While not stupid per say, this is a good example of sales associates pushing a certain product on unknowing buyers,
I was in long&mcquade (Canada's version of guitar center, usually decent selection, same "great service" as GC) looking to buy my first giggable(?) amp.
I knew I wanted something of at least 300 watts and I had a price range set, both of which I told to the "helpful associate". Anyways the bass amp selection wasnt bad but not great either so as I'm looking the clerk was showing me a few and every other minute would mention the fancy ass traynor rack mount heads that were way out of my price range, (L&M btw partially owns traynor)
As he try's showing me the traynors I notice just off to the side some if the fender rumbles and begin asking about them as I knew fender was generally a good company, the guy tells me they come in many wattages up to 350, although they only had the 50 and 150 in stock,
After finding out the price off a 350 watt head and matching cab I'm happy to find it's within my price range and ask if I can play the 150 and get a feel fir the amp to see if it's something I like. to which he says " uhh are you wouldn't rather try the traynor?" I tell him that no I wouldn't as the traynor stack would be almost twice as much money as the fender,
He tells me I should really give it a **** and I should play both to see which sounds better, after getting fed up I said ok an he proceeded to plug me into the fender 150 watt 115 combo turns it to like two and let's me noodle around while standing like a guard over the volume, after I'm done I agree that I'll try the traynor, so he plugs me into the 700 watt head and with a 410 cab and turns it up to five or six,
As I'm playing the whole freaking room is shaking, an of course with the 700 vs the 150 especially with the different speaker configurations u can imagine which one sounded better at the time, and the guys like "see the traynor is soo much better should I write that up for you?" All while knowing quite well that it was out I'd my pride range and not to mention the side by side test wasn't exactly held on a level playing field,
Anyways I finally got fed up and told him
Flat out that I'd like to order the rumble 350 head and 410 cab, and after trying for
Another ten minutes to change my mind he finally gave in and ordered I saying it would be in in two weeks max which worked for me as I had a bunch of gigs lined up over the next few months and was suck of using my friends ****** peavey combo,
9 WEEKS go by and still no sign of the amp, every week the guy at the store telling me that it would be in "this weeks shipment" finally I got fed up and went to a small and pop store owned by a bass player, he asked what I was looking for in an amp and asked my price point, he showed me their small
Selection and said that if I gave him a few days he could get some more options for me to look at,
The next day I got a call to come in to the store where he had written down a bunch if options explaining each one the pros
And cons of each and the prices, finally I decided that I wanted to try out the shuttle 6.0, and he said he would get it in as soon as possible,
After the run in with L&M I figured it'd be at least another month, but lo
And behold, LATER THAT DAY he had one shipped in and told me to come to the store at closing and we'd crank it right up, Long story short I ended up coming away with it that day with a 410 cab well within my budget as the 410 was one he used in the store to test heads and he face me a discount on it, just goes to
Show you that once again it's the small
Stores that take the time
To help you get what you want, while their big brothers don't give a **** alot of the time
I was in long&mcquade (Canada's version of guitar center, usually decent selection, same "great service" as GC) looking to buy my first giggable(?) amp.
I knew I wanted something of at least 300 watts and I had a price range set, both of which I told to the "helpful associate". Anyways the bass amp selection wasnt bad but not great either so as I'm looking the clerk was showing me a few and every other minute would mention the fancy ass traynor rack mount heads that were way out of my price range, (L&M btw partially owns traynor)
As he try's showing me the traynors I notice just off to the side some if the fender rumbles and begin asking about them as I knew fender was generally a good company, the guy tells me they come in many wattages up to 350, although they only had the 50 and 150 in stock,
After finding out the price off a 350 watt head and matching cab I'm happy to find it's within my price range and ask if I can play the 150 and get a feel fir the amp to see if it's something I like. to which he says " uhh are you wouldn't rather try the traynor?" I tell him that no I wouldn't as the traynor stack would be almost twice as much money as the fender,
He tells me I should really give it a **** and I should play both to see which sounds better, after getting fed up I said ok an he proceeded to plug me into the fender 150 watt 115 combo turns it to like two and let's me noodle around while standing like a guard over the volume, after I'm done I agree that I'll try the traynor, so he plugs me into the 700 watt head and with a 410 cab and turns it up to five or six,
As I'm playing the whole freaking room is shaking, an of course with the 700 vs the 150 especially with the different speaker configurations u can imagine which one sounded better at the time, and the guys like "see the traynor is soo much better should I write that up for you?" All while knowing quite well that it was out I'd my pride range and not to mention the side by side test wasn't exactly held on a level playing field,
Anyways I finally got fed up and told him
Flat out that I'd like to order the rumble 350 head and 410 cab, and after trying for
Another ten minutes to change my mind he finally gave in and ordered I saying it would be in in two weeks max which worked for me as I had a bunch of gigs lined up over the next few months and was suck of using my friends ****** peavey combo,
9 WEEKS go by and still no sign of the amp, every week the guy at the store telling me that it would be in "this weeks shipment" finally I got fed up and went to a small and pop store owned by a bass player, he asked what I was looking for in an amp and asked my price point, he showed me their small
Selection and said that if I gave him a few days he could get some more options for me to look at,
The next day I got a call to come in to the store where he had written down a bunch if options explaining each one the pros
And cons of each and the prices, finally I decided that I wanted to try out the shuttle 6.0, and he said he would get it in as soon as possible,
After the run in with L&M I figured it'd be at least another month, but lo
And behold, LATER THAT DAY he had one shipped in and told me to come to the store at closing and we'd crank it right up, Long story short I ended up coming away with it that day with a 410 cab well within my budget as the 410 was one he used in the store to test heads and he face me a discount on it, just goes to
Show you that once again it's the small
Stores that take the time
To help you get what you want, while their big brothers don't give a **** alot of the time
We ended up buying at another local store where the salesman at least interacted with her.
Thats insane! That shop guy scares me, that there is someone that dumb out there in the world...
