Guitar Center review: vip event early access showcase sunday nov. 23. 4-7 pm

Through rain, fog, high traffic with poor visibility; I traveled 200 miles round trip from my home location in Central Missouri to the Guitar Center in Bridgeton, MO. I arrived at 3:45 pm just before the sale and I was greeted by Mr. M (first initial). I asked Mr. M if the 20% discount for the VIP coupon I received would work on the qualifying item of the Apollo X8P Studio edition and he confirmed yes.

The item was not in stock or on the shelf, so we had to look the item up in their system. Between Mr. M and I we were able to find it in the system by pulling up the Apollo X8P Essentials and then clicking on the Studio package once on the same page. In doing so I noted to Mr. M that the Essentials Package should come with the LX Sphere Microphone; however, the Studio Package should come with the DLX Sphere Microphone which is well noted as the current promotion on the UA Apollo Site. I showed Mr. M this information from my iPhone and also let him know that Guitar Center could be losing business due to this online gift description.

Mr. M got his supervisor's attention, and we both presented the information to him. The supervisor's only answer was that he guessed that this wasn't part of Guitar Center's promotion and it should only come with the LX instead of the DLX microphone because it was that way on the website/ordering system. The supervisor did not try to take my name or number or even verify with corporate if the information was correct. I showed him Universal Audio's current promotion on their website, which also list Guitar Center as a dealer location for their promotion. I verified to the supervisor if that was his final answer; he replied yes.

I informed Mr. M before we began looking at apollo that I had a trade-in as well which was a Focusrite Scarlett 18i20 3rd generation in the box, contents never opened and never registered for the products that come with that interface supplier. Not only did this supervisor feel that a $3,799.00 sale was not important (being sold to an African American from another African American); he also lost a potential great trade in.

I've been a long-time customer of Guitar Center. Back around 1998 I drove from St. Louis to Chicago to make a large purchase at Guitar Center when there was no store in the St. Louis area. In the early 2000's when the Roland VS2480 was demoed at the Crestwood, MO location I purchased one that same night.

I'm sorry but I would not consider what I witnessed on Sunday night VIP treatment. Looking at other competing retailer sites such as Sweeterwater.com the promotion looks correctly. Looking at Musician's Friend website, an affiliate of Guitar Center which I have done business with also on many levels; the promotion looks incorrect as well for the Apollo X8P Studio (shows the LX microphone is the promotional gift and not the DLX).

Best Regards