What do you value about your local music shop?

[christhammer666]

my local one is rubbish. they sell second hand gear at ridiculous prices. they had a squire precision at £10 below new price and you could easily see the wear. The new prices had such a mark up I stood there in amazement

[Len_derby]

Those little hand-written cards stuck on the wall saying 'bass player wanted...'

I like those, 

[mrtcat]

My local shop is PMT in Northampton. They're perfectly good and always friendly. Sadly I rarely use them because I hardly ever buy basses new because of depreciation (and my recent new custom build had to be returned lol so there's another reason I'm likely to stick to 2nd hand in future) and anything that's tech like my helix, wireless stuff, pa gear etc I just buy from whoever gives the best deal online. I know what I'm looking to buy and find this very forum far more reliable when it comes to advice on what to buy than any shop I've ever used (the In Ear Monitors thread is a glowing example of what this forum can give in terms of advice and shared knowledge).

I don't blame PMT for not being my go to shop because, like I said, they're perfectly fine but I just don't really need the advice and of course if you look hard enough you can always find stuff for a better price online. 

[MiltyG565]

I'm genuinely curious, because it's been mentioned a few times in this thread - Is depreciation really that big a factor in your decision to purchase a new bit of kit?

Typically the way I view something like a guitar or a bass is that it's a hobby of mine, and the market value of my gear through the years is largely irrelevant, as I'm probably not going to sell it, and I don't mind spending a bit of money on something that improves my quality of life. Of course, I could get it cheaper on the second hand market, but sometimes it's nice just to have something that's truly yours, no?

Am I just a neurotic fool? 😂

I've never considered the second hand value of equipment when purchasing it new.

[Monkey Steve]

My local is now Andertons, and they are great for what they provide - internet beating prices (because they have a huge internet presence) and a lot of stock.  Never had a problem with their staff.

But I'm not a regular visitor.  It's a bus ride away and, although I haven't tested it since their recent improvement in their bass stock, previously I couldn't count on them to stock what i wanted for strings, etc.  So it tends to be either emergency buys "I've got a gig tonight and I need any strings i can get my hands on" or stuff that I could buy anywhere on t'internet but they will likely have in stock at a good price and will let me try - pedals, etc.  Last things i bought in there were a pedal board and a couple of MXR bass pedals...over a year ago now...  I'm not really one for wandering around a shop just for a look at what they've got unless I'm actually shopping for something.

If I'm buying a bass or a guitar then I'll happily travel wherever to try it, and would only go to Andertons if they have the model i want to try listed as in stock.  Pretty sure i never went there for any of my basses over the years, but over the years I have bought a couple of guitars in there and a Mesa Boogie guitar rig.

For stuff like strings it's the internet - I can get exactly what i want and I can shop around for the best price.  I've seen a couple of smaller, more local shops go under over the years, and the problem in selling to me was that it just wasn't worth them stocking the stuff that I was going to buy.  I'm just not their target customer - they made their money selling starter instruments to people who don't much care about what gauge or make of strings or picks they were being sold.

[TheGreek]

the problem in selling to me was that it just wasn't worth them stocking the stuff that I was going to buy.  I'm just not their target customer - they made their money selling starter instruments to people who don't much care about what gauge or make of strings or picks they were being sold.

 

I agree...both the shops I mentioned had told me that they didn't have the item I was trying to buy in stock because "there is no demand" ...errr, why am I trying to buy it then? Maybe if they stocked what I wanted they might get more of my money...

[MiltyG565]

59 minutes ago, TheGreek said:

the problem in selling to me was that it just wasn't worth them stocking the stuff that I was going to buy.  I'm just not their target customer - they made their money selling starter instruments to people who don't much care about what gauge or make of strings or picks they were being sold.

 

I agree...both the shops I mentioned had told me that they didn't have the item I was trying to buy in stock because "there is no demand" ...errr, why am I trying to buy it then? Maybe if they stocked what I wanted they might get more of my money...

Just because you want to buy something, that doesn't mean there is demand sufficient enough to hold a stock of that particular item.

[TheGreek]

With that attitude they'll never build a client bass of local customers. Remember the best form of advertising is word of mouth. Give them what they want and they will come...

Catering to nobody's needs is a surefire way to bankruptcy.

[el borracho]

I gave up when I went to try an amp in my local shop and they refused to match their own online price! It was a fair difference £500 v £620 so I went home and bought online.

When I got it it didn't work so had to go back. They said I couldn't take it to the shop or to their warehouse (2 miles away from me where it had to go back to) and had to go via the returns process.

So they paid three lots of carriage on it - no longer in business unsurprisingly!

[MiltyG565]

2 hours ago, TheGreek said:

With that attitude they'll never build a client bass of local customers. Remember the best form of advertising is word of mouth. Give them what they want and they will come...

Catering to nobody's needs is a surefire way to bankruptcy.

And so is holding a stock of things that only one person has ever asked for.

[peteb]

2 hours ago, MiltyG565 said:

Just because you want to buy something, that doesn't mean there is demand sufficient enough to hold a stock of that particular item.

 

2 hours ago, TheGreek said:

With that attitude they'll never build a client bass of local customers. Remember the best form of advertising is word of mouth. Give them what they want and they will come...

Catering to nobody's needs is a surefire way to bankruptcy.

This is one of the many problems that music shops face these days - there isn't the demand for them to afford to carry too much variety of stock, yet this means that they struggle to build up a customer base of people who may occasionally need these items and who are therefore forced to get them online! 

[peteb]

8 hours ago, MiltyG565 said:

I'm genuinely curious, because it's been mentioned a few times in this thread - Is depreciation really that big a factor in your decision to purchase a new bit of kit?

Typically the way I view something like a guitar or a bass is that it's a hobby of mine, and the market value of my gear through the years is largely irrelevant, as I'm probably not going to sell it, and I don't mind spending a bit of money on something that improves my quality of life. Of course, I could get it cheaper on the second hand market, but sometimes it's nice just to have something that's truly yours, no?

Am I just a neurotic fool? 😂

I've never considered the second hand value of equipment when purchasing it new.

I can't say that depreciation isn't a factor when buying gear, although not a major one for me as I generally buy musical stuff with the intention of keeping it for a long time. Personally, I would always prefer to buy secondhand where possible (especially basses, slightly less so for amps)...

Edited August 7, 2018 by peteb

[Jonse]

I'd like mine to have a wider variety of stock. Low tier Squiers, a bunch of Mexican and two MIA Fenders doesn't cut it for me. They may be the more common choice for most players, but I'd say 75% of the stock has been there for the last couple of years. The amplification and string selection is just as bad. The guitar section adversely is pretty well varied and stocked. I know guitarists outnumber us and probably keep the lights on but y'know, I'm biased. 

I actually applied for a job there at one point as a salesperson for the guitar section, they didn't have / want a bass person and clearly they still don't. 

I didn't get the job. I could have told them what was missing from their shop bass wise but they essentially didn't employ me because I didn't know how to use the recently released line6 helix 😅

I still go in there when I'm about in town, but it feels like they may close soon. I suppose what I'm trying to say is that the store suffers from mismanagement. 

Edited August 7, 2018 by Jonse

[Monkey Steve]

10 hours ago, el borracho said:

I gave up when I went to try an amp in my local shop and they refused to match their own online price! It was a fair difference £500 v £620 so I went home and bought online.

When I got it it didn't work so had to go back. They said I couldn't take it to the shop or to their warehouse (2 miles away from me where it had to go back to) and had to go via the returns process.

So they paid three lots of carriage on it - no longer in business unsurprisingly!

A mate of mine had a similar issue with GAK - had something listed on line at a certain price, so went to the shop to find it for sale at a higher price, with the explanation that the two businesses basically traded separately.  In the face of a threat that he would simply go home and order on line, they got within a tenner of the one line price + p&P, so he took that.  He's also had issues with them not having stuff in the shop that is shown as in stock on line.  This was a couple of years ago so it may have improved since then.

Anderton's have always been much better - they hold a lot of stock in their shop, at the same price as on line, you can order and pick up at the shop, and if you turn up wanting to buy something that is shown on line but isn't in the shop, they'll send somebody off to the warehouse to pick it up.

[lozkerr]

On 06/08/2018 at 17:49, TheGreek said:

The shop in St Albans is well known to long term musicians in the area. Many now refuse to shop there because you're over-charged when you buy and ripped off when you sell. Owner is a proper predator and will give you the least possible if he thinks you're desperate. 

Which one? The two I know of are Herts Music Centre and the Music Dept. The first one's good for sheet music and not much else, and the other seems a bit low on stock. I was looking for a decent padded gig bag a while back and neither of them had anything suitable for protecting an expensive bass. I went to the Bass Gallery in the end.

[lozkerr]

On 06/08/2018 at 22:30, Bluewine said:

I like seeing and talking to people I do business with. I've never and will never buy an amp or bass online.

Generally I feel the same, but sometimes there's no choice. I'd been keeping an eye out for a Steinberger Spirit headless bass for a while but never seen one in a shop, not even in Denmark Street. I eventually bought one online from Bass Direct, as carting the Fender around on weekend trips to see my kids was becoming a PITA.

It's a nice little bass, but the natural playing position's very different to my Fender. It's good for basic practice and learning new songs, though.

[Cato]

The most local music shop has really scaled back on it's electric bass and guitar stuff in the last couple of years, basswise they only really seem to sell entry level Ibanezes these days.

I still pop in occaisionally because although the guitar range is also fairly limited they do get some interesting stuff in from time to time, at the moment they have mid range Yamaha Revstars and a couple of really nice looking Washburn Archtops, but in terms of price there's nothing I've seen that isn't cheaper online.

A few years ago the shop was mostly electric guitars and basses, everything from starter kits up to limited edition USA Fenders and Gibsons, now they seem to be focusing on acoustic folky type instruments and a few high end electric pianos, I guess that's what sells for them these days.

I also live about ten miles from Bass Direct, but I've never been in. Maybe one day I'll get round to popping in for some strings or something.

 

Edited August 8, 2018 by Cato

[MiltyG565]

11 hours ago, peteb said:

 

This is one of the many problems that music shops face these days - there isn't the demand for them to afford to carry too much variety of stock, yet this means that they struggle to build up a customer base of people who may occasionally need these items and who are therefore forced to get them online! 

True. It's difficult to cater to everyone, particularly at the higher end of the market. A shop can speculate on being able to sell high ticket items, but that ties up their cash in an item that could take years to shift.

There's been some talk about amps too. Hardest thing to sell in a music shop, for some reason. There's a small shop in Ballymoney, and they have a ton of high end amps. I would say "I don't know how they haven't gone out of business", but from what I can gather, music lessons are keeping the shop afloat.

The best approach for businesses and customers is to have a solid relationship, and whenever you need something, give them a call and get a price from them.

[NancyJohnson]

What do I value? Yikes. Nothing.

My local/nearest shop, and I'll name and shame here, is Amen Corner Music in Bracknell and it's a filthy, ramshackle, woeful dump of a place.  Tired old stock, dire stock selection, ancient string and spares selection, the place stinks of dog and general unpleasantness.  The owner said once that he didn't know whether he would have what qualified as a goid year until he knew how many violin kits he'd sell at the start of each school year.

It is honestly little wonder it survives and while it's always worth the trek to Andertons in Guildford if I want to peruse gear.

Otherwise, I'll buy online.

[NancyJohnson]

On 06/08/2018 at 19:48, Lozz196 said:

When I used to use Rotosounds...I needed a set a month...

Blimey.  How did you get them to last so long?

[PaulWarning]

Smallish local music stores have to cater for Mummys and Daddys coming into  the shop for a guitar for little Johnny, haven't a clue what they're buying so need advice, if Johnny then progresses a little he'll know what he wants so probably won't need their advice, which is why they have mostly inexpensive stock, that's what their customers need.

 

 

[cetera]

My local is Andertons in Guildford.
Friendly staff, internet price matching, decent gear selection (considering it isn't a dedicated bass shop) that includes Spector, accommodating with requirements/orders, excellent online site, a decent in-house repair tech, long opening hours and an extremely helpful guitar/bass section manager in Lee Voss. No complaints and I'm lucky to have them nearby....

[MiltyG565]

20 minutes ago, PaulWarning said:

Smallish local music stores have to cater for Mummys and Daddys coming into  the shop for a guitar for little Johnny, haven't a clue what they're buying so need advice, if Johnny then progresses a little he'll know what he wants so probably won't need their advice, which is why they have mostly inexpensive stock, that's what their customers need.

 

 

I agree. Small shops in small towns generally cater for the entry-level musician mostly. A good shop should nurture and build those relationships so that when little Johnny tells mummy and daddy that he wants a cool electric guitar and a big amp, they'll come back to the small shop for their input.

Do any of your local shops do anything in the way of promoting local music?

[cheddatom]

If I want strings I can never get what I want in any of the 3 local shops. The stock is very limited. In fact I've gone back to using vic firth 5A sticks because that's all I can get in shops and always leave it too late to buy the Promarks I want. 

Anyway, Rhythm House in Hanley is a great shop. Friendly, knowledgeable staff, and loads of 2nd hand gear to look through. They'll even do part-ex

So, I'll go into a shop for emergency sticks, or for a look at 2nd hand gear, or to trade in some of my gear. 

[PaulWarning]

43 minutes ago, MiltyG565 said:

I agree. Small shops in small towns generally cater for the entry-level musician mostly. A good shop should nurture and build those relationships so that when little Johnny tells mummy and daddy that he wants a cool electric guitar and a big amp, they'll come back to the small shop for their input.

Do any of your local shops do anything in the way of promoting local music?

He doesn't make much from his shop, tops it up by giving guitar lessons, I suspect that's where most of his business comes from.

Having been in retail myself (newsagents) I really don't know how music shops make money, I suspect most of them are labours of love