Another 'Bass Cellar Sucks' post...

[Moos3h]

Hello all,

Did a Denmark Street run today, despite it being a Bank Holiday so some stuff was shut (and some, forever!) and felt it my worth popping my head into the Bass Cellar as I was looking for THREE things, cab, strings and gig bag. Cash waiting, as they say.

So, my wife and I (who is the reason I decided to walk rather than lay into them there and then) had a stroll about, looked at quite a few nice basses and decided to ask about a couple of things. The sales dood, who could barely be bothered to look up from his computer was simultaneously obnoxious, blunt and unhelpful, quite a trio.

So, the chance to have a sale that would have run into the hundreds was lost and potentially on some lines for them which would have had good margin.

What the hell is their problem? Perhaps it's symptomatic of the doubt that the future of the whole chain is under but treating customers with disdain isn't going to help manners. Quite frankly, if that is their attitude then they deserve to go bust and those staff deserve to lose their jobs. In my job (customer facing) I would not be allowed to give such poor service and would be out on my ear, simple as that.

Wunjo, on the other hand were their usual friendly, helpful selves and although it didn't result in a sale for them, I would have no hesitation in recommending them to others for the future.

Cheers,
James

[ashevans09]

Aye, they be knobs. Simone was a goodun though.

[The Burpster]

The shop has such potential it hurts......

The problem is that whoever runs it - clearly has some problem selecting staff. I wouldn't have paid any of them I have met in rusty washers.

[bassbloke]

Strange. Last few times I have been in there they have been perfectly courteous and I picked up a set of my fave Fender superbass strings for a great price.

[Mike]

[quote name='bassbloke' post='826989' date='May 3 2010, 11:36 PM']Strange. Last few times I have been in there they have been perfectly courteous and I picked up a set of my fave Fender superbass strings for a great price.[/quote]

Sadly you are most certainly the exception to the rule.....

[bassatnight]

It seems to be a trait with Music Shops in general, the staff (particularly in the guitar/bass dept) are arrogant, rude, and take great delight in belittling all customers who dare to ask questions!

I recall my first ever venture into a guitar shop in Stevenage back in 1983 where the guitar guy with long blonde locks made me feel so stupid (I was selecting my first guitar) I almost left in tears (I was 14) strangely many years later I returned to the shop to discover the same ass was still there, I took great delight in asking him some of the most complex questions I could think of, and reveled in his folically challenged head!

Why do they do it?

[neepheid]

I think the sheer novelty of being in a specialist bass department/shop would shield me from the displeasure of being spoken down to in one, at least the first time

Edited May 4, 2010 by neepheid

[JTUK]

I have to say...why would anyone go there? I can understand if you are browsing but not if you have a real £'s to spend.
I never hear anything good about it.

[dave_bass5]

[quote name='bassbloke' post='826989' date='May 3 2010, 11:36 PM']Strange. Last few times I have been in there they have been perfectly courteous and I picked up a set of my fave Fender superbass strings for a great price.[/quote]

Same here. Over Christmas when i was looking in to Stingrays i went in and although there was only one guy working there, and the shop was pretty busy, he more or less insisted i have a play on one when i asked if they sold them. He gave me info about them (as i pretended to not know anything about them) and thne left me to do what ever i wanted. No hassle.
I have of course had the opposite in there, i guess its just pot luck.

[Musicman20]

Last time I took a walk down that street I realised how over priced some shops can be. I did pop into this particular store but only to browse.

I've had some awful cust service over my time, and frankly the staff who gave it should have been disciplined...it's their job to give you a good service. I won't mention stores but one chap in a store about an hour from my home town said 'are you going to buy one or just waste time' after I asked to try a LM2 out. I'd spent a lot with them in the past. Too bad, he lost that sale and my custom for future sales. Idiot.

[urb]

Save your money and either buy the gear online or make the extra effort to go to the Gallery or Bass Diect - either one of those places can be described as life enhancing, rather than aggravating - life's to short to shop on Denmark street!

Mike

[BassJase]

Took a stroll down Denmark Street last night and there's about 3 or 4 shops (Bass Cellar included) with big "Sale" signs on the windows.
What music shop has a sale in May unless they're in trouble?!

Shame to see them go, but it seems like the only people who buy from there are tourists.

[MB1]

MB1.
...Frankie Say!...."No More!"

[Magnolia]

Hmmm Sounds like a very simlar to an experience i had in there.

A month or so ago i was having a touristy day in London with the better half and decded to go to the cellar as i needed some strings and was in the market for a new amp. I was pretty much ready to buy or order a new GK Combo (MB210) and i needed a few other bits like a strap, Straplocks and gigbag.

Asked the guy at the counter if he was able to get it in stock and was pretty much told no such amp exists.....Ok....so the one on the GK site is a fake?! What about the one on Thomman site?! I mentioned this, to which he basically said im wrong, he's right, it dont exsist.

With that I walked out, went across the street bought my strings, strap, gigbag and straplocks and ordered the amp online.

Lucky I was with my otherhalf as after the way I felt I was treated I was ready to kick off with the guy.

Last time I ever set foot in the Bass Cellar!

[dave_bass5]

[quote name='Magnolia' post='828605' date='May 5 2010, 04:25 PM']Asked the guy at the counter if he was able to get it in stock and was pretty much told no such amp exists.....Ok....so the one on the GK site is a fake?! What about the one on Thomman site?! I mentioned this, to which he basically said im wrong, he's right, it dont exsist.[/quote]

Dont believe everything you read on the internet. This guy works in a music shop so how could he be wrong lol.

[daz]

possibly the last good thing to come out of Denmark Street was the [b]SeX pIsT0ls[/b]

You will notice the Pistols only had the best in guitars and backline. The Pistols base and rehersal room was in Denmark Street (possibly number 6?) Steve Jones famously stole many guitars out of Denmark Street shop window displays. Glen Matlock got caught with a bass that Steve had just nicked and given to him, after he wandred straight past the shop with it under his arm. He had to say he'd bought it off a Turkish looking guy, and as he could draw he gave the police a sketch of a very shady looking Turk with a big droopy mexican moustache!

Edited May 7, 2010 by daz

[waynepunkdude]

[quote name='daz' post='829696' date='May 6 2010, 03:25 PM']possibly the last good thing to come out of Denmark Street was the [b]SeX pIsT0ls[/b] [/quote]


And they weren't good

[chris_b]

I bought my Mesa Boogie 115 there and had no trouble at all. That was when they had a very helpful Brazilian guy working there. He obviously hadn't been on the company induction course at that point!

A few years later I stood in the shop and listened as the sales person told a potential customer that Markbass was the only company making 112 cabs! Guess which 112 cab they had in stock!

[Cat Burrito]

I find this attitude is typical of most of the Denmark St shops but as mentioned comes down to some staff, not all. The last couple of times I've been in there I got polite & friendly responses. That said I haven't spent money in that road since 1995 when I bought a turkey, cleverly disguised as a bass guitar.

[Jean-Luc Pickguard]

When I was in one of the sister shops to the basscellar, I overheard a gullible chap being sold a hardcase which was very overpriced and being advised to slacken off the strings before putting his guitar in the case prior to a journey to prevent damage to the neck

[daz]

[quote name='waynepunkdude' post='829700' date='May 6 2010, 03:28 PM']And they weren't good[/quote]
The Sex Pistols were the best thing since sliced milk.

[xilddx]

[quote name='Mike' post='826998' date='May 3 2010, 11:51 PM']Sadly you are most certainly the exception to the rule.....[/quote]
Damn right, they wanted £40 for a set of DR Black Beauties when I was last in there

[dave_bass5]

[quote name='silddx' post='830701' date='May 7 2010, 02:46 PM']Damn right, they wanted £40 for a set of DR Black Beauties when I was last in there [/quote]

Thats just west end prices though. Everything is expensive in the west end.

[JackLondon]

[quote name='dave_bass5' post='830705' date='May 7 2010, 02:48 PM']Thats just west end prices though. Everything is expensive in the west end.[/quote]

WRONG!

Sorry but just because they are in west end does not warrant a £62 for a set of Dr Lo-Riders for a 6-string bass when they are £20 cheaper on most expensive websites...

[dave_bass5]

[quote name='JackLondon' post='830824' date='May 7 2010, 05:05 PM']WRONG!

Sorry but just because they are in west end does not warrant a £62 for a set of Dr Lo-Riders for a 6-string bass when they are £20 cheaper on most expensive websites...[/quote]

Wrong? How so?.
Are you saying that its not a tourist area or its not understandable that prices are higher?

I was replying to the post about a set of DR Black Beauties for £40. Strings direct sell them for £35 so a £5 mark up is pretty normal i would have said.
No one was talking about the 6 string set.

Edited May 7, 2010 by dave_bass5