Guitar Center drum salesman shut me down

[Macarina]

Wow, I cannot believe just what happened to me at Guitar Center. I was in the neighborhood of one of the Guitar Centers and thought I'd go in and browse any possible early black Friday deals and check out what they have in E-Kits and even acoustics.

I noticed they set up several new E-kit setups and the Alesis caught my attention. They had it all ready to go with demo sticks and the amp turned on. I sit down, adjust the kick and the hi-hat pedal and begin to play one groove and test the variety of module kits. There was just a hint of sound coming out of the monitor. So to hear anything, I turned it up. And I mean just so I could hear the various pad and cymbal sounds.

Suddenly, the drum salesman came up behind me, bent down and turned the monitor back down to it's no sound level. Mumbling something about needing to turn it down. Quickly walking away in one motion.

WTF

I was actually stunned. I looked around like I was on Candid Camera. This is a joke, right? I wasn't sitting at the kit more than 3 minutes.

What was that all about? Testing them out was now, was completely useless.

Talk about leaving a sour taste in my mouth with that little action. I've read stories about GC sales people, but this is my first experience with seeing rudeness first hand at the store.

[TangTheHump]

Best approach I've found in this situation is... if you're serious about buying, let the salespeople know and ask for a pair of headphones. Otherwise, if you just walk in and start playing, the salespeople assume you are a migrant who is simply "making noise". It's not right that you were treated that way, but the flip side is salespeople endure noise for hours on end, frequently at the hands of migrants who have no intent to buy and never will buy. So yeah, if you let the salespeople know up front, before playing, that you're a serious customer, they make allowances for you. Also, as noted, it's always good to ask for a pair of headphones, even if an amplifier is already provided. Music store salespeople are often maxed out with noise so if you show them some empathy, they return the favor with better service.

[flurbs]

"if you just walk in and start playing, the salespeople assume you are a migrant who is simply "making noise"."

Bingo. These guys have to deal with dozens of people a week who come in the store, then "sit down, adjust the kick and the hi-hat pedal and begin to play one groove [and] turned it up" without even asking if it's OK to do so.

[Intruder]

I agree with what has been said however, My problem with GC is the total lack of knowledge or caring by sales people.
I only go to GC when I need an item now or forgot to include the item in a on line order that is already on the way.

Every time I go there I wish I hadn't. I always check online to make sure the item I want is in stock. The problem is every time I go there the item I want is never in stock! What are the chances of that happening every time? And every time they do have in stock another like kind item that is gold plated or a platinum version that costs 3x the price of the item I wanted.
It happened again just last week, I placed an order online and I only ordered 1 DMX cable and later discovered I needed 2. Now this 10ft cable is like $12 online. So, seeing that GC has one in stock for about $14 makes it worth the stop on the way home from work.
I don't carry my credit / debit cards with me at work but I do have $20 on me so it should be ok. I go in walking past 3 employees to the keyboard / dj section where a employee is behind a counter watching me (nothing better to do I guess) after searching the wall of cables for a few minutes back and forth I walk over to the guy at the counter watching me and say "I can't find the cable I need" He says "whatcha lookin for" I tell him and he walks around for a minute and pulls one from the wall the price $26!! I tell him find the brand I saw online in stock here for $14.
He says we don't carry that brand no more. Knowing I only have $20 in pocket I suggest he find a XLM cable it might be cheaper. He says "they are not interchangeable and wont work"!!
Where do they get these people?
Short story the XLM was $24. So I ended up with a 6ft DMX cable for $16 plus tax.
I swear to god it's the same every time I go to GC. There are 3 in the area and I have been to them all with the same results.
Not in stock. Even though online says yes in stock at that store.
More expensive brand or product.
Sales clerk dumb as a rock.

[Peter Warren]

Considering how little there is to do for most GC sales staff, I don't think it was a smart move to be rude to a potential customer.What else was the salesperson doing that was so important? GC is getting worse and there is talk of bankruptcy. http://www.ericgarland.co/2015/02/03/end-guitar-center/

I have found the staff to not know anything about any gear but of course they are being paid low wages, and I live near San Francisco which is very expensive. I went to the Hollywood location a month ago for a "workshop" . I asked the guy at the desk what the schedule was and he said " I don't know,they will just show up sometime" . Tony Royster was supposed to be there but I don't know if he ever was. Danny Seraphine of the band Chicago did a "workshop" which was playing a DW kit for a few minutes and talking about how great it was. He said that a nice kit actually makes you play better! Don Lombardi of DW was there too .

I went to a DW sponsored workshop 5 years ago at the Hollywood GC and it was excellent. They had Peter Erskine and Stephen Perkins do 2 well planned sessions. They seem to have gone downhill now.

[hemiboy]

As far as playing thru an amp , I agree some headphones would be easier for everybody involved other customers, salespeople, etc. As far as being a serious buyer, I don t agree that it has to be a must. As far a Guitar center. My experience is that most of the salespeople there know very little about what they are selling, inventory, options, stock, or not in stock, pricing,etc. I, too, buy elsewhere on line and only go there in a pinch.I also agree, that every time I go there , I wish I hadn't. I ordered my first 2 box module there, and had to go thru 2 salesman and a manager to inform them that they were a 2 box dealer and could get me a module thru Hoshino
Took 8 months, what a nightmare

[adi]

Well, about half a year ago I visited Redmond, near Seattle. I was there alone, for about two weeks, in a business trip, and I had all afternoons alone for myself, and almost every days I went to the Guitar Center shop in downtown, and played the drums on display. No salesman told anything, and sometimes I playing there for hours. The truth is that I used my own headphones and my own sticks, which I was caring from home.... I never asked a question, just entering the store and heading directly o the drum area, and in the end, after couple of days, one salesman came to me and told they also have practice rooms, where I can go and practice for $5/hour if I remember correctly... I found that really funny: salesman looking at me for days, and then in the end telling they have practice room as well

[Macarina]

I've been in GC enough to see jackassery on occasion. But I mostly see guys really testing things out.

Headphones would be the best solution for GC, but not me. i just couldn't put those used headphones on my head and ears.

I just think this is one of those 'salesman' being a douche, as some have mentioned here.

[BDrums]

I've had a wide mix of GC experiences... from really knowledgable sales people to novices. I can't imagine working in the drum dept of GC. Every time I go there, you're ears are assaulted by kids / non-drummers bashing away at the gear. I tried to demo a few snare drums and critically listen to the Zildjian Gen 16's and it was virtually impossible to hear with all the bashing going on. I think one of the best solutions is to wear a pair of over ear headphones just to enter the dept. Get in, get out... fast. I would guess that a majority of members here do their own research long before they venture into GC to check out gear and that's probably best to not rely on the sale people to guide your purchase.

[thehightenor]

I never play an instrument that doesn't belong to me without asking permission first.