At the two stores in my area they always seem out of stock for any good quality gear other than pedals, strings, cables and stuff like that!
Global supply chains are disrupted from the plague. My local GCs still get some interesting guitars rolling through. Never had much Marshall stuff other than the obligatory DSL40CR and a Code25C. I just shop their web inventory.
I was on the Sweetwater website a couple of days ago, and it was a ghost town. I went through a few brands, and other than a few demo models, there was nothing available.
I have noticed physical used inventories to be WAAAAY down I went to Nashville in Jan and had to search for the used gear ...probably 4 sq feet of it I hear ya, me too ,and it's usually pretty good .I actually scored this mornin' \
They recently went through another bankruptcy reorganization, and came closer to actually going out of business than in their previous bankruptcies. But once again they struck deals with their creditors and successfully exited bankruptcy in Dec 2020. They've got at least another few years. Musical equipment sales set all sorts of records in 2020. Along with supply chain disruptions, that means lots of retailers have low levels of stock.
My local GC looked bare. I was there this past Friday. They keep having these Saturday bring your used gear in for cash promotions. I have dumped quite a bit during this virus. What they offered me on these items were steadily fair so that day i didn't even bother to do my own used price check to have an idea. Sorry folks but the well is dry for any more donations from me.
If the used section has nothing good, the store has nothing good Go on craigslist or ebay or something instead Most new stuff sucks. Only decent new guitar that was attractively priced I've played in store in like half a dozen years was some Jackson with Fishmans for $550
All the supply chains for [everything] have been disrupted the last 4 years with someone's personal trade war with Gina. Guitars included. The clothes you wear, the cars you drive. Every area of life. I know someone building a house that had to drive to multiple hardware stores [over 200 miles] just to get particle board when he really wanted plywood which was nowhere to be found. All my local guitar shops have not been able to get any inventory for the last year. It is a Global economy. When you try to hurt one country it affects everyone. The kicker is right now our Trade deficit with China is the highest ever recorded. Was not the case in 2016. 90+% of GC stock is from Asia.
Last time I was at GC it was bare and ugly, nothing exciting. Used inventory consisted of a few obligatory SS Peavey combos and some Squires and Epiphones etc etc. Half of the walls were bare, looked like a store going out of buisness. Now the local little guitar shop on the other hand, they always have fun stuff in there... I'm a kid in a candy store every time I visit... My wallet and my wife hates when I go there. Usually new gear every time I visit, pretty good at keeping customers returning.
Sweetwater rep told me that everyone is having problems. Gibson guitars are in short supply as others' all due to the virus. He said they start getting more stuff in March
I ordered a new 50s Gibson Gold Top Standard. Guitar Center said it would be late April at the earliest as they only had 6 in stock. I got a notification it shipped the next day and it's "out for delivery" right now. I might have just got lucky.
GC inventory has been emaciated for at least 6 months by most accounts. I ordered a new Gibson from a mom n' pop shop last week. I was told it's a 4 month wait, minimum. I noticed the big box web sites are generally short on inventory too.
I can't last very long looking at their site though, it's so slow and the pictures are crappy. I keep hearing about scores, I'll have to keep trying, might be cuz I'm using my phone. Physical inventory at my local GC has been dwindling for years, i have a couple Music go round's close by though and a few mom'n'pops around. The MGRs have been good for the Harmony/Kay stuff i love.
I demoed a used EH Mod 11 pedal today at the Cherry Hill GC. All the pots were scratchy; the on/off buttom hardly worked and the out jack was in and out. I passed. WTF is taking this crap in?
