the premises of say a Gretsch or Hoffner dealer and asked to see same, they would be the first instruments you were shown. Not so in a hell of a lot of cases - 'Man, this new Ibanez is a blast!!'

I sold (retail) car audio equipment for many years and I learnt very early on that 'switch selling' works only on the few. In my experience, a prospective customer enters a store with a pretty good idea of what they are looking for, especially when it comes to a major purchase ('tyre-kickers' excepted). The simple solution for me was to 'add value' to the sale by selling yourself and not trying to push something that the prospective client probably doesn't want - he/she will more than likely drive up the road and be 'sold' what they wanted in the first place!

Rule # 1 - sell yourself first

Rule # 2 - turn 'wants' into 'needs'

Rule # 3 - positives are built on the ruins of negatives

Anyhow, I have no doubt that the decision made by RIC/JH was in the best interests of the company, the brand and its loyal supporters (read US!!)

Here endeth the lesson.......

Cheers

jwr2 · Post by **jwr2** » Sun Feb 20, 2005 6:43 am

I went into GC yesterday to buy some picks ... their computers were down ... the idiot employees with black fingernail polish and pireced eyebrows and pink and blue hair streaks were freaking out ... they had to write up orders by hand and count money and make change ... an almost insurmountable task for their brains ...

dave4004 · Post by **dave4004** » Sun Feb 20, 2005 6:44 am

First, Rickenbackers are not "boutique" guitars by any remote stretch of the imagination. RIC is a guitar manufacturer, not a boutique guitar builder.

Second, it's fine to patronize non-chain stores, but let's not forget that in addition to Musician's friend, RIC also sells through Music123/Woodwind & Brasswind, Zzounds, American Musical and Sam Ash. These are all pretty big companies. A manufacturer the size of Rickenbacker needs some large mail order/internet companies and store chains.

And aside from the RIC specialists, some of the independent dealers are large. Dave's Guitar Shop in LaCrosse is huge, it's a much bigger place than the guitar department at any GC I've visited. Chuck Levin's Washington Street Music, Ed Roman and others are also large. These places sell a lot of guitars, and I think we can assume that they move a lot of product for RIC. That's a good thing for RIC and a good thing for Rickenbacker fans.

jingle_jangle · Post by **jingle_jangle** » Sun Feb 20, 2005 6:55 am

Well said, Howard.

incubus2432 · Post by **incubus2432** » Sun Feb 20, 2005 8:50 am

"I went into GC yesterday to buy some picks ... their computers were down ... the idiot employees with black fingernail polish and pireced eyebrows and pink and blue hair streaks were freaking out ......."

Well, since they are "idiots" with some piercings and colored hair that struggled to wait on you when the system they were trained on is broken maybe you should cut them a break OR shop somewhere with salespeople that are up to your lofty standards and will treat you as royalty......