Stage Fright at the Music Shop

[cookieman15061]

When I was a teenager yes but not for years. I have developed certain riffs I play when testing a new guitar. Usually some blues, some jazz progressions up and down the fretboard. I'll do this first unplugged. I feel that if a guitar sounds beautiful unplugged, then amplified it should sound incredible. I'll plug it in to make sure all the knobs and switches are working correctly and put it through the same paces through the amp.

[Shnate McDuanus]

I'll usually run through my truncated renditions of "Goin' Down Slow" and "Red House," if I feel self-conscious and I want to make it look like I know what I'm doing. Honestly, though, all I feel the need to do when I test gear at a store is to test it with chords and single-note runs, through different settings, just to get a feel for what a piece of gear does and if I like what it does enough that I want to purchase it. Note that I have not bought any gear (save for strings) since around 2008 or early 2009, so I have a good deal of restraint. Either restraint or tight-fistedness, take your pick. Usually, testing gear means a chromatic run in a single position and then playing a few cadences, and repeating with different settings. Nothing fancy. I don't need validation or criticism from anyone else in the store, and so I don't get stage fright in the store. Sometimes I'll play some stuff for fun, but that's just me getting carried away with playing.

 

Now...in any other case? Yeah, I'm terrified. My skills are, frankly, incredibly limited.

[Silenced Fred]

I'll usually run through my truncated renditions of "Goin' Down Slow" and "Red House," if I feel self-conscious and I want to make it look like I know what I'm doing. Honestly, though, all I feel the need to do when I test gear at a store is to test it with chords and single-note runs, through different settings, just to get a feel for what a piece of gear does and if I like what it does enough that I want to purchase it. Note that I have not bought any gear (save for strings) since around 2008 or early 2009, so I have a good deal of restraint. Either restraint or tight-fistedness, take your pick. Usually, testing gear means a chromatic run in a single position and then playing a few cadences, and repeating with different settings. Nothing fancy. I don't need validation or criticism from anyone else in the store, and so I don't get stage fright in the store. Sometimes I'll play some stuff for fun, but that's just me getting carried away with playing.

 

Now...in any other case? Yeah, I'm terrified. My skills are, frankly, incredibly limited.

 

If I'm gonna buy something, I check each note and play around with some chord forms. If I'm dicking around in the store, I'll rock out.

 

I have some power chord cycles, and a little "metal-like" riff I wrote and it scares some people away. especially if there are some ******y kids using the fender solid state amps and I wanna use the blues junior or something. I just go to one and start playing that. They usually walk to the Line 6s after that... you know, to show me what real metal is..

[PartsPvt]

Last time in a store buying a beginner Squire for my daughter..10 years ago

 

Guy working there comes up..

 

"Dam you have some good chops"

 

I thank him..continue..

 

"I can tell you USED to be really good"

 

Yeah kid..thanks... :o

[ksiegel]

The last time I bought a guitar, the salesman (store mgr) made a point of showing me a bunch of different riffs on the guitar, plugged it in, and handed it over,

 

I turned down the pots on the guitar, and turned down the volume on the amp.

 

he moved the volume and tone controls back up to "10" on the guitar, and turned the amp up, adding reverb.

 

I turned off the reverb, decreased the volume, and knocked the volume and tone knobs back to "5".

 

he started reaching for the controls again, and I asked him, "Who might ultimately buy this guitar - you or me? If it is me, I want it much quieter. If it is you, then we're both wasting my time."

 

He backed off, and simply handed me every guitar I wanted to try, with no comment.

 

Since then, I go and play in a corner, with my back to the rest of the store.

[WahKeen]

I'm scared of this type of dudes at guitar stores....

 

 

 

[Shnate McDuanus]

If I'm gonna buy something, I check each note and play around with some chord forms. If I'm dicking around in the store, I'll rock out.

 

I have some power chord cycles, and a little "metal-like" riff I wrote and it scares some people away. especially if there are some ******y kids using the fender solid state amps and I wanna use the blues junior or something. I just go to one and start playing that. They usually walk to the Line 6s after that... you know, to show me what real metal is..

 

Yes, we know, you're contemptuous of metal guitarists. You're so cool and your tastes are so refined. You must be so proud of yourself.

 

Ever consider that maybe they dislike what you play as much as you dislike what they play?

[dem00n]

Yes, we know, you're contemptuous of metal guitarists. You're so cool and your tastes are so refined. You must be so proud of yourself.

 

Ever consider that maybe they dislike what you play as much as you dislike what they play?

**** you.

 

No on topic, no not really.

Unless theirs some hot chicks around.

Which is rare at a guitar store