Do people not try out instruments before they buy anymore?

K!LL!@N

With the amount of online retailers selling instruments these days and the difference in price between buying online and in normal retail shops, does anyone bother trying out instruments anymore?

Personally i don't think i'd ever buy an instrument without playing it first.
I don't think reputation and recommendations are enough.
I'd have to play anything myself before i'd part with my money.

I know the money saving aspect is a big factor, probably the biggest factor along with the wider selection you can get online.

But i'd hate to spend a load of money and wind up with a guitar i didn't like, or any other instrument for that matter.

It doesn't matter that you've played your friends guitar and you've gone and ordered the same one cos it's not the exact same one.
People talk about the build quality of different brands and how some can be gems and others are rubbish.

So how do you know before you buy?

Killian

feylya

I don't generally try with cheaper guitars (ie Harley Bentons) cos they're more than likely gonna be reasonably bad. But the problem with trying out a guitar is that two exact same guitars from the same company may not play the exact same.

K!LL!@N

feylya wrote:

I don't generally try with cheaper guitars (ie Harley Bentons) cos they're more than likely gonna be reasonably bad. But the problem with trying out a guitar is that two exact same guitars from the same company may not play the exact same.

That's what i'm saying.
I wouldn't try my mates guitar and then order one just cos his is good.
I'd need to play the guitar i was intending to buy myself.

Killian

feylya

But there's the problem - would you rather play that guitar and take it home or save a couple of hundred on shop prices and take a gamble?

Tiriel

well if it's a couple of hundred dearer and it sounds crap is it worth anything to u? tbh I always try the one I'm gonna take with me.. unless there's a money back guarantee of course

Fusion251

The way I see it is, if you're gonna buy an expensive guitar, why not take a holiday to German too? Go over for the weekend, buy it fly back home and you'll have spent the same as you would have by goin into dublin to buy it and probably pick up a nicer guitar too

feylya

No, if you bought it online, it'd be a couple of hundred cheaper and you could always flog it for a hundred quid cheaper than the shops and still make some money from it.

K!LL!@N

feylya wrote:

But there's the problem - would you rather play that guitar and take it home or save a couple of hundred on shop prices and take a gamble?

If i went in the shop and liked the guitar i played but it cost a 100-200 more than i could get it for online, i think i'd just buy the one in the shop.

I'm gonna have the guitar for a long time, so the extra few quid is gonna be spread out over time and i know i have an instrument i like.
If i ordered the one online and it didn't feel/play as nice as the one in the shop, i'd be pretty annoyed.
Also, if it wasn't a nice guitar i'd be more inclined to get rid of it sooner than i'd get rid of a nice one.

Killian

K!LL!@N

feylya wrote:

No, if you bought it online, it'd be a couple of hundred cheaper and you could always flog it for a hundred quid cheaper than the shops and still make some money from it.

And then go order another guitar online or go and try one out this time?

Killian

feylya

I suppose that makes sense but people don't like paying more when they don't have too. And tbh, you'd have to be fairly unlucky to get an expensive guitar that plays like shite.

K!LL!@N

Fusion251 wrote:

The way I see it is, if you're gonna buy an expensive guitar, why not take a holiday to German too? Go over for the weekend, buy it fly back home and you'll have spent the same as you would have by goin into dublin to buy it and probably pick up a nicer guitar too

Yeah, or any other EU country for that matter.
Flights be so cheap.

Killian

K!LL!@N

feylya wrote:

I suppose that makes sense but people don't like paying more when they don't have too. And tbh, you'd have to be fairly unlucky to get an expensive guitar that plays like shite.

Maybe it doesn't play like ****e, but maybe you don't like the feel of it.
Could be the best guitar in the world, but not feel right to you when you play it.

I know i have my old classical guitar that i've kind of fallen out with.
I don't like to play it anymore, don't like the feel of it but friends think it's a great guitar.

Killian

feylya

Well, most necks are computer cut these days afaik so the dimensions of the guitars are nearly identical. I suppose you could get one with a bad finish or whatever but then it'd be hard for it to get through QA

Fusion251

feylya wrote:

I suppose that makes sense but people don't like paying more when they don't have too. And tbh, you'd have to be fairly unlucky to get an expensive guitar that plays like shite.

You'd be surprised....my mate got a tele sent over from the states, spent $1700 on it and didn't like it, so he just sold it here and got something in Music Maker. Just didn't like the feel of it....

feylya

Did he try it here first though?

Creamy Goodness

just thought i'd add my comments:

i bought a Gibson Les Paul Classic last week.

after much looking around on thomann.de and other sites i thought the cheapest site i found had it for 1700 euros.

someone suggested a UK retailer and i found it for 1400 euros. so moral of story is germany ain't always the cheapest

feylya

Did you try one over here first though before you bought it?

Fusion251

Yeah he tried one that a friend had. His mate brought it back from the states. It wasn't really the model or anything that was the problem, just the feel of it. Ye know when you pick up a guitar and you know you just don't like it? That's the way he was, and for that money, you HAVE to like it. lol :cool:

feylya

Fair enough. I'd say he's just unlucky though. Unlike a guy I know who bought a Gibson Les Paul even though he didn't like the feel or sound of it...

K!LL!@N

Cremo wrote:

just thought i'd add my comments:

i bought a Gibson Les Paul Classic last week.

after much looking around on thomann.de and other sites i thought the cheapest site i found had it for 1700 euros.

someone suggested a UK retailer and i found it for 1400 euros. so moral of story is germany ain't always the cheapest

This thread isn't about where's cheapest to get it.
There are plenty of threads about where to buy.
Nice find all the same.
But, had you tried out a similar model here?
And did the guitar live up to your expectations?

Killian

Baggio

well from what I 've seen in shops in Dublin > usually it seems that the shop folks seem very reluctant to let you sit behind a kit *can't speak for you bass/guitar heros! * and try it out and theyll usually try it out for you!,,what bloody use is that??..I bought some gear when I was starting back up 2 years ago in beat it music near drogheda and those lads couldn't be more helpful,,,they let me play as I liked on whatever kit I hoped to buy, so I'll deal with those guys from time to time buy the veryy rare drumhead in music maker to keep the face known etc,,,and thats the lot!!!..
Buying on line from the states was the best thing I ever did never any problems half the price of here and much easier to deal with and folks who KNEW their stuff, not some bluffer over here who's trying to tell you what a kit is made of and you already knowing it yourself?!,sigh I dread dealing with them, it's so embarressing listening to them waffling on about some eegit drummer who can do this or that and who can boil an egg as he does a double stroak rolll,or some guy they saw who could paint a picture doing double bass rolls yawn yawn .

so if ya wana buy in shops,,,make sure the tossers let you try it out,,if not,tell them to shove it and buy online,,,,,,Zildjians never sounded sweeter,,hhhaaha

ciao' amigo Baggio..............

Fusion251

I reckon it's all about luck. A bloke in college bought a Custom Gibson 137 off ebay for something like $700, the model he got is worth well over $2000 and it's the nicest guitar I've played to date, such a sweet guitar...so I dunno, ebay may be a good route to go, it's a gamble, but you may get lucky!

But my opinion is still the same, for me to part with that much cash i'd need to do a waynes world job with it....spend a few years playing it, and then finally splash out ha ha CHA CHING!!

K!LL!@N

Baggio wrote:

well from what I 've seen in shops in Dublin > usually it seems that the shop folks seem very reluctant to let you sit behind a kit *can't speak for you bass/guitar heros! * and try it out and theyll usually try it out for you!,,what bloody use is that??..I bought some gear when I was starting back up 2 years ago in beat it music near drogheda and those lads couldn't be more helpful,,,they let me play as I liked on whatever kit I hoped to buy, so I'll deal with those guys from time to time buy the veryy rare drumhead in music maker to keep the face known etc,,,and thats the lot!!!..
Buying on line from the states was the best thing I ever did never any problems half the price of here and much easier to deal with and folks who KNEW their stuff, not some bluffer over here who's trying to tell you what a kit is made of and you already knowing it yourself?!,sigh I dread dealing with them, it's so embarressing listening to them waffling on about some eegit drummer who can do this or that and who can boil an egg as he does a double stroak rolll,or some guy they saw who could paint a picture doing double bass rolls yawn yawn .

so if ya wana buy in shops,,,make sure the tossers let you try it out,,if not,tell them to shove it and buy online,,,,,,Zildjians never sounded sweeter,,hhhaaha

ciao' amigo Baggio..............

Couldn't agree more.
You've hit on a couple of major annoyances when it comes to buying from a shop in town.
Annoying sales people and the lack of somewhere to try things out.
I was in a music shop in the states during the summer and the place was amazing.
Wall to wall instruments.
Anything you could think of almost.
And nice sound proof cubicles where you could go and try stuff out.
The name escapes me now, but an amazing place.


Killian

feylya

Dabhoys on these forums got a PRS (I think) for $900 from eBay. I think it has a lot to do with luck whether you get a screamer or a dud. Personally, I'd take the gamble.

Doctor J

I don't think it's that big a deal, especially when you can save a lot more than a couple of hundred €€€

In my case I wanted a 5 string Ibanez Soundger Prestige 5 string bass. I phoned Musician, the only store at the time which stocked Ibanez which I was aware of, and they quoted me €1900, plus I would have to commit to buying it before they'd get it in. I found it in the states for $1100. When I went to buy it I found a 6 string model of the same instrument which had been a demo model in the store for just over $900, but still with the full warranty. At this point I had never even played a 6 string bass. However, I felt it was a great deal and worth the gamble, I had no qualms about either getting the instrument without having played it or without having played a 6 string. Total cost to me - €1048. I didn't even bother asking Musician how much the 6 string would cost.

You are pretty much assured, when you buy instruments of a higher level, that the instrument will be well made and there will be a consistency through production. With the Ibanez, I wasn't too fond of the pickups so had a custom set specifically made for me for €240. A couple of weeks ago I sold the original pickups for €140 on Ebay.

A friend of mine has bought an Iced Tea burst Les Paul, a Takamine acoustic and an ESP from Chrisguitars in the states, all second hand, all separately, all in mint condition and he's spent about €1800 total. Ask Waltons how much a limited edition finish Les Paul Standard is. His brother bought a Les Paul Classic Goldtop (the goldtop finish is usually an expensive upgrade), cost €1200 total.

I can't understand why anyone would spend insane amounts of money just so they can play the guitar before they buy it. If you buy an Ibanez with a Prestige neck, you are guaranteed top, top quality fretwork and a hand finished neck. Then save 50% on what it'd cost you here. I go through hell to earn money in this job, there's no way I'm just going to throw it away frivolously in overpriced rip-off shops here if I can help it.

Here : €2000 +
Shop Around : €1140

feylya

Damn, that is a nice bass though.

Doctor J

Yup, and I got it half price, which makes it all the sweeter. I mean, I was in a buy-before-try situation with the shops here anyway, Musician would only get one in if I committed to buying it before they got one, so what could I do.

I mean, a new Ric 4003 is €2500 in Waltons and Musician. I got mine for $890 second hand. They're €1500 new on Thomann. Who in their right mind would blow at least a grand just so they could try one out first? In a lot of shops in this country, you aks to play a Ric or other top end instrument and they pretty much tell you to **** off. So **** them. Any top end instrument will be well made and reasonably consistant, even Rics which are largely hand made. Actually, I had put up a few questions about the neck of my Ric on one of the forums and John Hall, the Ric boss, replied to me and said he would be on holiday in Ireland soon and offered to have a look at it for me while he was here. Nice fella.

feylya

Now that's customer service!

Doctor J

Fukin A. When the CEO of the company will take time out of his holiday to check out a second hand instrument, it puts the unhelpful staff you frequently find in shops here to shame. When I was getting my Ashdown amp here, I was gonna buy the head and cab together, so I asked the guy if he'd do a deal for both for cash (not an unreasonable request, you might think). He returned with a price which was actually more expensive than if I bought the two separately Seriously, dabhoys was there, he can back me up on this. Suffice to say, I just bought the head. In fairness though, a lot of the staff in music shops here are cool and helpful, but there are some turkeys out there who give the trade a bad name.The price discrepancy at times though is unforgivable.

feylya

Aye, you told me about that before. I went looking for the price of some Seymour Duncans in the local shop (yes, I know, they're not emgs). I was quoted €140 each. Then he said something like €200 for 7 string emgs. I went in looking for some Dunlop Jazz III's and the brought back the black nylon Dunlops. Absolute joke.

Doctor J

Yeah, it seems to be an attitude thing with some and a plain old cop on issue with others. Yet some are top blokes who will help you as much as they can. When I go into an instrument shop, if the person who is decent isn't there I just turn around and walk out. Life's too short.

I just can't see how the shops here think they will survive unless they find a way to lower the prices. SD's are actually €140 in shops here. Get them off Thomann for €80. Get them off chrisguitars for $45. I don't mind a minor discrepancy, I appreciate shops are expensive to run, especially in Dublin, but the mark ups are just extortionate at times.

Why should I fund rip-off Ireland? By paying over the odds am I not part of the problem? Prices have to come down and fast or else my business, and the business of anyone I talk to, will continue to go abroad.