Do you think the small shop would be selling it at a loss if they met GC's price? Try this . . . . . buy something really inexpensive from the local store and see how they treat you. Strike up a conversation when you check out. If they treat you better than the big chain, then you may be on to someone worthy of a bit of philanthropy.
I would expect the local store to be willing to do something to offset the price difference (free setup for life, string changes, in store demonstrations, open jam sessions, etc.). If I (and others for that matter) gain knowledge by hanging out at the store, then the price gap can widen. But to quantify for you, if I didn't have a relationship with my local store and didn't see any signs of personalization, I wouldn't spend any more than my time and expense of traveling across town to go to the big chain ($20 - $50) . . . . there you go.
Otherwise, here is what you could do that may be a good compromise and make you feel better. Let's say local store = $2,500 and big chain = $2,000. The difference is $500. Go to the big chain with the $2,500 cash you would have spent at the local store and buy the guitar for $2,000. Go to the local store and spend $250 on accessories (capo, tuner, strings, etc.). Go home with $250 in your pocket. Everybody wins.
How much extra would you pay to support your local guitar shop?
Very interesting thread Dennis because I've given this a great deal of consideration when making other purchases. However, my 'dirty little secret' is that I bought my guitar at GC without doing any comparison shopping. I'd just become the recipient of a very early retirement package and I felt justified about indulging myself a bit. I was treated pretty well there and the price was competitive. Since I didn't think I'd want anything from them after the sale, I didn't worry about how good their service was. In retrospect, I regret not looking around a little longer and getting acquainted with other vendors (I still don't know who they might be).
When pursuing other passions, I've been pretty good about supporting the local guys especially when I thought I'd need them after the sale. In some instances this has meant paying MSRP, but they have been supportive and thankfully they're still in business. I guess a really good question to ask yourself is whether you want a relationship with a bricks & mortar shop after your purchase. I suspect paying 10-15% over the deepest discounter on the internet isn't outrageous.
Tom
When pursuing other passions, I've been pretty good about supporting the local guys especially when I thought I'd need them after the sale. In some instances this has meant paying MSRP, but they have been supportive and thankfully they're still in business. I guess a really good question to ask yourself is whether you want a relationship with a bricks & mortar shop after your purchase. I suspect paying 10-15% over the deepest discounter on the internet isn't outrageous.
Tom
Dennis- I agree with Tom, very interesting thread. I support local businesses but I don't believe just because you put your shingle up in a certain area gets you anything special. Every business, big and small, needs to earn every customer's business.
What does a local shop have over the big box stores? Service, and that's it. So if their service is exemplary and they make an effort to make sure you are getting the right guitar then I'd but a bean in their pot. But many times at GC I've received really good service too. And some of their sales people are every bit the equal of the small, local retailer.
So, my bottom line would be if you relied heavily on the local guy's expertise and spent hours in their store playing their guitars I'd give them some consideration, probably not to exceed 10% of the difference. I doubt Taylor gives GC much of a price break so it's just what percent of profit they need. See how close the local guy can get. Maybe 5 or 10% margin on a $3,000 guitar is better than 30% on no sale!!
But I suspect that after you've read all the comments on this forum about the 800 series Taylors plus you own one already, you don't need much "expertise" from anyone. You know what you want and you probably already know more about the 800's than most salemen! Buy the one with the prettiest spruce and rosewood from whoever has the best price.
Good luck and Cheers! :cheer:
What does a local shop have over the big box stores? Service, and that's it. So if their service is exemplary and they make an effort to make sure you are getting the right guitar then I'd but a bean in their pot. But many times at GC I've received really good service too. And some of their sales people are every bit the equal of the small, local retailer.
So, my bottom line would be if you relied heavily on the local guy's expertise and spent hours in their store playing their guitars I'd give them some consideration, probably not to exceed 10% of the difference. I doubt Taylor gives GC much of a price break so it's just what percent of profit they need. See how close the local guy can get. Maybe 5 or 10% margin on a $3,000 guitar is better than 30% on no sale!!
But I suspect that after you've read all the comments on this forum about the 800 series Taylors plus you own one already, you don't need much "expertise" from anyone. You know what you want and you probably already know more about the 800's than most salemen! Buy the one with the prettiest spruce and rosewood from whoever has the best price.
Good luck and Cheers! :cheer:
I have no problem paying 10% more at my local music store although they have always matched the internet price. That is what they do first of all when I find something I may be interested in buying is see what I could get it for on the internet and if I would have to pay shipping. My problem with the local store is that they stock lines of guitars that they can get for discount prices and don't stock some like Takamine and a few others. I think they have to sell a certain volume to be a dealer for some of the top end or more popular guitars which limits their ability to carry the type of guitar I may be interested in. I usually have new strings put on when I get a new guitar or take a guitar in to my Luthier to get adjusted. I use coated strings light guage so last time I went in he offered to order a box of strings for me when he made an order. I paid $65 for a box if 10 sets of strings which is about 50% savings. He gets good business from me and I get a good deal from him. Gary
I've read most of the answers here and I agree with many of those that say they like to support local where appropriate. I'd be surprised, like others here, if the local shop couldn't or won't come within 10% of GC. And the talk about service too, tough call there if you really don't know the folks at the local shop. I bought local with my Breedlove a few years back and they are now out of business, so...
One thing I haven't heard anyone ask is whether or not you have an affinity to one guitar over the other? Is there virtually no difference in either guitar? So often one guitar of the same exact model will sound different than the next, or at the least look different. Maybe if you really really look and listen closely, your decision will be made.
Good luck man, I feel your pain. BTW, is this the GC down on Westlake Ave.?
One thing I haven't heard anyone ask is whether or not you have an affinity to one guitar over the other? Is there virtually no difference in either guitar? So often one guitar of the same exact model will sound different than the next, or at the least look different. Maybe if you really really look and listen closely, your decision will be made.
Good luck man, I feel your pain. BTW, is this the GC down on Westlake Ave.?
I have read many interesting points of view on this topic and all have merits. Recently, I just went through this very experience when I bought my Taylor 414ce LTD. I had been browsing online stores, Musician's Friend, GC and others looking at the 414. I knew our local music store was a Taylor dealer so I went down to test drive a 414 I had seen about a month earlier. They are very friendly and told me to help myself to any guitar I wished to try. While I was playing the 414 the person that was helping me handed me the Limited 414 and said, "give this a try". She also offered that she was pretty sure her boss was willing to deal a little on either guitar. She was right and I was able to get the LTD 414 for the same price as the online stores plus they dropped the price enough to cover the tax. Suhweet! I really think whenever we can we should support our local stores. Especially the good ones. Not only does it keep local access to guitars and accessories for trying and buying but it also helps the whole community by keeping taxes local. Not that I am advocating taxes, but it is a fact of life and if it helps the local economy then so much the better.
Just my 2cents.
Steve
P.S. I would never buy an expensive guitar that I had not personally tried out before hand. That's just me.
Just my 2cents.
Steve
P.S. I would never buy an expensive guitar that I had not personally tried out before hand. That's just me.
Ok heres my one cents worth (i'm too cheap to make it two cents!) My wife also cuts my hair and does a pretty damn good job, just need to speak a bit more about the pampering to go with it, I am also one of those guys who will drive half a click away to get free parking. So does this say anything to you!.
Well NZ does not have the choices available to most members on this site we have two chains Rockshop and MusicCentre. Small business are virtually non existant outside of the major cities. Therefore choice is limited. The guitar i am in the process of buying is from what I call the local store, but they are a Rockshop, but again the guys in there know me and we get chatting every time I enter the shop. This guitar they are getting in fro me comes from another town and the manager saids the chain policy was for the customer to pay the freight if they wanted to check a guitar from another place. The manager waived this for me, now I haven't actually made a major purchase from these guys but I always get good advice and service for accessories. They do have their own lutherie service but the manager receommended someone else to me on my last visit. So I guess NZ being a smaller place even the chains have to provide that extra service. The town where I live has the choice of 4 stores, one which I wouldn't give the time of day to they are more interested in Pianos not guitars, one other doesn't stock a good range and guitars are a sideline to other home entertainment gear ( I bought my Cole Clark from them, but the licence for Coles has now moved to Rockshop) Thus leaves the Rockshop and one other realistically, the other sold me my amp and gave me a great deal they also sold me my keyboard and I got an exceptional deal there, but they are also a chain!
I also bought my resonator online sight unseen , from a US company, 'Folk Of The Wood', nice people to deal with remotely kept me well informed about tracking etc and still send me newsletters, (I know automated mailing list but I have still communicated andthey stiull reply promptly)
Not really answering your question dennis, but if I were you I'd think of a price i was prepared to pay and thinking of the value to you of the service that should come with it and talk to them and give them the opportunity to come to your party!
Well NZ does not have the choices available to most members on this site we have two chains Rockshop and MusicCentre. Small business are virtually non existant outside of the major cities. Therefore choice is limited. The guitar i am in the process of buying is from what I call the local store, but they are a Rockshop, but again the guys in there know me and we get chatting every time I enter the shop. This guitar they are getting in fro me comes from another town and the manager saids the chain policy was for the customer to pay the freight if they wanted to check a guitar from another place. The manager waived this for me, now I haven't actually made a major purchase from these guys but I always get good advice and service for accessories. They do have their own lutherie service but the manager receommended someone else to me on my last visit. So I guess NZ being a smaller place even the chains have to provide that extra service. The town where I live has the choice of 4 stores, one which I wouldn't give the time of day to they are more interested in Pianos not guitars, one other doesn't stock a good range and guitars are a sideline to other home entertainment gear ( I bought my Cole Clark from them, but the licence for Coles has now moved to Rockshop) Thus leaves the Rockshop and one other realistically, the other sold me my amp and gave me a great deal they also sold me my keyboard and I got an exceptional deal there, but they are also a chain!
I also bought my resonator online sight unseen , from a US company, 'Folk Of The Wood', nice people to deal with remotely kept me well informed about tracking etc and still send me newsletters, (I know automated mailing list but I have still communicated andthey stiull reply promptly)
Not really answering your question dennis, but if I were you I'd think of a price i was prepared to pay and thinking of the value to you of the service that should come with it and talk to them and give them the opportunity to come to your party!
Otherwise, here is what you could do that may be a good compromise and make you feel better. Let's say local store = $2,500 and big chain = $2,000. The difference is $500. Go to the big chain with the $2,500 cash you would have spent at the local store and buy the guitar for $2,000. Go to the local store and spend $250 on accessories (capo, tuner, strings, etc.). Go home with $250 in your pocket. Everybody wins.Hydroman52
Dennis this made the most CENTS to me.
Best of luck with your decision.Ive no dough the one you make will work out just fine!
Dennis this made the most CENTS to me.
Best of luck with your decision.Ive no dough the one you make will work out just fine!
Dennis - Lots of good advice. But, you've still got to make the tough call. I think I'd have trouble paying even $200 more unless I felt that I was getting value for money from something else - part of which could be the relationship. The guitar itself would need to come into it. If there was really no difference then...
I seem to have inadvertently hijacked your thread a little with my guitar shopping insecurities - sorry about that. But, I appreciate all the encouragement and support that you and the others have given me.
Michele
I seem to have inadvertently hijacked your thread a little with my guitar shopping insecurities - sorry about that. But, I appreciate all the encouragement and support that you and the others have given me.
Michele
Thank you all so much for the wonderfully well-considered responses to this topic. This is one of the many reasons I love TG: people are actually thoughtful here.
After reading your responses last night, I sent an email to the manager of my local store. I explained how I would much prefer to support his small business, but in order for me to do that, he needs to significantly narrow the gap between what he's charging and what GC is charging. He responded by thanking me for my nice email, assuring me that he wants my business, and offering to knock $500 off the price, bringing his price to within $200 of what GC might sell me the guitar for.
Here's my thinking, and I know some of you will disagree with this: one of the things I love about Seattle is the unique character of its neighborhoods, and part of what makes up that character is the type of retail that inhabits those neighborhoods. In my view, Seattle would be a poorer community without the kind of guitar shop that offers personal service to both professional musicians and those buying their first guitar. It's important to me that this shop continue to exist. My original question was this: how much am I willing to pay to support this store's existence. You folks did an absolutely great job helping me to home in on my pain threshold when it comes to paying more than is absolutely necessary. So, considering my store is within $200 of GC, and that I will likely have a relationship with this store for many, many years, it feels like a small price to pay to support their continued existence.
Damian: yes, the GC I referred to is the one on Westlake Blvd.
After reading your responses last night, I sent an email to the manager of my local store. I explained how I would much prefer to support his small business, but in order for me to do that, he needs to significantly narrow the gap between what he's charging and what GC is charging. He responded by thanking me for my nice email, assuring me that he wants my business, and offering to knock $500 off the price, bringing his price to within $200 of what GC might sell me the guitar for.
Here's my thinking, and I know some of you will disagree with this: one of the things I love about Seattle is the unique character of its neighborhoods, and part of what makes up that character is the type of retail that inhabits those neighborhoods. In my view, Seattle would be a poorer community without the kind of guitar shop that offers personal service to both professional musicians and those buying their first guitar. It's important to me that this shop continue to exist. My original question was this: how much am I willing to pay to support this store's existence. You folks did an absolutely great job helping me to home in on my pain threshold when it comes to paying more than is absolutely necessary. So, considering my store is within $200 of GC, and that I will likely have a relationship with this store for many, many years, it feels like a small price to pay to support their continued existence.
Damian: yes, the GC I referred to is the one on Westlake Blvd.