Should a guitar store ask if you are serious?

[northernguitar]

To answer OP, maybe not. But to get riled up about it is strange.

 

[Recce]

@Cheap Trills

That's appalling. I could understand the guy's caution if you were a ragamuffin. But you're there with your son. Unbelievable.

Shop owner: "Are you seriously considering buying it?"

Me: "I am as serious as if I were test driving a car. I cannot guarantee I will buy it because I don't know if it is the one for me. If you don't want me playing it, I'll walk out the door and never come back. Neither will my guitar-buying friends."

Quite honestly I wouldn’t respond I would leave and wouldn’t return.

 

[RCinMempho]

13 pages. Wow. I'm not reading through all of this.

From the customer side, I do this. Tell him you understand. Ask to play something less valuable so he can decide if it looks like you can handle and play that one safely. The owner has no idea if you can play or are going to smash it like a rock star. If you show them respectable handling and the ability to play on another guitar, they will almost always let you see the better stuff. They'll still watch you though.

From the store owner side, you want to qualify the guy before you hand him the expensive guitar. There are ways to do that discreetly. Like, I will let you play that if you'll do me a favor. Would you try this one first so you can really appreciate the quality of that one when you play it. Then if they wail away wildly, you can decline to let them try the other. If not, you have qualified your player first.

 

[JIMMY JAZZMAN]

I was a 13 year old white "punk" in 1964. Our local music store had a beautiful Gretsch Kentucky Gentleman
on the wall. I walked in and asked, "May I play it"? Sure, Mr. Tuttle said, but no crazy stuff. You see people
knew you then, because most of the stores you went to were local. Things are so out of order now, but
I don't wish to rant.

 

[Beachbum]

I don't let them ask me anything. I shoo the away and tell them I'll let them know my decision at the check out counter. If I'm not there then they've got they're answer.

 

[Trenchant63]

I am seriously considering buying a $5000 guitar?

The question doesn’t offend me. It’s just not an effective question IMO. It’s a clumsy question and creates unnecessary tension - are you serious is a bit ridiculous .. of course I’m serious - I’m standing here asking you aren’t I? Do you think it’s a practical joke? As far as buying — who knows until I play it.

I think a good alternative is - “I want to make sure this is the guitar that’s best for you - we have many good ones. What are you looking for in your new guitar?” Now you’ve opened a dialogue that is in a way qualifying and also being consultative to make sure you get the right guitar in the customer’s hands. As a secondary question “what price range are you looking for in your new instrument?” Once you get communication going. I think this is much better than “if I let You touch it, ya gonna buy it?” approach which I think is weird.

 

[Burlington Dave]

I'm at a guitar shop and the owner was taking a photo of a Collings acoustic he has leaned against a couch. I was watching with my son, and told him it was a really nice guitar. After he was done taking photos, I asked him if I could try it out. He looked me up and down, then asked me if I was "seriously considering purchasing it." I could see he didn't want to let me play it, so I just said "I don't know." Then he put it away saying "it's on consignment" and he "wants to limit playing it to serious buyers."

Anyway, I wasn't too offended at the time because, being ethnic, I'm sort of used to being looked up and down before people decide how to respond to me. But, after we left the shop, my son asked why the man didn't let me play the fancy guitar. I just responded saying that the owner was worried it could get scratched. I was sad he had to see that or was thinking about it. But then, after a pause, my son asked if the owner knew who I was.. haha. I'm glad he had that response.

Anyway, I understand the owner's concern. But at the same time, I feel like you're never going to sell a guitar if you don't let people play it. And it did stick with me that he looked me up and down before deciding to ask me if I was serious.

What do ya'll think? Is the shop owner justified in asking if I was seriously considering purchasing it?

Shop at a guitar store that doesn’t hire racists.

 

[old soul]

If he's leaning a high end guitar against a couch, in a shop with people around, I dont think he's too concerned about it.
Strange.

 

[Bill]

When I was in my 40's I went into a guitar store where they said they wouldn't let customers play any of the guitars. I asked the salesman, "How am I supposed to know how it sounds?"

He said, "We'll tell you."

I said, "OK," and pointed to one on the wall. "How does this one sound?" I asked.

"It sounds good," he replied.

Weirdest guitar store interaction ever.

On a separate note, if you're ever in London, you and your son are welcome to come over and try any of my guitars.

 

[CX Hunter]

Trust yer gut. I had a music store in Manhattan for 25 years. One develops a sense of whether or not a buyer is serious. But I for sure as hell never made that call on the basis of race. Sometimes it would be some pimply teenager in a heavy metal shirt wanting to play an $8,000.00 vintage sitar and I’d look ‘em up and down and just, Nope!

Living in NYC, famous for being a “melting pot” - I have repeatedly witnessed racist attitudes by shopkeepers when dealing with non-white customers. It happens. It sucks.

 

[14strings]

What do ya'll think? Is the shop owner justified in asking if I was seriously considering purchasing it?

Putting any ethnic bias aside.

Typically higher end guitars are displayed in such a manner that you must ask for assistance to play it. Hung high, behind counter etc. In other words not so convenient for the “tire kicker” to pick it up and play it.

OP caught the guitar in an easy to access state.
I don’t think the question was too out of line especially since it was a consignment.

Curious though if the OP had even the remotest intention of buying the guitar?

Also how old was your son? Maybe it was “kid” bias?

I guess in the end I don’t think he was too out of line; he didn’t deny you playing the Collings.

 

[Sparky2]

Many years ago, I had a similar experience at a Chevrolet dealership.
It was late 2003, as I recall.

My wife and I were out looking at pickup trucks.
I was definitely going to buy a new one, and I had been around to a variety of dealerships, and looked at all the brands.

We were driving my old Ford Ranger, and I was wearing blue jeans and a jeans jacket. I wouldn't say I looked unkempt or scruffy, but I definitely wasn't wearing a suit and tie.

The one salesman who attempted to help me wasn't all that much help.
I was looking for a basic work truck, without all the frills, and and I told him that I was definitely looking to buy one today.
He, sadly, kept steering me toward these massive Chevy trucks with burl wood dashboards, deluxe leather Captain's seats, expensive mag wheels, and exotic appointments.

I finally waved him off and said, "Hey, I'll just look around on my own."
I did so, and then went off in search of my wife.

She was up on the porch of the main sales building, as it turned out, drooling over brand new Corvettes.
A young salesman was putting the hard sell on her. It was kind of funny.
I stayed away from that conversation, because I knew it wasn't going anywhere.

I wandered over to where two salesmen were standing around, smoking and joking.
One of them was the first fellow who had been trying to assist me earlier.

They were standing next to a brand new Chevrolet SSR.
It was a (sort of) retro pickup truck, low-slung, expensive, and it was the hot item at the time.

I looked it over briefly, and then asked the salesmen, "Say, can you open up the back? I want to see what the trunk space is like."

They looked a each other, and then one of them replied, "No. Serious buyers only."
It was like I was some homeless guy who just wandered onto the lot, bumming for a ham sandwich.

I policed up my wife, and we drove off.
I ended up buying a new Subaru Baja a few days later.
(Loved that vehicle. Drove it for 16 years.)

I ended up writing to the head of that Chevrolet dealership, and also to the Chevrolet/GM corporate guys, and I very politely expressed my displeasure at how I had been treated by the two salesmen. (I included their names in the correspondence.)
I let them know that I was a 26 year Veteran of the US Army, and I had had strong inclination to buy a Chevy truck.
Until, as you can imagine, I received the disrespect had was shown.

The local dealership never answered.
I did get a 'form letter' back from Chevy Corporate, but it was a generic reach-around.

Post-note.
That Chevrolet dealership folded and went under later that year.
The dealership eventually re-opened under new management.

 

[gmann]

Legitimate guestion, no need to get butthurt.

 

[Cheap Trills]

I have been on the same end of the stick as the op , not an implication I am ethnic though, I had told my daughter she would find Her guitar and it would scream Take me home ,
we went into a Mom and Pop store and the owner was there behind the counter , my kid saw one that caught her eye and went to try it out when the owner yelled at her DONT TOUCH THAT , I said to him" do you remember Me ? Do you remember the fender twin you had here"?, He said "Yeah some old guy bought it " , we left and went to Long & Mcquade.

BTW he went bust 2 months later !

this is what my kid came home with that day SHE paid cash for it

View attachment 1085723 View attachment 1085724

very nice!

 

[Cheap Trills]

I had the reverse experience. A lifetime ago, one of my kids (who was probably about 5 or 6 at the time) and I were driving home from an afternoon birthday party in an upscale neighborhood and eyeing all the beautiful homes when we passed an open house. Just for a hoot, I asked my kid if she wanted to check out a house for sale. She said sure. We walked in and were the only ones there. The agent looked at me and immediately (and correctly) assumed that I couldn't afford the place. But she was taken by my cute polite kid. And she was probably bored to tears.

So she made nice conversation with my kid for a few moments. After running out of things to discuss, she said, "This home has a swimming pool. Have you ever seen a home with a swimming pool?" My kid said, "Yes. Because we have a swimming pool." The woman said something like, "I bet it's not as big as this one." My kid looked out into the backyard and said quietly, "I think ours is bigger." The woman shot me a glance. I said, "Ok, time to get going. Mommy and your brother will wonder where we are." With that my kid turned around to leave and said happily, "We have a tennis court too." The agent looked at me somewhat bewildered. I sheepishly shrugged as if to say, "Yes, yes, we do have a tennis court."

At the time we were renting a dumpy nondescript condo in a characterless condo/townhouse complex with a pool and tennis courts. But the agent thought I was some long-haired millionaire slumming it on the weekend. She was almost begging me to stay and started raving about the school district. I felt guilty and said, "I'm sorry. We're really not in the market. My daughter had never been to an open house before and we were driving by. Thanks. You were great." Of course, I had to take her business card. And she gave me a complimentary million dollar smile and arm rub.

That's pretty funny, your daughter is awesome. I don't think I've ever received a "complimentary million dollar arm rub".

 

[Cheap Trills]

You had me till the being ethnic comment.

don't knock it till you've tried it

 

[Toto'sDad]

Personally, I never touch anything I could not possibly afford.
That’s a medium/low bar.
Anything costing over $5,000, I admire from a distance.
Though the OP’s situation was poorly handled, high-end guitar shops do have a right to protect their investments/inventory.
The shops I frequent know me as a good customer, so in them, I can try what I like.
In shops that don’t know me, and vice-versa, I ask to play nice stuff, or just gawk.
Manners everyone, por favor!

This should be a truck driver story starting with "now this ain't no B.S." but it is true. When I worked at the Desert Inn as a young man, I once happened to be ten foot from Ann-Margret. She was playing Chemin de fer for $1500 dollars a flip, and she was playing two hands. To put that in perspective, I had a two-year-old Ford Falcon pickup truck I had paid $1200 for.

I said we were ten feet apart, in the literal sense that is true. However, the actual distance we were separated by was two crossing of the Atlantic, and a two hundred mile ride on a camel through the desert sands.

What I mean by that, and it applies here, no one much cared what I thought about anything. If I had so much as took a step towards that lady, security would have grabbed me up, taken me out back, stomped me into refuse and put me in a dumpster. No one had to tell me this. Some things you should just know.

 

[CharlieO]

I cannot believe that this thread has gone on for 14 pages. The shop owner was 100 percent justified, and there is no evidence of discrimination. His answer was straightforward and reasonable. The OP shouldn't have even asked to play the guitar if he had no real interest.

 

[Cheap Trills]

I can't afford a $5000 guitar so there is no reason to ask to play a one in a store. I guess if you really, really, really want to play one you should have no problems handing the owner a signed check, a credit card, debit card or the keys to your car. That way if something happens the item is covered. And no problems then they can hand you back your collateral.

Yup, I would have had no problem handing him my credit card before trying it out.

 

[JohnFender]

I'm at a guitar shop and the owner was taking a photo of a Collings acoustic he has leaned against a couch. I was watching with my son, and told him it was a really nice guitar. After he was done taking photos, I asked him if I could try it out. He looked me up and down, then asked me if I was "seriously considering purchasing it." I could see he didn't want to let me play it, so I just said "I don't know." Then he put it away saying "it's on consignment" and he "wants to limit playing it to serious buyers."

Anyway, I wasn't too offended at the time because, being ethnic, I'm sort of used to being looked up and down before people decide how to respond to me. But, after we left the shop, my son asked why the man didn't let me play the fancy guitar. I just responded saying that the owner was worried it could get scratched. I was sad he had to see that or was thinking about it. But then, after a pause, my son asked if the owner knew who I was.. haha. I'm glad he had that response.

Anyway, I understand the owner's concern. But at the same time, I feel like you're never going to sell a guitar if you don't let people play it. And it did stick with me that he looked me up and down before deciding to ask me if I was serious.

What do ya'll think? Is the shop owner justified in asking if I was seriously considering purchasing it?

I doubt it had anything to do with you, but maybe he thought it was a little disrespectful for you to ask becausece he was taking pictures so obviously someone already had their eyes on buying it and maybe it was himself and unless you were planning to buy it I would call it taken, nonetheless he didn't handle the situation in the right way. sometimes we just have to look at all angles of the situation till one reason works that nobody get disrespected before and after