GAK gone bust...

[Stub Mandrel]

1 hour ago, Iheartreverb said:

This couldn’t be more wrong.

Fender and Gibson both sell direct to retailers rather than going through a third party distributor in the middle, some other brands do.

 

While it might be good for you for your local shop to offer top brands, the brand importantly have to concern themselves with how someone like that will represent their brand, there’s dealership requirements in place for a reason.

As an example, Two dusty Mexican P Basses in the corner doesn’t represent the Fender well. A bigger store with good examples at every part of the hierarchy and a wealth of colour options does. It also is a much better customer experience, you’re split for choice and more likely to buy into the brand.
 

I don’t think you’re going to agree and I’m trying to not be ones sided but the above is sorely under considered when people are favouring small, local stores. 

 

Gibson massively hurt their sales with their minimum stock requirements and not allowing people to sell epiphone without  minimum Gibson stockn while Fender/Squier made hay.

[fergs40]

Running any sort of physical run-of-the-mill shop, never mind a musical instrument shop, these days seems highly risky to me. You really do have to present a good reason why your potential punters shouldn’t just shop on Amazon/Thomann/insert online behemoth of choice here.

 

I spent three years living in Berlin recently - somewhere you might imagine as the very archetype of a place that would need a decent generalist music store to support the many and varied creative musicians living in the city.

 

And when I was there it had one: Just Music. Four or five floors of everything you and your band might need. Staffed by the usual mixture of people who made you feel you were wasting their time and people who genuinely felt like they wanted you to succeed. I bought a lot of strings there, though never an instrument.

 

And I was really sad to hear that they’d gone under a few months after we left the city. Read the message on their website: https://justmusic.de

 

For those that don’t speak German, it essentially says, ‘we tried, but you didn’t spend enough money here instead on with the big online sellers’.

 

They’re not blaming us for that, just pointing out how it is.

 

And so it goes.

[Bone Idol]

It's simple..... Use it or lose it....In much the same way that everyone moans when their local pub turns into a restaurant (but they can't remember the last time they went in there for a drink).

 

Most instrument sales come from 'beginers'... Mostly they choose their stuff on-line because it looks nice on the web, it looks the same as the one their musical hero uses, 'beginer's instrument' prices are reasonable and they won't feel intimidated by shop staff or other muscians hanging around the store.... Sad but true.

 

I'm as guilty as everyone else, since my local music store closed I now order my strings etc. on-line... But I'm determined to change that...

[ezbass]

10 minutes ago, Bone Idol said:

It's simple..... Use it or lose it....In much the same way that everyone moans when their local pub turns into a restaurant (but they can't remember the last time they went in there for a drink).

 

Most instrument sales come from 'beginers'... Mostly they choose their stuff on-line because it looks nice on the web, it looks the same as the one their musical hero uses, 'beginer's instrument' prices are reasonable and they won't feel intimidated by shop staff or other muscians hanging around the store.... Sad but true.

 

I'm as guilty as everyone else, since my local music store closed I now order my strings etc. on-line... But I'm determined to change that...

Very true. How many folk have gone to a music store to try out something particular, only to then buy it elsewhere because it was cheaper?

[Wombat]

I just got my email from Bax saying they’ve gone bust and I won’t be getting my order. Apparently I’ve been logged as a creditor and will be paid in due course if there is any money blah blah. Very polite but then it’s probably all legalese….

[BigRedX]

31 minutes ago, ezbass said:

Very true. How many folk have gone to a music store to try out something particular, only to then buy it elsewhere because it was cheaper?

 

The last time I went to a musical instrument store with the intention of trying some things out and also to make a purchase there and then if I found something I liked it was a disaster.

 

I was in the market for a controller keyboard to use with my DAW, had done my research and seen that my local PMT stocked several of the models I was interested in. When I got to the shop the keyboards and high-tech section was physically closed off with a notice telling me to ask for a member of staff to assist. I did this and was told that someone would be with me shortly. While I waited I had a look around at the various guitars and basses on display, which seemed much reduced from when I had been there previously. After more than 10 minutes had passed and with no-one showing the slightest inclination to serve me, I left.

 

In the end I bought the cheapest of my choices from Amazon safe in the knowledge that if it didn't do what I wanted I'd able to send it back and try something else.

 

I've been back once since this episode when I was in the area and had 15 minutes to kill and it looked even more run down than before, although the keyboards section was open this time. I couldn't even find enough things to keep me interested for 15 minutes and left shortly after entering.

 

TBH the needs of the people who post on here regularly have become far too specialised for the typical musical instrument store to service and we should recognise this and accept that we are not their customers any more.

Edited 13 hours ago by BigRedX

[Woodinblack]

Last but one time I tried to buy a keyboard from PMT was when they went through their 'lets not put prices on things so people can't compare us with the internet'. There were no staff around, I looked, they had a DX which is what I was after, but no price. So I didn't bother, I just assumed it was because it was way overpriced. I found out later they were equal to the best price, so I would have bought it then.

Then next time I tried to buy a keyboard from PMT, again, there were no staff around. The Argon i was looking at was there, it took a while to wrok out how to get sound through their mixer, and I quite liked it, but I had a limited time, and it was loud with other people playing so I didn't get it. I got it some time later. I don't remember who, may have even been them.

 

Wasn't good either way.

 

Soon after that they moved (the bristol branch) to a place where I would have to go out of my way to get to, so I simply don't get there any more - bought my ME90B from there as I was going to bristol, I knew I wanted it and it was worth stopping to pick it up so I could use it that day.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Terry M.]

My last few trips to some very well known guitar stores recently have been a bit off putting. Not only do (some of) the staff have a "couldn't care less attitude" but the so-called background music has been approaching stadium level volume. I've literally had to request either some headphones or a reduction in volume so I could demo a bass. Not saying I won't try again going forward however but it's happening more and more these days in my experience. 

[knirirr]

Ordering from PMT has worked well for me. Their Oxford branch staff will answer emails and give useful information. If I order and decide I need to return something (hasn't happened yet) then I could take it to the branch rather than trying to post it back. The one time I tried posting something back to Thomann it was a bit of a faff.

[Stub Mandrel]

2 hours ago, BigRedX said:

 

The last time I went to a musical instrument store with the intention of trying some things out and also to make a purchase there and then if I found something I liked it was a disaster.

 

I was in the market for a controller keyboard to use with my DAW, had done my research and seen that my local PMT stocked several of the models I was interested in. When I got to the shop the keyboards and high-tech section was physically closed off with a notice telling me to ask for a member of staff to assist. I did this and was told that someone would be with me shortly. While I waited I had a look around at the various guitars and basses on display, which seemed much reduced from when I had been there previously. After more than 10 minutes had passed and with no-one showing the slightest inclination to serve me, I left.

 

In the end I bought the cheapest of my choices from Amazon safe in the knowledge that if it didn't do what I wanted I'd able to send it back and try something else.

 

I've been back once since this episode when I was in the area and had 15 minutes to kill and it looked even more run down than before, although the keyboards section was open this time. I couldn't even find enough things to keep me interested for 15 minutes and left shortly after entering.

 

TBH the needs of the people who post on here regularly have become far too specialised for the typical musical instrument store to service and we should recognise this and accept that we are not their customers any more.

 

PMT has a definite feel of a place that's just being wound down over the last twelve months.

[Stub Mandrel]

There are still a good few stores in and around Cardiff, but gradually fading away 😞

 

A-strings in Treforest is excellent. Big selection, great service. How many shops will take a bass you are trying out and do a setup on it while you wait with a cup of tea? (Yes, I did buy it!)

[BabyBlueSound]

I had 30 minutes to kill in London a couple weeks ago and really enjoyed visiting Wunjo Guitars on Denmark street. Nice staff and a lot of stuff to look at, interesting pedals, some beautiful basses. 

[BassApprentice]

Reading this makes me remember how lucky I am in Glasgow just now. On my lunch I can go to Guitar Guitar, Merchant City Music and Jimmy Egypt.

All stocking slightly different things but have a decent selection. Just wish I had more money/need to support them.

Edited 10 hours ago by BassApprentice

[Terry M.]

27 minutes ago, BabyBlueSound said:

I had 30 minutes to kill in London a couple weeks ago and really enjoyed visiting Wunjo Guitars on Denmark street. Nice staff and a lot of stuff to look at, interesting pedals, some beautiful basses. 

Those poor guys must be tired of me now 😁

[Russ]

1 hour ago, BabyBlueSound said:

I had 30 minutes to kill in London a couple weeks ago and really enjoyed visiting Wunjo Guitars on Denmark street. Nice staff and a lot of stuff to look at, interesting pedals, some beautiful basses. 

Wunjo, Rose-Morris, etc have the enviable position of being on Denmark St. Everyone knows Denmark St, and it's a tourist attraction. Some of these shops can make their rent for the week by selling a guitar that Noel Gallagher once snotted on to some rich tourist, or anything with a tentative Beatles or Stones connection. 

 

It used to be the same with 48th St in New York City - Rudy's, Manny's, etc. Rudy's moved, and Manny's ended up becoming a Sam Ash, and has now closed, along with the rest of them. 

[Wombat]

1 hour ago, BassApprentice said:

Reading this makes me remember how lucky I am in Glasgow just now. On my lunch I can go to Guitar Guitar, Merchant City Music and Jimmy Egypt.

All stocking slightly different things but have a decent selection. Just wish I had more money/need to support them.

How do you get 4 hours for lunch? 😉

[Owen]

7 hours ago, Wombat said:

How do you get 4 hours for lunch? 😉

Something.....something.....right school....something.....