Music Store Mini Rant

NOAH_FX · #1 11-17-2010, 06:59 AM

Drove through rush hour traffic after work yesterday to go try out one of the EBMM Ray 34's, theirs only one store in Ottawa i've found that had any in stock (I called beforehand to make sure......) It took me about a hour to get their (Other side of the city)

So i walk in, walk to the back 12X12 Corner of the place that houses all their bass gear, and ask if i can try one.. Guy tells me to just grab and play. Sweet. So i grab the EBMM Ray 34 (Silverburst) It looked nice, other than normal floor wear and tear.. Plug it in to a head, nothing... I figure maybe its the amp, try one that say's PASSIVE instead of just the db, still the same... So i try another bass same amp, it's fine... So i ask for a new battery... Guy gets me a battery, i plug it in.. bass is no longer dead, but when plugged in emits the worst squeal you've ever heard (checked, battery was in fine)...

So i tell the guy (he dosent seem to care) put it back on the wall... Theirs 2 other EBMM's but their both 5 strings.. so i ask, and the have no other EBMM 4 strings at the store.. No offer to order one.. Just (iono what to tell ya dude)...

Drove the hour back home.. Decided to boycott Long and Mquade...and mix Wisers with coke

EDIT

P.S
Thanks for reading my rant lol

Arranger · #2 11-17-2010, 07:14 AM

For the gas and effort, it's not worth it. Buy one online and have it shipped free. Return it if it isn't a winner and the return shipping won't be any more than the fuel and time expense you would have paid for an extended trip to a distant dealer. I know it's not ideal, but the hassles of dealing with the distant dealers can be prohibitive.

3k Mylz · #3 11-17-2010, 07:18 AM

Totally sucks when you have a culture that has forgotten the meaning of customer service. You can tell this same story with Cell Phones, Vacums, Whatever. No ome gives a damn in the salesplace anymore.

lousybassplayer · #4 11-17-2010, 07:35 AM

I would have made the same decision. It boggles my mind that stores will literally turn down money. I mean, you called looking for a certain model, drove an hour to test it, and then stuck around to get one that played. Doesn't sound like some lost kid wandering in to the store to bang out "higher ground" for a few minutes.

P. Aaron · #5 11-17-2010, 08:07 AM

I called MMEB once to inquire where I might find a Big Al fiver near me...the gatekeeper transferred me to someone who could help...Mr. Sterling Ball himself!

This was a random call for info, I did not expect to make it that far up the food chain. I ended up buying something else but, I give 'em props for being there.

You could call them & let them know what a disappointment one of their vendors was to deal with.

NOAH_FX · #6 11-17-2010, 08:41 AM

Im thinking about buying it Online.. Any advice on a reputable site that sells EBMM products in Canada? I'd rather not get it from Long and Mquade now.. Im a bit of a spiteful person.

But it's not like i'm 17 and walked in wearing torn clothes with 3 of my buddies to come watch me rock my pro skillz.... Not that it should matter... But im 23, i was wearing my work clothes and I work in Public Service... So that means a collar and nice jeans... I was their to spend some solid coin, I woulda bought a hard case... maybe some strings..

The worst though, is he let me sit their trying to figure out what was wrong by myself... God forbid it DID work, and i didnt know how to tune it... but i didnt even get that far lol. Theirs something wrong, when your in a STORE and the STAFF act like your a waste of their time.. Oh we'll lesson learned.

Thunderthumbs73 · #7 11-17-2010, 09:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NOAH_FX

Drove through rush hour traffic after work yesterday to go try out one of the EBMM Ray 34's, theirs only one store in Ottawa i've found that had any in stock (I called beforehand to make sure......) It took me about a hour to get their (Other side of the city)

So i walk in, walk to the back 12X12 Corner of the place that houses all their bass gear, and ask if i can try one.. Guy tells me to just grab and play. Sweet. So i grab the EBMM Ray 34 (Silverburst) It looked nice, other than normal floor wear and tear.. Plug it in to a head, nothing... I figure maybe its the amp, try one that say's PASSIVE instead of just the db, still the same... So i try another bass same amp, it's fine... So i ask for a new battery... Guy gets me a battery, i plug it in.. bass is no longer dead, but when plugged in emits the worst squeal you've ever heard (checked, battery was in fine)...

So i tell the guy (he dosent seem to care) put it back on the wall... Theirs 2 other EBMM's but their both 5 strings.. so i ask, and the have no other EBMM 4 strings at the store.. No offer to order one.. Just (iono what to tell ya dude)...

Drove the hour back home.. Decided to boycott Long and Mquade...and mix Wisers with coke

EDIT

P.S
Thanks for reading my rant lol

You made effort to check out the bass and the store and to give them your business. They made little/no effort to gain you as a customer or make the sale. You lost (expediture of time/effort), but also you won (didn't buy from someone who clearly didn't give an s#$%). So now, you know to not ever go in there again to deal with that individual. If you have to go there, make sure you deal with someone else.

I like this example you've provided because it proves even the smaller mom-pop/non-corporate stores have the ability to fail in service as the large "corporate" stores, and underscores the notion of it's not the company, the size of the building, or name on the door. It's THE PEOPLE.

bwoodman · #8 11-17-2010, 09:08 AM

I now buy about 90% online, even for stupid crap like the glass Mr. Coffee 4 cup coffee pot - ever try to find one of those in the retail stores? I tried at least half a dozen stores and they only stock the full-size pots. Checked Amazon and of course they had it - bought 2, because I know I'll break that dang thing again anyway. I buy all my CDs on Amazon....many other things that I've given up on trying to find in local stores - tired of wasting time and gas! And this includes music gear. I buy online and get the free shipping - if the bass or item is NG, most have a return policy, so that's your out if you get a bad one. For a EB/MM bass, I check Bass Central and Perfect bass because that way you can at least have them tell you the weight of the bass (a huge issue for me, as I can't deal with basses over 8 or 9 lbs) - and they have a lot in stock to choose from (especially Bass Central). I have ONE music store that I buy from that's about 3 miles from my house - and I've known the owner since the 80s! He took over the lease on a store about 10 years ago and that store had been around since the 40s - and I want to help support his store because he has survived so far - and that's a huge accomplishment these days. He knows his business and his son works there and a couple other cats that have been around music retail for many years. This particular store does not stock or deal with EB/MM, so there are certain things that I go online for, but I try to throw this guy as much biz as I can. Just my $.02 story...

Thornton Davis · #9 11-17-2010, 02:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NOAH_FX

Drove through rush hour traffic after work yesterday to go try out one of the EBMM Ray 34's, theirs only one store in Ottawa i've found that had any in stock (I called beforehand to make sure......) It took me about a hour to get their (Other side of the city)

So i walk in, walk to the back 12X12 Corner of the place that houses all their bass gear, and ask if i can try one.. Guy tells me to just grab and play. Sweet. So i grab the EBMM Ray 34 (Silverburst) It looked nice, other than normal floor wear and tear.. Plug it in to a head, nothing... I figure maybe its the amp, try one that say's PASSIVE instead of just the db, still the same... So i try another bass same amp, it's fine... So i ask for a new battery... Guy gets me a battery, i plug it in.. bass is no longer dead, but when plugged in emits the worst squeal you've ever heard (checked, battery was in fine)...

So i tell the guy (he dosent seem to care) put it back on the wall... Theirs 2 other EBMM's but their both 5 strings.. so i ask, and the have no other EBMM 4 strings at the store.. No offer to order one.. Just (iono what to tell ya dude)...

Drove the hour back home.. Decided to boycott Long and Mquade...and mix Wisers with coke

EDIT

P.S
Thanks for reading my rant lol

That's very unfortunate. I recently purchased a bass and amp from this very store for my son. When he ran into a problem the manager and his staff went out of their way to provide us with outstanding customer service and we couldn't have been happier with their genuine interest in wanting to help us out.

Do yourself a favour, call the store and ask to speak to the manager. I know he will take care of you and set things right, plus the Silverburst Ray 34 you're interested in is worth going back for.

TD

NOAH_FX · #10 11-18-2010, 07:31 AM

Update: When to a tiny Music store last night, great staff, played everything they had and the Yamaha BB424 (tobacco Sunburst) BLEW me away... It sound's sooo good, the staff were awesome, set the action and bridge for me and gave me a free setup for later down the road, i probably don't need it, but it was nice anyway. I cant compare it to the RAY 34 as I never got to play it, but in my oppionion it sounded better than anything else in the store, even the basses that were 3 -400 more. I went in to just look, but good customer service made me leave with a bass..

Yerf Dog · #11 11-18-2010, 07:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NOAH_FX

I went in to just look, but good customer service made me leave with a bass..

Pics of said bass?

NOAH_FX · #12 11-18-2010, 08:01 AM

Not sure if this will work or not, im at work and cant post pics easily from here.. If it dosent i'll put a new one up after work.

kraigo · #13 11-18-2010, 08:23 AM

As far as Long and McQuade offering to order a new bass for you to try, inventory is expensive and a lot of shops have inventory that they can't get rid of. But a chain the size of Long and McQuade could probably bring something else in from another store in the chain for you to try.

You got a crappy sales dude and decided to boycott the shop. I've done the same. I'm not sure that it hurt the shop at all, but I'm happy that I didn't give the shop any money. Still, cool down a little. Long and McQuade is a pretty good sized chain and you may have just gotten one crappy employee out of a lot of good ones. I'm in Minneapolis, I have no idea what the culture of Long and McQuade is. They've been around for a long time so hopefully they're doing something right. I don't like going to Guitar Center either, but sometimes it's what I have to do.

KO

kraigo · #14 11-18-2010, 08:24 AM

Crappy pic, but I bet it's a really nice bass. I like Yamaha.

KO

Quote:

Originally Posted by NOAH_FX

Not sure if this will work or not, im at work and cant post pics easily from here.. If it dosent i'll put a new one up after work.

Stanley Design · #15 11-18-2010, 08:30 AM

Worked at a music store years ago when I was in high school, they told me not to bother tuning the guitars when they come in and just quickly put them to tension and tune to itself before putting it on the floor. That isn't the way to sell gear. Every instrument on the floor should have at minimum a weekly tune up to make sure it's in good working order, it's not like the salesmen are beyond busy. Nice playing instruments fly out the door compared to ones you need to him'and'haw over and fight to get into good playing condition. Nothing is worse than picking up an acoustic with those harden blackened strings on it either, man I hate that.

yrock · #16 11-18-2010, 08:36 AM

Same story for me, I had some indifferent employee at a guitar center that clearly gave me a vibe that I was wasting his time. I went to a locally owned business about 40 minutes drive away and got excellent service and left with a new Fender hwy one and a new place to buy gear. Thank you Hugo Helmer.