I play "Brown Eyed Girl" out of the loudest bass thack they have... just to piss off the guitar players. If that doesn't do it, Margarittaville!!!!!
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Guitar Center Stage Fright!!!
- Thread starter NickInMesa
- Start date
Harry, I completely understand that and my opening post was of course sarcastic.
In a cheapo Squire & Epiphone store, that kids walks in to test a metal pedal, and what should have taken him 2 minutes to decide that the Digitech wonder would be fine for him, turned into 20 minutes of random hammering, only interrupted by super renditions of Iron Man and Smoke On The Water. Of course he was at 11. And of course Mom was impressed.
When I asked the sales guy how he could handle it, he said "handle what?"
My admiration level for guitar store sales people went up two notches that day.
Andy Brown
Commercial User
- Jul 23, 2004
- 5,675
- 312
- Disclosures
- Founder/Owner: Wing Instruments
I usually don't play much at all in GC. When trying out basses, I just play every note on the neck chromatically looking for any deadspots. Half the basses on the floor are unplayable anyway.
Plus as someone else said, you shouldn't really be concerned about what other people think of your playing. Play for you. Accept the fact that there is always someone better than you, and there is someone better than them.
Plus as someone else said, you shouldn't really be concerned about what other people think of your playing. Play for you. Accept the fact that there is always someone better than you, and there is someone better than them.
If I'm trying out basses at GC, I usually 1) play either unplugged or at very low levels, and 2) then play scales and/or 'the spider' (in which I try and play every string at every fret to make sure there aren't any obvious dead spots, frets sticking up too far, etc.). Once in a while I may throw in a partial riff (another one bites the dust, godzilla) but I'm more concerned if the bass is comfortable for me - weight, not to much neck dive, neck feels good in my hands, etc. I also usually go on a weekday morning or early afternoon, so most of the young 'guitard gods' are in school; that way I don't have to listen too much to the wanking...
The real killer for me is when I'm sitting there quietly plinking on an instrument, getting a "feel" for the thing, and some swaggering diety walks up, scoops up the nearest instrument, and shreds something jaw-dropping.
In hindsight, I suppose it's fair to assume they're really not much better than I, and there's a good chance that's the only riff they know, but when I'm on the spot, that's definitely not what goes through my head.
Far more often, the reaction is to hang the guitar/bass back on the wall, slink into the shadows, and vow to go home and practice some more.
In hindsight, I suppose it's fair to assume they're really not much better than I, and there's a good chance that's the only riff they know, but when I'm on the spot, that's definitely not what goes through my head.
Far more often, the reaction is to hang the guitar/bass back on the wall, slink into the shadows, and vow to go home and practice some more.
Actually I'm glad there is a GC around here. I mean what other venue would all the slappers and poppers have to perform?
Absolutely, mrktu9.
When I'm trying out a bass, I want to play something that's difficult for me, especially with the left hand, just to check the feel. Its inevitable I'll screw up.
NickInMesa,
Check out the GC at 101 and Indian Bend. Good guys there.
When I'm trying out a bass, I want to play something that's difficult for me, especially with the left hand, just to check the feel. Its inevitable I'll screw up.
NickInMesa,
Check out the GC at 101 and Indian Bend. Good guys there.
Yeah, I too learned to filter the racket out... but every single night I'd go home with a headache. Every night. No doubt it annoys me more now that I don't sell guitars... When I go to GC to buy strings or a strap, I hear all these kids hacking stuff up.... drives me buggy.
Here's a funny thing I've found about playing at a place like GC: I'm not young, and in no way "cool" looking (even when I was young, I wasn't very cool!) - - I've found that many of the young salesman at GC/Sam Ash/Etc expect there shopping as a mid-life n00b or maybe buying for my kid... I've had more than one guy give me the third degree about playing a nice bass & amp (as if I'm so bad that I might screw something up) to only then see me play and go "Oh. I see. Well - I'll let you check it out...). Not that I'm great, but I *am* pretty good - and I never play loudly (unless I'm seriously considering an amp or cab). Which brings up another thing - What's up with these guys who sit right in front of a bass amp, cranked up, playing boom-boom-boom bass riffs at max volume??? Lord, did I ever do that?!?!? I hope not... Ick!
I can remember having this issue years (many years) ago. Nowadays, I don't give a rat's you-know-what what others think. I fully understand that anything you hear, if you can hear at all, is nowhere near what you'd hear in your situation at home or in your band. So I plink around a bit and check feel, fit and finish and just play scales and such.
I just go in and play what I wanna hear.
Nothing crazy. The most I ever did was when this annoying kid wouldn't shut up about how good he was, I just pretended like I could slap. When he said that was easy, I sweep picked (I barely can
) and he shut up.
Nothing crazy. The most I ever did was when this annoying kid wouldn't shut up about how good he was, I just pretended like I could slap. When he said that was easy, I sweep picked (I barely can
) and he shut up.Schism is actually a pretty easy song (until you get into the instrumental a few minutes in, you'll know the riff change.. It's very slow and melodic but very hard.
EDIT: Schism was actually the third song I learned. I learned Seven Nation Army, then I'm So Sick, Then Schism. I was 11 years old, didn't know a single scale (except on viola) and all I could do was hit notes.
It sounds impressive and is really fun to play, so if you really wanna show off at GC there's an easy option.
Haha. Had to give my kudos on that one.
I HAD NO IDEA HE WAS DEAD!
But really I only heard it all day every day for a week?
SamAsh.
The SamAsh in Raleigh beats the GC by a mile..
No nubcakes hammering random crap, you clan play pretty loud as long as you dont shake and disturb the acoustic players literally 300 feet down the building.. lol.
Drums have a sound-resistant room.
The customer service is soo much better. They don't assume you suck, they assume you know what you're doing, but they keep it simple. Example, they ask what you're looking for and listen openly, then they respond. None of your GC crap.
And a good amount of slap bassists.
I was in Raleigh on spring break, both the Sam Ash and Guitar Center there suck. 
Places that were good: Harry's Guitars, Fat Sound Guitars
I also went to this hole in the wall in Carrboro, what a dump
Places that were good: Harry's Guitars, Fat Sound Guitars
I also went to this hole in the wall in Carrboro, what a dump
I was in Raleigh on spring break, both the Sam Ash and Guitar Center there suck.
Places that were good: Harry's Guitars, Fat Sound Guitars
I also went to this hole in the wall in Carrboro, what a dump
ARE YOU FREAKIN KIDDING!?
THE SAMASH INRALEIGH IS AMAZZING!!!!!!1!!!11
Just a bit of my hardcore mood released up there.
P.S. Who was your sales clerk? Anthony from guitar department is awesome.
EDIT: Wait you live in Minnesota. Raleigh, North Carolina I assume?
Yeah I was in Raleigh visiting some relatives. The Sam Ash was just so boring.......
They were certainly a cut above that GC though, man was that place awful.
They were certainly a cut above that GC though, man was that place awful.
The SamAsh is simply amazing, of course it's one of five stores I've ever visited.. lol
SamAsh here
GC Here
Edwards in Fayetteville (for all your gearheads, nothing else really)
Music & Arts in Fayetteville (for your beginners)
Lockey's in Fayetteville (absolute crap, but an AMAZING repair shop)
