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Why no TV commercials?


Tim Plains

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May be a stupid question but here goes...

 

Have any of you ever seen a guitar commercial on the tele?

The only one that comes to mind is a beer commercial with Les Paul (the man) but that was on the net and I've never seen it on TV.

I know TV time is expensive but it just seems strange that there aren't any.

Not only for the makers but even the stores that sell them. You'd think places like Guitar Center or (up here) Long & McQuade would advertise on TV to reach out to the masses.

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I see a GC commercial about once a week here......and theres also a commercial combining VISA(i think) and Taylor guitars....

Once last month, I saw a Gibson guitars TV commercial, late at night.....showing the handcrafting of what appeared to be a Lester, it was a 15 second shot with a voicing like: "Over 100 years of hand craftsmanship goes into EVERY guitar we make".

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Same here in Phoenix.

We have four (!!!) Guitar Centers here, and they run radio ads all the time, TV around the holidays.

 

Checked their prices several times, they always advertise HUGE discounts off the MSRP or list price.

At Christmas, prices are actually higher with all the "discounts" and don't forget their credit offers to destroy your life.

 

 

Fender or Gibson sponsors ads with GC as well, but it's rare to see a stand-alone ad from either one.

The guitar market is too small to support such expenditures.

 

 

The Taylor ad is for GE Capital if I'm not mistaken.

They run several for different hobbies like off-road vehicles too.

GE is an Evil Empire if ever there was one.

You guys who love to hate Big Bizness should check 'em out.

 

[-(

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Same here in Phoenix.

We have four (!!!) Guitar Centers here, and they run radio ads all the time, TV around the holidays.

 

Checked their prices several times, they always advertise HUGE discounts off the MSRP or list price.

At Christmas, prices are actually higher with all the "discounts" and don't forget their credit offers to destroy your life.

 

 

Fender or Gibson sponsors ads with GC as well, but it's rare to see a stand-alone ad from either one.

The guitar market is too small to support such expenditures.

 

 

The Taylor ad is for GE Capital if I'm not mistaken.

They run several for different hobbies like off-road vehicles too.

GE is an Evil Empire if ever there was one.

You guys who love to hate Big Bizness should check 'em out.

 

[-(

 

 

Agreed, stay the hell away from GE at all costs.

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My favorite Clapton song - THAT specific version only.

That Michelob commercial hit me like a ton of bricks when I first heard it.

 

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zhS62krUHuA

 

 

 

If I recall, he said in an interview that he was back in rehab when that commercial hit the air.

He was trying to remain low-key and unknown, sitting in the community room watching television with strangers when he first saw it.

I guess they all kinda looked at him....

 

 

 

Full length;

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2qzCt8-s2qg

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Yeah, that's the one I hated for 15 years - too bouncy/happy for me, chick singers and all...

Rock radio wore it out.

 

As soon as I hear the opening drum hit and chords, I would have the radio clicked off before the drum roll started...

 

If somebody had told me in 1987 "Clapton remade that song, you're gonne LOVE it!" I woulda laughed.

No way in hell can I sit through that entire song one more time.

 

Seems I was wrong, eh?

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Saw another Guitar Center television ad tonight.

9:30PM Mountain time.

 

It was via satellite from DirecTV on A&E (channel 265) so I know it's nationwide.

Starts out with a guy holding up a guitar and saying "Fender Stratocaster!"

Quick cut to a second guy holding up a "Gibson Les Paul" with a big smile.

Then a chick saying "Over 50 keyboards."

 

It goes on, advertising sales this weekend (2 guitar stands for ten dollars!!!) and used a new spin;

 

"Expert advice and the best price" or something like that.

 

Expert advice from a commissioned Sales Dude at Guitar Center?

I think not.

 

[-(

 

However, they CAN fix you up with their in-store credit offers.

 

"Got bad credit? We'll make it worse!!!" [thumbup][woot]

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Quite a few years ago we got House of Guitars commercials that were funny as heck. If I recall correctly, they did seasonal ads too. I remember one in particular where this apparently high rocker dude was dressed up in an Easter Bunny costume going around saying "I'm the Easter bunny, hop, hop".

 

Dave

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I saw the same ad Neo did... not on the same channel, though. It was broadcast on local TV. They ended with the Epiphone Les Paul for $149.... and showed this one in Heritage Cherry Sunburst

 

downsized_0907081509.jpg

 

 

 

http://guitars.music...itar?sku=518334

 

 

It's a good guitar for the money, and I've turned a few new guitarists on to them :)

 

 

Of course, I sent them to Sam Ash, but hey....

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There's a Sunday night music show (new artists, history, etc) on what's usually WNYC (Bew York City) TV.

Last nights show, from WGBH Boston Public broadcasting, had a bit of the story of Robert Knight. He's a photographer who's done quite a bit of work with guitarists (famous shots of Hendrix, Jeff Beck and the like). The show had him taking pictures of quite a few famous, not so famous and new "players" and bands. It was pieces from a documentary called Rock Prophecies. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1276117/

One of the sponsers was Guitar Center.

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I've seen tv ads for GC. Never been in one and the nearest one is at the other end of the state...

 

In the 80s a friend told me he saw an ad for Fender on cable/satellite. Can't imagine it, but that's what he said.

in your case yes it is, I grew up in Camden.

you are out on the A$$ end of no where.

Northern Kingdom is the Shiz as far as independent stores go,

you should check them out if you haven't already.

 

 

 

 

 

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