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Post by chessparov on May 3, 2024 17:52:59 GMT -6
Thoughts?...
Thanks! Chris
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Post by Johnkenn on May 3, 2024 18:42:13 GMT -6
Oh wow.
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Post by mics on May 3, 2024 20:42:34 GMT -6
Perhaps it isn’t closing due to necessity but more like now that Sam has passed it’s time to cash out and divvy.
I could be wrong but……
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hey212
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Post by hey212 on May 3, 2024 20:43:18 GMT -6
Such a bummer. The CEO of Guitar Center actually did an interview just last week about making changes to their current strategy, basically saying they've become too focused on entry level gear and plan to refocus on premium gear. Not sure that will actually solve anything, but I hope they find a way to stay afloat. finance.yahoo.com/news/guitar-center-ceo-explains-why-161149551.html |
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ericn
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Post by ericn on May 3, 2024 21:30:41 GMT -6
Perhaps it isn’t closing due to necessity but more like now that Sam has passed it’s time to cash out and divvy. I could be wrong but…… In the past the number one asset of Sam Ash has been their real estate. Someone might have realized sell gear wasn’t the best use. |
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ericn
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Post by ericn on May 3, 2024 21:36:40 GMT -6
Such a bummer. The CEO of Guitar Center actually did an interview just last week about making changes to their current strategy, basically saying they've become too focused on entry level gear and plan to refocus on premium gear. Not sure that will actually solve anything, but I hope they find a way to stay afloat. finance.yahoo.com/news/guitar-center-ceo-explains-why-161149551.htmlHe might want to refocus but considering GC got Fender to agree to taking Pennie’s on the dollar for their debt, I doubt anyone in the high dollar world is going to take the risk. My local MI guy was telling me their Fender rep was apologizing for basically shitting on them for paying on time. GC’s biggest issue is pretty simple, they like to strategize about what they want to be instead of looking in the mirror and seeing who they really are. I’ll say it again: it’s not about the market you want but it’s all about the market you got. ( That rule got me an A+ in understanding markets). |
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Post by bgrotto on May 3, 2024 21:38:42 GMT -6
Good riddance. The music instrument equivalent to Walmart drive the proper mom n pop stores out of business. Let them rot. I hope the local shops make a come back. I want to buy from people who give a damn.
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hey212
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Post by hey212 on May 3, 2024 21:48:54 GMT -6
I guess I'm assuming that if corporate chains with their ad budgets and theoretical economies of scale can't turn a profit in this environment, the odds are even worse for mom and pops. I would love to be wrong about that though. Hell yes to a local shop comeback.
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Post by mcirish on May 3, 2024 22:16:14 GMT -6
I haven't been in a Sam Ash in many years. The last time was when they treated me like I was some broke kid begging for a deal. Wouldn't even give me the time of day. I had the cash in hand to buy an 88 key Yamaha synth. Maybe it was an SY99ES or something like that. Yes, many years ago. I told them they blew the deal and left. Never set foot back in that store. Terrible experience. Glad that store is gone. I got the same treatment at Carter Vintage in Nashville, but that's another story. Poor customer service is eventually going to catch up to you.
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Post by Bat Lanyard on May 3, 2024 23:05:15 GMT -6
I guess my local Dallas store is done? The people that worked there were great. Hope that's not the case but I appreciated the place and the people. Did notice their pedal stock has been declining for a while.
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Post by jeremygillespie on May 3, 2024 23:24:16 GMT -6
Sam Ash around here always seemed like the ugly step sibling to Guitar Center. I know that’s not saying much, but Sam Ash felt like a shitty toy store whereas GC actually had nice stuff. The Pro Audio departments at both were a total joke though.
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Post by miscreantrecords on May 3, 2024 23:24:24 GMT -6
That's wild. RIP.
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Post by trappist on May 3, 2024 23:42:26 GMT -6
Don’t care. Rather find the best deal online, get free shipping, no tax and delivered to my door. Both Sam Ash and Guitar Center are in the mall less than a mile from me. The biggest deterrent shopping there is needing to go into the mall.
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Post by chessparov on May 4, 2024 0:37:41 GMT -6
I don't have the level of experience you guys have with (or without) Sam Ash/GC. Guessing Vintage King doesn't have too much to worry about from... GC Pro.  Chris |
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Post by nick8801 on May 4, 2024 4:44:44 GMT -6
My local Sam Ash and guitar center are right across the street from each other. Sam Ash was much nicer both in gear and people. I’m going to miss going there. My main sales guy there started at GC and moved to Sam Ash 15 years ago. He was super cool and I got to know him really well over the years. I feel really bad for all the employees who are now suddenly out of work.
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Post by doubledog on May 4, 2024 8:17:14 GMT -6
Such a bummer. The CEO of Guitar Center actually did an interview just last week about making changes to their current strategy, basically saying they've become too focused on entry level gear and plan to refocus on premium gear. Not sure that will actually solve anything, but I hope they find a way to stay afloat. finance.yahoo.com/news/guitar-center-ceo-explains-why-161149551.htmlthat's funny - maybe they have been reading some of the customer surveys after all? Except that they think that simply having better guitars is going to do that? Not a chance. They want customers to feel like "this is a playground". Well, that's already the case. Look at all the toys in the stores. No serious products (at least not in the 3 stores near me - well, 4 really but I've only been to the 3). I don't think there's ever been a Sam Ash in the Austin area (San Antonio, Dallas, Houston). We had Mars music and that's long gone. Most of the small mom and pop shops are already gone (real estate is very expensive) so even though I don't really shop at GC (or Sam Ash) that often, I'm not cheering on their disappearance either. It's good to at least have something local where you could get a part same day if needed. Kind of like when all the Radio Shack and Fry's stores closed... Then again, you can get almost anything shipped in 1-2 days. |
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Post by phantom on May 4, 2024 8:32:13 GMT -6
First thing for Guitar Center is to change the name.
Ain't no one playing the guitar these days. In a few years the kids will say "dad, what's a gutaar?"
Call it DJ Center. Profit.
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Post by Johnkenn on May 4, 2024 8:51:30 GMT -6
Perhaps it isn’t closing due to necessity but more like now that Sam has passed it’s time to cash out and divvy. I could be wrong but…… I was today years old when I found out there was really a Sam Ash and he was alive without me knowing. |
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Post by Johnkenn on May 4, 2024 8:52:32 GMT -6
First thing for Guitar Center is to change the name. Ain't no one playing the guitar these days. In a few years the kids will say "dad, what's a gutaar?" Call it DJ Center. Profit. IDK…I actually think it’s coming back. Some of these young players like the Italian kid are reshaping how we even think about playing. |
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ericn
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Post by ericn on May 4, 2024 10:19:55 GMT -6
Good riddance. The music instrument equivalent to Walmart drive the proper mom n pop stores out of business. Let them rot. I hope the local shops make a come back. I want to buy from people who give a damn. On that score the other day I saw Rode Podcasting gear at Target, we are all heading there. |
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Post by bgrotto on May 4, 2024 11:42:36 GMT -6
Good riddance. The music instrument equivalent to Walmart drive the proper mom n pop stores out of business. Let them rot. I hope the local shops make a come back. I want to buy from people who give a damn. On that score the other day I saw Rode Podcasting gear at Target, we are all heading there. I mean, once upon a time, Sears was a go-to spot for buying your kid's first guitar, so in a way, I guess an argument could be made that we're really heading * back* there. I'd rather see the budget entry-level stuff in stores like Target anyhow; put entry-level music-making in 'every day' places where parents can easily buy in, let it get re-normalized, and then maybe (just maybe) there's an eventual demand for higher-quality instruments that specialist mom n pop shops can sell, just like the ol' daze. Wouldn't that be swell? |
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Post by chessparov on May 4, 2024 12:19:54 GMT -6
First thing for Guitar Center is to change the name. Ain't no one playing the guitar these days. In a few years the kids will say "dad, what's a gutaar?" Call it DJ Center. Profit. IDK…I actually think it’s coming back. Some of these young players like the Italian kid are reshaping how we even think about playing. Like that "Frankie" guy?  |
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ericn
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Post by ericn on May 4, 2024 13:10:15 GMT -6
On that score the other day I saw Rode Podcasting gear at Target, we are all heading there. I mean, once upon a time, Sears was a go-to spot for buying your kid's first guitar, so in a way, I guess an argument could be made that we're really heading * back* there. I'd rather see the budget entry-level stuff in stores like Target anyhow; put entry-level music-making in 'every day' places where parents can easily buy in, let it get re-normalized, and then maybe (just maybe) there's an eventual demand for higher-quality instruments that specialist mom n pop shops can sell, just like the ol' daze. Wouldn't that be swell? From a traditional MI perspective, absolutely, from a tech perspective, it’s the after sale support that matters exponentially more with new users ( exhibit A all the UAD support complaints as they move down market). Remember Sears never sold Multi tracks😁 Now one of the traditional reasons for MI coveting entry level instrument sales has always been that while these sales didn’t mean much for the bottom line, but the lessons these sales generated were a cash cow. GC has suddenly discovered this strategy over the last 6 years, but a Music store here in KC where one of the instructors was having inappropriate relationships with minors may have saddled that cash cow with a whole bunch of liability insurance costs and the need for increased supervision. |
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Post by geoff738 on May 4, 2024 13:48:50 GMT -6
Up here we have neither. Maybe we’re not missing much? I really don’t know. I would think more competition would be a good thing overall. Plus you have Sweetwater, who I think will ship at least some items north of the border. Never tried.
Cheers,
Geoff
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Post by Johnkenn on May 4, 2024 14:00:03 GMT -6
IDK…I actually think it’s coming back. Some of these young players like the Italian kid are reshaping how we even think about playing. Like that "Frankie" guy? Honestly, not really my bag...but it's amazing. |
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