Ok, so bass player here... First, if Guitar Center has done more to improve the sound and lighting at local churches across America than anyone, ever. As far as instruments go, I love smaller, local guitar stores because they often carry product you just don't see in the big stores outside of the used gear department. I've ran into all kinds of cool stuff ranging from some really nice amps made in some local dude's barn to custom shops, to one store that was importing insanely nice boutique brand guitars directly from Japan (I picked up a short neck bass there and played it for a decade before I gave it to an aspiring player).
Guitar Center was cool and all, but really, I don't need 168 perfectly mass-produced bass guitars to choose from. If I'm going to drop $2000+, well, that goes a long way towards something custom from a local luthier. So much of music is about expressing yourself... If you want to sound like everyone else, play the same guitar the same way as everyone else. That said, Guitar Center and Sam Ash really do a great job making pretty good equipment affordable and more importantly, easy to get.
Guitar Center was cool and all, but really, I don't need 168 perfectly mass-produced bass guitars to choose from. If I'm going to drop $2000+, well, that goes a long way towards something custom from a local luthier. So much of music is about expressing yourself... If you want to sound like everyone else, play the same guitar the same way as everyone else. That said, Guitar Center and Sam Ash really do a great job making pretty good equipment affordable and more importantly, easy to get.