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Sam Ash is closing all stores, evidently
- Thread starter Matt Power
- Start date
Slightly off topic but I wanna know how so many brick and mortars are shuttering but Best Buy STILL lingers 
that place..
that place..
Not at all surprised. My experiences with the Dallas store have always been negative.
Most recently, I wanted to trade one of my basses for one they had on line. I call to find out if I could bring the bass to trade to the Dallas store and have the one I wanted to purchase shipped to the store. The refused to do that.
Every time I've been to that store, it was impossible to get an employee to assist with a purchase.
They will not be missed.
Most recently, I wanted to trade one of my basses for one they had on line. I call to find out if I could bring the bass to trade to the Dallas store and have the one I wanted to purchase shipped to the store. The refused to do that.
Every time I've been to that store, it was impossible to get an employee to assist with a purchase.
They will not be missed.
Here's my business analysis of Sam Ash.
The nearest store location is in Hollywood. I went there once about 15 years ago and they didn't have anything I was looking for, and I'd be lying if I said I was fond of Hollywood. Maybe the store was much better and worth going to 35 years ago.
The nearest store location is in Hollywood. I went there once about 15 years ago and they didn't have anything I was looking for, and I'd be lying if I said I was fond of Hollywood. Maybe the store was much better and worth going to 35 years ago.
not surprising.
the few folks i've known who worked for them in recent years never really had much positive to say about them.
the few folks i've known who worked for them in recent years never really had much positive to say about them.
Can’t say I’m not surprised. Guitar center at least has musicians friend and they still have had their troubles.
I used to live near a famous shop that was like that. They deal both in high end vintage and new stuff but have a reputation for being jerks in the store. I'd use them for smaller stuff in a pinch because I lived in the neighborhood, and their repair guy was the best one in the area so I'd work with him too. Otherwise it was bad.
IMO that has nothing to do with the times. I talked to an EE at the Atlanta store a while back, and they told me that their accounting ERP system is 15-20 years old. No upgrades. Not sure if that was true, but I didn't have the feeling it was just BS. At that store in particular, you could see that there was no investment in a long time.
I used to shop at Sam Ash when there were only 4-5 locations, all in NY. Queens Blvd was the closest to me at that time but 48st was the Mecca. The staff at all the locations was pretty knowledgeable and pretty consistent. I hadn't been in a Sam Ash for almost 20 years until approx. 6 years and haven't been back since.
I wish. I love as many opportunities for a kid to walk in, pick up a guitar, and experience the whole shebang. The economy and business model have pretty much decimated the company. If you doubt what I'm telling you, go to a SA in two weeks and ask upper management if they've been informed. A sad time for the industry, but as Father Geddy tells us in the book of Neil 21:12 "He knows change is not permanent, but change is."
In a perfect world, we'd have a well stocked Sweetwater in every major city. That would obliterate a lot of competition. If you've been to SW in Indiana, you know what I mean. Great stuff for players if every level and budget, a ton in stock, a very competent setup department, etc. All the things Sam Ash don't have. GC's setup department at the majority of stores produce average work at best, as we all know. Not bashing, just stating the very obvious.
No idea about the web side, but the brick and mortar will probably be replaced with a Party City or Halloween Super Store. LOL
The last time I was in a Sam Ash store was in 2017, and it was the Sam Ash Drum Shop (I'm primarily a drummer) in L.A. They had a killer selection and the staff was really cool. I didn't buy anything in store, but I ended up ordering my current kit from them online and they were great.
Will them closing their locations realistically affect me? Nope. Do I still think it's sad? Sure.
Will them closing their locations realistically affect me? Nope. Do I still think it's sad? Sure.
Aaand, you heard it here at TB first, folks.
Going into a Sam Ash over the last 10 or more years was like watching a NASCAR crash, but slower.
Yeah... the place in particular that I'm thinking of doesn't really have any shadiness, but... they're pretentious to deal with. They will actually refuse to take items for sale/trade on the basis of brand. I once took some gear to trade, and amongst those items was my Markbass Compressore. The owner of the store, honest to god, took one look at the pedal and refused to take it on the basis that Markbass is a Guitar Center brand. As if that's ever stopped any other shop ever from selling Markbass gear secondhand? Plus, the nearest GC is almost an hour away. I don't see why it's any advantage to do this, unless maybe it's some weird contractual obligation related to their distributor? I feel like if it was something outside of his control, he'd have been more apologetic or sympathetic about it.
On top of all this, despite the store being very well-stocked with all sorts of new gear, I can guarantee with about 90% certainty that every time I walk in, I will not find anything I actually want to buy. The large part of this, I feel, is that they entirely lack a "used" section... in fact, a stroll through the store would give the impression that they don't sell used gear at all. They do, but they will only put something used into inventory if it's something that they already carry.
Say all you want about GC or Sam Ash, but their used section is often the most interesting and enticing part of the store. Take that away, and with plentiful but boring new stock, it's pretty much a guarantee that I will never find anything I might want in there.
This is sad news for me. I’m fortunate to have been a customer, a vendor partner and had the chance to meet the Ash’s, Barry Horowitz and many of theirstore managers. All of them were first call people who were great to do business with.
I'm sad to hear about all these brick and mortar stores closing.
As others have said, life was better before the internet. I'm not denying the convenience from shopping from home and how you can reach a much greater geographical area. But nothing beats that feeling when you are looking for a specific item and you find it in the store.
Very similar to what happened to all the record stores I used to frequent.
As others have said, life was better before the internet. I'm not denying the convenience from shopping from home and how you can reach a much greater geographical area. But nothing beats that feeling when you are looking for a specific item and you find it in the store.
Very similar to what happened to all the record stores I used to frequent.
Where I live, the Sam Ash is directly across the street from a Guitar Center. When my friend and I go to look at gear, it’s Sam Ash maybe 80 percent of the time. If it closes, I will miss it. I bought my Nate Mendel there.
The only time I was in a Sam Ash was over a decade ago, and it was an Atlanta store. What caught me off guard was that this store also sold horns, as in school band instruments. The mom and pops that service school band and orchestra programs will survive based on that alone.
Summer means getting school instruments ready for football season. I have a horn I wish to bring in, but they told me "See you in October."
Summer means getting school instruments ready for football season. I have a horn I wish to bring in, but they told me "See you in October."
Ash has been part of the thread of my life. From the very beginning of my musical journey in 1970, going to buy a pair of drum sticks and a slant practice pad and the Breeze Easy Book 1 for drummers, up through today. I’ll miss it, along with some of the truly long time employees there.
+1000^ When I was a kid, all there were were mom 'n' pop brick and mortars. And pawn shops. And, because back then the stores took instruments in trade and sold used, the selections we had to choose from were legion and included brands we never would have imagined -- well beyond the "Big Four."
As for the pawn shops . . . well, having an airbase right across the Red River in a neighboring town didn't hurt.
