Demise of the town music store.

[FatDrunkStupid]

It's a case of "adapt or die". The reality is that if you don't have an online store in addition to your high street outlet, your days are numbered unless you already have a very loyal clientele and/or occupy a specific niche that's not well catered for elsewhere. It doesn't matter whether you think this is a good thing or not, it's just how things are. Business doesn't care about sentimentality, it only cares about money.

The only guitar store close to me that has a reasonable selection of basses (more than 2 or 3 in a dusty corner) is known for high end and boutique instruments - we're talking Fender Custom Shop, Martin, Taylor and the like with prices of £2000+. Which is fine, there's clearly a market for that kind of thing and they do a lot of online business which is the reason they're still around I guess. But there are a couple of problems:

1. I can't comment on the guitars because I don't know the market but without exception, all of their basses are horrendously overpriced when compared to suppliers such as Anderton's, Thomann and the like.  Why would I want to pay £800 for a MIM Jazz? Their customer service had better be exceptional. Which leads me to:
2. The staff look down their nose at you unless you feign interest in one of the more expensive items. They act exasperated if you want to buy something as trivial as a set of strings and are generally rude and unhelpful.

These problems aren't isolated to music stores of course but given the current state of the retail market and slow decline in live music you would've thought that they'd want to encourage occasional trade, if only for the sake of "word of mouth" referrals.

 

[SpondonBassed]

22 hours ago, Quilly said:

Are online stores killing small music stores?

Possibly.

The bigger high street outlets are also a threat remember.  Foulds, one of two decent sized outlets in Derby, has recently expanded.  They've opened a guitar, bass and sheet music shop in the Strand Arcade.  The original shop in Iron Gate continues to sell a wide range of instruments and accessories.

I've always liked Foulds but then it is handy for me to visit.  I like the new outlet even better.  They've got plans.

I imagine it is getting hard for folk who don't have easy access to the larger towns and cities where such outlets can still be found.  You could argue that they are causing the demand for online shopping though and look at this whole Internet is killing local industry notion with a slightly different perspective.

[casapete]

9 hours ago, Woodinblack said:

We have new music shop where I live but I dont' go in often as it is mostly guitars and the few basses they have are fenders. I don't know how shops survive.

If I wanted to get a new bass or look at them I used to go to the PMT shop in bristol but now they don't put the prices on them so I can't tell whats what, so I have lost interest in looking on them - in fact, I was there last weekend, looked around the basses, a few had prices, just the discounts, so I looked, lost interested and went and played on the keyboards.

I am in a way surprised that there isn't a good music shop somewhere where they have some instruments set up and also a coffee shop or something where musicians can hang out, it would make it more of a social thing (and the coffee might pay for the shop to run better than the guitars). They could put informal gigs on, or mic nights etc. Trouble is you need some space but I can't see a way that a purely music shop could survive

Absolute Music in Poole has a cafe, rehearsal and tuition studios and puts on small events too. Last time I was there, it was good to see groups of (mainly) young people using all of these facilities. The retail side was pretty good too, and the staff friendly. Shame it seems such a rarity these days.

[ambient]

There are music shops and music shops. That applies to online too, some are awful, others are brilliant. To be successful I think you need a good selection of good equipment, not just cheap and cheerful gear. Look at bass direct for instance, their stock is amazing. You also need to provide good customer service.

[Quilly]

12 hours ago, NikNik said:

Where are you in Roi? Dublin had a few (what's that big guitar shop?), inc those fellas who deal in vintage gear, Some Neck. I was in Galway a couple of years back and saw a couple. Moloney's had some good stuff,  albeit trad.

Blackrock Music, up near Dundalk, is a shadow of its former self.

I’m in Waterford and John Palmer is the main man. I dunno how he does it but he’s been in business for 25years. He stocks fairly decent gear and does repairs etc. In cork Pro Musica is the last decent place left there as far as I can tell .

[Woodinblack]

1 hour ago, casapete said:

Absolute Music in Poole has a cafe, rehearsal and tuition studios and puts on small events too. Last time I was there, it was good to see groups of (mainly) young people using all of these facilities. The retail side was pretty good too, and the staff friendly. Shame it seems such a rarity these days.

Yeh, I liked it last time I was there (and have a load of points i should really use). Just a real pain to go into poole. Poole is less distance to me than bristol, but I still find it easier to go into bristol (even with the road works).

[steve-bbb]

The only local stores of note seem to rely on the music school side of their business two that come to mind in medway and faversham are well stocked but also have a very extensive teaching program and probably as many (if not more) tutors than sales staff

 

there are a small number of boutique high end places but by their nature they dont seem affected as they rarely operate under the same economic conditions as the average high street shop

Edited May 12, 2019 by steve-bbb

[FinnDave]

A friend of mine bought a long-established but dead on its feet music shop in Gloucester last year. He has injected new life into it and it is now a thriving city centre business. 

[Doctor J]

6 hours ago, Quilly said:

I’m in Waterford and John Palmer is the main man. I dunno how he does it but he’s been in business for 25years. He stocks fairly decent gear and does repairs etc. In cork Pro Musica is the last decent place left there as far as I can tell .

Essandess has been in Kilkenny for a long time. My first experience of customer service there was so bad I never went back. A new place opened in Kilkenny a few years ago but didn’t last long. In Clonmel, Premier closed a couple of years ago. Again, a new place has opened up but the stock isn’t great. I was in Musicmaker in Dublin a few weeks ago and they have barely any stock. I haven’t been into X-Music in a long time, they seemed to cope with the Thomann arrival better than the rest.

[bigthumb]

On 10/05/2019 at 23:13, 3below said:

Mid Wales Music, Newtown.  Great 'traditional' music shop.  Good range of interesting s/h and new kit at variable prices (some bargains, some fair, some ???).  It has been going a long time, I bought one of my basses there in 1990, bought most recent two years ago.  Phil has done well to compete against the rise  of the internet stores, long may it last.   One thing that works for it is being in Mid Wales, if I travel to West Mids or whatever to a large music shop the costs and time become significant.  

Disclaimer - I have no connection other than buying kit over the years.

I've net been there for a while but I remember it being a great little shop, I used to call in regularly. I've bought a couple of basses from there many years ago, a Aria SB1000 and a 1979 Precision. Both were reasonably priced. He's had some pretty good second hand amps as well. I drove through Newtown a couple of months ago and I was delighted to see that the shop was still there as the owner is a really nice bloke. I hope he's doing well. 

 

 

[NikNik]

That place I remember in Blackrock was called 'Beat It Music' or Danny Hughes' Music'. They had all kinds of vintage gear, from guitars/basses to amps, cabs, echo units, you name it. They also had affordable kit along with high-end stuff like Lowdens. I always made a point of stopping off there on the way down from Belfast to Dublin. I went in last summer and all the vintage kit was gone! All of it. 

[Quilly]

2 hours ago, Doctor J said:

Essandess has been in Kilkenny for a long time. My first experience of customer service there was so bad I never went back. A new place opened in Kilkenny a few years ago but didn’t last long. In Clonmel, Premier closed a couple of years ago. Again, a new place has opened up but the stock isn’t great. I was in Musicmaker in Dublin a few weeks ago and they have barely any stock. I haven’t been into X-Music in a long time, they seemed to cope with the Thomann arrival better than the rest.

That place in Clonmel that replaced premier music , music minds , has already folded. I spoke to the guy that owed the business when he was emptying the premises. He said he just couldn’t get committed staff and the foot fall was too light. To be fair to them they serviced 2 valve heads I dropped in , took a while but they did a good job 

[Burns-bass]

3 hours ago, FinnDave said:

A friend of mine bought a long-established but dead on its feet music shop in Gloucester last year. He has injected new life into it and it is now a thriving city centre business. 

I went in a few months ago, was a lovely shop. Shop assistant couldn’t play guitar to save his life (bass player I reckon! But everyone was really pleasant and helpful. Good luck to them, I’ll be stopping in next time I visit my parents.

[FinnDave]

9 minutes ago, Burns-bass said:

I went in a few months ago, was a lovely shop. Shop assistant couldn’t play guitar to save his life (bass player I reckon! But everyone was really pleasant and helpful. Good luck to them, I’ll be stopping in next time I visit my parents.

I'll pass that on to the owner when I see him this afternoon. Chap who owns it is a pro drummer, and a pretty good bass player as well. I've also seen him playing guitar and singing, and he did a damn good job of that as well.

[Woodinblack]

3 hours ago, FinnDave said:

A friend of mine bought a long-established but dead on its feet music shop in Gloucester last year. He has injected new life into it and it is now a thriving city centre business. 

What has he done with it?

[FinnDave]

5 minutes ago, Woodinblack said:

What has he done with it?

Moved the premises to a more central location, bought some stock - but the main improvement is his enthusiasm and knowledge, based on experience. To be fair, it doesn't a huge amount for the average bass player, as we are definitely in the minority, so don't expect it to be competing with Bass Direct for stock of interest to us!

[skb558]

Is this the Soundhouse; originally in Westgate St? If so, that’s where I bought by first bass, secondhand Hohner JJ, 25 years ago. 

[bazzbass]

I have two really good shops. Huge range of everything from SXs, Squiers, to high end Fenders, Warwicks etc. They both match the best Aus online price, and will order in anything I want.

So I get the best online price....but save on the shipping, WINNER . 

I've bought three great leather straps, made in Oz.

I could have bought them straight from the manufacturer, but I ordered them in to my two shops, gave them the business, saved on shipping AND their price was cheaper than the manufacturers price.

[mcnach]

1 hour ago, Burns-bass said:

I went in a few months ago, was a lovely shop. Shop assistant couldn’t play guitar to save his life (bass player I reckon! But everyone was really pleasant and helpful. Good luck to them, I’ll be stopping in next time I visit my parents.

 

Is that really important?

I see it as desirable, but... important?

And what's with the "bass player I reckon"  

[Hobbayne]

54 minutes ago, mcnach said:

 

Is that really important?

I see it as desirable, but... important?

And what's with the "bass player I reckon"  

Have you seen a guitarist trying to play a bass? They all try a fast widdly lick up the neck and soon get bored and hand it back. 🤣

[FinnDave]

1 hour ago, skb558 said:

Is this the Soundhouse; originally in Westgate St? If so, that’s where I bought by first bass, secondhand Hohner JJ, 25 years ago. 

Yep, that's the one. If you go in for another one (!) tell Richie or Laura (the owners) that Dave from Standlake recommended them. Might help!

[mcnach]

30 minutes ago, Hobbayne said:

Have you seen a guitarist trying to play a bass? They all try a fast widdly lick up the neck and soon get bored and hand it back. 🤣

 

A guitarist who is not a musician does that, maybe, yes. There are a lot of people who are not interested in showing off but rather care about 'music'. It's a tired stereotype that one, in my opinion and experience.

[Quilly]

Another aspect that a puts people off is the surly failed rock star behind the counter that acts like he’s doing you a favour serving you a set of strings. I’ve experienced ‘attitude’ on more than one occasion.

[Hutton]

I have really tried to buy from the only music store in my city. However, they never have what I am looking for and show no interest in obtaining it for me. I now don't bother even going in for a look as it's pointless. The only other music store sells used gear at often silly prices as they are mostly commission sales which pushes the price up. Basschat is a far better place to buy which is where I get most of my stuff now.