# Ethical behavior music stores



## Mahogany Martin (Mar 2, 2006)

People make jokes all the time about Little Johnny wailing away at Stairway to Heaven in a music store. The ultimate annoyance in gear shopping experience. What if it’s the only song he knows?  What then are some of the *basic* behaviors in a guitar shop? I’ll venture out first but feel free to correct me if I’m wrong.

Don’t take any guitars off the rack. Establish communication with a salesperson. He/she will take it off the rack for you to try?

It’s OK to try/play but keep it down? On an acoustic, it’s not so much a problem. But on the electric plugged in, don’t you need to have it a little *louder* in order to get a better feel/sense? Can/will a music store make a pair of headphones available at your disposal (I know this sounds silly but why not?).

Don’t spit on the floor?


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## GuitarsCanada (Dec 30, 2005)

A good topic... in some of the better stores I have been in they have a separate room "sound proofed" with a variety of amps and pedals inside for you to try out the guitars. You can go in there and crank it up to your delight. Now 90% of shops do not have that available. I would agree that unless you are the only person in the store, and ask permission, that you should not be cranking the amps up and driving everyone else in the store crazy. I find that most of these dudes actually think you are digging their concert. 

It's a tough call because anyone would like to test drive these guitars first, especially when they are topping the $600 mark and beyond. But there are always going to be the eternal test drivers.... never buying. In these cases I think the shop owners have to step in.


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## coyoteblue (Feb 8, 2006)

It seems silly to ask a sales person every time you take a guitar off the rack. We're old enough to drive or go to Afghanistan but not to take a guitar off the rack? This would discourage me from going to a guitar store. Do you really want someone following you around the store as you check out the guitars? This suggestion makes sense for really expensive guitars but for 90% of them, why? The fun of guitar shopping is trying out as many as you can as you make your choice. Having to ask a clerk to get you each one would be a serious drag. Sounds a bit anal to me.


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## Mahogany Martin (Mar 2, 2006)

coyoteblue said:


> It seems silly to ask a sales person every time you take a guitar off the rack. We're old enough to drive or go to Afghanistan but not to take a guitar off the rack? This would discourage me from going to a guitar store. Do you really want someone following you around the store as you check out the guitars? This suggestion makes sense for really expensive guitars but for 90% of them, why? The fun of guitar shopping is trying out as many as you can as you make your choice. Having to ask a clerk to get you each one would be a serious drag. Sounds a bit anal to me.


I agree that it seems silly. I've seen places where they'll get the guitar off the rack and walk away and come back to check on you a little later (especially for more expensive guitars like you say). It just seems to make some shop owners nervous. I guess they never know who they are dealing with.


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## imbackagain2 (Feb 6, 2006)

coyoteblue said:


> It seems silly to ask a sales person every time you take a guitar off the rack. We're old enough to drive or go to Afghanistan but not to take a guitar off the rack? This would discourage me from going to a guitar store. Do you really want someone following you around the store as you check out the guitars? This suggestion makes sense for really expensive guitars but for 90% of them, why? The fun of guitar shopping is trying out as many as you can as you make your choice. Having to ask a clerk to get you each one would be a serious drag. Sounds a bit anal to me.



I agree as well. I can't stand when some shop dick is following me around the store. I know what I want so get the hell off of my back. Everytime I go to steves on queen in T.O someone has an amp kranked and it's annoying.


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## marshallman (Feb 3, 2006)

IMO, the "cranking" of amplifiers has to be done, unfortunatly. Simply because, if I'm buying an expensive amp, and plan on playing it at shows, etc... I want to hear how it sounds loud. We all know that between bedroom volume and gig volume, there is a huge difference in tone.

So, not to sound like an *******, but I don't really care if the other customers are pissed off at me if I'm blasting an amp.:wave:  

I'm the one who has to pay for it.:rockon:


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## Mahogany Martin (Mar 2, 2006)

marshallman said:


> IMO, the "cranking" of amplifiers has to be done, unfortunatly. Simply because, if I'm buying an expensive amp, and plan on playing it at shows, etc... I want to hear how it sounds loud. We all know that between bedroom volume and gig volume, there is a huge difference in tone.
> 
> So, not to sound like an *******, but I don't really care if the other customers are pissed off at me if I'm blasting an amp.
> 
> I'm the one who has to pay for it.:rockon:


With a handle like that (marshallman), "cranking it up" and a straight forward attitude are both a given  and your not an ******* for voicing your opinion. Let me ask you this though, do you then make a point to do this on a quiter day or night at the shop or does it matter whether it's a quiet Tuesday night or a busy Saturday afternoon?

You're ok in my book to crank it up in order to try it but not so ok if you do so when it's busy. I still respect your opinion though :sport-smiley-002:


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## marshallman (Feb 3, 2006)

ofender said:


> With a handle like that (marshallman), "cranking it up" and a straight forward attitude are both a given  and your not an ******* for voicing your opinion. Let me ask you this though, do you then make a point to do this on a quiter day or night at the shop or does it matter whether it's a quiet Tuesday night or a busy Saturday afternoon?
> 
> You're ok in my book to crank it up in order to try it but not so ok if you do so when it's busy. I still respect your opinion though :sport-smiley-002:


Of course, even with an attitude, I still have some respect for my fellow man.:food-smiley-004: 

It's all common sense to me. I will definitly crank it only if the store's not busy (afternoons are the best times), or some other weird on the spot circumstance (kids around, pregnant women:confused-smiley-010 )

I'm a quiet, discreet guy, anyways. I'm not the showoff type in guitar stores.


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## flashPUNK (Feb 16, 2006)

I agree with you about what youre saying, cranking up an amp that youre gonna be dropping a chunk of change on is important.
I think ofender was referring more to playing a guitar at obscene volumes. Its not really gonna change the way the guitar feels when the amp its plugged into is cranked all the way to 11.


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## marshallman (Feb 3, 2006)

flashPUNK said:


> I agree with you about what youre saying, cranking up an amp that youre gonna be dropping a chunk of change on is important.
> I think ofender was referring more to playing a guitar at obscene volumes. Its not really gonna change the way the guitar feels when the amp its plugged into is cranked all the way to 11.


Oh yeah, for guitars it's totally different.

I usually have an idea what kind of guitar I'm going to buy anyways. I just go to the store to check the details (feel, paint, weight, etc...):wave:


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