Comments on: JUMPING DARKNESS PARADE: DAATH’S EYAL LEVI ON GUITAR CENTER

By: CJ

CJ — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 11:44:02 +0000

I’m really sorry that I’m about to rain on the parade, but here’s what Wikipedia had to say on the matter (from Dana Strum’s page):

“He is often mistaken for having a cameo in Wayne’s World as the guitar store clerk who stopped Wayne from playing “Stairway to Heaven”; the clerk is actually played by actor Eric Crabb.”

By: Reaper-X

Reaper-X — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 21:50:28 +0000

Eh…it’s decent…if you know what you want. Just be quick and straightforward and they won’t get in your way. Do some bullshit conversation shit while you riff on your dream axe and they’ll leave you alone pretty quickly.

If you don’t know what you want: Like your first set of guitar strings. Try an ask someone who DOESN’T work there.

I remember I wasted 20+ on Dimebag Darrell DR signature strings… They sounded like texas and broke in a month. It all happened because I didn’t know what I wanted…and the cunt in the accessories booth wanted to make commission.

So every time I DO go there…
“Hi would you like to-…”
“D’addario 10 gauge strings please”
“Okay, is that it, would you like to-….”
“No goddamnit, now heres the 5-6 bucks”

and if I’m just there to bullshit on some guitars and see what I’d like to get in the next six months…
“Yeah, so I’m totally looking at what I plan to buy in the near future.” *insert bullshit details about life, brand preference and wood type here* and they’ll nod nervously and walk away as you strum through.

By: Zosimus

Zosimus — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 02:12:37 +0000

I worked at Guitar Center for six months and it was easily the most depressing period of my life. Kids playing the “Seven Nation Army” riff, badly, over and over and over again, were certainly part of it. And the commission system sucked horribly… Before you got any commission at all you had to “cover” your entire, meager, salary at your commission rate (10% of the gross profit per sale and 2% of the gross sales). This was fine if you worked in the Guitar or Pro Audio department where every item was big ticket, but it was pretty damned difficult if you, like me, worked in Accessories and spent your day selling packs of strings and picks. Also, I’m in no way Joe Salesguy, so it was sucky to have to try to compete with your coworkers. Additionally, every employee had to collect ten new customer phone numbers and addresses every day for later spamming, and also send out ten postcards to past customers. Failure to do either of these things was not looked upon kindly by management. It’s hard to get around mailing out ten postcards, but most of us just made up our customer info most of the time because it’s fucking asinine and annoying to customers to constantly ask them for their phone numbers and addresses, and to make up reasons why you needed that information.

It was a while ago and things may be different now, but working at Guitar Center was easily the worst job I’ve ever had.

The upside? I got a sweet discount on the ’61 SG reissue I play as my primary metal guitar. Oh yeah, and my coworkers were pretty rad, too.

By: Porkspam

Porkspam — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 01:50:29 +0000

uhm every time i’ve been in there, pics were laying all over the place… just ask to play a guitar and walk off with the pics if you can’t see any laying around

By: Eyal Levi

Eyal Levi — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 20:45:22 +0000

Its goddamn painful every time

By: PD

PD — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 16:31:58 +0000

ROLLING THUNDER – 0.
EYAL LEVI – 1.

By: Chip Northcutt

Chip Northcutt — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 16:06:23 +0000

From someone in the guitar business let me suggest you guys please support the independant retailer. They keep the manufacturers who aren’t at GC in business. GC is not cheaper nor do the know anything. Supporting independants helps the entire industry.

By: jason

jason — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 14:37:01 +0000

“Not from you fuckface”
+1

By: JohnTurrigenous

JohnTurrigenous — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 14:22:44 +0000

in 3 years of working at Ash, I heard about 3 people play Opeth songs. Everyday I hear Sweet Child O’Mine mangled, to the point where as soon as I hear it, i yell at them to stop. Its like chinese water torture. Its not bad at first, but after awhile its going to drive you insane.

By: JohnTurrigenous

JohnTurrigenous — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 14:19:20 +0000

Ugh, Guitar Center/Sam Ash. Same thing. Ive been working at Sam Ash for 3 years now, in one of our biggest stores. At first, it was flattering to hear how crappy most guitar players were. But then I stopped caring and it drives me nuts. Im not gonna get into ALL the details (fuck i should write a book) but trust me. Its not as fun on the other side as it may seem.

By: Hammer_Smashed_Hurtt

Hammer_Smashed_Hurtt — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 13:55:24 +0000

Too many unfortunately…fortunately my guitar teach runs his own guitar shop so id say 8 times out of ten i dont have to go in there unless they have somethin he doesnt stock- which isnt often.

By: bubba T

bubba T — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 13:36:22 +0000

I know what you’re saying Eyal…I was actualyl complaining about just this same thing the other day. I can never walk in, buy some strings and some picks, and walk out in less than 20 freaking minutes. I always stuck in line behind some d-bag trying to determine which $20 tuner will be best for junior’s first guitar lesson, and apparently the salesmen at GC do no tknow how to multitask so they just sit and stare at the person (who has no idea what they are looking at) turn the little box with the tuner in it over and over again. I was picking up some drum sticks the other day and waited 15 minutes behind this mom and her Attack, Attack! listening son as they compared to practice drum pads while the GC sales associate jsut stared at them (per company standards) as I stood at the counter right next to them discussing with my friend what drumsticks I was getting in a rather loud fashion, in the hopes the d-bag behind the counter would get the hint. But alas…no hint was taken and I lost another 15 minutes of my life to the soul sucker that is GC.

By: bubba T

bubba T — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 13:26:40 +0000

HAHAHAHA…zing!

By: MightierBlue

MightierBlue — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 13:09:09 +0000

Aye mon, GC are evil, vile pits of iniquity. Last month I had some change in the pocket from selling a car and figured I’d buy myself a new axe..looking at one of those Ibanez ones, around a grand. So I go to the local GC and ask to see the Ibanez way up high on the wall there. Tattoo and nose ring dude sighs and gets the ladder, walks me over to an brokedown Line6 amp, plugs it in, takes the guitar and plays some dipshit Yngwie fuckweed 64th note phrygian sweep run and then hands it to me. I was like “What? Did you and your Hey 1999 called and wanted it’s nose ring back ass have to do that littel widdly widdly showboat thing there? Oh yeah, you’re a fucking SHREDDER dude. Yeah. Ok. So anyway he hands me the guiatr and I was like “Can I get the tremolo arm so I can check out this new ibanez Floyd Rose thing they got on these guitars..” And Mr. Widdly Widdly Phrygian says “Oh we don’t let customers try those out.” Oh. So I just handed the dude back the guitar, pulled the $1200 out of my pocket and said , “Brother, I was about to drop cash on this thing, but if you’re not going to let me try the fucking thing out, well, go back to practicing your widdly widdly sweeps. You just lost a sale.” Walked out, drove ten miles to Sam Ash and bought a guitar there from guys who actually know one end of a guitar from another. Guitar Center is a fucking pit.

By: Eyal Levi

Eyal Levi — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 11:55:30 +0000

How much time have you spent in a Guitar Center?

By: Hammer_Smashed_Hurtt

Hammer_Smashed_Hurtt — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 11:33:48 +0000

Albeit i enjoy the shit out of most of the Blogs here on MS, and i do check the page daily,I definately had a WTF? moment after reading this. I got it that GC is pretty much a corporate monster that 9 times out of ten wont have anyone working there that knows the difference between a Marshall 800 and a Fender Champ (ya i play) but i hate to tell Mr Eyal ,that that kid in the corner playin ‘”Nothing else matters’ is probably gonna smoke you chops wise in about 5-10 years. And im willing to bet that indeed Eyal Levi probably pumped out more than his share of Smoke on the water, Enter sandman, or any other entry level tune most guitar players cut their teeth on. As for havin the salesman in yer face tryin to push products- streamline that shit son, get in, get the fuck out.

Dimebag said it best “Dont hear the ugliness just hear the Beauty”, thats another kid pickin up an actual guitar not a fuckin game controller.

In other words..”Lighten up Francis”

By: Eyal Levi

Eyal Levi — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 07:56:25 +0000

Maybe the girl’s name is dry

By: Eyal Levi

Eyal Levi — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 07:54:59 +0000

What’s worse is the kid that plays Smells Like Teen Spirit constantly because there’s no possible enjoyment anyone can get out of that

Someone who thinks that they’re a rock star because they kill at Gutiar Hero is fun to make fun of so at least there’s some enjoyment there

By: The Hate Machine

The Hate Machine — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 05:24:37 +0000

I bought my first real guitar from GC back in 94 in hollywood. Rick the bass player from Joe Walsh’s band sold it to me. He got upset when i told him i thought he looked just like Ace Frehley post car wreck. I wasnt trying to be a dick but, he totally looked like him. Since that day every city i have lived in has had GC come in and kill off all of the stores that had some integrity. I was in Long island 2 years ago and the douchebags didnt even let you plug anything in. I live in STL now and the Gc’s here suck ass. None of the sales people know shit about what they have in stock. I will call and make sure they have what i want before i get there to find out after i drove halfway across the midwest ghetto that they dont ever stock that item. When i test out guitars i take them thru several styles of music to see what that particular guitar shines with. I always end up with a crowd of parents and their little kids asking me questions.( I have aided in the sale of many guitars that way) Didnt make a penny off of it. I at one time tried to get a job there but, never got a return call. Fuck Guitar Center. I order my shit online if i can at all help it these days.

By: Dave B

Dave B — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 05:02:28 +0000

Fuckin A Ben. They all have lefty guitars, but they are always shitty, mexican made strats or epiphone gibsons. I’ve been known to find a rare lefty high end Dime model or PRS to try. This is akin to finding gold.

I have a similar story. I walked in to Hollywood GC and asked to play said Dime lefty model guitar. Salesman says “Are you gonna buy it?”. After he hands it to me, I reply “Not from you fuckface”. I never bought the guitar in the end, but, hey! maybe I would’ve thought about it!

I suggest we all get together, get business cards made that say “You suck. Could you please stop making everyone want to kill themselves and practice at home?” and hand them to the little turds. I think a sociological experiment is in order….