JMT3781 Posted March 7, 2010 Share Posted March 7, 2010 (edited) Just wondering how many other people out there who are paid to talk bass rubbish all day wheres your shop, what lines do you specialise in? and which piece of stock are you in love with at the moment? Edited March 7, 2010 by JMT3781 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomBassmonkey Posted March 7, 2010 Share Posted March 7, 2010 I do. Only a small one but there's still lots of crap to be talked. Love the Tokai LPs so much I bought one within a week of them arriving. We don't stock many big brands, mostly stuff like Tokai, Kustom, Hamer etc. We also do EBMM, Korg and Vox and other bits but don't usually carry stock. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
implo Posted March 8, 2010 Share Posted March 8, 2010 (edited) [quote name='JMT3781' post='766995' date='Mar 7 2010, 05:01 PM']Just wondering how many other people out there who are paid to talk bass rubbish all day wheres your shop, what lines do you specialise in? and which piece of stock are you in love with at the moment?[/quote] I did. I had the misfortune to work in Duck, Son & Pinker in Bath, generally known as Dusties as the stock never moves. It's also freemason-owned and everyone is paid in cash, so rumours that it functions as a money laundering front are rife. That would certainly explain why they can afford to employ as many salesmen as they do without seemingly turning a profit. I was far too honest to be a successful salesmen, though, so left after several months. We were 'encouraged' to sell awful unbranded crap to people who didn't know better and that's no good for your conscience. But it served a purpose in allowing me to play some fantastic guitars (Parker fly, vintage SGs, ESP metal monsters) basses (Stingrays, Thumbs, US Jazzes and Precisions) and high-end 6 piece kits. It was worth it as a foundation in finding out the fundamental differences between models, and is the reason I still don't regard MIM and MIA as being any different from each other, play-wise... And would buy a peavey milestone in a heartbeat if one turned up here. Built like sh*t, but the best neck I've ever played. Edited March 8, 2010 by implo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMT3781 Posted March 8, 2010 Author Share Posted March 8, 2010 [quote name='implo' post='767570' date='Mar 8 2010, 08:45 AM']I did. I had the misfortune to work in Duck, Son & Pinker in Bath, generally known as Dusties as the stock never moves. It's also freemason-owned and everyone is paid in cash, so rumours that it functions as a money laundering front are rife. That would certainly explain why they can afford to employ as many salesmen as they do without seemingly turning a profit.[/quote] Good story.. I work in my dads guitar shop, Based in walsall. He does more business with PA and disco, but since me and another semi pro bass player have worked there we have managed to build some nice bits of bass kit. We have the normal fender stuff, and a bit of ernie ball. Anything else we have is just stuff we can get on special offer, so other stock is quite varied. Amp wise we Have markbass, Galien krueger and then the standard chinese made stuff. I'm currently loving a ernie ball sterling thats been played by so many people its settled in really nicely Theres also a secondhand vm jazz that i would quite like. Anyone else? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
throwoff Posted March 8, 2010 Share Posted March 8, 2010 I work in the industry, but I would rather not give out specifics. Have you compared the Sterling to a Ray? Honest opinion if you have?? I have a ray but never had the chance to play a lefty Sterling, if enough people give me good news I might just bite the bullet and order one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Academy Posted March 8, 2010 Share Posted March 8, 2010 I've been in music retail for almost 30 years. I worked in small independent shops for about 25 of them, then worked for the now defunct Academy of Sound and then Sound Control. The way SC worked forced me out of retail. The business has changed immensely over the years, but I couldn't handle SC's ridiculously unnattainable targets. Plus I couldn't get off early enough to get to long-distance gigs. Stupid, considering they needed to employ musicians. After a two-year stint working for an entertainment agency, which I loved, I was made redundant and now work at the old SC store in Hanley, which is now totally independent and is again The Academy Of Sound. I like the fact that we do P/X and get some nice gear coming through. Apart from the Markbass stuff, The Ashdown BTA 400 rig is probably the most impressive piece of kit I've seen and heard in a while. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosh Posted March 8, 2010 Share Posted March 8, 2010 [quote name='Pete Academy' post='767603' date='Mar 8 2010, 09:14 AM']I've been in music retail for almost 30 years. I worked in small independent shops for about 25 of them, then worked for the now defunct Academy of Sound and then Sound Control. The way SC worked forced me out of retail. The business has changed immensely over the years, but I couldn't handle SC's ridiculously unnattainable targets. Plus I couldn't get off early enough to get to long-distance gigs. Stupid, considering they needed to employ musicians. After a two-year stint working for an entertainment agency, which I loved, I was made redundant and now work at the old SC store in Hanley, which is now totally independent and is again The Academy Of Sound. I like the fact that we do P/X and get some nice gear coming through. Apart from the Markbass stuff, The Ashdown BTA 400 rig is probably the most impressive piece of kit I've seen and heard in a while.[/quote] Don't need another team member do ya? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jezzaboy Posted March 8, 2010 Share Posted March 8, 2010 [quote name='Pete Academy' post='767603' date='Mar 8 2010, 09:14 AM']I've been in music retail for almost 30 years. I worked in small independent shops for about 25 of them, then worked for the now defunct Academy of Sound and then Sound Control. The way SC worked forced me out of retail. The business has changed immensely over the years, but I couldn't handle SC's ridiculously unnattainable targets. Plus I couldn't get off early enough to get to long-distance gigs. Stupid, considering they needed to employ musicians. After a two-year stint working for an entertainment agency, which I loved, I was made redundant and now work at the old SC store in Hanley, which is now totally independent and is again The Academy Of Sound. I like the fact that we do P/X and get some nice gear coming through. Apart from the Markbass stuff, The Ashdown BTA 400 rig is probably the most impressive piece of kit I've seen and heard in a while.[/quote] I bought my Asdown MAG300 from Academy of sound in Ottago st Glasgow many moons ago. It was a great shop with helpful staff and still operates as CC Music with the (I think) old manager. And the Ashdown`s still going strong. Jez Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JMT3781 Posted March 8, 2010 Author Share Posted March 8, 2010 Honest opinion if you have?? I have a ray but never had the chance to play a lefty Sterling, if enough people give me good news I might just bite the bullet and order one. [/quote] i really do like the sterling Ray, sounds like a musicman, therefore its fine by me . The obviously cheaper bit is the the neck, doesnt have the nice chunky well machined feel of the amercian stingray. In terms of the preamp it does seem a little more nasal than your average stingray, but not by much. I do rally like them, but would rather about 100 quid less for one, 599-649 would be more realistic i think. A secondhand one would be immense . It seems most people have plenty of trade horror stories... but of course it has been a difficult time for our industry. Much respect and support to anyone up sh*t creek because of the downturn in business and disappearance of their workplace.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Bass Doc Posted March 8, 2010 Share Posted March 8, 2010 I USED to run a bass specialist shop (now retired) and it didn't take long to discover what the average customer seemed to want:- Something for nothing (and they'd still complain). Actually I'm not as bitter as that may sound, I made some great friends in the 15 or so years I had the shop - still got most of them! Must be hard going now with the internet and forums like this moving so much gear that would normally go through shops. Respect to anyone still in the game. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Academy Posted March 8, 2010 Share Posted March 8, 2010 [quote name='Rosh' post='767807' date='Mar 8 2010, 12:24 PM']Don't need another team member do ya? [/quote] Sorry mate, not at the mo, but a CV wouldn't go amiss. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete Academy Posted March 8, 2010 Share Posted March 8, 2010 [quote name='The Bass Doc' post='768260' date='Mar 8 2010, 05:39 PM']I USED to run a bass specialist shop (now retired) and it didn't take long to discover what the average customer seemed to want:- Something for nothing (and they'd still complain). Actually I'm not as bitter as that may sound, I made some great friends in the 15 or so years I had the shop - still got most of them! Must be hard going now with the internet and forums like this moving so much gear that would normally go through shops. Respect to anyone still in the game.[/quote] The internet rules as far as retail goes. People gen up on gear and are savvy about prices etc. If you can't beat 'em... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dom in Dorset Posted March 9, 2010 Share Posted March 9, 2010 I have worked in a music shop on and off for about ten years. Mostly repairs, I'm actually a qualified woodwind and brass tech and took a part time job with a Frome shop during a slack period for my own (instrument making) business. The shop is now in Westbury and I'm now down to one afternoon a week, more out of loyalty than need. Most of the stock is aimed at begginers, there is the occasional second hand thing that takes my fancy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yorick Posted March 9, 2010 Share Posted March 9, 2010 I used to work in the mother of all music shops, Musical Exchanges. Aaaahhh, all the second equipment Luckily, i never worked saturdays, so never got the animals or weekend warriors in the shop. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dom in Dorset Posted March 9, 2010 Share Posted March 9, 2010 [quote name='yorick' post='768840' date='Mar 9 2010, 08:35 AM']I used to work in the mother of all music shops, Musical Exchanges. Aaaahhh, all the second equipment Luckily, i never worked saturdays, so never got the animals or weekend warriors in the shop.[/quote] I saw Dave Hill from Slade in there once! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crez5150 Posted March 9, 2010 Share Posted March 9, 2010 Been there done that.... worked all over the industry.... not much bass related apart from being responsible for launching Tech Sound Systems (now Tecamp) in the UK many moons ago and also distributing GK Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yorick Posted March 9, 2010 Share Posted March 9, 2010 [quote name='Dom in Somerset' post='768865' date='Mar 9 2010, 09:07 AM']I saw Dave Hill from Slade in there once![/quote] We had them all, Dave Hill, Roy Wood, Tony Iommi and Peter Green, once. Dave's very small. Even i tower above him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yorks5stringer Posted March 9, 2010 Share Posted March 9, 2010 "Dave's very small. Even i tower above him" ....hence the silver platform boots? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yorick Posted March 9, 2010 Share Posted March 9, 2010 [quote name='yorks5stringer' post='769536' date='Mar 9 2010, 06:27 PM']"Dave's very small. Even i tower above him" ....hence the silver platform boots?[/quote] Yep, and the hat. Which adds a couple of more important inches!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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