Story from one of my most recent guitar visits, visiting Danville Music (Danville CA). I was talking about pedals with a guy behind the counter, and he says "I have five fuzz pedals." I was thinking about it, not wanting to admit how many I have (more than five), and said, "I probably have at least that many." He replies, "Yes, but I'm a drummer." You just can't get that kind of quality humor without a guitar shop. Case closed.
I predict that Casino completely takes over the retail market, Baxter becomes filthy rich and retires to start a film studio, but then realizes nobody cares about Hollywood any longer, so retires happily to Kentucky. Jonathan, also insanely wealthy by this point, starts a new beard-care line of products that he parlays into even greater wealth - hands out Custom Shop guitars and Magnatones to the needy.
I can see Baxter's "Film Studio" appealing to a very specific market... (Doorbell Rings) Hot female porn star : "Oh thank the heavens you got here so fast Mr Guitar Tech. I can't seem to get my G-String to stay in tune. Help me please..." Baxter (with porn moustache) : "Ah, I see you have a Gibson Les Paul... don't you worry little lady, I'll get my tools and lube up that nut" HFPS: "Oh my will it need much lube - I hope you have enough? My, my, it's so hot in here... (dress falls to the floor)" Baxter (completely ignoring the HFPS and picking up the guitar) : "What a gorgeous body... flame top 57 re-issue, Tim Shaw pups... I'm have your G-string singing like an angel in just a few seconds" As I said... a niche market for guitarosexuals only 😎... and so, as you point out, he retires instead to Kentucky and lives happily ever after surrounded by golden fields of Two Rock amps and orchards of Custom Shop Fenders. The End.
In 1979 I bought a Martin D-35 from one of those little ads in the back of a guitar magazine from an outfit in Rockville Maryland. Paid $600, still have it. Since then have bought most over the internet, one small shop now gone, and Guitar Center.
Nostalgia is clouding a lot of the older guy`s rose colored glasses. Back in the 70`s to the mid 90`s where I grew up, every town and city had a 1/2 dozen Mom and Pop guitar shops and for every great mom and pop guitar shop there was another one that was filled with arrogant and snooty A holes who looked down their noses at you. They wouldn`t give you the time of day, and if they did, they would refuse to let you even touch a guitar, let alone plug one into a nice amp, unless you showed them cash. The bottom line, only a few shops like Casino guitars will survive going forward.
IMHO, the guitar stores that will thrive are those that foster a community through lessons, open mic nights, open jams, and luthier classes-experiences you can't replicate online. They don’t just sell guitars; they also take the time to set them up, offer expert advice, and help with repairs. It's about service and expertise, not just sales. These stores will always survive. Or at least I hope they do!!!
From Leo: I do not think guitar shops will be much different. Maybe fewer of them. I have been going to guitar shops since the 60's, they are basically the same. Music from the 1500's is still studied and performed today. Those who perform music, still have the same work to do. Some things do not change as fast. Just like any picture you see of 100 year old taverns, they are not that different from the local pubs of today.
Good luck with the direct from the manufacturer to the customer. Within the past 6 months I have received 3 defective Fender Teles, 1 Strat, 1 Schecter, 3 Epiphones, 2 Squiers and a Blackstar tube amp from online stores that ship without inspection and direct ship from fender. All of them had to go back because of major issues that go way beyond set ups. Fret board not lined up on neck, nut slots cut on the edge of the nut and or cut to close together, tree string screw hole drilled so far over that the B string wouldn`t stay under the tree, broken output jack that took me 15 mins to remove my cable, frets ends cut short, frets twisted, frets not seated, neck warped ,picked ups cutting out, stop tail piece and bridge studs and holes bent or crooked. Oh yeah, and a defected effects pedal. It gets old, real fast, having to box up these pieces of garbage and wasting my time and gas driving them to Fed Ex and UPS.
This is a topic close to my heart because back in the 70's I was guitar salesman for a couple of years before our band went pro and I learnt a lot about setting up guitars, different brands (Gibson / Fender / Martin etc.) and, more importantly, how to help people find 'the right guitar' if they needed help. We sold lotsa guitars and held the whole pro market (Wellington, NZ). Fast forward and in HK, where I have lived for 40 years, the situation is this. Pop: around 8 million, it's a pretty big city. There are 2 main flagships - Tom Lee Music have Fender, PRS, Gretsch, Ibanez, Taylor, Martin and others. Parsons Music have Gibson (lots - Custom Shop / Murphy Lab - stuff you can't see on the website now), Epiphone, Guild, K. Yairi (lovely acoustics), Cordoba and others. And around town there are some hole in the wall boutique shops in industrial buildings that combine guitar and electronic repairs, and maybe have one or 2 dealerships for pros - Duesenberg, Sadowsky, Suhr, Eastman, Sire, Reverend and some quality trade in items. So that's a snapshot of one town and it works pretty well and I hope it lasts! Healthy turnover and great customer service - I have got to know key players and enjoy hanging out . . . just like it was back in Godzone when I was starting out. I hope bricks and mortar - guitars, records, books (!!!) don't go away 😀Bottomline, I wouldn't buy a guitar online - much prefer to play it and make a decision. I realise not everyone has physical access in the way we do here and most bigger cities, so online will thrive but it's always going to be a bit of a hit and miss scenario.
Drove to Carter Vintage Guitars in Nashville Tennessee yesterday to grab a Custom Shop Martin HD28. It's an 8 hour drive round trip. Shops like that will be the only ones around in the future. Museums you can buy the Museum pieces from essentially. Just something magical about a guitar safari. I emailed them a week ago and they even restrung it and did a good setup and put it in a private office for me because I told them I'm 4 hours away and would love to try it out. The fact that they were willing to hold it is pretty killer.
@EclecticHillbilly could be. It's certainly not a 1930s pedigree but it's my win. I drove down there expecting to nor like it so it is what it is. I didn't have to pay the 4 plus grand also
@Guillermo have you seen guitar prices lately? It's a custom shop hd28. They're like $3800 before tax. A regular d28 is $3200. They're not exactly cheap
meet the new boss - same as the old boss. 55 years ago music stores were mostly about selling vinyl records, and some had a small area back in the corner for insturment sales and rentals. there was no such thing as a "vintage" instrument. there were new ones and (old) used ones. nobody wanted an old one unless they had little $$ to spend. and for many, the place to buy a musical instrument or amplifier was a department store like Sears or Montgomery Ward (which basically served a function similar to the internet today as far as instrument & amp sales). 10 years later there were dedicated guitar / amp/ keyboard / drums / sound equipment stores, but no huge national chains. by 1990 that began to change. now its changing again. the market has split into several different markets. there's a high-end collector / boutique / vintage market. there's an intermediate market catering to anytown, anybody type working musicians. and there's a MUCH bigger market for low priced stuff, which exists mostly on the internet. just remember - back in the '50s, Fender guitars were considered the "cheap" stuff. in the '60s anything made in Japan was considered "cheap junk." 30 years ago anything made in Mexico was considered "cheap." nothing lasts forever. and today's "cheap junk" will likely be tomorrow's high priced "vintage" collector items.
@@drsrsv8884 of course not. that will never happen... and who in their right mind would ever buy a guitar with a BOLT-ON neck??? who would even dream of such a ridiculous thing as a BOLT-ON neck? ridiculous!! or paying extra for distortion??? I guess some people will fall for anything......
@@EclecticHillbilly LOL! yeah - I'm definitely too old to comprehend that whole "relic" thing. an amp or guitar that's actually from the 1950s that's honestly acquired some "character?" that's OK by me. but the fake stuff... WTF? and why don't they do that to amps? why don't they sell Marshall 4x12 cabs that look like they were on stage with Hendrix or The Who before road cases became a thing? and why not pianos? why not microphones with rusty grill mesh from decades of spit?
I prefer the simpler days of MIM/MIA or Squier. I miss GC being a force of nature and miss being EXCITED over getting Musician's Friend catalog in the mail!
I wish I had a local guitar shop. I can walk to Emerald City Guitars from work, but it's scary out there some days. The only shop somewhat near home is appointment-only.
Shops will be the place to find a treasure from the past. Like I did the other day at Moze Guitars. Lessons, repairs and great used/vintage inventory is the way.
If every guitar shop was you guys then they would have nothing to worry about. But I’ve met a few too many douche bags who work in guitar shops. I’d rather just buy direct.
I have an independent guitar shop near me, live in a relatively small town. The independent shop has no Gibsons, Fenders, or P.R.S. and the owner is not a person that cares about his customers. So I drive the 40 mins to go to Sam Ash (where the real guitars are). They are cool and treat you not only with respect they go above and beyond. Rock on Sam Ash in Clearwater. If I was in the area, I would definitely, almost have to buy one from Casino just to talk to Baxter or Johnathan. Have a great day.
To All those Doubting in 1(One) Year they can be better then 95% of the Guitar players they Know or Meet is to Practice at Least 100 Hours a Year, Divided it Means if You Spend 18 Serious Minutes of Practice Each day so it is a Discipline, Next year you will be playing the things you only daydream about playing Today. Just Find a Playable Guitar and Apply yourself, it one of the few things You dont have to be skinny, pretty or Brilliant Intellectually, You just have to have the Passion To Play
I think more used guitar stores will pop up. Commercial real estate is very cheap now and guitars are subject to inflation. It’s a good time to open a store.
I don't see my local shop lasting very long. They used to be the one stop shop. Went in a few days ago with cash in pocket and had to struggle to find anything I wanted or needed. People are lazy now and will take the path with least resistance in all shopping.
No disrespect intended, but I see GC as a modern day Blockbuster Video. Who would have thought BB-Vid would be irrelevant... The way of things, guys. Sweetwater has the dinero to adapt I'd say... GC is old news. Again, no disrespect, just my 2 pence. LOVE DA SHOW!!!
Interesting take. I have to wonder if Sweetwater won't follow the same path as GC. The majority owner is now a private equity company and I won't be surprised if they undergo a rapid expansion followed by a long period of slow decline. That's the basic MO of most private equity acquisitions; build 'em up, unload 'em and watch the next group bleed them dry.
These corporations are about 10 years ahead of the Masses. If they know what I know, from a business point of view I would wring out the towel as much as possible…
So there is absolutely no advantage to us the buyer with the majors going direct. No savings on products when leaving out the shop ( middle man), nobody to catch the quality issues. I’m sure customer service will suffer. On the upside smaller builders might get more representation.
More people will by from shops that will carry the brands that don't sell direct from the manufacturer. They'll go for the import models, because they will cost less and will be able to play them first before they buy them.
I wish the big companies going direct didn't own most of the other brands you would find in shops. Hopefully this can be an opportunity for new, smaller builders that are keeping up with the player's needs. An issue is that everyone wants to be someone else, and buy "that thing," instead of just getting on with it, and learning to love the experience. Consumer action is going to be the biggest fight against losing guitar shops. Boycott the brand and find another company that has an instrument you can walk down to the store and play (hopefully...). This is an arrogant move on the big manufacturers end; to assume that their customers are stupid enough to just buy something personal like a guitar, without ever trying anything in the flesh? I would hate to ship multiple guitars back and forth because consistency has gone down the shitter, and I can't receive an instrument any better than the last 2 defects I had to return.
Guitar center is more of a pro audio shop now. I’ve had way too many interactions with their employees who couldn’t answer a simple question about a guitar.
If manufacturers are going direct sale, and we know there's no way they can have everything arriving in perfect playable condition themselves, wouldn't this be a good time to start a pre-owned guitar shop? If you have the money and room could do a pre owned guitar shop/coffee and sandwich shop combination with a lounge where musicians could hang out and play together (after they finish the coffee). Take advantage of all the GAS and issues where people are having to buy new gear they can't play before it arrives at their door. Most people are too lazy to ship it back so they live with it for a few months to a year then decide they want something else and go sell it locally to you.
I can barely play. But I can see how when a Pro Player hunting "Tone" would want to compare Multiple guitars in the same visit. Without a trip to Memphis for a Gibson. It's a Grab Bag of Tone when ordering online. And whats the issue with my local GC not being able to keep a Luthier? I fix guitars for a hobby. I get some of their work. They refuse to consider my services. Is that normal for GC stores?
GC is riding the knife edge of possible immanent bankruptcy, which is probably why they aren't interested in your services. talk to smaller local stores about doing repairs for their customers. if you do decent work, you could set your own rates and probably work whenever and as much as you wanted. long ago I did amp repair work like that with a small store, and after word got around I had more work coming in from them than I could handle.
I think you are right that the huge amount of SKU’s is the issue. To try and buy a core Silver Sky, I’d have to travel hundreds of miles, vs next day delivery online. Local shops only really cater for beginners so stock 400 SKU’s of Squires or players etc but nothing else. Gone are the days of having “Excalibur” in store to lust after! 😔
As a newer guitar player that’s just starting to find out what I like and don’t like on my guitar, I hate the idea of direct to consumer. There would be no way to compare guitars from different manufacturers without going broke paying restocking fees.
I would totally fall in the cattle line, If I got a Gibson Custom Shop. Then I would ROCK OUT HARD CORE 🤘🤘🤘 and melt Lizid-Ppl faces off. Gator Jambalaya and live music! LETS GO!
Once you have skills, demand for your services just grows and grows. Eventually, you realize you can make the same profit off repairs without having to buy all these expensive guitars
My favorite thing coming up was going to all the great music shops that were all over the place, Like the disappearance of the record store I fear the small music shop is gone. I would spend days going shop to shop looking, hunting is a very fun thing but I also bought a lot. Now I do it on Reverb, Sweetwater and all that I also love, just gonna miss the old days
Every 3 episodes I hear you two lamenting your earlier years and how old you are…..one day…you’ll be going thru your mail and see an envelop from AARP, it’s an invitation to join other old people….it’s a smack in the face, you are now officially a senior…..another one day comes….you renew your license and hair color, once was brown, is now gray….arghhh….but in Baxter’s case, hair color is maybe.
Ah... the good old days. back when AARP thought I was a hot prospect. Now its insurance companies wanting me to switch to their plan every year when its Medicare open enrollment time.
@@anthonypanneton923 Did you know that the guy who started the AARP was in the term life insurance business? It's ALWAYS been about selling insurance. Clever scheme, though.
When the mfgs lose the "big box buffer" and all that direct customer service stuff starts to fall in their laps, they will NOT be prepared for the effort and calories burned. Customers will rightfully complain, profits for the mfgs will get whittled away at and they'll rethink the decision to snub the shops. Then a few things could and will probably happen - 1) There will be a big chunk of that customer service "buffer" silently farmed back out to the guys who have been left behind at big boxes - sort of a new division of the mfgs that works in-incognito under a name like Fender for instance, but is actually just your regular local dude doing that service and getting paid by Fender (example mfg). OR,2) the non-box little guys mentioned above put up their own shingle and start to advertise and work in a newly developed market altogether - a sort of "maintenance membership market" where customers actually pay the the MMM provider for a sort back-door connection with the mfgs, just more publicly marketed than option 1. Either way - the move will NOT equate to overall increased revenues for mfgs. Sure, at stage 1 of the sales life cycle they'll save a buck by going direct, but over the life cycle of that buyer: the sale, return, repair ,maintenance, upgrade/modification customer satisfaction loop that leads to that buy purchasing ANOTHER guitar down the road, are the real hidden costs therein. OR 3) the mfgs just open up their own little distro shops and do all of that themselves. (Sort of like option 1 but a much more formal and legal load they'll have to bear. None of the options seem great for the mfg, but there are some opportunities for us that appreciate actually working with the customer face-to-face. We'll see how it pans out. I've been banging on Fender's door for a Business Development role to help them through all this, since I (all us buyers/sellers) have a perspective they don't. Maybe Baxter will introduce me - with the primary job requirement of being a functional alcoholic I think I could pull it off...
I think the young people running "A Flash Flood of Gear" which Baxter has mentioned several times in the past, represent the future of small guitar stores by being mostly E-commerce with the brick and mortar side being only for storage and by appointment only,
In 10 years time guitar shops will be filled with cheap Gibson and Fenders that have been inherited from rich but deceased boomer parents and sold for a pittance to spend on Netflix and bubble tea.
If we could shrink down into the quantum realm to travel in time, I wouldn’t come back to tell myself about the future economy, even though that would be the prudent thing to do. I would go back in time so I could see The Temptations and Eurythmics at Poplar Creek Music Theater, or Queen at the old Chicago Stadium.
im all for the "everyone gets a custom shop" while we wait to be harvested, because im already goiing to die young, crippled and poor under a tyranical government that wont assist me, getting a coomplimentary custom shop guitar to play untill the day im inevitably put out of my missery sounds 1000 times better than the cards ive been dealt
Imo, the only way you survive this change peeps, is get marketing degrees and attack this. Nah jk, we the peeps have had enough big box. I loved Fender forever, but of I can find a local shop I'm buying what they make if they make something. You need to directly have an in-house brand, clearly, to survive. Casino guitars is big enough with the following, so get a resume heavy Luther in there who need an HQ to get started, have a contract with them for however many years and end the contract with them able to sell through you always. Fire, with Fire, is the way of the cosmos. Respond accordingly, oh, and Ideally do it under the big guys.
10 years? In 2 years ChatGPT will be playing all of our guitar parts and guitar players will be even more useless to society than we are now. You thought we were getting paid shit these days? Can't wait until 2025.
I’m still waiting to hear back about that PRS that was bought from guitar center brand new it’s sad when you spend that kind of money at guitar center on a brand new guitar and can’t get no help trying to get it right
I forsee a thinning of product over the next 10 years. Even pre covid, we have seen an explosion of gear. There are probably hundreds of thousands of pedals, gobs of guitar brands from Amazon to high end boutique. The brands that survive are going to be the ones who take care of their customers, and I think independent stores will benefit. I think the Gibson and Fender are the ones who may end up losing.
The used and vintage guitar stores will survive. I think the regular music stores will survive. Maybe not if they only want to sell high end big major brand guitars. They will probably have to go with more import bands. Their other option will be to sell more of other instruments like drums, horns and keyboards etc.
Really interesting thoughts - I think direct sales will be a lot more successful in Europe. In the UK there are very few shops that offer the service and knowledge over and above what we can research on the internet. The attitude of most shops in my experience are take it or leave it and show no interest in forming long term relationships. The shops themselves are generally poor (no booths to try gear, poor demo gear which leaves you uninspired). I'd be happy to visit pop up booths for particular brands if I get enthusiastic staff, guest talks, etc and can find something special or someone can show me something inspiring to help on my guitar journey and feel part of a community.
They will sell used just like you have used car dealerships. Inflation also is a good thing for used guitar dealers. Their inventory goes up in value every yesr.
Lots of complicated ideas and wishes but seriously, Amazon will own all of the manufacturers by then - Amazon will be the only place to buy anything by then - ya that's right - you laugh now - it's an easy question - THERE WILL BE NO MORE BRICKS AND MORTAR - Amazon shipped a sharpie marker two hours out of Toronto to me last week cheaper than I could walk to the store here and buy one - it doesn't have to make sense
my most recent guitar purchase was from Amazon. made in Vietnam. crazy low price and crazy good quality guitar for the money. free shipping, and free seller-paid return if there's a problem. I LOVE it. These guys are just worried about making a living (well, probably not Baxter) - and its understandable. but I'm more concerned about how far my own dollars stretch. I'd probably be lucky to find a pedal at their store for what I got this guitar for.
All Guitar Companies are going after women, Left Hander, and underutilized players. That's the going to be the way of the future of the industry. Hopefully that the QC QUALITY gets big time better. Not screwing the customers.
i'll be super ticked off if my expensive handmade guitar arrives not set up. i'm sure it will be great though. Here in Canada shops could care less if you buy. Take it or leave it, and tons of snotty attitude and reluctance to share info. For example, when I asked a shop about needing an acoustic humidifier I was met with shrugged shoulders and a sideways dismissive glance. That was at the same shop I bought it from years earlier.
You guys kill me the only thing that's missing is a short glass of libations. Keep up the good word of people needing to check out their local (guitar hang outs) shops. I can't imagine not being able to horse trade guitars, now that would be a sad day.
Lol.. quantum realms 😅😂..my father in law is moving to Myrtle Beach from upstate NY and I'm gonna stop on the way and find you guys...lol..love you guys great stuff 🤘🎸🎶😁
The humans who survive the impending calorie bottle neck/food/heat crisis won't have guitar as a priority. Local "luthiers" will be a thing then. Don't flame me btw, go flame Harvard, MIT, Oxford, etc.
Think a Spanish farmer losing his ENTIRE life to the climate crisis is playing his daily Paco songs? How soon til he hocks his guitar? How about all the guitars under freaking water in posh suburbs around the world? How about being a sorta wealthy eastern european with all sorts of guitars and then going to life carrying your F whole world in a backpack because you are fleeing war zones? Are any of the above folks saving for the Mood II??????????
Story from one of my most recent guitar visits, visiting Danville Music (Danville CA). I was talking about pedals with a guy behind the counter, and he says "I have five fuzz pedals."
I was thinking about it, not wanting to admit how many I have (more than five), and said, "I probably have at least that many."
He replies, "Yes, but I'm a drummer."
You just can't get that kind of quality humor without a guitar shop. Case closed.
Did he follow that line with a rim shot? lol
@@EclecticHillbilly It totally needed a rim shot!
I predict that Casino completely takes over the retail market, Baxter becomes filthy rich and retires to start a film studio, but then realizes nobody cares about Hollywood any longer, so retires happily to Kentucky. Jonathan, also insanely wealthy by this point, starts a new beard-care line of products that he parlays into even greater wealth - hands out Custom Shop guitars and Magnatones to the needy.
I can see Baxter's "Film Studio" appealing to a very specific market...
(Doorbell Rings)
Hot female porn star : "Oh thank the heavens you got here so fast Mr Guitar Tech. I can't seem to get my G-String to stay in tune. Help me please..."
Baxter (with porn moustache) : "Ah, I see you have a Gibson Les Paul... don't you worry little lady, I'll get my tools and lube up that nut"
HFPS: "Oh my will it need much lube - I hope you have enough? My, my, it's so hot in here... (dress falls to the floor)"
Baxter (completely ignoring the HFPS and picking up the guitar) : "What a gorgeous body... flame top 57 re-issue, Tim Shaw pups... I'm have your G-string singing like an angel in just a few seconds"
As I said... a niche market for guitarosexuals only 😎... and so, as you point out, he retires instead to Kentucky and lives happily ever after surrounded by golden fields of Two Rock amps and orchards of Custom Shop Fenders. The End.
In 1979 I bought a Martin D-35 from one of those little ads in the back of a guitar magazine from an outfit in Rockville Maryland. Paid $600, still have it. Since then have bought most over the internet, one small shop now gone, and Guitar Center.
Nostalgia is clouding a lot of the older guy`s rose colored glasses. Back in the 70`s to the mid 90`s where I grew up, every town and city had a 1/2 dozen Mom and Pop guitar shops and for every great mom and pop guitar shop there was another one that was filled with arrogant and snooty A holes who looked down their noses at you. They wouldn`t give you the time of day, and if they did, they would refuse to let you even touch a guitar, let alone plug one into a nice amp, unless you showed them cash. The bottom line, only a few shops like Casino guitars will survive going forward.
Quiznos went belly up in 2014...
Solid state amps will have a renaissance, and crate amps from the 90s will skyrocket in value
IMHO, the guitar stores that will thrive are those that foster a community through lessons, open mic nights, open jams, and luthier classes-experiences you can't replicate online. They don’t just sell guitars; they also take the time to set them up, offer expert advice, and help with repairs. It's about service and expertise, not just sales. These stores will always survive. Or at least I hope they do!!!
Just noticed. Y'all have very nice production quality
From Leo: I do not think guitar shops will be much different. Maybe fewer of them. I have been going to guitar shops since the 60's, they are basically the same. Music from the 1500's is still studied and performed today. Those who perform music, still have the same work to do. Some things do not change as fast. Just like any picture you see of 100 year old taverns, they are not that different from the local pubs of today.
Good luck with the direct from the manufacturer to the customer. Within the past 6 months I have received 3 defective Fender Teles, 1 Strat, 1 Schecter, 3 Epiphones, 2 Squiers and a Blackstar tube amp from online stores that ship without inspection and direct ship from fender. All of them had to go back because of major issues that go way beyond set ups. Fret board not lined up on neck, nut slots cut on the edge of the nut and or cut to close together, tree string screw hole drilled so far over that the B string wouldn`t stay under the tree, broken output jack that took me 15 mins to remove my cable, frets ends cut short, frets twisted, frets not seated, neck warped ,picked ups cutting out, stop tail piece and bridge studs and holes bent or crooked. Oh yeah, and a defected effects pedal. It gets old, real fast, having to box up these pieces of garbage and wasting my time and gas driving them to Fed Ex and UPS.
This is a topic close to my heart because back in the 70's I was guitar salesman for a couple of years before our band went pro and I learnt a lot about setting up guitars, different brands (Gibson / Fender / Martin etc.) and, more importantly, how to help people find 'the right guitar' if they needed help. We sold lotsa guitars and held the whole pro market (Wellington, NZ). Fast forward and in HK, where I have lived for 40 years, the situation is this. Pop: around 8 million, it's a pretty big city. There are 2 main flagships - Tom Lee Music have Fender, PRS, Gretsch, Ibanez, Taylor, Martin and others. Parsons Music have Gibson (lots - Custom Shop / Murphy Lab - stuff you can't see on the website now), Epiphone, Guild, K. Yairi (lovely acoustics), Cordoba and others. And around town there are some hole in the wall boutique shops in industrial buildings that combine guitar and electronic repairs, and maybe have one or 2 dealerships for pros - Duesenberg, Sadowsky, Suhr, Eastman, Sire, Reverend and some quality trade in items. So that's a snapshot of one town and it works pretty well and I hope it lasts! Healthy turnover and great customer service - I have got to know key players and enjoy hanging out . . . just like it was back in Godzone when I was starting out. I hope bricks and mortar - guitars, records, books (!!!) don't go away 😀Bottomline, I wouldn't buy a guitar online - much prefer to play it and make a decision. I realise not everyone has physical access in the way we do here and most bigger cities, so online will thrive but it's always going to be a bit of a hit and miss scenario.
Drove to Carter Vintage Guitars in Nashville Tennessee yesterday to grab a Custom Shop Martin HD28. It's an 8 hour drive round trip. Shops like that will be the only ones around in the future. Museums you can buy the Museum pieces from essentially. Just something magical about a guitar safari. I emailed them a week ago and they even restrung it and did a good setup and put it in a private office for me because I told them I'm 4 hours away and would love to try it out. The fact that they were willing to hold it is pretty killer.
Reckon maybe you were the only person currently showing interest in it?
@EclecticHillbilly could be. It's certainly not a 1930s pedigree but it's my win. I drove down there expecting to nor like it so it is what it is. I didn't have to pay the 4 plus grand also
@@alexwoolridge94aw where are you getting hammered for 4 grand for a D28?
@Guillermo have you seen guitar prices lately? It's a custom shop hd28. They're like $3800 before tax. A regular d28 is $3200. They're not exactly cheap
meet the new boss - same as the old boss. 55 years ago music stores were mostly about selling vinyl records, and some had a small area back in the corner for insturment sales and rentals. there was no such thing as a "vintage" instrument. there were new ones and (old) used ones. nobody wanted an old one unless they had little $$ to spend. and for many, the place to buy a musical instrument or amplifier was a department store like Sears or Montgomery Ward (which basically served a function similar to the internet today as far as instrument & amp sales). 10 years later there were dedicated guitar / amp/ keyboard / drums / sound equipment stores, but no huge national chains. by 1990 that began to change. now its changing again. the market has split into several different markets. there's a high-end collector / boutique / vintage market. there's an intermediate market catering to anytown, anybody type working musicians. and there's a MUCH bigger market for low priced stuff, which exists mostly on the internet.
just remember - back in the '50s, Fender guitars were considered the "cheap" stuff. in the '60s anything made in Japan was considered "cheap junk." 30 years ago anything made in Mexico was considered "cheap." nothing lasts forever. and today's "cheap junk" will likely be tomorrow's high priced "vintage" collector items.
@@drsrsv8884 of course not. that will never happen... and who in their right mind would ever buy a guitar with a BOLT-ON neck??? who would even dream of such a ridiculous thing as a BOLT-ON neck? ridiculous!! or paying extra for distortion??? I guess some people will fall for anything......
@@anthonypanneton923 .......or pay extra money for a brand new guitar that looks like it's been played for 100 years?
@@EclecticHillbilly LOL! yeah - I'm definitely too old to comprehend that whole "relic" thing. an amp or guitar that's actually from the 1950s that's honestly acquired some "character?" that's OK by me. but the fake stuff... WTF? and why don't they do that to amps? why don't they sell Marshall 4x12 cabs that look like they were on stage with Hendrix or The Who before road cases became a thing? and why not pianos? why not microphones with rusty grill mesh from decades of spit?
I prefer the simpler days of MIM/MIA or Squier. I miss GC being a force of nature and miss being EXCITED over getting Musician's Friend catalog in the mail!
I wish I had a local guitar shop. I can walk to Emerald City Guitars from work, but it's scary out there some days. The only shop somewhat near home is appointment-only.
4:05
It was at this moment that the 2 longtime friends both realized that they wanted more than friendship....
Shops will be the place to find a treasure from the past. Like I did the other day at Moze Guitars. Lessons, repairs and great used/vintage inventory is the way.
Moze is cool 🤙
Dang... I drove up yesterday to look at that red Thinline... it was gone. Now there it is back again. Dang.
If every guitar shop was you guys then they would have nothing to worry about. But I’ve met a few too many douche bags who work in guitar shops. I’d rather just buy direct.
I have an independent guitar shop near me, live in a relatively small town. The independent shop has no Gibsons, Fenders, or P.R.S. and the owner is not a person that cares about his customers. So I drive the 40 mins to go to Sam Ash (where the real guitars are). They are cool and treat you not only with respect they go above and beyond. Rock on Sam Ash in Clearwater.
If I was in the area, I would definitely, almost have to buy one from Casino just to talk to Baxter or Johnathan.
Have a great day.
The overall cost of living is getting too high. That is going to affect it all. Paying the electric bill will out way any purchases. Likely even food.
To All those Doubting in 1(One) Year they can be better then 95% of the Guitar players they Know or Meet is to Practice at Least 100 Hours a Year, Divided it Means if You Spend 18 Serious Minutes of Practice Each day so it is a Discipline, Next year you will be playing the things you only daydream about playing Today. Just Find a Playable Guitar and Apply yourself, it one of the few things You dont have to be skinny, pretty or Brilliant Intellectually, You just have to have the Passion To Play
I think more used guitar stores will pop up. Commercial real estate is very cheap now and guitars are subject to inflation. It’s a good time to open a store.
Let's help Guitar Center is the first one to close!
ONLY THE STRONG SURVIVE -REO Speedwagon. Great tune. LOL
I signed a 5 yr lease, opened the doors, hoping for the best.
I want to put my hands on a guitar. I want a Vintage 2 1961 strat. But I am not pulling the trigger till I have grabbed.
I don't see my local shop lasting very long. They used to be the one stop shop. Went in a few days ago with cash in pocket and had to struggle to find anything I wanted or needed. People are lazy now and will take the path with least resistance in all shopping.
No disrespect intended, but I see GC as a modern day Blockbuster Video. Who would have thought BB-Vid would be irrelevant... The way of things, guys. Sweetwater has the dinero to adapt I'd say... GC is old news. Again, no disrespect, just my 2 pence. LOVE DA SHOW!!!
Interesting take. I have to wonder if Sweetwater won't follow the same path as GC. The majority owner is now a private equity company and I won't be surprised if they undergo a rapid expansion followed by a long period of slow decline. That's the basic MO of most private equity acquisitions; build 'em up, unload 'em and watch the next group bleed them dry.
everybody gets a signature strat. look under your seat. you get one too.
These corporations are about 10 years ahead of the Masses. If they know what I know, from a business point of view I would wring out the towel as much as possible…
I still like the small shops
"I've seen the future brother, it is murder" Leaonard Cohen The future.
Oam glad you folks will be fine
I wonder if guitar center will make it even 5 more years.
So there is absolutely no advantage to us the buyer with the majors going direct. No savings on products when leaving out the shop ( middle man), nobody to catch the quality issues. I’m sure customer service will suffer. On the upside smaller builders might get more representation.
More people will by from shops that will carry the brands that don't sell direct from the manufacturer. They'll go for the import models, because they will cost less and will be able to play them first before they buy them.
I hope you guys are still here! 😀
I wish the big companies going direct didn't own most of the other brands you would find in shops. Hopefully this can be an opportunity for new, smaller builders that are keeping up with the player's needs. An issue is that everyone wants to be someone else, and buy "that thing," instead of just getting on with it, and learning to love the experience. Consumer action is going to be the biggest fight against losing guitar shops. Boycott the brand and find another company that has an instrument you can walk down to the store and play (hopefully...). This is an arrogant move on the big manufacturers end; to assume that their customers are stupid enough to just buy something personal like a guitar, without ever trying anything in the flesh? I would hate to ship multiple guitars back and forth because consistency has gone down the shitter, and I can't receive an instrument any better than the last 2 defects I had to return.
Guitar center is more of a pro audio shop now. I’ve had way too many interactions with their employees who couldn’t answer a simple question about a guitar.
If manufacturers are going direct sale, and we know there's no way they can have everything arriving in perfect playable condition themselves, wouldn't this be a good time to start a pre-owned guitar shop? If you have the money and room could do a pre owned guitar shop/coffee and sandwich shop combination with a lounge where musicians could hang out and play together (after they finish the coffee).
Take advantage of all the GAS and issues where people are having to buy new gear they can't play before it arrives at their door. Most people are too lazy to ship it back so they live with it for a few months to a year then decide they want something else and go sell it locally to you.
Baxter and Jonathon predicting ten years into the future. -- "It's a bold strategy ,Cotton. Let's see if it pays off for 'em."
I think that you forgot to mention that most local shops do repairs and setups. Some thing the companies can’t do.
I can barely play. But I can see how when a Pro Player hunting "Tone" would want to compare Multiple guitars in the same visit. Without a trip to Memphis for a Gibson. It's a Grab Bag of Tone when ordering online. And whats the issue with my local GC not being able to keep a Luthier? I fix guitars for a hobby. I get some of their work. They refuse to consider my services. Is that normal for GC stores?
GC is riding the knife edge of possible immanent bankruptcy, which is probably why they aren't interested in your services. talk to smaller local stores about doing repairs for their customers. if you do decent work, you could set your own rates and probably work whenever and as much as you wanted. long ago I did amp repair work like that with a small store, and after word got around I had more work coming in from them than I could handle.
I think you are right that the huge amount of SKU’s is the issue. To try and buy a core Silver Sky, I’d have to travel hundreds of miles, vs next day delivery online. Local shops only really cater for beginners so stock 400 SKU’s of Squires or players etc but nothing else. Gone are the days of having “Excalibur” in store to lust after! 😔
As a newer guitar player that’s just starting to find out what I like and don’t like on my guitar, I hate the idea of direct to consumer. There would be no way to compare guitars from different manufacturers without going broke paying restocking fees.
I would totally fall in the cattle line, If I got a Gibson Custom Shop.
Then I would ROCK OUT HARD CORE 🤘🤘🤘 and melt Lizid-Ppl faces off. Gator Jambalaya and live music!
LETS GO!
The small guitar shop near me lives off of repairs. That's almost all he does. He says business is booming. Have a great one.
Once you have skills, demand for your services just grows and grows. Eventually, you realize you can make the same profit off repairs without having to buy all these expensive guitars
My favorite thing coming up was going to all the great music shops that were all over the place, Like the disappearance of the record store I fear the small music shop is gone. I would spend days going shop to shop looking, hunting is a very fun thing but I also bought a lot. Now I do it on Reverb, Sweetwater and all that I also love, just gonna miss the old days
They’ll look exactly the same. Guitars on the wall, amps on the floor, pedals in cases/ on shelves. The decor only matters to the shop groupies.
It's good to know I'm not the only one with a xylophone in my chicken coop.
I wonder which one of the chickens shows talent on it?
Every 3 episodes I hear you two lamenting your earlier years and how old you are…..one day…you’ll be going thru your mail and see an envelop from AARP, it’s an invitation to join other old people….it’s a smack in the face, you are now officially a senior…..another one day comes….you renew your license and hair color, once was brown, is now gray….arghhh….but in Baxter’s case, hair color is maybe.
Ah... the good old days. back when AARP thought I was a hot prospect. Now its insurance companies wanting me to switch to their plan every year when its Medicare open enrollment time.
@@anthonypanneton923 Did you know that the guy who started the AARP was in the term life insurance business? It's ALWAYS been about selling insurance. Clever scheme, though.
The Atlanta guitar center off 85 is no longer a thing…. Maybe it moved who knows???
......and it was great when it was Rhythm City.
When the mfgs lose the "big box buffer" and all that direct customer service stuff starts to fall in their laps, they will NOT be prepared for the effort and calories burned. Customers will rightfully complain, profits for the mfgs will get whittled away at and they'll rethink the decision to snub the shops.
Then a few things could and will probably happen - 1) There will be a big chunk of that customer service "buffer" silently farmed back out to the guys who have been left behind at big boxes - sort of a new division of the mfgs that works in-incognito under a name like Fender for instance, but is actually just your regular local dude doing that service and getting paid by Fender (example mfg).
OR,2) the non-box little guys mentioned above put up their own shingle and start to advertise and work in a newly developed market altogether - a sort of "maintenance membership market" where customers actually pay the the MMM provider for a sort back-door connection with the mfgs, just more publicly marketed than option 1. Either way - the move will NOT equate to overall increased revenues for mfgs. Sure, at stage 1 of the sales life cycle they'll save a buck by going direct, but over the life cycle of that buyer: the sale, return, repair ,maintenance, upgrade/modification customer satisfaction loop that leads to that buy purchasing ANOTHER guitar down the road, are the real hidden costs therein.
OR 3) the mfgs just open up their own little distro shops and do all of that themselves. (Sort of like option 1 but a much more formal and legal load they'll have to bear. None of the options seem great for the mfg, but there are some opportunities for us that appreciate actually working with the customer face-to-face. We'll see how it pans out. I've been banging on Fender's door for a Business Development role to help them through all this, since I (all us buyers/sellers) have a perspective they don't. Maybe Baxter will introduce me - with the primary job requirement of being a functional alcoholic I think I could pull it off...
I think the young people running "A Flash Flood of Gear" which Baxter has mentioned several times in the past, represent the future of small guitar stores by being mostly E-commerce with the brick and mortar side being only for storage and by appointment only,
In 10 years time guitar shops will be filled with cheap Gibson and Fenders that have been inherited from rich but deceased boomer parents and sold for a pittance to spend on Netflix and bubble tea.
If we could shrink down into the quantum realm to travel in time, I wouldn’t come back to tell myself about the future economy, even though that would be the prudent thing to do. I would go back in time so I could see The Temptations and Eurythmics at Poplar Creek Music Theater, or Queen at the old Chicago Stadium.
$420 chibsun custom shops.
im all for the "everyone gets a custom shop" while we wait to be harvested, because im already goiing to die young, crippled and poor under a tyranical government that wont assist me, getting a coomplimentary custom shop guitar to play untill the day im inevitably put out of my missery sounds 1000 times better than the cards ive been dealt
L&M here in Canada will survive
I fucking love you guys! Yall are hilarious 😂
Imo, the only way you survive this change peeps, is get marketing degrees and attack this. Nah jk, we the peeps have had enough big box. I loved Fender forever, but of I can find a local shop I'm buying what they make if they make something. You need to directly have an in-house brand, clearly, to survive. Casino guitars is big enough with the following, so get a resume heavy Luther in there who need an HQ to get started, have a contract with them for however many years and end the contract with them able to sell through you always. Fire, with Fire, is the way of the cosmos. Respond accordingly, oh, and Ideally do it under the big guys.
Further proof (aside from the plummeting quality) that buying new guitars is dumb
10 years? In 2 years ChatGPT will be playing all of our guitar parts and guitar players will be even more useless to society than we are now. You thought we were getting paid shit these days? Can't wait until 2025.
Buying direct is dumb same price as the store then shipping on top.
Guitar Center should switch to distributing to small local shops, instead of struggling to keep the “superstore” structure going
Do you have any idea how badly they would screw that up? We can't do something simple, let's try something complicated...
I’m still waiting to hear back about that PRS that was bought from guitar center brand new it’s sad when you spend that kind of money at guitar center on a brand new guitar and can’t get no help trying to get it right
I forsee a thinning of product over the next 10 years. Even pre covid, we have seen an explosion of gear. There are probably hundreds of thousands of pedals, gobs of guitar brands from Amazon to high end boutique. The brands that survive are going to be the ones who take care of their customers, and I think independent stores will benefit. I think the Gibson and Fender are the ones who may end up losing.
from someone that works from guitar center: i predict they close within the next 4 years
The used and vintage guitar stores will survive. I think the regular music stores will survive. Maybe not if they only want to sell high end big major brand guitars. They will probably have to go with more import bands. Their other option will be to sell more of other instruments like drums, horns and keyboards etc.
Really interesting thoughts - I think direct sales will be a lot more successful in Europe. In the UK there are very few shops that offer the service and knowledge over and above what we can research on the internet. The attitude of most shops in my experience are take it or leave it and show no interest in forming long term relationships. The shops themselves are generally poor (no booths to try gear, poor demo gear which leaves you uninspired). I'd be happy to visit pop up booths for particular brands if I get enthusiastic staff, guest talks, etc and can find something special or someone can show me something inspiring to help on my guitar journey and feel part of a community.
Love your channel guys !!! If all the manufacturers go direct, what does this mean for Casino guitars and shops that are in the same market as you ?
They will sell used just like you have used car dealerships. Inflation also is a good thing for used guitar dealers. Their inventory goes up in value every yesr.
Black crowes are the last great rock n roll band
Vintage guitars from 2022 selling for 20K.
Lots of complicated ideas and wishes but seriously, Amazon will own all of the manufacturers by then - Amazon will be the only place to buy anything by then - ya that's right - you laugh now - it's an easy question - THERE WILL BE NO MORE BRICKS AND MORTAR - Amazon shipped a sharpie marker two hours out of Toronto to me last week cheaper than I could walk to the store here and buy one - it doesn't have to make sense
my most recent guitar purchase was from Amazon. made in Vietnam. crazy low price and crazy good quality guitar for the money. free shipping, and free seller-paid return if there's a problem. I LOVE it. These guys are just worried about making a living (well, probably not Baxter) - and its understandable. but I'm more concerned about how far my own dollars stretch. I'd probably be lucky to find a pedal at their store for what I got this guitar for.
@@anthonypanneton923 The smaller stores in my area get their bread and butter from lessons and repairs, not instrument sales
@@jasondorsey7110 and don't forget school band instrument rentals...
In ten years, affordable manufacturing of the accordion will make guitars extinct.
Guitar stores are awesome and annoying at the same - think about the different profiles of players trying out guitars. I do like visiting them though.
All your videos degrade into whining about manufacturers going direct - you can choose to play the victim or adapt and find a way to stay relevant.
All Guitar Companies are going after women, Left Hander, and underutilized players. That's the going to be the way of the future of the industry. Hopefully that the QC QUALITY gets big time better. Not screwing the customers.
I think they're just trying to expand the sales numbers. BTW, what exactly is an underutilized player?
Drugs are not great, but they want you to think that
Small shops should get into Renting gear .A big hole in this thread.
Hey my family dragraces and we are going to rockingham next weekend how close are yall to there if ya might know??
i'll be super ticked off if my expensive handmade guitar arrives not set up. i'm sure it will be great though.
Here in Canada shops could care less if you buy. Take it or leave it, and tons of snotty attitude and reluctance to share info. For example, when I asked a shop about needing an acoustic humidifier I was met with shrugged shoulders and a sideways dismissive glance. That was at the same shop I bought it from years earlier.
Christmas Catalogues!
Mmm Quiznos
Aerosmith and the Black Crowes, that tour will never make it...
Introducing the new 2033 ‘15 reissue robot Les Paul - now with AI to play it for you! 😂
You guys kill me the only thing that's missing is a short glass of libations. Keep up the good word of people needing to check out their local (guitar hang outs) shops. I can't imagine not being able to horse trade guitars, now that would be a sad day.
They don't need no stinking dealers 😜
In ten years my guitar will hold shot gun shells.
Mom and pop guitar stores will become regular pawn shops. So start researching jewelry and lawn mowers, gentlemen!
Lol.. quantum realms 😅😂..my father in law is moving to Myrtle Beach from upstate NY and I'm gonna stop on the way and find you guys...lol..love you guys great stuff 🤘🎸🎶😁
As long as everything is around the same price I’d go with a smaller shop. It’d be fd up if they start selling direct way cheaper than the stores.
The humans who survive the impending calorie bottle neck/food/heat crisis won't have guitar as a priority. Local "luthiers" will be a thing then. Don't flame me btw, go flame Harvard, MIT, Oxford, etc.
Think a Spanish farmer losing his ENTIRE life to the climate crisis is playing his daily Paco songs? How soon til he hocks his guitar? How about all the guitars under freaking water in posh suburbs around the world? How about being a sorta wealthy eastern european with all sorts of guitars and then going to life carrying your F whole world in a backpack because you are fleeing war zones? Are any of the above folks saving for the Mood II??????????
..and, omg, some of those suffering existentially are even white and rich...