Guitar Center. The name alone might ring bells for many musicians, and unfortunately, not always for the right reasons. My personal experience with them reached a point where I had to walk away, vowing to take my business elsewhere. It all started with a simple return of a Universal Audio Apollo Twin DUO interface, a process that should have been straightforward but turned into an hour-long ordeal.
Despite having written proof that I was within my rights to return the Apollo, the Guitar Center staff pushed back. It felt like they were trying every tactic to avoid processing the return. I even had to get Universal Audio support on the phone while standing in the store to solidify my case. Eventually, after escalating to the store manager and a considerable amount of arguing, they finally conceded and accepted the return. Perhaps the only silver lining was that I was simultaneously purchasing an Apollo Twin QUAD, but even that didn’t smooth over the sour taste left by their customer service.
This experience wasn’t just about the return itself. Throughout my time in the store, multiple employees actively tried to dissuade me from buying an Apollo interface in the first place. Their lack of knowledge about the product line was astonishing. They couldn’t differentiate between the DUO and QUAD models, mistakenly believing the “Twin” in the name indicated a DUO. When they told me the QUAD was out of stock and only the DUO was available, I walked over to their display to find the opposite – only QUADs and no DUOs. This sheer misinformation and the pushy sales tactics regarding a product they clearly didn’t understand left me deeply unimpressed with Guitar Center’s expertise and customer-centric approach.
This negative encounter led me to seek alternatives, and that’s when I discovered Front End Audio. The contrast was night and day. From their exceptional customer service to their fast, free delivery and transparent pricing (no surprise taxes at checkout), Front End Audio has become my go-to for music equipment. Recently, they even went above and beyond when an issue arose with my order. Before I even had a chance to complain, they proactively apologized and offered a significant discount as compensation. This proactive and customer-first approach is exactly what sets Front End Audio apart.
So, while Guitar Center left me feeling frustrated and undervalued as a customer, Front End Audio has earned my loyalty through their outstanding service and genuine care. If you’re looking for a reliable and customer-friendly source for your music gear, I wholeheartedly recommend checking out Front End Audio at https://www.frontendaudio.com/. It’s time to say goodbye to Guitar Center and hello to a better way to buy music equipment.
It also seemed apparent that Guitar Center harbored some form of bias against UAD products. The concerted effort to steer me away from the Apollo, coupled with their lack of product knowledge, hinted at an underlying issue, further solidifying my decision to avoid them for future purchases.
