From: ttesta@kali.enet.dec.com (Tom Testagrossa)
Newsgroups: alt.guitar
Subject: Re: guitars by mail?
Date: 30 Jul 92 20:45:32 GMT
Reply-To: ttesta@kali.enet.dec.com (Tom Testagrossa)
Organization: Digital Equipment Corporation, Maynard, Ma.


--rich at
rath@binah.cc.brandeis.edu writes:

> (stuff lost due to inability to hit enter--maybe ought to go to a computer
store and play with the computer and bug a salesperson to show him where 
that button is and how it works, even though he's not interested in buying it)
>
>
	Please, excuse the network for losing some bits, I assure you
the fault was not due to inexperiance in using computers...I'm sorry, rich,
you must be having a REALLY bad day or something...I wont even take your remarks personally...
>
>
Original poster wrote and lost Something about a schmuck in his store 
banging up his stuff who doesn't know how to play...
>y it, and has NO intention of really buying it!)
	No, not in MY store (I don't have a store as such...), in ANY
store...
	The point was that it seems every time I go into a music store to look for something "NEW", it's RARELY without a dent or chip in the finish from someone banging it...(maybe its the fault of the store owners, who try
to pack TOO MANY guitars in the available space on those wall hangers!!), but maybe its the schmuck who doesn't pay attention, and bangs it on other guitars, or scratches it with a belt buckle or something...
	I don't have a problem with folks trying stuff out, but I do have a problem with wanting to buy something NEW, and winding up with something that might as well be sold as used due to all the "wear and tear" on it already!
	Far too often I see someone with lots of metal on (either wearing
a jacket with a big zipper or other metal things like snaps or buttons or such, or a huge belt buckle...) who is test driving a guitar (and it's scratching the finish up...)
	Maybe the salespeople are the ones who need to be aware...but then you see, they'll be hassling you (and me) to the point where when you want to try out a guitar in peace your subjected to a body search for sharp accessories on you person before you get to try out a guitar...
	Yes, I understand about looking for dead spots on the neck, and trying bends to see that you don't bottom out...sometimes it doesn't sound too...musical...That's not what I was talking about. What I meant is the "player" who doesn't even know how to tune a guitar, who plays the same out of tune "chords" cranked to 11, over and over again on that $1500 PRS...while you and I are trying to find out if this is a dead spot on that axe we're hoping to buy...

>Hey I *used to* shop in in a place with a guy in it who sounds like you!
                      ^^^^^^  See, it happens to the best of us, rich.
>Your not him, are You?  Nah, he wentr out of business--Or maybe
>your....Nah, he had to close up and get a factory job to pay bills...

>A lot of guitar salespeople/storeowners scare away a lot of customers with 
>the display of genius and virtuosity when somebody justs wants to check out an 
>axe to log away for future reference (to buy at a discount at the guy down the
>street's place who doesn't hassle and gets good deals buying up guitars 
>from people who have lost their guitar store...).
	Maybe that's why those other guys you wrote about went out of business...too busy showing off, letting folks damage their merchandise, then trying to sell it as "NEW" anyway  and hassling the customers when they're trying stuff out or not happy because its damaged...when they should be more responsive to the needs and desires of the customers, providing good products at good prices, and good service.

>  I dawdle around with no intent of buying sometimes, and if somebody gives me >the paternalist show, I do one of two things--I leave and don't shop there even >for strings, or I talk the talk if I am truly interested
	If I had a store, you'd be more than welcome to just come in and 
test drive stuff...I agree with your desire to do just that, and encourage it!
The products should sell themselves, you don't need me or anyone else to convince you what you want to buy...salespeople should be there to answer questions, & help you understand functions/operation of things, and protect the merchandise, (maybe that's as simple as saying, "Would you be so kind as to remove that belt buckle so it doesn't scratch the guitar? Thanks...") but should generally leave you alone...
 
>Ohwell...my two cents worth--sorry for the flame, cause you seem to know your >stuff, but put away the attitude, dude. 
>--rich

	I think you read WAY too much into the posting and saw it as "attitude"... The only attitude was the one that responded to the posting with the flame thrower on "Char-Broil"...like I said, I didn't take it personally,
but I wanted to clarify what I meant.
	So, let's put our respective attitudes in the wastebasket (along with any unrestrained egos, closed minds and anything else that keeps us from learning...) and continue to talk about and play GUITAR!
Tom T