Do you agree with the argument against using Thomann?

Hotale.com

About a year ago Crowleys music closed down in Cork, followed by mass praise for their service and expressions of sadness for their closure, I can completely agree with this, but I also can completely understand why they closed down and it doesn't surprise me. It's just too expensive compared to buying online.

Buying instruments (guitars anyway, they are the only instrument I've experience with) is simply too expensive in local shops. I've seen guitars in Pro Musica which were 150 euro more than the same model was on Thomann, why should/would I support the local shops when I could save so much money? I try to buy local when it comes to musical goods, but it simply doesn't make sense.

The usual argument against using Thomann is that you don't get to to play the instrument beforehand, but in my opinion this isn't a luxury worth spending 150 euro on. Even if I didn't like a guitar I got off Thomann I could just send it back for about 15 euro, still saving me 135 euro.

Would you spend a lot more money in a local shop to buy an instrument if you could get it on Thomann way cheaper? Would you spend a considerable amount more on different products in a local shop as opposed to saving money online.

Gregor Samsa

I've bought 3 guitars from Thomann, and a few grands worth of other gear. I do it because it's convenient, they have a wide range of stock and their prices are good. I live in the West: the nearest shop that sells electric guitars is 50 km from my house, and their stock is small. With a young family, I just don't have the time to spend a day dedicated to travelling and buying gear from a smaller range that's more expensive. I'll take my chances with buying sight unseen, but so far it's worked out for me.

My Telecaster, I bought from Musicmaker, but from their website. I haven't set foot in their shop in 20 years (I spend most of my life in Dublin). Price was better than Thomann, and it was delivered (fully set up) in 2 days. I was very impressed, and I'd always check the Irish online stores before ordering, and is even pay a small premium to buy from them. But they're usually a lot more expensive, or just don't have the item I want.

I do work for an e-comnerce company, so I suppose I'm pretty comfortable with buying online, maybe more so than many. I'm pretty much an exclusive online shopper. About the only things I buy in bricks and mortar shops are food and petrol.

Hotale.com

phutyle wrote: »

I've bought 3 guitars from Thomann, and a few grands worth of other gear. I do it because it's convenient, they have a wide range of stock and their prices are good. I live in the West: the nearest shop that sells electric guitars is 50 km from my house, and their stock is small. With a young family, I just don't have the time to spend a day dedicated to travelling and buying gear from a smaller range that's more expensive. I'll take my chances with buying sight unseen, but so far it's worked out for me.

My Telecaster, I bought from Musicmaker, but from their website. I haven't set foot in their shop in 20 years (I spend most of my life in Dublin). Price was better than Thomann, and it was delivered (fully set up) in 2 days. I was very impressed, and I'd always check the Irish online stores before ordering, and is even pay a small premium to buy from them. But they're usually a lot more expensive, or just don't have the item I want.

I do work for an e-comnerce company, so I suppose I'm pretty comfortable with buying online, maybe more so than many. I'm pretty much an exclusive online shopper. About the only things I buy in bricks and mortar shops are food and petrol.

I'd love to help my local shop because it's the only one in Cork now after Crowley's closed, but if they think they can get away with charging sizeable amounts of money more than online shops I'm afraid I'm not going to give them my custom.

It's a pity too, because they're a nice bunch of lads in there and they are very helpful.

Rigsby

While cost is generally the criteria for people shopping on line rather than in "bricks and mortar" outlets, what puts off a lot of people with the latter, is the general attitude towards the customer.

I can only speak for Dublin shops (and there are exceptions here), but IME their general indifference to customers leaves a lot to be desired. A while ago on this forum there were numerous threads describing people's negative experiences of music shops in Dublin. Some said they were initially prepared to keep the money in Ireland, but after their experience, it was a case of..."never again..."

Another reason to shop on line is choice. I could never get the particular bass I wanted, here in Ireland....even if I was prepared to pay three times the going rate.

Oink

Rigsby wrote: »

Another reason to shop on line is choice. I could never get the particular bass I wanted, here in Ireland....even if I was prepared to pay three times the going rate.

I totally get that, but when I decided to order a bass myself, the shop I went to didn;t have it, so they ordered it and matched Thomann's price. All that with excellent service. So it was a win-win: I kept the money in Ireland, and I got my bass.

Hotale.com

Oink wrote: »

I totally get that, but when I decided to order a bass myself, the shop I went to didn;t have it, so they ordered it and matched Thomann's price. All that with excellent service. So it was a win-win: I kept the money in Ireland, and I got my bass.

This is the ideal situation but unfortunately it rarely happens.

I'd spend up to 30 euro above the online price just to support the business but it's usually more expensive

Rigsby

Oink wrote: »

I totally get that, but when I decided to order a bass myself, the shop I went to didn;t have it, so they ordered it and matched Thomann's price. All that with excellent service. So it was a win-win: I kept the money in Ireland, and I got my bass.

Either you were very lucky or I was very unlucky.

When I inquired about a particular bass in two well known Dublin shops, I got a shrug of the shoulders and told.."we dont have it.." in a.. "that's the end of the matter.." sort of way, then proceeded to move on to the next customer.

Cool_CM

Hotale.com wrote: »

About a year ago Crowleys music closed down in Cork, followed by mass praise for their service and expressions of sadness for their closure, I can completely agree with this, but I also can completely understand why they closed down and it doesn't surprise me. It's just too expensive compared to buying online.

Buying instruments (guitars anyway, they are the only instrument I've experience with) is simply too expensive in local shops. I've seen guitars in Pro Musica which were 150 euro more than the same model was on Thomann, why should/would I support the local shops when I could save so much money? I try to buy local when it comes to musical goods, but it simply doesn't make sense.

The usual argument against using Thomann is that you don't get to to play the instrument beforehand, but in my opinion this isn't a luxury worth spending 150 euro on. Even if I didn't like a guitar I got off Thomann I could just send it back for about 15 euro, still saving me 135 euro.

Would you spend a lot more money in a local shop to buy an instrument if you could get it on Thomann way cheaper? Would you spend a considerable amount more on different products in a local shop as opposed to saving money online.

Sometimes it makes perfect sense to shop online even with the added carriage. Have you mentioned to people in shops that the same guitar is x amount online and asked if they would match it? The worst they can say is no.

ednwireland

i would agree, bought both my guitars from the local shop (acoustic /electric ) prices weren't different enough to justify online.

both amps came from thomann as my local stores don't carry much in amps but thats the northwest for you, and i really wanted a Vox

Rory Gallagher

I honestly would never buy online,I just could not fork out the money for an instrument I don't get to play before I buy.
Crowley's was also a fine shop,I was in there once and the staff were friendly and they let me off a few quid for a slide I wanted.

Hotale.com

Rory Gallagher wrote: »

I honestly would never buy online,I just could not fork out the money for an instrument I don't get to play before I buy.
Crowley's was also a fine shop,I was in there once and the staff were friendly and they let me off a few quid for a slide I wanted.

I went in there once to get an effects pedal and your man spent 15 minutes talking to the other worker about how much he hates 96fm while I was trying to get his attention, I know I should have interrupted him but I'm not really that kind of guy

Never went back after that.

Rory Gallagher

Hotale.com wrote: »

I went in there once to get an effects pedal and your man spent 15 minutes talking to the other worker about how much he hates 96fm while I was trying to get his attention, I know I should have interrupted him but I'm not really that kind of guy

Never went back after that.

That's mad, I thought they were a great bunch.I do know the feeling of waiting for the employee's to stop talking and I am often apprehensive in asking them to stop.
Personally though I feel that Walton's in Dublin is the best,Staff are absolutely the coolest I've come across.Very generous!
It's still sad Crowley's is closed,Especially concerning the history regarding Rory Gallagher's Stratocaster.

Royale with Cheese

I find the staff in musicmaker pretty good, and their prices quite competitive too. Have bought two 'high end' guitars in Ireland. One in the musicmaker sale and the other second hand, really do prefer to play an instrument before buying when spending serious cash. Was burnt once before on a €1k bass from musicstore that just wasn't up to scratch.

Hotale.com

Rory Gallagher wrote: »

That's mad, I thought they were a great bunch.I do know the feeling of waiting for the employee's to stop talking and I am often apprehensive in asking them to stop.
Personally though I feel that Walton's in Dublin is the best,Staff are absolutely the coolest I've come across.Very generous!
It's still sad Crowley's is closed,Especially concerning the history regarding Rory Gallagher's Stratocaster.

I think if Crowley's tried to modernise they could have survived, it really is unfortunate that they closed down though. They had such historical significance in Cork's music scene.

Rory Gallagher

Hotale.com wrote: »

I think if Crowley's tried to modernise they could have survived, it really is unfortunate that they closed down though. They had such historical significance in Cork's music scene.

Still though it would be hard to compete with all the other traders on the net.
It's still a shame though,I'm not from Cork but I know the feeling of losing a well-trusted shop.My nearest music shop closed down over two years ago after many years of business.

Ravelleman

Royale with Cheese wrote: »

Was burnt once before on a €1k bass from musicstore that just wasn't up to scratch.

Did you return it?

shane9689

the plus about music stores (if theyre actual proper music stores) is that the instruments are usually properly setup and you can try them out, and get them upgraded/repaired from where you bought them...buying off thomann, youre getting an instrument that came straight from a factory and it could be in any sort of condition, quality control isnt top notch for instruments below a grand usually...

rgjmce

Not sure if they've been mentioned yet but every since I've been buying from the music outlet in swords. I don't bother with thomann, it is handy for rough prices though.

I have ordered from them before, nothing big but had no trouble.

I find with the place in swords, they can match thomann. So really there is no need to buy from thomann. I got an esp horizon from music outlet and was actually cheaper than thomann.

Gaspode

Havent bought any instruments from that shop in Swords (yet!) but I can confirm that they will happily match Thomann prices for you. I'd imagine other shops might do that as well if you ask them enough.