Who's been using their Guitar Center Black Friday...

Weekend discount cards?

I went to the San Marcos Guitar Center (again!) after work today to test-drive the Egnator
stacks and combos and the Fender Super Champ XD. Keep in mind I just bought a new
Fender Telecaster there last night, using a 15% off one item card they mailed me for Black
Friday. Well... a couple of my friends just had to open their traps and start talking
about some new low wattage tube amps and their mighty prowess...

First I played a Telecaster, a Strat and a Les Paul through a:

http://www.guitarcenter.com/Egnater-Rebel-Half-Stack-863005-i1437908.gc



It's variable wattage control reminded me of a Power Soak on the output of a Mesa Boogie!
I could play anything from bright rockabilly to creamy Robin Trower Bridge of Sighs at
surprizing decibel levels! I could definately feel the buzz Jon B was talking about, with the
local Southern California performing musicians scene. I was and still am very impressed.

Next, I tried the same guitars through the Fender Super Champ XD. This Champ is hands
over fists superior to my previous mid 70's Vibro Champ. It has more voices than any other
amp I own (I have 60 guitars and about the same number of amps, all for different
applications). This Champ lacked a little of the bottom of the Egnator, so... I plugged the
speaker out of the Champ into the Egnator Speaker Cabinet. The sound was fuller than
the all Egnator stack, so...

I bought it and have been jamming the Tele through it for sbout two hours!! I now know why
Miller was throwing a hissy fit over this powerful little combo! It's going to be fun mic'ing
this Champ onstage at a future gig. It's quite the musical weapon for a variety of axes.
Maybe over the next couple of weeks I'll try it through one of my Marshall 4-12 slant cabs.

I used my Saturday 10% off card for this purchase...

I still have a $50 off coupon on a purchase over $349 that's good through tomorrow...

Congrats on the guitar and the amp, Ric. That smile says that you are having fun with them.

i just got a call from them. turns out that i was unwillingly entered into a drawing and now have $20 credit at the store! schweet!

Yep - I avoid Guitar Center if I can (they murder local music shops), but even I broke down and bought a Boss Loop Station with that discount.

Too much fun.

NukeDOC said:

i just got a call from them. turns out that i was unwillingly entered into a drawing and now have $20 credit at the store! schweet!

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Thats awesome!! I agree though, I hate going there, unless there's some kind of gnarly sale

NukeDOC said:

i just got a call from them. turns out that i was unwillingly entered into a drawing and now have $20 credit at the store! schweet!

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sweet ! so basically... you can buy strings and pics lol cause NOTHING at guitar center other than those are under 20 bucks lol

GrumpyCoyote said:

Yep - I avoid Guitar Center if I can (they murder local music shops).....

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I agree that mega-stores have taken a heavy toll on mom & pop shops, but in some cases mom & pop had it coming. OTOH, some mom & pop shops are thriving by selling at catalog prices. I know a store in the middle of nowhere that is doing great, and everything is priced exactly like Musician's Friend and GC - but you also get down-home customer service and a friendly relationship with locals. Best of both worlds!

I haven't used my discount yet. I rarely get to GC.

Not yet. But I wants me a Tele so badly I can taste it. I won't be buying it.. yay Christmas.

Link said:

Not yet. But I wants me a Tele so badly I can taste it. I won't be buying it.. yay Christmas.

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Those Squier Classic Vibe Teles are very sweeeeet.

RevWill said:

I agree that mega-stores have taken a heavy toll on mom & pop shops, but in some cases mom & pop had it coming. OTOH, some mom & pop shops are thriving by selling at catalog prices. I know a store in the middle of nowhere that is doing great, and everything is priced exactly like Musician's Friend and GC - but you also get down-home customer service and a friendly relationship with locals. Best of both worlds!

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That is assuming you believe that discounts and cheap prices are good things - while I like it for items I have no need for, but will buy if it's super cheap (like the above loop station), I would gladly pay a premium on music equipment in general to keep places like Guitar Center (and MF) from having such a huge influence on what get bought and sold in the industry.

Not to hijack the thread for a political opinion, but our (consumer's) desire for discounts often destroys the value of the very things we covet. The screaming for discounts means the retailers have to go get mass-produced crap, mostly from places with cheap labor. Neither of which is conducive to quality, diversity of product, local jobs, or let’s face it – art. Why take risks on craftsmanship when you can mass produce junk that will sell in very predictable ways?

Give me high prices and some measure of taste and dignity in product selection over piles of cheap junk pawed at by discount hunting masses any day.

Of course, all my ranting against the big box discount stores aside, I (like the proper consumer sheep I am) did pony up the cash and do my part to keep the big ugly store doing exactly what it does best. And I do love my new toy.

Sorry for the digression, it's just that make large chunks of my living on this topic (marketing) and get pretty riled up . I need more coffee.

That may be the grumpiest I've ever seen you, and I've never thought of you as particularly grumpy at all!

I try to strike a balance between big-box and local businesses. I will also shell out a premium for a more beautiful item. Heck, I've got over $1500 wrapped up in a Taylor dreadnought (510 - Spruce and Mahogany with LR Baggs Ribbon Transducer) and I bought it from a local shop rather than a chain, new 14 years ago. It's my nicest instrument - nothing compared to what some people on here have spent on things but it's my treasure.

It's always more complex than "big chains are inherently evil while mom & pop shops are inherently good." Some local shops are run like they have a monopoly on the market and are sometimes run by big jerks. But I do all I can to support local businesses. I may pay a little more but I prefer to buy my tacos for lunch (I LOVE TACOS!) from the local restaurants rather than run for the border.

I think we agree more than we disagree, Coyote.

I don't really have my eye on anything GC sells at the moment. Weird but true. If they started selling Mainland ukes, that would be another story.......