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Location: Flahdaw | Originally posted by TAFKAR:
Groups such as this fan club where other buyers (members of the club) let you play their guitar which they've already purchased, may be the replacement for guitars in stores. Yeah, you're right. I tried g8r's 2008 Adamis at the Seadog Seranade here in Bradenton, hosted by Iffy....now I can't get it out of my head. If Ovation was smart, they'd host these things....buy drinks, food, bring a bunch of guitars. what a marketing concept. |
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Location: Michigan | alot of the posts sound like you guys pick up a certain model # of a guitar and play it in a g.c. store or sam ash that you assume or expect that the one you order online will exactly reproduce the same sound and feel of the model that you played in the g.c. or sam ash store.i personally believe that is bad thinking. i may be wrong but i still say that no two guitars are the same.one that you played and felt that sounds great for you might not be the same one that you buy online.
alpep you should have some comments on this.are all guitars created equal because they are the same model # or do they vary in sound and feel by each one.im so glad we have a strong mom & pop store in my area. GWB |
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Location: Scotland | Originally posted by guitarwannabee:
a lot of the posts sound like you guys pick up a certain model # of a guitar and play it in a g.c. store or sam ash that you assume or expect that the one you order online will exactly reproduce the same sound and feel of the model that you played in the g.c. or sam ash store. Errrrrm, no. None of the posts even vaguely alluded to that. In fact they stated exactly the opposite. A bunch of morons will go into a store and try some gear, then buy it online at the cheapest possible price. We all agree that this is shafting the good guys, but nobody has suggested in any way, shape or form that it is a good way to purchase a musical instrument.
I am an online music retailer and that income makes up a significant part of my living (and I make an OK living for something that doesn't seem like "working" ) I do not sell guitars or amps or anything mainstream and do not want to. My business model is simply this: I stock all of the weird crap that the majority of stores think is too specialist to carry. I do not have to compete on price because my customers can't find the same products anywhere else. Niche. That's the key, that and geeky esoteric product knowledge. |
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Location: Copenhagen Denmark | v |
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Location: Copenhagen Denmark | I thought that the USA was all about good service , overhere we are blessed with a real good music store , divided over three adresses , next to each other , 1" Percussion - 2" Keyboards /Studio - 3" Guitars / P A .
They sell on line too , where they have a GREAT Forum , yet , most of the items are in the shop ( Huge selection in everything ) , uptodate knowledgeable staff , of whome are part time performing musicians , the P A people are part time sound engineers / lightmen , they have allways time for a chat , in depth demonstrations , free coffee even , why , the other day I thought that this must be like in America , so this thread is like a cold shower , surely the experiences described above must be isolated experiences ?
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Location: Flahdaw | Ah, no. Haven't seen anything like that in America since........never. I think I want to retire and move to Denmark. |
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Location: The Great Pacific Northwest | PT hit the nail on the head.
FlicKreno aka Solid Top, the closest thing to what you describe used to be found in a couple of cities. New York and LA, maybe a couple of others. That's it. Most of the "MA PA" music stores are gone or going, or have been replaced with Guitar Center. The ones that are still around, usually have some niche as PT mentioned, be it rentals, or lessons or whatever.
As far as the brand guitars I prefer.. Well they aren't in stores in any volume (more than a couple if any) most anywhere. That's been discussed to death. You want to see a few Adamas guitars in the same room, you better call Alpep. That's it. It seems a few more of the other USA models are showing up in stores, but just a few. |
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Location: Scotland | In the last several of years or so I have been to very big and very small music stores in the USA Finland, Italy, Germany, Belgium, Den Haag, Amsterdam, Northern Ireland, ROI and of course the UK. The big ones are pretty much the same. Lot's of generic product and staffed by the same minimum-wage air-heads killing time while they wait for their big record deal. Most of the small ones were useless too. But just about everywhere you can find a real gem if you look hard enough. Owned and run by passionate knowledgeble people who are driven by doing the job right rather than the "bottom line" These places, brick and mortar or online, need to be treasured. Use 'em or lose 'em. It's not all down to price. |
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Location: Flahdaw | I don't know the musical instrument industry and may be way off-base, but don't most big time manufacturers require you to buy a minimum inventory...thus blowing out the small shops. You can't pick just a few Martins, Adamis, Taks, Gibsons, etc....you have to commit to a miminum buy, and small shops, which would be more prone to better service, just can't afford to do that. Maybe I don't know what I'm talking about, tho. |
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Location: Capital District, NY, USA Minor Outlying Islands | America is not like what you see in the movies, but overall, it's a nice place, and it's pretty big and if you look, you'll find some stores like those in denmark ...
I have to say, that in NYC and in the lower hudson valley we are pretty well blessed with good music stores ... at least the last time I looked ... who knows with this economy when the next shoe will drop. |
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Location: Scotland | Originally posted by darkbarguitar:
I don't know the musical instrument industry and may be way off-base, but don't most big time manufacturers require you to buy a minimum inventory...thus blowing out the small shops. You can't pick just a few Martins, Adamis, Taks, Gibsons, etc....you have to commit to a miminum buy, and small shops, which would be more prone to better service, just can't afford to do that. Maybe I don't know what I'm talking about, tho. Dead right. Of Course there are situations like this. Not all distributors have a minimum buy, but it's take a couple of pieces and pay full wholesale, take a bunch and get a better deal. So then the guy who can afford bigger purchases can discount further. Become a main dealer and commit to carrying constant inventory get another price break. But that happens in every retail sector, not just MI. That's just the way it is. And it's why service can count over price. |
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Location: Hot Springs, S.D. | Darkbar, you are right about the big manufacturers requiring a store to stock what they tell you to stock. That's why I carry Morgan Monroes. After the initial buy-in, I can carry as many or as few as I want. BUT, what helps me is the used guitars. I have had vintage Gibsons, Ovations, and tomorrow I am getting in an early 60'd Martin D-35. It's true that I also carry inexpensive starter guitars, but I don't carry junk. To me, it is even more important to carry decent starters so the kids don't get discouraged with junk that is unplayable. So I have Celebrities, Jasmines, Ibanez, Yamahas, and the like. I go through everything on the wall to make sure it is in good shape, playable and decent sounding. If they take good care of their starters, I will let them trade up when the time comes, so their initial investment isn't wasted. As I've said before, service is what keeps people coming back to my shop. Buy strings from me, and I will put them on for free. My prices on repairs are very low. People remember that stuff, and they are loyal to me.
Oh, and the coffe pot is always on. |
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Location: Copenhagen Denmark | Originally posted by darkbarguitar:
Ah, no. Haven't seen anything like that in America since........never. I think I want to retire and move to Denmark. Haha , wanna swap adresses ?..I`ve allways wanted to live in Florida , palmtrees , sunlit beaches , why , you live in paradise , while I live in a snowscape ,it is spring , and today it was snowing like mad.
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Location: Flahdaw | Come visit in august....you can help me put up my hurricane shutters when it's 95 degrees and 95% humidity. You lose weight going out to get the mail. |
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Location: The Great Pacific Northwest | I've heard the same thing from several music stores, especially rural ones. By time they get the "required" Fender, Gibson, Martin and Taylor, which essentially they have to carry or don't even bother opening the doors, they can't really afford anything else. I have also heard there's the you-can-only-carry-xx-and-yy-model of this brand because our other store in the area is bigger and they already carry ZZ-and-QQ-model and we don't allow our stores to compete in the same market area.
This is one reason I think Fender distribution taking over KMC might be a good thing in the long run. Ovations are now "Fender" products and I assume are part of the you-gotta-have-its to carry the Fender Product line. I'm hoping we see more and more Ovations in stores, because of it, and that actually seems to be the case already. |
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Location: East Tennessee | Originally posted by 2ifbyC:
Originally posted by darkbarguitar:
I was in Samash this mornin... So, do I sound like a cranky old man, or what? Bob. that's got to be the one by the airport! Those working there that 'play', play the same crap as their young customers. If they don't play, it doesn't matter...
Cranky? Nopper, discriminating!
I've been in that one. I wasn't impressed. |
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Location: Boise, Idaho | I'm going to miss Old Boise Guitar. They sold a couple Taylors that they were having trouble unloading, but it looks like they're in shutdown mode. Anyone want to buy a guitar store? I would if I had any money left in the retirement account. |
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Location: Michigan | Originally posted by darkbarguitar:
Come visit in august....you can help me put up my hurricane shutters when it's 95 degrees and 95% humidity. You lose weight going out to get the mail. I lived in Sarasota for 3 years in the early 80's
Couldn't take the summers, especially when you take a shower and put on new clothes & walk out the door only to start sweating again :mad:
The only thing I did like was Lido beach when it was still topless. :D
As far as music stores with excellent customer service, selection, quality, odd items & online sales. I guess I am spoiled with one a half hour away, guess thats why they are the top Martin seller. They have an acoustic/electric room with only all their acoustic amps and their acoustic electrics in one little room. Never had anything but a positive thing come out of a employee's mouth(all knowledeable & players themselves). Heck last time I was in there a couple had scheduled thier honeymoon so they could stop in to this store. Places like this will never go out of biz.
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Location: Flahdaw | Originally posted by birddog:
I lived in Sarasota for 3 years in the early 80's
Couldn't take the summers, especially when you take a shower and put on new clothes & walk out the door only to start sweating again :mad:
The only thing I did like was Lido beach when it was still topless. :D
Places like this will never go out of biz.
Wally Never say never, for your sake I hope not.
Weather wise, when it gets down to 50 degrees here, I freeze my ass off. Ask Weaser. He comes down for a visit from N.Y. last month and wears shorts! We're all dressed in layers and trying to warm our hands up so we can play guitar. |
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Location: Colorado Rocky Mountains | There's a few very small shops remaining here in town that are worth visiting, one because of the owner and the other because of the selection. The latter is a pawn shop that deals almost exclusively in guitars and related gear. I walked in one day looking for a Les Paul knock-off to jam with some colleagues and the manager brought out about a half dozen real Les Pauls, including one that he said was a prototype but knew nothing else about it. I played all of them for about three hours and was ready to make an offer. He then said he had another dozen or so downstairs if I wanted to try a few more. I declined and after about 15 minutes of negotiating (that's the fun part), I walked out with the prototype and later confirmed its history with the factory. The manager could very well be the owner, but refers to himself as the manager. He caters to older customers and has buyers out looking for gear. He even invited my son and I to go down to his basement drum room and crawl through piles of cymbal stands (there had to be hundreds of stands) looking for some drum stuff (we bought three plus a stool). We passed by more rooms with hundreds of old guitar cases, presumably containing guitars. The only downside is that the place is totally cluttered with gear, to the point of a resembling a junk shop, but the manager knows where the good stuff is and is willing to bring it out for you to try. If you're looking for a clean pristine showroom with lots of space, go elsewhere. |
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Location: Phoenix AZ | There's good places out there. The problem is that we are our own worst enemy. When was the last time you bought a guitar from your local B&M store? Me, 1997. Everything else has been out of town (Elderly, Cotton), ebay, craigs list, private sales or Al. So the locals take it in the wallet.
My local in Mesa AZ (The Music Store) does a ton of business in sheet music and books. That's really their focus. They have a small but great repair shop, and a selection of about 30 guitars - Hamer, Takamine, Martin and Ibanez. And a fair percentage of Ukes, Banjos and Mandos for such a small place. I enjoy going there.
Another good one is Milano Music (the owner owns an original Slothead). They make their money on band instruments and rentals. I don't think they care if they sell guitars or not, not have a good selection of acouctics and electrics and do stock USA ovation and adamas models. The sales staff are all middle aged or better, and have that "school music teacher" look to them. Nice place, although could use a good dusting.
Coolest place is here in Tempe AZ, called "Acoustic Vibes". High end wood box dealer who doesn't seem to have regular hours. sort of by appointment only, or take your chances. Can't quite figure out their business model. It's located in an office park, not a shopping district so also kind of wierd. But they have got an amazing inventory of expensive shit and don't mind at all if you just show up for half a day and play to your hearts content.
Last but not least, The Mandolin Store in Wickenburg AZ. I have not been there (45 miles away) but want to badly. Check out their website. Looks like an amazing place to waste an afternoon.
Guitar Center? Yeah, we got 4 of them scattered around town. It's the WalMart of music stores. Why in the hell would you go there in the first place. Yes, you can save 40 cents on a package of strings. |
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Location: Flahdaw | Originally posted by ProfessorBB:
There's a few very small shops remaining here in town that are worth visiting, one because of the owner and the other because of the selection. The latter is a pawn shop that deals almost exclusively in guitars and related gear. I walked in one day looking for a Les Paul knock-off to jam with some colleagues and the manager brought out about a half dozen real Les Pauls, including one that he said was a prototype but knew nothing else about it. I played all of them for about three hours and was ready to make an offer. He then said he had another dozen or so downstairs if I wanted to try a few more. I declined and after about 15 minutes of negotiating (that's the fun part), I walked out with the prototype and later confirmed its history with the factory. The manager could very well be the owner, but refers to himself as the manager. He caters to older customers and has buyers out looking for gear. He even invited my son and I to go down to his basement drum room and crawl through piles of cymbal stands (there had to be hundreds of stands) looking for some drum stuff (we bought three plus a stool). We passed by more rooms with hundreds of old guitar cases, presumably containing guitars. The only downside is that the place is totally cluttered with gear, to the point of a resembling a junk shop, but the manager knows where the good stuff is and is willing to bring it out for you to try. If you're looking for a clean pristine showroom with lots of space, go elsewhere. wow, I'd love to plunder around that shop for a day, week, month |
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| Originally posted by Gallerinski:
Coolest place is here in Tempe AZ, called "Acoustic Vibes". High end wood box dealer who doesn't seem to have regular hours. sort of by appointment only, or take your chances. I found a place like that in my old hometown of Hollywood FL (a suburb of Fort Lauderdale) last year - Glades Guitars. It's in a 40-year-old mini-strip mall upstairs from a chiropractor's office. The main room is wide open with a fair-sized stage and sound system and the walls are lined with Godins, Bourgeois, Collings, Santa Cruz and Martins. Three small rooms where you can play to your heart's content. No strings or sheet music, just a few amps and other accessories for sale along with the high-end wood boxes. The owner's super knowledgeable and laid back, and people just hang out. Very cool place. Several nights a week they hold jams, and they also do instruction. It's what gave me the idea to try something like it here (except add vintage instruments and do trades/consignment, and not focus just on high-end new) when I take full retirement in 3 years. |
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Location: Chehalis, Washington | Originally posted by Gallerinski:
Ya know how most places have "the acoustic room", well my local does it just the opposite. Not an amp in sight. If you want to plug in, you go into one of the amp rooms and go at it. The local shop here does the same thing. They have a nice high-end acoustic room, and 4 practice rooms for electric gear. There's amps on the main floor, but no power, so you have to go into the insulated rooms to try it out. I will go there first for anything I need rather than going into the GC (which is 20 minutes farther away). |
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Location: Phoenix AZ | WHAT? Full retirement in 3 years?
You're just a young punk, how are you pulling THAT one off. I'm guessing it's not dependent on a 401k.
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The music stores don't care anymore...
