Music stores and amps complaint

[buldog5151bass]

Try speaking the them first (owner or manager). Tell them you want to make a substantial purchase, but would like to actually demo what they have. Hopefully they will work out a time when you can do so.

 

[dbsfgyd1]

Actually more of a disappointing observance.

I remember when music stores of all shapes and sizes also had a host of amps and cabs, from the mighty to the mini, for sale.
Yea, they’d let you hook up a bass to any of them but because of limited space a d usually a room full of other customers picking away on acoustics, and a kid D-tuning everything he picks up.
You know the drill

The bad thing about selecting a new amp is that everything must be at a controlled volume level.
The Acoustic B-200 gets the same treatment as the boulder crushing Ampeg 1000 on the 8x10 cabinet. No way to check anything for “headroom “ as to say, or run through a gambit of settings, volume, tone etc.
Sit in front of the speaker and listen to it whisper
so what do people do now, especially with most purchases being internet sales where you can’t try before you buy ?
Just curious.
Thanks…

I don’t buy rigs often, but when I do, usually I’ll take a cue from someone else’s rig that I like.

 

[jnewmark]

retailers chose their inventory based on what sells on their specific location.

I can’t imagine not being able to get a decent tone from Ampeg ,GK, or acoustic, so i understand the store’s viewpoint.

It does seem like the thread is derailing though

I agree with # 1. #2 I really don't think they care about a bass player's need for tone because see #1.

 

[edencab]

rental option?...I'd try to rent something if I was semi serious about buying it...you should know in a month if it works for your needs, tone, power etc

 

[dune]

Now, I'm the first to admit that I don't have "golden ears", and back before the internet, checking gear out in a store only ever told me what it sounded like right there in the store and little to nothing about how it was going to work for me on stage. Because of that, I came to rely heavily on public opinion, even pre-internet.

 

[songwriter21]

Actually more of a disappointing observance.

I remember when music stores of all shapes and sizes also had a host of amps and cabs, from the mighty to the mini, for sale.
Yea, they’d let you hook up a bass to any of them but because of limited space a d usually a room full of other customers picking away on acoustics, and a kid D-tuning everything he picks up.
You know the drill

The bad thing about selecting a new amp is that everything must be at a controlled volume level.
The Acoustic B-200 gets the same treatment as the boulder crushing Ampeg 1000 on the 8x10 cabinet. No way to check anything for “headroom “ as to say, or run through a gambit of settings, volume, tone etc.
Sit in front of the speaker and listen to it whisper
so what do people do now, especially with most purchases being internet sales where you can’t try before you buy ?
Just curious.
Thanks…

If you don't mind used (and saving money), try GC's used site. I've tried TONS of stuff, risk-free, because of their 45-day return period. Plus, you can just return stuff to your nearest GC, and get everything refunded (shipping, too, if something is wrong with the piece).

 

[shoot-r]

I have worked in a music store. Weekend part time at the now defunct Samuel’s in Effingham Illinois did that for about 5 years. And that was a looonnnng time ago. And what you say is very truthful and honest.
But like you’re saying it’s really hard to get a good evaluation when couped up indoors

I believe our keyboard/guitar/vocal player also used to work at the Effingham Samuel's store, I'll have to ask him at tonight's job to be sure.

I myself spent some time at the Effingham Samuel's store putting finger prints on the basses. Really miss those brick and mortar stores!

As for trying (new) equipment before purchase. I'll make a list mostly from reviews and comments from T.B. of what "I think my ears will like", get on the website's of supposedly stocking dealers in Champaign, Indianapolis and St. Louis, then get on the phone and call those brick and mortar stores to confirm they actually have what I want to try, spend the time, effort and money to make the road trip.
I won't buy a instrument, amp or cab without playing through it first hand.

 

[Passinwind]

so what do people do now, especially with most purchases being internet sales where you can’t try before you buy ?
Just curious.
Thanks…

Talkbass GTGs have given me more real world insight into bass rigs than anything else, ever. Well worth an overnight hotel stay to me, or even a cross country trip in one case.

 

[6thplanet]

We just lost another mom and pop store here this week. When I do shop, I try to keep it local. We do have some nice stores left, but the world is definitely a different place now.

 

[rapidfirerob]

Think carefully about purchasing it, then do so. Return it if you don't like it.

 

[Old Blastard]

My local shop is great. But to get a shot at the Genzler amp and array cabs I thought I wanted -- bassed on 12 years gigging a Genz-Benz combo -- I had to go elsewhere. Luckily, @RocketMusic is only 2 hours or so from my house and Greg set aside a couple of hours on a Saturday and let me play all the Genzler stuff, some Bergantino and his G Gould basses.

Had a great time and walked out the door with what I wanted.

Pretty much the only way to do it now, I reckon, other than buy/flip

 

[Gopherbassist]

My favorite local store has a sound dampened room for their amps. You can get pretty loud in there and not bother anyone.

 

[Clark Westfield]

I have been very fortunate using TB for advice when buying amps.

Never tried a Bergantino, but I knew there was a ton of players more seasoned than myself, that I leaned on for advice.

Purchased it without ever touching one.

Thrilled with the new head.

Loved doing my research first, and then pulling the trigger was easy.

 

[Rip Van Dan]

Actually more of a disappointing observance.

I remember when music stores of all shapes and sizes also had a host of amps and cabs, from the mighty to the mini, for sale.
Yea, they’d let you hook up a bass to any of them but because of limited space a d usually a room full of other customers picking away on acoustics, and a kid D-tuning everything he picks up.
You know the drill

The bad thing about selecting a new amp is that everything must be at a controlled volume level.
The Acoustic B-200 gets the same treatment as the boulder crushing Ampeg 1000 on the 8x10 cabinet. No way to check anything for “headroom “ as to say, or run through a gambit of settings, volume, tone etc.
Sit in front of the speaker and listen to it whisper
so what do people do now, especially with most purchases being internet sales where you can’t try before you buy ?
Just curious.
Thanks…

Back in 1985 when I was working PT for Apple Music in Portland, OR, we had a number of rooms set up along the back wall where we kept our Marshall amps and cabs. The rest of the amps and cabs you could check out on the floor of the music store, but with Marshall amps at the time, you had to run them loud to get the sound they were famous for. So we had them in three rooms. When not demoing them we could use those rooms for lessons and we actually had more rooms in the back for lessons too.

Not just anybody could come in and try out one of the Marshall stacks though. They needed to be serious buyers and from time to time guitarists from famous bands would pop in because they needed another one. Other than that, you better not be a tire kicker or you would be shown from the room quickly. We'd also bop into one of those rooms when someone was trying out Martin acoustics so they could get a better idea of how they sounded without all the racket from a busy day on the main section of the store.

 

[Micha84]

I was that person when I was fifteen years old. Going to a music store, play all the guitars, crank everything up and not a dime to my name to actually buy anything That store was my playground.

I am going to buy a new amp in a few days, and the internet really helps getting a lot of information beforehand so you can make a preselection and have an idea what to look for when in stores. But that is also part of the problem, because now you are looking for things that they don't have.

The smart thing would be to order and make use of the return policy, I guess. And although stores like Thomann explicitly advertise for that, I would somehow feel guilty doing it. So I'll go to my old playground in a few days and see what they have available. I'll try not to turn up too much.

 

[gtirard]

I was that person when I was fifteen years old. Going to a music store, play all the guitars, crank everything up and not a dime to my name to actually buy anything That store was my playground.

I am going to buy a new amp in a few days, and the internet really helps getting a lot of information beforehand so you can make a preselection and have an idea what to look for when in stores. But that is also part of the problem, because now you are looking for things that they don't have.

The smart thing would be to order and make use of the return policy, I guess. And although stores like Thomann explicitly advertise for that, I would somehow feel guilty doing it. So I'll go to my old playground in a few days and see what they have available. I'll try not to turn up too much.

Agree. When I was 20, I used to spend a lot of time in music stores, in Paris Pigalle.

Now I read Talkbass and buy online, and I've been lucky so far. I keep thinking that I should not buy online, that I should always try before buying, but most of the gear I'm interested in is only available online.

 

[Guitalia]

Go work in a music store for a couple weeks, then we'll talk.

No store I ever worked in minded IF you wanted to rattle the walls for a minute or two. But too many cats wanted to just KEEP wailing and it's hard on the guy trying out Martins and Taylors, you can't hear the phone calls you try and answer etc.

And I've heard 'Eruption' 900 kinds of BAD. And bass guys? Take it from me, everybody CAN'T slap like Louis Johnson or Marcus Miller, sometimes you wonder if anyone plays bass with a pick or their fingers any more.

Strangely, guys that could really play, would plug in for just a few minutes, done. Bedroom Beginners or the Truly Half-Assed would wear out their welcome and get on everyone's last nerve (and they can't tune at gunpoint, so there's that to twist the knife a little more) and just keep going to where you'd eventually have to go stop them.

Like most situations in life, if you're reasonable, the people you're dealing with will be as well.

Back in the days when Peavey was the go-to bass amp for local bands, and when the better music stores had at least a couple of dozen bass amps ready to be tested, a friend of mine asked me to help him check out amps. The sales guy brought over a bass and a cable and watched as I tried out the Peavey amps.

I went down the line, plugging into each Peavey in succession, in increasing price order. Turned up the amp, hit the open E, unplugged and moved to the next, hit the open E, unplugged, and continued until I reached the model second from the top, which was the first to produce the full sound I was looking for. "That's the one," I said. Elapsed time: about a minute. The salesman said, "I never saw anyone do that before.." Gratefully, I'd imagine.

 

[el murdoque]

The last time I checked out an amp in a brick and mortar store, the guy literally told me to go home and order it from their website, because that purchase comes with free delivery and 30 day free return, no questions asked.

He said all I could do here is checking it out in a music store, which has nothing to do with my rehearsal or stage situation.

 

[jimmydean]

For the last 20 years or so , I just order gear and try them out at home or on a gig to see how they do . It's too difficult to test some gear in stores with multi bassist and guitarist playing too loud or the "slappers" going for broke .