Disappointing shop experience

[JapanAxe]

First call on my shopping trip yesterday was Chandlers in Kew. First I tried a G&L ASAT skinny-string. The intonation was off so it wouldn't play in tune. Then I checked out a fretless P/J hybrid - completely awful to play. Both these instruments had 4-figure price tags! The shop could and should have sorted these issues before putting them out for sale.
I was last in there about 2 years ago, when I tried 2 electro acoustics and both had issues. As I handed the fretless back to a shop operative yesterday he asked how I'd got on. 'It's a dog' I said and walked out. I won't be going back.

[Bassman Sam]

I'm sorry to hear this. I always used to use Chandlers when I lived down south and they were very good at making sure that everything they had on sale was well set up. Their on site techs were excellent and if I ever needed work done on a bass, they were my first choice. I would hate to think that their standards have slipped as they had a great reputation for quality and a high profile clientèle.

[JapanAxe]

There is another Chandlers in Hampton Wick, just over the Thames from Kingston. No criticism of that one, and no idea whether or how they are linked. Which one did you use Bassman Sam?

[Bassman Sam]

[quote name='JapanAxe' timestamp='1375034709' post='2155999']
There is another Chandlers in Hampton Wick, just over the Thames from Kingston. No criticism of that one, and no idea whether or how they are linked. Which one did you use Bassman Sam?
[/quote]

I always used the one in Kew, I didn't know there was another one. It's a shame if the Kew one has lost it's way, they were always a bit pricey but were totally worth the premium.

[Stan_da_man]

[quote name='JapanAxe' timestamp='1375032416' post='2155970']
First call on my shopping trip yesterday was Chandlers in Kew. First I tried a G&L ASAT skinny-string. The intonation was off so it wouldn't play in tune. Then I checked out a fretless P/J hybrid - completely awful to play. Both these instruments had 4-figure price tags! The shop could and should have sorted these issues before putting them out for sale.
I was last in there about 2 years ago, when I tried 2 electro acoustics and both had issues. As I handed the fretless back to a shop operative yesterday he asked how I'd got on. 'It's a dog' I said and walked out. I won't be going back.
[/quote]
How are they supposed to improve then if their customers won't say what the problem is and just walk out?

[wateroftyne]

Isn't this standard practice for guitar shops?

[chris_b]

[quote name='Stan_da_man' timestamp='1375037915' post='2156043']
....How are they supposed to improve then if their customers won't say what the problem is and just walk out?....
[/quote]

+1

[JapanAxe]

[quote name='Stan_da_man' timestamp='1375037915' post='2156043']
How are they supposed to improve then if their customers won't say what the problem is and just walk out?
[/quote]
I did point out the specific problem with the ASAT. And should I really have to tell a guitar shop: 'You need to make sure your stock is in good order before putting it out'?

[skej21]

[quote name='JapanAxe' timestamp='1375042785' post='2156131']

I did point out the specific problem with the ASAT. And should I really have to tell a guitar shop: 'You need to make sure your stock is in good order before putting it out'?
[/quote]

No but it may have been fine when they put it out and has gradually become in that state through constant demo use. Even without these factors, the guitar isnt going to stay perfectly set-up hanging on a wall so its expected that it will need to be maintained regularly and contrary to what you may think, they probably don't get time to play every guitar/bass in the shop all day to find out these issues themselves, likely relying on constructive feedback about the state of the instruments from customers so that they can act on and become aware of issues developing with their stock.

Simply stating 'its a dog' and storming out isn't helpful. However, it would raise concerns if there were issues with multiple instruments that you tried. The odd one is understandable.

Edited July 28, 2013 by skej21

[BassTractor]

[quote name='JapanAxe' timestamp='1375032416' post='2155970']
'It's a dog' I said and walked out.
[/quote]

-1

[Noisyjon]

[quote name='JapanAxe' timestamp='1375034709' post='2155999']
There is another Chandlers in Hampton Wick, just over the Thames from Kingston. No criticism of that one, and no idea whether or how they are linked. Which one did you use Bassman Sam?
[/quote]

From what I understand Chandler's in Kew was owned and run by Doug & Charlie Chandler.
Doug got divorced and left/lost the shop during that.
Charlie then also left Chandler's in Kew with some of the tech's and set up Charlie Chandler's Guitar Experience in Hampton Wick.

Some of my friends & I have had work done in CCGX and can highly recommend them.

[Bassman Sam]

[quote name='Noisyjon' timestamp='1375044012' post='2156156']
From what I understand Chandler's in Kew was owned and run by Doug & Charlie Chandler.
Doug got divorced and left/lost the shop during that.
Charlie then also left Chandler's in Kew with some of the tech's and set up Charlie Chandler's Guitar Experience in Hampton Wick.

Some of my friends & I have had work done in CCGX and can highly recommend them.
[/quote]

Thanks for that update, I didn't know this. I used to go to Kew when Charlie was in charge.

[JapanAxe]

[quote name='skej21' timestamp='1375043529' post='2156146']
No but it may have been fine when they put it out and has gradually become in that state through constant demo use. Even without these factors, the guitar isnt going to stay perfectly set-up hanging on a wall so its expected that it will need to be maintained regularly and contrary to what you may think, they probably don't get time to play every guitar/bass in the shop all day to find out these issues themselves, likely relying on constructive feedback about the state of the instruments from customers so that they can act on and become aware of issues developing with their stock.

Simply stating 'its a dog' and storming out isn't helpful. However, it would raise concerns if there were issues with multiple instruments that you tried. The odd one is understandable.
[/quote]

I never mentioned storming out! Not even flouncing (although I do enjoy a good flounce). And I did smile while telling the chap the bass was a dog, and he smiled back, so no bridges burned. Assuming they hadn't knowingly put out a dog, they do now have the opportunity to have another look at that bass.

So far the shop's score with the instruments I have tried there has been 4 out of 4 with issues. With the electro's I mentioned, one had an extremely weak and tinny output, and the other had a very weak signal from the top E string.

[quote name='BassTractor' timestamp='1375043633' post='2156148']
-1
[/quote]

Is that for me or the shop? I don't seem to be coming out of this very well! Trouble is I am spoiled by shopping at World Guitars.

[BassTractor]

[quote name='JapanAxe' timestamp='1375045427' post='2156187']
Is that for me or the shop?
[/quote]

Sorry, mate!
It was for you, but I now take it back with oak leaves 'n' stuff, after your relaying more detail on the situation.
I'm with you on being assertive.

best,
bert

[steve-soar]

It's been hot for the last few weeks.

[molan]

In this weather it's near impossible to keep an entire showroom's worth of stock in tune, with perfect action and with great intonation.

Believe me, I've tried!

[uncle psychosis]

Most times I've tried instruments in shops the staff have checked the instrument was in tune etc before letting me loose on it. I understand it's hard to keep your stock in a+ condition all the time but it only takes seconds to make sure that the instrument a customer is trying is in decent nick.

[wateroftyne]

[quote name='molan' timestamp='1375058905' post='2156311']
In this weather it's near impossible to keep an entire showroom's worth of stock in tune, with perfect action and with great intonation.

Believe me, I've tried!
[/quote]

Of course it goes without saying that my earlier comment about it being par-for-the-course doesn't apply to 'proper' shops that actually care

[mentalextra]

[quote name='Stan_da_man' timestamp='1375037915' post='2156043']
How are they supposed to improve then if their customers won't say what the problem is and just walk out?
[/quote]

Although to be fare. he was there to buy a guitar not to be a "mystery shopper"!

He solved "his" problem by shopping elsewhere, the shop obviously dont think they have a problem?

[mentalextra]

[quote name='molan' timestamp='1375058905' post='2156311']
In this weather it's near impossible to keep an entire showroom's worth of stock in tune, with perfect action and with great intonation.

Believe me, I've tried!
[/quote]

Thats the downside of a music shop. Bread goes stale, fruit rots, meat goes off. How many customers a day demo instruments? How long does it take to check tuning? Nobody expects every instrument to be perfectly in tune at a moments notice, but preparing for a customer demo is the most important thing you do, surely!

The only way small shops are going to compete with the large "box shifters" is on personal service

Edited July 29, 2013 by mentalextra

[molan]

[quote name='mentalextra' timestamp='1375086573' post='2156409']


Thats the downside of a music shop. Bread goes stale, fruit rots, meat goes off. How many customers a day demo instruments? How long does it take to check tuning? Nobody expects every instrument to be perfectly in tune at a moments notice, but preparing for a customer demo is the most important thing you do, surely!

The only way small shops are going to compete with the large "box shifters" is on personal service
[/quote]

It depends if a customer has come to try something specific or just wants to browse a large range of instruments.

I was in one day when someone quite literally tried every single instrument in the showroom and at least four different amp and cab combinations. This wasn't a problem (and he spent over £4,000 at the end - ironically on the thing he tried first!) but it's hard to allow for someone wanting to try the entire stock.

The place I help out at goes through the entire stock about 4 times a year to check on set up - that's basic tuning, truss rod adjustment, intonation, electronics testing etc.

There's always random checking as well, especially for movement in the neck - some brands never budge and others move around a bit if there's significant climate change.

Between the three of us in the shop we probably play every bass at least once every couple of weeks.

Even with this we often find a random instrument will have gone significantly out of tune or the neck has moved an the action is too low/high.

Strings sometimes deteriorate with hardly any use whilst others are fine for ages.

Because these things aren't uniform it's tough to always have every instrument just perfect all the time

Of course, then there's the issue of exactly what constitutes 'perfect' - one person's low action can be another's unplayable buzzy horror. We used to try and set everything as low as it would go but have found a lot of people want to dig in more and prefer higher actions. Then we raised a lot of basses and someone proclaimed (publicly on this very forum) that the particular, very expensive, brand he tried weren't all they were made out to be because the action on the one he tried was too high. He didn't ask us to lower it for him, just tried it briefly and then basically slagged the brand off

I guess it's a case of 'some you win, some you lose'

[neepheid]

I think the worst thing a shop can do is put you through some little practice amp when you're trying out an instrument. Surely you want it to sound as good as it can when the prospective customer is making up his or her mind? Case in point - was in Glasgow a couple of weeks back. Tried a bass in one shop and was put through an Orange crush combo which was buried behind another amp (?). Tried a bass in another shop and was put through a Mark Bass combo. From which shop do you think I bought the bass?

Not the first time a shop has lost a sale from me because they made the bass I am trying sound merely functional. I try not to take it personally either, but there's a degree of feeling like I'm not being taken seriously in all this.

[chris_b]

I knew Doug and know Charlie, have used both shops and would happily use both again. I haven't seen her around for awhile, but Paula, Doug's ex wife, used to run the Kew shop. I don't go there often but that's because it's a guitar shop and I'm a bass player.

Personally I wouldn't condemn a shop based on one reported bad experience.

[EBS_freak]

One man's dog is another man's dream. I know most basses I play in shop's I would probably unfairly class as a "dog" because I simply like a stupidly low action. And the action I play with requires a serious fret dress... which isn't going to happen with stock instruments.

To be honest, the only thing that bugs me about (some) shops is that the staff sit around and piss about in quiet periods, when they could be doing something useful like setting up guitars and checking that everything is in tip top condition.

[xilddx]

[quote name='EBS_freak' timestamp='1375095071' post='2156545']
One man's dog is another man's dream. I know most basses I play in shop's I would probably unfairly class as a "dog" because I simply like a stupidly low action. And the action I play with requires a serious fret dress... which isn't going to happen with stock instruments.

To be honest, the only thing that bugs me about (some) shops is that the staff sit around and piss about in quiet periods, when they could be doing something useful like setting up guitars and checking that everything is in tip top condition.
[/quote]

Bang on. I've tried some very expensive instruments which have been badly set up, dusty, uncared for, even dead corroding strings on some of them, while the staff, like you say, just piss about twiddling their f***ing thumbs.