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  #61  
Old 01-09-2018, 05:35 PM
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Originally Posted by Jeff Scott View Post
I remember a shop we go to in my early years of playing (early '70s). The owner was very nice old guy, and let us kids use a room with amps in it to just spend time jamming in. He was a really fine guitarist himself, but he was playing that "old kind of music", not the rock music we were doing.

A bit later on he moved his shop to another place that, again, we'd go to to jam and talk with him, but he would do weird things like come over to us with wire cutters and cut one of our guitar cords (his inventory, actually), then hand us another one, for just one example. I lost track of the owner over the years until I heard one day that he had died. That is when it really struck me who he was. His name was Bill DeArango.
I've heard of him.
It is a fact that you never know who you may run into while in a guitar store. One time I sat and jammed on acoustics with Derrick St Holmes (Ted Nugent band) and didn't even realize who he was until after he left. A mutual friend who worked in the store told me who he was afterwards. LOL..I thought he looked familiar. Nice guy, good player. He lives around here somewhere, I am told.
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  #62  
Old 01-09-2018, 05:44 PM
EZK123 EZK123 is offline
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From a slightly different perspective.

I once lived in an area with a heavy agricultural economy.

I knew an old rancher (passed away many years ago).
He once went to a Cadillac dealership after working a day on the farm.
Overalls, drove up in a beat to hell 15-20 year old F150 pickup,
etc. Was completely ignored.

He went a few miles down the road to the Lincoln dealership and paid cash for TWO new Town Cars. One for him, one for his wife. Being the ornery old jerk that he was, he went back down to the Cadillac dealer the next day driving the Lincoln just to rub it in.

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I've long enjoyed this Grace Slick anecdote from back in the day...

It was in 1967 that Grace Slick went new car shopping with royalty money. She entered a posh Aston Martin dealership in San Francisco and looked over the DB6s on the showroom floor. The salesmen weren't that thrilled to see her. Remember it was the year the Flower Power sensation hit Haight Ashbury in down town San Francisco. Seeing penniless hippies panhandling and bunking up caused a tourist traffic jam as buses poured through the Haight area daily. A year of this and you can see why local residents were getting annoyed with anyone wearing a caftan, beads and mod clothes.
So Grace Slick walks into this dealership and when she asked questions about the car, the salesmen brushed her off. They assumed she was just a window shopping hippie. Imagine the surprise when Grace opened her bag and pulled out enough cash to grab their attention and a check to buy the car outright. It was a shining moment in freak power.

Last edited by Kerbie; 01-10-2018 at 06:31 PM. Reason: Removed masked profanity
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  #63  
Old 01-09-2018, 05:49 PM
EZK123 EZK123 is offline
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Originally Posted by Don W View Post
I take bi-weekly lessons here in Mass at the Music Emporium (check out their website (themusicemporium.com).
LOVE that place. It's been far too long since I was in there and I only live 1/2 hour away. Years ago I bought a Seagull S6 and of the late 90's/early 2000's Larrivee parlours from them. From what I saw, even though I was buying guitars under the $5-600 range, they treated me exactly the same as someone buying a $15k guitar.

GREAT place.
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  #64  
Old 01-09-2018, 06:03 PM
Dirk Hofman Dirk Hofman is offline
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Well Grace Slick 50 years ago is one thing, but this is San Francisco today. Millionaires and Billionaires walk around in jeans and a tee-shirt. I have a very, very hard time believing anyone was ignored in a guitar shop in Tiburon because the shop thought the client wasn't made of money. Doesn't compute on any level.

That said, I wasn't there. But it would be wildly out of character and just plain dumb given the economics and demographics around here.

I did once see a bunch of car salesmen in a Lynnwood Washington (north of Seattle) Acura dealership paying a crazy amount of attention to a scroungy looking dude and his very...interesting looking girlfriend, and I thought "how cool is that that they give this guy such attention!".

Then I realized it was Dave Grohl.
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  #65  
Old 01-09-2018, 07:07 PM
Jeff Scott Jeff Scott is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by RP View Post
I've long enjoyed this Grace Slick anecdote from back in the day...

It was in 1967 that Grace Slick went new car shopping with royalty money. She entered a posh Aston Martin dealership in San Francisco and looked over the DB6s on the showroom floor. The salesmen weren't that thrilled to see her. Remember it was the year the Flower Power sensation hit Haight Ashbury in down town San Francisco. Seeing penniless hippies panhandling and bunking up caused a tourist traffic jam as buses poured through the Haight area daily. A year of this and you can see why local residents were getting annoyed with anyone wearing a caftan, beads and mod clothes.
So Grace Slick walks into this dealership and when she asked questions about the car, the salesmen brushed her off. They assumed she was just a window shopping hippie. Imagine the surprise when Grace opened her bag and pulled out enough cash to grab their attention and a check to buy the car outright. It was a shining moment in freak power.
It's quite apparent that the person who wrote that knew nothing about San Francisco.
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  #66  
Old 01-09-2018, 09:39 PM
Guitars+gems Guitars+gems is offline
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Originally Posted by Twelvefret View Post
Surly you know that a pick guard does not protect the top? Uncut forth finger nails can do a lot of damage. Thrashers don't limit their damage to the small pick guard area.

BTW, who wants to buy a new car, guitar, of anything else that's been tried out by dozens of tire kickers? Come on guys. Be honest. If had wanted a used product I would have looked for one.
Sure, I know that. And every time a new car is taken out for a test drive, there's a chance that the person might put a ding in it or worse. But how many people buy a car without first driving it?

When I shopped for a guitar at one of our forum sponsors, they had me put on an apron and they made sure each guitar I tried had plastic over the pickguard. I got the message to be respectful of the goods, and I wasn't offended; they were all high end Martins. But I could never have chosen the guitar that I bought without have played it first. With a pick.

I think it's fine to ask customers to treat the guitars carefully, and to take precautions. If a pick scratch or other damage happens, that's probably the cost of doing business.
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  #67  
Old 01-10-2018, 12:03 AM
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I like this thread because it hasn’t turned into a bash-thread. People are just sharing their guitar store experiences, some good, some bad.

Overall, I’ve had very positive experiences. Of the places I’ve visited, standouts include Carter Vintage Guitars in Nashville, which has a great selection and whose employees are nice as pie, and Dusty Strings in Seattle which strikes a great balance of helpfulness and letting you play.

But the best experience I had was at Gryphon Stringed Instruments. I was in Palo Alto for work and stopped in. I was drawn to the incredible array of rare, vintage guitars in glass cases. An employee came over and asked if I had any questions. I replied that I’d love to consider a vintage guitar but wouldn’t know where to begin. He said “then let’s start with the best so you can hear with those sound like,” opened a case, and pulled out a 40’s Martin. He made sure it was in tune before handing it to me and talking me through that model. We moved enough a number of beautiful, incredible-sounding vintage guitars that way. What a fantastic experience.
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  #68  
Old 01-10-2018, 05:30 AM
Twelvefret Twelvefret is offline
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Originally Posted by Guitars+gems View Post
Sure, I know that. And every time a new car is taken out for a test drive, there's a chance that the person might put a ding in it or worse. But how many people buy a car without first driving it?
I didn't test drive my last two cars. I knew what I wanted by reading., feel, and touch. I learn very little by driving around the block.

Driving a used vehicle is more important to me. With a used musical instrument I need to thoroughly inspect to see if it's been properly maintained more than I need to strum it a few times.

In the case of a guitar, I know what a guitar is. I also know that I'll have to get it sit up by a competent luthier to suit me. I don't need play because I have experiences with guitars.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Guitars+gems View Post
When I shopped for a guitar at one of our forum sponsors, they had me put on an apron and they made sure each guitar I tried had plastic over the pickguard. I got the message to be respectful of the goods, and I wasn't offended; they were all high end Martins. But I could never have chosen the guitar that I bought without have played it first. With a pick.
The apron and pick guard cover is a great idea and I am glad you were not offended. I understand we are all different, but listening to someone else play is more beneficial for me.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Guitars+gems View Post
I think it's fine to ask customers to treat the guitars carefully, and to take precautions. If a pick scratch or other damage happens, that's probably the cost of doing business.
If we damage a guitar we should hold ourselves responsible financially for the repair. It should not be the cost of doing business.
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  #69  
Old 01-10-2018, 05:36 AM
Pinetreebob Pinetreebob is offline
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Originally Posted by jpbrooks View Post
I am traveling for business and discovered that there is a guitar store across the street from my hotel. So, of course, I go to check it out.

I walk in expecting it to be mostly low end guitars since the music store shares the space with a children's clothing store. I was surprised to see 7 or 8 Martin dreadnoughts all with a sign on them saying to ask for assistance.

I am not really looking for a dread so I pass by those and see a Recording King that looked really nice and I have not had much experience with them so I thought I would give it a try. None of the lower end guitars had a sign saying to ask for assistance so I start to get it down and the owner (I am making an assumption but I am pretty sure) said "Can I help you?"

So I told him that I would like to give it a try and he comes over and says he has to get it for me (it's not high up or anything). As he is getting it, he notices that I have a pic with me. I always use a thin pic in stores being mindful of pic scratches. He tells me I can't use the pic. I said, how do I know how it sounds then and he tells me to use my fingers. Of course, at this point I am pretty sure I am not going to buy a guitar from him because I generally play with a pic and certainly not going to buy a guitar that I have never used a pic on.

It was way out of tune so as he stands 1 foot from me I use the tuner on my phone to get it into tune. While I'm doing that he asks what guitar I own, but not to make conversation. It was obvious, he was evaluating whether I could be trusted to hold and tune the guitar. Then to make conversation I said I am from out of town, but love to check out guitar stores when I travel and he responds are you looking or interested in buying and I said, I am always looking to buy a great guitar at a great price.

I have been playing for just over 4 years and have fallen in love with guitars and playing. I play everyday if possible and am pretty decent player, but I only play for my own pleasure. I have never played in front of anyone other than family so even though I shouldn't have been, I was uncomfortable playing the guitar because he literally stood 1 foot from me staring so I just strummed a few cords and palyed a blues lick and handed it back to him.

I am really looking for a inexpensive small body and he had a Loar so I ask to try it. He gets it down and says it will need to be tuned as well. No problem I say and I get my phone out. I tuned up the E, A, and D strings (they were all at least a step and a half low). I start to tune the g string and it makes a "crimping" sound (sorry no other way to describe it) I turn it a little more and the string snaps. I have changed strings probably 30 times and have only snapped a string once and that was in the first year of my playing. I would have expected him to apologize and offer to restring it so I can try it, but he just says I'll take care of it and acts irritated like "see this is what happens when people play my guitars." So I hand it back to him and he just puts it back where it was so I left.

I highly respect small guitar shops and am conscious of playing their guitars when I am not looking to buy and when I do play them, I treat them with the utmost care, but this guy really ticked me off.
Kind of strange behavior on his part if he wants to sell guitars. IMO.
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  #70  
Old 01-10-2018, 07:01 AM
scotly50 scotly50 is offline
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My Guitar shop experiences have been in and around Nashville TN.

Carter Vintage, Gruhn, Artisan, Sam Ash, and Guitar Center in Nashville.

I have been to all on occasion. Gruhn, by far, has been the friendliest and most helpful. And i have dealt with a couple of different salesmen. They have some very expensive Vintage and New Guitars, and have allowed me to play whatever I have wanted. They traded me at a good price. I purchased here.

Guitar Center has been helpful as well. I am sure most, on here, are familiar with their inventory. Their service has begun to wane. They have "locked up' most of their better guitars and require a salesman to unlock. This policy has just started recently. Before you could play anything you could reach. I have traded here, but when I was "uneducated" about trading guitars. I will not trade with them again. I have purchased here as well.

Carter Vintage was friendly and allowed me to play whatever guitar I wanted even in their "High End" room. I was interesting in trading guitars with them and they seriously lowballed my guitar in trade, similar to Guitar Center. I have not purchased here.

Artisian Guitars carries Bedell, Santa Cruz, Collings, Huss and Dalton, etc. They are like the "Flagship" dealer for Collings Guitars. This store is hit or miss on service. I was in there a few years ago and it was friendly and helpful. But this last time, a couple of months ago, was a different story. The salesman was arrogant, and not helpful in any manner. After a few minutes I left. The help was definitely the worst of all the stores. Even better than Guitar Center, and they get all the crazies.
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  #71  
Old 01-10-2018, 07:52 AM
gfspencer gfspencer is offline
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Originally Posted by bho View Post
But the best experience I had was at Gryphon Stringed Instruments. I was in Palo Alto for work and stopped in. I was drawn to the incredible array of rare, vintage guitars in glass cases. An employee came over and asked if I had any questions. I replied that I’d love to consider a vintage guitar but wouldn’t know where to begin. He said “then let’s start with the best so you can hear with those sound like,” opened a case, and pulled out a 40’s Martin. He made sure it was in tune before handing it to me and talking me through that model. We moved enough a number of beautiful, incredible-sounding vintage guitars that way. What a fantastic experience.
Gryphon is a great place for a "hands on" guitar experience. They have never turned me down when I have asked to play a guitar. I try to visit their store whenever I am in Palo Alto . . . and I have bought three guitars from them.

In the old days, when I was stationed at Fort Monmouth, I used to visit Mandolin Brothers in New York. That was a great experience!

I used to enjoy visiting Harry and Jeanie West Fine Musical Instruments in Statesville, North Carolina. Harry was a little eccentric but he was a nice guy. He had some cool instruments. He only brought the "good stuff" out by special request. Harry's store was a gathering place for Bluegrass banjo players.

I want to visit Dream Guitars in Weaverville, North Carolina (near Asheville) but I think you have to make an appointment. Since I would only be tire kicking I hate to take up their time.

And if I am ever in Florida I want to visit My Favorite Guitars . . . just to meet Jon and Sharon. I have done a lot of business with them on-line but I have never visited the store.
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  #72  
Old 01-10-2018, 07:58 AM
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Originally Posted by Jeff Scott View Post
It's quite apparent that the person who wrote that knew nothing about San Francisco.
Thanks for that, Jeff; but you may have missed the point of the story apropos to the OP....
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  #73  
Old 01-10-2018, 11:06 AM
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We have a music shop where the owners are affectionately called Two Grumpy Old Men.
They primarily sell high end guitars.
I have been asked by one of them if I was there to buy something or just waste their time.
They are both luthiers and don't like being pulled away from a build or repair if you are just looking.

They recently closed their doors to the public and now only see a customer by appointment.

It works for them.
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  #74  
Old 01-10-2018, 11:12 AM
RustyAxe RustyAxe is offline
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Originally Posted by jpbrooks View Post

I highly respect small guitar shops and am conscious of playing their guitars when I am not looking to buy and when I do play them, I treat them with the utmost care, but this guy really ticked me off.
Why? He doesn't know YOU from Adam's off ox. He only did what you say you highly respect. Are you angry he did not notice your obvious experience and skill?

And that string most likely snapped because the nut slot was too tight.

Before I touch any guitar in any shop I'll strike up a conversation with the owner (or whoever is minding the shop). I introduce myself, talk a bit about what I play, maybe talk about what guitars I already own. And then go to audition the guitars. Personally, I prefer the shop to pull one down off the rack for me. I don't wear a belt, and I make a show of removing my jacket, rings, or anything else that might scratch. And I NEVER use a pick, unless I'm pretty sure I've found "the one".

If one wants to anonymously audition one's guitar of choice ... perhaps GC is the place? I'm not trying to put anyone down, I get it that some players (especially newbies like the OP) get nervous with salespeople hovering about.
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  #75  
Old 01-10-2018, 11:58 AM
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Originally Posted by bjewell View Post
A guitar shop located in Tiburon CA, one of the wealthiest towns in the USA, especially the guy that works there. If you don't stink of money, they want nothing to do with you. Lots of nice guitars though.
As others have attested, it’s very hard to imagine that happening. I’ve been in that shop numerous times, often with my teenage son, and it’s a very relaxed, respectful, and encouraging place for customers.
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