ARGH Posted July 28, 2007 Share Posted July 28, 2007 Ok,I keep hearing this on the grapevine. Soundcontrol are on the verge of folding because they havent paid their importers or something,and shops are to close. Now is this a Leeds only thing (As they have 2 shops in the city,both in really dim places that are a sod to get to or find). Any light? I personally think its not happening,but I do go into the stores and see sodall being sold or persons inside buying.......... soooo??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cockbongo Posted July 28, 2007 Share Posted July 28, 2007 [quote name='ARGH' post='38204' date='Jul 28 2007, 06:03 PM']Ok,I keep hearing this on the grapevine. Soundcontrol are on the verge of folding because they havent paid their importers or something,and shops are to close. Now is this a Leeds only thing (As they have 2 shops in the city,both in really dim places that are a sod to get to or find). Any light? I personally think its not happening,but I do go into the stores and see sodall being sold or persons inside buying.......... soooo???[/quote] Mate's a shop manager there - i'll see what I can find out... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hamster Posted July 28, 2007 Share Posted July 28, 2007 I go into London about once a month on business and always have a wander down Denmark Street and pop into Soundcontrol on Oxford Street - it's usually quite empty - perhaps because it's in the basement of the Virgin Megastore and doesn't have its own shop frontage. So, hardly any customers in one of the most expensive £ per sq/ft areas in the country? Hamster Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guitarnbass Posted July 28, 2007 Share Posted July 28, 2007 the sound control location in birmingham is terrible, you have to go the subway to get to it. I've been in there many times and never seen one customer but me and the people I was with... PMT location is just as bad, you have to walk through some real nasty places to get to it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ARGH Posted July 28, 2007 Author Share Posted July 28, 2007 Isnt soundcontrol what used to be 'Academy of sound'??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
guitarnbass Posted July 28, 2007 Share Posted July 28, 2007 I reckon it's true though, crap prices, crap customer service, crap website, and now more and more people are buying their strings and other accessories online cause it's so much cheaper... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
backwater Posted July 28, 2007 Share Posted July 28, 2007 [quote name='ARGH' post='38215' date='Jul 28 2007, 06:28 PM']Isnt soundcontrol what used to be 'Academy of sound'???[/quote] Sound Control were originally a Scottish company and they as they expanded they bought the Academy Of Sound chain. I use the Sound Control store in Edinburgh and the central Glasgow store and they are generally pretty busy. I do wonder if they have expanded too big, too fast? Andy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hamster Posted July 28, 2007 Share Posted July 28, 2007 [quote name='backwater' post='38222' date='Jul 28 2007, 06:40 PM']I do wonder if they have expanded too big, too fast?[/quote] I was thinking that too, the road many companies have gone down. Hamster Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mikey D Posted July 28, 2007 Share Posted July 28, 2007 [quote name='guitarnbass' post='38216' date='Jul 28 2007, 06:30 PM']I reckon it's true though, crap prices, crap customer service, crap website, and now more and more people are buying their strings and other accessories online cause it's so much cheaper...[/quote] I agree with this comment and the one before, I have only met one member of staff in about 4 sound controls who has been a nice, decent person and very knowledgable. I could have just been unlucky I suppose. Then again, every music chain seems to hire the wrong people, maybe musicians shouldn't actually work in the shops as they tend on the whole to think they are better than the customers. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam Posted July 28, 2007 Share Posted July 28, 2007 the one in manchester city centre is rubbish, the instruments are poorly maintained, and when u try em u get a evil look, and to be fair i find that all the dealings ive had with that store have ended up with me walking away thinking, the staff were rude, unpolite and a general pain the one in salford however is suppose to be great, havent been though, im truly put off by the mnchester store. ad Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geddys nose Posted July 28, 2007 Share Posted July 28, 2007 I remember when SC first opened the Salford store,the stock,the prices and the service was better than everywhere I saw brands I'd never seen before quite fantastic, The present store is quite dreadful with very poor service (Could write a book on this!) and an aweful Stock of basses. If they are in trouble I'm not surprised the people will vote with there feet, but the retail trade is a much different place to the early '90 with Thomann and Co cleaning up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
canofbeans Posted July 28, 2007 Share Posted July 28, 2007 been to the one in london and its average at best. currently they officially import moog/ dsi synths and elektron gear. they are part of the turnkey group. thats all i know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MB1 Posted July 28, 2007 Share Posted July 28, 2007 MB1. Ive heard this too, think sound control have taken on too many shops.The manchester shops never got anything in,the salford ones a lot better, but too far away and difficult to get too for some. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MythSte Posted July 28, 2007 Share Posted July 28, 2007 the one in preston is a bit out of the way and never busy. The staff are friendly enough but just dont have the extra sparkle needed in a music shop! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
canofbeans Posted July 28, 2007 Share Posted July 28, 2007 noticed that as it goes, was enquiring about a number of synths and their response was always oh turnkey have it or we can deliver it to you... went elsewhere in the end.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
losendos Posted July 28, 2007 Share Posted July 28, 2007 Preston branch could not price match an Ampeg BA115 with Thomann - They are really feeling the pinch - Bought online through Dolphin Music - no problems at all with next day delivery etc.Gadge I know used to be the manager but has recently jumped ship.....!!!??? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geddys nose Posted July 28, 2007 Share Posted July 28, 2007 I went in Preston branch to try a P bass asked if they could match a price from the UK and got told only within 10 miles of the store,might have been true 10-15 years ago but have they ever heard of the internet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BassJase Posted July 28, 2007 Share Posted July 28, 2007 [quote name='Mikey D' post='38231' date='Jul 28 2007, 07:03 PM']Then again, every music chain seems to hire the wrong people, maybe musicians shouldn't actually work in the shops as they tend on the whole to think they are better than the customers.[/quote] HURRUMPH!! Couldn't (generally) agree more. The store in Norwich is really well stocked, the guys working there seem nice and helpful, but its massively overpriced. (i recently looked at a 2nd hand Ibanez they had up for £450. The exact same model sold 2nd hand from another music store for £180. True.) I do actually like the chain, i've been to probably about 8 over the years, but the snobbish "i'm a muso, bow down to my superior knowledge" attitude i've seen displayed by 90% of the staff is dreadful. And if you're female and walk in there to buy something, its something else; "oh, you want a guitar do ya' love? What colour were you thinking of?" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LethalLion Posted July 28, 2007 Share Posted July 28, 2007 The SC near to me has crap staff, but a nice selection of basses, although it seems most of the store is dedicated to guitars. I got my Schecter there, and actually, I can't complain. It was cheap, and it's not given me any problems. -Dan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dudewheresmybass Posted July 28, 2007 Share Posted July 28, 2007 SC are (or at least were) the importers of Spector into the uk. However (along the grapevine again!) i have heard that they owe around £20+ million, and have been on borrowed time for at least a year! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bass_ferret Posted July 28, 2007 Share Posted July 28, 2007 Wont be surprised. You cant really expect a high street chain to price-match an internet warehouse but people do. The end result will be that internet warehouse will be the only way you can buy gear, and with no high street to undercut theywill be able to push their prices up as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shockwave Posted July 28, 2007 Share Posted July 28, 2007 (edited) I have known for at least the past year the huge finanicial problems they have. I know the Bristol SC's manager and a freind of his. Basically yes your all correct, SC has expanded too quickly and failed to realise that unlike supermarkets who get loans to expand where 100% of the population needs food. Music shops are unfortunatly not the same less then 1% of the population are musicians, They took loan after loan and bought out a number of companys and they just cant pay back their debts. We thought they would have gone tits up last summer but have somehow managed to hang in there. The Bristol one is usually quite busy And with relatively good salesman (The reason i say salesman is because they only hire based on how well you can sell a product, Not how much you know about it). Expect a decent sale at somepoint. Edited July 28, 2007 by Shockwave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ARGH Posted July 28, 2007 Author Share Posted July 28, 2007 [quote name='Shockwave' post='38293' date='Jul 28 2007, 11:08 PM']I have known for at least the past year the huge finanicial problems they have. I know the Bristol SC's manager and a freind of his. Basically yes your all correct, SC has expanded too quickly and failed to realise that unlike supermarkets who get loans to expand where 100% of the population needs food. Music shops are unfortunatly not the same less then 1% of the population are musicians, They took loan after loan and bought out a number of companys and they just cant pay back their debts. We thought they would have gone tits up last summer but have somehow managed to hang in there. The Bristol one is usually quite busy And with relatively good salesman (The reason i say salesman is because they only hire based on how well you can sell a product, Not how much you know about it). Expect a decent sale at somepoint.[/quote] Thought so,that 5 string gold hardware'd Spectors mine Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kevbass Posted July 28, 2007 Share Posted July 28, 2007 The only soundcontrol Ive been to is the sound control in London in the basement of the virgin megastore, I have to say that the staff I spoke to have all been polite, and they actually price matched a usa fender jazz to one I had seen online Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Machines Posted July 29, 2007 Share Posted July 29, 2007 I don't bother with Birmingham SC anymore - not an inspiring bass stock in the slightest. Also the dark cellar so you can't inspect an instrument properly, and terrible acoustics just make me not waste my time. The Salford SC was great for instruments (Warwick, Spector), but you had more chance of knitting fog than finding someone to help you. I did however buy my Spector Q6 Pro for £330 from there, sold it for £300 a year later so I got a good deal. I only really go to PMT - super range of gear and genuinely friendly staff. Plus loads of Sandbergs to GAS over.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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