Staggering!

rootsnblues · January 12th, 2007, 03:17 PM

Just tried to make an appointment with an out-of-town vintage-type dealer who's in a town I'm gigging at tomorrow. I wanted to check out a couple Teles he's advertised on Gbase (overpriced but I was hoping to make a deal). I was told that he "didn't want people coming in playing his guitars and wasting his time". He said he now "only wanted internet business from people who already know they want the guitar (unplayed...). So much for building relationships, developing trust, bargaining and that old fashioned business acumen. Let's just deal with impressive dates, overstated/incomplete descriptions, two pictures, bigtime cash from afar via Paypal! From now on, I'm keeping it local.

newrider1969 · January 12th, 2007, 03:27 PM

Sounds like a 1st class A-hole to me.

Big John · January 12th, 2007, 03:28 PM

I know i shouldn't but i'd be tempted to string him along via the 'net and then at the last minute say "naaaaaah i've found a better/older/more genuine one thats half your price !"

1293 · January 12th, 2007, 03:30 PM

Is he running a brick and mortar retail operation?

The thread title made me think you started happy hour early

.

Pete Galati · January 12th, 2007, 03:30 PM

I'm sure a few people would be interested in knowing who this dealer is.

Legitmate dealers aren't afraid of letting people play their guitars.

BritishBluesBoy · January 12th, 2007, 03:38 PM

What a jerk!

rdchapman · January 12th, 2007, 03:52 PM

Sounds like he only wants collectors, who don't care what it sounds like and are willing to pay whatever the cost. I hate that. I have a friend who buys black face amps to keep to sell later. He never fixes them, or brings them back to original condition, and never plays them out. Both are a waste of great gear IMHO.
richard

Telenator · January 12th, 2007, 03:59 PM

You can thank the endless line of GC bred wankers for fostering this mentality. It's too bad. Makes it tough for serious players to try stuff out sometimes.

rootsnblues · January 12th, 2007, 04:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1293

Is he running a brick and mortar retail operation?

The thread title made me think you started happy hour early

.

He keeps his guitars in an ostensibly "by appointment only" type shop but now seems to be weeding out folks interested in playing them!

Probably be "staggering" as I walk home from the pub tonight

rootsnblues · January 12th, 2007, 04:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Big John

I know i shouldn't but i'd be tempted to string him along via the 'net and then at the last minute say "naaaaaah i've found a better/older/more genuine one thats half your price !"

Maybe I should just email him the link to this thread!!

getbent · January 12th, 2007, 06:35 PM

It is the 90-10 rule. He gets 90% of his business from 10% of his customers. In some way or other he must have sized you up as a customer that does not usually convert into a sale, so he passed. I firmly believe people should be pleasant, but if his business model is working for him, I can't fault him for running his business the way he wants.

Contractors have told me that they only want to win 40-50% of the business they bid on because any less they'd have to lay guys off any more and they'd have to hire yahoo's to help them and their business would ultimately suffer over customer satisfaction issues.

If some boutique pickup winder would just raise their price to say 750.00 a set and only make a few sets for a few people a year, he could make what he makes now and not have to take people's money when at some level he knows he can't make the fulfillment.

At least he was upfront with you. It is regrettable that he was brusque.

Don't be staggered. Take note and move on.

Ben Harmless · January 12th, 2007, 06:44 PM

I hate it. It's people like that who make sure that good guitars wind up in the glass cases of "collectors."

The opposite of him is http://www.chrisguitars.com. This guy does the vast majority of his business over the web, but has one of the best return policies out there. I happen to be local to him, and I've sat in his garage and tried out axes before bringing 'em home. Even if you have him wrap up a guitar and ship it, you can send it right back to him if it's not the axe for you, and all it cost you was shipping. Beat that.

Ohh, and there's a gold paisley Burton tele on there somewhere...

rootsnblues · January 13th, 2007, 01:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by getbent

It is the 90-10 rule. He gets 90% of his business from 10% of his customers. In some way or other he must have sized you up as a customer that does not usually convert into a sale, so he passed. I firmly believe people should be pleasant, but if his business model is working for him, I can't fault him for running his business the way he wants.

Well, I was planning on bringing my checkbook so IMHO, his "sizing up" was more about avoiding discriminating players that give a rats behind about how a guitar sounds, feels in their hands and against their gut. These are first and foremost instruments to be played!

rootsnblues · January 13th, 2007, 01:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ben Harmless

The opposite of him is http://www.chrisguitars.com. This guy does the vast majority of his business over the web, but has one of the best return policies out there.

Thanks for the tip!

getbent · January 13th, 2007, 01:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rootsnblues

Well, I was planning on bringing my checkbook so IMHO, his "sizing up" was more about avoiding discriminating players that give a rats behind about how a guitar sounds, feels in their hands and against their gut. These are first and foremost instruments to be played!

I'm sure you are right. Just remember that his motivation for selling guitars is probably to make money not to please discriminating players. What you and I see as a really important thing (bonding with a guitar and making sure it sounds great etc) is cork sniffing to him.

rootsnblues · January 13th, 2007, 03:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by getbent

I'm sure you are right. Just remember that his motivation for selling guitars is probably to make money not to please discriminating players. What you and I see as a really important thing (bonding with a guitar and making sure it sounds great etc) is cork sniffing to him.

Very good points!

January 12th, 2007, 03:17 PM	#1 (permalink)
rootsnblues Tele-Meister Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Boston Age: 53 Posts: 168	Staggering! Just tried to make an appointment with an out-of-town vintage-type dealer who's in a town I'm gigging at tomorrow. I wanted to check out a couple Teles he's advertised on Gbase (overpriced but I was hoping to make a deal). I was told that he "didn't want people coming in playing his guitars and wasting his time". He said he now "only wanted internet business from people who already know they want the guitar (unplayed...). So much for building relationships, developing trust, bargaining and that old fashioned business acumen. Let's just deal with impressive dates, overstated/incomplete descriptions, two pictures, bigtime cash from afar via Paypal! From now on, I'm keeping it local.

January 12th, 2007, 03:28 PM	#3 (permalink)
Big John Friend of Leo's Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Suffolk UK Posts: 4,879 36 Photos	I know i shouldn't but i'd be tempted to string him along via the 'net and then at the last minute say "naaaaaah i've found a better/older/more genuine one thats half your price !" __________________ If you are going to be a bear, be a grizzly !!

January 12th, 2007, 03:38 PM	#6 (permalink)
BritishBluesBoy Friend of Leo's Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Brooklyn, NY Age: 40 Posts: 4,724 62 Photos	What a jerk! __________________ BBB.

January 12th, 2007, 03:59 PM	#8 (permalink)
Telenator Friend of Leo's Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Connecticut Posts: 4,947	You can thank the endless line of GC bred wankers for fostering this mentality. It's too bad. Makes it tough for serious players to try stuff out sometimes. __________________ Dogs have the right idea!

January 12th, 2007, 06:35 PM	#11 (permalink)
getbent Moderator Doctor of Teleocity Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: San Benito County, California Posts: 10,617 37 Photos	It is the 90-10 rule. He gets 90% of his business from 10% of his customers. In some way or other he must have sized you up as a customer that does not usually convert into a sale, so he passed. I firmly believe people should be pleasant, but if his business model is working for him, I can't fault him for running his business the way he wants. Contractors have told me that they only want to win 40-50% of the business they bid on because any less they'd have to lay guys off any more and they'd have to hire yahoo's to help them and their business would ultimately suffer over customer satisfaction issues. If some boutique pickup winder would just raise their price to say 750.00 a set and only make a few sets for a few people a year, he could make what he makes now and not have to take people's money when at some level he knows he can't make the fulfillment. At least he was upfront with you. It is regrettable that he was brusque. Don't be staggered. Take note and move on. __________________ 'never pet a burning dog'

January 12th, 2007, 03:27 PM	#2 (permalink)
newrider1969 Tele-Meister Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: st david il Age: 39 Posts: 295 3 Photos	Sounds like a 1st class A-hole to me.

January 12th, 2007, 03:30 PM	#4 (permalink)
1293 Tele-Afflicted Join Date: May 2006 Posts: 1,576	Is he running a brick and mortar retail operation? The thread title made me think you started happy hour early .

January 12th, 2007, 03:30 PM	#5 (permalink)
Pete Galati R.I.P. Poster Extraordinaire Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 8,104 2 Photos	I'm sure a few people would be interested in knowing who this dealer is. Legitmate dealers aren't afraid of letting people play their guitars.

January 12th, 2007, 03:52 PM	#7 (permalink)
rdchapman Tele-Meister Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Saratoga, NY Age: 55 Posts: 418	Sounds like he only wants collectors, who don't care what it sounds like and are willing to pay whatever the cost. I hate that. I have a friend who buys black face amps to keep to sell later. He never fixes them, or brings them back to original condition, and never plays them out. Both are a waste of great gear IMHO. richard

January 12th, 2007, 06:44 PM	#12 (permalink)
Ben Harmless Friend of Leo's Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Albany, NY US of A Posts: 3,387 12 Photos	I hate it. It's people like that who make sure that good guitars wind up in the glass cases of "collectors." The opposite of him is http://www.chrisguitars.com. This guy does the vast majority of his business over the web, but has one of the best return policies out there. I happen to be local to him, and I've sat in his garage and tried out axes before bringing 'em home. Even if you have him wrap up a guitar and ship it, you can send it right back to him if it's not the axe for you, and all it cost you was shipping. Beat that. Ohh, and there's a gold paisley Burton tele on there somewhere... __________________ "I think I'll go for the life of sin, followed by the last-minute, presto-change-o, deathbed repentance." - B. Simpson