I hate small mom and pop music stores. They make me sick to my stomach.

matteatsdirt · #1 06-18-2010, 12:15 PM

In all honesty I love the giant money hungry soul destroying cowardly guitar corporations. The freaking stupid mom and pop store down the street from me is denying me my store credit because they can find no paperwork claiming I have any. The guy was willing to admit that I do have some, but without paperwork they wont let me get anything with it. Then I was at another mom and pop store and I was playing this Ibanez that was honestly worth $200. Its discontinued and he wanted to sell me it for $320. The store is run by this ugly dude who looks like a troll and his male partner. Since I didn'tt buy the bass they pay no respect to me. When I first met him the guy was real nice he would pay compliments to my bass playing, but now he just ignores it because I wont pay for his overpriced nonsense.

Seriously mom and pop stores have the worst equipment, they're overpriced, the owners are always touchy and too attached to their instruments. I hate it. It makes me sick. I love guitar center. I can play what I want, as loud as I want, they don't loose my credit, they have better deals, and better equipment. I say we burn the mom and pop music stores down.

I do like mom and pop restaurants though.

standupright · #2 06-18-2010, 12:17 PM

you want someone in a music store to compliment your bass playing?

bamabass · #3 06-18-2010, 12:19 PM

WOW..simply WOW....well, whatever works for you. As for me, I will continue to give my business to my local stores whenever I can.

Phalex · #4 06-18-2010, 12:19 PM

Fish gotta eat: Same as worms.

bobwhite · #5 06-18-2010, 12:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by matteatsdirt

In all honesty I love the giant money hungry soul destroying cowardly guitar corporations. The freaking stupid mom and pop store down the street from me is denying me my store credit because they can find no paperwork claiming I have any. The guy was willing to admit that I do have some, but without paperwork they wont let me get anything with it. Then I was at another mom and pop store and I was playing this Ibanez that was honestly worth $200. Its discontinued and he wanted to sell me it for $320. The store is run by this ugly dude who looks like a troll and his male partner. Since I didn'tt buy the bass they pay no respect to me. When I first met him the guy was real nice he would pay compliments to my bass playing, but now he just ignores it because I wont pay for his overpriced nonsense.

Seriously mom and pop stores have the worst equipment, they're overpriced, the owners are always touchy and too attached to their instruments. I hate it. It makes me sick. I love guitar center. I can play what I want, as loud as I want, they don't loose my credit, they have better deals, and better equipment. I say we burn the mom and pop music stores down.

I do like mom and pop restaurants though.

I suspect that GC can sell equipment for just a few dollars more than the price the M&P stores pay at wholesale to buy their merchandise from manufacturers/distributors.

I collect model trains and this same debate comes up time and again.

If the M&P stores provide some value (like good set up, personal service, etc.) then they are worth keeping around. Big, impersonal retailers can pass along the volume discounts but they usually aren't much with service.

matteatsdirt · #6 06-18-2010, 12:21 PM

Okay in all honesty its obvious I'm not the only one who feels this way because Guitar center and the like are ruling the music market. Everybody wants to help the mom and pop stores, but noone wants to pay the prices.

I don't expect people to compliment my playing. I don't care.

BigOldHarry · #7 06-18-2010, 12:23 PM

gttim · #8 06-18-2010, 12:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by matteatsdirt

The freaking stupid mom and pop store down the street from me is denying me my store credit because they can find no paperwork claiming I have any. The guy was willing to admit that I do have some, but without paperwork they wont let me get anything with it.

I am assuming this means that YOU cannot find any paperwork showing you have a store credit either. Probably should have held onto that!

stflbn · #9 06-18-2010, 12:29 PM

You've lost/tossed your receipt or paperwork regarding a store credit and it's their fault...

Sounds to me like you've hung around the mom and pop stores long enough that they know you're not going to buy anything.

Buy gear and they'll be your buddy. Don't buy gear and all you're doing is polluting their air space.

matteatsdirt · #10 06-18-2010, 12:30 PM

I realize a lot of you like to be cute and pretend its 1970 and want to stick it to the man and I do too, but I also look at the situation logically. I mean its obvious most people shop at guitar center and all those chains. I've never had a problem with them ever.

MatticusMania · #11 06-18-2010, 12:32 PM

I wont say I dont like any mom & pop music stores, but I certainly don't like the one near me. No good instruments (1 or 2 basses tops) not very good equipment, and everything is overpriced. I did get my 8 channel Yamaha PA & 2 15" speakers from there, as I had a friend who worked there at the time. Paid about the same as we would have at a GC because of his discount.

matteatsdirt · #12 06-18-2010, 12:32 PM

I also think they should bow down to me graciously. I have heavenly fingers that caresses their mediocre gear. My music is rich and soulful. They should just give me free gear because I am an incredibly skillful bassist and I'm quite handsome too.

Lorenzini · #13 06-18-2010, 12:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by matteatsdirt

The store is run by this ugly dude who looks like a troll and his male partner. Since I didn'tt buy the bass they pay no respect to me.

lol! Don't you mean Pop & Pop in this case?

**Staccato** · #14 06-18-2010, 12:33 PM

Here's one take...

There's a local store in the next town that carries quite a few Tech 21 models. When I sought a bit of information about the brand, the owner/manager said, it's good.
(Having worked in retail for 5 years, I took this as rhetoric).

If we have to go online to learn about a brand of amp that is carried by a store, why not buy it there, and have it delivered to the door.

That said, I want to continue shopping there, and see the store continue, but SELL ME on a line of products that is taking up $$ in inventory and lots of shelf space, don't say, "it's good." I've known him for years, and we have a good relationship, but two words?

bobwhite · #15 06-18-2010, 12:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by matteatsdirt

I also think they should bow down to me graciously. I have heavenly fingers that caresses their mediocre gear. My music is rich and soulful. They should just give me free gear because I am an incredibly skillful bassist and I'm quite handsome too.

You sound much like me. My local store DOES give me free gear, though. Maybe you need to play rich and soulfully in a different genre. Do you play jazz but they like country? That stylistic issue could be the only thing standing between you and lots of free gear....

mellowgerman · #16 06-18-2010, 12:36 PM

matteatsdirt · #17 06-18-2010, 12:36 PM

Oh yea I also forgot. Swear to god I'm not making this up. One time I was at the store who lost my credit and this young girl walked out the door with this acoustic guitar and the owner said, "Boy is she going to be surprised when she gets home." Apparently something was wrong with the truss rod or something.

There is a reason these stores carry the same gear for years and years. They are poor businessmen.

matteatsdirt · #18 06-18-2010, 12:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bobwhite

You sound much like me. My local store DOES give me free gear, though. Maybe you need to play rich and soulfully in a different genre. Do you play jazz but they like country? That stylistic issue could be the only thing standing between you and lots of free gear....

I mainly play blues and rock n roll, but I work in a little bit of jazz too. Thats real cool man. I know a lot of them like rock n roll too, but they also dig country.

Not all mom and pop stores are bad. I was heated, but a lot of them suck.

standupright · #19 06-18-2010, 12:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by matteatsdirt

I also think they should bow down to me graciously. I have heavenly fingers that caresses their mediocre gear. My music is rich and soulful. They should just give me free gear because I am an incredibly skillful bassist and I'm quite handsome too.

you sound like a guitar player

BigOldHarry · #20 06-18-2010, 12:38 PM

I'm I the only one here who has noticed that right now, there's a GC slam thread active?

Funny...

There certainly are bad small stores - just as there are good GCs... (okay, that's a stretch...). I always figured that if I won the Lotto, I'd either open a brewpub with live music *or* a mid-high end music store with lotsa cool basses.

Alas...