Bad Music Store Experience Today (with Phil & Eddie)

[RandeDager]

Hi Phil,

Thinking about "customer service", how old was this guy? It shouldn't matter, but it would help to paint a clearer
picture in my mind.

In ALL types of business, and even when deciding which church to join, human warmth and friendliness makes all
the difference. People will even pay higher prices just to remain in a friendly environment in the various places
where they do business.

[PhilHunt]

Heymerle, the owner was just down right rude and brash. Perhaps times
are bad and he's not selling anything. I can now see why. Eddie and I are
use to the music store environment that is down home and friendly. Apparently this owner
is just not that type and had no customer skills.
And, while I'm at it.....I am in the market for a straight classical guitar and
always wanted to try the La Patrie classical. A customer should feel like he can
play anything In the store, he might decide to purchase it or not- it's his decision.
You sure don't see this kinda thing at CAAS.
Guitar Center is a whole different ball game. #1 they are overpriced #2 their employees usually
don't know squat #3 it's usually too noisy in there with teens playing with
the distortion turned up on 10.
So I guess I'll go back to my den and play my own guitars.
Whatever..........

[BillB]

I remember checking out the Maton guitars at CAAS a couple of years ago. The sales guy from Broadway sound handed Rande and myself a couple of the $2000 Matons and said let's take these out in the hallway where you can hear them (without Gretches blasting Freight Train). We went out in the hallway and played the guitars for a little while. I could be wrong, but I'm pretty sure that we sat on the floor (without any groupie girls, though). I ended up buying one of those guitars.

Bill B.

[smokymtguitar09]

Bill,
I had a similar experience at CAAS while in the lobby observing Nato Lima handing his new custom made McGill resonator guitar around to a lobby full of players who wanted to play it. Paul McGill was standing near me and I commented to him how good it sounded. He asked "if I had played it" and I said "no"! He added, "come down to my booth and play one of them". I told him I was afraid I might scratch it or something, he said "don't worry go ahead and play it". Well, I did and it sounded great but further more I appreciated his attitude. I have never been able to afford one but I know first-hand how good it played and sounded, and I never fail to recommend his guitars to other players.

[Eddie Estes]

Heymerle or whatever your name is I am not in the habit of being called a liar and I don't think Phil is
either.
What we said happened. It happened.
Go to any REPUTABLE music store and they like for you to play if you can play halfway decent so that maybe other
people can hear the guitar and they might be interested.

Oh and whatever your real name is you don't know me or Phil so don't try to tell me what I was going to do
or not. Were you there? I have a collection of guitars and most look like they are still new. Phil and I were trying out guitars. For your info I am looking for a decent mid priced classical to put my Prismatone 2 pickup on.

My name is Eddie Estes. You might want to use YOUR real name.

Kinda interesting that was your first post. Seems like I have seen this before.

[Brian Ingram]

I think we can all agree that no one likes the dudes at a guitar shop playing "Smoke on the Stairway to Freebird".

It saddens me to think that at one time, I was guilty of doing just that. However, I'm happy to say I've moved on from there! In any event, no serious musician will buy an instrument sight-unseen, or without at least a cursory audition (unless you're buying a genuine Stradivarius violin or the like).

I was in a Nashville vintage shop once where a man was trying out a number of guitar amps for nearly a good hour, and near stage volumes (!). I'm glad the guy working that day recognized him, though I didn't at the time. It helped very much that he was an outstanding guitarist. The guy working the shop that day even gave him a hard time (in an obviously good-natured, joking way) about paying for an amp he was interested in.

I found out once the guy left with the amp that it was Brad Paisley. He was in there auditioning Dr Z amps (which was a very new company at the time), and was so taken with them he had the amp he bought that day in every one of his videos for the next several years, and became a Dr Z endorser, providing input on the tweaking of a number of models.

There are good points for both sides of this situation, but most good stores know that building a good rapport may not give a $400 sale today, but could yield a $3,000 sale a year from now.

I only know of Phil and Eddie's playing from Youtube videos, but I can assure you they are not in the "Smoke on the Stairway to Freebird" types.

[Eddie Estes]

Brian and others that have said nice things about my and Phil's playing we appreciate it.
I am not a great guitar player or famous.
But if a young kid or an old kid in my case comes into a guitar store and treats the instruments with care and is respectful to others in the store the owner should encourage them. A very good man named Tommy Reynolds
owned a music store in my hometown. I would go there when I was 12 or 13 and he would let me play and encourage
me even when I could hardly play at all. He was a great jazz and country player. He died but the store is still there and Bishop still encourages kids to come in and pick.
Eddie

[PhilHunt]

Tommy Reynolds was a one of a kind guy who ran Culpeper Music. He'd actually let you borrow stuff from the store or just let you take it home and try it. I remember one time I bought my first electric guitar from him. It was a Epiphone Es-335 and Tommy just let me take it home and said, "Just take it home and pay me in installments when you can."
I couldn't believe that he actually let me take it home.
Another guy in Leesburg Virginia named Rick Mock runs a place called Melodee Music. He let me borrow a brand new '58 Gretsch Gent model to bring to CAAS back in 2003. Now who do you know out there who runs a music store would let you do that. Of course I know Rick real well and have bought lots of equipment from him.

Eddie, it seems like "HeyMerle" maybe the same type of person like Mr.Guitar Gallery music store owner. By the way HeyMerle....yes it would be nice if you used your real name.

Both Eddie and I actually took the time to write the owner a email saying how dissappointed we were with his service. Let's just say the "redneck" in me came out full force when I opened up a can of whoop A** before I left the store!

[HeyMerle]

Heymerle or whatever your name is I am not in the habit of being called a liar and I don't think Phil is
either.
What we said happened. It happened.
Go to any REPUTABLE music store and they like for you to play if you can play halfway decent so that maybe other
people can hear the guitar and they might be interested.

Oh and whatever your real name is you don't know me or Phil so don't try to tell me what I was going to do
or not. Were you there? I have a collection of guitars and most look like they are still new. Phil and I were trying out guitars. For your info I am looking for a decent mid priced classical to put my Prismatone 2 pickup on.

My name is Eddie Estes. You might want to use YOUR real name.

Kinda interesting that was your first post. Seems like I have seen this before.

I said another perspective. I didn't call anyone a liar.

You do not need to send me any more surly Pm's either.

The original post posted the stores name and website. They are not on the site to defend themselves. So I offered a different perspective from a small shop owners point of view.

Of course the conundrum in this sort of situation is that the person playing the instrument can always say.....well who knows.....I MIGHT buy the instrument. The vast majority of time (of course) they don't. You develop a sense of who is there to buy and who is there to just play, and play, and play. I know there are some stores who are probably fine with that situation. I also know there are other stores who won't let the guitar come off the wall without a person standing beside you. It depends on the store and the situation.

You got to "rattle off a couple of songs"....but I guess it was not enough.

I admit, I was not there so I don't know what went down or how. But I have experienced people that come in with a sense of entitlement and an attitude....of.....hey we can play.....and we intend to show you. And if you try to rain on the parade at all......their feelings get hurt.

Judging by the tenor of your reply here.....and the PM you sent me.....and I am forming my own opinion as to what may have happened.

[Eddie Estes]

I basically said if you are going to accuse someone of "SHOWING OFF" and anybody that knows me knows
I don't do that then man up and do it under your real name.
This is a group of people that have known each other for a long time. You don't come
in here and post for the first time under a fake name and start insulting people me or anyone else.
I would defend anyone that posts here against that.

You made your point and I made mine.

End of discussion!