Soundcontrol in dire straits

[MB1]

MB1.

Would be nice to get something for nothing but somehow i doubt it!

[douggy]

honestly guys , its not going under, they might have goosed up somewhere , but they definitely arnt going under .

if they do ill eat my words but im pretty certain they arnt

doug

[crez5150]

[quote name='douggy' post='43773' date='Aug 10 2007, 02:26 PM']honestly guys , its not going under, they might have goosed up somewhere , but they definitely arnt going under .

if they do ill eat my words but im pretty certain they arnt

doug[/quote]

I can vouch for them too.... no way going under..... lots of changes as of late but there gonna be here for a while...

[douggy]

[quote name='crez5150' post='43781' date='Aug 10 2007, 02:36 PM']I can vouch for them too.... no way going under..... lots of changes as of late but there gonna be here for a while...[/quote]

you work for them too?

[JPJ]

[quote name='douggy' post='43773' date='Aug 10 2007, 02:26 PM']honestly guys , its not going under, they might have goosed up somewhere , but they definitely arnt going under .

if they do ill eat my words but im pretty certain they arnt

doug[/quote]

Good,

Cant speak for the rest of the country, but the lads in Newcastle are a canny bunch and i'd hate to see any of them unemployed.

[Grant Toupe]

The SC in Southampton has only been graced by me on a couple of occasions in the last couple of years. I don't like the place, the service or the stock in general. It's great if you're a beginner i think - they have low, low prices and fairly reasonable stuff for sale. I just get the feeling i'm being sold to too much and that puts me off.

I've always prefer the small independent shops that give you a coffee and just chit chat with ya. MM music in Southampton is perfect for that...nice guys, always have a joke and a laugh and let you sit there playing everything in the shop until you get bored or buy it. I'm not really a grear head either, so maybe they just tolerate me going in to just hang out and buy some strings eventually.

[Hamster]

[quote name='douggy' post='43773' date='Aug 10 2007, 02:26 PM']they definitely arnt going under, if they do ill eat my words but im pretty certain they arnt

doug[/quote]


You're a bass player, ergo you have a hat

Hamster

[stingrayfan]

I think it's a bit unfair to knock Soundcontrol. They're a mainstream dealer trying to cater to everyone and they do it pretty well I think. So that means, you're not going to get a go on a Ken Smith, a free latte and a three hour chat about boutique woods and Ampeg fliptops. That's for small places that no-one can find, like the Gallery in Camden. Most bass players, me included, just want mainstream stuff at good prices. I don't live near a Souncontrol, so I always like going into the stores, like I just have in Edinburgh. For my money, they have a really good range of stuff at good prices. All the staff seemed friendly and happy to offer advice and let me try stuff. The shops seem to be geared to selling to "people" rather than "musicians" and they don't tut when you ask for help. Try asking to try a Stingray into say, an Ampeg at the Bass Cellar et al, in Denmark Street in London and count the sighs.

Good luck to you Soundcontrol, hope the business is going well.

Edited August 11, 2007 by stingrayfan

[Rich]

I have no problem with Sound Control the company, good luck to them and yes it would be sad to see them go under. What I [u]do[/u] have a problem with is the attitude I encountered last time I went in there (see my previous post, and also many others here), which basically means they won't be seeing any more of my hard-earned. Repeat that too many times, and hey presto an empty shop. [i]That's[/i] what needs to be addressed. In fairness they aren't the only shop to have had such poor employees -- I won't be going back to the Bass Cellar for similar reasons.

[ronnus]

[quote name='Rich' post='44396' date='Aug 12 2007, 12:13 PM']I have no problem with Sound Control the company, good luck to them and yes it would be sad to see them go under. What I [u]do[/u] have a problem with is the attitude I encountered last time I went in there (see my previous post, and also many others here), which basically means they won't be seeing any more of my hard-earned. Repeat that too many times, and hey presto an empty shop. [i]That's[/i] what needs to be addressed. In fairness they aren't the only shop to have had such poor employees -- I won't be going back to the Bass Cellar for similar reasons.[/quote]

I agree, I also have no problem spending a few extra quid in a "real shop" rather than online, provided I get the service I want. I wouldn't want to see any shop close down, especially as there's little competition in Edinburgh as it is! I've had mixed experience of SC in Edinburgh, although lately there seems to have been an improvement in service, however...

I visited SC Edinburgh about a year and a half ago (guitarist in tow) with the intention of buying a £300 Ashdown EB Combo, the bass guy (Doug, IIRC, I suspect it was our very own Douggy, please accept my profuse apologies if it wasn't!) tried reasonably hard to sell me a grands worth of Ampeg instead, as SC apparently had 'em cheaper than anywhere else etc.... When I eventually convinced him that all I was after was the Ashdown, he asked me what I played, took a nice Fiesta Red US Jazz bass off the wall, plugged it into the Ashdown, and proceeded to play it himself for ten minutes without offering me a shot! After my guitarist and I got bored of playing spot the bassline, we left, and I spent my money elsewhere.

Not a great experience, and the reason why a large bit of the two grand or so I've spent on gear in the last couple of years has been spent in guitarguitar, Simpsons (RIP) and Scayles/Live Music instead. On the other hand, I went into SC recently on a Saturday morning to buy a hundred quids worth of Perfect 10 minirig for a house session that afternoon, and the staff couldn't have been more helpful - offered to set one up and let me have a go before I bought it, which was nice, although I suspect they thought I was someone else, as they called me Dave

[crez5150]

[quote name='douggy' post='43785' date='Aug 10 2007, 02:45 PM']you work for them too?[/quote]
No but i work for one of you suppliers...

[douggy]

[quote name='ronnus' post='44420' date='Aug 12 2007, 01:01 PM']I visited SC Edinburgh about a year and a half ago (guitarist in tow) with the intention of buying a £300 Ashdown EB Combo, the bass guy (Doug, IIRC, I suspect it was our very own Douggy, please accept my profuse apologies if it wasn't!) tried reasonably hard to sell me a grands worth of Ampeg instead, as SC apparently had 'em cheaper than anywhere else etc.... When I eventually convinced him that all I was after was the Ashdown, he asked me what I played, took a nice Fiesta Red US Jazz bass off the wall, plugged it into the Ashdown, and proceeded to play it himself for ten minutes without offering me a shot! After my guitarist and I got bored of playing spot the bassline, we left, and I spent my money elsewhere. [/quote]

haha that would have been me , as i am the only doug ( there can be only one ) , must have been a slow day . didnt sell you the ampeg damn must have been off my game

well anyway , sorry for boreing you , although i feel ten minuets is somewhat of an embellishment

[ronnus]

[quote name='douggy' post='44471' date='Aug 12 2007, 03:56 PM']haha that would have been me , as i am the only doug ( there can be only one ) , must have been a slow day . didnt sell you the ampeg damn must have been off my game

well anyway , sorry for boreing you , although i feel ten minuets is somewhat of an embellishment [/quote]

Lol, you might have sold it me if I'd had a grand to spend

No i wasn't bored of your playing, I just kinda expected to have a shot of the bass myself, get a good play with the amp, which I then done up at guitarguitar. I personally like being left alone to play with something for twenty mins before deciding if I'm going to splash my cash on it. I appreciate that SC gets an awful lot of chancers and kids with no cash in to fiddle with ya merchandise, and it must be a pain in the 4rse deciding who's got money and who's just at it!

BTW I was one of the people who constantly moaned about the lack of Warwicks, and I got a go on the red $$ 5-er, but some fecker bought it before me

Edited August 12, 2007 by ronnus

[douggy]

dont even get me started on the warwicks i got 10 in , sold them all in about two months and then SC havent sent any more . i just hope theres some in the london store !

it was a mission to get them in and after them being popular and bassists being " ohhhh a warwick / some nice bass stuff in edinburgh" we havent got any more . brilliant . just brilliant . what can you do when head office just dont listen and youve got people like you asking for gear that we dont have day in day out !?

na man dont worry no hard feelings were taken , i know my service cant be that bad as i was given a bottle of whiskey by a customer as a leaving present WHo0o0o0o0op! but sorry for w***ing off infront of you ! ill let you do it for me next time

but just so you edinburgh bassists know , i dont work there any more ( so no danger of being bored by my playing ) but if you want help with basses go in and speak to kirsten , shes quite new to the "bass game" but shes really helpful , and is usually up for some banter ! ( gear related )

and if you london bassists are around my first day in the london store is on this comeing sat so come in and say hi , i know no one from the scene , no bassists , and am right up for some banter ( not just gear related ) ill do my best not to play " guess the bassline "

[MB1]

MB1.

Well there it is then,sound control arent in trouble,the sound control staff have sold themselves all the stock!............Whooose got a nice Ampeg then!!!!
Ronnus id have walked too!

[douggy]

[quote name='MB1' post='45379' date='Aug 14 2007, 06:57 PM']MB1.

Well there it is then,sound control arent in trouble,the sound control staff have sold themselves all the stock!............Whooose got a nice Ampeg then!!!![/quote]


im sorry sir i do not follow?

[Johngh]

I went into Sound Control in Derby last weekend, walked into the Bass / Acoustic section and the only sales guy in there was on the computer. I stood there for a few minutes and was ignored, I finally said to him excuse me can you help, the reply was " I've got to finish this, be with you in a minute" another five minutes went by and nothing. So I walked out, numpty was still on his puter and didn't bat an eyelid as I walked by.

[Buzz]

I was in the Brum one on Tuesday, nice enough, quite warm.

The staff member who was looking after the bass section kept showing off and slapping like a bastard at rather high volume out of a couple of rigs (one was an ampeg svt stack, the other was a 15" crate combo, the crate sounded rather nice), which was off putting as I was quietly testing out a Trace combo with a couple of basses.

Although, when he wasn't slapping, he did walk around the floor and kept asking people if they needed help.

Can't say I was impressed with the instrument selection though, BIG fender section of Jazz and P-basses, and another wall of copies of the previous (inc a few squires). Had a few warwicks (inc a buzzard of all things), couple of EBMM's, 3/4 spectors and 2 westfield t-birds.

Amp/Cab selection was good though, fair bit of ampeg and crate, but couple of orange bits here and there, and a nice selection of Trace and Ashdown.

[Machines]

I've played that Buzzard ! It's a tone monster - but that neck would be a handful for anyone.

[mr pablo]

I was in the edinburgh branch yesterday and it was quite busy, had a good selection of basses plenty fenders a few yamaha's a good selection of spectors and schecters and a few warwicks, amp wise it was pretty much all ampeg ashdown and crate, but they did have a nice peavey tour450 head and bw115 cab that i got to try out. staff were friendly and pretty helpfull considering what the kirckcaldy branch are like

[LukeFRC]

I used to love the Edinburgh Sound Control, when i first moved up to edinburgh i had just started learning and you would walk in and it would feel good, the staff were super helpful and due to a probable missprint in the Snapfax that year they gave 50% off accessories. I bought allsorts there including my lovely Vox T25 practice amp for a very good £110 (which due to my cab being broken was used tonight at cab vol!)
Then they moved to Grassmarket and it seemed to go slowly downhill, more monotonous stock, longer queues while staff did 'important' stuff, daft staff and i wonder what the deal was with old Mev.
I went in once and was looking at some musicmans hung up (shows it was a while back the had more than one), at the time i was thinking what i was going to get as my second bass. This daft member of staff starts trying to sell me some ugly yamaha thing. Really if the customer is looking at 1000 quid basses why try and sell him 100 quid ones?
The exception was the bass guy who came within 5 minutes and £50 in my account of selling me a US fender P. I guess it was dougy here but He knew his stuff, knew my 1st bass (status shark2 not the most common), could tell me all about the wiring, how many bits of wood would make up the body in different types of fender, and was offering it to me at a rediciously low price. Unfortunately for him it was not a nice colour and for some reason felt cheap in my hands so i didnt buy it.
Since then though it seems to have gone down hill (tho they do have a warwick in) and i tend to go elsewhere.

I wonder also why all the amps are left on most the time. (radiators are a better heating method) If i buy a guitar then i get the one i see, i guess its the same with the amps, having bought something thats been on most the day every day seems a bit strange.

Another strange thing. GuitarGuitar are the stocker of a make of cab im interested in, though they had none in stock when i went in. They ring round their shops to look for one, ring head office and tell me the could order one in in a month and what the MRRP was but told me it probably would come in a bit under that cos they could. excellent.
I go in to SC to ask about thoes cheap Behringer pedals. (Bass doesnt need much effects IMO but it would be fun to try things with my bass and guitar and i dont have much money) SC are a behringer stockest according to their website. SC's magazine had an article about these pedals. Behringer had taken a full page advert out for these pedals in SC's in house magazine. The pedals had only been out a few months. In the few months i had been keeping my eyes open and had to go into SC every few weeks for DI boxes and leads etc.
So why when i asked was i told
"oh we got a few in but they were all returned cos they were so crap and the buyer bought a boss instead" Despite seeming not to be true I wonder how that answers
"could you order me in this please"?

grumble grumble,
for those in the south east recommend music warehouse in colchester as worth a look. esp for amps.

[doctor_of_the_bass]

Anyone ever visit the Leicester store? I've got more basses in my downstairs bog! Literally 12 or 13 pieces - mostly entry level Spectors, the odd Fender, one StingRay V and an 8 string thats been there since 1991 and yet the guitar dept is crammed full of £4500 PRS custom shop jobbies and top end Gibsons!

The Derby shop had a much bigger selection, mostly Fenders and Spectors and again, the service was not happening as they were very much preoccupied with the merits of sugar in their coffees (I asked the guy for the price on a used Aria SB-1000 and again, he disappeared never to be seen again!).

Edited September 16, 2007 by doctor_of_the_bass

[OldGit]

[quote name='doctor_of_the_bass' post='61386' date='Sep 16 2007, 09:28 PM']Anyone ever visit the Leicester store? I've got more basses in my downstairs bog![/quote]

Yeah but I've seen your bass fence picture - you coudl give Bass North West a run for their money