Any stupid shop attendant stories?

[f8h]

I have come across lots of these stupid music shop attendats or "sales assistants" that are supposed to be able to help or "assist" you because they "know more than you" since thats their job. So after dealing with one yesterday, I decided to start this thread.

I don't know if this topic has been done before (sorry if it has) or if this happens often in the US, but it does A LOT here in Costa Rica.

I know there are some TBers here that have that job, but I'm not speaking for all of you, most of you are really helpful.

Sooo to the story...
Yesterday I went to a music store here called La Voz looking to try out a Jazz Bass since I am currently saving to get a new bass. As I walked towards the bass section a guy came to me asking if I needed any help:
Me- I want to try a Fender Jazz.
Guy- What music do you play?
Me- I play a little of everything but mostly like playing funk and that kind of stuff so I want a good slapping bass.
Guy- Hmmm... Then a Jazz may not be what you are looking for since the only music it works for is mmm... jazz... and maybe some blues. So no, definitely not a Jazz, not that good of a bass anyways. The best one you can get for slapping is a Fender P-bass. That's what everybody uses for slap!

All the time I probably had a *** look on my face and couldn't even argue with something that ridiculous. I couldn't believe how confident he was about everything he was saying.

He then said with his wisdom that each and every signature bass Fender makes is Made in America...

[pepepu]

Yes, it has happened to me too, dealing with some ignorant sales people, (not all are bad; some really know about their job), so every time I walk in; if any of these approches to me, I just tell them: "If I need any help I'll call you, ok?"

[C.Linton]

Not a music store but close enough. I went into a Radio Shack many years ago looking for a set of monaural (sp?) headphones. I asked the salesman "Do you have any monaural headphones?" And he said "What is that, a brand name?"
*facepalm*

[HereIGoAgain]

I recently called a supposed Ampeg dealer from information found on Ampeg's website. The guy who answered the phone seemed like he was either stoned or not interested in making a sale.

[carlthegroover]

Hola, mae, como estas? (hehehe, sorry that's the only word in Costa Rican Spanish I remember).

Fortunately, so far I've have had contact with some relatively knowledgeable music store employees. And this largely due to the fact that they don't meddle with my "bass" experimentations on site. And when I ask them something, at least they try or tell me it's not their specialty.

Originally Posted by f8h

Guy- Hmmm... Then a Jazz may not be what you are looking for since the only music it works for is mmm... jazz... and maybe some blues. So no, definitely not a Jazz, not that good of a bass anyways. The best one you can get for slapping is a Fender P-bass. That's what everybody uses for slap!

Right, that's why my Jazz bass sounds so amazing when I play an Iron Maiden tune... now, Iron Maiden is soooooo jazzy!

And according to him, Wooten and other slap monsters use some pretty weird-looking Precision basses, then? Pfffft.

[f8h]

Originally Posted by carlthegroover

Hola, mae, como estas? (hehehe, sorry that's the only word in Costa Rican Spanish I remember).

Pura vida mae!

Pura vida and mae are the only 2 things you need to know in Costa Rica. It makes up like 25% of whatever we say!

[raybass77]

Firstly, let me start by saying I work in retail myself, so I like to think I make an ideal customer.

I went into a music shop here in Melbourne, Australia ages ago and told the guy exactly what I wanted - style of amp, what I was using it for, the budget I had to work with (which was small) and any other helpful info I could, leaving with the simple job of showing me one or two ideas.

In, pay, out. That's how I shop.

He proceeded to show me the amp HE was about to buy, which was a Aguilar DB 750, nothing like I wanted and then started to show me other basses!!!

Apparently he often does the same thing, not very useful.

[f8h]

Originally Posted by raybass77

He proceeded to show me the amp HE was about to buy, which was a Aguilar DB 750, nothing like I wanted and then started to show me other basses!!!

Apparently he often does the same thing, not very useful.

I hate that "well I'm saving for this" answer you get all the time...

[Crazyeelboy]

I generally know exactly what I want when I come to a store so my interaction with the sales staff is usually only to get their help in finding it. I wouldn't even listen to the sales person trying to tell me what I want.

[Nev375]

Told a shopkeeper that I have been looking for a good fretless bass.

His response: "A what? A FRETLESS bass? I've never heard of such a thing. My word, how could you even play it?"

I didn't know what to say. I just kinda stood there feeling awkward for a while.

[Crazyeelboy]

We have a winner...

[Thom7]

The local music shop here is quite small, and a run-by-family business.
The guy has played some shows he says, but nobody I even talk to knows about his playing.
His mother is always ranting on and on about how he knows so much because he's been on stage so much. She's proud, I don't blame her. But she's doing that every ingle time I go there, argh!

Last visit:
me: "Hi there, I need a MIDI cable"
her:"How long do you want it?"
me:"Uhm, 30 cm ish? Patch length?"
her: with a funny look "Oh they don't make MIDI that short, thats impossible, hehehe"
me: "oh. Well the shortest then"
She gives me the cable, names its price, I pay and I think to myself this has got to be the shortest visit I've ever done here. While I think that, she says that her son also needed a MIDI cable once, and he had the same brand as I have now, and he thinks its the best. I said that's nice and held my hand up for the receipt so I could leave.
She then tells me it's not actually the same cable, because the factory that makes these cables got taken over by another company. It's the same as Sennheiser, she tells me. They have a new manufacturer as well, and thus she doesn't have a big stock of microphones, like she wanted to. "Well that's bad, good thing I'm not into microphones" I say.
Thus, she shows me a microphone and says it's really good because her son used it while he was playing on stage but it's hard to sell them these days because the quality is lesser then bfore the factory change.

Argh. They're good people I think, but sometimes I just want to be left alone :C

[totallyfrozen]

Originally Posted by Crazyeelboy

I generally know exactly what I want when I come to a store so my interaction with the sales staff is usually only to get their help in finding it. I wouldn't even listen to the sales person trying to tell me what I want.

^^THIS!^^
I don't understand the sales people wanting to know what kind of music I'm going to play. What difference does it make? It's a bass! I'm looking for a certain tone, weight, and feel...I can play ANYTHING on it. I know enough to know what I want. I wouldn't listen to some clown trying to explain to me what he thinks I need.

[f8h]

Originally Posted by Crazyeelboy

We have a winner...

indeed

[makkE]

The local music store has a new owner.
When they re-opened I was going to look at basses. All he had was an active 35" PJ and a MM style bass, both for about 150€ . I asked him if he had more basses coming in soon.

"Yes. Better ones. Black ones, next week"

Now this is france, so a week actually meant 3 months. So what does he have ? Another entry level bass of a brand I never heard of - but it's black, so I guess that what makes it awesome... he doesn't even have a squier or ibanez starter pack...

That shop is strange anyways. He has about 40 pointy metal guitars, not one classic model. Some hyped up humbucked Strats, but not a single Tele or Les Paul style guitar... and this is the only shop in a 40 mile radius.

Wanted to get some springs for a strat - he didn't have any. He wanted to order them, but it would take 2 months (wich is more likely a half year in france).

I give him about 6 months until he shuts down.

[Decedo]

I walked into a music store called Jam in Gothenburg. My attitude bass had a loose nut and I wanted see if I could have it fixed. The attitude has scalloped frets between 17 and 21. I guess they don't see many American Indians in Sweden because the store service guy asked me if the 'scalloped' fret made the bass sound more like a sitar!?!?!

[bobbybass85]

I went in once asking what sort of cabinets they carried and the guy pointed to the back corner where there were a couple combos, one 2x10 and one 1x15. I asked if they ever carried anything bigger and was told: "No, a bass player will only ever need 2 speakers at most, they always use a DI anyway so the amp is kinda useless"

I wish I were kidding....

[BassBrass]

Originally Posted by Decedo

I walked into a music store called Jam in Gothenburg. My attitude bass had a loose nut and I wanted see if I could have it fixed. The attitude has scalloped frets between 17 and 21. I guess they don't see many American Indians in Sweden because the store service guy asked me if the 'scalloped' fret made the bass sound more like a sitar!?!?!

I think that's a reasonable little joke. Have you seen a sitar? Have you seen how the frets are held on? Did you know that sitars are widely played in...India? You know, where the "American Indians" came from...or still are if you listen to Colombus.

[jive1]

Originally Posted by totallyfrozen

^^THIS!^^
I don't understand the sales people wanting to know what kind of music I'm going to play. What difference does it make? It's a bass! I'm looking for a certain tone, weight, and feel...I can play ANYTHING on it. I know enough to know what I want. I wouldn't listen to some clown trying to explain to me what he thinks I need.

As a guy who works in retail, and with a sophisticated clientele, it's not uncommon for someone to ask for advice about a purchase and telling me what their needs are, and often it includes the type of music they play. Even the guys who know exactly what they want may want a second opinion.

[JmJ]

GC on 14th street in Manhattan, Talking to the sales guy,

Me: "Man, you've got a slim selection of five strings."
Sales guy: " I don't play five strings."
long silence........... conversation over.

I guess I should have asked him what else he doesn't like.