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  #31  
Old 09-02-2019, 09:54 PM
CoffeeFan CoffeeFan is offline
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Originally Posted by Wade Hampton View Post
By the way, back when I was working retail, if a customer got that vitriolic about one of my fellow employees, whether my manager or anyone else, I would have said: “Nice talking to you, sir,” and walked away.
Exactly.

Unfortunately there's no shortage of people who possess this "holier than thou" attitude, and they can get really annoying...
  #32  
Old 09-02-2019, 10:39 PM
zmf zmf is offline
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rather than using the pointy end of a bumbershoot.


whm
I do hesitate to ask, but feel obliged. Bumbershoot?
  #33  
Old 09-03-2019, 01:21 AM
Wade Hampton Wade Hampton is offline
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zmf wrote:

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Originally Posted by zmf View Post
I do hesitate to ask, but feel obliged. Bumbershoot?
I'll quote the relevant paragraph from my reply to you in Post # 27:

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Originally Posted by Wade Hampton View Post
There’s also the old-time Charlestonian usage of the word “pixilated” - to indicate someone who’s slightly daft, or perhaps just marches to their own drummer - that I don’t use as often since the word has taken on new meaning in this Digital Age. But “pixilated” used to be just as archaic as “bumbershoot” for “umbrella” or “throwing a fantod” for “throwing a tantrum.”
I thought EVERYONE had a doddering old great-aunt in their early childhood who called umbrellas "bumbershoots!"

Of course, it could just be that I come from a background where my family - on both sides - loved old-fashioned words and expressions and who cherished and burnished them like fine old sterling silver.

Or maybe it's just a Southern thing, I don't know.


whm
  #34  
Old 09-03-2019, 01:23 AM
Napman41 Napman41 is offline
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Originally Posted by TwoMartinMan View Post
Stopped in to the Guitar Center in Glen Burnie, MD today to pick up some strings and a tuner. Noticed a well used Martin acoustic hanging on the wall and decided to take a closer look at it. It was clearly a DM model from the old Road series from a few years back... clearly marked "DM, Made in USA" label inside the sound hole, no finish, hog back and sides, and was in fair condition. I've had a couple of these in the past and knew what I was looking at. It had no tag on it so I asked a salesman to give me the asking price. As he was looking it up on the computer I noticed the serial number plate attached to the neck block inside said "Martin D-16GT" with a serial number from the year 2002. I pointed this out to the salesman who was just as surprised to see this as I was. I told him there was no way this was a D-16GT since, if for no other reason, the "GT" stands for Gloss Top and this guitar clearly had no gloss finish on it at all. He decided to seek out the manager for an explanation. When he returned, he told me that the manager explained that the computer listed that guitar as a D-16GT and that, maybe...….now get this...."that it was an older model and that all the gloss HAD WORN OFF OF THE TOP OVER TIME." I told him that that was an absolutely absurd assertion, not withstanding why or how someone could even apply a DM paper label from a DM inside a legitimate D-16GT. He then pointed to the serial number plate inside and said, "Well, there's the serial number and that's permanent." I pointed out that that plate is simply glued on to the neck block and that I have had 2 Martins in the past where that plate has fallen off and had to be re-glued in place. I told him that if his manager told him to tell me that, that he is either lying or very ignorant about Martin guitars. I pressed the salesman for his own opinion, which he would not give me, referring only to what the manager had told him to say. He looked up the guitar on the inventory computer which had it listed as a D-16GT and quoted me a price of just under $900. I told him that a DM went for less than that brand new back in the day. He said the best he could do was knock off another 10%.

Makes me wonder: was the manager lying or just stupid?

Caveat Emptor, people.


How about he was just a mid-level sales guy doing his job and not undermining his boss ?
  #35  
Old 09-03-2019, 04:20 AM
cdkrugjr cdkrugjr is offline
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It’s the type of store it is.

Their default position will always be that the computer at Corporate is correct.

If you want expertise, GC isn’t your best bet
  #36  
Old 09-03-2019, 04:40 AM
Wade Hampton Wade Hampton is offline
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I agree with you, CD, but I’d take it further and add that - with the exception of some of the top acoustic guitar-oriented music stores like Elderly Instruments and Gryphon Stringed Instruments - as a general rule the average participants on guitar forums like this one tend to have more specific knowledge of their favorite brands of guitars than most of the employees working at general interest music stores.

Those of us who take part in these online discussions centered around acoustic guitars do so because we have a passion for it. But for a regular music store employee or mid level manager, it’s mostly a job, and it’s not really fair or particularly realistic of us to expect them to know all the specs of different models at such a granular level of detail.

As I mentioned in my first post in this thread, I haven’t been able to keep up with all of the Alphabet Soup of different models and all their individual specifications that Martin has released in the past 25 years. I personally don’t have much interest in or experience with their lower end models, as it’s all I can do to keep up with their Standard Series guitars.

And I love and have a genuine passion for Martin guitars, and have ever since I started playing.

So if as a longtime fan of Martin guitars I can’t keep up with everything Martin is building or has built in recent decades, how are a couple of GC employees who might not even play guitar supposed to?


whm
  #37  
Old 09-03-2019, 05:09 AM
DoryDavis DoryDavis is offline
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I went to a local GC last week. I was maybe 75% ready to buy, a relatively inexpensive amp for some electric work. Just wanted to plug it in and play for a few minutes, and I was ready, spend my money locally.

Grabbed a Mexican tele on the stand, g string severely buzzing. Grabbed an Ibanez, action shredder low, but ok, just want to get a sound.

1st cord buzzing, bad. 2nd cord buzzing, bad. Went to another display, found a cord. Guitar and amp now working! Vacuum cleaner starts up, the salesman literally ran the vacuum around me as I was just getting a sound. (other than that no contact from the sales people).

I'll admit I am a tire kicker and they may know it, but I was ready to buy. Oh well, going to put it all not he back burner, doesn't feel right somehow now....

It's just too bad, because I always look forward to going there, but am always disappointed when I leave. Don't mean to say I never buy there either, I've bought a real nice keyboard, and also strings and cables etc.. over the years.
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  #38  
Old 09-03-2019, 05:13 AM
beatcomber beatcomber is offline
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I've never had a truly negative experience with GC, and I've frequented them since the late '80s (when I lived in California).

Of course, my expectations of what to expect at GC are quite a bit lower than, say, The Music Emporium, which is a dealer targeting high end customers.

If I walked into a GC and was told a bunch of baloney by a salesperson - due to ignorance rather than a lack of ethics - I would just nod my head and smile, and possibly offer a gentle correction. I have no reason to antagonize or humiliate anyone.
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  #39  
Old 09-03-2019, 05:15 AM
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Mbroady Mbroady is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by DoryDavis View Post
I went to a local GC last week. I was maybe 75% ready to buy, a relatively inexpensive amp for some electric work. Just wanted to plug it in and play for a few minutes, and I was ready, spend my money locally.

Grabbed a Mexican tele on the stand, g string severely buzzing. Grabbed an Ibanez, action shredder low, but ok, just want to get a sound.

1st cord buzzing, bad. 2nd cord buzzing, bad. Went to another display, found a cord. Guitar and amp now working! Vacuum cleaner starts up, the salesman literally ran the vacuum around me as I was just getting a sound. (other than that no contact from the sales people).

I'll admit I am a tire kicker and they may know it, but I was ready to buy. Oh well, going to put it all not he back burner, doesn't feel right somehow now....

It's just too bad, because I always look forward to going there, but am always disappointed when I leave. Don't mean to say I never buy there either, I've bought a real nice keyboard, and also strings and cables etc.. over the years.
I think experiences like this give GC a bad rep. There are some well run GC’s that I have been to where the staff are well informed and sensitive to the customers needs and desired experience. I just wonder if this is the norm or if the above is the norm.
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  #40  
Old 09-03-2019, 05:15 AM
Brucebubs Brucebubs is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Wade Hampton View Post

So if as a longtime fan of Martin guitars I can’t keep up with everything Martin is building or has built in recent decades, how are a couple of GC employees who might not even play guitar supposed to?


whm
Maybe not totally up to date but it wouldn't do them any harm to keep one of these in each store?

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  #41  
Old 09-03-2019, 07:22 AM
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A Google images search of the models in question would probably have cleared this right up. They have computers at GC, and the OP probably has a smartphone too.

Just like most dinner table debates with my wife, quietly finding facts to reference usually works better than bantering endlessly back and forth.
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  #42  
Old 09-03-2019, 07:59 AM
erhino41 erhino41 is offline
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I find the gc employees to be very knowledgeable about the things that they know about and very ignorant of the things that they do not know about. A shredder typically knows nothing in the acoustic room etc...

I find some helpful ones and some ignorant ones. To some it's a passion to some it's a paycheck. It's a high volume commission based job in a high pressure environment, some don't have time to be all that knowledgeable.

I've always learned, and I enjoy the effort, that I must do my own research. With a phone you can get any info got want faster than you can walk over to a sales person.

If you are a familiar faced tire kicker you aren't always going to get the red carpet treatment. I'm both a tire kicker and a buyer and the folks at my local gc know this. When I'm truly looking to buy, I let them know and they pull out all the stops.
  #43  
Old 09-03-2019, 08:22 AM
PorkPieGuy PorkPieGuy is offline
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I would have left it with "Wow, I bet this has been mislabeled."

Those music-based-big-box-store employees are often are often in charge of more than one department. I rarely go, but when I do, I swear there's one guy or lady manning the acoustic room, the electric guitars and amps, and basses and bass amps. He or she is usually running around like crazy.

These people can't be experts on everything. I mean do many people know the differences between the Gibson Les Paul Standard 60's guitar vs a Gibson Les Paul Standard 50's vs. the 60th anniversary edition vs. Les Paul Tribute vs. the Special Limited Edition vs. Les Paul Custom 3A Quilted top vs. Les Paul Junior Tribute, etc.? Right now, if you go to Musician's Friend, there are 101 items that match the phrase Les Paul. How about Fender tele's? Strat's? How about we get into Schecter? Jackson? PRS? Oh, and the same person who's responsible for this is also in charge of the acoustic room too?

I'm not trying to beat the OP up too badly because he's probably right. That guitar was probably mislabeled by someone, and he obviously knows what he's talking about because he's owned one. While there are probably a number of jerky managers, know-it-alls, etc. who are tough to deal with, a lot GC folks are just trying to make it through the day and sell some gear, you know?

As long as I've been playing music, I probably wouldn't have known the difference either. In that case, just label me as stupid I guess. Wouldn't be the first time!
  #44  
Old 09-03-2019, 08:25 AM
RustyAxe RustyAxe is offline
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I’ve never, and would never consider buying any acoustic guitar from GC. Their sales staff is typically young know-it-alls who are unwilling to admit that they don’t know what they don’t know. Sadly, most of their customers know even less, and are easy “marks”. While picking a cable or strap I’ve heard some “interesting” conversations between two people intent on convincing the other they know what they’re talking about. 😁
  #45  
Old 09-03-2019, 08:31 AM
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Originally Posted by RustyAxe View Post
I’ve never, and would never consider buying any acoustic guitar from GC. Their sales staff is typically young know-it-alls who are unwilling to admit that they don’t know what they don’t know. ...
Wow. I've never experienced anything like this. My GC staff have always been great. My Platinum rep is one of the nicest guys I've ever met and a great guitarist as well. Most of the people working there are also working musicians trying to make it and GC is where they can work and get health benefits while working gigs at night. I wish everyone who feels like you, those who would never buy a guitar at GC, would stay away so those of us who actually purchase there had fewer people to wait for.
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