Not entirely sure if this is the right place for this thread, but here goes. Recently I walked into a local guitar shop, the owner deals mostly in vintage used guitars and basses and a number of very obscure and/or valuable guitars. I told him my price range (1-2k) and he took me to the back room with all of the guitars, all the while keeping up this somewhat rude "i dont really need your money" kind of attitude. I figured whatever, I'll put up with it because there are some truly beautiful and unique instruments here. He bring out this guitar which i would have sworn to god was an alembic if not for the headstock and the real alembic it had been sitting next to, while the name escapes me at the moment he claims that this was handmade by a friend and associate of some of the luthiers at alembic back in the day and was kind of a tribute to them. It was an absolutely gorgeous instrument, weighed about twenty pounds but gorgeous. So he hands me this instrument and I sit down to play. I thump around for a while trying to get it to sound as good as it looks, I really wanted to love this thing so I take it up to him and say that I cant really understand how this thing is going to sound with the old, dead, and rusted strings it has on - at which point he informs me that I can put new strings on when I buy it. Am I being ridiculous for expecting a guitar shop owner to restring a guitar that I'm considering buying?
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Who's in the wrong?
- Thread starter CygnusSong1215
- Start date
No you are not being ridiculous,he is being ridiculous for 1.for giving you attitude when you first entered
,2.not keeping his insurments maintained,and 3.his side comment when you called him on his lack of care for that bass you were playing.:scowl:
,2.not keeping his insurments maintained,and 3.his side comment when you called him on his lack of care for that bass you were playing.:scowl:
- Jan 27, 2010
- 4,141
- 471
- Disclosures
- Endorsing Artist: Genz Benz Amplification
It's simple really, if he doesn't need your money, then don't give it to him. Any merchant who feels the need to condescend to his customers really doesn't deserve the sale.
If this happened at Guitar Center would you have reacted differently?
If this happened at Guitar Center would you have reacted differently?
Your not in the wrong here...as for a used instrument getting bought into a shop no matter what shop it is should always have new string on it when they buy it into the store. Learned that from working at guitar center.
Who know why some people act the way they do. Maybe his wife is cheating on him, or he hasn't had his lunch, coffee, or cigarette. If he doesn't need your money, he shouldn't be fretting over some strings. Maybe he just didn't like your face, or is tired of Lookie Loos. You insulting his guitar probably didn't help matters.
I'll say it again....I enjoy putting those type of people right in their place! Right from the start, the first hint of attitude or condescending ways and I'll check them with a sting! Then walk away with my money leaving them slack jawed, red faced, and confused as to what just happened. Im very respectful and will never start it....but I dont mind finishing it. It certainly wasnt you, even if you did inadvertantly insult him, if he wants your money HE has to be the nice one, and acting like you dont need the money usually means you really do....and if thats how he runs his business....he really does! Keep looking for jems elsewhere.
What really irks me is that 1) ive never seen such an incredible stock of instruments, so it kills me that the owner is so disrespectful, and 2) he proudly displays an award for best guitar shop in the city. DC btw, not las vegas
It astonishes me that guitar shops expect £1000+ worth of bass to walk when the strings are worn out, or it is in bad need of a set up.
Case in point I went to such a shop yesterday, and tried a G&L Legacy and a Lakland Decade, both of which had terrible fret buzz. Obviously the climate in Scotland is different to that of the countries of origin, so what leaves the factory as slinky-low action ends up a buzzing mess here. Good luck to a sales person trying to get somebody to part with their cash, especially on the Lakland, when the thing is next to unplayable in the shop.
So no OP is not in the wrong imho. The guy is assuming that the whole Alembic vibe will shift the instrument on its own. Maybe if a rich deadhead comes past, but otherwise it would not kill him to put some nice strings on the bass. It has probably been in his inventory for five years...
Case in point I went to such a shop yesterday, and tried a G&L Legacy and a Lakland Decade, both of which had terrible fret buzz. Obviously the climate in Scotland is different to that of the countries of origin, so what leaves the factory as slinky-low action ends up a buzzing mess here. Good luck to a sales person trying to get somebody to part with their cash, especially on the Lakland, when the thing is next to unplayable in the shop.
So no OP is not in the wrong imho. The guy is assuming that the whole Alembic vibe will shift the instrument on its own. Maybe if a rich deadhead comes past, but otherwise it would not kill him to put some nice strings on the bass. It has probably been in his inventory for five years...
Something simple, without rude language, such as this should drive the point home:
"I'm sorry. I can see you are having a bad day. I'll look elsewhere."
"I'm sorry. I can see you are having a bad day. I'll look elsewhere."
No it's not being ridiculous. I'm like Sound of Bass is. If the owners a real @sshat and rude, then I llead them on thinking they'll get the sale, then decide to change my mind while informing them of what an @ss hole they are. Then I even wish them a wonderful day and a pleasant tomorrow. Because the way I see it, I'm doing them the favor by being willing to spend my money in their store and give them some profit.
Fortunately, I've never been turned down when asking a sales rep to restring a guitar that had dead strings on it.
Fortunately, I've never been turned down when asking a sales rep to restring a guitar that had dead strings on it.
If it's the shop I'm thinking about, then it's famous in the area for that attitude. I also think he's the only shop in the city! I went in there on a recommendation a few a few years ago to buy a 60s J, got the attitude, thought F-U, walked out and vowed never to return! If you want a decent shop in the D.C. area, go to Jive Music in Alexandria, not a lot of vintage, but a nice stock of some great basses.
I also wouldn't necessary expect new string on a bass, unless they can't stay in tune. IMHO you can tell enough 'as is'. 20lbs (which I take is an exaggeration) would have killed the deal for me.
While the phrase "the customer is always right" is not always true, in this case it most definitely is.
He clearly doesn't need or want your money and I wouldn't be all that anxious to give it to him if I were you.
He clearly doesn't need or want your money and I wouldn't be all that anxious to give it to him if I were you.
+1. Sounds like the old strings were just icing on the cake of a really bad visit to that shop. It's the sort of thing to don't notice -- or at least let slide -- if you're being treated better.
I take the opposite stance here. I don't think the guitar store guy was as bad as it sound. I would say that 95% of all guitar store employees all have that "i don't care about you" attitude.
Think about things on his end--some guy wants to play his expensive basses, and also wants him to expense a set of strings. I would bet since more people come into a guitar store to just play with no intention of buying, he just heard some random guy ask him to expense a set of strings so that the guy could play the bass with a new set of strings and the odds to him are that he isn't going to buy it.
In your world you may be more interested then he saw in his world. To him, a guy he doesn't know, nor will ever see again just asked him to make some inventory unsellable.
If you don't like the employee's attitude, you can do two things: go somewhere else or buy a ton of gear from the guy. If you buy a bunch of gear from the guy, he will be friendly to you. If you and all the other people who think he's a jerk go somewhere else, then he will have some time to rethink his strategy about his attitude
Think about things on his end--some guy wants to play his expensive basses, and also wants him to expense a set of strings. I would bet since more people come into a guitar store to just play with no intention of buying, he just heard some random guy ask him to expense a set of strings so that the guy could play the bass with a new set of strings and the odds to him are that he isn't going to buy it.
In your world you may be more interested then he saw in his world. To him, a guy he doesn't know, nor will ever see again just asked him to make some inventory unsellable.
If you don't like the employee's attitude, you can do two things: go somewhere else or buy a ton of gear from the guy. If you buy a bunch of gear from the guy, he will be friendly to you. If you and all the other people who think he's a jerk go somewhere else, then he will have some time to rethink his strategy about his attitude
