Cruznolfart Posted December 30, 2008 Share Posted December 30, 2008 Stopped in at the closest M&P music store today to look at basses and amps. A guy about 50 or so came over and offered to help, etc. So I explained that I'd been studying the different species of bass and had decided that a Brand X, model whoopty-doo was what I was looking for in my price range and was wondering what they had that might be an alternative. They're a Fender, Ibanez and Washburn dealer. The closest Brand X dealer is GC, another 30 miles down the interstate. Now, I'm leaving the door open to a pitch here, see, and this "salesman" says "That Brand X model whoopty-do is an excellent bass, the closest dealer is blah-blah." I indicated my understanding and waited...and waited. Nothing else was forthcoming. No effort to turn me into a customer, even after I told them how close I was to being ready to drop a bit better than $1K on one sale. I can punch a few keys and place an order with GC, pay for it with plastic, hop in the car and drive the 120 mile round trip to save the shipping charges (substantial for an amp) and be home practicing that afternoon. But because the M&P doesn't maintain a web presence, I had to drive there and visit in person, thereby presenting the perfect sales opportunity. And I'm such a sap that I always TELL them I try to support our local businesses. Think they'd be all over that, eh? Zilch! How the hellya gonna keep your local M&P in business when they don't try any harder than that? I'll be stroking GC's keys a bit later. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
urbs Posted December 30, 2008 Share Posted December 30, 2008 Amen to that old fart . There is a local music shop near me and every time I go there nobody makes the effort ! I mean maybe all I wanted were some strings ya know , but maybe on the off chance that I might be interested in a major buy no one wants to sell the product . The GC near me actually has some real band fellows that will take the time to talk and demo what they have in the store so guess where I probably make the big buy . Go figure Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Murph Posted December 30, 2008 Share Posted December 30, 2008 I'm with ya. My local KNOWS DAMNED GOOD AND WELL I'm a player, have money, buy gear ( over $5000.00 on just Gibson gear this year '08) and get Musicians Friend catalogs. But when I go in there, wants to bullsh!t me about prices. What an idiot. If he'd just NOT lie to me, I'd pay a little more, and some local taxes, but he can't help himself. He is an idiot. He got very few of my dollars this year. And. He'll get NONE next year........ Murph. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RudyH Posted December 30, 2008 Share Posted December 30, 2008 We have a M&P just like that down the street from me. I gave them several chances, but gave up. I just drove by today and there's a "going out of business" sign in the window. Big surprise. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RudyH Posted December 30, 2008 Share Posted December 30, 2008 Buy then again there are two really excellent M&P shops within reasonable driving distance and they are so good that I seldom have occasion to go to a place like Guitar Center. I love American Guitar and Band in Maplewood, MN and Music Connection in Forest Lake, MN. Great places. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rocketman Posted December 30, 2008 Share Posted December 30, 2008 I must be lucky here in Western New York. The GCs here is ok but they don't budge on price anymore, even after I reminded them that I bought about 15k worth of guitars and equipment. So nowadays I drive the 60 miles or so to go to the HOG in Rochester (not really M&P but more like brother and brother). I see that they give each customer, no matter what they're buying, a lot of attention and they know they're stuff. Plus, no one has been able to give me a lower price. I guess it's like finding a good mechanic. Once you got one, you've got one for life... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rybass Posted December 31, 2008 Share Posted December 31, 2008 That's kind of what I like about the m&p's. They usually don't try to sell you on something you don't want. I usually do my own research and go in knowing what I want. I hate GC b/c if they don't have what I want they try to convince me it's crap and to buy what they do have. BS FU and KMA! And forget about a simple purchase at GC! "Do you want these new set of high tech strings with your guitar? How about a stand? You'll need a hard case with a humidifier and some polish. Here's a crappy cable that I'll throw in for $15. We sell picks for $5 for 5 how about a couple boxes?" I worked retail for a number of years and I know that is what they are required to do but I also know they are pushing the stuff with the most markup and could easily throw it in the deal for free or next to nothing. I know what I want bf I buy and if a m&p has it I'll go there first but if not I'll bite the bullet and hit GC with my sheilds up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichCI Posted December 31, 2008 Share Posted December 31, 2008 I love my local M&P store; when I was 14, my parents took me there to buy me my first amp (Fender Deluxe Reverb II) as my mother was an elementary school music teacher and did all her rental business through them. Later, after I graduated from college, I got a job working there (yeah, a Bachelor's in Communications pretty much got you a job in retail in the early 90's) and it was a great place to work. So, over 25 years later, I still shop with them when I need big ticket items and/or guitars; they're not as convenient for me since I moved so I'll buy over the web for smaller items like picks and some pedals that they don't carry. Mr. and Mrs. Russo are good, honest people who run a great store with very fair prices on the tags to begin with and will at least match any price you find elsewhere if they can do it. They had some indifferent sales people for a while several years ago, but they seemed to have cleaned house or got them jumping a bit more now so I never have a problem getting help when I go into the store. Russo Music Center Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluemoon Posted December 31, 2008 Share Posted December 31, 2008 My guess is that they don't make a ton of money on the big ticket items. They survive by offering guitar lessons and selling guitar accessories, rentals, etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichCI Posted December 31, 2008 Share Posted December 31, 2008 Well, definitely the smaller items like accessories (picks, strings, tuners, reeds, batteries, valve oil, polish etc.) is where the highest markup is but, at the point where I'm at, the only stuff I need in that area are picks and strings. Strings I buy from WebStrings and their web site is the only place where you can buy them; I suppose I could start ordering picks from them but I buy them by the gross and need to buy around 2 grosses per year so I don't know how much I'd be helping them with just picks. They actually do a LOT of business through school rentals and government contracts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nolongermike@gibson Posted December 31, 2008 Share Posted December 31, 2008 I do like to support the MP stores when I can, and often I find that our nearest one will be very competitive with prices, and I've had them help me out with shipping boxes for guitars when I've sold one and need to ship it, or other things. That said, its a price-conscious world and given our nearly 10% sales tax in Nashville, its usually wanting or needing something TODAY that will heavily influence my decision to buy at a M/P or even a GC or Sam Ash here versus any altruistic reasons for supporting them. We have a great local dealer here, World Music, where the owner is a really nice guy who has treated me very well, though he's not a Gibson dealer, I think he used to stock Epiphone. So while he doesn't usually have guitars I'm interested in, he does carry Boogie and Fender amps, which I am partial to, and he's had parts in stock that are a pain to order online and pay shipping for when its a $14 dollar part and shipping it $7.00. He usually always cuts me a good deal on prices. GC gives me great prices and I shop there quite a bit. I know the store managers and they have some nice guys working there, but they don't always get the sale. I also often shop American Musical Supply for higher dollar items for three reasons. They break the payments up over up to five charges on my credit card, they don't collect TN sales tax and free shipping. But neither GC or mail order can setup a guitar for me, handle repairs, or other things that will encourage me to shop locally with the Mom and Pop. I have a string endorsement deal for my avatar Von Johin, so I can't even recall the last time I bought strings, but there are no such things as repair endorsements! :) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AXE® Posted December 31, 2008 Share Posted December 31, 2008 Me is starting to think Rich is a major shareholder in webstrings....:) But he's just so damn cute I don't care... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichCI Posted December 31, 2008 Share Posted December 31, 2008 But he's just so damn cute I don't care... If I had a dime for every time I heard that... Seriously, WebStrings are a great product at an incredible price that I feel is about the best deal in any type of guitar gear out there. I just don't understand why some players who use nickel wrapped strings are so reluctant to try them; if they're into steel or solid nickel, okay, that's another story but why not just try them if they use nickel wrapped? I mean, if you buy ONE set of strings including shipping just to see how they are it'll cost you $7 (shipping on all orders less than $50 is $4) but, if you like them, you save a ton in the long run. I can understand wanting to stick with what you know works but why not take a chance? All you lose is a few bucks and the time it takes you to change strings. I looked up my last order and it cost me $59.76 - and that's with free shipping - for 24 sets of strings. What are most people paying? $5 per set? They're paying TWICE as much as what I'm paying for what very well may be the exact same set of strings but with a different label stuck on it. I just can't stand the idea of overspending on anything if I don't have to and hate to see anyone else do the same. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elessar820 Posted December 31, 2008 Share Posted December 31, 2008 I try to stay away from Guitar Center when purchasing gear, but some times, it's worth it. I go for strings and parts all the time because there are two of them within literally 5 minutes of each other in Paramus, plus a Sam Ash and it's convenient. I like Sam Ash better, because they have always been a bit more helpful. For most of my gear I go to Alto Music in Monsey, NY or Middletown, NY (if I feel like taking a 45 minute drive) or Toms River Music and on occasion Manahawkin Music if I'm visiting my parents. All four have a great selection (I haven't been to Toms River and Manahawkin in awhile though) and the prices are usually way lower than Guitar Center or Sam Ash. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cruznolfart Posted December 31, 2008 Author Share Posted December 31, 2008 To All, I gotta say, although I love my country life, I sometimes get the green monster up when I read about all the great music stores many of you have within a fairly short distance. The internet is a two-sided blade for folks in the boondocks; it enables me to shop all over the world but it forces me to "roll the dice" when making an instrument purchase, compared to those of you with the wonderful option of actually handling the different axes prior to making your choice. Even if the stores you have don't always make you grin, be grateful you have that option available to you. Of course, I can see the stars at night and hear the wings of the crows as they fly overhead. And you can't. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichCI Posted December 31, 2008 Share Posted December 31, 2008 Of course' date=' I can see the stars at night and hear the wings of the crows as they fly overhead. And you can't. [/quote'] I was watching a program on the History Channel a few weeks ago about light noise and, I gotta tell you, I am soooo jealous of you for living somewhere where you can see millions of stars in the sky. I live at the New Jersey Shore, a half a block from the beach, and I still don't see anything like what you must see even when looking out over the ocean. The camera shots of the night sky they were showing during that program were AMAZING! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johnt Posted January 1, 2009 Share Posted January 1, 2009 So being over 50 constitutes an "old fart" and on acheiving that status, one becomes incapable of selling in a music shop? Complete load of sterotypical tosh! From my perspective as an old fart who has a few pence to spend occaisionally I am sick to death of inadequate, underprepared teenage assistants who IF they can be bothered stopping playing a guitar which they can not afford even with staff discount then rise to tell you that delivery on you $4000 enquiry is 6 to 8 months. ( Which is the answer for ANY bozeman acoustic from a major UK store near me! Oh and if you show them a guitar with a setup problem the answer is " Oh we'll have to send it away" Don't be too hasty to crticise a guy because of age, incompetence exists everywhere. Mostly, IMVHO, amongst Gibson agents in UK Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cruznolfart Posted January 1, 2009 Author Share Posted January 1, 2009 So being over 50 constitutes an "old fart" and on acheiving that status' date=' one becomes incapable of selling in a music shop? Complete load of sterotypical tosh! From my perspective as an old fart who has a few pence to spend occaisionally I am sick to death of inadequate, underprepared teenage assistants who IF they can be bothered stopping playing a guitar which they can not afford even with staff discount then rise to tell you that delivery on you $4000 enquiry is 6 to 8 months. ( Which is the answer for ANY bozeman acoustic from a major UK store near me! Oh and if you show them a guitar with a setup problem the answer is " Oh we'll have to send it away" Don't be too hasty to crticise a guy because of age, incompetence exists everywhere. Mostly, IMVHO, amongst Gibson agents in UK[/quote'] You are, perhaps, being a bit hasty, yourself. My criticism wasn't with the man's age, it was with his failure to take advantage of a very obvious sales opportunity. My observation of his age was not at all critical. I would expect a person of his obvious years to have some minimal grasp of the art of sales. But I hardly consider 50 an old fart. As for "stereotypical tosh", I get to do stuff like that, Skippy, ever since I turned 60. :D Need any help with that foot? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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