OK, I get it. My bad.

[Bullitt5135]

Last Friday, I found an amp head on CL I wanted to buy. The seller suggested meeting at a neutral location, which made me think of a little guitar shop located half way between us. I go in there occasionally, and the owner has always been exceeding friendly and cool -- we have mutual friends and I even asked him to try out for my band a while back. So I meet the seller at the shop -- I went inside first to talk to the owner. I reminded him who I was, etc., and asked if he was OK with me plugging in a head just to see if it worked. Before he could even answer, another employee (I take it he might have been the GM) chimed in... "You want to do WHAT? No way man, that's totally not cool. I'm trying to run a business here, and I can't just have people coming in here using my stuff with no intention of buying anything." The owner just shrugged his shoulders and didn't say anything.

Whatever. I get it. I was probably being a bit of a DB for even asking. I told him 'no problem, just thought I'd ask, thanks anyway.' I went outside and closed the deal there. Afterword, I went back in to take a quick lap of the shop and tell the owner no hard feelings, my bad, etc. I did think it was ironic, however, that two teenagers were in there wailing on expensive guitars (loudly and badly, I might add). Must be the manager is selective on how he applies the "using my stuff with no intention of buying anything" policy. In the future, I guess I'll pick up a cheap power inverter so I can plug in and demo stuff in my car.

 

[Gluvhand]

I don't think he's being selective. The teenagers were trying his guitars. They may have had no intention of buying but who knows? You, on the other hand, were definitely not putting anything in their pocket. This time at least. The owner could have over ruled the GM though considering the relationship. I see both sides.

 

[zontar]

I don't think he's being selective. The teenagers were trying his guitars. They may have had no intention of buying but who knows? You, on the other hand, were definitely not putting anything in their pocket. This time at least. The owner could have over ruled the GM though considering the relationship. I see both sides.

Exactly--never make assumptions about customers either way.

When I was younger & had not money but was dreaming and saving up and checking out options for what to buy when I was able to, I went to places that had treated me well when I wasn't going to buy at that time.

Plus--some teens have a ton of cash and/or rich parents.
Some older guys have little cash.

 

[Savage_Dreams]

also, you were just going to try out a head right? were you going to plug into one of his cabs? think of his side, someone he doesnt know, brings an unknown piece of equipment in, the head is bad, fries his cab.

 

[Pilgrim]

I think the OP had a lot of balls to ask. Not cool, not polite, not considerate. Rude.

 

[Robert B]

If I'd been the GM, I'd have said, "Sure, come on in." I'd figure I'd get them through the door where they could see what I have to offer and I'd make them feel relaxed and welcome. If they leave the store with positive feelings, they may just be back when they're looking to buy something. Business is about more than just buying and selling - it's about building relationships. Anyway, that's my opinion.

 

[xgator4u]

Maybe if Right in the beginning you had offered them a few bucks for the electricity and use of one of his cabs, you know kind of a goodwill gesture.
BUT think of it like taking some BBQ you bought from a street vendor into a restaurant, and asking them if it would be O.K. to use one of their booths to try the BBQ out.

 

[zontar]

I can see both points, and certainly if it's your store you can choose whichever answer you want to give.
I would never dream of asking the same question though.

 

[lfmn16]

Next time you need your guitar set up, go see your repairman and ask if you can use his bench, or next time you need an oil change, drive into Jiffy Lube and ask if you can use their tools, or bring your food to a diner and ask if you can use the grill. These people are in business to make money.

 

[bobalu]

With respect (and I think you figured this out on your own afterward), why would you even think that was o.k. to do? Using the guy's music store for your personal CL equipment purchase try out? Not cool. Chalk it up under "lesson's learned". No harm. (at least you asked the owner first!). So are you happy with the amp head?

 

[David Jayne]

Maybe if you'd bought a set of strings or a cable or something first..... grease the wheels a little.

 

[obimark]

I went down to Burger King and I had a bag of frozen french fries I bought at Wal-Mart- I told them I wanted to cook them up in their fryer for my friends...

 

[zontar]

Actually I know someone who is a celiac and he takes rice bread into Subway and they make him a sandwich with it & their toppings--although they charge him the full price.
Not quite the same--but some places will make exceptions for some scenarios--but I can't think of a health one for testing an amp with a cab.

 

[mellowinman]

In 1986, I rolled into Boulder, CO in a 1972 VW Super Beetle, with the 1600 cc engine. It was an amazing car for a Beetle; it went a lot faster than my previous 1200 cc '68. The entire exhaust fell off, and I called a couple of places about getting it fixed, and they all wanted more than I could possibly come up with. I was homeless, jobless, and new in town. I used to do this, back in those days, just roll into town with nothing and start fresh.
I called a guy who sold VW parts, and I could just afford the exhaust system, with maybe enough left to eat dinner, if I didn't want anything very good. I went to his store, and he asked me if I had any experience with working on VW's, and I said I didn't. I told him my sad tale, and he let me pull around to the back of his store, and he lent me the Chilton's guide to VW's, and the tools I needed to do the job. I managed to replace the exhaust system, and almost didn't get a job waiting tables, because of my dirty black fingernails, but luckily the guy doing the hiring was gay, and thought I was cute.

So every now and then, a business owner will go that extra mile, and do something selfless, but it helps if you're actually BUYING SOMETHING.

 

[xgator4u]

Plus
In 1986 the world was a MUCH more friendly place.

 

[A-Step-Towards]

Well aircooled VW people are awesome .

You ask to do that stuff guitar center but not at a mom and pop place. Also I was that teenager at one point and I ended up buying my 2nd bass from a mom and pop shop in town that let me play a few and were courteous to me. It was a Fender MIM P special with a gig bag I had saved for it all summer. Then 3 years later I ended up working for them and he remembered the bass I bought. Dont judge a book by its cover.

 

[AciDBatH666]

Reminds me of the guy that started a thread here yesterday saying he tried out basses at a brick and mortar shop for 3 hours and the owner was pissed that he didn't buy anything.

 

[Salicete]

You asked politely, you didn't assume. I don't think you did anything wrong.

I'd say the guy who was rude to you about it has no customer skills, and likely drove away a potential future customer.

Had he let you simply plug in, he would have generated goodwill with you and likely good word of mouth advertising. I would have taken the opportunity to try to sell you a cab to go with the amp.

 

[zontar]

I've spent considerable time at some stores checking out stuff without buying, but I let the people there know ahead of time that I wasn't buying that day, but would be down the road.
Those that treated me well were more likely to get repeat business.
And with both my last guitar & bass purchases I did go back to the stores I'd spent the most time at and had the most help from--and I have been back to both for other purchases as well

 

[SirChallsA]

If I'd been the GM, I'd have said, "Sure, come on in." I'd figure I'd get them through the door where they could see what I have to offer and I'd make them feel relaxed and welcome. If they leave the store with positive feelings, they may just be back when they're looking to buy something. Business is about more than just buying and selling - it's about building relationships. Anyway, that's my opinion.

That's how I felt about the situation as well. If you're in a small mom and pops style business competing with industry Goliath's like Guitarcenter and the like... you have to be a charismatic person and hire similar types of people. I don't know if you guys have ever been to a "Dutch Bros. Coffee" but they are obligated to be over the top friendly and ask things like "What are you guys doing tonight?" Sometimes they come off as fake or whatever but, fake friendly is 100% of the time better than an jerk. At least they're giving you some kind of NON negative attention.
If I owned a music store it would fail because I'm not charismatic. I wouldn't have turned down a potential future customer though. I would have suggested he make a purchase of some sort if he wanted to use my cabs though: "You could think about buying a pack of picks or strings and I would let you use the cab." Maybe that would be reasonable to the guy who's purchasing a new amp head and wanting to test it. You make a sale, small as it is... but you're also not telling the guy you won't compromise for his sake.
If you're cool like that he could potentially leave you a good review on Yelp or perhaps go onto a forum like Talkbass.com and mention that it was an awesome experience haha.

Rock on people! \m/