New Sam Ash in Atlanta

[jwoods986]

I gave a lesson to a guy from Jemsite yesterday and he mentioned that a Sam Ash opened the other day in Atlanta. I hadn't heard anything about this, so I checked their website this morning and, yep, it's here. It's off Cobb Pkwy (41) and from the map looks to be pretty close to a GC, which should be interesting. I'm going to try and check it out on my lunch today and report back. Has anyone been to it yet?

[Rich#6]

both sam ashes in my area are blocks from GCs. one of the GCs is moving if that says anything and it's been there a very long time.

[FATKAT]

The Grand Opening was last night at 6:00pm. I couldn't make it but I intend to get there this week end
Guitar Center hasn't had any real competition in Atlanta since MARS closed up
The store is only a couple of miles south of the Marietta Guitar Center but the Atlanta Guitar Center is much larger than the Marietta store.

[Jack The Riffer]

The Sam Ash and GC here in Raleigh are directly across the street from one another. Sam Ash moved into the building formerly occupied by Mars.

[UFORocks]

The Sam Ash and GC here in Raleigh are directly across the street from one another. Sam Ash moved into the building formerly occupied by Mars.

There was a sam ash in the same shopping center as GC in Cherry Hill NJ IIRC. But I think they closed/moved in the last year or so.

[xsentrick]

Wish we could get a Sam Ash here in the Dallas area. I make it a point to go to the one in San Antonio when I'm down that way, but too far of a drive for a day trip.

[jwoods986]

Well I went on my lunch (which ended up being almost 2 hours -lol). It is a sweet store. I didn't even get to look at everything but they've got some nice guitars and some good deals. Couple that come to mind:
- 2 EVHs - one B/Y, one B/W. Brand new $1699!
- They have some kind of Kramer 5150 replica like GMW used to do and I played it. It sounded good (played through a 6505) and the neck felt really nice but had some buzzy frets. It was a very good replica down to the cigarette burns and wear on the back, etc. but they want $1899.
- They have all the usual Sig. Strats (SRV, Clapton, EJ, etc.) but I kept looking and they have a Yngwie! Blue w/rosewood. Haven't seen one in a store in years. I played that after the 5150 to try out the scalloping again (I had one 3 years ago for about 5 months). It felt good for bending and was actually ok for chords but I would slip off the side of the board on the high E sometimes. Probably just takes some getting used to. It sounds GREAT though. I remember that from mine, it just has a really good tone. But it's used and they want $1200, you can get a brand new one for 200 bucks more.
- A couple other things I noticed behind the counter were a Bond RR, 2 Alexi ESPs (not LTDs!), and a Ibz. K7 on clearance for $1099. Unfortunately, I was already well over my hour lunch and didn't get a chance to play the Bond RR but I'll be back

So any of you fellow Atlantans need to check it out, it's pretty sweet.

[Joe_Steeler]

Both Sam Ass and GC suck. Really.
The staff is, for the most part, uneducated about the product they sell and are at times rude. Some think they are rock stars in the making.

I only walk into those stores to pickup catalogs, strings and picks.

The good ol days of a GOOD salesmen that new the shit they sold and made careers at doing so are gone. Those big box retailers are interested in paying close to minimum wage and wave the commision potential.
Take for instance, in Tampa there was a great small chain called Thoroughbred music, their guitas dude was Mr. Sonenberg a pleasure to talk to, fair on his pricing and he knew what he was talking about!!!

Sam Ass bought them out and the rest is history. He left open up his own little store, he is trying but it is cutthroat business.

GC and Sam Ass are sure going after each other though, down here you can walk out off one and within 5 minutes be walking into the other one. Still I have not seen the benefits....

[lerxstcat]

The thing about the salesmen not knowing THEIR shit is that sometimes you'll find something used in there that they don't know what they've got. You can do all right then. It's no different than grocery shopping, sometimes you have to go to 2 or 3 places to get satisfactory items at the right prices. Most stores offer deals on some stuff and jack up other stuff to make up for it. The savvy shopper cruises all the stores to get the best deals.

[hippietim]

you've now got a large mediocre music store in atlanta. yippee.

[UFORocks]

you've now got a large mediocre music store in atlanta. yippee.

I would actually welcome a new Gutiar Center or Sam Ash around my area. There are three small guitar shops in the area, and they've each got their own, "territory", which is kinda cool. One shop handles 90% of the repair work in the area, one does all the instruments rentals for the local school bands, and the third deals with mostly sheet music.

Im all for small business, but these locals charge MSRP/List price for everything they sell, new or used, doesnt matter. When I was jackson hunting I was quoted as much as $2400 for a new SL1 Actually, I think I still have the written quotes around here somewhere.

If I just need strings or something I'll hit the local shops, but for anything over $100 I'd rather just make a day of it and take the trip to Jersey or PA.

There's nothing worse than poor customer service and inflated prices, which is all there is to look forward to at the local shops around here.

Later,

Steve

[hippietim]

There's nothing worse than poor customer service and inflated prices, which is all there is to look forward to at the local shops around here.

i hear ya - good thing we can shop online

[OnlineStageGear]

Im all for small business, but these locals charge MSRP/List price for everything they sell, new or used, doesnt matter. When I was jackson hunting I was quoted as much as $2400 for a new SL1 Actually, I think I still have the written quotes around here somewhere.

We have a local store here that is just about the same way. The sad thing is that a lot of people will never compare prices and just don't know any better. I had a singer in may band for a month or so that come to find out he bought a Platinum BC Rich Warlock off them for $650 and was pissed when he found out I could sell him one for 1/2 that and still be putting money in my pocket.

[JACKSONFREAK]

both sam ashes in my area are blocks from GCs. one of the GCs is moving if that says anything and it's been there a very long time.

Burbank GC is moving because the lease is up and the building is falling apart and is getting to small for the store now. So we're moving it a bit north of the old store. It shouldve been open by now but with contractors around here sometimes a schedual is hard to keep. Hopefully in November.
Gil

[diablomozart]

the by evh has already sold...nice used custom shop kelly but they want 1499 for it ...overall a nice store...not as loud as gc...i liked it...d.m.