As a Harvard MBA with an investment porfolio, and currently working in auto sales....

I've never been in a Guitar center, I shop very little, try not to want better than I deserve, but I'm glad to have local biz the Guitar Emporium here in Louisville. A bit pricey, but everyone there is a known local player, nice enough--they don't really haggle but if you tell them your story, what you need and why, they seem to get drawn in and want to help. It doesn't take long to notice they always diss any instrument they don't own, just in case you might want to sell or trade-in, and to make you restless. so it goes.

I keep hearing women talk about the weirdness of many guitar shops, being asked if they know what their boyfriend needs, things like that. I remember the first time I heard of it, it struck me--so that's what that odd atmosphere is, a variety of guy-funk. Male funk though it may be, I suspect it's a fairly benign strain.