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Best Buy Starts Selling Guitar… Today!
Filed Under (Gear, Random Thought) by Frank on 18-07-2008
Tagged Under : Best Buy, Gear, Guitar, Guitar Hero, Real Guitars
![Best Buy [Logo]](http://www.understandingguitar.org/wp-content/uploads/2008/07/bestbuylogo.jpg "Best Buy")
I work around Downers Grove, IL and there is a very good deli [map for deli^] right in a shopping center off of Butterfield road. I sometimes go there for lunch. Next to the deli is the Downers Grove Best Buy, so I decided to stop in and walk around (the Deli Serves huge sandwiches, I love that place!)
Anyway, so I was wondering around the Best Buy and noticed that they had something blocked off… As I walked, slowly what came in to view was a bit surprising. I saw Guitars in the room hanging on the wall like a Guitar Center.
These were real guitars. You know, like you are learning to play. Not Guitar Hero guitars.
I asked the bunch of employees that were standing around talking (common at best buy) when that section opens, and they said tomorrow — well that was yesterday! So it opened today.
I guess they are only doing this in a select few stores. I intend to stop by on Monday when I’m back in the area.
But the question stands, Why is Best Buy selling guitars? I have a theory and I’m going to share it… Why? Because I pay each month to have this blog and I have an opinion so I’m going to share it. 
With the craze of the Guitar Hero came the “Guitar Hero Effect” (I just made that up, I hope it sticks). Anyway, what I call the Guitar Hero Effect is where people (mostly kids? [yeah, right]) play the game for a while and then decide that they enjoy the game and then decide that playing a real guitar must be just like the game. They can become a rock guitar hero just like JoCo! And hence, they want to learn guitar. (So they go buy a guitar… etc, etc).
Well, this is Best Buy’s attempt to get in on those sales. I can’t blame them. If I was in their executive team I’d probably would start selling them too. (Wait, I am — I own stock; it sort of like being on the executive team, right? Ok, fine, no.)
Leave a note on what you think. Oh, and would you buy a guitar from Best Buy? I’m on the fence. I don’t think it’d be any different from Guitar Center or Sam Ash… The same mis-information (whether accident or not) would and will proabably be used.
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Hey there Frank!
I get really confused by all this cross-selling. Don’t know why they’d sell guitars in BB other than because of the effect you talked about. Back in the days we lived in the US I always thought it was funny that WalMart would sell bundled guitar packs, though it basically makes sense that if you can earn a buck selling something and it doesn’t take up much room then why not sell it.
The other day I needed paint… where was the first place we thought to look for it? Our local grocery store!
Kenskis last blog post..Summer Strum
Hey Kenski,
How ya been?
Yeah, though that isn’t how I worded it, that pretty sums up what I’m saying. Best Buy wanted to capitalize on this new fad, and so they are trying.
Though, really, would you buy a Guitar from a Best Buy?
Hmmm….buying a guitar at Best Buy…that’s a pretty interesting question. I guess first off, I can’t imagine buying a guitar for my personal use from any place that didn’t have the staff, tools, and capacity to do a proper setup. We are fortunate to have a number of good guitar shops (not the big chains like SA, or GC, but locally owned and operated) that take the time to set up the instruments before you buy them. I’ve played some of those “starter kit” guitars, and the majority of them are really horrible…the action is bad, intonation is way off, and the whole thing is just miserable to play. Is that the first impression of a real guitar that you want to give a potential “guitar hero/rock band” convert? I know it’s gonna be more expensive, but I think that when you buy a guitar for someone, it should be one you wouldn’t mind playing yourself…I know that everyone I’ve ever bought for someone else, I’ve ended up playing…at a family picnic, or holiday party, or when it comes back because “junior” never even took it out of the case. I have an Ibanez RG that I got that way…I still play it on a regular basis. If you love guitar enough to want to share, and I know you do (I’ve been reading some of your posts) help them find an instrument that feels good in their hands, one that speaks to them, and share the love!
Disclaimer…it I walked into Best Buy this afternoon and they were selling a Gibson Custom Shop Les Paul for $5.00, I’d buy every one they had…and trade one to my local guitar tech to get the others into prime playing condition! Not a hypocrite, just a realist.
Thanks for letting me hang out and vent on your blog!
Hey John,
Thank you much for the great comments and thoughts. It is nice to hear another perspective on this.
I agree with you. I think that if one is going to start learning to play guitar, then it is of the utmost importance that the student gets started on a good foot.
A bad or poorly setup guitar is a problem… The worst part is as a beginner you have no clue how the guitar should feel…
And when you are first getting started off, you place your (mis-)trust in the Guitar Center or Sam Ash employees to guide you in the right direction. I don’t expect them to set a new player up with a $1000 Gibson or whatever, but at least get the starter guitar setup properly… And explain what a setup is at that point (and this should be done free of charge)!
Regarding the $5.00 Gibson; I agree… If I found a $5.00 guitar that didn’t have a broken headstock at Best Buy, I’d probably buy it… It is Best Buy, I could always return it!
Kind Regards,
Frank
Here is an article announcing that is/was going to start selling musical instruments and equipment…
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080728/ap_en_mu/best_buy_music_store
Franks last blog post..Having Trouble Learning a Piece of Music? {sub: Lick, Solo, Chord Progression, etc}
The apocalypse is near. Not that it is a bad thing for Geetar Center to have another competitor. But we already have a major talent deficit (think number of instruments sold to those that can actually play them) due to Camp Rock, Radio Disney, Guitar Hero, Idol, Hello Kitty guitars and all this other mainstream crap. Now that anyone with a pulse can make CD’s at home, there is sooo much lame music out there. Do we really need to deluge the market with thousands more guitars that will just end up on auction sites and local classifieds when Junior realizes it is not that easy to play like (Insert latest idol here.) For long time players, this pathetic state of affairs really cheapens the experience. It makes me want to turn my back on guitar and take up the triangle or oboe or something that is not a mass marketed nightmare. BTW, GC has been preparing for the Best Buy onsaught by hiring Big Box Retail MBA pros (non musicians) into top corporate positions for the last several months. They even have consultants hired as “culture gurus” that work alongside these spreadsheet nimrods to help them learn the nuances of the music biz… what a joke. So the observations about guitar commoditization are dead on. The ultimate irony will be when Best Buy gobbles up GC and tries to take the whole category just like they did with Musicland.
Or Geek Squad…. They should have left that alone too…
Thanks for the info / write up Dean!
found your site on del.icio.us today and really liked it.. i bookmarked it and will be back to check it out some more later ..
I find your blog boring,I don’t think you are telling the truth.
chikwendu,
I’m sorry you find this blog boring. How do you think the blog could be made less boring? I’m always looking for ways to improve it!
Also, what don’t you think I’m telling the truth on?
Regards,
Frank