Members halmot Posted February 18, 2009 Members Share Posted February 18, 2009 I live in the neighborhood, so you'd think I'd drop in more often than I do. Compared to other local guitar shops, including GC, I've always found this place a little frustrating to visit, for one reason -- there's hardly any place to sit! Last night in the electrics section (two long walls, four sides, with guitars two-high on each side), there was exactly one stool. In the acoustics, it's usually a little better -- there were two. Is this some sort of passive-aggressive stance to protect their merchandise? I can certainly understand if they'd rather not have all their expensive guitars pawed over all day, even though no one ever seems to be bothered when I take a guitar down. I can even understand why they don't make amplifiers easily available to casual browsers, since, after all, the store is in a mall. But it seems to me that someone's more likely to damage a guitar by wandering around the store with it in search of a chair, or by simply "taking a knee." OK, there's actually two reasons that store bothers me. The lack of stools, sure, but the price tags ! Most of the prices are crossed out, so I'll assume, if only for the sake of my own sanity, that these are the SRPs, and that they'd be happy to make a deal. But then, I don't know anyone who's ever bought a guitar there. Of course, the answer to all this is that this is a boutique shop, and they naturally want to discourage casual browsing. But then again, it's in a frickin' mall! I mean, they even put the poor guys in the repair shop behind glass to be gawked at all day! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members iamjethro Posted February 18, 2009 Members Share Posted February 18, 2009 Last time I went, couple of years ago, my wife said that I should look for a nice guitar. The prices wer suggested retail I guess, but when I asked there was no help forthcoming. Either they didnt know, wanted me to make a n offer (car salesmen?) or something. I hated the whole experience. Made me feel "ick". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members d_dave_c Posted February 18, 2009 Members Share Posted February 18, 2009 i try to stay away from opry mills as a general rule, but i've had similar experiences there. corner music is the place to go. world music's back room is pretty cool, too. and nashville used music. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Will Chen Posted February 18, 2009 Members Share Posted February 18, 2009 I didn't know this store existed. Interesting. Perhaps the goal is to implant the Gibson name with tourists rather than really sell anything... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Singin' Dave Posted February 18, 2009 Members Share Posted February 18, 2009 Stopped in this store during a convention I was attending last summer. Pretty cool store to find in a mall but I agree the prices were staggering the service was lacking. The mando build area was fun to see though. I think I bought a Gibson strap and that was it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members iamjethro Posted February 18, 2009 Members Share Posted February 18, 2009 Yeah, my figuring was rented floor space as advertising write off. It was fun to see the guys working, but to buy would be rather difficult. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members cratz2 Posted February 18, 2009 Members Share Posted February 18, 2009 I used to live in Dallas and there was a chain called Melody Shop. At least one of them was in a mall. I bought my second good guitar from them because they had a huge selection, didn't care who plugged in and were glad to help. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Scarywoody Posted February 18, 2009 Members Share Posted February 18, 2009 I visited the store a couple of years ago. I browsed around and took a $3000 LP off the rack to give it a play. The salesman comes up, asks if I was interested in buying. I told him I was just browsing and he took the guitar from me and hung it back up and just stood there. Keep in mind, I'm a salesman and was dressed nicely for a dinner. So, I continued to browse while this guy followed me around. I began taking increasingly more expensive guitars down and gave each a good hard strum. Finally, he left me alone. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members IRG Posted February 18, 2009 Members Share Posted February 18, 2009 I visited the Gibson factory store in Memphis, where they have a shop with many of their wares for sale. I kind of expected better prices, or perhaps slight imperfections for sale, but nope. Prices were more there than anywhere else. Can't see how they make many sales, but that's probably not their #1 priority for this store. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members MrChitlins Posted February 18, 2009 Members Share Posted February 18, 2009 I visited the Gibson factory store in Memphis, where they have a shop with many of their wares for sale. I kind of expected better prices, or perhaps slight imperfections for sale, but nope. Prices were more there than anywhere else. Can't see how they make many sales, but that's probably not their #1 priority for this store. I was in there. The prices are not just high, they were exactly full MSRP. I was also in the Opryland store - terrible place to buy anything - great place to handle the varied Gibson guitars i'd only seen in pictures. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Jim85IROC Posted February 18, 2009 Members Share Posted February 18, 2009 I was in there. The prices are not just high, they were exactly full MSRP.This isn't at all uncommon with manufacturers who depend on retailers to push their product. I've seen it with a number of products. Whenever the manufacturer sells direct, they sell at full MSRP so that they aren't competing with their retailers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members halmot Posted February 18, 2009 Author Members Share Posted February 18, 2009 Yeah, my figuring was rented floor space as advertising write off. It was fun to see the guys working, but to buy would be rather difficult. I think this is it. I mean, when you look at the outdoor facade, i.e. the (currently defunct?) "Gibson Showcase," which is attached to the store inside the mall, it's clear they're going for the tourist trade. I mean, c'mon! They've even got the smokestack! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members sk8centilli Posted February 18, 2009 Members Share Posted February 18, 2009 But then, I don't know anyone who's ever bought a guitar there. I bought a license plate there Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Indiana Tones Posted February 18, 2009 Members Share Posted February 18, 2009 I think this is it. I mean, when you look at the outdoor facade, i.e. the (currently defunct?) "Gibson Showcase," which is attached to the store inside the mall, it's clear they're going for the tourist trade. I mean, c'mon! They've even got the smokestack! Nope, that's not at the Opry Mills mall. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members gatogordo Posted February 18, 2009 Members Share Posted February 18, 2009 I have been there 3 or 4 times. There is way too many people in there that are just siteseeing. They are also way too proud of their equipment. I spend more time at Bass Pro:thu: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members d_dave_c Posted February 18, 2009 Members Share Posted February 18, 2009 I spend more time at Bass Pro:thu: That's a mile away from the Gibson Showcase Store. If that Pic isn't of Opry Mills, they must've gotten a two-for-one deal on the Showcase bad idea. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members halmot Posted February 18, 2009 Author Members Share Posted February 18, 2009 Nope, that's not at the Opry Mills mall. I can assure you, it most certainly is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members RaVenCAD Posted February 18, 2009 Members Share Posted February 18, 2009 Nope, that's not at the Opry Mills mall. Yes it is, I've been there. You can't get in on the side with the headstock, you gotta go into the mall first.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members halmot Posted February 18, 2009 Author Members Share Posted February 18, 2009 That's a mile away from the Gibson Showcase Store.If that Pic isn't of Opry Mills, they must've gotten a two-for-one deal on the Showcase bad idea. My friend's band used to play the Gibson Showcase semi-regularly. Nice venue, but weird market. It's 1)in the Opryland tourist gulch, and 2)attached to a mall. The area is practically deserted after 9PM. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members halmot Posted February 18, 2009 Author Members Share Posted February 18, 2009 I bought a license plate there I'd be willing to bet they bring in a lot more money from swag than from gear. I mean, sure, I could pay them twelve bucks for a pack of EXL125s.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members RaVenCAD Posted February 18, 2009 Members Share Posted February 18, 2009 btw, I concur on the lack of seating thing.. Sucked! I liked the gear they had, but the sales people were kind of weird.. I guess being tasked with protecting at least $1,000,000 worth of gear (easily 500 guitars there with an average price of way more than $2,000) makes ya kind of nervous... I pulled probably $50k in acoustics off the wall and played with them, and the guy was circling like a vulture.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members cavpilot Posted February 19, 2009 Members Share Posted February 19, 2009 What's really puzzling about that particular Gibson store charging full MSRP is that Opry Mills is a freakin' outlet mall. Apparently Gibson doesn't know what that means. It's sad: I found absolutely *the* best LP I've ever touched there. Just perfect for me...but it was $700 more there than it would have been a few miles away at GC. It stayed there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members catsandstrats Posted February 19, 2009 Members Share Posted February 19, 2009 One of Gibson's primary concerns is to NOT compete with their dealers. Gibson is a manufacturer, not a retailer. The store is definitely a marketing piece, and a meeting place with their products displayed. There are meeting rooms, and a stage at that location, and when Opry Mills first started, they were practically giving space away to anyone who would rent there. I can remember when you could get up to 5 YEARS free by signing extended leases. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members steve_man Posted February 19, 2009 Members Share Posted February 19, 2009 I think it is because they have those soundproof amp rooms on the west end of the store for you to try out guitars. Last time I was there, the guy asked me what I wanted to try, took them all to one of the amp rooms, and then let me choose which amp I wanted to demo. Then, he left me to it. I thoroughly enjoyed that trip, as I could really play the guitar without worrying about disturbing the mall or other guitar shoppers. I wish more shops had rooms like that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members docjeffrey Posted February 19, 2009 Members Share Posted February 19, 2009 Didn't there used to be an amusement park where that mall is? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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