GC Garage-Where GC Lets Kids Work On Guitars

[Skutch]

Hi Folks,
As I recently got screwed by the GC Machine, I decided to join this forum to vent a little and share my views on Guitar Center Sucks.
I'm a "seasoned" Luthier/Guitar Repairman with over 25 years experience....I'm not a kid in my 20's...I'm a serious world class skilled & experienced Tech with a clientel that follows me.
Over the years I've worked in several high end music stores, as well as in my own shop off & on.
When the economy dived a few years back, I took on GC as my work coming in to my shop was down.
I'd been working at a GC for over 6 years as a Guitar Tech, not as an actual GC employee, but via 3rd party sub contract.
Started out on weekends for about 4 years, bringing in my mobile repair kit, doing what I could on site [extremely limited due to work area], and taking the rest back to my shop to work on, then bringing back to the store.
Then when GC launched the GC Garage, they made me an offer to go full time, giving me the option of being a GC employee for $10/hr, [which frankly was insulting] or continue on as 3rd party/sub contract, so I elected to do that, as I knew I'd make more $$$.
After two years full time doing customer & store stock repairs, [as well as items from other GC locations in the same district due to the inabilities of the other GC "Techs"], they called me into the office one day & told me that my contract was not going to be renewed, they'd hired on someone under the GC banner...I'm done, no disscussion about it...I had 10 days to finish out my contract. This came from the Store Manager & Ops manager, both of whom I'd been in the business since they'd been in diapers!
As well as all the knowlage I had to help out the store on a dailey basis...what I knew about vintage gear, items I'd reccommend to customers, etc.
No doubt this was a move on GC's part in an attempt to make more $$$, as they were seeing how much I was making...why are we paying this guy when we could be making the $$$, right?
As well as they would continually challange my job description-which was clearly stated in my job agreement/contract-by trying to get me to do other duties besides repairing guitars...and I'd have to constantly remind them of this.
So...out with the old guy...in with the 22 year old kid who's "trained" by GC...hand him a Stew-Mac starter toolkit and let him loose on peoples guitars!
The botched repairs and ineptness that I've seen from some of the other stores due to the "Kiddie techs" is just amazing.
The GC Garage concept was originally to be providing a SERVICE to the customers...you're not going to get rich in the field unless one is fortunate enough to become a Dan Erlewine, a Joe Glaser, an Andy Brawer, etc.
But...GC being the greedy corperation that it is, thinks that they're gonna make the big bucks at this.
As well as by keeping the store staffed with people in their 20's who are living at home with their parents, they'll have a never ending stream of eager beavers to keep under their thumbs.
GC, being the Walmart of music stores, has successfully put much of the competition out of business, and now they're belittling a skilled trade as well.

Guitar Center Sucks!!!

[KevinKelley1]

I here ya skutch!! I think GC coorperate egg heads watch too much american teen idol !! I've have givin GC ample chances at redeeming my loyalty but always failing in the end !! I will never purchased or take any of my basses to GC!! i have a friend that does guitar and bass refinishing's and stuff and he mentioned to me one day a while back bout how ridiculous there re-string and cleaning service was !! the most expensive bass ax i own is a zon presonus 5 string!! i wouldn't trust them with there life !! Sad to here your disappointment !! If you lived by me, i'd trust ya !! I've been plyin for 23 yrs since i was a young teen.. i'm 35 and still gigging !! love music period !! not lookin to get rich and famous !! just hard workin musician who has been rapped by GC time and time over !!

[Skutch]

Hi KevinKelley1,
Very interesting...I've got a good friend of mine named the same [minus the 1...] who lives up north and often comes down state to browse @ GC and visit me...
Even with as big as GC has become, eventually they WILL go down if they don't wise up and realize that customer service is priority #1.
Their "Experts" thing is a joke...how can someone be an expert when they've only been in this business for 6 months...!?!
This ain't Walmart, Target, or Best Buy...it's a music store...where people are passionate about their gear & instruments, don't make that much $$$, and need to get the best service for their dollar that they can, not just the cheapest price!
But...with the current corporate attitude that GC has against the people that work for them...they're doomed for failure, sooner or later...

FYI: I'm in the Detroit area...if ever ya need any pro guitar/bass repair work done...;-)

[thegreatgazoo]

Hi Skutch, great post.
For the record, my understanding of this GC Garage program was that it was purposefully built to (among other things) get rid of any other tech vendors in the store.  There may be a couple still out there that are big and important enough that they don't want to piss off, but if you are a solo independent tech, you are being worked out of a job.  They don't like not being able to have you under their thumb, or tell you to do numerous things that are not part of your job description (as you mentioned).

I've seen them do the same thing to managers that one District Manager feels was paid too much by a previous DM. 
Find a reason, get em fired, pay the next guy $10K less a year (and have them thank you for it).

[messederequiem]

skutch man, im sorry to hear about the problems, good luck sir

lexton128, i play a boatload of instruments in my band, what part of the country are you located? with your knowledge i would like to send you my cello to get a pickup installed, also one slight crack on my bridge
im worried about shipping this though

[noah]

You're a "world class tech" and you need to work part time at Guitar Center?

How come you don't have the stars banging a path to your door?

Guess what? GC did no wrong by you. They **** canned you for a cheaper alternative. That's business. Not sure why you even needed the work with your loyal clientele and the fact you have been established for so long.

The experienced and established (as you claim to be) local techs I know have small shops in their garages or in a storefront (a couple work out of indie stores) and most have wait lists.

Sounds like you're just another disgruntled GC worker.