Just a question

[MR GIBS]

I know many of you here will blame me for these words, but let me ask you:

During last 2015 I go often to the music shops of the local authorised Gibson dealer here in Sofia-Bulgaria-East Euope. For me personally these visits ended with two more Gibson acoustics in my house - A J-45 Cobra burst and a J-180 Billie Joe Armstrong.

But every time I go to these shops I see and meet lads searching for gear like guitars, stands, strings, amps and whatever you may think of and talking with the stuff and asking questions and trying these guitars, amps, stands etc. In most of the cases I see these men entering in the shop together with their women (wifes, girlfriends, just friends etc...) In the moment the lad walks into the shop he forgets that he did not came in alone... The woman starts to wander what to do... Often nobody gives her even a chair to sit ... Often the woman waits quietly for some 5 minutes or even 1 more but then she starts to get nervous... And this starts to balk the music business ... It ends often with enterrupting the business which is, let's say "not good" AT ALL!

And my humble question is: Do you, lads, get into a music shop to do business with your women?

Thank you.

P.S. You may share experience.

[sparquelito]

MisterGibs,

 

It is never wise to bring your woman into a guitar store with you.

 

Buying guitars, and indeed perusing straps, strings, pedals is a sacred and holy affair.

These are moments best spent alone, between a man and the guitar and the guitar technician.

 

This is not to say that we don't love our wives and girlfriends.

We DO.

But we just don't want to allow them to see us at our most passionate and crazed and vulnerable;

Those moments when we are in the guitar shop, and handling all those guitars and gear.

Just us men.

With just the guitars.

 

Likewise, it's also best to save and savor those times spent alone with our women when it's just us and our women.

The bedroom.

Relaxing at the breakfast table over some coffee and a cigarette.

Walking in the park, and throwing a stick to the dog.

The special woman times.

 

Women and us with guitars?

Indeed, the twain never should meet.

It's just best this way.

 

[j45nick]

Nope.

 

My wife loves music, but has no interest in going when I'm off to a music/guitar store, off to a guitar show, or making the six-hour round-trip drive to the luthier. She knows it's my hobby--one of the few I have--and despite how much I spend on it, it's still cheaper than our mutually-shared interest in boats.

 

Ironically, she does go off to boat shows with me, even though they are generally a long, tiring day.

 

She has gardening, and I have guitars.

[Dave F]

Never. She visits a local store with her interest or just waits in the car.

[Moose28]

She doesn't come to the music store or the golf course.

The misrepresentation of facts is easier if she isn't there.

 

Your point; I think that perhaps the experience could be made better for the tag along shopper to allow that buyer/potential buyer reach a decision. I could be wrong.

 

Plus. I stand by my original statement.

[ponty]

Taking my wife with me is never a good thing. She gets bored, I get rushed, and I dont find what I want.

Impossible to go for an hour...10 minutes max!

Lesson...go alone.

[zombywoof]

Yup, sure do. Last time I walked into a couple of stores it was my wife who was doing the buying. She snagged a pickup for her 1960 J-200 in one and a used amp in the other. Generally though, she avoids going down to the little local place because she gets it that it is a place where I go to get away from everything for a bit. When she does come down though she has a tendency to pick up a guitar and play along with the store owner.

[58 Relic]

My dear wife's the same , loves going to the guitar store with me . Our local Gibson dealer has a lovely Italian café opposite so breakfast first then into the store . I always take her with me she's been part of of my playing career for the past 30 years , never missed a gig . I also find that as she likes quality and likes nice looking and sounding guitars I have always come away with a better guitar than planned , also I don't have to produce a permission slip for a new guitar . Only one problem she just loves guitars with a blue finish of any discription , a blue Gibson Doves in Flight would be her ideal guitar .

[stein]

 

 

 

 

Good talk, Sparquelito.

 

I might also say, talking to the kids here, your girl my be impressed with the fact you are a musician. But that won't last. In any case, they are NOT impressed when you leave them off in the corner, or ignore them.

 

I used to see this a lot, even done it myself. Thinking that taking them along with you to do your "musician stuff" might impress them. And also, we all have hopes they will, or might, help choose a guitar like we might be tagging along to help them buy clothes.

 

It's OK to test a new relationship, but at least have the courtesy to introduce them, and maybe ask "Does this guitar make me look fat?". But plan on it being a short trip. Then when asked next time if they want to tag along, they know what they are in for. And when running errands, they are MUCH more impressed if you say "I'll be right back", you run in and you ARE 'right back'.

 

Now, if they bring you along to buy clothes, and you are able to suffer through that ordeal, You score a lot of points. It's very hard, because not only do you have to not show your boredom, and offer your opinion without once saying the wrong thing, you have to be able to handle the periods of intense emotions properly. Life is not fair, and man/woman relations are not a two-way-street. This sacrifice will never be returned. But it has it's own rewards.

[rct]

Last time I was in a guitar store with The Mrs it was my 55th and she bought me my EJRW on the spot, one guitar I thought I'd never get a hold of.

 

rct

[Cougar]

...In the moment the lad walks into the shop he forgets that he did not came in alone... The woman starts to wander what to do.....

 

This works both ways (i.e., "doesn't work"). Ever been shopping with your wife?

[DenverSteve]

The only time I bring my wife to a music shop is if I am there briefly for strings, picks (something quick & small) or to see my broker briefly for a question or specific issue. I would never bring anyone with me if I plan to be in a store for more than 15 minutes as I don't want to waste their time or occupy their important/limited free time unnecessarily. It has nothing to do with spending or playing as my wife is in attendance for only about 50% of my shows because can hear guitar playing or specifically me any time she wants. It has everything to do with respecting her time.

 

Playing/testing/evaluating a guitar(s) at a shop has nothing to do with playing for me. It is about evaluating an instrument for an intended purpose or purchase. I also rarely do it these days as my performing and personal needs have been met for some time. That said I have purchased one Gibson per year over the past 3 years (including my recent J-15 acquisition) which means I am probably maxed out there too.

 

Gibson has to stop making better and better guitars so I don't feel a need to purchase more.

[62burst]

... Does this guitar make me look fat?

 

Good stuff, Stein. No experience with either Stein's or OP Mr Gibbs' situation, but have observed that when other guitarists are in that situation, they feel the need to go into "performance mode", doing complete songs, with vocals, as opposed to what Rev Steve referred to as evaluation mode. Sorry for the lady friend, and for anyone just wanting a quiet a/b test.

[MR GIBS]

This works both ways (i.e., "doesn't work"). Ever been shopping with your wife?

Recently I don't do it...

But with my first wife I loved to go together shopping. I am a patient and curious man and I love walking in every kind of shops. I don't get nervous when a woman chooses a dress for exemple. But the main reason I was doing shopping with my first is because I noticed that being so patient and talking with her when she looked at things in shops I was able to prevent her (us) from buying bunches of unnecessary things.

Well this was with my first wife...

Not with the next ones.

Not with my present woman too.

But I have to admit here that this present woman of mine heroically accepts my 8 (eight) guitars in the corridor (in cases), 1 (one) guitar in the hall (and its case) and 2 (two) guitars in the attic (in cases).

So cheers for the patient ones!