PaulWarning Posted February 14, 2018 Share Posted February 14, 2018 haven't been in a music shop for years, as with a lot of retail business' the internet has killed them, I've never been satisfied with trying gear out before buying, until I've lived with it for a while and played in a band situation I've never had much idea whether it's what I want, being cack handed the choice is almost non existent anyway, I remember ringing round for a left handed Yamaha acoustic "We can order one for you sir" "Yeah but I want to try one first" "Well one of our staff can play a right handed one for you" , I reverted to my normal practice of buying second hand then moving it on at minimal cost if it wasn't what I wanted Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EBS_freak Posted February 14, 2018 Share Posted February 14, 2018 19 minutes ago, PaulWarning said: "Well one of our staff can play a right handed one for you" , Do they want to do the gigs and recording for me too? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monkey Steve Posted February 14, 2018 Share Posted February 14, 2018 (edited) 50 minutes ago, PaulWarning said: "We can order one for you sir" "Yeah but I want to try one first" "Well one of our staff can play a right handed one for you" , A mate of mine had a similar experience in a guitar shop that I would say is usually absolutely brilliant. He wanted to try a Gibson Nighthawk, with a view to buying one, and the shop, who carry a lot of Gibsons, had one listed on their website as "sold - available to order". So he pops in and asks if they can get one in for him to try, and has the same exchange - "only if you're going to buy one" "well, how do i know if i want to buy it unless I try it?" Their explanation was that they'd had a couple in when they first came out, and everybody hated them It's not a sale or return business and they'd had to knock them out at a loss a couple of years later in a sale, and just didn't want to order in a guitar that they were pretty sure my mate wouldn't actually like, and that they wouldn't be able to sell. Didn't help my mate, but can't really argue with their reasoning - was a bit more solid than "we don't get a lot of lefties". And he was happy enough that they did it in a manner that may not have been the answer he wanted, but didn't put him off the shop at all. they even offered a huge discount if he did want them to order one for him to buy (which he didn't take them up on). Top customer service And he did then track down a Nighthawk to try out. Hated it Edited February 14, 2018 by Monkey Steve 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EBS_freak Posted February 14, 2018 Share Posted February 14, 2018 Me - Have you got a Nighthawk that I could try out? Them - I guess you want some Rotos too? Me - Good point. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FinnDave Posted February 14, 2018 Share Posted February 14, 2018 I hate to be late to the PMT love-in, but I can honestly say that the staff at PMT Oxford have always been exceptionally helpful, even going out of their way after shop hours to deliver an amp to my home, more than once. I walked into the store last week, having not been there for several months, and was greeted cheerfully by name. I didn't leave empty handed, but won't say what I bought as it is something that might lead a torchlit mob of bass chatters to my door braying for my blood! Alright, it was a music stand. And I don't care! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fleabag Posted February 14, 2018 Share Posted February 14, 2018 Friend of mine who was in the Oxford band The Candyskins, used to work part time in PMT ( now owns and runs Shonk Studios in Oxford ) The Oxford branch of PMT are a helpful bunch Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EBS_freak Posted February 14, 2018 Share Posted February 14, 2018 3 minutes ago, fleabag said: Friend of mine who was in the Oxford band The Candyskins, used to work part time in PMT ( now owns and runs Shonk Studios in Oxford ) The Oxford branch of PMT are a helpful bunch There used to be a couple of guys working in PMT in Oxford in a band called Twin Jet Superstar - I remember loving the guitarist's playing. Just been googling and it seems that the fella is called Dave Smart. Seems like he's moved on to pastures new and now has a repair business and got something to do with Oxford Guitar Gallery. There you go. The thread has rekindled some blast from past memories for me! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BassTractor Posted February 14, 2018 Share Posted February 14, 2018 5 hours ago, radiophonic said: @chris_b Not treating your customers like mugs or insulting them? Showing some expertise? Just trying to make a sale with knowledge and interest rather than assuming you deserve it? Not telling the customer what they want without listening to their actual needs? Those things cost nothing. I'd rather shop locally, but I'm not going to be treated like a mug in the process. So much this. The weird thing is I ordered a cab online from gear4music, and the next day they called me internationally to politely ask whether I would accept a cab with a minor damage to the Tolex, as it was the last one in stock (I knew that when ordering), and they couldn't order new ones anymore (which I also knew when ordering). It was already super cheap, so I accepted right away. The point being that this level of pro-active and friendly service is often hard to find in physical shops. I've had the same polite and friendly service from Anderton's and Bax Music's online shops. That said, IME the service level in physical shops seems to be a roughly linear function of the shops' specialisation level. IOW the general music store that caters for everyone who comes looking for MyFirstMusicalToy is at the bottom as to service and knowledge, whilst specialised synth shops, piano shops, bass shops etc. tend to take care of the customers in a totally different way. BTW, that same shop where we were to fetch the saxophones, during the same period offered this totally new product, and I ordered it instantly based on the shop owner's words. When it arrived, it appeared to be the old version I had been having in my home for several years, so my first words were: "Oh? You know, this is the old version that I already have?!?!", despite my thought that I would accept it, as I could do with two of them. The shop owner then started a rant against me and difficult customers in general, finishing off with the exclamation that bloody foreigners like me had to realise "this is Norway you know!". Of course I made it known to him he himself had said it was the new version and that that was my initial reason for ordering it from it, but that I had decided to accept it despite it being the old version, but that I wouldn't accept it anymore since he went out on a rant about bloody foreigners. I've never returned there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fleabag Posted February 14, 2018 Share Posted February 14, 2018 (edited) @EBS_freak There used to be a couple of guys working in PMT in Oxford in a band called Twin Jet Superstar - I remember loving the guitarist's playing. Just been googling and it seems that the fella is called Dave Smart. Seems like he's moved on to pastures new and now has a repair business and got something to do with Oxford Guitar Gallery. There you go. The thread has rekindled some blast from past memories for me! Dave Smart is my amp tech. His web is Dave Smart Guitars. He's a lovely chap, so helpful. He's done much work for me in the past. He also builds guitars ( not sure about basses ) and they're stunningly made When my TE Mark V GP11 combo had a graphic and eq switch failure, he fitted the new switches ok, ( although a bit of a bar steward , apparently ) but i also wanted to keep the green TE outer covers so it still looked original, which according to Dave was a right pain, but he did it. He did a service too, and then a PAT test, which he sends to Gardener Electronics, an official PAT tester. Dave also serviced my Kustom Groovebass 1200 head, and did some remedial work to the circuit board, that some earhole had managed to murder Edited March 2, 2018 by fleabag Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EBS_freak Posted February 14, 2018 Share Posted February 14, 2018 5 minutes ago, fleabag said: @EBS_freak There used to be a couple of guys working in PMT in Oxford in a band called Twin Jet Superstar - I remember loving the guitarist's playing. Just been googling and it seems that the fella is called Dave Smart. Seems like he's moved on to pastures new and now has a repair business and got something to do with Oxford Guitar Gallery. There you go. The thread has rekindled some blast from past memories for me! Dave Smart is my amp tech. His web is Dave Smart Guitars. He's a lovely chap, so helpful. He's done much work for me in the past. He also builds guitars ( not sure about basses ) and they're stunningly made When my TE Mark V GP11 combo had a graphic and eq switch failure, he fitted the switches ok, ( although a bit of a bar steward , apparently ) but i also wanted to keep the green TE outer covers so it still looked original, which according to Dave was a right pain, but he did it. He did a service too, and then a PAT test, which send to Gardener Electronics, an official PAT tester. Dave also serviced my Kustom Groovebass 1200 head, and did some remeidal work to the circuit board, that some earhole had managed to muder I've tried to find a pic of him to confirm it's the same guy. Was a big guy I seem to recall - and I particularly remember him for being the first guy I'd seen to use a Rotovibe live. The bass player - tall skinny guy was defo from PMT. I'm beginning to question my memory whether Dave was... The band also had a percussionist. So they were doubly cool in my book. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fleabag Posted February 14, 2018 Share Posted February 14, 2018 Dave Smart is quite a small bloke, and lean, like a whippet His web is actually https://www.smartguitars.co.uk/#about Not Dave Smart Guitars as i incorrectly stated Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EBS_freak Posted February 14, 2018 Share Posted February 14, 2018 Just now, fleabag said: Dave Smart is quite a small bloke, and lean, like a whippet His web is actually https://www.smartguitars.co.uk/#about Not Dave Smart Guitars as i incorrectly stated Hmm. Maybe I have completely the wrong bloke then... or my memory is completely shot! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FinnDave Posted February 14, 2018 Share Posted February 14, 2018 17 minutes ago, EBS_freak said: There used to be a couple of guys working in PMT in Oxford in a band called Twin Jet Superstar - I remember loving the guitarist's playing. Just been googling and it seems that the fella is called Dave Smart. Seems like he's moved on to pastures new and now has a repair business and got something to do with Oxford Guitar Gallery. There you go. The thread has rekindled some blast from past memories for me! Dave Smart now runs Smart Guitars, he's the guy I take my basses to for a proper set up. Top man, I can thoroughly recommend him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fleabag Posted February 14, 2018 Share Posted February 14, 2018 Bit late to the Dave Smart party, Dave 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FinnDave Posted February 14, 2018 Share Posted February 14, 2018 Just now, fleabag said: Bit late to the Dave Smart party, Dave I was busy playing a bass he set up for me recently! He'll be amused to know his name's come up on here, he's not too complimentary about forums! If you see him before I do, ask him about my Epiphone Thunderbird, he was so impressed he's bought one for himself! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fleabag Posted February 14, 2018 Share Posted February 14, 2018 I possibly will see Dave sometime as i need some work doing. I'll mention the T Bird ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EBS_freak Posted February 14, 2018 Share Posted February 14, 2018 8 minutes ago, fleabag said: I possibly will see Dave sometime as i need some work doing. I'll mention the T Bird ! And ask him about Twin Jet Superstar. That was him wasn't it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EBS_freak Posted February 14, 2018 Share Posted February 14, 2018 Me - Are you Dave Smart, formerly of Twin Jet Superstar? Them - No Me - Oh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monkey Steve Posted February 14, 2018 Share Posted February 14, 2018 20 minutes ago, BassTractor said: That said, IME the service level in physical shops seems to be a roughly linear function of the shops' specialisation level. IOW the general music store that caters for everyone who comes looking for MyFirstMusicalToy is at the bottom as to service and knowledge, whilst specialised synth shops, piano shops, bass shops etc. tend to take care of the customers in a totally different way. Not sure i agree with this - I've had superb service from the bottom end generalist shops - there used to be one in Woking (pretty sure it was seen off by Andertons some time ago) run by a guy who bent over backwards to provide a great service. Of course these are exactly the shops who will only stock Rotosound and not Ernie Ball (or vice versa) and definitely no sign of D'Addarios, and only basic starter instruments so you'd never go there to buy a bass unless you were starting out, but the one I'm thinking of would always offer to order in whatever strings or picks or leads I wanted (provided he could get them from his suppliers), and once sold me a Warwick Rockstand 7 that the shop was using for the guitars on display for the same price as the Rockstand 5 that I'd actually popped in to ask him to order, on the basis that I could have it straight away and rather than me having to wait maybe a week or two for it to turn up, he could make do using other stands for a couple of weeks instead. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fleabag Posted February 14, 2018 Share Posted February 14, 2018 (edited) 13 minutes ago, EBS_freak said: And ask him about Twin Jet Superstar. That was him wasn't it? I have no idea Freak. I have a photo of Dave in my Whatsapp contacts, and if i could somehow show it you in a PM, i would , but i have no idea how to grab a copy Edited February 14, 2018 by fleabag Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wolverinebass Posted February 14, 2018 Share Posted February 14, 2018 23 minutes ago, fleabag said: I have no idea Freak. I have a photo of Dave in my Whatsapp contacts, and if i could somehow show it you in a PM, i would , but i have no idea how to grab a copy If you're using Android. Click on the photo which expands. Click it again to make it fill the screen. At the top right there is the share symbol. Click that then the first option is save to gallery. Job done. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matski Posted February 14, 2018 Share Posted February 14, 2018 Me, taking graphite-necked bass into music store: "Hi, I need to order new machine heads for this bass as the old ones are badly tarnished, can you order them?" Them: "Yes. Is this neck made of plastic?" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fleabag Posted February 14, 2018 Share Posted February 14, 2018 (edited) 1 hour ago, Wolverinebass said: If you're using Android. Click on the photo which expands. Click it again to make it fill the screen. At the top right there is the share symbol. Click that then the first option is save to gallery. Job done. Brilliant - thanks Wolverine Edited February 14, 2018 by fleabag Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EBS_freak Posted February 14, 2018 Share Posted February 14, 2018 Fleabag just sent me a pic me - are you Dave Smart of Twin Jet Superstar fame them - why yes, it is me - oh. Ok. As you were. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fleabag Posted February 14, 2018 Share Posted February 14, 2018 Walk upto him and say " you are Dave Smart of Twin Jet Superstar fame and i claim my £5 " Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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