Musician Forum - Band Discussion Board - BandMix

Here's my rant for the day!!!

Just got back from the local "useless music store" I think everyone has one in their area.

These music stores seem to only exist to rent out space for lessons and sell overpriced starter combos.

At least once a week...I still go in, hoping I can find what I need so I don't have to drive 150 miles for a set of strings or a small part...sometimes they don't even have picks!!!

Was in there with a list of stuff I needed, nut, strings, wiring kit for a Jazz ...they absolutely had nothing I needed. The guy behind the counter just sits behind the computer and doesn't bother to even talk to you...he's like Shultz from Hogans Hero's "I know nothing!!".

When my drummer asked for a cowbell mount, he was like "oh we don't have any"...my drummer looks down and finds a whole bunch of them ..so many in fact they are falling off the holder. The small store probably only has a couple hundred items.

I certanly hope you did not buy the cowbell mount.
People like that should go out of business.

You cant sell something you dont have, but to have something and then not sell it is sad.

Most of the smaller stores I go to cater to me pretty well and make me feel good when I go there. Sorry you dont have one of those in the neighborhood. For basic strings you can mail order them in some bigger quantities. I do this for picks and strings.

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Our local musician run shop closed and moved out of town. I liked dealing with them as they were friendly and knowledgeable. Though some what opinionated. (what, opinionated musos?)
The larger chain store is expensive but have lots of gear as well as opinionated musos. (go figure)
But then they know I frequenty buy stuff too, so I get good service.

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Man I worked in a Pawn Shop as a broker and gun smith.
The reason behind a lot of the inflation has a lot to do with being stuck with garbage. We always check stuff out, but there is no way to know for sure if it's on it's last leg. Especially electronics.
And probably %50 of what people try to pawn is stolen.
I learned many tricks to sniff out theaves, but now and again you get stiffed, and it has to come out of the other mech sold.
Blame the F,n theaves not just the brokers.

Whitesel wrote:Here's my rant for the day!!!

Just got back from the local "useless music store" I think everyone has one in their area.

These music stores seem to only exist to rent out space for lessons and sell overpriced starter combos.

At least once a week...I still go in, hoping I can find what I need so I don't have to drive 150 miles for a set of strings or a small part...sometimes they don't even have picks!!!

Was in there with a list of stuff I needed, nut, strings, wiring kit for a Jazz ...they absolutely had nothing I needed. The guy behind the counter just sits behind the computer and doesn't bother to even talk to you...he's like Shultz from Hogans Hero's "I know nothing!!".

When my drummer asked for a cowbell mount, he was like "oh we don't have any"...my drummer looks down and finds a whole bunch of them ..so many in fact they are falling off the holder. The small store probably only has a couple hundred items.

Moral of the story..." You need more cow bell"

We have some pretty decent music stores here. Which is strange because the arts are not supported nearly as well as they are in other states. i Always feel well taken care of and don't worry too much about the prices. As a teacher, I get a 10% discount off of everything, everywhere even if I order something online. Here the stores do all they can to help even if they don't know the answers. I even like Sam Ash which is a K amrt music store. BTW, I am sick and tired of parents thinking that an instrument purchased at Costco is a great buy.

*burp* Dave Phillips Chain of music stores. *burp*

NEVER AGAIN. Crappy in NJ in 2 locations I know of..

Can't fix your guitar or even set it up.

The only time you get a break is when they mark it up 200% to have a 50% sale.

Nothing more useless than a useless music store...or a gunshop that doesn't sell bullets...or a grocery store that doesn't have tomato sauce...or a liquor store without Jameson's fine whiskey at a decent price!

I too was stuck between the two great evils, Sam Ash on one side and Guitar Center on the other.

The down the road, there's a dive like the one mentioned in the OP, where the local yocal just rips everyone off and gives poor service.

Then a friend suggested to me a place I'd never heard of...

It's a shop built into somone's house lol, converted one room at a time.

There's practically a line going out the door!

I check it out, everyone is helpful, friendly, and there are deals to be had by the intermediate or beginner players..

They were just a little small to carry much in the pro gear, but for accessories and repairs, they are outstanding.

So I'd say there's always a decent place to go, it's just a matter of knowing where it's hiding!

hmm, you actually expect a music store to keep a jazzmaster wiring kit in stock???

nut, strings and wiring kit for jazz... boy would they have made some money off of you!
Think about it objectively for a minute. Little johnny comes in and buys a starter pack that sells for $200 and that's probably 30-40% profit... and little time spent... you go in and spend $60 and those items are all 10-15% profit. strings? do you really think the music store makes money selling strings? picks? nuts? I know for a fact that they don't.

Try to keep in mind that the small guy can't risk investing in stuff that MIGHT sell. He's got small pockets and has to keep the money flowing in order to continually get new inventory.

You go to the little guy and stand a chance running into some local built fx or gtrs or some unusual brands... but those shops are getting fewer and farther.

Kramerguy is that good shop you know of anywhere near Edison?

I need a good shop to do setups on bass and guitars.
The losers around these parts think DAISY guitars are the best. (gun to head) They aren't touching anything I own.