Bad Experience at a Music Store

[Liamf]

Went into one of the music stores in NZ called The Rockshop which I guess you would say is a smaller equivalent to Guitar Center. My friend was wanting to look at a guitar he wanted to buy so asked me to come. Upon walking into the store noone approached us even though there were 6 guys all of who worked there standing around doing nothing. After walking around for 20min we finally had to go up too one of them to ask to try a guitar, this guy was very helpful just shy. After awhile of helping out my friend try the guitar I approached another guy to ask to try a guitar that I was interested in, his first question shocked me. He asked me if I was going to buy it? First of all there's no way I was gonna buy without trying and second why can't I try our a guitar that I'm interested in buying sometime in the future to see if it really is something I'd like? Eventually I persuaded him to let me try the guitar (gretsch duo jet with bigsby) but when he bought it to me he gave me the one without the bigsby and with different pickups. At this point I was getting rather annoyed. I told him it was the wrong one and his response was that it was too expensive for me to try and that he was actually being nice by letting me try this one cause it was still expensive (even though my tele is worth more). I'm pretty sure his attitude toward me was because of my age(17) although I seemed to know more about the guitars in the store than him. But I have been turned off from shopping there ever again especially when I can walk 2min down the road and go to a store called music planet where they will let me sit and play any guitar, aslong as I like, whenever I want with no intent on buying with great customer service. Anyone else had a similar experience? Would love to hear it, especially if your from NZ aswell and experienced the same thing

 

[Telenator]

You came up against a single person who gave you a bad expereince. And you said earlier that a previous salesperson was very helpful with your friend.

I wouldn't take this experience to mean that the store your were at sucks. Just the guy you were unfortunate enough to have dealt with.

Sure, it is the people that make a business good or bad. You just witnessed two extremes of that. Next time you go there, ask specifically for the guy who helped your friend.

And don't be put off by the fact that you had to ask for help there. Personally, I prefer being left alone until I've found a few things I'm interested in. No one wants to be approached or pressured the moment they walk into a store.

If you're a buyer, then you buy. If you're a guy who hangs out at a music store and plays all day, tries out gear and then walks out without ever buying anything, (I'm not say you are), sales people get a little edgey because of the number of folks who scuff up their gear for hours, and then go home to try and find it cheaper on-line. It's not right and sometimes jades the people who work in music stores.

We're all people. Not everyone is going to be nice.

 

[davenumber2]

If you're a guy who hangs out at a music store and plays all day, tries out gear and then walks out without ever buying anything, (I'm not say you are), sales people get a little edgey because of the number of folks who scuff up their gear for hours, and then go home to try and find it cheaper on-line.

That's what Guitar Center is for.

 

[sax4blues]

Let me ask one question. Are you in fact planning to buy a guitar of that style and price in the very near future, let's say two months?

If yes, you have the money and fully intend to buy a guitar soon, then you have every right to believe you got poor service and should buy your guitar elsewhere.

If no, and from your post you said you were just tagging along with your friend, then I don't know why people get so upset that stores are not excited about people just playing their guitars for fun.

There is a high end store near me, boutique amps and custom guitars. They are very friendly and helpful, but... there is definately the vibe that they are there for serious buyers with money. They'll let you play anything but they are sizing you up and if you're just wasting time that guitars going right back on the hook. I don't go there at lunch time, I go to GC.

 

[getbent]

There is a restaurant that has long been a family favorite (they know us on sight.) My daughter and son got there ahead of us a few weeks ago and apparently, because of their age, they got shuffled about a bit and when we arrived the same person saw us and beamed and asked 'for two?' and we pointed to the kids 'for four' (we'd gotten a text saying the hostess was kind of blowing them off)

Her face kind of dropped and she muttered something (did not make it out, did not ask) and we sat down and ate... but, it may be awhile before we go back because it was like finding out that a very sweet note you receive from a lover is the same note that has been sent a thousand times...

very disappointing and sad. I wish the world was a better place, and if we remember stories like these and vow not to repeat them, maybe it will be.

Someone will say 'it is a mean old world' and they will be right, but that doesn't mean it wouldn't be nice if it weren't.

 

[BGTele]

I would have asked to see the manager and told him what that lazy jerk said to you. there is no excuse for that. The manager would quickly see that that guy is hurting sales.

 

[notdave]

I would have asked to see the manager and told him what that lazy jerk said to you. there is no excuse for that. The manager would quickly see that that guy is hurting sales.

Unless the 'lazy jerk' was merely enforcing the manager's sales policy of 'don't play it unless you're buying it'.

 

[Tele60x]

I honestly think that there are ways to say no and not be rude. The guy you ran into sound a snotty and regardless of you age you can still show manners with a negative response. Stores like that I don't give my money to.

 

[rjl1993]

Reminds me of my 2 local guitar stores. The more "well off" store is full of people who look down on people below 30 as "unknowledgable" about guitars and wont let me try a guitar there I like at all. Yet the one closer to my house is ran by 2 old guys who love playing Blues. The first time I went in there they were sat there playing on a sofa in the corner of the room, opposite all their electric stock. They were lovely people and didn't mind if I wanted to try a £2000+ guitar that I liked the look of. Needless to say I go there regularly for strings/guitars and just to see what's new that they have in. In some instances, I do believe first impressions are what lose customers for some stores.

 

[ickylick]

I agree with the OP, age does matter in guitar shops, I've had plenty of experiences with unhelpful sales reps, with poor attitudes towards "younger" customers (lets say under 25). My earlier guitar purchases which were around or under $500 seemed like a small fortune to me during my younger years but as I grew older, my budget grew exponentially, never downgrade I say. I am in no way a rich man, but I got no wife, so that leaves me with a buttload of cash to spend at this age lol. When I was looking around for my last guitar purchase I was contemplating spending somewhere around $2k-3k (Was looking for a Usa Gibby, ended up with a Gibson CS Angus SG, way over budget). Every time I went into a GC and asked to try out a Gibson LP standard, a SG 61 reissue or any other 2k+ guitar they would say something like "you sure? that's a really expensive guitar" or "are you looking to buy today or just try out?", which would irk me, but I would remain polite and tell them if the guitar's nice enough. In the end, I never gave my business to those specific individuals, why... cause they don't deserve it.
On a positive note.. my best walk in experience with a guitar shop probably was from the "Music Zoo" here in NY, not everyone is super friendly but they treat the customer right I say.

 

[Frank B]

Well, it's not always like that. I remember being 18, having really long hair and having somewhat of an eddie veder look.

At steve's music shop in MTL, they have this wall with expensive, exclusive models. I wanted a tele, none were strinking me on the floor. Until I saw the 50th anniversary on that wall hanging at about 8ft that is.

I looked at the sales rep, I saw the price tag at 1999$ +tx and said, I wanna try this one. He simply replied : "you sure ?", I said "yes" with confidence.

The place was rather crowded - Still he got it for me and surely, I bought it.

It was all in the way I asked, the confidence in which I asked and my demeanour. Prior to asking, I must have stared at it for 10 secs in total silence too, I'm sure he could tell what was going through my mind by the way I was staring at it too

 

[Cunningham26]

i don't mind mom and pop shops keeping the high end gear from every tom dick and harry that walks in. if you've got the fiber to your fabric to be able to ask for the banner gibson from the top shelf, feel free to play it. but for those that are buying a few picks and nothing more, sorry chaps, but you're gonna have to settle with playing the epi's and squiers (not that there's anything wrong with that)

 

[Joe-Bob]

I remember that not too long ago, teenagers were not allowed to "try out" any gear in a music store without their parents present. Especially not the hard to get, expensive models. The reason is clear; many of the guitars at Guitar Center look like they've been dragged behind a truck instead of brand new. And not just the inexpensive ones.

Some people don't care, but when I go to buy, I do. If it was my store, you can be sure I would care.

I'm sorry you didn't like your experience, but it used to be absolutely normal to treat children like children and adults like adults. IMHO, children shouldn't be treated as though they are mature adults--they aren't.

 

[BGTele]

If a music store has a policy of "don't play it unless you are going to buy it" they won't be in business long. That is absurd. No musician I know is going to go there.

Now, I can understand if a young teen comes in looking vaguely as if he couldn't care less about being careful and has the feint odor of bad cookies, you may suppose that he just wants to thrash on a high end instrument for laughs and you might feel reluctant to hand him one. I know one guitar store that makes you wear a shop apron and you can't use picks to try a guitar.

 

[Liamf]

If a music store has a policy of "don't play it unless you are going to buy it" they won't be in business long. That is absurd. No musician I know is going to go there.

Now, I can understand if a young teen comes in looking vaguely as if he couldn't care less about being careful and has the feint odor of bad cookies, you may suppose that he just wants to thrash on a high end instrument for laughs and you might feel reluctant to hand him one. I know one guitar store that makes you wear a shop apron and you can't use picks to try a guitar.

I agree with you but you'd think the fact that I could tell him what pickups were in the guitar might show I know abit about guitars. It did amuse me when he was setting up the amp for me and asked me if I wanted the gain on full and I said no I'd do it myself, he gave me a very odd look

 

[SamClemons]

It is pretty common around here for high priced guitars to be out of reach from casual handling. It was stupid of the salesman to treat you that way. Years ago, I sold electronics at Circuit City. The guys you looked for were teenage boys (cash burning a hole in their pockets) and old farmers in dirty overalls (again cash burning a hole in thier pockets for a nice television).

 

[brookdalebill]

When I am treated poorly/disrespectfully or questionably I just split.
I also tell my friends.
It almost never happens, now that I look my age.
I buy where I get what I want/need.
Ironically, it is usually bigger, chain type stores that I have problems with.
Small or "boutique" usually stores treat me well.

 

[Loco]

I've been treated like a time waster by my local guitar shop (just over a mile away from my home), and unlike you - I'm well into my fifties! I actually came out with a Boss distortion pedal too. They also treated my eighty year old mother like crap when she went into buy me a pedal as a Christmas present. And when they did a minor relic job on one of my guitars whilst replacing the pickups, I vowed not to set foot in there again and I never have.

There are useless jerks staffing all types of stores (I know - I've worked with several): music retailers in my experience; just seem to have more than their fair share...

 

[Strat62]

If a music store has a policy of "don't play it unless you are going to buy it" they won't be in business long. That is absurd. No musician I know is going to go there.

I know one guitar store that makes you wear a shop apron and you can't use picks to try a guitar.

That policy actually makes a hell of a lot of sense. If I were a music shop owner I think I'd have a similar policy. Belt buckles, blue jean rivets, and all manner of junk people wear can raise hell with the finish on any new guitar. And pick scratches certainly don't help the retail value, either.

 

[Alexandre]

While I understand the frustration, I can also see why some shops do this. On my end, if I'll buy an expensive model, you better be darn sure that it doesn't have picking or buckle scratches on it, else I'll move on or order it instead of buying that one...

Sadly to say, most store with the "play as much as you want" policy, the floor models all show signs of wear. For higher end models, they often only have that one... If I want a guitar with signs of wear, I'll buy it use and save cash. At the store, I want it spanking new with no scratch and tend to avoir floor models which I know have been played, often by people who don't give a damn.

Sadly enough, I'm guessing that this policy is there because of people like me.

But then again, I'm older and never get any attitude if I want to try one out (but when I do, it's usualy since I intend on buying... soon).