Music Store Failure Thread

[pjackson92]

so here is my contribution

 

this was when i was 14 and i was taking lessons at a local m&P shop. They had gotten a very old epiphone tube amp and while i was waiting for my lesson i asked if i could try it out. So after ten minutes of playing it very quietly, and i mean VERY quietly, so quiet i could barely hear it. The old guy gets up from his chair in front of the tv walks across the sshop and says " i think you need to shut that off now". Seriously? yeah i stopped going there soon after

[Ferdinandstrat]

"Will you be getting the new Eric Johnson Stratocaster in?"-me, a few years ago "Who's Eric Johnson?"- the salesman

 

 

At first I was like "So he doesnt know who Johnson is"

 

But then I realized he's the employee, he's supposed to know about the gear.

[HanSolo]

At first I was like "So he doesnt know who Johnson is" But then I realized he's the employee, he's supposed to know about the gear.

 

 

 

Maybe he's into Country & Western?

[Ferdinandstrat]

Maybe he's into Country & Western?

 

 

How's that related?

[BG76]

I understand that the average person working at GC or at a Mom and Pop (if they're not the owner) probably isn't going to be that bright.

 

If they were, they would own their own business or be doing something else. I just do my research online and know what I want when I go in.

 

There may be some exceptions, but it's the norm for the employees to be moronic. This works in your favor if you buy used stuff like I do, as tons of it slips through.

[dangordan]

... 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.

 

 

If you interupted with "Excuse me, I'm looking to buy a $2200 guitar right now" a good commission salesman would say to the Squire customer "Why don't you take some time to play the guitar and I'll be right back." More likely the Squire customer would be dropped like a diseased bitch.

[dangordan]

There's a world famous store in the city where I reside that will tell you on the phone that they have whatever you're inquiring about in stock. Several times I've arrived at the store in no more than 1/2 hour from the phone call to find out they don't. Also, there was once ONE store in my area that used to do fair trades. Most recently they offered $250 for a minty mint Carvin DC127 that I paid over $1500 for, so now they're all the same in that regard.

[phreddy]

I helped a guy yesterday that bought a Epi SG from GC. It was his first guitar and he didn't know what to expect from them. They didn't do squat to his guitar in terms of setting it up for him or anything else for that matter. The guitar was not even playable, the action was so high. I lowered the bridge over 3 full turns and intonated it for him (it wasn't even close before). GC = FAIL when it comes to customer service.

Scott

[Edge11]

Me:Can i get some jj brand 12ax7 pre amp tubes
OLD fart @guitar center: Whats a jj?
Me: A brand sir.
Old dude: We only carry groove tubes power amp tubes
*he was holding pre amp tubes*

[hellion_213]

Another quick music store FAIL, or annoyance really- I was looking at amps a few years ago, when I bought my 6505. I knew when I walked in that I either wanted a Mesa Dual Recto, or the 6505. I first tried out the Mesa, and the salesman was all 'Oh yeah man, you've picked a great amp there. If I had to settle on just one amp for the rest of my life, that would be it!!' Next, I plugged into the Peavey, and again, here comes the dude, and is all like, 'Oh Hell Yeah man! Sounds Awesome doesn't it. I had one a few years ago, wish I hadn't sold it. If I had to pick one amp for the rest of my life, that would be it!!' I could have probably went to any head in that store, and got to hear the same story. Salesmen:rolleyes:

[Bbreaker]

I spoke to Benny Tucker at the Boston, Ma. guitar center at least 3 times last week.
I was VERY interested in a Guild X 170T that they had. I specifically asked for an honest accessment of the guitar and made sure Benny knew that I was a serious cash buyer.
According to Benny, the guitar was in "Gretsch orange" with a flamed maple neck, top, sides and back; master volume on the cutaway; neck was adjusted and ready to play; no pitting or markings on the gold hardware and was a 9.5 out of 10. I told him that I'm driving up from central New Jersey to Boston and it was going to be at least 250 miles each way. He said I wouldn't be dissapointed.
Well {censored} me, I drove 580 miles round trip for a guitar that was definately NOT a 9.5. Cosmetically, the guitar had a very cloudy/non prominent maple grain. The hardware was not clean, in fact I wiped off some caked on dust from the guitar. The upper metal base of the bridge (closest to the low e string) was not flush to the guitar; the high e string was almost falling off the neck and there wasn't a master volume on the cutaway. It was a phase toggle switch and it didn't work.
The guitar was orange.
He didn't bull{censored} about that.
$70.00 in gas & tolls.
Wasted day.

[guitarheo3]

so here is my contribution this was when i was 14 and i was taking lessons at a local m&P shop. They had gotten a very old epiphone tube amp and while i was waiting for my lesson i asked if i could try it out. So after ten minutes of playing it very quietly, and i mean VERY quietly, so quiet i could barely hear it. The old guy gets up from his chair in front of the tv walks across the sshop and says " i think you need to shut that off now". Seriously? yeah i stopped going there soon after

that's the same thing that happens to my friends and i everytime we play at a music store. :we can't hear the phones.. do you mind turning it to down 2 clicks to 1?"

[aliensporebomb]

Some astonishing stories here.

 

I can't say I've had any stories like that in my experience except the friend who went to buy a Les Paul copy at a store and the owner was so drunk that he almost got in a fistfight with the guy.

 

I could see the owners office in a doorway behind the front desk and he

had a bar back there with literally thousands of bottles, like a bar.

 

Totally bizarre. I was an observer just watching the verbal battle

increasing. We left and went elsewhere.

[pjackson92]

that's the same thing that happens to my friends and i everytime we play at a music store. :we can't hear the phones.. do you mind turning it to down 2 clicks to 1?"

yeah there are plenty of places around here were the workers will tell you to turn it up:rawk: and ive been to one were the guy came over and started jamming with us:cool:

[paulbaribeau]

I love this thread.

 

Last time I was at GC, looking at microphones, the dude walks up, "Looking at microphones?" This guy is good! Then, "Doing some recording?" Do they train them to read minds?

 

GC dudes seem to enjoy saying things like, "good luck finding a better price."

 

I could complain about my local store all day. I'll say one thing about them, they have forced me to learn how to fix my own equipment.

 

And now I'll try and bring some positive vibes in. The Sam Ash in Indianapolis, IN has some real nice dudes working in the guitar department. They let me do as I please as long as I need to. Also, The Guitar Emporium in Louisville, KY has put up with me playing almost every fuzz pedal they have. I love going in there.

[Steadfastly]

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.

And you didn't believe them?!:poke:

[jedisb]

Got to demo one of the very first Mesa Boogie Mk IVs back when they had just come out. I ordered a short chassis head the following week from the only Boogie dealer in town. Put down a deposit and was told it would be about a month before it would come in. I waited and waited. After two months I inquired again at the shop only to be told that he (the store manager) had not heard anything. After waiting another month and being told the same thing I wrote a letter to Mesa Boogie. Within a week I got a call from them and within another week or so my head arrived at the shop. It had been the shop's fault about the order taking so long. Mesa had to call the shop and get the order process going correctly. I went to pay for it and pick it up. Was told that I had to pay for the shipping, which was never mentioned before. I was then told that when I wanted to pay by credit card that I had to pay an extra 2% to offset the credit card merchant fees. Then, he charges me tax on the shipping! I never bought from them again. I always dealt with the store owner and he was always nice as can be on other purchases, but he pissed me off on that Boogie Mk IV purchase.

 

I was later told by one of his employees that he'd done other shady deals as well. A regular customer came in looking for a Digitech Whammy pedal but he was out of stock. Customer says he'll just check some other shops. After he leaves the owner starts calling other stores and finds one nearby shop that has one left and it is marked down for clearance. He has them hold it, drives over there an buys it. Calls the original customer back and tells him he was able to get one "from his warehouse" or something like that hand sells it to him at full price.

[m90guy]

Not really a fail, but just a weird elitist prick kinda thing goin on.

We have this pretty friggin cool place here in STL that has all the uber boutique-y snooty {censored} that you could imagine. Awesome selection of guitars and awesome amps everywhere.

Weird thing though is you have to call to make sure they have it in stock before you then SET UP AN APPONTMENT to go look at it! The doors are locked and you have to ring a buzzer and then speak through the intercom and tell them what your there for. If you need to play an amp, you need to set up a time and then bring your own guitar. Forget about turning the amp up past whisper loud, so really whats the point? If you need to check out some guitars its pretty much look and if your not some doof, maybe you can play it. Kinda cool in that respect that you know the {censored} is cherry, but just weird that you cant just roll in and look at what they have sometimes. Obviously this place is geared more towards the BBreaker types, and the occasional pro that comes through town, but its just kinda odd.

[Bbreaker]

Not really a fail, but just a weird elitist prick kinda thing goin on. Obviously this place is geared more towards the BBreaker types, and the occasional pro that comes through town, but its just kinda odd.

[satannica]

I went to a local shop recently looking for a new 7-string set. Instead of Ernie ball 7s that you can get anywhere, he offered to "make up" a set using a Rotosound pack and an extra D'Addario 52 guage for the B for the princely sum of

[guitarmandp]

My last purchase at GC was a horrible experience. I bought a custom shop heavy relic tele and GC "accidentally" sold the case that had the certificate.

I have to pay $50 for a piece of paper that should have been included. This GC is far away from me so I told them I would buy it from the one closer to me as this way I wouldn't have to drive out 40 minutes.

I go to the closer GC, and they are tried to charge me $85 for the certificate. When I said "no", the guy freaks out and tells me that I just "wasted his time". Totally unprofessional. I drove 40 minutes to the other GC and paid them their $50.

I hate these games that GC likes to play.

I'm getting tired of music stores that have employees that have bad attitudes.

[m90guy]

Nice of you to take quotes, break em up and put them into differant context.

[Bbreaker]

Nice of you to take quotes, break em up and put them into differant context.

How should I interpret this?.......

Not really a fail, but just a weird elitist prick kinda thing goin on.

We have this pretty friggin cool place here in STL that has all the uber boutique-y snooty {censored} that you could imagine. Awesome selection of guitars and awesome amps everywhere.

Weird thing though is you have to call to make sure they have it in stock before you then SET UP AN APPONTMENT to go look at it! The doors are locked and you have to ring a buzzer and then speak through the intercom and tell them what your there for. If you need to play an amp, you need to set up a time and then bring your own guitar. Forget about turning the amp up past whisper loud, so really whats the point? If you need to check out some guitars its pretty much look and if your not some doof, maybe you can play it. Kinda cool in that respect that you know the {censored} is cherry, but just weird that you cant just roll in and look at what they have sometimes. Obviously this place is geared more towards the BBreaker types, and the occasional pro that comes through town, but its just kinda odd.

[hellion_213]

I was later told by one of his employees that he'd done other shady deals as well. A regular customer came in looking for a Digitech Whammy pedal but he was out of stock. Customer says he'll just check some other shops. After he leaves the owner starts calling other stores and finds one nearby shop that has one left and it is marked down for clearance. He has them hold it, drives over there an buys it. Calls the original customer back and tells him he was able to get one "from his warehouse" or something like that hand sells it to him at full price.

 

 

I don't think I would Ever shop there again!

[m90guy]

How should I interpret this?....... Not really a fail, but just a weird elitist prick kinda thing goin on. We have this pretty friggin cool place here in STL that has all the uber boutique-y snooty {censored} that you could imagine. Awesome selection of guitars and awesome amps everywhere. Weird thing though is you have to call to make sure they have it in stock before you then SET UP AN APPONTMENT to go look at it! The doors are locked and you have to ring a buzzer and then speak through the intercom and tell them what your there for. If you need to play an amp, you need to set up a time and then bring your own guitar. Forget about turning the amp up past whisper loud, so really whats the point? If you need to check out some guitars its pretty much look and if your not some doof, maybe you can play it. Kinda cool in that respect that you know the {censored} is cherry, but just weird that you cant just roll in and look at what they have sometimes. Obviously this place is geared more towards the BBreaker types, and the occasional pro that comes through town, but its just kinda odd.

 

 

 

I would take it exactly as stated. The place is a {censored}ing elitist prick owned and operated store. You cant just walk in and {censored} around with the {censored}. The only people that can walk in and {censored} around with the {censored} are those that have alot of cash(like you), and have a rep for liking the finer things in music gear. Doesnt mean your an elitist prick for going there. The store is a cool ass store like I already stated. its just odd that you have to call and make an appointment before you show up.

 

Sheesh...