Guitar Center is filing for bankruptcy

[www.cnn.com]



Edited 5 time(s). Last edit at 2020-11-26 16:04 by schillid.

How fitting. I feel like I’ve filed for bankruptcy every time I left guitar center...

Sorry to hear of this. Though this was never my favorite place to go for guitar gear, it had its charm - where else could I get to play a variety high end acoustic guitars thinking about how I'd buy one when I won the lottery. What's sad re this is that career employees at Guitar Center (yes, there are such critters) have just seen their retirement and other benefits go poof. What's ironic is that I just read an article the other day where Fender says this year has been one of its best business wise due to people being at home and deciding they'd like to learn how to play a musical instrument.

Nothing was more sad than the closing of Manny's in NYC.

legend.

[www.fastcompany.com]

"Guitar Center"....meh....fine place, had everything....but basically the "Target" of guitar stores....

Another one bites the dust sadly...their climate controlled rooms for acoustics where you can grad a $12k Martin from the wall were amazing !

--------------
IORR Links : Essential Studio Outtakes CDs : Audio - History of Rarest Outtakes : Audio

I haven't been to the nearest Guitar Center in years, maybe pre-Katrina even, yet alone anywhere else. Just a waste of time. I've bought more gear and guitars through the 3 local stores I've been going to since 1998 or whenever, one which shut down because the owner died, as well as the few I found in Nashville and Fairhope and a couple of places on the road, and the odd online purchase through Sweetwater for things I can't find in a store.

What’s the added value to put the word bankruptcy in all caps?

Quote
Koen
What’s the added value to put the word bankruptcy in all caps?

THAT is a good question.

Do they let you practice the intro to Stairway to Heaven?

jb



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2020-11-24 06:54 by jbwelda.

Turning it up to Chapter 11




Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2020-11-24 04:35 by schillid.

Sad to hear, I visited in 2005 and I remember they had three or four teles from the late 50's hanging next to each other and I had excactly $ 18 000 in my bank account to buy the cheapest one. Lucky I didn't though, as I would've gotten stuck in LA with no money left to cross the pond back home.

Supposed to be a reorg so not closing for good. The store by me moved a few years ago to a nicer new store. I don't play guitar but have gone there for recording gear when caught in a pinch. Cables, connectors etc. Only place that stocks that stuff after the local store Leo's Pro Audio closed.

Quote
stickyfingers101
Nothing was more sad than the closing of Manny's in NYC.

legend.

[www.fastcompany.com]

"Guitar Center"....meh....fine place, had everything....but basically the "Target" of guitar stores....

Being a NYC kid and huge Rock and Roll fan since 10 in 1961...once I was 14 or so around '65, we'd start to march in there and gape at all the autographed pix up on the walls.
They were pretty tolerant and always busy.

When 16 I worked my first full time job summer of 67 between sophomore and junior high school years.
My grandfather had given me an acoustic guitar at 12 and my Dad came with me at summer's end to help me buy an electric guitar and a Gemini II Ampeg Amp, God rest hid soul, and haul every thing back home.
All I knew was get a Fender or Gibson period.
And likely moy s new one because minimum wage wasn't even $3.00 an hour.
I just told Manny's brother, who worked the floor and knew my dad's 2nd cousin lol but true...
...
When he asked me what I wanted...I just said Fender or Gibson, pretty obviously a kid with ambitions but no knowledge beyond wanting a professional brand like my heroes.

It worked out

That place was like a church or something.
All the really good players and biggest stars for generations went to Manny's.
48th Street was totally music stores, both sides of the street.

and, Hopkins, what did you get in 1967, Fender or Gibson ? and do you still have the guitar ?

resotele

I hope they survive ,as they serve a useful purpose if i am in a hurry and need strings or a pedal or something to that effect , GC was always helpful . I also purchased parts from there website which was very helpful. At the end of the day the consumer should have choices and that's where they are a vital link in the supply chain . Best wishes they come out of Chapter 11 and are still operating and serving customer needs .

Quote
resotele
and, Hopkins, what did you get in 1967, Fender or Gibson ? and do you still have the guitar ?

resotele

I got a used 61 Swamp Ash Jazzmaster that was pretty tore up; it had definitely been on the road.
Sort of imprinted to that offset Body style.
It was super duper great but the strings kept popping out of the bridge and also the tortoise pickguard was curling up. I didn't care at first but with my first bands as a teenager the pick-up noise was monstrous.
Over the years a great tech and luthier cut a pickguard for me...put a pro tune o Matic.
And different pickups ( humbuckers just to infuriate some pretty famous snotty collectors).

It's a working man or woman's guitar all it's Life going stronger than ever.

So I'm still blessed to have it.
It's just so perfect. I really rely on it.
I think they outlawed mass harvesting of the Brazilian Rosewood fretboard in later years. Not exactly sure. I'm used to it.
It's had some fret jobs over the years but always with luthier John Carruthers helping me every mod or maintenance. It needs to always be played and not sit dead in a collection.
It's a vehicle.

I fell in love unexpectedly with a Fender Jaguar hybrid of a certain year and place, with the same Body style which is why I picked it up.
It's a Fender Jaguar Frankenstein , a Jagmaster, and I call it Number 2 I guess.
A recent addition Last year, 52 years after picking up Number 1 at Manny's...it was 6 then.
A great technician put Gibson Classic 57 and Gibson Classic 57 PLUS humbuckers in there.
Had to rout just a hair; it's so beautiful.
I just never plugged it in until the Gibson set was in there. I paid it off on time then had to save for the pickups. I just played it but never plugged it in. Guitar players are maniacs.

There was a big star in there that day who was super kind to a kid. I have was obviously Over my head. I didn't have much money and everyone had
Strats or Les Paul's or 335's. (I had to two later in life)
Or SG's or Teles...
So it wasn't really a hot sales item.
It was actually Leo's top of the line but the players from Buddy Holly and everybody else loved Strats.
It's pretty solid. It's swamp Ash and maple.
It would kill any floor that you dropped it on.
You could pretty much bat a high hat to the moon if you were 19 drunk stupid and could hide behind his wife...



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 2020-11-27 06:03 by hopkins.

Quote
hopkins

Quote
stickyfingers101
Nothing was more sad than the closing of Manny's in NYC.

legend.

[www.fastcompany.com]

"Guitar Center"....meh....fine place, had everything....but basically the "Target" of guitar stores....

Being a NYC kid and huge Rock and Roll fan since 10 in 1961...once I was 14 or so around '65, we'd start to march in there and gape at all the autographed pix up on the walls.
They were pretty tolerant and always busy.

When 16 I worked my first full time job summer of 67 between sophomore and junior high school years.
My grandfather had given me an acoustic guitar at 12 and my Dad came with me at summer's end to help me buy an electric guitar and a Gemini II Ampeg Amp, God rest hid soul, and haul every thing back home.
All I knew was get a Fender or Gibson period.
And likely moy s new one because minimum wage wasn't even $3.00 an hour.
I just told Manny's brother, who worked the floor and knew my dad's 2nd cousin lol but true...
...
When he asked me what I wanted...I just said Fender or Gibson, pretty obviously a kid with ambitions but no knowledge beyond wanting a professional brand like my heroes.

It worked out

That place was like a church or something.
All the really good players and biggest stars for generations went to Manny's.
48th Street was totally music stores, both sides of the street.

I miss how 48th street used to be. I do not think a single music store is left on that street. The last time I went to Guitar center on 44th st they had a famous Eric Claption guitar. It was nice to see.

I don't think they're going out of business.
Some markets probably.
Bankruptcy let's them restructure and survive?

Hey Hopkins... enjoy your tunes on youtube
be well

...hope they can make a clean
break .... no strings attached ....



ROCKMAN

Yeah, hope they manage to stay out of financial treble.

I got a used 61 Swamp Ash Jazzmaster that was pretty tore up; it had definitely been on the road....


Thank you for the story ... and Derek Trucks is awesome, really

resotele

Quote
Koen
What’s the added value to put the word bankruptcy in all caps?

I changed it

Quote
schillid
Hey Hopkins... enjoy your tunes on youtube
be well

Appreciate so much!!
Thank you.