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Sam Ash vs Guitar Center


GGWise47

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Hey guys i'm going up to Vegas for the weekend with my family and I figured out a little time slot during one day that I could use to go to a guitar shop. Well from reasearch I see that They have a extra big guitar center and a sam ash. So I have been to my local normal sized guitar center and its okay. However, I have never been to SamAsh before and don't know what to expect. Well I probably won't have time to go to both so I have to choose one of them to go to. I'll mainly be looking at some amps and guitars. Can you guys give me some ideas on choosing which on to go? Thanks.

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Where I live, I've always preferred going to GC over Sam Ash...GC has way more guitars (brands) on hand and you can just grab one (even the high priced items), plug it in and play...over at Sam Ash, you have to ask for an instrument cable and all the high-end guitars are out of reach behind their counters...

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Where I live, I've always preferred going to GC over Sam Ash...GC has way more guitars (brands) on hand and you can just grab one (even the high priced items), plug it in and play...over at Sam Ash, you have to ask for an instrument cable and all the high-end guitars are out of reach behind their counters...

 

 

 

What is Sam Ash's definition of high-end?

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What is Sam Ash's definition of high-end?

 

Dean Vendetta

or anything cheap and made in 3rd world countries.

They did those house brands for a few years (Brownsville, Carlo Robelli, Jean Baptiste, etc...)

These days they're more high end..

LTD/ESP and Epiphone.

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they both suck.

 

 

I agree...but they suck for different reasons. For example, here is what the thought bubbles are over salespeople in each store:

 

GuitarCenterEmployee: "Hey, man! I'm wearing the right clothes and I want to rob you by selling you ridiculous garbage that EVEN I, the salesman, know absolutely nothing about. What? You don't want to buy it? But, why? I called you "man", didn't I?"

 

SamAshEmployee: "I don't care if I sell you anything because my store is going out of business in the next 15 seconds. Didn't you notice how it's a mess in here and all the disheveled employees are wandering around....lost...mentally and physically. Yes, we are depressed. That's because we, like EVERYONE at Guitar Center, don't know the difference between a guitar cable and a speaker cable AND we refuse to stock any popular piece of guitar equipment because we know you will buy it. After all, if we did stock picks, strings, and MXR pedals, then, we won't be able to go out of business in the next 15 seconds and our self-destructive path would be undone!"

 

LouLoomis

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:thu:

 

I agree...but they suck for different reasons. For example, here is what the thought bubbles are over salespeople in each store:


GuitarCenterEmployee: "Hey, man! I'm wearing the right clothes and I want to rob you by selling you ridiculous garbage that EVEN I, the salesman, know absolutely nothing about. What? You don't want to buy it? But, why? I called you "man", didn't I?"


SamAshEmployee: "I don't care if I sell you anything because my store is going out of business in the next 15 seconds. Didn't you notice how it's a mess in here and all the disheveled employees are wandering around....lost...mentally and physically. Yes, we are depressed. That's because we, like EVERYONE at Guitar Center, don't know the difference between a guitar cable and a speaker cable AND we refuse to stock any popular piece of guitar equipment because we know you will buy it. After all, if we did stock picks, strings, and MXR pedals, then, we won't be able to go out of business in the next 15 seconds and our self-destructive path would be undone!"


LouLoomis

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sam ash in vegas is depressing. i used to buy my drumheads there because they were a bit cheaper than GC; but god ... the guitar selection is just sad.

 

or it used to be. haven't been there in quite a while but i can't imagine it's changed too much.

 

check out cowtown on maryland parkway. great little vintage shop.

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I've seen a lot of jerks employed at GC, whereas the Sam Ash stores I've been in have usually had pretty cool people working there. Generally knowledgeable, and not afraid to bring you guitars to try out (unlike GC, where it's tough to even look at a guitar unless "you're serious about buying it." Definitely a better experience for me, and consistently so. That said, I've been in GC maybe once or twice in the last six years, and like most places I'm sure it varies depending on your particular location.

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Either will MATCH the others price. Sam Ash has a standing offer to BEAT any advertised price, on-line or in a Sales mag.

 

I really think it depends on WHERE you find the electric thats right for you. Be it SA or GC you could find a great piece at either. You could also buy {censored} at either?

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No. You guys are doing it wrong.

 

You have to change your attitude when shopping or browsing at these stores.

 

First of all, when I walk in, I already expect to get no help from the clueless employess, (except Al at Tampa guitar Center, he is awesome, everyone loves Al), and I just walk in and go striaght to poking, grabbing, playing, noodling........ and THEN I try out some of the instruments too :lol:, no, but seriously, when I walk into one of those stores, I sort of become like rainman, oblivious to anything around me other than all the gear that I want to sample, and play with. Guitar center and Sam Ash, are my playgrounds, and I dont usually care who else is there, I just pretty much ignore them anyway. I have SUPER low expectations of the help I am going to get if I ever need it there, so I am usually never dissapinted. SO, it is still cool to be able to have places like that where you can just walk in and monkey with mountains of gear like that. Otherwise your options would pertty much be limited to looking at pics on the internet.

 

Be greatful for what we have, lower your expectations, and enjoy it for what it is.

 

Whenevr I DO end up needing info, or when I am buying something, I am almost always dissapointed and frustraqted, but my view of it is a little different.... I see it as them paying me back just a tiny bit for all the times I frustrated them by being a person they really couldnt control and sort of takes charge of the store when I go there. They see me coming and they are like,, Oh, that guy. Dudes, dont even waste your time with him, he knows what he wants and he will let you know when and IF he needs anything. Then I just commence to messing around and they pretty much leave me alone, which is what I am hoping for anyway. Anything you want to know about anything you want to buy can be found on the internet, and especially right here by some serious experts, so with info that easy to obtai, walking into one of these stores and needing ANYTHING from their employess other than simply ringing you up, is going to lead to frustration that could have and should have benn avoided by just doing a little rresearch before hand.

 

So, O.P., I say go to BOTH those stores while you are there.

 

Have fun in Vegas. Good luck.

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i've never been to a Sam Ash, but seems like everytime i go to a guitar center just to look around, i have employees up my ass to help me with something. I go in there to actually buy something, and a sales person is harder to find than a well setup guitar! And, when you finally do find someone to sell you something, and try to describe what you're looking for, some jack ass jumps on a drum set, or cranks up a half stack, and nobody can hear anything except for musical wanking!

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No. You guys are doing it wrong.


You have to change your attitude when shopping or browsing at these stores.


First of all, when I walk in, I already expect to get no help from the clueless employess, (except Al at Tampa guitar Center, he is awesome, everyone loves Al), and I just walk in and go striaght to poking, grabbing, playing, noodling........ and THEN I try out some of the instruments too
:lol:
, no, but seriously, when I walk into one of those stores, I sort of become like rainman, oblivious to anything around me other than all the gear that I want to sample, and play with. Guitar center and Sam Ash, are my playgrounds, and I dont usually care who else is there, I just pretty much ignore them anyway. I have SUPER low expectations of the help I am going to get if I ever need it there, so I am usually never dissapinted. SO, it is still cool to be able to have places like that where you can just walk in and monkey with mountains of gear like that. Otherwise your options would pertty much be limited to looking at pics on the internet.


Be greatful for what we have, lower your expectations, and enjoy it for what it is.


Whenevr I DO end up needing info, or when I am buying something, I am almost always dissapointed and frustraqted, but my view of it is a little different.... I see it as them paying me back just a tiny bit for all the times I frustrated them by being a person they really couldnt control and sort of takes charge of the store when I go there. They see me coming and they are like,, Oh, that guy. Dudes, dont even waste your time with him, he knows what he wants and he will let you know when and IF he needs anything. Then I just commence to messing around and they pretty much leave me alone, which is what I am hoping for anyway. Anything you want to know about anything you want to buy can be found on the internet, and especially right here by some serious experts, so with info that easy to obtai, walking into one of these stores and needing ANYTHING from their employess other than simply ringing you up, is going to lead to frustration that could have and should have benn avoided by just doing a little rresearch before hand.


So, O.P., I say go to BOTH those stores while you are there.


Have fun in Vegas. Good luck.

 

Dave, did Al work at Mars as well?

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Dave, did Al work at Mars as well?

 

 

Yup. He sure did.

 

He is the big guy with the long blond hair, and a Jackson fetish.

 

Nice guy. Very helpful, and I believe he is one of the highest producing salesmen ever in the history of G.C. It is because he is cool, knows his {censored}, and treats you like a person, Not a sucker with a wallet.

 

I always go out of my way to deal with him when I DO buy stuff from G.C.

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No. You guys are doing it wrong.


You have to change your attitude when shopping or browsing at these stores.


First of all, when I walk in, I already expect to get no help from the clueless employess, (except Al at Tampa guitar Center, he is awesome, everyone loves Al), and I just walk in and go striaght to poking, grabbing, playing, noodling........ and THEN I try out some of the instruments too
:lol:
, no, but seriously, when I walk into one of those stores, I sort of become like rainman, oblivious to anything around me other than all the gear that I want to sample, and play with. Guitar center and Sam Ash, are my playgrounds, and I dont usually care who else is there, I just pretty much ignore them anyway. I have SUPER low expectations of the help I am going to get if I ever need it there, so I am usually never dissapinted. SO, it is still cool to be able to have places like that where you can just walk in and monkey with mountains of gear like that. Otherwise your options would pertty much be limited to looking at pics on the internet.


Be greatful for what we have, lower your expectations, and enjoy it for what it is.


Whenevr I DO end up needing info, or when I am buying something, I am almost always dissapointed and frustraqted, but my view of it is a little different.... I see it as them paying me back just a tiny bit for all the times I frustrated them by being a person they really couldnt control and sort of takes charge of the store when I go there. They see me coming and they are like,, Oh, that guy. Dudes, dont even waste your time with him, he knows what he wants and he will let you know when and IF he needs anything. Then I just commence to messing around and they pretty much leave me alone, which is what I am hoping for anyway. Anything you want to know about anything you want to buy can be found on the internet, and especially right here by some serious experts, so with info that easy to obtai, walking into one of these stores and needing ANYTHING from their employess other than simply ringing you up, is going to lead to frustration that could have and should have benn avoided by just doing a little rresearch before hand.


So, O.P., I say go to BOTH those stores while you are there.


Have fun in Vegas. Good luck.

 

:thu: Listen to this man for his words are full of wisdom and truth.

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Sam Ash in PA was way better than GC about 10 years ago. Now there's absolutely no reason to go into my local Sam Ash. They have crappy selection, higher prices than GC and few decent salespeople. And they won't haggle with you at all.

 

I'll throw in one qualification: Sometimes you can find a decent high end used guitar or two at Sam Ash...but the prices still aren't great.

 

I'm no fan of GC these days, but the local GC is less bad than the local Sam Ash by far.

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sam ash in vegas is depressing. i used to buy my drumheads there because they were a bit cheaper than GC; but god ... the guitar selection is just sad.


or it used to be. haven't been there in quite a while but i can't imagine it's changed too much.


check out cowtown on maryland parkway. great little vintage shop.

 

 

+1 on Aenemated suggestion of cowtown, it is right by Sam Ash too. I got a good price on a 60's classic strat and a great price on a line 6 DL-4.

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