shopping rant

[wilkinsi]

when i was still a bc rich fan ("possibly shaped to shock but certainly NOT BUILT to rock"), i owned a bc rich nj ironbird speedloader. i went through a few replacements and it went on for nearly a year of hassle. but today as i learned my jcc917 warrior case had arrived, i thought i'd visit a local retailer in search of my next guitar. to my horror, the ironbird was hanging in front of me. sick to my stomach, i knew something else wasn't right. on closer inspection it's actually the first one i returned. all the damage is right where it was, right down to the cut on the lower front horn. and they want £450 for it? i'd say they're far moree stupid than i was to order it brand new.

then i spotted the same 2nd hand jackson dx10dfs in asb that's been there for about 2 years and no-one will buy it. well, at £399 for a used guitar that everyone else in the uk sells for £349 NEW, it's not surprising. duh!

clearly these clowns make it their policy to try pulling a fast one, or they think no-one living in nottingham travels beyond its borders in search of a fair priced guitar. i did try this several times, and it seems you now have to travel to the arse end of the country to find a decent shop.

i've always prefered to buy from shops so that i can inspect the goods properly before paying. but it seems now i'm just better off with mail order. from what i've seen, everything's insured and properly packed.

[img]/images/graemlins/rant.gif[/img] [img]/images/graemlins/rant.gif[/img] [img]/images/graemlins/rant.gif[/img] [img]/images/graemlins/rant.gif[/img] [img]/images/graemlins/rant.gif[/img] [img]/images/graemlins/rant.gif[/img] [img]/images/graemlins/rant.gif[/img]

[fett]

Re: shopping rant

Just go in the shop a few times and look around like you mean it. Pick up a few; look them over and then leave, making sure that they remember you. Now, you're a "Buyer". Find the guitar you want and "Low Ball" them. And then leave if they seem "not interested". Then go back in with cash and look at the guitar you want. Let the seller speak first. If he doesn't give you a good price, just offer what you think it's worth and say I'll take it now. It works. Or they are not in business. It's a museum. [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

[pagemalicious]

Re: shopping rant

Alot of shops have become like that. They'd rather stinged people out of money than customer satisfaction. Obviously every one wants to make money, but when your business relies on people to come into your shop to buy good guitars for good prices and walk out happy, you can't f*ck people over.

[StukaJU87]

Re: shopping rant

I have never paid the price on the tag for any guitar. The prices on the tag are higher then the shop owner expects to get. He knows this and it is done on purpose. Even larger stores like GC.

You have to make an offer, especially on used gear. There is a lot of wiggle room on used gear.

Now, if some moron walks in and pays the tagged price, he just got beat and the shop owner made out well.

[MikeStrat]

Re: shopping rant

I take it there are not too many music stores in your area? That shop would have been out of business in 6 months in the US. Especially in the area where I live.

[AK47]

Re: shopping rant

The shops around here have been destroyed by the internet. All three Starving Musicians have no good used gear at all Left just junk Korean made guitars. The most expensive guitar they had was a Les Paul Standard in the whole store.

As far as regular music stores they ask way to much even when you try to talk them down. That is why they only stock entry level crap and maybe a few mid priced models. You may see only one USA made Jackson or Fender or Gibson at one givin time when you are lucky. The future looks bleak for these smaller Mom and Pop stores.

The ones that have adapted are the ones selling on the internet and cataring to a high end niche markets like Matts Music. I have not bought a guitar in a store since 93. I only use them to buy strings and maybe a few small things but now I even get those things from online suppliers like allparts and MF.

[skorb]

Re: shopping rant

[ QUOTE ]
i've always prefered to buy from shops so that i can inspect the goods properly before paying. but it seems now i'm just better off with mail order. from what i've seen, everything's insured and properly packed.

[/ QUOTE ]
I'd hate to be a casual guitar player in the UK, the prices and availability of good guitars there totally sucks ass. shouldn't be that way.

anyway, yeah, if you buy quality stuff through the mail, you are mostly assured of a good experience even though it's sight unseen. I got my Gibson V off ebay shipped to me halfway across the country and it is perfect. and the internet stores have done ok by me so far, though I have not bought a guitar from them yet.

any problems return it right away if you really have to. but I'd think that'd be the rare instance.

[Inazone]

Re: shopping rant

[ QUOTE ]
clearly these clowns make it their policy to try pulling a fast one, or they think no-one living in nottingham travels beyond its borders in search of a fair priced guitar.

[/ QUOTE ]

Maybe they've seen too many movies portraying the sheriff as a murdering bastard and the surrounding forests as being full of stinking arrow-toting hippies! [img]/images/graemlins/popcorn.gif[/img]

[wilkinsi]

Re: shopping rant

we don't get hippies here, mostly chav's and beggars. the only people who enter the robin hood museum are old gits, students and tourists (shudders). i could've done worse and moved to leicester, ick!!!