Umanov guitars closing- rant!

[MultiScaleMale]

Too much to read, but I thought he was closing because he’s retiring. After 50 years, he’s earned it.

 

[guy n. cognito]

Too much to read, but I thought he was closing because he’s retiring. After 50 years, he’s earned it.

He is. @Paulabass rant is a bit misplaced.

 

[Ross W. Lovell]

The world changes.

But the one thing I don't get, why would ANY store think they can exist forever. Sears is about to go the way of the DoDo bird, but honestly, they had their day, and they SUCK now. They sell nothing but over-priced mattresses and appliances, and don't even try to capitalize on Nostalgia or Americana, which is the ONLY thing that would make them unique again. They have NOTHING to offer today. And put no effort into offering anything.
I am not even a marketing guru, but they could have tried to have a mini-Sears museum in each store, with unique stuff Sears used to sell, or maybe a really good diner. No, they didn't do JACK_***.

Blockbuster, KMart, same story. As for your music store, they didn't change with the times, and they didn't do anything UNIQUE enough to stay in business. (or maybe the owner just wants to retire).
You have to WORK to stay in business, not rest on your butt.
You can't offer better prices than the online stores? Maybe offer free music lessons with any guitar/bass purchase. Or a ticket to the zoo. Something.

Nope, all they offer is the same guitar or bass you can get online, for the same price. (or more.)
And what really kills me is when don't have something at a brick and mortar store and they say, "We can order it online." Well NO-**** Sherlock so can I if I wanted to![/Q




The pendulum swings both ways. We will go internet stores for a decade or so, maybe and then this new "trend", a place that actually has instruments you can try. I'm sure they'll be monetizing our admission to the "special place" that is not a store and giving us a much more "satisfying musical retail exchange" than we used to remember, after all we're paying for it, must be worth it!

 

[Chrisk-K]

I'd choose a big box store over a local mom and pop store any day. All I need is a good selection and a good return policy.

Looking back, I can say local stores ripped me off.

 

[selowitch]

1300 for a musicmaster? I wish him a happy retirement.

That Musicmaster is also defretted, which ought to knock the value down even more. And even after all that, the Musicmaster is a middling-quality shortscale bass. That price is simply not reasonable.

 

[Epitaph04]

I know how to set up instruments. Local shops seemingly don't. That's my piece in all of this

 

[J Gold]

When I want a 70s Musicmaster, I'll scour Reverb and Ebay till I find one .

 

[Jeff Scott]

Yes, "hopefully" is a word, but it's an adjective meant to describe a verb: "He went to the door hopefully that his new bass had been delivered." (that is, full of hope). It gets used more often today as a "sentence adverb," describing an entire sentence or clause: "Hopefully, my new bass will be delivered tomorrow." Purists think the latter is incorrect grammar, but this usage has been around for hundreds of years--if it's wrong, then everyone's using it wrong and therefore it's right.

My step mom was an English teacher who beat this distinction into me (figuratively speaking, of course).

"He went to the door, hopeful that his new bass had been delivered." "Hopefully, he left is someplace safe." Or, something like that.

...In today's world, sometimes, you have to drive further to pass GC and and collect your $200 bass...

Fixed it for you.

 

[Lefty4string]

Music stores have traditionally been part of our social lives. We network, we shoot the poopie, we discuss music stuff with people with more experience than us.
Small music stores, even the very specialized and high end ones are all in danger!
Matt Uminov's store is closing it's doors after 50 years.
Why?
Because the instrument has stopped being a personalized thing. It is a commodity, to be delivered by the UPS man, after careful perusal of photographs on a website.
I can't even begin to tell you how wrong that is. Buying completely in the dark, and then adapting YOUR music to fit the instrument that FEDEX dropped off while you played video games.
People bitch and moan about how quality is slipping from the big manufactures. Maybe, but more of it is- in the 'old' days, each instrument was checked over, set up, and THEN put on the wall. Missing parts (gibson) and dry fingerboards (fender, and others) where caught, and corrected before any buyer ever even saw the guitar!
Beginners! Search Amazon/GC for hours without ever speaking to the bass player at the music store. Then they buy something entirely wrong for their interests, because it got good amazon reviews. What a dumb ass way to buy a first instrument! Then the kid gives up music from trying to play Metalica on his beetle bass, or bought a fretless cause they look really cool.
We have become complacent. We settle for whatever the big box music store sends us, and we're happy, because we don't know any better. And, we don't care.
I learned so much hanging out at music stores. A lot of the guys I met were touring pros, and were always willing to share. Later, I sold instruments, in stores that cared. We sat down, and demonstrated to the non players, and discussed their dreams and aspirations. We helped parents budget, and talked about lessons.
I will not even go into the number of threads on this site, and others, that start with- it arrived damaged, it arrived needing a set up, it was not as advertised. I'm sorry to point out who the sucker is here!
Matt Uminov's guitars is closing. So are most mom and pop music stores.
There is only ONE person to blame- the one who says 'the FEDEX truck is here, I can start my music career'. Did FEDEX remind you to buy a tuner?
Rant over.

Unfortunately it isn't really that simple. in my case i am left handed. i really have very little options when it comes to selections.
mom and pop or corporate i can rarely walk into a music store and grab a Guitar off the rack and play it. never mind buy it. i have to rely on Fedex to get anything i want anyway.
being from NYC i know Matt Uminov. it is unfortunate that it is closing but that is the way of the world . everything is being done online now and there is no turning back anymore. besides that is what Talk bass is for. to chat with people and connect. is online really so bad after all?.

 

[Paulabass]

He is. @Paulabass rant is a bit misplaced.

I'm sorry you missed the point. I could have named any of hundreds of other stores. I chose Matt Uminov because he's been in the news lately. In his press release he said 'due to changes in the business', AND the fact he's retiring.
My post was about mail order, which in my OPINION, is an abomination, but definately the new way music retail runs.

 

[Lefty4string]

I really don't feel i did. but cool whatever.

 

[Paulabass]

I really don't feel i did. but cool whatever.

That response was to guy n. Cognito. I feel your pain in finding lefty basses, and in your case mail order is viable.

 

[bassstrangler]

I'm sorry you missed the point. I could have named any of hundreds of other stores. I chose Matt Uminov because he's been in the news lately. In his press release he said 'due to changes in the business', AND the fact he's retiring.
My post was about mail order, which in my OPINION, is an abomination, but definately the new way music retail runs.

Abomination is a bit overkill.

I'd have to say if it wasn't for what you refer to as mail order, I'd certainly would have maybe 2 or three basses I was lucky enough to find used. Instead I am able to acquire many varieties and models thanks to mail order.

 

[guy n. cognito]

Matt Uminov's store is closing it's doors after 50 years.
Why?
Because the instrument has stopped being a personalized thing

I'm sorry you missed the point. I could have named any of hundreds of other stores. I chose Matt Uminov because he's been in the news lately. In his press release he said 'due to changes in the business', AND the fact he's retiring.
My post was about mail order, which in my OPINION, is an abomination, but definately the new way music retail runs.

With respect....I think I got the point. Uminov is closing because he's 70 and retiring. This one doesn't seem to be a case of death by internet, IMHO.

 

[leegreenman]

You are paying 4% for the right to try out the instrument, compare it with other instruments, and to look at and try other equipment. That is worth it to me.

I agree. We're in the minority though.

 

[gln1955]

I'm sorry you missed the point. I could have named any of hundreds of other stores. I chose Matt Uminov because he's been in the news lately. In his press release he said 'due to changes in the business', AND the fact he's retiring.
My post was about mail order, which in my OPINION, is an abomination, but definately the new way music retail runs.

Sorry, just don't get the abomination bit. There are hundreds of different basses made. Unless you live in a big metro, you'll never get a sniff of the vast majority of them. Limiting yourself to the most common Fenders, Ibanez and Epiphones with the occasional stray Music Man or Warwick is an abomination.

 

[Fender_Bender]

I need to play an instrument before I buy one. never have or will order one over the google machine. last time I bought a guitar the dude was shocked when I wouldn't take a new one in a box. I played 50 of them for a reason......

I feel exactly the same way. There are differences,subtle and otherwise, between identical models. I'd probably feel safe buying from someone here if it's an instrument they've cherished for years though.

 

[alaskaleftybass]

I think the biggest difference you're seeing in shopping patterns is a shift in the demographic. There's a documented reluctance on the part of the upcoming generation to engage in anything resembling F2F or personal communication with anyone they don't already know. Based on the number of people here at TB who say they hate to talk on the phone, and prefer email or text to communicate, it's hardly surprising that the more anonymous and depersonalized a shopping experience a music retailer offers, the better it is for their business.

^This^ Being a GOF I don't want to be accused of picking on the younger generation, but there is so much truth in what @40Hz stated here. One time in Salem Oregon wife and I got stuck in a TGIF during a winter storm that crippled most of the town. We watched as four young people sat in silence at a table, mesmerised on their cell phones without saying a word to each other across the table one foot away. The so called 'social generation' is not as social as the 60's through 80's generation in my opinion. So yes, sitting in the darkness on their smartphones in the safety of their bedrooms while perusing Pbasses is much safer than going out into the world and trying one out in a music store.

On a similar note, a lot of large retail outlets have gone online and are shutting down brick and mortars for this very reason. Sadly the day of the mall is slowly fading away. Much easier to order from home. H3ll, you don't even have to answer the door when FedEx or UPS delivers your package. Just a quiet knock on the door and you know it's there waiting. But you knew anyway because the store texted you updates every time your package moved closer to you.

I remember as a child living in a small town one of the highlights of the weekend was strolling down front street, bumping into friends in the many small stores that lived on the street. Mom talked with a friend while I chatted with the kids. We all got to catch up on the week's gossip and potential exciting upcoming events or theater movies. What sweet memories.

But these are the new times and standards we live in. As automation and the internet build it's domination, society will become more isolated when possible.

 

[growlingoctopus]

I would happily shop at stores like that ... oh wait, I forgot. I'm left handed so I can't

Because of that perspective ... the whole 'blindly look at and buy online' thing is a routine for me, not because I want to but because I don't really have a choice.

 

[Gizmot]

It’s sad when an institution like Matt Umanov closes. They gave commodity products like guitars and basses a bit of soul and elevated them to art. I’m going to New York in three weeks and I’m going to try hard to stop by and feel the vibe.