Music Store Failure Thread

[Longhair]

Let's hear your own stores on how a music store has failed you.

 

Here's mine:

 

I see the only Epiphone Les Paul Tribute 1960 in the country that is in stock according to the website. I take the train to some city I've never been before and get to the store first thing when they open.

 

After looking at the very small selection of stuff they had, I tell the guy what guitar I wanted to try and I hear:

 

"Oh, we sold that the first day that we got it in and who knows when we will get that model in again."

[etawful]

Did you CALL the store before you went all that way, or did you just assume that the site had been updated regularly? I mean if it was a small store, odds are they didn't have an inventory linked to their website and it required manual updating.

 

You DID call right?

[hellion_213]

I take it he did not I've actually called before, get there, and then find out that whatever I was looking for was sold. Sucks. I remember another thread similar to this one a while back; probably the biggest guitar store fail for me was when I was looking to refret a bolt-on, and the tech dude told me 'you can't refret a bolt-on, that's why they come off; so you can replace them' I've also been told that you have to bring in a Floyd equipped guitar to be setup. It requires a tech's expertise, and special tools only available to techs and luthiers.

[Robson780]

Let's hear your own stores on how a music store has failed you. Here's mine: I see the only Epiphone Les Paul Tribute 1960 in the country that is in stock according to the website. I take the train to some city I've never been before and get to the store first thing when they open. After looking at the very small selection of stuff they had, I tell the guy what guitar I wanted to try and I hear: "Oh, we sold that the first day that we got it in and who knows when we will get that model in again."

Hahaha, and this is the store's fault?

More like call fail.

[m90guy]

Ordered a Fender HR deluxe from MF for $549 a few years ago. Got the Amp, opended it up and quickly saw that the tubes were busted. Called em up and explained what was wrong, and asked if they could just send me some replacment tubes. Was told to ship it back and they would send out another replacment. Sent it back to them for the exchange.
Stupid ignorant cunts sent the exact same amp back with the exact same broken tubes. Asked them to just send me a box of thier groove tube replacments, and this time they finally agreed.
I wait and wait, and then finally get the tubes. Pop em in and yep, you guessed it - the amp didnt even work.
Send the amp back in to get a replacment, and viola SOLD OUT! The $549 was one of thier little pamplet sales, so everyone ordered em all up.


Epic {censored}ing headache!

[kirs]

Went into GC today as I am looking to purchase a $2200 LP. Waited to get the staff's attention for ten mins but they were all too busy helping junior and their moms with their Squiers and Line 6 amps.

Going back Tuesday during my lunch break, hopefully all the kids will be in school.

[etawful]

'you can't refret a bolt-on, that's why they come off; so you can replace them' I've also been told that you have to bring in a Floyd equipped guitar to be setup. It requires a tech's expertise, and special tools only available to techs and luthiers.

LMFAO . . . the bolt-on story is great.

I've actually run into a guy who thought he had to take his Floyd equipped guitar to a tech to get the strings changed . . . I didn't even respond, I just shook my head in pity.

[brianeharmonjr]

Went into GC today as I am looking to purchase a $2200 LP. Waited to get the staff's attention for ten mins but they were all too busy helping junior and their moms with their Squiers and Line 6 amps. Going back Tuesday during my lunch break, hopefully all the kids will be in school.

 

 

... and they were supposed to know your intentions and drop the customers they were helping at the time? You were only there for 10 minutes? Don't see the failure on the store's part. Patience fail.

[guitarheo3]

i was told that bigsbys cost $300 and to put it on my les paul would be $100 so i might as well get another guitar

[gergbee]

Not a great story but it's a recent one. I was in a store looking for a case for a thinline. As I was looking, I asked the salesperson if they had any Tele bridge covers.

 

He goes, "none in stock". Then he looks in his catalogue and says "We can order one."

 

I said "how much?"

 

"Ohhh probably 25 - 30 dollars."

 

I say, "I've seen them online for 17".

 

He says in a real arrogant way "There's NO way. If you can get one online for $17 go ahead."

 

His attitude totally turned me off so I say "Fine, I will" and I turn around and start to leave. The guy says "what about the case?"

 

I said, "I'll order it online with the bridge cover." Then I left the store.

 

I ordered it all from music123.

[kirs]

... and they were supposed to know your intentions and drop the customers they were helping at the time? You were only there for 10 minutes? Don't see the failure on the store's part. Patience fail.

I think standing in the tiny LP section looking up at the guitars showed intention enough. Agreed I was impatient, but there's only so much {censored}ty shredding on dimed SS amps one man can stand

[Sharkfin]

Right, I actually feel more comfortable at the GC than the local mom & pop music shack. I browsed GC for maybe 20 minutes total and two different staff asked me if I needed any help. After I said I was just browsing, they each said to call them over any time if I wanted anything. One even offered to grab me a guitar to try out the amp I happened to glance over a bit longer than the others. I wasn't the only person in the store that day, but they were paying attention to what I might be interested in. I later asked one of them about a possible trade-in for a low end starter guitar, he gave me a straight answer saying it wasn't worth anything, but bring it in anyway and they'll see what they can do.

The local mom and pop store was a different story. The first time I went in there years ago, I was there for maybe ten minutes. The employees didn't so much as look at me. Sure there were a few other customers, but when some of them left, they still didn't so much as ask if I was interested in any thing. A stepped inside a few months ago. Customers-wise there was only a guy and his buddy testing out an amp. The employee behind the counter, after a few minutes, asked me "Can I help you with anything!" I don't know what it was, whether his tone of voice or what, but he seemed annoyed to have a potential new customer. I shot back a just looking line and left a minute later.

The place also feels ratty, dimly lit, worn flooring. They have a row of cheap starter guitars hanging well above easy reach along their only display wall. It's not only a clear sign of don't touch, but the guitars are set so high up, I can barely get a good look at them. They must be doing something right though, they store has been around for something like 70 years and at that location for many, many decades. I'm guessing they make their income through school rentals and lessons (about half the store is sub-divided into little cubicle-sized teaching rooms). So I guess that's the closest I've come to a music store fail.

[axegrinder]

shopping is hard

 

 

QFT

[Lobsterbush]

I went in to a local music store a few months ago in search of strings. Needed strings for my electrics, saw them on the rack behind the counter and asked for four sets of hybrid slinkys. He gladly turned around got the four sets and proceeded to ring me up. I was shocked when he said "that'll be $81.50." (don't remember the exact price quoted but know it was over $80)

WTF?

He could tell by the look on my face that I was pissed off beyond belief. He said " whats the matter need me to do a little better on those?"

"I sure as hell do, or I need to quit playing guitar."

After punching a few keys on the computer and a calculator quotes me a price of something like $65. For 4 sets of Ernie Ball strings?? I went on about how I had spent probably a few thousand dollars there over the years and he stated "thats the best we can do on them man."

Before I walked out I reminded him I had been buying strings from there for less that $5 a pack for years.

When I got home I ordered a dozen sets. I really like to try to support my local economy and small buisness owners but I am done with that place to say the least.

[pjackson92]

I went in to a local music store a few months ago in search of strings. Needed strings for my electrics, saw them on the rack behind the counter and asked for four sets of hybrid slinkys. He gladly turned around got the four sets and proceeded to ring me up. I was shocked when he said "that'll be $81.50." (don't remember the exact price quoted but know it was over $80) WTF? He could tell by the look on my face that I was pissed off beyond belief. He said " whats the matter need me to do a little better on those?" "I sure as hell do, or I need to quit playing guitar." After punching a few keys on the computer and a calculator quotes me a price of something like $65. For 4 sets of Ernie Ball strings?? I went on about how I had spent probably a few thousand dollars there over the years and he stated "thats the best we can do on them man." Before I walked out I reminded him I had been buying strings from there for less that $5 a pack for years. When I got home I ordered a dozen sets. I really like to try to support my local economy and small buisness owners but I am done with that place to say the least.

$16.25 for a set of ernie bals?!?!?!?!?! did he think he was ringing up bass strings or something?

[pvwolfgang5150]

I have a story....

So I went to a local music store, and asked to play a few Stratocasters. The man (who also happens to be the manage or own the store) takes me over to those MIM Fender Classic players Stratocasters.

The man then shows me the different models (50's, 60's, and 70's Stratocaster). Overall, pretty decent service. I then tell him which one I would like to play, so he takes it out of its stand, takes me over to a Fender Frontman 15 watt solid state amp and then starts talking about how you can make it sound exactly like a big Marshall tube amp .

I say nothing, and the man plugs in the guitar and tunes it up. He then stands up, tells me to sit down, and places the guitar in my lap. But before I can play a note, he starts talking....and doesn't stop. He keeps telling me things about the guitar that are trivial. All I want to do is play the damn guitar! .

So after about 15 minutes of non-stop talk, I start to play, and then he starts fiddling with the amp . I kindly tell him that I can dial in the amp settings I like by myself. He says, "Are you sure?"

I reply, "Yes." and he nods his head and returns to the counter.

Another customer walks in (previously I was the only one in the store) and they start talking for a while. So after about a half an hour of me playing that one guitar, and the two men talking, I am about ready to try a different one to compare and find out which one I like the most.

I approach the man, holding the guitar that I was just trying out, asking him if I could try another one. He says hold on just a second. About 5 minutes later, after being slightly annoyed by this man, I go over and gently put the guitar that I was just trying out back on its respected stand, and took the one next to it in order to try it out. Almost immediately after I plug the guitar in and start playing, the man says in a rather angry tone, "I saw that. I saw you switch grab that other guitar. It's okay, but I saw that."

I reply by saying, "Well, I sure hope that you saw that, because it shows that you're slightly aware of a few of the things in your store!" and then I put the guitar away and left.

Even though that last statement wasn't the kindest thing to do, and I could of dealt with the situation in a much more polite manner, I was really frustrated.

...and no, it was not a Guitar Center. I actually like that place on the days that you are able to go when 15 year old kids who appear to be on serious drugs and failing school aren't blasting A7X or whatever the screamo death metal band that they are into through a Marshall MG playing an EMG equipped guitar in a ridiculously low tuning.

[conway]

Let's hear your own stores on how a music store has failed you. Here's mine: I see the only Epiphone Les Paul Tribute 1960 in the country that is in stock according to the website. I take the train to some city I've never been before and get to the store first thing when they open. After looking at the very small selection of stuff they had, I tell the guy what guitar I wanted to try and I hear: "Oh, we sold that the first day that we got it in and who knows when we will get that model in again."

 

 

In-experienced individual. I'm sure you won't make the same mistake twice..

Dealers are people. Today... People are {censored} ups and whats worse is they don't give a {censored}.. All part of the grand scheme of the Dumb'ing down of Americans. But, don't fret... help is on the way, It's Called the Tea Party!

[axegrinder]

In-experienced individual. I'm sure you won't make the same mistake twice.. Dealers are people. Today... People are {censored} ups and whats worse is they don't give a {censored}.. All part of the grand scheme of the Dumb'ing down of Americans. But, don't fret... help is on the way, It's Called the Tea Party!

:lol: okey-dokey

[stevieb]

I've also been told that you have to bring in a Floyd equipped guitar to be setup...

Well, you have to bring in ANY guitar for them to do a setup... you didn't think they can do it over the phone, did you?

[joekkl]

Shouldn't you call & check before heading out???

Let's hear your own stores on how a music store has failed you. Here's mine: I see the only Epiphone Les Paul Tribute 1960 in the country that is in stock according to the website. I take the train to some city I've never been before and get to the store first thing when they open. After looking at the very small selection of stuff they had, I tell the guy what guitar I wanted to try and I hear: "Oh, we sold that the first day that we got it in and who knows when we will get that model in again."

 

[Ferdinandstrat]

Me: Guys, I am looking for a tube amp with good distortion.

 

Clerk: You dont need a two channel tube amp, all you need is a clean tube amp and a nice distortion pedal *points at Fender HRD*

[Longhair]

Hahaha, and this is the store's fault? More like call fail.

Last time I called a music store on a Saturday, this is how the conversation went:

"Hi, do you have ____ in stock?"
"We are too busy to look."
Click.

[EJD]

My local shop. It mainly stocks guitars. It's small, and dark, and pretty cramped. I've stopped going there now, because it, and the staff, just give out this miserable atmosphere.

 

Anyway. I went in, asking for a Strat pickguard. The guy behind the counter said "what's a pickguard?". No joke. You work in a music store that deals mainly in guitars, you should {censored}ing know!

 

Then, here's the kicker... I have to take him to a guitar to show him what a pickguard is. Then, when I do, he muttered "oh, the fingerboard".

 

EPIC FACEPALM

[etawful]

Last time I called a music store on a Saturday, this is how the conversation went: "Hi, do you have ____ in stock?" "We are too busy to look." Click.

 

 

Mmmmhmmm.

 

So the answer is NO, you did not call. Thanks for playing. One of the main rules of shopping for anything beyond a couple of miles from home is to call and make sure said item is in stock before going to store. If it is, and it's in short supply, asking them to hold it for you until you get there is also common sense.

 

You failing to call the store and verify stock isn't a failure on their part.

[treedroppings]

Me: Guys, I am looking for a tube amp with good distortion. Clerk: You dont need a two channel tube amp, all you need is a clean tube amp and a nice distortion pedal *points at Fender HRD*

 

 

If I owned a music store, I would personally ask people what they knew about the inventory or train them myself.

 

There are too many good owner-operators of music companys, like Peter Florance or Tom Short (pickup makers), who will ask you exactly what you need to tolerate lousy help.

 

Any time that happens, ask for the manager.