What do you look for?

[charvelguy]

well 800.00 is what I want to pay.. I hate paying huge prices for a bolt on.. but I realize that if a MM Axis can command a grand or more.. so can a USA bolt-on Charvel. You could likely put together a very nice V trem parts guitar from Warmoth parts for a grand.. or less depending if they had a clearance sale.

[Soap]

I'm not gonna read through three pages to find out, but, not sure if you mean the actual guitar or product buying or the type of service provided.
Nonetheless, I'll attempt to answer both.

Type of service: I say the following as sensitive and caring as I know how.
Local or online its all the same, a service is being provided. Speaking to manager/owners, the one/s that runs the show. Btw, I do all my set ups, this will be obvious later.

1. Quality customer care and service...this covers alot ground.
a. Know your job...god please know your job for the sake of performing a simple transaction. I don't want to stand and wait ten minutes for Steve to get back to cash register because nobody else knows how to run the cash register and perform a simple transaction. Know how to do the customers custom guitar order paper work! Don't screw up transaction or custom orders. We lose confidence in you and we are spending top dollar on custom guitars, try really hard to get it right.

b. Don't hire anyone that doesn't it least know how to play guitar or the instrument you have them in the department working. A must to have some musical back ground. One can be passionate about alot of stuff, but, passion doesn't answer question/s and help solve customer concerns, knowleage does. I don't won't to have a dumb a$$ on my hands trying to assit me, know your job and the product/s your trying to sell. By doing so, you have proven yourself that I can have confidence in you, and will win me over and I'll definitely be a returning customer.

c. Repairs and setups.
Have two good repair and setup people. Why two or more?
So, you don't have a repair/setup person who thinks he or she can dictate and lead you by the nose because they know their good and the only one you got. Two helps eliminate this concern as well as avoiding back ups or getting behind. I know first hand it doesn't take a week to do a handful "set ups" on a number of guitars and eventually make room or time for my guitar repair. Having two or more, helps avoid such nonsense.

Its interesting to me, if one is buying a brand new guitar and one doesn't like the feel or the action of the guitar, before you leave, they can miracleously have your brand new guitar set up for you. YET, when you bring your guitar (that you bought from them) in for a repair or set up, "were backed up man it will be it least two weeks before we can get to it". Very bad poor customer service. Its not the customers fault you can't manage your store and help meet the customers needs more efficiently.

As a boss/owner/ the one who runs the show, are such a dick that nobody wants to work for you and you struggle to find good workers because your reputation as a dick precedes you? Is a pay issue? You just don't pay your workers enough to care about working for you? Something isn't jiving if such similar nonsense happens to customers, especially returning customers.

d. Dress up the store.
Eye candy is always good. People buy with their eyes most of the time.
If (the lay out of the store, wall decor, displays and etc.) is eye catchy, neat and tidy and looks professional or cool so to speak. It will attract and cause people look more and longer.


Buying a guitar: Going the "local shop" route.
Technically speaking I necessairly don't have to plug in to determine first things first. Aside from a certain brand/name preference, buying a guitar is as follows.

a. Must be given time to play without interupption to get a feel for the guitar, instrument, pedal.... Granted this doesn't take long even so having mr guitar tech/sales guy hanging out with me only annoys and frustrates me. Thanks for your help so far, but now go away untill I need you.

b. Have a variety of guitars... not only a bunch of squires, but a variety. Have Jacksons, Charvels, American Strats and Tele's, Gibson's, Wasburns, Shecters, ESP's, Ibanez's and so on. I may be coming in for a specific Jackson, but if the Jacksons you have isn't doing it for me, chances are better I'll mostly likely pick up another brand thats equally known for its craftmanship and playability if you have a variety available. Don't tell me you can order one, that nonsense I already know. If that was the case, I'd take my chances with ebay and wish for the best, but it least, I wouldn't have to order one and wait 3-4 months before it comes in.

Variety Cont. To be more specific with some mentioned brands.
Jackson's - One will never good wrong having a few Dinkys, some USA SL1's and SL2's and a couple of PC1's (the natural finish will sell the quickest), some Kelly's and Rhoads. A SL3 to see how well it circulated, if it didn't do good I'd put it up on ebay. A SL3 will get nabbed on ebay.
Charvel's - San Dimas (will sell because of their affordablility), bullseye's and mostly anything else of Charvel's.
ESP's - Signature line, Kirk Hammets sig line are very good sellers. Lynch's M1-Tiger seems to be a strong seller too. (I see them all over the internet youtube, myspace, google and etc everybody seems to have one these days) ESP's middle of the road bugdet line sells well too.
Fender's - American Strat's and Tele's. Only a few squires.
Gibson's - Have some LP's and Explorer's.

[seafoamer]

• 24 3/4 scale
• upper bout horn for strap button
• OFR

[straycat]

I too am drawn to the used section first thats where the real guitars are.

[24seven]

When i walk into a shop the first thing that attracts me is the colour/finish, then the shape, it has to be pleasing to my eye...then on closer inspection you can see what is quality and what is c*rap.

[Sunbane]

1. Color and shape. Does it suit my personality? Would I really want to be seen onstage with a salmon colored axe?

2. Features, sound and quality. Does it meet my requirements? Would I have to replace parts before I'd be happy with it?

3. Price. If it doesn't fit within my budget, it's a no-go.

[shredmonster]

1. Quality
2. Tone
3. Neck

[cerealkiller]

1. Wood and Finish quality

2. USA made p/u's Duncan or DiMarzio

3. Neck/Body shape

[VEGETATHEPUPPET]

1. Jackson
2. strings thru body
3. reversed headstock/ good pickups...

[GodWentPUNK]

I look for the pile of 1-2 leftys guitars sitting in the corner

joe...

oh yeah, thanks for asking

[adoxtater]

The basics are easy right? Quality of parts, tone, etc. but my main thing is neck profile. I absolutely love the Jackson King V neck profile as well as most thin Kramer Americans. Thin isn't always the best though, because I don't care much for Ibanez necks at all... so who knows. All I know is that's the main thing I'm looking for when picking up a potential new axe... feel of the neck!

[slo100]

The process for me with any guitar is picking it up and immediately playing it just to get a sense of feel (#1 factor). To me, I know if I can get along with a guitar in the first 10 seconds...even if it is not set up well. This is not a scientific judgement nor does it even apply to fit, finish, build quality, or tone. Playability and feel is first for me.

The #2 factor is tone. I go through a process of playing the guitar acoustically to get a feel for its resonance and response. Most guitars' tone unplugged will transfer to how they sound electrically and this can tell you a lot. Most stores don't have the kinds of amps I use so this is actually the best judge. I have bought a lot of guitars without even playing them through an amp in the store.

The #3 factor(s) would be aesthetics, fit, finish, and production quality. It is quite rare I buy a new guitar. The last new guitar I bought was in 1999 and that was a Martin D-42. The last new electric guitar I bought was a PRS Custom 24 in 1996. For used guitars such as old Charvels and Jacksons, you pretty much know what you are getting into with regard to the #3 factors so it is more a question of feel and tone. I guess for new guitars these factors are more important.

The guitars I have been disappointed with in the past (and present) are those which I get emotionally attached before going through the above process. Things like "this will look great under stage lights" and "wow the flame/graphic/color is SOOO perfect on that guitar" are killers during the buying process and typically result in wasted money.

My feeling is that guitar manufacturers (actually, this goes for pretty much anything across industries) make a lot of sales on the emotional level. This is espcially so related to guitarists who make purchases based on what their favorite players use which depend on the purchaser feeling closer his/her favorite player and the limited-reiussue-special edition products that lend themselves to feelings of exclusivity. The players buying strictly on brand name is another example of emotional buying. Is it rational to limit yourself to an instrument based on brand name? Probably not but I have been guilty of doing so and this is something manufacturers depend on for a % of sales year on year, I'm sure.

The original request of this thread was obviously a quick exercise in consumer taste and it would be interesting to see any resulting data/analysis that falls out of it. Maybe the answer to that question lies in the new models being released, LOL.

Bret