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Is it rude?

#41
Funderbird said:
I've only ever tried a squier from these months ago. I did ask to feel the neck profile on sadowsky and they just blankly said No. I didn't want to plug it in, just wanted to feel the profile of the neck, they further said "If you have the money on you, then it's fine"
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I'd tell them were to go and how to get their if they told me that. Wow i've been in some up tight music stores but that right their takes the cake.:mad:

As for me I would think as a store owner I would love 2 different groups of people. Granted this is just my assumptions.

1.Teenager 16-19
2.Retired musicians.

the first group probably has a part time job with disposable income. When I was 17 I bought a Boss GT6B brand new at damn near full retail without a second thought (back then it was I believe 400 dollars) and a jazz bass like nothing.
New strings all the time,etc. I had a lot more money to spend.

The second group may be seasoned musicians which have some extra money to throw around or perhaps looking to take up a new hobby.
 
#42
Based on the year I spent living in England, I'd have to say that while rudeness is of course universal, Brits nonetheless take the cake. I've always found their service sector especially awful, and could never for the life of me could figure out why consumers there stand for it.
 
#43
Jah Wobble Fan said:
Based on the year I spent living in England, I'd have to say that while rudeness is of course universal, Brits nonetheless take the cake. I've always found their service sector especially awful, and could never for the life of me could figure out why consumers there stand for it.
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Finally! You understand that here in the UK the retailers can be right a-holes.

When I go into Music shops I do try be as professional as possible I go in with a good attitude and try to be friendly to the staff. Being my age, means I have disposable income, as I have no bills to pay or any financial worries, so you'd reckon the staff would take this into consideration? But no, they are always happy to talk to you until you ask to try and it like they just kinda go "ehhh" like I've asked some sort of life changing question... Who knows, maybe I'll go in with a wad of cash one day and make them feel like idiots when they say 'No'. Aw well. Thanks for the many great replies!
 
#45
When I was 16 I lived about 3 miles from Southworth guitars. I used to ride my bike there to ogle the amazing vintage guitars and amps. At the time I could barely afford a pack of strings let alone all the pre CBS Fenders, 50's Gibsons etc.

One day I was the only customer in the shop, minding my own business, not touching anything.

Gil says, "Hey kid, come here. I want you to try this guitar". He opens a case and hands me a beat up old Gibson Futura.

Somewhat puzzled I take the guitar, plug it into a Marshall plexi and bang away for 10 minutes. I carefully hand it back to Gil and he says, "That was the very first Gibson Futura prototype. I wanted you to be able to tell your friends you went to Southworth and played a $250,000.00 guitar". We both had a good laugh.

I'll never forget that day or the kind of shop Gil ran. Everyone was a customer and whether you were Billy Gibbons or a 16 year old kid you were treated the same.

Those are the kind of shops I now chose to spend my money.
 
#47
I see probably 40 or 50 teens a day come into the store, abuse the gear, and then leave. If a teen seems polite and like he is actually considering a purchase at some point, I will absolutely help him out. But the other 99% who walk up and say "HEY BRO IS THERE A REAL DRUM KIT OUT I CAN PLAY? IS THERE A DOUBLE BASS PEDAL I CAN USE??" get a short answer. It's just how it works. That being said, I've never told a kid they couldn't demo a bass but I have seen a lot of kids leave $2,000 guitars leaning against amps and it makes me wish I HAD told them "no".

I know it seems unfair to be stereotyped but try to understand that the associate deals with teenage brats coming in to wank all day long and is jaded beyond belief. We have a duty to try to preserve the gear for someone who actually wants to take it home and sometimes that makes us look like pricks.
 
#48
I'd just add that two things the store might be looking for. First, does your clothing look like it will easily scratch the instrument. Lots of exposed metal is a nonstarter. Second, are your hands clean and we'll maintained. Basically, if you look like you're about to depreciate the instrument by touching it, then they will be rightfully protective. Otherwise, I see no reason for them to be resistant.
 
#50
FaithNoMan said:
...
So I guess I'm rude as well. The guys at Bass Central tried to hand me an Alembic when I asked if I could play a less expensive bass there, a while back. My response: "No....NO. I'm not touching that thing!"
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That's funny! :)

In the mid-80s I had my first job out of graduate school and saved a fair amount of money and I also had my first credit card and they were burning a hole in my pocket. I walked into Apple Music in Portland, OR and said I would like to look at some basses. The guy asked how much I wanted to spend and I said, "there's no limit." While that was not exactly true, I was prepared to spend a LOT of money. The guy walked across the store with me in tow and pointed to a cheap Asian plywood knock-off and said, "We have this one right here." I looked at him and asked, "Are you serious?" He gave this stupid, blank stare so I turned around and walked out. One week later I bought an Alembic from another store and I never returned to Apple again, nor will I. I felt like doing what Julia Roberts did in "Pretty Woman" and walking in there with it and saying, "Big Mistake... Huge," but I didn't. I didn't think they would get the point.
 
#51
Just be upfront with the friendliest guy who works there. I go into stores a lot of the time asking about fretless basses (I've decided that a freltess will be my next purchase) but say that I'm not in a position to buy at the moment. Every time they have been ok with me playing the basses as long as I'm respecting store etiquette. The only problem I have ever had is that a younger guy who has worked at a store told me to stop playing because the bass was "too expensive for me to be playing" (Steve Harris sig) ,after the manager told me it was ok to check stuff out. I've never stepped back in that shop.
 
#53
FloridaSam said:
When I was 16 I lived about 3 miles from Southworth guitars. I used to ride my bike there to ogle the amazing vintage guitars and amps. At the time I could barely afford a pack of strings let alone all the pre CBS Fenders, 50's Gibsons etc.

One day I was the only customer in the shop, minding my own business, not touching anything.

Gil says, "Hey kid, come here. I want you to try this guitar". He opens a case and hands me a beat up old Gibson Futura.

Somewhat puzzled I take the guitar, plug it into a Marshall plexi and bang away for 10 minutes. I carefully hand it back to Gil and he says, "That was the very first Gibson Futura prototype. I wanted you to be able to tell your friends you went to Southworth and played a $250,000.00 guitar". We both had a good laugh.

I'll never forget that day or the kind of shop Gil ran. Everyone was a customer and whether you were Billy Gibbons or a 16 year old kid you were treated the same.

Those are the kind of shops I now chose to spend my money.
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Amazing story. I love it!:bassist:
 
#54
Funderbird said:
Exactly the one, how did you know what guitar shop i was on about then? Same experiences?
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Because you're local to me and you said you'd had rude staff at a guitar shop, Guitar Guitar is hateful place. Matt who works there was a guitarist in my last band and he's alright but there seems to be a staff policy of rudeness and holier-than-thou.

Have you tried Sounds Live on Dean Street? If you wanna meet up and go shopping some time I'll see what I can do to help you out. Word of warning though, I dislike Rickenbackers!


Edit - There's a worse shop in Durham. Don't get me started. I own a really nice rig and some great basses including two Stingrays. I'm the only customer in there, being completely ignored by the shop owner. I ask if I can try out a Streamliner (I ended up buying one online and fining it not for me) and the guy doesn't even look up, just grunts. So I go to pick up a Stingray from the wall (want to test out the amp with 'my' bass) and his dog starts growling at me, really aggressive. I look to the guy for help and he just says "Dont touch the expensive stuff kid". Walked out, never been back.
 
#55
Jack said:
Because you're local to me and you said you'd had rude staff at a guitar shop, Guitar Guitar is hateful place. Matt who works there was a guitarist in my last band and he's alright but there seems to be a staff policy of rudeness and holier-than-thou.

Have you tried Sounds Live on Dean Street? If you wanna meet up and go shopping some time I'll see what I can do to help you out. Word of warning though, I dislike Rickenbackers!


Edit - There's a worse shop in Durham. Don't get me started. I own a really nice rig and some great basses including two Stingrays. I'm the only customer in there, being completely ignored by the shop owner. I ask if I can try out a Streamliner (I ended up buying one online and fining it not for me) and the guy doesn't even look up, just grunts. So I go to pick up a Stingray from the wall (want to test out the amp with 'my' bass) and his dog starts growling at me, really aggressive. I look to the guy for help and he just says "Dont touch the expensive stuff kid". Walked out, never been back.
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I've actually recently purchased from sounds live and every time I go in I just sit and talk to the staff for ages! Was in just talking to Stevie Stoker for like 45 mins the other day, just didn't know they stock Rickenbackers! But if you ever wanna hang out or whatever just PM me on this and I'll contact you through Facebook- if you have one
 
#56
tekdiver500ft said:
It is only rude if you go in there often to try equipment, but then buy from an online entity or other competitor. IMHO, this is nearly unforgivable.
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If the store's price is far too high it's worth giving them a chance to get a bit closer to an online price, but a bricks and mortar store has higher overheads. I am aware that if they have to match online prices they'll go bust, and then there will be no resource locally to try things out at.
 
#58
Funny, I wouldnt buy a car without test drive or a guitar, bass, or amp without test drive, but it's pretty common to buy a new or used motorcycle without a test ride. Even with private sales, unless the owner says "take it for a spin" it's implied that there won't be a ride.
 
#59
I've gone into music stores looking for strings or cables or straps, etc, and I take a look at the guitars and basses, and I'm honest with the sales people--I'm looking, but not buying that day.

And I've had them hand me expensive guitars and basses to try out.

If they're annoyed at me when I don't buy one, I did tell them.

But when I'm considering a guitar or bass I may not be buying that day, but I do let them know I am looking but not buying that day.
I'm seeing what's out there while I set aside money for it.

I've never had an issue.
 
#60
Helaskold said:
I see probably 40 or 50 teens a day come into the store, abuse the gear, and then leave. If a teen seems polite and like he is actually considering a purchase at some point, I will absolutely help him out. But the other 99% who walk up and say "HEY BRO IS THERE A REAL DRUM KIT OUT I CAN PLAY? IS THERE A DOUBLE BASS PEDAL I CAN USE??" get a short answer. It's just how it works. That being said, I've never told a kid they couldn't demo a bass but I have seen a lot of kids leave $2,000 guitars leaning against amps and it makes me wish I HAD told them "no".

I know it seems unfair to be stereotyped but try to understand that the associate deals with teenage brats coming in to wank all day long and is jaded beyond belief. We have a duty to try to preserve the gear for someone who actually wants to take it home and sometimes that makes us look like pricks.
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I wouldn't say that. You're just doing your job. Not everyplace can sell a guitar that's all beat up as new like Guitar Center.
 

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