SM7b and Guitar Center Sales Fun

dr bonkers

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So I decide to add another mic to the Dr B stable for future IR file releases and found a great deal on a used Shure SM7b in great shape that could be shipped to my local store.

I get notified the mic arrived at my local GC in Paramus and go to pick it up. Guy at the counter sees my receipt and says I'll be tight back.

No exaggeration, I wait 20 minutes and he comes out with a shipping box the size of an Axe-fx II shipping box. I'm cringing because I'm wondering if the store in Virginia shipped the correct item to me- I had this happen before that a store shipped the wrong thing.

So I open the box. There's 5 pounds of bubble wrap in there and a smaller box. I open that up and the mic is there. All is good I think.

Sales dude then proceeds to try and hard sell me on a Cloud Lifter that "I absolutely need" because that mic is +10 level for broadcast and won't work with your setup."

I try cracking a joke by saying, I have a pro setup. If I can drive ribbon mics, Neumann mics, and various quiet mics, I'm sure I won't need the Cloud Lifter, my setup isn't prosumer or hobbyist level.

He proceeds to tell me if I don't have a broadcast console that I'll just be coming back anyways. I reply, I worked at one of the largest commercial recording studios in the area and we had no problems driving the same model mic with a similar impedance and gain structure mic pre, I think I will be fine. I ask him, what did Bruce Swieden do with this mic and no Cloud Lifter invented when he recorded Michael Jackson's Thriller?

He harrumphs and lets me sign for the mic being recieved.

Is that what Guitar Center is reduced to, people not knowing what they are talking about and trying to take advantage of people that might not know better?
 
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Hahaha, GC has been like that as long as I can remember. Those guys are all working off commissions and make jack shit hourly, so they’ve gotta do what they can to sell, sell, sell. It’s best to avoid them as much as possible, like walking in a NYC subway in the 80’s; make as little eye contact as possible, don’t stop to ask questions and don’t give the appearance that you have money on you.

Occasionally theIr lack of knowledge will work out in your favor. 15 or so years ago I walked into Sam Ash and saw a TC Electronics G-Force sitting in a rack, brand new with a tag that said TC Electronics G-Major $450. G-Forces were still selling for $900-1000. I asked the sales guy if it were correct, he checked in the computer and said “Yeah, $450.” When I went to purchase it he had to have the sales manager enter in a code for some reason, he paused and said “Shit, this isn’t right. I don’t care anymore, fuck it.” and I walked out a very, very happy man.
 
what did Bruce Swieden do with this mic
I lived in the same high school district as Bruce Swedien and his family in suburban Chicagoland, and partied hard a lot with his two extremely comely and cool daughters (we were all music/theater geeks/stoners) , and my first experience in a pro recording studio was singing lead with the high school orchestra doing a cover of “Beginnings” by Chicago in Bruce’s Studio (1972) ....sadly probly the highlight of my studio recording career .
 
I lived in the same high school district as Bruce Swedien and his family in suburban Chicagoland, and partied hard a lot with his two extremely comely and cool daughters (we were all music/theater geeks/stoners) , and my first experience in a pro recording studio was singing lead with the high school orchestra doing a cover of “Beginnings” by Chicago in Bruce’s Studio (1972) ....sadly probly the highlight of my studio recording career .
That's an experience I would have loved to have had.
 
I dislike going to my local GC in Albuquerque. It has downsized drastically and it looks like they rely on money from lessons.

My last interaction was when I went to buy my katana mk II 1x12. They only had the floor model and I asked if they can do a discount if I take it. The sales representative looked annoyed at me asking. He goes, all I can do is 5%, which I said I'd had to go talk to my wife.

Doodled around for a few minutes and found a new sales person that seemed pretty happy to help before the other guy.

I showed him a lower price from a competitor and he goes, yeah man no problem, I'll hook you up. Got me about $50 off. It also turned out that the picture I showed him was to the MK 1 but said he saw how annoyed the other guy looked and wanted to take care of me.
 
I dislike going to my local GC in Albuquerque. It has downsized drastically and it looks like they rely on money from lessons...

Yeah, the ABQ store is hit or miss when it comes to the sales guys. A couple of the guys there are friends of mine (one in drums and the other in pro audio), so they treat me pretty good when I drop by. I haven't bought much more than strings from GC for the past several years, but the "service" really varies among the other sales reps. But in a way I understand. I read a lot of posts about what a soul-crushing experience working at GC can be, so I can see how some guys just phone it in on some days. I miss the days when ABQ had a good assortment of independent music stores.
 
I've dealt with multiple people there who'd never heard of the Helix, no idea what it was, no idea how to deal with their borked up display. Semi-recently too. You don't have to use or like modelers to sell guitar gear, but I'd hope you have your eyes open at least a little.
 
He should have let it go once you demonstrated your knowledge, but many MANY people buy that mic because they see so many use it then don't understand why they can barely get a signal out of it. Most people actually do need it.
 
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