Hey... and that's not an unfair comment from what seems to be out there... it seems that there has been a societal change somewhat - and that's a pity. Hopefully there will be a swing back to 'common sense' but many tell me that 'common sense' is rather uncommon. But thanks for the post and I don't entirely disagree. Thanks for watching.
That's probably true particularly of the high end stuff. With 'cheap' and some quality stuff costing far less, if I was gigging today, I certainly would not be taking a $10,000 guitar there... but its those sales that bolster makers profitability. How many guys do you know (or indeed do I know) who spent $10,000 or £10,000 on a new guitar in the last 6 months? Sadly I don't actually know any. Valid stuff for sure. Thanks for watching.
The way people now buy equipment has changed, you can call it laziness or progress but being able to browse various online shops for what they want, get the best price and buy in a matter of a few hours or even minutes is much more convenient for a lot of people than spending days physically wandering from dealer to dealer to find gear, It's unfortunate but that's the trend across most retail sectors, physical shops are getting rarer and rarer, just look at any high street. 😪
Again this is a very valid point. We all get (sometimes) a little idle and as buyers adopt a 'can't be bothered' approach especially when we know we can just 'send it back' in the first weeks of purchase. I liked going around the stores myself, because as you'll know there is good and bad in most music gear and finding the 'one' I always liked hands on. Sweetwater it seems has no issues and in the UK there are other music retailers that have strong internet presence too. But those prices of the mid to top end gear seems to be strangling off music business somehow, with results like Sam Ash (who also had online presence) going out of business. A very sad situation. Thanks for your take on the current situation and thanks for watching.
I lived in the UK in the mid 80’s in Bury St Edmund, got my first JCM 800 in a music shop in Nottingham. Brought the head and 73 4X12 A cab back on the train. Did gig’s in the UK and that cab fit in the back of my 82 Austin Mini and the head and one guitar in the passenger area with three pedals. Oh those were the times made about 85 quid a show, still playing out today 40 years later and everything has gone up but the pay. Its sad, but I do it for the thrill of being on stage, not the cash. Equipment has changed from heavy amps and loads of separate effects to small units like the Roland IR-200 to a small pedal board or the helix. Live music is a dying breed too, it all about spinning a cd or two or prerecorded music on a memory stick. Yes its in a sad state….
You know what, I tend to agree with you. Back in the 80's was a good time for the bands etc. IMO too, but today? I have friends that 'get by' OK but not that great and the love for playing cannot be over emphasised. I have not played live for a long time, and record here etc. but in many ways, I am very happy personally that the money from music is not what I depend on and I feel for the guys out there that have to rely on it. The streaming was a terrible move if you're a band that is not well known and you know when you get a $10 earnings its enough for a burger for 6 months of streaming. Terrible. The gear prices are way off now and it can't sustain itself I believe. Sadly. I have had some brilliant times and fun with guitar since 1971 and the demise is honestly extremely disappointing really. Thanks for a great post.
I think it's so hard to tell what will happen as we move forward. Somehow from 2020 it all initially picked up and then later seems to be in a sort of less than perfect place. But if the makers have gear where its all priced exceptionally high I do think that's a big squeeze on makers profitability. We shall see over time... and thanks for watching.... as always.
I am a recent subscriber and am enjoying your unbiased reviews and opinions. Personally I believe we will be navigating very rough waters due to the money printing, and irresponsible fiscal policy. Large retailers like Sam Ash can only function with a bank behind the scenes.
Well thanks for the sub etc. that's really appreciated. I really don't think things have corrected since the dreaded COVID times of 2020. Business (well some of them) took massive hits, while others flourished through the furlough periods. But many companies did go out (I'm speaking generally and not music in particular) and I have seen that in what I'm involved in. I think that it's a very slow build back, and you're right the inflation, devaluation of currencies etc. all have and are contributing to slow business throughout many areas of the world. Banks can be a necessary evil to some companies and really if finance is necessary for a 100 year old company I would ask what the management did to sustain cash within the business. I have always had a business management mentality of staying liquid for just when aggro comes along so a company CAN sustain themselves through the rough times, but I know many companies that just don't do that. Let's hope all this stuff improves, but I am pessimistic about it right now as there are all the other problems out there that create a feeling of doubt about economics and stability overall. Thanks for the post and for watching.
I think overstock kills a lot of income for musicstores. Popular brands in the mid price range put out new "models" every year, or twice a year(Most of the time these are some other colors or minor changes in pu's and all). If they don't sell in that year, they'll end up with guitars that are out of trend, people want the new ones. We/they get excited for new models every year, but when they're actually released, 2 months later there are some other new models on the market already. Everything gets old quick, not in a good way....
That's a good point too. And in the case of 'simulators' as an example who wants last years model... few takers really. But that high end high priced gear has risen and risen (guitars and amps for example) and it MUST be at a point where saturation begins, then lower profitability for makers. Somehow it all seems that the cost of mid/high end has outstripped the number of guys that can afford the stuff... thanks for the post, they all matter as an overview of general opinions and even my opinion is also just that. And thanks for watching.
Fender and Gibson low end and mid level guitars have not been able to compete with the overseas competition for a long time even though they also operate overseas. You can get so much more for the price like a flame maple roasted neck, rounded and polished stainless frets, bone nut, locking tuners, two-way truss rod, flame maple top, body and neck binding, Alnico or Ceramic potted CNC wound pick-ups, 5 way switching, etc., for about the same price as a Squire classic vibe series. Amazon and Ebay are flooded with hundreds and thousands of foreign guitars respectively. They have undercut and shifted the whole music business imho. Sweetwater here in the US is the leader. Bigger than guitar center. Mom and Pop shops have been largely run off. Not like the good old days for sure.
In the business I actually come from I have seen the 'cheap' Chinese stuff literally flood the market (its not music gear but let's say electronics). Chinese seem to think that cheapest cost is always the thing that gets them the sale - always. In reality that is untrue. The cheapest stuff is bad quality etc. but there is a place (I agree) where quality starts to step in, but the price is higher as you will know. The gear I'm involved with sells for about 4 times the cost of that cheapest stuff, but they still buy our 'overpriced' (not really) gear. We have a 3 year warranty and free trials etc. In the music business once you get to a reasonable cost the quality really can be there. High end gear though is where makers make lots of profit (that's why they make it) but I sincerely believe the top end and high end gear has and is still losing very much ground now. Remember that music retailers also like high profitability too, and when that stuff is not selling (maybe we should ask Sam Ash) the result can be fatal for the business. The selling of Mesa Boogie, Marshall (and add names here if you know any) etc. is also a dilemma where prices continue up but I doubt sales are what they used to be. Online is useful, but as Sam Ash really was online also I doubt that's the sole answer. Good post and thanks for watching.
The high street retailers are in decline both in the USA and the UK. Where i live on the outskirts of Chester, you have no choice except to buy gear or even some strings by mail order. There are plenty of videos on TH-cam showning the sad sight of all the closed shops in LA and other states in the USA. How the land of plenty has fallen on it's big apple and is now in decline with trillions owed on credit cards. So the likes of Sam Ash have no chance, the rest will follow soon. Here in the UK GuitarGuitar are having yet another sale to clear old stock with large discounts on exclusive Fender Custom Shop but the prices are still crazy They are asking more for one ex-dem guitar than i paid for both of my Custom Shop ones in the mid 2000's. Just like EV's there is more stock available than buyers, we have to eat, and you can't eat music gear. The world is changing ever faster, thankfully i was born many years ago.
Yes I come from different times too. Sam Ash was a reasonably sized company and I might have expected a 100 year old company to 'weather' the storm so to speak. Maybe cash issues, underfunded, who knows, but there probably is something going on, sales of Marshall, Mesa Boogie and I'm sure more - and those sort of companies don't do that 'for no reason'. Great post and thanks for watching too...
I honestly have not seen one... yet! So from here I can't really say... but if I find one I'll review it, and I'm always on the lookout for new amps and designs - but they seem quite uncommon really. Thanks for watching.
The problem with pricing is the greed of the bIg US manufacturers like Gibson, PRS and Fender. I cannot understand why they still dominate the guitar scene when Yamaha, ESP, Ibanez, etc make better instruments at better prices.
That's also a good point. But that market must be being eroded by the lower cost stuff (I know it is). So net result is less profitability to come I think. Don't get me wrong I love some of the Gibson, PRS and Fender high end gear, but it is certainly getting past where guys will pay that high price from what I see. And certainly I would not invest that sort of money any longer for the top end new guitars in particular. Thanks for your opinion as it all matters and of course thanks for watching.
Indeed. I visited the one shown in the image 'Kapoc' something or other at McMullen Booth Road and had been there for many years. It was a pretty cool place I thought and I always visited it - not always buying, but still little like it here in the UK. Lee Road north of Orlando was another one and lastly the one in Dallas was a visit every time I was in Dallas. Very sad and they really will be missed. Thanks for watching.
It appears to me that large corporations are basically buying up all the little shops or attempting to put them out of business. The high prices for less than stellar gear will end up biting them in the backside in my honest opinion. Especially when you see gear that is better for half the price. The most obvious advice is to try the gear out in person, find what you like and then find the best price for the particular model. And don't think a name brand painted on the headstock will make you play any better. I have to say that more folks should do what Edward Van Halen did and buy parts and do your own paint job. The famous guitar he played was roughly $200. And even adjusted for inflation is fractional compared to the top of the line brand names. I guess it's the "prestige club" mentality combined with the "me too" crowd that fuels the $10K prices.
Generally good comments, but from my own experience I found mid price and up to be 'better' in most senses of the word compared to some of the bottom end guitars. But as you say there are SOME great lower priced guitars. On the build stuff I have created a number of guitars from parts, generally Warmoth and genuine Fender bits and never had a bad one! Thanks for the post and for watching.
Outside a very small number of pop stars, the most fundamental problem seems to me that the young 'uns today just aren't that interested in music. I don't want to be unkind, but I'm in my late 40s and last time I went to any kind of rock gig I was the youngest person in the room by quite a way. There was an amusing/depressing photo on Facebook last year of a Marshall amplifier demo where most of the attendees looked like care home residents! It's exactly the same in classical music. I don't think the kids even know it exists. I think we're about to enter an extremely philistine era, certainly in the UK. I suspect the situation is less dire in other countries - at least for classical music, I don't know about rock.
Indeed. It reminds me of radio amateurs... even 30 years ago difficult to 'recruit' new blood in to that sector - the member were generally oldish (40+) and of course likely its got worse in that sector. Going to the UK guitar shows there certainly are less younger guys - there were some in the Dallas show, but not the volume I might have thought. Seems the combinations of many things out there right now are certainly not commensurate of a healthy industry. I don't know about classical, but I basically said what I saw in the sort of rock sector. We shall see... thanks for your opinion and for watching the video.
@@tonymckenzieofficial It seems to have changed quite suddenly. When I was a kid - not THAT long ago! - you either were a guitarist or wished you were a guitarist. Now... 😕
I went straight for the Sam Ash sign and the banner" Sam Ash" family-owned since 1924 , also Les Paul shaking hands with Mr Ash ,they are not for sale . The guitar music industry has greatly changed , it has reached its Peak we are sliding down the other side into a whole new era. People that buy all these amps & guitars will be stuck with them . A Bit of wisdom from our elders .."only buy quality with a name brand that has been around a very long time." ! Joe Bonamassa will tell you exactly stay with the things that are time-tested and true. Economic news from the world forum is that we may be going into a global recession as a whole new monetary system backed up by artificial intelligence is switching over
Interesting points for sure. And I honestly 'felt' for Sam Ash and their employees - some don't understand the aggro for those guys, but its never lost on me. Thanks for the comment and for watching.
4 หลายเดือนก่อน +1
Please, please, please do a collab video with That Pedal Show.
Somehow I wish I could, but it's unlikely many would collaborate as I often in my reviews 'spill the beans' so to speak. Some makers are happy with what I do but some... well lets say they are not happy my channel exists. Thanks for the post and for stopping by... and taking a look at the video.
Thanks Tony. They do say the only people who can buy Gibson custom shops are male boomer dentists and corporate lawyers. There could be some truth in that. It would be interesting to see a breakdown of data on who buys what music gear. Apparently younger people are no longer in awe of Gibsons and Fenders (Fenders are a slightly different case as they make a range of cheaper models in the price brackets of companies like, say, Yamaha). There's also the inevitable change in music and a generational shift in approach to music. Is the "band" notion still relevant or is it a thing of the past. How do people get their music these days? I've read a few articles recently about how bands are no longer touring as it's too expensive. Obviously bands still exist but when I was a teenager everyone wanted to be in one. Then there's the fact it may be cheaper for a company to have a website, a social media presence and a warehouse than high street stores. And how many people still have the spare cash is another thing. I know a fair few people who are struggling now and the words "struggling" and "musician", for better and for worse, are often associated.
Ha I think you're right Robin, you need a big bank account to buy them top end guitars that's for sure. I could but I won't any longer. You make so many good points in the post... and my friends that are still doing gigs etc. I think find it harder these days with maybe reduced income from it. Yes when I was younger having a band was certainly the 'thing' and I always opted for self penned etc. rather than covers - ha I was too idle to learn many covers - just a few that I really liked. And certainly there are still bands as you say, but I do think less than there used to be. Sam Ash did have a website, but that it seems did NOT solve it for them. maybe the competitiveness was too much? But knowing makers and their 'MAP' pricing for the internet where everything has to be advertised at MAP (or fixed I like to say) pricing seems awkward to blame anyone re that other than the makers. They ALL impose it. Thanks for the post good stuff, and thanks for watching.
Sam Ash is closing!?! ... wow ... the music instrument retail business is dying, in Canada you can see it, all the stores have trouble getting anything worthwhile in stock and it is even more problematic selling inventory, all you find is the low end stuff, practice combos, forget finding top end gear or cabs, they cost way to much to keep in stock and have a low turn over.
Some have the gear, but when you see it, man does it cost big these days... thanks for your post... and for watching. Very sad about Sam Ash... 100 years in business too.
I think the price increases will continue because it's intentional wordwide. I mean we need some new conspiracy theories. All the old ones turned out to be true. Great video Tony. Good to see you.
Hi Jim - yes good to see you too and trust you're doing OK there. I was surprised about Sam Ash myself and had been visiting those stores (and many others) for years. The pricing is I think getting beyond where many guys will be buying new mid/high end gear like the guitars (and prices of Mesa amps for example) makes me question where that will end. I did not see PRS at the Dallas show and they had been there since 2010 when I first went. Maybe I missed them, but I don't think I did. Well we shall see where it all ends up and sincerely I would hate to see Sam Ash as the precursor for worse to come. Regards and thanks for the post and for watching - its not easy to make a video like this one and I always try and include a real opinion when I can.
Indeed I remember MARS well... and even Thoroughbred before that ;-) Thanks for the memories and of course for watching! I think it's got harder all around since the 2020 virus thing and whatever many say it has still to recover in many sectors of business.
The problem I see with Sam Ash and guitar Center is over the last couple years their customer service in the store is horrible. Their selection is horrible. Everything is locked up and the employees don’t give a crap about anything. they make you not want to come back and spend money there. Then you walk into Sweetwater which is completely opposite than those other stores. They stock everything you can play anything in the store. Customer service is excellent, and the employees are awesome and very helpful and friendly. That’s why they are hugely successful.
Yes I get that. As someone sort of 'passing through' as I did I don't see everything of course, and never really had much to do with service levels etc. But many have mentioned Sweetwater and QOS and those things have ALWAYS mattered. Its one reason I 'open up' the gear to look at what guys are really buying... there is nothing worse than failed products without great support and anything else is an excuse. It seems to me that generally there are a reasonable turnover of staff in music related stores and that can't help of that I'm sure. Thanks for the post and for watching.
Sweetwater has a low turnover due to they take excellent care of they employees. They have many facilities on site such as a very nice cafeteria, doctors office.salons, etc.
It happens :) Remember... I'm near to 'LA', and go there sometimes... you know, the 'Longton area' :) Ha I have bounced between here and the USA since about 1992 or so a number of times a year - some work, some 'holiday' (just for you) and over time I sort of get used to doing it. It's always great to visit and see the same old haunts that I usually do, and that is one reason that I created the video - Sam Ash oh man I have been those so many times... always a relaxed atmosphere and if you dug deep there were some bargains to see. Thanks for watching.
@@tonymckenzieofficial Only pulling your leg Tony, nothing wrong with"vacation"! You pick up these phrases when in America so often. Take care and thanks for your great videos.
There is just too much gear out there... a lot more is coming (factories can't stop producing)... and people have not enough time to even break their gear to have a need to buy another thing !
Are the earnings there to justify high volumes of top end gear? I don't think so from what I see. Seems a slowdown to me. And of course with $10,000 guitars I could guess selling slower (and even mid priced stuff) there has to be a slowdown. You're right makers have to make... but when its all over serviced with excessive products something will give. Sad that Sam Ash is stopping/stopped and I don't know, its seems like few in the business talk much when asked. Thanks and thanks for watching too.
Who knows, but the financing it seems has been rocky for some time. Would be another sad day in the life of musicians for sure, and think about the makers? I dread to think what that would mean. Thanks for the post and for watching.
But how many are shopping online for the $10,000 to $15,000 guitars these days? I wonder... the online of course matters, but Sam Ash DID have online presence too. It's a point I have obviously considered too... but somehow I think that's not necessarily the real thing going on sort of behind the scene so to speak. Thanks for the post and of course for watching.
But I'm sure you understand that reduced retailing will affect the makers profitability? And that's one of the issues I mentioned. Thanks for the post... and for watching.
Internet Sweetwater I guess is great. But I still question the med/high pricing and whether a massive slowdown is on the cards? Remember its not 'just' an internet issue I think. Thanks for posting... and for watching too.
You should COMMENT about the Sam Ash sad demise and what you think might be coming to the music business...
Welcome home!
I have no idea where the music business, or any business, is going right now.
There’s so much insecurity & anger in people.
Hey... and that's not an unfair comment from what seems to be out there... it seems that there has been a societal change somewhat - and that's a pity. Hopefully there will be a swing back to 'common sense' but many tell me that 'common sense' is rather uncommon. But thanks for the post and I don't entirely disagree. Thanks for watching.
Not many guitars bought today will ever be played at a live gig.
That's probably true particularly of the high end stuff. With 'cheap' and some quality stuff costing far less, if I was gigging today, I certainly would not be taking a $10,000 guitar there... but its those sales that bolster makers profitability. How many guys do you know (or indeed do I know) who spent $10,000 or £10,000 on a new guitar in the last 6 months? Sadly I don't actually know any. Valid stuff for sure. Thanks for watching.
The way people now buy equipment has changed, you can call it laziness or progress but being able to browse various online shops for what they want, get the best price and buy in a matter of a few hours or even minutes is much more convenient for a lot of people than spending days physically wandering from dealer to dealer to find gear, It's unfortunate but that's the trend across most retail sectors, physical shops are getting rarer and rarer, just look at any high street. 😪
Again this is a very valid point. We all get (sometimes) a little idle and as buyers adopt a 'can't be bothered' approach especially when we know we can just 'send it back' in the first weeks of purchase. I liked going around the stores myself, because as you'll know there is good and bad in most music gear and finding the 'one' I always liked hands on. Sweetwater it seems has no issues and in the UK there are other music retailers that have strong internet presence too. But those prices of the mid to top end gear seems to be strangling off music business somehow, with results like Sam Ash (who also had online presence) going out of business. A very sad situation. Thanks for your take on the current situation and thanks for watching.
I lived in the UK in the mid 80’s in Bury St Edmund, got my first JCM 800 in a music shop in Nottingham. Brought the head and 73 4X12 A cab back on the train. Did gig’s in the UK and that cab fit in the back of my 82 Austin Mini and the head and one guitar in the passenger area with three pedals. Oh those were the times made about 85 quid a show, still playing out today 40 years later and everything has gone up but the pay. Its sad, but I do it for the thrill of being on stage, not the cash. Equipment has changed from heavy amps and loads of separate effects to small units like the Roland IR-200 to a small pedal board or the helix. Live music is a dying breed too, it all about spinning a cd or two or prerecorded music on a memory stick. Yes its in a sad state….
You know what, I tend to agree with you. Back in the 80's was a good time for the bands etc. IMO too, but today? I have friends that 'get by' OK but not that great and the love for playing cannot be over emphasised. I have not played live for a long time, and record here etc. but in many ways, I am very happy personally that the money from music is not what I depend on and I feel for the guys out there that have to rely on it. The streaming was a terrible move if you're a band that is not well known and you know when you get a $10 earnings its enough for a burger for 6 months of streaming. Terrible. The gear prices are way off now and it can't sustain itself I believe. Sadly. I have had some brilliant times and fun with guitar since 1971 and the demise is honestly extremely disappointing really. Thanks for a great post.
Hopefully the smaller shops should be okay in UK. I do use my local shops here in the lake district. Best wishes 🎶🎶🎶🎶👍👍👍👍
I think it's so hard to tell what will happen as we move forward. Somehow from 2020 it all initially picked up and then later seems to be in a sort of less than perfect place. But if the makers have gear where its all priced exceptionally high I do think that's a big squeeze on makers profitability. We shall see over time... and thanks for watching.... as always.
I am a recent subscriber and am enjoying your unbiased reviews and opinions. Personally I believe we will be navigating very rough waters due to the money printing, and irresponsible fiscal policy. Large retailers like Sam Ash can only function with a bank behind the scenes.
Well thanks for the sub etc. that's really appreciated. I really don't think things have corrected since the dreaded COVID times of 2020. Business (well some of them) took massive hits, while others flourished through the furlough periods. But many companies did go out (I'm speaking generally and not music in particular) and I have seen that in what I'm involved in. I think that it's a very slow build back, and you're right the inflation, devaluation of currencies etc. all have and are contributing to slow business throughout many areas of the world. Banks can be a necessary evil to some companies and really if finance is necessary for a 100 year old company I would ask what the management did to sustain cash within the business. I have always had a business management mentality of staying liquid for just when aggro comes along so a company CAN sustain themselves through the rough times, but I know many companies that just don't do that. Let's hope all this stuff improves, but I am pessimistic about it right now as there are all the other problems out there that create a feeling of doubt about economics and stability overall. Thanks for the post and for watching.
I think overstock kills a lot of income for musicstores. Popular brands in the mid price range put out new "models" every year, or twice a year(Most of the time these are some other colors or minor changes in pu's and all). If they don't sell in that year, they'll end up with guitars that are out of trend, people want the new ones. We/they get excited for new models every year, but when they're actually released, 2 months later there are some other new models on the market already. Everything gets old quick, not in a good way....
That's a good point too. And in the case of 'simulators' as an example who wants last years model... few takers really. But that high end high priced gear has risen and risen (guitars and amps for example) and it MUST be at a point where saturation begins, then lower profitability for makers. Somehow it all seems that the cost of mid/high end has outstripped the number of guys that can afford the stuff... thanks for the post, they all matter as an overview of general opinions and even my opinion is also just that. And thanks for watching.
Always enjoy watching your videos and discoveries here from Quebec Sir !
Awesome, thank you! and thanks for watching. Hopefully this video and my thoughts make guys think a little about how it all is out there.... thanks.
Sam Ash ..Worst going out of business sale I've ever seen
Well I can agree with that - I went to all three of my 'haunts' and actually bought nothing :( At least I tried. Thanks for the post and for watching.
Fender and Gibson low end and mid level guitars have not been able to compete with the overseas competition for a long time even though they also operate overseas. You can get so much more for the price like a flame maple roasted neck, rounded and polished stainless frets, bone nut, locking tuners, two-way truss rod, flame maple top, body and neck binding, Alnico or Ceramic potted CNC wound pick-ups, 5 way switching, etc., for about the same price as a Squire classic vibe series. Amazon and Ebay are flooded with hundreds and thousands of foreign guitars respectively. They have undercut and shifted the whole music business imho. Sweetwater here in the US is the leader. Bigger than guitar center. Mom and Pop shops have been largely run off. Not like the good old days for sure.
In the business I actually come from I have seen the 'cheap' Chinese stuff literally flood the market (its not music gear but let's say electronics). Chinese seem to think that cheapest cost is always the thing that gets them the sale - always. In reality that is untrue. The cheapest stuff is bad quality etc. but there is a place (I agree) where quality starts to step in, but the price is higher as you will know. The gear I'm involved with sells for about 4 times the cost of that cheapest stuff, but they still buy our 'overpriced' (not really) gear. We have a 3 year warranty and free trials etc. In the music business once you get to a reasonable cost the quality really can be there. High end gear though is where makers make lots of profit (that's why they make it) but I sincerely believe the top end and high end gear has and is still losing very much ground now. Remember that music retailers also like high profitability too, and when that stuff is not selling (maybe we should ask Sam Ash) the result can be fatal for the business. The selling of Mesa Boogie, Marshall (and add names here if you know any) etc. is also a dilemma where prices continue up but I doubt sales are what they used to be. Online is useful, but as Sam Ash really was online also I doubt that's the sole answer. Good post and thanks for watching.
The high street retailers are in decline both in the USA and the UK.
Where i live on the outskirts of Chester, you have no choice except to buy gear
or even some strings by mail order.
There are plenty of videos on TH-cam showning the sad sight of all the closed shops
in LA and other states in the USA.
How the land of plenty has fallen on it's big apple and is now in decline with trillions
owed on credit cards.
So the likes of Sam Ash have no chance, the rest will follow soon.
Here in the UK GuitarGuitar are having yet another sale to clear old stock with large
discounts on exclusive Fender Custom Shop but the prices are still crazy
They are asking more for one ex-dem guitar than i paid for both of my Custom Shop ones
in the mid 2000's.
Just like EV's there is more stock available than buyers, we have to eat, and you can't eat
music gear.
The world is changing ever faster, thankfully i was born many years ago.
Yes I come from different times too. Sam Ash was a reasonably sized company and I might have expected a 100 year old company to 'weather' the storm so to speak. Maybe cash issues, underfunded, who knows, but there probably is something going on, sales of Marshall, Mesa Boogie and I'm sure more - and those sort of companies don't do that 'for no reason'. Great post and thanks for watching too...
Guitar Center has a 45 day return policy....But the sales guys get pissed when you return a guitar because they lose their commission☹️
Ouch... but understandable I guess. Thanks for watching.
Hi Tony,do you think the new Bad Cat amps are worth the money? thanks
I honestly have not seen one... yet! So from here I can't really say... but if I find one I'll review it, and I'm always on the lookout for new amps and designs - but they seem quite uncommon really. Thanks for watching.
The problem with pricing is the greed of the bIg US manufacturers like Gibson, PRS and Fender. I cannot understand why they still dominate the guitar scene when Yamaha, ESP, Ibanez, etc make better instruments at better prices.
That's also a good point. But that market must be being eroded by the lower cost stuff (I know it is). So net result is less profitability to come I think. Don't get me wrong I love some of the Gibson, PRS and Fender high end gear, but it is certainly getting past where guys will pay that high price from what I see. And certainly I would not invest that sort of money any longer for the top end new guitars in particular. Thanks for your opinion as it all matters and of course thanks for watching.
It's a sad day for Sam Ash . The end of the Clearwater store .
Indeed. I visited the one shown in the image 'Kapoc' something or other at McMullen Booth Road and had been there for many years. It was a pretty cool place I thought and I always visited it - not always buying, but still little like it here in the UK. Lee Road north of Orlando was another one and lastly the one in Dallas was a visit every time I was in Dallas. Very sad and they really will be missed. Thanks for watching.
@@tonymckenzieofficial yes Mc mullen booth road was a Belter of a shop.
I would love to see your review of an Orange Super Crush 100 or Boss Katana or Katana Artist Gen 3.
Noted... I don't own any of those sadly, but if I find one then I'll be back :) Thanks for watching.
It appears to me that large corporations are basically buying up all the little shops or attempting to put them out of business. The high prices for less than stellar gear will end up biting them in the backside in my honest opinion. Especially when you see gear that is better for half the price. The most obvious advice is to try the gear out in person, find what you like and then find the best price for the particular model. And don't think a name brand painted on the headstock will make you play any better. I have to say that more folks should do what Edward Van Halen did and buy parts and do your own paint job. The famous guitar he played was roughly $200. And even adjusted for inflation is fractional compared to the top of the line brand names.
I guess it's the "prestige club" mentality combined with the "me too" crowd that fuels the $10K prices.
Generally good comments, but from my own experience I found mid price and up to be 'better' in most senses of the word compared to some of the bottom end guitars. But as you say there are SOME great lower priced guitars. On the build stuff I have created a number of guitars from parts, generally Warmoth and genuine Fender bits and never had a bad one! Thanks for the post and for watching.
Outside a very small number of pop stars, the most fundamental problem seems to me that the young 'uns today just aren't that interested in music. I don't want to be unkind, but I'm in my late 40s and last time I went to any kind of rock gig I was the youngest person in the room by quite a way. There was an amusing/depressing photo on Facebook last year of a Marshall amplifier demo where most of the attendees looked like care home residents! It's exactly the same in classical music. I don't think the kids even know it exists.
I think we're about to enter an extremely philistine era, certainly in the UK. I suspect the situation is less dire in other countries - at least for classical music, I don't know about rock.
Indeed. It reminds me of radio amateurs... even 30 years ago difficult to 'recruit' new blood in to that sector - the member were generally oldish (40+) and of course likely its got worse in that sector. Going to the UK guitar shows there certainly are less younger guys - there were some in the Dallas show, but not the volume I might have thought. Seems the combinations of many things out there right now are certainly not commensurate of a healthy industry. I don't know about classical, but I basically said what I saw in the sort of rock sector. We shall see... thanks for your opinion and for watching the video.
@@tonymckenzieofficial It seems to have changed quite suddenly. When I was a kid - not THAT long ago! - you either were a guitarist or wished you were a guitarist. Now... 😕
I went straight for the Sam Ash sign and the banner" Sam Ash" family-owned since 1924 , also Les Paul shaking hands with Mr Ash ,they are not for sale . The guitar music industry has greatly changed , it has reached its Peak we are sliding down the other side into a whole new era. People that buy all these amps & guitars will be stuck with them . A Bit of wisdom from our elders .."only buy quality with a name brand that has been around a very long time." ! Joe Bonamassa will tell you exactly stay with the things that are time-tested and true. Economic news from the world forum is that we may be going into a global recession as a whole new monetary system backed up by artificial intelligence is switching over
Interesting points for sure. And I honestly 'felt' for Sam Ash and their employees - some don't understand the aggro for those guys, but its never lost on me. Thanks for the comment and for watching.
Please, please, please do a collab video with That Pedal Show.
Somehow I wish I could, but it's unlikely many would collaborate as I often in my reviews 'spill the beans' so to speak. Some makers are happy with what I do but some... well lets say they are not happy my channel exists. Thanks for the post and for stopping by... and taking a look at the video.
Thanks Tony. They do say the only people who can buy Gibson custom shops are male boomer dentists and corporate lawyers. There could be some truth in that. It would be interesting to see a breakdown of data on who buys what music gear. Apparently younger people are no longer in awe of Gibsons and Fenders (Fenders are a slightly different case as they make a range of cheaper models in the price brackets of companies like, say, Yamaha). There's also the inevitable change in music and a generational shift in approach to music. Is the "band" notion still relevant or is it a thing of the past. How do people get their music these days? I've read a few articles recently about how bands are no longer touring as it's too expensive. Obviously bands still exist but when I was a teenager everyone wanted to be in one. Then there's the fact it may be cheaper for a company to have a website, a social media presence and a warehouse than high street stores. And how many people still have the spare cash is another thing. I know a fair few people who are struggling now and the words "struggling" and "musician", for better and for worse, are often associated.
Ha I think you're right Robin, you need a big bank account to buy them top end guitars that's for sure. I could but I won't any longer. You make so many good points in the post... and my friends that are still doing gigs etc. I think find it harder these days with maybe reduced income from it. Yes when I was younger having a band was certainly the 'thing' and I always opted for self penned etc. rather than covers - ha I was too idle to learn many covers - just a few that I really liked. And certainly there are still bands as you say, but I do think less than there used to be. Sam Ash did have a website, but that it seems did NOT solve it for them. maybe the competitiveness was too much? But knowing makers and their 'MAP' pricing for the internet where everything has to be advertised at MAP (or fixed I like to say) pricing seems awkward to blame anyone re that other than the makers. They ALL impose it. Thanks for the post good stuff, and thanks for watching.
Sam Ash is closing!?! ... wow ... the music instrument retail business is dying, in Canada you can see it, all the stores have trouble getting anything worthwhile in stock and it is even more problematic selling inventory, all you find is the low end stuff, practice combos, forget finding top end gear or cabs, they cost way to much to keep in stock and have a low turn over.
Some have the gear, but when you see it, man does it cost big these days... thanks for your post... and for watching. Very sad about Sam Ash... 100 years in business too.
I think the price increases will continue because it's intentional wordwide. I mean we need some new conspiracy theories. All the old ones turned out to be true. Great video Tony. Good to see you.
Hi Jim - yes good to see you too and trust you're doing OK there. I was surprised about Sam Ash myself and had been visiting those stores (and many others) for years. The pricing is I think getting beyond where many guys will be buying new mid/high end gear like the guitars (and prices of Mesa amps for example) makes me question where that will end. I did not see PRS at the Dallas show and they had been there since 2010 when I first went. Maybe I missed them, but I don't think I did. Well we shall see where it all ends up and sincerely I would hate to see Sam Ash as the precursor for worse to come. Regards and thanks for the post and for watching - its not easy to make a video like this one and I always try and include a real opinion when I can.
Since the early 90s I've seen 5 local guitar store close.
Mars Music was the big one.
Tough business.....
Indeed I remember MARS well... and even Thoroughbred before that ;-) Thanks for the memories and of course for watching! I think it's got harder all around since the 2020 virus thing and whatever many say it has still to recover in many sectors of business.
The problem I see with Sam Ash and guitar Center is over the last couple years their customer service in the store is horrible. Their selection is horrible. Everything is locked up and the employees don’t give a crap about anything. they make you not want to come back and spend money there.
Then you walk into Sweetwater which is completely opposite than those other stores. They stock everything you can play anything in the store. Customer service is excellent, and the employees are awesome and very helpful and friendly. That’s why they are hugely successful.
Yes I get that. As someone sort of 'passing through' as I did I don't see everything of course, and never really had much to do with service levels etc. But many have mentioned Sweetwater and QOS and those things have ALWAYS mattered. Its one reason I 'open up' the gear to look at what guys are really buying... there is nothing worse than failed products without great support and anything else is an excuse. It seems to me that generally there are a reasonable turnover of staff in music related stores and that can't help of that I'm sure. Thanks for the post and for watching.
Sweetwater has a low turnover due to they take excellent care of they employees. They have many facilities on site such as a very nice cafeteria, doctors office.salons, etc.
A Stoke lad going on "vacation"!! Good video, I agree, the future looks depressing for the music industry.
It happens :) Remember... I'm near to 'LA', and go there sometimes... you know, the 'Longton area' :) Ha I have bounced between here and the USA since about 1992 or so a number of times a year - some work, some 'holiday' (just for you) and over time I sort of get used to doing it. It's always great to visit and see the same old haunts that I usually do, and that is one reason that I created the video - Sam Ash oh man I have been those so many times... always a relaxed atmosphere and if you dug deep there were some bargains to see. Thanks for watching.
@@tonymckenzieofficial Only pulling your leg Tony, nothing wrong with"vacation"! You pick up these phrases when in America so often. Take care and thanks for your great videos.
There is just too much gear out there... a lot more is coming (factories can't stop producing)... and people have not enough time to even break their gear to have a need to buy another thing !
Are the earnings there to justify high volumes of top end gear? I don't think so from what I see. Seems a slowdown to me. And of course with $10,000 guitars I could guess selling slower (and even mid priced stuff) there has to be a slowdown. You're right makers have to make... but when its all over serviced with excessive products something will give. Sad that Sam Ash is stopping/stopped and I don't know, its seems like few in the business talk much when asked. Thanks and thanks for watching too.
guitar center is next
Who knows, but the financing it seems has been rocky for some time. Would be another sad day in the life of musicians for sure, and think about the makers? I dread to think what that would mean. Thanks for the post and for watching.
Stores are dead. Everyone shops online.
But how many are shopping online for the $10,000 to $15,000 guitars these days? I wonder... the online of course matters, but Sam Ash DID have online presence too. It's a point I have obviously considered too... but somehow I think that's not necessarily the real thing going on sort of behind the scene so to speak. Thanks for the post and of course for watching.
Ash...is...to...ashes...SAD!!!
Doh.... someone had to say it... :) Thanks for watching.
I am new artist I am am doing fender custom shop singnuteure Stratocaster from Chris
But I'm sure you understand that reduced retailing will affect the makers profitability? And that's one of the issues I mentioned. Thanks for the post... and for watching.
Sweetwater rules them all!
Internet Sweetwater I guess is great. But I still question the med/high pricing and whether a massive slowdown is on the cards? Remember its not 'just' an internet issue I think. Thanks for posting... and for watching too.
Hi Tony, All good stuff… - keep on keeping on - stay well,
Thanks, you too! and thanks for watching.