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| - I've been here several times since they opened about 5 years ago. With Ward Brodt seriously reducing their store space, this is one of your only options for a full-featured guitar/pro audio/keyboard store in the Madison area. In that sense, I'm glad they're here - but I wish the store was better.
First, the prices for accessories like guitar strings/picks, stands, racks, etc. aren't very good. If you have favorite strings or picks, for example, that you always get, online is a much better choice. That's true of most stores these days, but it must be said. As another reviewer pointed out, the staff don't always know what they're talking about. I've found some of their guitar staff to be really nice, friendly and helpful; one of their keyboard 'specialists' didn't know very much, had a vaguely contentious attitude and was clearly trying to 'steer' me toward certain things. I'm sure the people in charge of higher-end items are working on commission.
The atmosphere is what bugs me most, and what keeps me from going there unless I really need to. They aren't condescending to amateurs that I've noticed, but in general the staff and store has a sort of hardcore, punk, 'throw up the horns' kind of attitude. I find it off-putting. I even listen to some heavier music, but with all the multitude of genres of music out there that people make with guitars, microphones and keyboards, why does every guitar shop have to be all hardcore and heavy metal? I know more than one person who plays guitar or bass, who bluntly says 'I won't go there' about Guitar Center because of the lame hardcore attitude of the store.
As a professional musician, doing everything from orchestral to jazz and recording/mixing, I know there are plenty of good, responsible, personable musicians out there. But they don't usually work at stores like this, for some reason. The last time I was there, I walked in, and a young punk-looking girl at a counter near the entrance - whose job it is to verify receipts as people leave - says hello. I nod and give a quiet 'hello' in response. This is normal, I'm a low-key guy. With a definite attitude she's like 'I'm good, how are you?' as if chiding me for not asking her how she's doing. I was a little taken aback, and just kind of looked at her smirking face for a second and kept walking. As I browsed the store she and some guy, who looked like a manager, stood there for a few moments looking at me and offering snickering asides to each other. Good lord. The other person I spoke to there was nice, but it was a needlessly unpleasant way to stop in and get some guitar strings.
So that's what the store has been like for me. If you really need to test out some equipment, go there and give them a chance. But you might not like the service, and you'll probably find a way better deal online. If you need regular stuff like strings and such, and don't want to get them online, one of the mom and pop stores in town, or Good'n Loud, are probably a more pleasant experience.
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