Went to Sam Ash yesterday, it was absolutely DEAD.

I think retail for music gear is tough right now. Not only is the economy not doing well, but you also his January and February as generally slow months. Things should pick up in March as people start to get their tax returns and plan for the summer gigging season.
 
^ I hope you are right.

I mean - I want the industry in general to thrive.

I have not been to GC in several years but I didn't recognize anyone or anything as they were remodeling into their new 'look'.

Fusionbear said:
And a frilly, lacy pirate shirt
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PLX said:
I was in Sam Ash the other day, looking at a Nuno N4 guitar.

The sales dude was having some trouble with the terminal and walked away to get some help and left the thing unlocked. I happen to be in IT and decided to have a look around. What I found was on average a mark up of 45%. Totally floored at what these could be going for out the door.

Make sure on everything you’re at least getting 10% :unsure:
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40% to 50% markup is pretty normal in retail. 100% markup on small items is not unheard of. BTW that's a real dick move going into a business computer and probably illegal. Better hope you were not on camera.
 
Chris6870 said:
BTW that's a real dick move going into a business computer and probably illegal. Better hope you were not on camera.
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I wasn't caught, so I tried the same thing over at Guitar Center..

My luck ran out because they caught me. When I bolted for the door, a GC employee got ahold of my hoodie.

So I grabbed a cheap acoustic guitar and yelled, "Anyways, here's Wonderwall !"

3cCALT3.gif
 
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PLX said:
I wasn't caught, so I tried the same thing over at Guitar Center..

My luck ran out because they caught me. When I bolted for the door, a GC employee got ahold of my hoodie.

So I grabbed a cheap acoustic guitar and yelled, "Anyways, here's Wonderwall !"

3cCALT3.gif
Click to expand...
It's good to see the employees at GC still care.
 
I went into my GC last summer. Middle of the afternoon weekday. A customer at the counter, a guy in the acoustic room and me were the only customers. The center of the store which would normally have a large amp display was empty. I mean empty. Huge showroom empty. Amp wise was just a handful of Marshall MG little solid state junk. Hardly nothing. I thought, they must be moving locations.. the teenager who finally walked over said …..no, not moving, but if you want to order something we can order it. Pathetic and sad.
 
It’s a boneyard in that place..
The sales associates get $10.00, most work under 40hours.
They get commission on sales and focus on strings, cheap pedals rtc, quick penny sales that add up to $12-$13.00 an hour that day.
Versus spending time to get down the 59 flame top up there for $6k..,they have fear of you returning it etc and nobody buys killer guitars from there due to how HORRENDOUS the guitars are set-up with filthy tops & chunky booger’s littered in the tuning keys and trees.
Then know you’ll just go online and buy it somewhere else for cheaper with no sales tax and free shipping.
Plus the associate(s) doesn’t know his own ass from a hole in the ground and could care less if you come or go or stay and stare at him for 20 minutes while you’re waiting to pay for strings and the fuckhead in front of you is trying to return an Apple phone charger..ADD Fuckhead #2 (the sales associate) whom now is searching to find him one
- they don’t sell Apple products but he checking for the dude…

The praise & worship players keep the guitar side sales bangin’, those players buy HERDS of top of the line pedals.

The place is becoming a Dollar General of sorts..
The question is: who in the hell keeps lending
Sam the funds to stay open?
They don’t even have their own “Ash” to sell.
 
Good riddance, I hope both companies kick the bucket. They’ve been circling the drain long enough. I occasionally stop into Sam Ash to check out the used gear, for whatever reason it’s better than GC here even though they are literally next door to each other.
 
My local Sam Ash has been dying for years now. It's in the same shopping center as a GC. They used to try to keep up with GC, but it stopped several years back. The GC was dead during 2020-2021 obviously, but is back to having a ton of stuff in stock. The Sam Ash not so much.
 
my local GC is rough

you have to roam the store for 5 minutes like a lost child to find a worker that is willing to make eye contact, just to ask a question. often only 2-3 employees visible at any time throughout the entire store, normally all behind the main counter near PA/recording/keyboards/lighting stuff up by front door, just talking with each other. until a customer walks up then their too busy to look at you. second counter 80ft away near the guitar/amp/pedals/strings section totally unmanned. same with acoustic gtr room.

no guitars for you!!!
 
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