So I just found out a Mom & Pop music store about an hour away is a G&L Bass dealer. So I drove over after work today to try one out. He had a rather large selection of USA models hanging on the wall. I was impressed because he's mainly a drum dealer and I had never thought to shop there for a bass. In front of the wall of guitars was a row of amps that blocked access to the wall of basses. So after some idle chit chat with the owner, I asked if I could try the beautiful JB bass hanging on the wall. He said, Sorry but unless you plan on buying it today, we don't let people play them. We like to sell them in un-played condition. He said he had a few tribute models around he used as demos, but he sold them. I was flabbergasted, and said I'm not really prepared to buy without trying and left. I know these are relatively expensive and he doesn't want every hack in there slapping away on them, But I think I look responsible. Is this normal? I've never run into this before. Sure wanted to try one out to see how it felt.
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Bizarre Bass Shopping Experience
- Thread starter Gary G
- Start date
No. That's not normal. The last time that happened to me, I was 13 and probably didn't look old enough to be responsible. When that happened, I actually had the cash in pocket to buy the bass I wanted to try out. When they said no, I purchased from somewhere else that would let me play the instrument first.
What a joke, talk about sales prevention! I would have told him I was planning on buying, played it and then told him to F off...or better told him thanks and that you are now going to buy it online. You need to out this dealer!!!
Wow. What a tool. That is absolutely not normal. Take your business to someone who actually wants your business.
Max
Max
DiabolusInMusic
Functionless Art is Merely Tolerated Vandalism
Yeah... an unboxed bass in a music store has never been played... ha!
He just means he doesn't want you playing it.
He just means he doesn't want you playing it.
Ha! Strange to use internet sales tactics at a brick and mortar shop. Maybe the owner is some kind of savant.
Or not.
Or not.
Maybe the "idiot" part of idiot savant. Unless the OP is 13 and wearing a sandpaper jacket, what kind of idiot would not let a potential customer try a bass hanging on his wall.... even when supervised?
A Long & McQuade (Canada's biggest music retailer) near me has 5-6 Foderas, a Smith, Dingwalls and tons of MIA Fenders and EBMM basses that are in reach or will be handed to a player that wants to try them. Again, Dan the manager (great dude and TBer) may not let the teenager with the studded belt and wristbands immediately play the $11,000 Custom Fodera he has in a display case, but I highly doubt many other people would be told they had to buy a bass before playing it.
Idiotic. I wouldn't buy a Squier Affinity from a retail store without trying it first.
The chance to actually play and feel a product before buying is the main advantage of a brick and mortar store, and I tend to support their willingness to stock products I like by buying from them rather than trying and then buying cheaper online.
This store would get no money from me.
This store would get no money from me.
Were you prepared to buy today or did you just want to "try one out"?
Not saying it's necessarily right but I've seen this kind of situation before, not that big of a deal to be honest, at least in my opinion. You're for sure right to want to try before you buy, but at the same time I can understand his position. If you're really serious about buying then and there he should have went ahead and pulled it down given you a few minutes play time under close supervision.
After he says that you say "I definitely plan on buying it". Go use the washroom, don't wash your hands after, try the bass.
Play every single note. Touch the tuners, bridge, all the knobs. Then you ask him to hold the bass while you grab your wallet. Once he takes the bass, sniff your hand, point and laugh at him and leave the store.
I do it all the time. Think about that next time you waltz into a store and want to try some basses.
Play every single note. Touch the tuners, bridge, all the knobs. Then you ask him to hold the bass while you grab your wallet. Once he takes the bass, sniff your hand, point and laugh at him and leave the store.
I do it all the time. Think about that next time you waltz into a store and want to try some basses.
And that's why store owners like the one in the op get to be the way they are, stop being the problem.
The bass is much less likely to 'speak to me' from the wall, as it is from a few minutes of carefully playing it
Yes boss. Whatever you say...actually all you people going to shops for a pack of strings and feel like you need to detour over to the basses to try one, even though you have no intention of buying it. Because you just went in for strings, are the problem. (Mic drop).
You'd have to agree that those people of which you speak whose hygiene is less than stellar are worse though, I also doubt store owners take kindly to their mics being dropped.
You do realize that every single bass on every single music store wall will be bought by someone that walks into the store, right? A large percentage of these purchases will be made by people that came in to buy strings, picks, a cable, etc.
Ok, you guys got me. I was totally joking in my first two posts. Well, sort of.
You see I'm a bit of a germiphobe. I used to enjoy going into shops and trying new stuff. Until one day I noticed some dude diggin for gold, and then grabbing a nice Fender deluxe jazz of the wall and playing it. I was so disgusted I can't play anything off the rack anymore.
I'm sure the majority of adults have a decent hygiene regime. But I swear I'll never pull an instrument off the wall again..eww..eww
You see I'm a bit of a germiphobe. I used to enjoy going into shops and trying new stuff. Until one day I noticed some dude diggin for gold, and then grabbing a nice Fender deluxe jazz of the wall and playing it. I was so disgusted I can't play anything off the rack anymore.
I'm sure the majority of adults have a decent hygiene regime. But I swear I'll never pull an instrument off the wall again..eww..eww
