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  #46  
Old 10-20-2018, 11:15 AM
guitar george guitar george is offline
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I always try to buy as much as possible from local stores. Unfortunately if it's a big item, like a guitar, the chance of going into a small guitar store and finding exactly the guitar that I am looking for is pretty unlikely. I would then buy from whoever has the best looking, best sounding and best price for the guitar I am looking for. Most guitar stores have websites that list their inventories so I would check with them first before looking further online.
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  #47  
Old 10-20-2018, 11:15 AM
ripdotcom ripdotcom is offline
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Originally Posted by island texan View Post
As I sit here with my electronic tablet in hand I scare myself with how easy it is to buy anything I want without getting off my *** and driving to a local retailer. Will the human race abandon the way we've done retail for a few centuries? I think it could happen to most sellers of products that are mass produced from refrigerators to Rolexes. Unlike trumpets and drums, stringed instruments have just enough uniqueness at the higher end to perhaps escape the onslaught of Amazon. I love my local shops and try to give them as much business as I can. With the exception of an Art and Lutherie parlor I bought. a few years ago, I've never bought a guitar online. But I confess, a few pedals, an amp, and a new set of tuners came from online dealers we've all used. And the reason, of course, is I wouldn't get off my *** and go shopping.
well that certainly opens the conversation a bit more. Do you mean you wouldnt get off you're butt to get them or simply that it was not worth the time to drive around out of the way to get something that could be easily delivered to the door within 24-48 hours. I used to turbo E30 BMW's (and miatas and other cool RWD cars) I found myself often at the salvage yards for a air flow meter or ECU. Anyway, I found that in time, the online market became larger and I no longer had to get off my butt to go to the salvage yard and remove a used part that may or may not work because I found it less expensive and new online. Call me lazy but I'd rather order a DME fom ebay than spend 1/2 a day at the salvage yard, Then one may ask , why I did not simply go to the dealer or a parts store and I could go on and on about those reasons too but many simply wouldnt get it. I have been asked what the hell is wrong with me and why I wont take a 8 hour drive to try out a guitar. Well, that seems ridiculous to me. Once again, call me lazy but I dont need to lose any weight and im pretty busy, if anything it has freed me up to do more important things that need my attention.

Anyway, the excuse of laziness is often used and its a poor accusation when the end result ends up the same or better. This does not mean we are in the WALL-E world , it just means that progress is certainly making some things easier. I dont feel beholden to a local retailer, why should I? We arent friends and I would never walk into somebody elses business and tell them what they ought to be doing, hell thats worse that walking up to the performer you dont know somewhere and saying "we should play together sometime" . Sure... So the reason may not be you're self confessed laziness, it may be that you see the benefit of not running around for something that can be brought to your door. Its harder for the older fellas to admit it but its widely accepted and doesnt impact your character to anyone but the uneducated.
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  #48  
Old 10-20-2018, 11:17 AM
ripdotcom ripdotcom is offline
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Originally Posted by davidd View Post
Price, price, price. Capitalism is the greatest force for good in human history (religion aside....) and supporting those that can give us the best product and service for the best price keeps that progress moving along. Living in the SF bay area I have an inexhaustible supply of equipment on CL. Consumables (strings etc.) and small accessories can be delivered tax free in a matter of days at usually substantially lower pricing than my local store so for me it's a no brainer. It isn't 1968 any longer for better or worse and it isn't going back. When I can get strings for $4 a set from Sweetwater w/ free shipping and no tax I'm not paying $8 at my local store and also have to contribute 9.5% state sales tax to the lunatics in Sacramento, period.
simple and true. Nice amps btw, I have a 72 Princeton with the deluxe upgrade transformer.
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  #49  
Old 10-20-2018, 11:25 AM
Neil K Walk Neil K Walk is offline
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I make it a point to buy a set of strings or a selection of picks from my local guitar store. IMO he could've come down 5% on my last guitar purchase but I view guitars as a big ticket item with a longer lifespan than many cars I've owned so I'm okay with it. Besides, he always seems to have a big selection and seems to be doing well enough by having an active lesson program, an online store and carrying many unique custom shop type models.
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  #50  
Old 10-20-2018, 12:13 PM
hbg hbg is offline
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I live in a small rural town of about 10,000 that is 45 miles (2 +hours in rush hour traffic) from a major coastal city. I buy as much as I can from the local guitar shop in town and a suburban locally-owned shop by my office. The suburban shop has better selection and higher-end instruments, the local place carries some very inexpensive guitars as well as some decent consignment instruments and a full selection of Teton guitars which are VERY nice for the price. I've bought two Tetons from them in the last couple of years. My next high-end guitar purchase will be from the suburban shop.

To me, there is a value in having a good selection of locally-owned businesses in my community. No matter what I am looking to purchase I first look in my town, then in locally-owned stores or local chains in the next couple of towns over, and lastly to the big-box stores. I have not seen big differences in prices, and I'll happily pay 10-15% more, or even 20% more on low-cost items, than ordering online or going to a big-box stores that sends a good proportion of their profits out of state. Depending on the online store, the shipping may be more than the difference in cost. The local stores hire local people, they pay taxes into the community, I save time, traffic stress and gas money by not having to drive far to shop and I can try items out and see them in hand before purchasing and take them home that day instead of waiting a few days for it to be shipped and maybe turn out to be not exactly what I wanted.

I buy almost all my accessories from these two stores, and if they don't have something in stock they can order it for me for the same price I can find it online. The guy that owns the music shop in my town will give me a discount on anything he special orders for me, so I actually get it cheaper than if I ordered it myself. He says it's worth it to him to have a guaranteed sale and not have his money tied up in inventory on the shelf so he'll split the cost between wholesale and retail on pre-paid orders when he can.

I also go hang out at the stores on occasion. I was having a rough day at work the other day and on my lunch break dropped in to the guitar store, chatted about guitars and played a very nice Santa Cruz 13-fret they had hanging on the wall. Much more recharging than looking at guitars on line during lunch.

Last edited by hbg; 10-20-2018 at 01:47 PM.
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  #51  
Old 10-20-2018, 12:33 PM
buddyhu buddyhu is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by davidd View Post
Price, price, price. Capitalism is the greatest force for good in human history (religion aside....) .


That may have been true for a period of time, when the competitive playing field was relatively level. And it may be true for you at this moment. But i think your unqualified endorsement of capitalism is, well....let’s say “incompletely informed”. Time will tell...

~~~~~~~~

To answer OP’s question: I don’t consider supporting a local business to ever be a waste of money. It supports my community, my state, and indirectly, it supports me.

And I know that the taxes I pay support things I value: good roads, state parks, services for the elderly, local police and fire departments, environmental protection agencies, etc, etc, etc. Yes...my tax dollars are not spent exclusively on things I value; I consider that an inherent issue in any relationship and/or cooperative endeavor.

There are always limits, of course, as there are in any relationship; I want my wife to be happy, and support her pursuit of happiness,but if she wants to give empty her retirement account and donate all of it to the ASPCA, I’d object pretty vigorously.

I usually tell the local store what price I have found on the Internet, and ask what they can do. And then I decide.
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  #52  
Old 10-20-2018, 12:35 PM
ThermiteTermite ThermiteTermite is offline
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When I can get the same quality for less price somewhere else.
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  #53  
Old 10-20-2018, 01:12 PM
Steadfastly Steadfastly is offline
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I have never bought a guitar from my local store. It has always been online or if it's used from personal sales ads. The only thing I buy local are string and accessories from time to time.
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  #54  
Old 10-20-2018, 01:30 PM
JCPO JCPO is offline
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I have three independent guitar shops close to me that all have pretty extensive inventories and I've bought new guitars from each of them. But, the last time that I was in the market for a new Martin, I ended up buying from Maury's because the price from the two local shops that sell Martins was about $700.00 more than Maurys. As much as I would have preferred buying from my local shop, the price difference made the choice a no-brainer.
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  #55  
Old 10-20-2018, 01:41 PM
Big Band Guitar Big Band Guitar is offline
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The only time I go to any store is when I need something.

Out local store is always my first stop. His prices are always equal or better than on line.

If he doesn't have and cant get it I go to the next big one about 45 minutes away.

Last resort would be ordering on line from Elderly.
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  #56  
Old 10-20-2018, 01:56 PM
Nymuso Nymuso is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by davidd View Post
I can get strings for $4 a set from Sweetwater w/ free shipping and no tax I'm not paying $8 at my local store and also have to contribute 9.5% state sales tax to the lunatics in Sacramento, period.
This is the beginning and end of things for me. If you can't compete, refocus or move aside.
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  #57  
Old 10-20-2018, 02:01 PM
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BrunoBlack BrunoBlack is offline
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I support them whenever they are reasonably competitive.
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  #58  
Old 10-20-2018, 02:01 PM
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golfreggie golfreggie is offline
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Originally Posted by Ludere View Post
Timing on this thread couldn't be better for me ...

I (very) recently got to the point where I was ready to buy my 314ce.
I had done the "play it first" bit, tried a number of guitars, decided on this one, went home and saved up for a bit and I was finally ready ...

1) Went down to the local GC (about an hour and a half away) ... on a Monday morning ... not many folks there, exactly what I was aiming for ... played the 314ce V class they had, liked it, carried it up front ... the guy at the register was busy stocking strings and such and I told him I wanted to buy the guitar. Over the PA he huffs, "we need a sales associate up front" ... 5 minutes, nobody shows. I say to the guy "wth?" he calls for backup again ... finally a kid shows up, looks at the tag, says he'll be right back. 10 minutes later I see the same kid talking to another customer over by the keyboards. Never looked my way, didn't act hurried - he was trying to make a sale! I walked back to the guitar room, hung the guitar up, and walked out.

2) Went to another local shop about another hour from there, they didn't have the V-Class, and when I asked about it, the sales guy insisted the 300 series didn't come with V bracing. I countered with, "I believe they do, I just played one" and when I suggested maybe he should check, he responded by telling me how knowledgeable he was of the Taylor line and he assured me that I must have just gotten my models confused.
... and I walked out.

Thursday I called Sweetwater. They sent me pictures of five different 314ce V-Class and let me pick the one I wanted. Told me I had 30 days to return it for any reason, and my sales guy told me he would see to it that they paid the return shipping to boot! He put that in an email.

My guitar comes Tuesday.
Sweetwater is great. Not to say others aren't as I have heard glowing reports from forum members of LA Guitars, and many other AGF sponsors. I have even bought two guitars from Sweetwater (since traded in). But my favorite store is in Lawrence, Kansas called Mass Street Music. I am from the KC area now living in DFW area, and went home and ordered a new Collings from them. I had bought 4 guitars from them I believe counting this Collings, and various and sundry others to include a couple of acoustic amps. I currently still have the LoudBox Artist I bought several years ago. Even tho' I am in Texas I still consider them my "hometown" shop, and probably always will. I think I am fortunate to be one of their loyal customers, and the treatment I receive is just as if I were a famous name performer, it's always about me and what I like. Wade H. Miller also says praises about them and visits them from time to time when he visits the area there. A really great store, great inventory, great advice and super great staff and ownership.
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  #59  
Old 10-20-2018, 02:06 PM
menhir menhir is offline
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Sadly, I rarely buy at local music stores these days.

Major reasons...
Along with limited inventory and higher prices, it's the ever-increasing cost of gasoline (and the every-increasing gasoline taxes) and time.

The era of inexpensive, long shopping road trip days have gone. Gas is too expensive (add that to your higher purchase price, if you actually find what you want).
And time...Like I have enough of that. Time wasted where could I be doing other things that I might have enjoyed more or may be more profitable. Look up "opportunity cost."

Nowadays, if I want something I can usually find that exact item online, research it, compare it, purchase it, in less time than it takes me to find the local shop doesn't have it, and often have it shipped to my doorstep for free. I can do other things in the meanwhile. Walk the dog, relax....wallpaper the hallway. Well, someone's gotta do it.

I want to support them, but it's been frustrating. Examples:

After driving down to the local dealer to find out on several occasions they were out of stock of my preferred brand of guitar strings, I eventually just decided to order strings online. The time I wasted going there and the gas I spent driving there could have been better spent. (We're talking D-Addario EJ16 PB's here, hardly a rare item...Not double-helix wound, sun-tanned, unobtanium plated, peptide-infused, vegan friendly strings made by some dude in Patagonia. On a Tuesday.)

I was once looking into purchasing one of the Artist model Seagull Guitars. There were shops that listed themselves as dealers, but they just didn't seem to bother stocking them. Wasted time and gas.

And of course, the time I went to a store, cash in pocket, to try and buy a Larivee only to find amidst the drummers and shredders, that I couldn't even hear the guitar I was playing.

(No, it wasn't a GC. I actually like my local GC.)

I still drop by the local music stores on occasion, but usually if I'm already driving by or if i'm in the area. It's not my first choice anymore.

Last edited by menhir; 10-20-2018 at 02:12 PM.
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  #60  
Old 10-20-2018, 02:07 PM
michaelnel michaelnel is offline
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I used to buy from my local store when my local stores were Gryphon Strings in Palo Alto California and Gelb Music in Redwood City California. Both great shops with very knowledgeable people and good selection of the kind of stuff I like to own.

Where I live now there is nothing even remotely like those places, so I spend my money online.
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