Dawsons Music. Good news

[police squad]

I've just seen on FB they have a new owner and are out of administration

Great news

[Woodinblack]

Yep - in the dawsons thread last week, its good news:

 

[visog]

Well it depends. I think they were continuing online but that for me is limited success. I want shops where I can got to try before I buy. If the re-open some high street outlets that would be success but post-corona I can't see it. 

Hard fact is once you're online, without any 'experience' it comes down to price so than means Thomann or Amazon. And you can't play 'Smoke on the Water' in either of them.

PS I should note Andertons, BassDirect and the Bass Gallery still do sterling service if you can get to them. 

[paul_c2]

I can't see how high street music shops can survive, against the competition of online ones and the ability to return up to 14 days. It was marginal before CV19.

[NancyJohnson]

Good news/bad news is debatable.

I've had reason to visit Dawsons twice in my lifetime, it has to have been two of the most soulless instrument shopping experiences I've ever experienced.  There's a parallel with Halfords that's unavoidable; clueless/lacklustre staff selling clueless fathers a first guitar/bicycle for their equally clueless sons.  Kid wants something pointy, shiny and sparkly, father wants something the kid can keep and not grow out of, staff motivated by selling whatever carries the highest margin. 

I honestly felt for the poor unplayable instruments serving as demo models; just pulled out of shipping boxes, hung up and battered by all and sundry.

 

[deepbass5]

I tend to agree, but it is down to age and experience and the sort of kit you have now acquired. I used to be in awe in such shops when I couldn't afford most of the gear in them, and you can go and have a twiddle and dream of the day ....

But most music shops either do not stock what i want or use, or the gear is aimed at the starter kit market. Or Guitarists

Edited May 30, 2020 by deepbass5
mistake

[Woodinblack]

1 hour ago, NancyJohnson said:

I've had reason to visit Dawsons twice in my lifetime, it has to have been two of the most soulless instrument shopping experiences I've ever experienced.  There's a parallel with Halfords that's unavoidable; clueless/lacklustre staff selling clueless fathers a first guitar/bicycle for their equally clueless sons. 

Is that not really the basic idea of most large shops though, yes, including halfords? I mean you have specialist places, and then you have a general shop. are there any large shops that are that different? 

Maybe you have been spoiled by good guitar shop experiences, luckily I haven't had too many of those

[NancyJohnson]

1 hour ago, Woodinblack said:

Is that not really the basic idea of most large shops though, yes, including halfords? I mean you have specialist places, and then you have a general shop. are there any large shops that are that different? 

Maybe you have been spoiled by good guitar shop experiences, luckily I haven't had too many of those

Anderton's have grown their business from a small local store to a Worldwide brand all from an extremely small shop (and warehouse facility) in Guildford; you can see they have a passion for the product.  Here in lies the difference.  Dawson's don't really share that passion or the nuance to grow the business.

[AndyTravis]

28 minutes ago, NancyJohnson said:

Anderton's have grown their business from a small local store to a Worldwide brand all from an extremely small shop (and warehouse facility) in Guildford; you can see they have a passion for the product.  Here in lies the difference.  Dawson's don't really share that passion or the nuance to grow the business.

Didn’t.

The buyers are musos with passion.

my experience of Dawsons is a mixed bag. I worked there for 12 years, and my last few were Dire.

 

Edited May 30, 2020 by AndyTravis

[MB1]

2 minutes ago, AndyTravis said:

Didn’t.

The buyers are musos with passion.

my experience of Dawsons is a mixed bag. I worked there for 12 years, and my last few were Dire.

 

....Not been in since you left!

[paul_c2]

2 hours ago, Woodinblack said:

Is that not really the basic idea of most large shops though, yes, including halfords? 

Halford's offering is distinctly different, it is a national chain store selling what is fairly generic stuff, but with the advantage that there's one in a town near you and you can nip out eg on a Sunday morning for a spanner or battery if you need it. (And of course they expanded into bicycles and repair work).

Dawson's didn't really get close to that, and I'm not convinced there is the same need for generic bits - maybe, if you're gigging and desperately need eg an XLR lead; or reeds for woodwind players, etc etc? Not really. Musical instruments are much more individual and personal to a player, there is opportunity to capture that (much better than online stores) but they didn't really rise to it. Other musical instrument shops did.

There are always disadvantages to buying online, high street shops need to maximise their opportunity to compete on the unique aspects they can offer.

[AndyTravis]

28 minutes ago, MB1 said:

....Not been in since you left!

I have. 3 times. Bought some strings and a gigbag.

[MB1]

 

12 hours ago, AndyTravis said:

I have. 3 times. Bought some strings and a gigbag.

I found there frozen food section to be totally inadequate!.