Fuck the "local" music store (WARNING: childish ranting ahead)

[Jarkko Mattheiszen]

Fuck.

I wanted to try a heavier set of strings instead of the 013-056's I've been using, probably the 010-060 ZW set or a 7-string set without the thinnest string, making it 013-060. So I drove 40km like a maniac to the nearest music store and just made it five minutes before the closing time. Here's the dialog with the clerk:

- Hi, I need a set of electric guitar strings. You got anything ending with a 060?
- Uh, let's see... Nope. You need heavy strings, huh?
- Yeah, got anything close?
- Well, here's a 010-052 set.
- Won't do. What's the heaviest set you have?
- I think it's these (hands out a set with the heaviest string being a 070, which won't even fit in my tuners)
- Nope. You really haven't got anything closer to what I'm looking for?
- Well, we got these 013-056 strings... But they're with a wound G string.
- Allright, just give me those. (That's the exact same set I've been using, but I figured it's better than nothing.)
- Anything else?
- Yeah, I need two cheap guitar stands, too.
- Ok, I'll get 'em. Here, these are the cheapest. That'll be 25e a piece for the stands.
- Huh? Umm, yeah, I don't think I need them that bad. Kthxbye.

Reminds me of the last time I used that shop. I needed a pop screen, and it took them two months to order it, and I finally paid almost twice the screen's Thomann price, even after bargaining. And people give me shit about ordering stuff from Thomann rather than supporting the local stores...

 

[Decimator]

I have abandoned my local music stores long time ago. It has become too easy to just order from the web. The last nail in the coffin was when I found this store www.strings.fi. Strings directly to your mailbox. The nearest music store is 100m from my house, but the prices are higher and.. I'm lazy

 

[Jarkko Mattheiszen]

I have abandoned my local music stores long time ago. It has become too easy to just order from the web. The last nail in the coffin was when I found this store www.strings.fi. Strings directly to your mailbox. The nearest music store is 100m from my house, but the prices are higher and.. I'm lazy

Oh for fuck's sakes, why didn't I know that shop three hours ago? They have the 10-60 set I wanted, and even with the shipping they'd cost less than I paid for the set I actually didn't want, not to mention spending 10 euros for the gas to drive to the store

 

[spioraid]

Every local music store is out to get rich. The closest one to me doesn't even offer tube amps...they're all solid-state cheapo Marshall and Fender amps. Don't even get me started on their drum selection. But they do have a decently sized practice room area. Yeah, for $100 USD a day. And I quote...

"kthxbye."

The only real place around here that has a decent selection is Guitar Center. But need I say more?

 

[James-Doolan]

Fuck.
And people give me shit about ordering stuff from Thomann rather than supporting the local stores...

+1

I dont see why i should support my local music store any more than i should support my local bank. If they cant be competitive with online stores or provide a better service to online stores why the fuck should i support them it would be a cold day in hell before they would ever do me a favour.

My local music store sells overpriced junk and the guys who sell havent a clue + have a terrible attitude.

Thomann sells what ever i want way cheaper than every single store in Ireland and deliver it to my house for free and i dont have to deal with some kid playing some shitty blues lick on a mg trying to impress everyone in the store every time i buy something.

If people are giving you shit for not supporting your local store they need their head examined

The only thing better than thomann is ebay.

 

[Jarkko Mattheiszen]

The only thing better than thomann is ebay.

Check out Playback Europe. They sell lots of stuff cheaper (or way cheaper, my monitors and stands were a lot less) than Thomann, and shipping to UK is free for orders over 150e.

 

[Decimator]

Check out Playback Europe. They sell lots of stuff cheaper (or way cheaper, my monitors and stands were a lot less) than Thomann, and shipping to UK is free for orders over 150e.

This is a great store and the customer service has been also great (to me at least). One thing I have noticed is that if the product info says "Delivery within 5 business days" then you should email them and ask how it is. Once when I was ordering a 7-string, 5 business days were really 30 business days

 

[Jarkko Mattheiszen]

This is a great store and the customer service has been also great (to me at least). One thing I have noticed is that if the product info says "Delivery within 5 business days" then you should email them and ask how it is. Once when I was ordering a 7-string, 5 business days were really 30 business days

Same here. When I ordered the monitors and stands, the monitors came in six business days. The stands were missing, so I mailed them to ask if they would come on a separate shipment, since I didn't have a tracking code for them. Less than ten minutes (and it was 18:00) and they replied that the stands would be here the next day, and they were

 

[J.DavisNJ]

It's really tough to find any worthy shops today, local or not. For me, almost 100% of the time, it's better to buy online. Better prices, more availability, and less time dealing with the local GC idiots. I only go to GC now when I need something quick (i.e. strings, etc.), or if what I need cannot be ordered online. I bought my Mesa cab recently from them, because they seem to be the only dealer around that carries Mesa.

-Joe

 

[Glenn Fricker]

Who's a reliable online North American retailer for ENGL?

 

[J.DavisNJ]

Who's a reliable online North American retailer for ENGL?

www.rocksolidamps.com

Derek is the man!! I've ordered from him twice, and both experiences were an absolute pleasure. From what I understand, he was at the forefront of being an early dealer of Engl in North America. Just search around different boards and you will see he has lots of happy customers.

-Joe

 

[Glenn Fricker]

Thanks dude! Much appreciated!

 

[J.DavisNJ]

Thanks dude! Much appreciated!

Any time Oz! Derek is a total metalhead too and loves talking gear.

Which Engl are you looking into? Savage? Invader?

-Joe

 

[Loren Littlejohn]

Speaking of local shops...

Auburn Musician is a joke period. They carry nothing of worth except Peavey and unless you want to pay out the ass and way more than it's worth they don't even have that. You will find things like DS-1 pedals with $80 price tags, brand new 6505 for $1300. Here is a list of why Auburn Musician fails miserably:

1. "What drumheads do you carry?" "We have the coated ones and the ones with the dot in the center." - FAIL

2. "Do you have a passive direct box?" "Nope." - FAIL

3. "Do you have a footswitch for a 5150 (hint: he has a 6505 in his shop)?" "No but I can order one for you. Just need your serial number (now I know that a. Peavey isn't going to ship one asap in fact I will probably be waiting a month if I say go ahead and order it and b. The old school originals are made out of plastic) and your [money=$60] and I can get that ordered for you." - FAIL

4. "Do you carry keyboard sustain pedals?" "Well.... (bla bla about some switches don't work etc...)" "It's a Roland switch (there are only 2 Roland and Yamaha that's it, that's the only two types of switches no matter what manufacturer it is)" "No...(basically telling me I am stupid)" -FAIL

5. The owner is a "creepy old guy". This phrase is taken directly from my fiance' directly after leaving the store.

6. "Don't touch anything!" -FAIL, in fact seriously what the fuck your the only store with this policy that I have ever heard of.

7. "No refunds, returns only if creep old fuck says it's okay policy" - FAIL

 

[Joematthews]

My favorite from my local music shop was an epiphone explorer with emg's, used, alright condition.... £450 !!!!!

Now thomann sell the same thing but with a floyd and a maple top for £380, brand new. That equates to approximately £70 + 1 maple top + floyd rose of FAIL.

Another local music shop sells strings at £6 a pack giving them a mark up of aprox 6x10^23 %... no wonder they make no money. The same shop also wouldn't let a friend of mine try out an amp unless he was going to buy it. I don't even need to summarize how retarded this is.

Anyway rant over... for now.

Joe

 

[colonel kurtz]

yea, there's a damn good reason why local music shops are hurting...and it's because they almost all suck

i understand their prices for some stuff being a little bit higher, due to them having higher overhead costs than online retailers...but seriously, their selection is usually crap, and the people who work there usually don't know shit aside from a handful of guitar scales that they use to wow 13 year old kids and their parents into buying a cheap-ass ibanez and a crate half stack.

 

[Machinated]

Local guitar shops are becoming extinct by me, only a few left in the outskirts of my town now, all the big ones are GONE.....

 

[LydonB]

my local music shop is pretty awesome. The people are usually always nice and extremely helpful. The only downside is that their "pro audio" department consists of behringer and cheap microphones.

 

[skuller]

+1 on SLC's local place being pretty legit. i've never made a large purchase through them, but a friend bought a sig x there. he's also bought a shload of other stuff from there, so my +1 to being legit is actually a vicarious +1. take that for what it's worth, ha!

but wait... you mean MF & GC aren't the only ones who botch stuff?! holy crap. where is this thread when the (CORPORATEGIANTNAMEHERE) bashing threads come around?!

 

[skuller]

i should also point out that the local shop i'm talking about deal exclusively in guitar and bass shtuff. they carry drum heads & sticks but that's the only thing they expand to outside of guitar. so it's probably easier for them to be awesome having less crap to worry about.