Members Cross Eyed Mary Posted February 24, 2009 Members Share Posted February 24, 2009 Has anyone else noticed that alot of our favorite non corporate places to buy gear have raised their prices since GC went to firm pricing? I remember massmusic having really great prices on cymbals, substantially less than GC/MF/123. Now it seems they ALL have the same prices as GC for cymbals. I guess they don't feel they need to compete anymore? Kinda annoys me. What's the point of even shopping there then? The service factor is nada since it's online sales, i click a few times and wait. Or am i just being irrational? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Big Daddy Posted February 24, 2009 Members Share Posted February 24, 2009 I have a friend who works for GC and a bandmate that owns a music store. I used to try to spread my dollars around to help both of them, but now I only purchase from my bandmates store.I see no reason to support the big guys when I get the same price as GC/MF at my local store.Plus the service is MUCH better ! Now if I could just get him to warranty those three sticks I broke the other night...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Cross Eyed Mary Posted February 24, 2009 Author Members Share Posted February 24, 2009 I have a friend who works for GC and a bandmate that owns a music store. I used to try to spread my dollars around to help both of them, but now I only purchase from my bandmates store.I see no reason to support the big guys when I get the same price as GC/MF at my local store.Plus the service is MUCH better ! Now if I could just get him to warranty those three sticks I broke the other night...... Were they more expensive before? Because the shops i'm reffering to have RAISED there prices since GC went to firm pricing. mycymbal.com, massmusic.net, etc. I remember massmusic had {censored} for as much as $80 cheaper than GC. Not anymore. Lame. If anyone here works at a shop and wants to whore out an 18" Twenty Thin Crash or Dark Energy Mk1, lemme know. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members jenksdrummer Posted February 24, 2009 Members Share Posted February 24, 2009 Has anyone else noticed that alot of our favorite non corporate places to buy gear have raised their prices since GC went to firm pricing? I remember massmusic having really great prices on cymbals, substantially less than GC/MF/123. Now it seems they ALL have the same prices as GC for cymbals. I guess they don't feel they need to compete anymore? Kinda annoys me. What's the point of even shopping there then? The service factor is nada since it's online sales, i click a few times and wait. Or am i just being irrational? I do one step more aggressive... I google the product I'm looking for and find a cheaper price, then have them match it plus eat tax and/or shipping (when applicable)... But, yes, GC rolled into town, caused all the Ma & Pa's to shut down, then went to a no-deal policy only a few months after the last place shut down. Nuts. I hope the economy drives their profits into the ground. Then maybe we'll see deals come back. No deals = no sales pitches = no people feeling like they got a good deal. Now it seems the only thing you can haggle on is a car and a house. If I was a Jew, I'd be pissed! (humor intended, nothing more, nothing less!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Jack Thumper Posted February 24, 2009 Members Share Posted February 24, 2009 The way the economy is,they gotta make up the difference some how. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members jenksdrummer Posted February 24, 2009 Members Share Posted February 24, 2009 The other problem is "MAP" - minimum advertised price. Doesn't mean the lowest price they can sell for, just the minimum they can advertise at. So, that guitar you bought pre-policy at $1000, has a MAP at $1250. Is it worth $250 more? No Can you haggle the deal down to $1000? No What can you do... Buy used. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members jenksdrummer Posted February 24, 2009 Members Share Posted February 24, 2009 The way the economy is,they gotta make up the difference some how. Supply/demand will bite them in the ass eventually. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members fesswrx Posted February 24, 2009 Members Share Posted February 24, 2009 I haven't bothered with trying to haggle with my local shop for years. If I want something I know they will give me the best possible price without even asking. I guess I am just lucky to have a good relationship with them for so many years. And to answer CEM's question, no I haven't noticed a price increase. Fess Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Cross Eyed Mary Posted February 24, 2009 Author Members Share Posted February 24, 2009 So i went to massmusic and chatted with that little talking box. 237.98 for an 18" Twenty Thin Crash and a 13" Modern Vintage medium for my Musashi (thanks Agogo) after shipping and everything. Not bad, i guess, considering it was 255 for the crash before i grinded. I feel dirty for grinding.I had to phone it in and the guy was very pleasant. Massmusic is pretty great. He said it'd take two weeks to ship but that was before he realized i was in CA.I'm {censored}ing DONE with these 18" hihats. I'll post my results when it gets here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Chunkaway Posted February 24, 2009 Members Share Posted February 24, 2009 So i went to massmusic and chatted with that little talking box. 237.98 for an 18" Twenty Thin Crash and a 13" Modern Vintage medium for my Musashi (thanks Agogo) after shipping and everything. Not bad, i guess, considering it was 255 for the crash before i grinded. I feel dirty for grinding. I had to phone it in and the guy was very pleasant. Massmusic is pretty great. He said it'd take two weeks to ship but that was before he realized i was in CA. I'm {censored}ing DONE with these 18" hihats. I'll post my results when it gets here. Congrats! Time to change the signature. Did you ever take a look at Ronnie V. playing on Fuse? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Jarick Posted February 24, 2009 Members Share Posted February 24, 2009 My local shop went from 50% off heads to 40% off I think, used to be a good deal, now it's cheaper to shop at GC. Plus they usually have a few more heads in stock. It's just expensive though, $12-20 per head, $8 per pair for sticks, crazy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members D Carroll Posted February 24, 2009 Members Share Posted February 24, 2009 When I was in Knoxville, my grand dad was taking me to music shops that wanted $16 for a pair of pro mark 747 oaks The only thing that keeps me from going to GC for everything is the fact that there is a 5 star shop a half mile away from GC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Cross Eyed Mary Posted February 24, 2009 Author Members Share Posted February 24, 2009 Congrats! Time to change the signature. Did you ever take a look at Ronnie V. playing on Fuse? Doh. No. I watched some of those AOL Sessions videos though. I'll find out soon enough how the technique needs to be adjusted. I think this combo will work though. This A Rock crash is a dog as a crash, but it's patina'd to hell and warmed up a bit. Nice and thick, with a thin, darkish top. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members boxofrocks Posted February 25, 2009 Members Share Posted February 25, 2009 My local guy sells everything to me for 40-50% off list, even special order stuff.. Best I can do at GC is usually 30-35% off list. He owns and operates the place, and also lives in the same building, so his overhead is real low, and I try to bring as much biz to him as I can. But he can't get everything, so sometimes I have to go somewhere else. But don't like to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members the DW Posted February 25, 2009 Members Share Posted February 25, 2009 ...I remember massmusic having really great prices on cymbals, substantially less than GC/MF/123. Now it seems they ALL have the same prices as GC for cymbals... I can't help but wonder if GC bought everyone out? I remember that MF/123/Woodwind Brasswind used to be seperate companies, but now they are all owned by MF. I may be wrong about the three company names, but I know that MF bought two other large online music retailers a year or two ago. Hmm.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members korgan Posted February 25, 2009 Members Share Posted February 25, 2009 GC does own MF, and a plethora of other online retailers. If is quite a challenge to order gear online that isn't coming from a GC (Bain) owned company. D Carroll, how long were you in Knoxville? I've been shopping at the new Fork's shop for about a year now, and they've treated my like royalty. I've been screwed by GC one time too many. Fork's has my business as long as they're around! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Mogwix Posted February 25, 2009 Members Share Posted February 25, 2009 Up here in Canada the ma and pa shops are doing alright, the only chain here is Long and Mcquade's. One ma and pa shop wants $25 for a 14" coated remo ambassador, $100 for an EMAD, and $20 for a pair of zildjian sticks. Another ma and pa shop wants $18 for a 14" coated amb, and vic firth sticks are $12 a pop. Much better. The same products at L&M would be $14, $40 (i think), and $10. I don't always go there though, there's two L&M stores exactly the same distance from where I live, about a half hour's drive to get there. L&M's is an awesome chain of stores though... great selection, great prices, great service... staff don't work on commission! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members D Carroll Posted February 25, 2009 Members Share Posted February 25, 2009 D Carroll, how long were you in Knoxville? I've been shopping at the new Fork's shop for about a year now, and they've treated my like royalty. I've been screwed by GC one time too many. Fork's has my business as long as they're around!I go to Knoxville about two weeks in the summer, and a week in December, and this wasn't at forks My grand dad was showing me basses, and such. I've been shopping at the Nashville Forks for years, about 10 of 'em to be exact. They are great people, and always greet me with a "Hey Dan, what 'chya need?" Great people. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members korgan Posted February 26, 2009 Members Share Posted February 26, 2009 Haha, I would hope that it wasn't at Fork's. Gotta love 'em! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members D Carroll Posted February 26, 2009 Members Share Posted February 26, 2009 Nope! I was just at the drum closet today actually. Love that place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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