# Should I have said something at the music store?



## ed2000 (Feb 16, 2007)

I dropped in to my local L&M today where I saw/heard a 30's - 40's year old guy trying out guitars/amps. The guitar was not quite in tune...at least 3 strings were sharp/flat. I sounded like the guy (hope no one here!) had been playing only a few months and he was not shy on amp volume.
Question: Would you have(1) offered to tune or help tune the guitar or (2) ignore the auditory mayhem? I just checked myself and realized I may have sounded like that years ago:sSig_busted: but just not that loud.


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## bluzfish (Mar 12, 2011)

Nah, just smile to yourself and walk away - the isolated acoustic room might be a good choice to check out at that point. I sometimes wish I had the guts to play badly in a music store and not be intimidated by what I think other musicians will think of me. Funny, but anywhere else I wouldn't care about other peoples' opinions.


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## sulphur (Jun 2, 2011)

Yes, best to walk away.

I blame music stores for this problem though.
If someone wants to try a guitar, either supply them with a tuner,
bolt one onto a wall somewhere, if you're afraid that it'll disappear,
or take it to the counter and tune it before handing it over.

I'd be the guy beside that guy, open tuning with the amp cranked. 8)


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

I've always been very discrete when trying a guitar in a store. In fact, because i generally shop at the same local store and have long and friendly relationship with them, I generally don't bother even plugging them in at the store. I just take stuff home and if I like it I keep it.

Sometimes the money changes hands before, sometimes after.

The point is, in spite of having gigged for the majority of my life, I'd feel pretty self conscious about playing a guitar loudly in a music store.

I'd say if anyone should have "helped" the customer, it should have been store staff.


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## davetcan (Feb 27, 2006)

This exactly. I seem to freeze in a music store if i pick up a guitar, can't think of anything to play ;-) Stuff always sounds different through your own guitars or amps anyway, take it home if you can.



Milkman said:


> I've always been very discrete when trying a guitar in a store. In fact, because i generally shop at the same local store and have long and friendly relationship with them, I generally don't bother even plugging them in at the store. I just take stuff home and if I like it I keep it.
> 
> Sometimes the money changes hands before, sometimes after.
> 
> ...


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## Adcandour (Apr 21, 2013)

Crop dust. Even if it's just you and him.

If he calls you on it, just tell him that at least _your_ 'f' chord was in tune.


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## fredyfreeloader (Dec 11, 2010)

I have foolishly spoken up only to be told to mind my own fucking business. I quite enjoyed listening to him attempting to play something. The sales person said he thought it was supposed to be a G&R tune it really sounded like someone beating the crap out of a guitar but then I don't know squat of G&R music.


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## cheezyridr (Jun 8, 2009)

adcandour said:


> Crop dust. Even if it's just you and him.
> 
> If he calls you on it, just tell him that at least _your_ 'f' chord was in tune.


it's just the right thing to do, is all. hahahaha


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## deadear (Nov 24, 2011)

Usually that guy is playing the most expensive axe in the shop. And the same song gets played several times during his concert. But no I would not say a thing just think to myself congrats for having big balls.


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## puckhead (Sep 8, 2008)

I'd have requested some Zep


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## guitarman2 (Aug 25, 2006)

I'm usually discrete trying out guitars as well. If I plug them in I'll be on low volume. As for the tuning thing I've found that alot of the guitars on the wall can be out of tune for a few reasons. Dead strings that are harder to tune, intonation way out, etc. I sometimes take the time to tune them and get them close but I might be one of those offenders playing an out of tune guitar.
Usually if I'm wanting to put an amp through its paces at loud volumes I'll try to make a deal with L&M where I can take it out or I may rent if for a few days and take it out. Really no need to play loud in the store.


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## hardasmum (Apr 23, 2008)

I overheard a guy today asking a salesman if the Strat he was looking at would sound like David Gilmour.

I wanted to say, "Yeah if you're David Gilmour," but I bit my tongue.


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## shoretyus (Jan 6, 2007)

hardasmum said:


> I overheard a guy today asking a salesman if the Strat he was looking at would sound like David Gilmour.


This is the music industries bread and butter.. don't screw it up. If they don't make money they won't keep making cool stuff to buy. 

Don't break the chain !!!!!!


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## Lincoln (Jun 2, 2008)

I agree it's up to the staff to keep things under control. I've gone into Axe music in Edmonton with the intention of buying something several times and ended up walking out because of some talentless punk (not even able to form chords) thrashing away on some poor guitar thru a 50+ watt amp gained to the nuts. I don't care how much money his father has, the kid can't play, I didn't bring my ear plugs, and no one in the store can even talk & be heard. :sSig_Idontgetit:


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## djmarcelca (Aug 2, 2012)

hardasmum said:


> I overheard a guy today asking a salesman if the Strat he was looking at would sound like David Gilmour.
> 
> I wanted to say, "Yeah if you're David Gilmour," but I bit my tongue.


A smart salesman would have directed the guy to the David Gilmore signature strat for 2000.00
because "if you really want to sound like Gilmore, you should use the exact guitar that he uses"

salesman fail!!


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

Your first mistake is that you went to a music store on a weekend.

I find most music stores are far more civilized places on, say, a Wednesday morning. One of these days, someone should, or will, do an undergrad or master's thesis on "showboating in music stores" and plot both the average SPL and number of times a given wanker-tune is played as a function of day of the week and time of day. That'd actually be useful information for anyone applying to work part-time at a music store. "Yeah, sorry, I can't work from Friday at 4PM until closing time Saturday".


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## Diablo (Dec 20, 2007)

hardasmum said:


> I overheard a guy today asking a salesman if the Strat he was looking at would sound like David Gilmour.
> 
> I wanted to say, "Yeah if you're David Gilmour," but I bit my tongue.


Ugh... I hate how the industry is geared to those kinds of lies to novice musicians/their parents.
"hey, you like pantera? Well of course if you want to sound like Dimebag, you need a really pointy guitar with a wild paint scheme, in order to get that wild, razor sharp pointy sound he had....I just happen to have a Dimebag signature model right here that will get you what you're looking for".
the music gear industry is completely focussed on selling attitude and image and to a certain extent, fantasy.

to the OP, i wouldn't have said anything. If it sounds good to the players ears, it's not my business. Maybe he was playing some obscure grunge song 
now, the store may want to ask him to turn it down, so the bad sounding guitars don't make a bad impression on other would-be shoppers .


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## Mooh (Mar 7, 2007)

Funny, I actually do this, but it depends on the context. I've approached folks with the suggestion to tune or let me help them. Other times I walk. I have some cred at the local shop so the owner will back me. At out of town shops I don't want to piss anyone off. In both cases I don't want to embarrass anyone. After a point though, if I want/need to be in attendance, it also depends on my patience. 

It does stymie me how sales staff don't police the floor. 

Peace, Mooh.


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## bw66 (Dec 17, 2009)

I've always wanted to say, "Wow! That Was amazing! Do you know [_insert song that they were just trying to play_]?" But I've never had the nerve.


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

Mooh said:


> Funny, I actually do this, but it depends on the context. I've approached folks with the suggestion to tune or let me help them. Other times I walk. I have some cred at the local shop so the owner will back me. At out of town shops I don't want to piss anyone off. In both cases I don't want to embarrass anyone. After a point though, if I want/need to be in attendance, it also depends on my patience.
> 
> It does stymie me how sales staff don't police the floor.
> 
> Peace, Mooh.


In some respects, it's like almost any sort of social situation where the perpetrator of a social faux pas does so oblivious to it. How does one broach the topic of clinically bad breath in a co-worker? Or someone telling a particularly bigotted joke or other chuckle at the expense of someone who doesn't deserve it.

It's certainly going to depend on what the circumstances permit, but often there ARE little things one could say or do to make the situation more tolerable. I guess in this instance, one might make a passing comment that attributes the lack of tuning to the guitar, rather than the player, like "Boy, you'd think for that money the tuning keys would hold their pitch better", or to the previous player, like "Sounds like somebody before you must have given the whammy bar a real workout!". Just something that isn't construed as verbally aggressive, and lets the player retain their dignity by not being overtly labelled as tone deaf. They could choose to shrug, to ignore you, or to say something like "Yeah, I don't know how to get this thing in tune".


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## Merlin (Feb 23, 2009)

I don't step in. It's not my job.

Once, when things were crazy busy in my local store, a guy was throttling a bass through a guitar amp. Concerned that he was going to blow out the speakers, I suggested he might get a better result by plugging into a bass amp instead. He said he didn't know there was a difference.


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## Steadfastly (Nov 14, 2008)

hardasmum said:


> I overheard a guy today asking a salesman if the Strat he was looking at would sound like David Gilmour.
> 
> I wanted to say, "Yeah if you're David Gilmour," but I bit my tongue.


You should have said "David Gimour has vocal chords and as far as I know, they don't make strats with vocal chords so they won't talk back at you when you play the wrong note, so no, it nor any other strat sounds nothing like David Gilmour."


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

Well you're right that it isn't your job. OTOH, if one is trying to shop, and the loud noodlings of a tuning-challenged fellow customer are making it hard to do so, it starts to become one's job. I wouldn't doubt that in some instances, it can be even more awkward to request a staff member to do something about the source of the headache, than it is to take care of it oneself. Not always, but sometimes.


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## Steadfastly (Nov 14, 2008)

mhammer said:


> In some respects, it's like almost any sort of social situation where the perpetrator of a social faux pas does so oblivious to it. How does one broach the topic of clinically bad breath in a co-worker? Or someone telling a particularly bigotted joke or other chuckle at the expense of someone who doesn't deserve it.
> 
> It's certainly going to depend on what the circumstances permit, but often there ARE little things one could say or do to make the situation more tolerable. I guess in this instance, one might make a passing comment that attributes the lack of tuning to the guitar, rather than the player, like "Boy, you'd think for that money the tuning keys would hold their pitch better", or to the previous player, like "Sounds like somebody before you must have given the whammy bar a real workout!". *Just something that isn't construed as verbally aggressive, and lets the player retain their dignity *by not being overtly labelled as tone deaf. They could choose to shrug, to ignore you, or to say something like "Yeah, I don't know how to get this thing in tune".


Yes, it never hurts to be kind.


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## Merlin (Feb 23, 2009)

mhammer said:


> Well you're right that it isn't your job. OTOH, if one is trying to shop, and the loud noodlings of a tuning-challenged fellow customer are making it hard to do so, it starts to become one's job. I wouldn't doubt that in some instances, *it can be even more awkward to request a staff member to do something about the source of the headache,* than it is to take care of it oneself. Not always, but sometimes.


I don't see it is awkward getting a staff member involved. It IS their job.


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## Mooh (Mar 7, 2007)

mhammer said:


> In some respects, it's like almost any sort of social situation where the perpetrator of a social faux pas does so oblivious to it. How does one broach the topic of clinically bad breath in a co-worker? Or someone telling a particularly bigotted joke or other chuckle at the expense of someone who doesn't deserve it.
> 
> It's certainly going to depend on what the circumstances permit, but often there ARE little things one could say or do to make the situation more tolerable. I guess in this instance, one might make a passing comment that attributes the lack of tuning to the guitar, rather than the player, like "Boy, you'd think for that money the tuning keys would hold their pitch better", or to the previous player, like "Sounds like somebody before you must have given the whammy bar a real workout!". Just something that isn't construed as verbally aggressive, and lets the player retain their dignity by not being overtly labelled as tone deaf. They could choose to shrug, to ignore you, or to say something like "Yeah, I don't know how to get this thing in tune".


Of course some kindness goes a long way, as does a conciliatory tone. It's how it's said as much as what is said. One of my previous careers involved lots of negotiation, and working with conciliators, mediators, and arbitrators. I tend to let those instincts prevail when I find myself (by choice or otherwise) faced with any exchange with strangers or those who might prove to have a different opinion than my own. It's still possible to encounter a complete and utter jerk, but odds are much reduced by how the situation is approached. Generally it doesn't backfire when one smiles (to disarm and introduce), starts with complimentary words (perhaps about tone), asks a question to allow the other to feel they have the upper hand in knowledge, continue a very short chat to take control (and it results in the desired quiet)...often the guitar is offered up for me to try, but when it's not a simple, "It might be my ears today, but is that third string dead on?". Posed as a question it works better than, "Tune that fucker, will you already?!". Sure it's manipulation. It works. Sometimes a friend might result. You can share a laugh about it later.

Peace, Mooh.


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## shoretyus (Jan 6, 2007)

> "Tune that fucker, will you already?!".... Sometimes a friend might result. You can share a laugh about it later.


Ya ..when they _become friends _you can "Tune that fucker, will you already?!"


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## zontar (Oct 25, 2007)

mhammer said:


> Your first mistake is that you went to a music store on a weekend.
> 
> I find most music stores are far more civilized places on, say, a Wednesday morning. One of these days, someone should, or will, do an undergrad or master's thesis on "showboating in music stores" and plot both the average SPL and number of times a given wanker-tune is played as a function of day of the week and time of day. That'd actually be useful information for anyone applying to work part-time at a music store. "Yeah, sorry, I can't work from Friday at 4PM until closing time Saturday".


I always try to go during the week when at all possible.
At least L&M has more room now after their move, and they opened a new good sized location in the NW
But their old store was too crowded on a Saturday.
Other stores are the same or more crowded--or they're empty, which may be a bad sign for them.


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## parkhead (Aug 14, 2009)

Diablo said:


> Ugh... I hate how the industry is geared to those kinds of lies to novice musicians/their parents.
> "hey, you like pantera? Well of course if you want to sound like Dimebag, you need a really pointy guitar with a wild paint scheme, in order to get that wild, razor sharp pointy sound he had....I just happen to have a Dimebag signature model right here that will get you what you're looking for".
> the music gear industry is completely focussed on selling attitude and image and to a certain extent, fantasy.
> 
> ...


of course you have it completely backward ... the industry caters to the customers purchase fantasies (to do otherwise is certain death) 

as one actual rock star once told me ...
"I can't get used to any guitar that doesn't make me look like Jimmy Page in a mirror" ...he was and wasn't joking 
these feelings run deep 
anyone remember geko green les Paul's or the pink Godess models from a few years back 
exactly, Jimmy Page never played one but I am sure they were decent les pauls 

Clapton bought his 59 LP because Freddie King had a 56 soapbar goldtop on an album cover 
Clapton really wanted a Gold Top 


p


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