Turning it up and rocking out in GC, will you do it?

[Southern Theory]

Most, if not all, Guitar Centers have insulated 'Loud Rooms' which are pretty much sound proof if you really want to crank up an amp... But even in there I think it's kind of rude to turn up the amps all the way if you don't intend to buy it because you're wearing out equipment that other people may want to demo.

If you're really interested, then go ahead and play with it as much as you want to be sure you're going to be happy with your gear.

[sedan_dad]

When I'm buying a amp ,I have the salesman play while I screw with the amp.
If's it's a bass ,I play without a amp to concentrate on it's feel.
I RARELY play in a music store.
I save that for the young slap and poppers.

[LowEnder2112]

I do that all the time. EVERY TIME i go to GC first thing i do is run to the geddy lee bass on the wall, and plug in to a mesa/boogie bass amp that goes for like 2 grand.

I turn it up pretty loud, to the point where it blasts my face (im infront of it), and every one in the bass section/center section(pedals,stands,books,strings, etc) can hear me.

I actually have played only about a year, but I constantly get compliments (much to my delight), and im currently (not to sound cocky) the best bass player i know in my age range. thank god for bass.

[nastyn8c]

I do it occasionally to test an amp, but never for long. And never to show off.

[pie_man_25]

I do it, much like low-ender, I do it, but i only go up to 3/4 volume so I don't push it TOO much, but it's still pretty loud, but if I'm only trying out a bass If I'm gonna buy it, I just play unplugged to get the feel and natural tone of the wood + listen for fret problems/buzzing etc.

[pie_man_25]

Originally Posted by flakeh

There selling 15 feet of Neutrek Speakon cable for 85$ CDN!!!

rip off i say.

neutrik speakon, I've heard about that stuff, isn't it to connect a head to a cab? I usually use the AXL, it's just easier to modify into banana plugs when needed.

[JLW]

Originally Posted by LowEnder2112

I do that all the time. EVERY TIME i go to GC first thing i do is run to the geddy lee bass on the wall, and plug in to a mesa/boogie bass amp that goes for like 2 grand.

I turn it up pretty loud, to the point where it blasts my face (im infront of it), and every one in the bass section/center section(pedals,stands,books,strings, etc) can hear me.

I actually have played only about a year, but I constantly get compliments (much to my delight), and im currently (not to sound cocky) the best bass player i know in my age range. thank god for bass.

[wmcjhi]

Originally Posted by JLW

+1


I went in yesterday to waste some time and ended up enjoying the heck out of a double buck, which I may have to look into purchasing, but that isn't the point. There were two ~15 year old guys in there playing a pair of ibanez guitars through line 6 combos at 11. They were tearing through 2 seconds of this, 2 of that, 3 of something else (metal/nu-metal), all hideously sloppily and out of time. I asked the salesman about it and he said they'd been there since opening and it was becoming annoying.

Moral of the story: modesty = good. Try out your stuff and make sure you'll be happy with it, but save the rest of us showing off how great you believe you are.

[tlwaps]

I can't stand walking into GC or Sam Ash or any other music store and there's people in there (mainly guitarists) on full Marshall or Mesa or whatever stacks with them cranked just as loud as they can possibly go and then they only play one riff over and over and over and over and over. The last time I was at GC this kid kept playing the intro to Smells Like Teen Spirt over for a good half hour straight while on a full Marshall stack with it cranked up to 11. I love going into GC and places like that when there's nobody else in the store and it's not super loud. Now as for me, depending on what i'm buying depends on the volume. Head and cab's they usually get turned up a bit and then I just run scales and different things. If it's a bass then I get somebody to set up the same rig I have and play on it at a decent volume but not to where i'm shaking things off the walls. Probably 2-3 out of 10.

[IAmTheDood]

I keep it to a point where I can mess with the tones and see the range.

If a guitar player is loud nearby I'll turn mine up and play a groove to what he's doin ..

When I bought my Fender Aerodyne friday I played probably about 10 different basses .. this really being the first time I can understand tone / adjustments .. etc.. (been playing for 8 months now) ...

A guitar player started playing Pride and Joy and I plucked along on bass .. he was at the other end of the store .. couldn't even see me .. then peeked around a hall and gave a thumbs up after he was done .. lol.

Had probably 5 - 10 people that day stop to listen to me play as I was tinkering along .. mostly doing scale runs, arpeggios, mix and match major / minor and various chord combinations ..
most of the stuff that I practice on a daily basis.

Kinda fun now that I know what I'm doing and hearing people say your pretty good!

[wmcjhi]

Originally Posted by tlwaps

The last time I was at GC this kid kept playing the intro to Smells Like Teen Spirt over for a good half hour straight while on a full Marshall stack with it cranked up to 11.

Maybe the solo was too hard

Or perhaps he forgot the verse

[SpecialG]

Cranked up to 11? Hmm, reminds me of that movie with Spinal Tap...

Anyway, the closest GC is like 3-4 hours away from me, so I'd have to make it an all day jam to make it my gas' worth.

I sure as hell wouldn't be showing off though, I mean, It took me like 3 days to get the first 3 minutes of Classical Thump, and other than that it'd just be random Metallica riffs, and Iron Man.

Well, I'd raise the volume I guess. But who wouldn't crank it up for Iron Man though?

Duuun Duuun DUN DUN DUN dundundundundundun DUN DUN DUN.....

[mellofello]

there's a kid that's almost always at my local GC playing drums. I asked him about it one time. He said he's saving up to buy a kit. He was pretty decent for not owning his own kit. I kind of enjoy listening to people jam there, even the annoying ones for a little bit. The most important thing if you are going to do this is to wear clothing without metal buttons, jewelry, and for god's sake NO BELT BUCKLES. Don't go in and scratch the instruments. I once made a kid stop playing so I could hear the bass I was considering buying. I just told him to take a break for five minutes so I could hear the bass. No problem.

[the_fonz]

I'LL DO IT
I'LL DO IT TO THE LIVING END, STARRING JAMES BOND

[Hoon]

Do recall when I bought my first bass. A guy came in to try out this guitar, started paying sweet child o mine that I couldn't resist quietly playing along to. The salesman then turned up and amp and joined us on the drums. Ending up jamming for an hour or so. Walked out with a new bass =P

[flakeh]

Originally Posted by Hoon

Do recall when I bought my first bass. A guy came in to try out this guitar, started paying sweet child o mine that I couldn't resist quietly playing along to. The salesman then turned up and amp and joined us on the drums. Ending up jamming for an hour or so. Walked out with a new bass =P

Ah, those are always fun. I was up at bellones music (in Ontario, Canada) and I was rocking out to some metallica, trying out a few different cabs and such. I started playing king nothing, and to my delight, the geetar deptartment guy starts playing along to. After about 30 seconds of that, someone in the drum area starts playing too. ANOTHER kid who was in the guitar area starts playing to. It was the greatest thing ever, having a staff member and 3 customers jamming in different parts of the store. When we finished the song we all carried on our business and such, like nothing had happened. The other people in the store were like " whoa!" and clapped. I felt so good inside

[Ryan L.]

Originally Posted by LowEnder2112

I do that all the time. EVERY TIME i go to GC first thing i do is run to the geddy lee bass on the wall, and plug in to a mesa/boogie bass amp that goes for like 2 grand.

I turn it up pretty loud, to the point where it blasts my face (im infront of it), and every one in the bass section/center section(pedals,stands,books,strings, etc) can hear me.

I actually have played only about a year, but I constantly get compliments (much to my delight), and im currently (not to sound cocky) the best bass player i know in my age range. thank god for bass.

At least tell me you are playing "Higher Ground". That'll make your story so much more worthwhile.

[Anscari]

Originally Posted by LowEnder2112

I do that all the time. EVERY TIME i go to GC first thing i do is run to the geddy lee bass on the wall, and plug in to a mesa/boogie bass amp that goes for like 2 grand.

I turn it up pretty loud, to the point where it blasts my face (im infront of it), and every one in the bass section/center section(pedals,stands,books,strings, etc) can hear me.

I actually have played only about a year, but I constantly get compliments (much to my delight), and im currently (not to sound cocky) the best bass player i know in my age range. thank god for bass.

There's two important things for a musician to learn in order to achieve musical maturity and wisdom:

1- Being humble

2- Be aware that every guy you see in the street could kick your ass in bass playing, and if he's going to buy a bass or a guitar or a damn tambourine, and wants to try it, you're going to be there messing around with your nearly-null bass chops at an obnoxious volume, and he will be pissed.

Be more respectful.