All "corperate" or "chain" stores are like that. I went into Bass Pro Shop (very big sporting store) in Cinncinati and asked the guy about something for my Walther 9mm and he said "what's a Walther...?"
Guitar stores.... Suck!
- Thread starter Lespaulnmarshall
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rykus
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when i was like 20 i weht in to tom lee music in vancouver bc and tried to order a set of SD antiquity pick ups for the epiphone LP i used at the time. the kid wouldn't even look it up for me. said he didn't have time. so i walked a little farther down the street to west coast music. ordered the pick ups and since have bought 69 LP custom, 68 marshall plexi , mesa f30, washburn acoustic as well as drywalled at their house and ordered tons of little odds and ends. if i go to tom lee now its purely to test things before i order them locally (i live in a small town about an hour away) the music store in my town is really good too, but no one buys high end stuff so he really doesn't stock too much. but i have got really good used stuff there too an 80's ayotte kit, a 88 warwick bass, and a 98 prs custom 22. all for stellar prices. buy local and from people who care, fuck those myspace wankers that work in the chains cause they don't wanna work a real job.
Furies
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I'd been buying gear in the Atlanta area throughout the 70's-90's, and after a long time away from the music biz, I decided to revisit all my old haunts. Talk about a transformation. Outside of GC, SA, and one or two notable exceptions, very few shops had any inventory to speak of, and most of that was Chinese knock off brands. On top of that, the number of stores has really declined. Many have gone to exclusively online retail, which reduces the joy of the hunt to me.
Regardless, everyone I met was exceedingly courteous. Perhaps it's due to my age (alas, my 16 year old mentality is trapped inside the body of a 49 year old), but I couldn't say a bad word about any store.
I think the really good used stuff gravitates towards the better shops like Atlanta Discount Music, leaving very little for everyone else.
Regardless, everyone I met was exceedingly courteous. Perhaps it's due to my age (alas, my 16 year old mentality is trapped inside the body of a 49 year old), but I couldn't say a bad word about any store.
I think the really good used stuff gravitates towards the better shops like Atlanta Discount Music, leaving very little for everyone else.
Ken
Well-Known Member
Oh yeah! I think back to when I was a long haired kid and it was hard to test guitars. Now they hand them to me unasked! LOL I'm 50 BTW.
Ken
longfxukxnhair
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This is a insightful thread. I am considering opening a music store. Mainly second hand stuff.
ToddOwnz
Member
what a tardI lucked out for outdoor stores...There's a private outfitters in Ashland, OH called "Fin Feather and Fur" which is about the size of a Cabelas/Bass Pro. If you're ever in the area, check it out! Every staff member is great
I lucked out for outdoor stores...There's a private outfitters in Ashland, OH called "Fin Feather and Fur" which is about the size of a Cabelas/Bass Pro. If you're ever in the area, check it out! Every staff member is great
I have been there...! Very cool shop....
I personally think you would do good. My oldest daughter lives in NYC. I go there to visit and spend most of my time going to the small shops there...
longfxukxnhair
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Thx bro! I am considering a second hand music store or.......................top secret idea im working on.
Straightshooter1972
New Member
My local store is great. It's really small but they have good high quality gear for sale at reasonable prices. I tried out a 100 watt Vintage Modern head in the shop and he asked what speaker configuration i wanted to try and he had them all, 2x12's 4x12's etc. He told me to turn it up as loud as I want and no-one had a problem with it which I found useful and amazing as the shop is literally no bigger than my living room and kitchen combined!
I find the big UK corporation shops a bit too snobbish. They come straight up to you and ask if they can help which annoys me BIG TIME and they keep wanting you to buy what you came for and fuck off, If there's a problem with it they are not interested. The two bigger independent stores within 60 miles of me are Mansons of Exeter and Cranes of Cardiff. These shops are excellent and if you wanna try out stuff they will let you stay all day without any pressure which when you're making a major purchase is very helpful. I once went to Cranes and spent 6 hours there trying out every acoustic guitar they had and I didn't even buy one that day but went back a few weeks later and got My Taylor from them because they were so good to me.
I find the big UK corporation shops a bit too snobbish. They come straight up to you and ask if they can help which annoys me BIG TIME and they keep wanting you to buy what you came for and fuck off, If there's a problem with it they are not interested. The two bigger independent stores within 60 miles of me are Mansons of Exeter and Cranes of Cardiff. These shops are excellent and if you wanna try out stuff they will let you stay all day without any pressure which when you're making a major purchase is very helpful. I once went to Cranes and spent 6 hours there trying out every acoustic guitar they had and I didn't even buy one that day but went back a few weeks later and got My Taylor from them because they were so good to me.
eschoendorff
Member
Our Best Buy was pretty cool when they first opened their music division. But, after a year, much of their guitar inventory has not moved. They guys with the knowledge went on to other jobs and left a couple lackeys to run the place.
Now, the place is rather useless.
joshuaaewallen
Active Member
Amen!
bscenefilms
Active Member
There is a guitar shop not far from me called Norm's Rare Guitars. I have bought a Guild 12 string, a Martin D-41 and a Fender 62 reissue strat there. In each instance the guys were knowledgeable, helpful, accommodating and willing to cut a deal. The only thing I get in GC is strings and picks since their shop is closer... I hate going into GC because there is always 5 different guys in there shredding on something and the cacophony drives me nuts.
kamran
Well-Known Member
i love my local guitar store (zone music, in cotate california, if anyone lives around here)
the owner is the nicest guy ever. ive been going there at least twice a week since i was 13. sometimes i get bored and just go and hang out there and play. they know ill treat their stuff VERY well so they never think twice to let me try out the most expensive guitar and the most expensive marshall. anyway, back to the owner. when i was a wee 14 year old i was looking for my first les paul, and i had my sights set on an epiphone les paul standard, $500, nothing special.i played it a lot before i bought it, i literally played it for around a total of ten hours before i bought it. so one day i come in to finally buy it, and when the owner is ringing me up, i didnt even have to haggle. he just looked at me and said "before you pay, let me see what i can do for you".
he ended up giving me like 4 sets of d'addarios for free, a franklin strap (nice $40 one) for free and an epiphone case ($80) for free. then we go back to the counter and he looks at the price tag of the guitar, and instead of $500, he says hes gonna drop it down to $315. for no reason. he gave me $185 off the guitar, brand new. plus the $130 of stuff he gave me free.
and another time i got a marshall MG (i was young lol) online, and felt bad about not buying from them. anyway, one of the output jacks stopped working (turns out it was just a dirty master volume pot) and i bring it in to their tech and asks if hell take a look at it and how much it costs. he says hell give me a call. i go back into the main store and talk to frank (the owner) about it. he tells me their tech is actually a marshall tech, so it should be ok. then i tell him i think its out of warranty. he says "it doesnt matter, the tech will take care of it for free, and if its not under warranty, well pay for it." i didnt even buy it there and he offered to fix it for free. such a nice guy.
now thats how you make repeat customers. i ever buy from anywhere else anymore, unless its something they cant get in and dont have.
the owner is the nicest guy ever. ive been going there at least twice a week since i was 13. sometimes i get bored and just go and hang out there and play. they know ill treat their stuff VERY well so they never think twice to let me try out the most expensive guitar and the most expensive marshall. anyway, back to the owner. when i was a wee 14 year old i was looking for my first les paul, and i had my sights set on an epiphone les paul standard, $500, nothing special.i played it a lot before i bought it, i literally played it for around a total of ten hours before i bought it. so one day i come in to finally buy it, and when the owner is ringing me up, i didnt even have to haggle. he just looked at me and said "before you pay, let me see what i can do for you".
he ended up giving me like 4 sets of d'addarios for free, a franklin strap (nice $40 one) for free and an epiphone case ($80) for free. then we go back to the counter and he looks at the price tag of the guitar, and instead of $500, he says hes gonna drop it down to $315. for no reason. he gave me $185 off the guitar, brand new. plus the $130 of stuff he gave me free.
and another time i got a marshall MG (i was young lol) online, and felt bad about not buying from them. anyway, one of the output jacks stopped working (turns out it was just a dirty master volume pot) and i bring it in to their tech and asks if hell take a look at it and how much it costs. he says hell give me a call. i go back into the main store and talk to frank (the owner) about it. he tells me their tech is actually a marshall tech, so it should be ok. then i tell him i think its out of warranty. he says "it doesnt matter, the tech will take care of it for free, and if its not under warranty, well pay for it." i didnt even buy it there and he offered to fix it for free. such a nice guy.
now thats how you make repeat customers. i ever buy from anywhere else anymore, unless its something they cant get in and dont have.
thetragichero
Well-Known Member
guitar stores rule
chain retailers..... not so much
chain retailers..... not so much
In my area, mom and pop places were usually run by douches, the pawn shops are even worse.
GC and SA are usually staffed with dipshits (especially SA), particularly the junior management, and some of the senior management too.
I stick with the few I know they are actually knowledgeable, too few and far between though.
How many SA salesman does it take to change a tube?
GC and SA are usually staffed with dipshits (especially SA), particularly the junior management, and some of the senior management too.
I stick with the few I know they are actually knowledgeable, too few and far between though.
How many SA salesman does it take to change a tube?
tonefreak
New Member
ironlung40
Active Member
chains vs mama pops............This all just depends on who is working where. I've seen all types at all places. But, for a newbie without any experience, it is a scary place to be in. Now that I'm not such a newb I don't worry so much about who is behind the counter. I can usually use it to my advantage if I know more. But, repair time, and guitar setup time is when I worry the most, especially when I cannot correct the problem myself. The only guitar tech I know of that is local to me, overturned a truss rod and caused the fretboard to come loose on the last guitar I took to him. Luckily the guitar had been bought at the same store, and I got a refund.
I had my Gibson Les Paul Cutsom in a shop getting a yearly setup. it was in Stacys Music in Charlottesville and I called after 5 hours to see what was up as I hadnt gotten an update. they told me that they had decided to change the nut, without telling me or asking me. turns out they tore up the binding and part of the neck and it looks like they took out the nut with a chainsaw. so they paid to have if fixed, and it now just looks like a herendous battle scar. broke my heart. I worked for years trying to get up enough cash to get that guitar and she was my baby. never hurt before and always cleaned and such. I know I was over-protective but what can I say it is my dream guitar. turns out the entire reason they messed it up is because the lowest string wouldnt intonate properly, but it wasnt anything to do with the guitar. it turns out the string itself was messed up and wouldnt intonate well. a lasting mistake for a 10 cent string.
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