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Guitar Center fail - but with a twist

#41
phonetic Cantonese for "How much does it cost?":

GAY-daugh-CHEEN-ahhh?

That's "cheen" with the ch sound like the "ch" in "cheese".

(Grew up in Hong Kong). :) Cantonese teacher held me after class one day to ask who I was learning my Cantonese from. I said our maid and asked why? She said I had the worst, Southern, working-class accent she had EVER heard (and she was local Chinese!). :)
 
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#43
MultiScaleMale said:
A couple weeks ago I went to a local Guitar Center, headed to the bass section and plugged into the Markbass Ninja 122 that I was interested. Barely got two notes out and was asked to stop playing. But - it wasn't by an employee. Someone was videoing their sister trying to play a scale on a bass and apparently my shopping was interrupting their video shoot. My initial reaction was not what I wanted to say, so I just walked away which was probably a wise choice. I went back later, but at that point I really wasn't in the mood to buy anything.

Anyways, that was something new for me. Someone claiming the entire bass area as their own so they can video someone playing. Maybe I'm getting old.
Click to expand...

It all depends on how they asked. If was polite, with the "we'll be done in just a moment" then yeah, sure. If it was a demand - I'd tell them to take a hike and turn it up.
 
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#46
If i was there with intent to try a couple amps and take one home i'd have been polite and given them time to do their thing. If OTOH i was just there to soak up some time on my latest GAS obsession, i'd have made a major jackass of myself about it.

In truth, i never go to GC looking to make a major purchase. I'm usually after strings or cords or something. That doesn't mean i don't do a quick turn of the bass room if i've got time and maybe demo something if there's not someone already demoing something, but i would never walk in and try to demo something if someone else was already doing the same thing; which is why it's rare for me to demo stuff at GC. I think my favorite thing in the whole world is to be looking at a bass and have some nimrod take it as a personal challenge to play louder and faster than me.
 
#47
You always have two choices:

1. Be nice, and be a giving person. In this case, you would stop playing, perhaps shop for cables for five minutes, and then come back and try out the amp again.
2. Be a total jerk, and claim your rights. In this case, you would say in a loud voice, "hey man, BACK OFF!!! NO ONE TELLS ME WHAT TO DO!!! GOT IT????"

There is no other choice, and don't pretend there is. Passive aggressive behavior is not for grownups.
 
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#48
I always try to be polite and observant of others time and trying out stuff at any music store. I have been at stores several times and had some one get way to loud for the situation. If I need to try out something at a loud level I do not go on Saturdays.
 
#51
You don't want to get crossways with parents showing off their kids. They would hurt you.
But really? I' surprised at some of these reactions. What is it going to hurt for you to just give them a few minutes.
Where has consideration for others gone in today's world? You're not special. You're not unique. You're just another one of billions trying to get by in the world. If you can't get at least a sliver of joy from helping another human being, you have a problem.
 
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#58
karl_em_all said:
In Batman voice "You want scales? I'll give you scales!" Shred like a madman all while looking at the fella with tongue sticking out. Finish with open E chord, fist in air "WOOO!" and then quietly "you're welcome."

Exit store
Click to expand...

You forgot "drop bass" rather than "drop mic".
 
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#59
mellowinman said:
You always have two choices:

1. Be nice, and be a giving person. In this case, you would stop playing, perhaps shop for cables for five minutes, and then come back and try out the amp again.
2. Be a total jerk, and claim your rights. In this case, you would say in a loud voice, "hey man, BACK OFF!!! NO ONE TELLS ME WHAT TO DO!!! GOT IT????"

There is no other choice, and don't pretend there is. Passive aggressive behavior is not for grownups.
Click to expand...

Pretty much this...

I was at the GC in Hallandale Beach FL on Sunday. Walked in and there was a young guy wailing away on guitar in the "Platinum" room. With his head swiveling around every minute or so to see if anyone was looking. He was behind a closed glass door and it was still obnoxiously loud throughout the whole store. I browsed for about five minutes and out the door I went. Wife was waiting in the car and asked, "what are you doing back so soon?" LOL

If someone asked me for a couple minutes to do a filming of their sister, I think i could afford that in my super busy life... And it certainly wouldn't have been so bad an experience that I felt the need to complain about it.
 
#60
Here's how I suggest dealing with a situation like this. Imagine yourself on your death bed many years from now, looking back over your life, and ask yourself "Was it worth getting annoyed by some stranger asking me to wait three or four minutes in a Guitar Center 50 years ago?"

If it won't bother you on your death bed don't let it bother you now.
 
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