Do you practice any specific lines just for a guitar store, so when you grab one and play you have something super cool to play? Sometimes, Yes I do...
No, but I once got a gig by playing Teen Town in a guitar store.
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Guitar Store chops
- Thread starter sm49341
- Start date
No, but I once got a gig by playing Teen Town in a guitar store.
I usually just improv all over a bass I'm trying out. I don't play any specific lines, or try to show off because I hate when people do that.
How Many More Times and of course, Ramble On are my go to riffs. 
Sometimes I get lucky enough to hear a guitar guy playing some random 12 bar blues and I'll jam with him, turns into a cool moment.
Sometimes I get lucky enough to hear a guitar guy playing some random 12 bar blues and I'll jam with him, turns into a cool moment.
Read this far and still can't get my pointy old head around "guitar store chops." It figures.
But seriously, if it feels right and looks solid, I wanna play the length of the neck on each string to check for buzzies, then play any damn thing across the strings up and down the neck to check response, balance, &c. If playing thru a "guitar store amp," I do it at low volume and flat EQ, so I can evaluate the instrument's controls against a known tone. (Not to be confused with the Known Unknown Tone.)
Back in Austin, it was all too common to be diddling on some guitar or another and have an 8-yr-old take down a Strat or Tele and start reeling off the SRV licks. Oy vey. But guess what? Last time I was there and had time to visit a few of the stores, well, the disdainful snob-oid store guys (probably Steely Dan fans...) are still there- i.e., not out thrilling the world with their chops either.
And for the womens, well, many, many of the best bassists I heard in Austin were women. And any doubts of the "can women play?" variety should be quickly settled by a perusal of the "Classical" section of your local record (?) store- note the bazillions of virtuoso performers of the female persuasion! 'Nuff said!
But seriously, if it feels right and looks solid, I wanna play the length of the neck on each string to check for buzzies, then play any damn thing across the strings up and down the neck to check response, balance, &c. If playing thru a "guitar store amp," I do it at low volume and flat EQ, so I can evaluate the instrument's controls against a known tone. (Not to be confused with the Known Unknown Tone.)
Back in Austin, it was all too common to be diddling on some guitar or another and have an 8-yr-old take down a Strat or Tele and start reeling off the SRV licks. Oy vey. But guess what? Last time I was there and had time to visit a few of the stores, well, the disdainful snob-oid store guys (probably Steely Dan fans...) are still there- i.e., not out thrilling the world with their chops either.
And for the womens, well, many, many of the best bassists I heard in Austin were women. And any doubts of the "can women play?" variety should be quickly settled by a perusal of the "Classical" section of your local record (?) store- note the bazillions of virtuoso performers of the female persuasion! 'Nuff said!
I'll run several bars of The Lemon Song, a little Jaco-esque Funky Broadway, and walk some blues changes. Sometimes I'll just noodle on My Sharona until someone gives me "the look"... typically all of about 2.7 seconds 
Now this got me wondering... what are the best guitar store chops for metal?
Now this got me wondering... what are the best guitar store chops for metal?
Fat Steve
The poodle bites, the poodle chews it.
I'll run several bars of The Lemon Song, a little Jaco-esque Funky Broadway, and walk some blues changes. Sometimes I'll just noodle on My Sharona until someone gives me "the look"... typically all of about 2.7 seconds
Now this got me wondering... what are the best guitar store chops for metal?
HA! When I get "the look", I dig in deeper and turn up a little louder.
As far as best guitar store chops for metal, it seems every kid that picks up a guitar can play Master of Puppets, so perhaps Les Claypools rendition of the song on bass would take the title?.
GrumpiusMaximus
I've Seen Things You People Wouldn't Believe
I agree wholeheartedly.
The last time I tried out an instrument in a store, I actually assessed several. Rather than simply ripping nonsense scales out for effect, I played the instruments up and down the neck chromatically using all of the switching options. In this case it was a guitar, so I tried out a few open chords and then a drop tuning. I finally finished off with a few parts of songs that I knew, with the volume down. The process took about five minutes, including giving the instrument an initial visual inspection.
I think I must've tried out four or five guitars. I did the same with each of them, narrowed the field and finally got the one that I liked - which also happened to be the cheapest!
Now, if only I can my tube amp at home sounding halfway decent...
Well with me being young I tend to get a lot of looks from the 20 year olds who think they are really good. So with that being said I throw out malignant narcissism by rush and they kinda keep staring. oh and i forgot to add i slap smoke on the water a few times, sometimes i hit the E string and just let it ring out.
Oh yeah, Sunshine of Your Love! That is another one of the songs that I only know 15 seconds of, yet am able to play for 45 minutes straight at full volume in a Guitar Center...
Ya know, back in the '80s I was constantly touring Guitar Centers nation-wide performing my art, usually focusing on Takin' Care of Buisness, but hitting all the standards. Years back the touring got to be too difficult, so I auditioned 17-year-olds locally near each Guitar Center Location. The selected few in each town, were chosen for enthusiasm, and the strange quality of tenacity - yet a short attention span. Now I have a huge TEAM of guys working in shifts all over the United States, filling Guitar Centers with my art.
If you are older, you may have seen me, but recently it was probably one of my students.
Oh yeah, I also taught them all how to write tab and post it on the internet. I have done more to infuence the modern amateur musician than anyone in history!
Dude do you have tabs for Highway to Hell? I can pick an open A string really good, but I need help remembering when to move over to the D string.
lol, funny observation OP
I'm too unorganised, I generally drop into shops on a whim while travelling since we don't have much here, I forget the more difficult lines I'm working on, then wish I'd practiced something, then just noodle and see what comes out.
And (at least so far), walk out without having my heart stolen...
I'm too unorganised, I generally drop into shops on a whim while travelling since we don't have much here, I forget the more difficult lines I'm working on, then wish I'd practiced something, then just noodle and see what comes out.
And (at least so far), walk out without having my heart stolen...
@Whousedtoplay-
Sarah Brown! That's what I'm talkin' about! The blues-bass goddess of Antone's!
And I see/hear there are folks from after my time there rockin' the bottom...
@All You Wise-n-heimers- Great! I always thought there had to be GC-wanker-conspiracy of some sort afoot. [Confession: As a young wannabe-guitarist I no doubt gave many a salesperson migraines with my, er, "abilities." So, isn't it about time for a guitar-store-wankers-of-yesteryear "Reunion Tour?" Let our half-a%%ed renditions of "Stairway" and "Sunshine" echo across the land! Salespersons, be afraid! Very, very, very afraid!]
Sarah Brown! That's what I'm talkin' about! The blues-bass goddess of Antone's!
And I see/hear there are folks from after my time there rockin' the bottom...
@All You Wise-n-heimers- Great! I always thought there had to be GC-wanker-conspiracy of some sort afoot. [Confession: As a young wannabe-guitarist I no doubt gave many a salesperson migraines with my, er, "abilities." So, isn't it about time for a guitar-store-wankers-of-yesteryear "Reunion Tour?" Let our half-a%%ed renditions of "Stairway" and "Sunshine" echo across the land! Salespersons, be afraid! Very, very, very afraid!]
The only time I've plugged a bass into an amp in a guitar store was to check out bass amps. I plug into an amp, play the open E string, plug into the next amp, play the open E, etc. Usually finished in a minute or so. Sometimes the store manager comes by to say something like "Finally, someone who knows what he's doing."
I play a lot of really basic open sting/octave stuff just to get an idea of how a bass sounds.
I really don't play any real songs when trying out basses in any case.
I DO occasionally pull out some super complicated triple stop chording stuff, but only if I get a wannabe Flea or Justin Chancellor trying to one up me.
I really don't play any real songs when trying out basses in any case.
I DO occasionally pull out some super complicated triple stop chording stuff, but only if I get a wannabe Flea or Justin Chancellor trying to one up me.
Just got back from slapping Brickhouse in ALL 12 keys. Definitely a mind-blower...Only took 48 minutes.
I may just head to GC. I'm feeling inspired. First, I'll get the tabs to Super Freak. It's gonna be HOT!
I once joked with a guitar store employee about how many times a day he heard some noob butcher "Smoke on the Water", so the next time I was in there I played the most elaborate rendition of that song I could preform. It had harmonics, aggressive slap, tap, quadruple stops, that thing where you bend a harmonic by push down on the string between the nut and the tuner, some 32th notes, and probably some other tricks. I played the holy bajeezus out of that song. Nobody played anything for the rest of the time I was there, to be honest I felt kind of awkward after play it, I think I may have pissed off every costumer in the store.
bongomania
Commercial User
