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Post by vikingblues on Feb 4, 2018 9:59:39 GMT
Who would want to risk trying to run a small independent musical instrument shop in these times. Sadly, I see the Live Music Shop in Edinburgh is closing today. Unique in Edinburgh in having a big range of used instruments as well as new, and they were able to look at buying gear off you, or helping you sell it at a commission. I have had several instruments, a couple of amps and quite a few pedals from them over the years. A small shop, but good personal service. More worrying is that it's the smaller "sister" shop of my favourite shop Scayles, who IMHO lead the race in the city by miles for acoustic instruments in service and knowledge. I just hope it doesn't mean that they are finding times tough too. Mark
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Post by andyc on Feb 4, 2018 10:12:25 GMT
The interweb has crippled the industry for small independents - a real shame.
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Martin
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Post by Martin on Feb 4, 2018 10:32:28 GMT
That's sad to hear.
The only way these places can survive is on the added personal service and expertise they can provide, but even then it's not always enough.
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Post by Cams on Feb 4, 2018 10:42:45 GMT
Yeah, it's tough out there. I sell a few strings and things in my post office and have considered adding more gear a few times, but I pretty much know that it would be a non starter. The strings, picks and cables trickle out though.
If you think about it, the overheads of running a guitar store in a city must me huge. As Martin says, it'll come down to personal service and expertise, as well as size, inventory and presentation. That means margins need to be higher than online, so you'll get the tyre kickers. We know that not all Martin D28s are the same, but your average mum getting a guitar for a Christmas present won't know that. Same in all retail areas now I guess. Maybe put a post office in your guitar shop?
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Post by andyhowell on Feb 4, 2018 10:50:21 GMT
I have had two small specialist stores close near me. Both owners effectively retired and none of their staff were in the position to take them on.
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Post by robmc on Feb 4, 2018 11:46:02 GMT
yep, the shop where I bought my old Kingsdown has also closed over the last month, tough times for small independents.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 4, 2018 12:38:41 GMT
Diversity might be the way to go. In York we have a vaping shop that sell guitars too.
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Post by andyhowell on Feb 4, 2018 18:13:33 GMT
Diversity might be the way to go. In York we have a vaping shop that sell guitars too. Possibly but in the big cities it is almost impossible to compete with Guitar Guitar and PMT.
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Post by delb0y on Feb 4, 2018 20:23:41 GMT
I can't help but wonder if we've reached peak guitar? I mean, within reason, once you have a guitar you have a guitar. And we've all got one. So who is going to buy enough new ones to keep these stores ticking over?
Sure we might need a back-up for gigs. But for those of us doing gigs, the chances are we've already got that back-up. Sure, new youngsters will come along wanting their first guitar, but is there enough of them to keep these stores ticking over, especially with the massive amount of used stuff easily available? Sure, some folks might want to develop a collection of guitars - but that will be a tiny percentage of people and how many of them will find what they want in such stores very often?
I do wonder why the world is producing so many new guitars. Much as I love them, I suspect I'll never buy another because I don't need another (unless one breaks).
Derek
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Post by Andy P on Feb 4, 2018 20:44:57 GMT
Sorry to read this. As you say Mark, let's hope Scayles has a healthy future. It's a cracking good store.
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Post by jubbo on Feb 4, 2018 20:52:09 GMT
Derek,
I think you are in the minority. Most people I know that are in to guitars own and have owned multiple. A guitar is not like a decent spanner. Once you have one you will never buy another unless it breaks.
I currently own 3 guitars and in my life I have owned 11 total. I don't need another guitar. Just like people don't need to change their car after two years. But they do, because we are human and we don't make decisions out of pure reason. Emotion and impulse come in to play.
The guitar industry will ebb and flow. We are currently in a flat period. We had a huge boom thanks to Eric Clapton unplugged and that sailed through to the current singer/song writer explosion. So all the big companies have enjoyed huge success. Although this is flattening out the industry is still very healthy. The disruption is the low price of the internet stores, some of these are traditional music shops that have just moved with the times. So you can't blame them. There will always be a place for real guitar shops, but there will be less. I fear most for the small shops that aimed at the lower end.
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Post by delb0y on Feb 4, 2018 21:02:56 GMT
Jubbo, I hope I am in the minority. I love a good music shop and wish them all well. I currently have eight guitars - which is one electric and one acoustic more than I need for gigs, but I've certainly done my bit for music shops over the years. Nevertheless my main electric guitar is now one year off it's 40th birthday. It's still going strong (I bought it new from a music shop) and it's still way better than I am. My main acoustic was a £175 bargain off eBay - bought to sell on as it was such a good price - but it's become my main gigging guitar for acoustic gigs. I bought its cousin from my local shop as a back-up, and I'm pretty sure they'll both last a long time (probably longer than me) as I don't do that many gigs. I really hope not everyone is like me, but with the world the way is now, hard times for the majority of people, a push to conserve the world's resources, simplify, dejunk, and all that, I still maintain we may have reached peak guitar.
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Post by stringdriventhing on Feb 5, 2018 10:42:51 GMT
I used to go into Live Music when it was up by the King's Theatre and even more so when it moved to the Southside, as it was very near my work. Never bought a guitar from them but had lots of repair work, pickups fitted, etc. done by them over the years. Really nice friendly guys who were always really tolerant of me trying out guitars they knew I wasn't going to buy. I'll miss the shop and wish the staff well.
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Post by jubbo on Feb 6, 2018 12:37:16 GMT
I think this pretty much sums up how I am with guitars.
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Post by stringdriventhing on Feb 6, 2018 13:27:43 GMT
More worrying is that it's the smaller "sister" shop of my favourite shop Scayles, who IMHO lead the race in the city by miles for acoustic instruments in service and knowledge. I just hope it doesn't mean that they are finding times tough too. I think/hope Scayles will carry on until George decides to retire. It's been on the go in one shape or form since I first came to live in Edinburgh in 1984, although I'm not sure if George was involved then. The guitar shop/other type of shop combo isn't a new idea btw... Scayles used to sell musical instruments and fishing tackle and there used to be a shop on Argyll street in Glasgow which had guitars on one side and machetes, samurai swords, etc. on the other... for all your music and drug-dealing gangsta needs
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