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Why do we pay so much for gear?


Musicman20
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Aye I saw those tc deals, that was pretty good.

The number of websites that have a monthly specials page, that has nothing on it, or something on it that is still overpriced for what they're selling is fairly mind-boggling.

Enough places could also do with doing interest free payments/instalments. I asked in the bass gallery if they'd do it, and they gave a no. So where is my business likely to be going for that Tanglewater CJ5? most likely bassdirect, who will - I played it in the gallery, but I can't afford £600 in one hit, and would probably spend the money on something else if I tried saving it!

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The big difference in the States is how vast the country is compared to the small UK Island we are..... Guitar Centre alone now has over 200 Stores let alone it's vast online presence there.... Has a significant impact on how they can deal with Manufacturers compared to chain stores in the UK

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There are deals to be had, they just seem sparser for many reasons. For example, the US has Guitar Center and various other nationwide music store chains that give offers applicable all over the US - do we have any equivalents (remaining)? The US also has a huge concentration of musical instrument manufacturers in the US (e.g. Fender, Gibson, not to mention amplifiers and effects pedals), thereby shaving off import/custom costs that would be added to the same products over here - do we have many equivalents?

On the flipside, Anderton's recently bought out a backlog of Cornford Roadhouse amplifiers and are offering them for about 60-70% of their original street price. They've done this to help promote sales of Cornford but ultimately it gives us and them a good deal.

Edited by mcgraham
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[quote name='Musicman20' post='1362484' date='Sep 5 2011, 12:37 AM']I realise the economy hasn't been that strong for years, but over on talkbass you see offers like '100 dollars off' even sale items, for certain holiday periods.

I know it's mainly US gear, but you even see it on Markbass equipment.

Why can't we have a few sales over here (and I mean decent sales)?[/quote]

Have you been on the "for sale" section recently?
Now that's cheaper! :)

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[quote name='Musicman20' post='1362484' date='Sep 5 2011, 12:37 AM']I realise the economy hasn't been that strong for years, but over on talkbass you see offers like '100 dollars off' even sale items, for certain holiday periods.

I know it's mainly US gear, but you even see it on Markbass equipment.

Why can't we have a few sales over here (and I mean decent sales)?[/quote]

I think its partly a cultural thing. Loads of US companies do "crazy" sales at their major holidays---I guess its the norm over there.

There's probably also a considerable supply/demand element to consider. The USA is a much, much bigger country than the UK---I guess that Boss can halve or quarter their profit margin on their pedals over a weekend and still sell enough to make a decent profit. Not sure they could do the same here. And, unlike clothes, music gear tends not to go out of fashion so theres less pressure on retailers to shift their stock, like in the January sales.

It is rubbish though! :)

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[quote name='Pete Academy' post='1362613' date='Sep 5 2011, 09:29 AM']Our shop recently had a sale whereby we sold off masses of Ashdown ex-demo gear. And we currently have 10% off Tanglewaters.

But I'm not allowed to mention it.[/quote]

10% off tanglewaters? now that has me interested! but not allowed to mention it why, question mark / on the gfs stupid finnish keyboard, none of the keys make sense

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because if you ran a small guitar or bass shop in the middle of the biggest ressesion since the 1920's, and the price of making guitars, and shipping guitars, and tax and minimum wage, and your insurance premiums and your rent and so on are all going up, at the same time sales are (I'm guessing) going down.... maybe you can't afford to take 10% even if you wanted to...

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