GuitarCenter in trouuuble.

[NancyJohnson]

Sitting on the bog in my hotel room at 5.00am this morning, whilst reading an article on my tablet, I happened upon an article about the pending demise of Guitar Center in the US - they're [i]apparently[/i] down to their last $10m (down from $25m in 2014).

More interesting, there was some speculation that their pending demise (oh, it's [i]definitely[/i] gonna happen) will also take down big box brands as their reliance on Guitar Center alone is too high. One brand that was mentioned was Fender, who are looking to go the direct sale route in the US to stave off loss of sales.

I'll try and locate the article and post a link this evening.
P

[Geek99]

Interesting - going in August although probably too late to bag a bargain

[Kiwi]

We also covered the links between Guitar Centre and Fender in the [url="http://basschat.co.uk/topic/247397-fender-in-trouble/page__st__210__p__2647918__hl__fender%20corporation__fromsearch__1#entry2647918"]Fender in trouble thread[/url]. It's all a bit incestuous.

[wateroftyne]

Aye - it's been on the cards for a while.

[spectoremg]

Does anyone remember what year Sound Control went bust? Just beforehand I tried out an American built NS-2 which was on sale for £1200. I regret that now.

[dieseldalziel]

This is the article I think.. http://www.ericgarland.co/2015/02/03/end-guitar-center/

[Drax]

Staggering numbers - 28% of $7billion market tied up in Guitar Centre. If it does fall, it would take out a few manufacturers along the way. Might force Fender to trim down their range..

[uncle psychosis]

I wouldn't be surprised. I tend to think the instrument industry has grown to a size that just isn't sustainable long term. There are almost too many companies making too many things. How many tubescreamer variants does the world need? How many P basses?

[NancyJohnson]

[quote name='dieseldalziel' timestamp='1423078829' post='2680501']
This is the article I think.. http://www.ericgarland.co/2015/02/03/end-guitar-center/
[/quote]

That's the article. It came through on Buzzfeed. I'll have a better read tonight.

I used to work in retail...the mark up was close to 100% after we sold stock on. It's staggering. I suppose if GC goes and the aforementioned big box brands start direct selling, then this has to be a good thing for the end customer.

[Weststarx]

[quote name='Drax' timestamp='1423089960' post='2680759']
Staggering numbers - 28% of $7billion market tied up in Guitar Centre. If it does fall, it would take out a few manufacturers along the way. Might force Fender to trim down their range..
[/quote]

Makes you wonder with those figures how they've managed to get it so wrong!

[chris_b]

The online sales plan will fail if Fender don't greatly improve their QC. Rightly or wrongly, Fender have a reputation for trying to sell too many "dogs". They can't make a long term success of a mail order business with a reputation for indifferent QC on that scale.

But this still has the potential for good to come out of bad. GC will fail, drag down Fender, who will be sold, re emerging with new owners, minus the debt, with a greatly reduced catalogue, realistic sales totals (no one can sell 3 to 4 hundred thousand instruments a year any more) and a focus on the customer and quality.

Hopefully the new management will learn from the cock ups of the old management. But I'm not going to hold my breath on that one.

[Happy Jack]

[quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1423129203' post='2681014']

Hopefully the new management will learn from the cock ups of the old management.
[/quote]

Yup, just like ... erm ... last time.

[chris_b]

I thought that just as I was typing it.

[NancyJohnson]

[quote name='Drax' timestamp='1423089960' post='2680759']
Might force Fender to trim down their range..
[/quote]

Bwahaha. Fender are just plain lazy by relying on less than five core products for the last fifty or so years. They need a fecking kick in the pants to jimmy them up a bit. Gibson are just as guilty.

Edited February 5, 2015 by NancyJohnson

[neepheid]

[quote name='NancyJohnson' timestamp='1423144265' post='2681341']
Bwahaha. Fender are just plain lazy by relying on less than five core products for the last fifty or so years. They need a fecking kick in the pants to jimmy them up a bit. Gibson are just as guilty.
[/quote]


People give them crap for trying new stuff. People give them crap for sticking with the same old safe stuff. Can't win.

[tauzero]

[quote name='neepheid' timestamp='1423144922' post='2681358'] People give them crap for trying new stuff. People give them crap for sticking with the same old safe stuff. Can't win. [/quote]

They never have a convincing go at trying new stuff. It's always a bit half-hearted, try something a bit different (not too radical, stick an active preamp in a Jazz for example) then if it doesn't take off in six months, ditch it.

[tommorichards]

[quote name='tauzero' timestamp='1423183334' post='2682084']
They never have a convincing go at trying new stuff. It's always a bit half-hearted, try something a bit different (not too radical, stick an active preamp in a Jazz for example) then if it doesn't take off in six months, ditch it.
[/quote]

You mean like the Marcus Miller sig,



American deluxe,



Deluxe active okoume,



deluxe jazz IV active?



That sort of thing?

Edited February 6, 2015 by tommorichards

[tauzero]

[quote name='tommorichards' timestamp='1423191878' post='2682101']
You mean like the Marcus Miller sig,



American deluxe,



Deluxe active okoume,



deluxe jazz IV active?



That sort of thing?
[/quote]

You mean those aren't just the same old bass with different go-faster stripes on?

[neepheid]

[quote name='tauzero' timestamp='1423183334' post='2682084']
They never have a convincing go at trying new stuff. It's always a bit half-hearted, try something a bit different (not too radical, stick an active preamp in a Jazz for example) then if it doesn't take off in six months, ditch it.
[/quote]

Always? The Performer was a pretty radical departure from the norm, but it was ditched pretty quickly, I'll give you that

[EliasMooseblaster]

[quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1423129203' post='2681014']

But this still has the potential for good to come out of bad. GC will fail, drag down Fender, who will be sold, re emerging [b]without Bono [/b][s] with new owners, minus the debt, with a greatly reduced catalogue, realistic sales totals (no one can sell 3 to 4 hundred thousand instruments a year any more) and a focus on the customer and quality.[/s]

[/quote]

(...unless, of course, he's planning to stage some enormous charity benefit with Bob Geldof to help keep Fender afloat.)

[wateroftyne]

[quote name='tauzero' timestamp='1423215026' post='2682211']
You mean those aren't just the same old bass with different go-faster stripes on?
[/quote]

OK, how about:







[b]TRUE FACT:[/b] None of these have, or will, sell very well. So hats off to them for even trying.

[M@23]

[quote name='NancyJohnson' timestamp='1423144265' post='2681341']
Bwahaha. Fender are just plain lazy by relying on less than five core products for the last fifty or so years. They need a fecking kick in the pants to jimmy them up a bit. Gibson are just as guilty.
[/quote]

Same with Ford, wish they would stop pedalling out all those Focus', Fiestas and Transists

[uncle psychosis]

I always think that slagging off Fender because they keep making the same old stuff is a bit like slagging off Heinz because they keep making Baked Beans.

Edited February 6, 2015 by uncle psychosis

[Dad3353]

[quote name='uncle psychosis' timestamp='1423230817' post='2682537']
I always think that slagging off Fender because they keep making the same old stuff is a bit like slagging off Heinz because they keep making Baked Beans.
[/quote]
... and just as well for them, as their spaghetti hoops are ghastly..!

[40hz]

I absolutely love Fender but, for me, the new designs and models are all still very 'safe' I think that's partly why nothing else has really taken off. None of the new models have ever really had a 'wow' factor Or do anything drastically different.