Drummer Cafe Community Forum

I was at the Centralized Location for Rock-and-Roll Instruments yesterday, looking for ways to spend my birthday money.  Aside from getting plectra and a stand for my bass as planned, I decided to give the staff a brain-teaser and ask for some fixed-wire brushes.

As I had thought, my brain-teaser had worked, but only after waiting in "line" while one of the salesclerks gave a hour-long lecture on Practical Applications for the Modern Drumkit to a prospective customer.  After this, I asked another question:  What are the thinnest drumsticks you have?  If I couldn't get the right brushes for now, I figured getting a really thin pair of sticks would be a good antiacid, if you catch on.

"I was wondering," I asked the clerk, "what are the thinnest sticks you have besides timbales sticks?"

"Timbale sticks?  Yeah, we have timbale sticks.  Let's see—"

"No, I was referring to drumsticks, besides timbale sticks, that were the thinnest you carried."

Gaylord Perry never threw a more devilish spitball.  Clearly I had confused the man; I saw autopilot kick in a second after.

"Well, we have the 7A's, those are the thinnest—I think we have eight-something..."

At this point I commit a fatal error:  I ask a related question before the dials cease spinning over this massive calculation:

"Have you guys ever heard of the American Jazz series by Vic Firth?  Do you carry those sticks, do you know?"

"America--uh, no, I never---They never shipped those to us....?"

"Well, see," I continued, brazenly ignoring the limitations of analog calculations, "the stick I'm after is within this series; I think it's the AJ5.  It's apparently the thinnest stick they carry at point-four-ninety inches in diameter...."

One of the gentle-clerks was searching through the dross, as it were, for thin sticks.  The other, listening to me intently, bulged his eyes out of his head at this statement.  "Have you looked in the Vic Firth rack over there?"  I don't know what's over there."  I had had time to look during the gentleman's extemporaneous speech earlier, and saw none, but I gave a cursory glance to satisfy him.  "No, they're not over here."  I quickly fended off his offers to order a pair.

The other guy had recovered, finally, and bestowed upon me a pair of Vater 7A's.  They're nice sticks, but a tad too thick for what i wanted.

"Well, these are nice, " I said, "but I'm looking for a thinner 7A."

"Well, wait,"  the brave miner replied, "all 7A's are the same size; the taper just differs.  See, the Regal Tip starts back here"—he points to the approximate point at which it did indeed start—"where other sticks start here"—at which he gestures on the same stick an impossible fulcrum-commencement, hitherto unseen since the Ludwig 2B.

I recoiled in horror at this statement.  There were other people around; what do I do?  I chose the passive and polite route: "Well, actually, no, they're not the same, in my experience."

The Brave Miner recoiled quickly from this punch in the gut I delivered.  To foil any advancement due to bruised pride on his part, I added:

"—but I appreciate your looking nonetheless."

He then hands me a pair of Pro-Mark 7A's.  These were close, indeed.  However, I remembered in the nick of time to roll them, and I did so on the practice pad with a deft sleight-of-hand maneuver under the Brave Miner's eagle-eye stare.  It wobbled like a barroom cuestick.

It was time to admit defeat.  I still hadn't gotten what I actually came for in the other department.  I bade farewell, thanked them again, lubed their parts, and set off for the next department, wherein I wasn't disappointed.

I still hadn't forgotten such misinformation and lack of research, though, and it sticks with me to this hour.  Before, the story I had consisted of a salesman stealthly lying to a kid's parents about the volume level of a Gladstone practice pad upon a snare drum.  "He can bang on his drum with this with the door closed, and you won't hear a thing, " the salesman promised.  I chuckle at this statement everytime I use my pad and receive a request to pipe down from another family member two rooms over.  Second to that was my overhearing a salesman address a piano to a customer as such: "This is about thirty-five years old, but that's—almost nothing in the lifespan of a piano."


Before, I thought it nothing to walk in prepared with research so as to battle the salesmen.  Nowadays, the lack of varied equipment does not do justice to the passing-along of such ignorance in vain, no matter how well-armed with knowledge I am.  Mail-order is looking very, very good for my further purchases where a sensitive ear isn't required.  Failing that, I just might start returning to the "lame band instrument music store", as a member here put it yesterday afternoon.

I'd like to know of any slights, lies, deceits, or anything along these lines that you've encountered, and would wish to share.  We needn't limit it to drums-only experiences.

Well, this one time while shopping for hi-hats, i was looking for a specific pair and the guy kept making me try out the used pair's in the cymbal room. I carefully explained my situation that i was upgrading from zbt's and that i wanted a jazzier cymbal. He shows me a pair of Z's. I kindly explain that i'm looking for something jazzy like a K. He shows me some sessions, but i don't like them I ask nicely for regular set of K's. This part really get me, he goes to the back and starts looking through them and pulls out a set a zbt's and says with a straight face: "Have you tried the zbt's?"!

It was then i decided i'd just forget about it, I asked politely if the usual sales clerk would be there (with whom i am good friends), thanked him for his help and left. I thought that was a pretty funny experience.

There's a guy in a shop near me who every time I come in ready to make a purchase, he acts like it was he who helped me reach this decision, due to non-existant conversations we had the last time I was there, that is was he who convinced me to make this purchase due to his expertise and salesmanship, when the only reason I'm even there is because of the research I did myself or because its a short notice thing and I'm crunched for time. Such a turn-off, does this actually work on people?

Also when calling around town, shopping around for prices and availability, I had a guy tell me he put in an order for me, just for asking if they had it in stock. How rude! They lose a sale everytime.

Yeah mail order whenever possible.

At my former school, we were looking for a Hartke kickback bass amp for our jazz band. The roadman from the Really Big music store (names changed to protect me from a lawsuit) told us, "Oh, I can't get that, those have been discontinued."

The next week we were at a local University, where we saw a brand new Hartke Kickback bass amp in the band room. When we asked the band director how he had managed to find this discontinued item, he said, "Just picked it up at the Really Big music store."  ::)

Buyer Beware.

I bought a compressor for my 4 track when I was in high school.  They guy there said it would make our harmonies sound better.

Once in awhile you find very knowledgable people.  They can be in a big store or in a mom and pop store.  Remember all they are interested in is selling.  The one with the higher profit margin is usually going to sound better.

I was perusing a local shop when I had to actually take a violin and its shoulder rest away from a sales person before they destroyed them both.

He was trying to show this family and their daughter how to put it on her new violin and obviously didnt know how.  He was bending it every which way and trying to jam it on this poor violin.   All the while attempting to explain the process and how easy it is ... once you get it setup.  

I explained I had the same one and could show them right quick ... and got ahold of the rest and instrument.  And easily popped it on for them.  They nodded and smiled (loosening the furrowed brow the salesman had given them).  While I was doing that, the salesman was explaining how it was a design he wasn't used to, playing it off like he had some old school system.  When in fact this rest was the same basic design that everyones been using for eons.  

It made me sad.  

*note to sales people*

When people can't admit they're wrong or don't know they just end up making an a$$ of themselves.   Its so much easier, and saves you so much dignity and respect to just admit it (which in turn equals more sales).

i hate when salesmen look at me and think i cant afford something cuz im a kid, and then try to push some beginner crap for me. One time, I said i wanted a 16" hh medium thin crash, and he kept trying to push the xs20 version to me, and the sound was totally different, but his tone deaf ears couldnt tell

i'm glad the guys at the drumshop here in perth aren't like that, they all actually really know what they're doing, i think between all the members of the staff it adds up to like 66 years of playing or something, awesome bunch lol

the only thing you gotta be weary of is those guys in cash converters! (i don't know if they have those shops anywhere else) my mate brought in a wah pedel he got off them for 100 bucks and then a couple of years later he brought it back and asked how much he could get for it, the guy picked it up, moved it back and forward and said "i'll give you 10 bucks for it"

my friend just walked out laughing hehe

From your description, it sounds like you refer to what we in the U.S. know as "pawn shops" or less commonly, "pawnbrokers".  The same experiences apply.

I've got that same thing cash convertors by me! In fact, that's where i bought most of my drums! They're pretty much scum there, but you can get some good deals occasionally, i mean where else can you get 6 piece kit for under 100 bux?

You have to work the guys cause they don't really know what they're talking about. They tried passing off this one piece of crap drum to me for 60 or so bux cause it said pearl on it, meanwhile the kid before had repainted it himself and removed half the lugs. Go figure.

During the holidays, I went to the local Plectrum Centrum to purchase a guitar for my younger son (Adam's Brother).  While looking at a Fender Stratocaster, I asked the salesman about Ibanez guitars.  This bozo says, "Oh, Fender owns them...they're buying up all of the guitar companies, ya know."  Boy, was I impressed with his product knowledge!

Adam's Dad

Ironically, just today, a sales person told me to avoid purchasing on the Internet because "you don't always get what you order and sometimes customers don't receive lugs and other parts when they order a drum set online".  And she implied the customer was stuck with it because it had been ordered online.  Then she tried to sell me a student Premier kit for retail $1295.00.

I told her that it was insulting when the consumer knew more than the sales person and the sales person didn't realize it.

Every time I go this local music store to buy a few pair of drum sticks the manager insists I look at thier drum machines.

Every time I tell him on the walk over to them that chances are someone buying drum sticks would not like drum machines.

He is extremely proud to have me watch while he pokes a few preprogramed buttons.

I just smile thinking how easy amused he is then he rings up my sticks we shake hands and thats that.

From the self proclaimed best music store in Ireland......
"All of our drum dept staff are professional players!"
There's a WHOPPER right there.
In all my years of using this shop, I have only ever seen one, yes ONE of the drum sept staff actually playing with a band. But then of course, as I've heard them telling young, impressionable customers-to-be and their parents, they're "session" musicians, so they're probably all in the studio. ;)

  Two weeks after the new Steve Smith DVD came out I called a local music shop to have them order it for me only to have him tell me that they had stopped making them and they were permanently out of print (or POP in his words). About a month later I received a phone call telling me that the Steve Smith DVD I had ordered was in. ???

  Same thing happened to me when I ordered a rare CD from a music store. They kept telling me it had been back ordered and they kept reordering it for me. This went on for six months until they finally told me that they couldn't get it in. A month later I went into the store and it was sitting on the shelf. ???

Slightly off topic, but I could never quite wrap my brain around the concept of music/piano/organ stores in indoor malls.  These were sort of a big deal here around Chicago in the 70's.

"Honey, I'm running out to the mall to buy some socks and a shirt."

"OK.  Bring back a Wurlitzer, too, will you?"

The guys in those stores seemed extra clueless.

I'm almost embarrassed to say it- the drumshop I go to is GREAT!

Waddell's, Wexford, PA

Oh, they have a website, too- http://www.waddellsdrums.com/ (http://www.waddellsdrums.com/).

And, no, I don't work there.

As long as you're an informed consumer, sales people are annoying at worst. I really can't see how their incompetence is a reason to avoid stores. If anything, it's an incentive. With sufficient knowledge of drumming gear and the right strategy, you have a good chance of manipulating them into a discount. At worst, the prices are competive with online and mail order sources. Rather than be annoyed that they act like they convinced you to buy something or another, take advantage of it. They want to satisfy their ego by feeling like they have superior knowledge. They also want to sell something. So, generally, you probably should not tell them what you actually want, but use your knowledge to steer them in the correct direction.

For example, if you want some K hi-hats, tell them your looking for something like the ZBT's. They will then try to explain that if you get ZBT's you'll want to replace them quickly, so it's actually cheaper to just buy the K's. If you play it right, you have a chance of them knocking a few bucks off of the cost. Especially when you factor in shipping, you're probably getting the same cymbal for cheaper, and you have the chance to test it and hear the very cymbal you will buy before using it. Salesman is happy because he made a sale and "tricked" you into buying the very product you wanted. Your happy because you have your product.

This is probably less likely to work with cymbals simply because they are cheaper than a drum kit. So, they are less likely to offer a discount on the cymbal because the are probably not as high of a profit margin. I don't really know the size of the profit margins on drums and cymbals, but there is room for cutting the price.

As long as you know typical prices for equipment and remember that they cannot force you to buy anything, they can't really screw you. They might "trick" you by talking you down to the price that they originally planned to charge, but as long as you're getting a better price than you would elsewhere, you haven't been tricked. The salespeople are annoying, but their incompetence is all the more reason to shop in stores. It's been awhile since I've bought a drum kit, but I really want to buy my next one in a store just to have some fun with the salesman.

I actually have the opposite problem than most of you. Whenever i walk into the drum department of the local Guitar Center, the sales people (sometimes all three) are battling it out on the set displays. I usually consider myself not that bad of a drummer, but sometimes even if i walk in knowing i am going to buy something, i have to walk right back out feeling inferior.

Similar problem is when they tell you too much and talk my head in circles. I end up getting a headache and walking out empty handed.

From my OP:

Before, I thought it nothing to walk in prepared with research so as to battle the salesmen.  Nowadays, the lack of varied equipment does not do justice to the passing-along of such ignorance in vain, no matter how well-armed with knowledge I am.

As referenced in my subhead, of course they'll say "But we can order it,"  hoping you'll forget about speedier (maybe cheaper!) methods such as Amazon and even Musician's Friend (who is probably their warehouse?).  Uh, NO, I don't think so. ;D


The Brave Miner was actually doing this during a prior visit, not getting up to assist with anything until prompted.  It was also quite annoying when I was testing out a couple of cymbals during a purported gap in the playing, only to have the guy he was battling with try to join in.  I immediately stopped what I was doing each time he attempted to come in until he got the hint.

The guys at my local GC - excuse me, the dudes - are more often than not 'differently clued'.  There's a lot of turn-over in the drum department.  I suspect many of them worked in fast food before landing the gig @ GC only so they could get the employee discount.  

When not trying to impress each other, themselves, and the customer with their "chops" (I love how some of them play on a practice pad on the counter while you're trying to talk to them), they're pontificating a blue streak, or just plain busy being nowhere to be found when I need something.  I only go to GC when I'm really in a bind.

Of course they'll say they can order it. At this point, using your knowledge of various online prices and shipping rates, you decide whether you want to tolerate the salesman for a possible savings or just order online for convenience. The prices are probably only going to differ by a couple of dollars in one way or the other.

The online stores, without even having to say anything, use the exact opposite strategy as stores. They hope that you don't know that there might be a store trying to get rid of the very product that you want. So, while the store offers a clearance price, the online businesses continues charging the same rate no matter what.

Neither option is always best, and I personally insist on attempting to find the best deal for myself. Sometimes the search is frustrating, but a purchase is far more satisfying for me when I don't feel like I caved to the marketing strategy, but rather bought the best product for myself at the best available price.

Another thing that gets my goat about the particular store I use, is their ignorance of any equipment which they don't stock.
 They sell Sabian cymbals exclusively. I inquired last year about a drum clininc that was being organised by Zyljian and they flatly refused to impart any info about it. The only reply being "Well emmm, we don't actually sell Zyljian cymbals."
 Personally, I think that is a disgrace. IMHO, supporting the drummimg community in general is something I would expect ANY drum store to do. Drum clinics are few and far between where I live, and they NEED to be publicized and supported.
 Mind you, they were all over the Chad Smith clinic, but maybe that had something to do with the fact that they had some direct involvment.

I am reminded by this thread of a quote I heard once. I was getting the same run around that allot of you are experiencing, and I have to admit I lost my temper and really laid into the guy. I remember saying " Treating your customers like that is an absolute crime!" when the gentleman replied with a grin " Well lucky for me then theres no sales police!".
So I think that's the problem the world over, no sales police.
-RHS

This thread is hilarious.  ;D

I think the most recent whopper <I'm especially susceptible to these "whoppers" because the guys think I must be totally clueless since I'm a woman> was recently when I was "inquiring" into possibly selling/trading my Premier Genista Birch kit when the guy made me a really crappy offer and I told him he had to be kidding and he told me something along the lines of, "Well, if it was a Pearl Export or a higher end kit like that..." ;D  

Well, yes; yes, there are, actually, depending on the situation.  The local yokels, so to speak, would be the management, whereas the Better Business Bureau would take care of more pressing matters.  Of course, we're talking about deliberate attempts at thievery here.  I wouldn't know about a salesman's stupidity, but I'd be glad to research should the time come!

And, to go temporarily off-topic: Xena, you hold on to that kit and worry about hardware.  Hardware adjustments would be the thing to do, I think.

Which leads me to a similar story.  Nothing 'said' as much as done.

A local shop owner and keller 'custom' builder whose name i'll disquise, we'll call him Barry Barcia, was guilty of the sexist thing.  

I went in with the missus who was a bit of a drummer at the time and wanted some new gear.  I wasn't actually drumming as much then myself.  We went in shopping and he, intentionally or not, would not actually talk to her.  She'd ask something, he'd reply to me.  She'd comment, he'd reply to me.   I said "she's the drummer here, Im just along for the ride" and he STILL wouldn't actually talk to her.  

Man, I am a guy and that kind of thing just steams my weenie. >:(
< INSERT JOKE HERE FELIX>
Seriously though...this is 2005, no room for that sort of backward thinking anymore.
I know my bride would have pulled the guy over the counter by his shirt and beat him like a red-headed stepchild if she got that kind of service.
-RHS

Hey, at least he wasn't hitting on her.

If you really want to piss them off, start giving real advice to other customers.

And no matter what we think a drum store should do, a drum store, just like any other business, is trying to make money. They aren't trying to do anything for the drumming community.

Slightly off topic, but along the sexy line of thought.............Oh, you said sexist!!!  Thought we were still discussing "Smell the Glove"!!!

Seriously, when I first got married, my wife, who is a big time horse rider, and I went shopping for a new truck for her to take to horse shows, etc.  We were interested in the Dodge something or another.  We went to the Dodge dealer in Mobile, AL. and the sales guy really made a lasting impression, boy howdy!  We started talking about what was needed in a truck, and I told him he had to talk to my wife, since she would be driving it, etc.   He turned and looked at her and said, "Well little lady, don't you worry, we'll get it any color you want!".  Then he proceeded to turn back to me and ask the same questions about towing needs, etc.  He seemed surprised when we turned around and walked out.

BTW we bought a Chevy

i was in my local guitar center and i was talking to the clueless counter jockey about drum heads.  See, I was playing a pork pie 12x6 snare at the time, and we were talking about my snare drum and he says "really!?  a 12" snare?" i then turned around and looked at the wall where the same ones were displayed, and I said "... yeah...  what heads do you have for it?  I need both"  We found a batter head I was interested it, and I told him to just grab a remo Diplomat for the snare side.

got home..... 14" snare side head.  

the guys in the drum department of the local guitar center seem desperate to sell to me.  of course, i do spend most of my time looking like a country bumpkin, so maybe i look naive.  

"look at this, it's an exclusive! chrome things!"  (pointing at lugs.)  i swear it, the guy actually said "chrome things". i, of course, was awed by the rarity of these wonderful contraptions.

it's amazing how little knowledge some of these people have.  they really should have some kind of entrance exam or something.  you know, so they'd at least have to be able to act like they know what's what.

I was in a drum shop a while ago, and another customer was at the counter asking one of the dolts behind the counter about Remo drums.  The kid said, and I'm not kidding, "Remo makes drums?!?!"  The same kid, when I was in for a Ricky Lawson clinic brought Ricky an Evans head to sign.  

I don't go to that shop anymore.

Thanks for the tip? I am actually fairly well aqauinted with them now, and they know me as a 'big spender' because i buy big when i actually do.

 :D :D :D I love this thread!!! I am proud to say I am a salesman! (unfortunately, different industry)
     It is a well known fact that in sales, 20% of the salespeople make 80% of the money, and conversely then, 80% make 20% of the $$. Some of that 20% are extremely good liars and move from job to job in high volume areas. The rest of the 20% know their products and their competitors and are not afraid to say "I don't know, but I will do some research and get an answer". They are genuinely interested in being helpful, and selling their product at a fair (not always lowest price). If you are fortunate to have a drum shop salesperson that fits this description, pay a few cents more than you would from Giant Stringed Instrument Center to pay him/her for their extra effort and time they spent with you. If you're not fortunate enough to have such a person available, and you have to beg someone to help you, then go ahead and beat them down in price.

BTW: the dudes at places such as Giant Stringed Instrument Center are not actually salesmen (no commission) they are clerks.

ps: I had to drive appx 60 miles past numerous music stores to find a knowledgable salesperson to special order a custom Ludwig kit from. (American Music, Seattle) The drive is a pain, but worth it to deal with someone who has product and industry knowledge.

but man do they act like they're getting a cut

I was in my local GC and this guy brought in this MINT set of ludwig vistalites (concert tom, red/white/blue spiral, BIG sizes) and was trading it in for a yamaha kit and he still owed just under $200.  After all was said and done, I asked the sales guy if that was a Absolute maple kit, he said it was a stage custom kit.  I said, "Man, I wouldn't have done that."  he replied with a snicker "neither would I!"  He then finished laughing about it elsewhere.  I guess it's fun ripping people off, but I guess that guy had it comming.

what's The Internet? where can i get it? is it painful?





the shop i buy most of my gear from is fantastic - if i find it cheaper somewhere else, they'll match or better it. can get their hands on pretty much anything, and the staff are very knowledgeable indeed. sometimes i just ring them up for some advice!

Well I don't see it that way.  Just because someone isn't in the know doesn't give anyone else the right to take advantage of him/her.  What ever happened to integrity?

This reminds me of a recent experience (kind of relates to this thread's topic too).  I was at my local GC and inquired about the price of the new DW 9002 double pedal.  The "clerk" filling in at the drum department counter looked it up in the computer and said it was $220.  Even over my protests that he didn't give me the correct price and that it was higher, he assured me it was $220.

I knew he made a mistake, and a huge one at that.  The actual price is $450.  Yeah, I wish I could've had it for $220, but I didn't have the coin.  And if I did, then I'd be taking something that didn't righfully belong to me.  Anyway, I try to put myself in their position.  If I were selling something and made a mistake that benefited the buyer and he or she had the integrity to let me know, I'd greatly appreciate that honesty.  Maybe even knock off a few more $$.

I have been to two different music shops where the guys were also keller "custom" drum builders. I inquired with both of them about Gretsch drums, and neither wanted to even talk to me about it. They both insisted that Gretsch drums were just Keller shells and that they could build me an identical-sounding kit for hundreds less. They seemed suprised when I knew that Gretsch drums have 30 degree bearing edges and asked if they could cut an identical edge. I didn't even mention to them about Gretsch using Jasper shells. I mean, what are Jasper shells? Everybody uses Keller! ;)
I don't consider myself vastly more knowledgable than them (or most other drummers) about drums by any means, but I was just a little turned off by their dismissal of my questions. If I ask about Gretsch drums, I'd like them to answer me as best as they can about Gretsch drums, not pass it off into another opportunity to brag about how great their Keller shells sound. (These guys both do make really nice drums, but I'm just not interested. They want WAY too much for just another "custom" Keller drum.)

I'm not saying that it was a nice thing to do, but you and I both know (and I'm assuming most of the people here do as well) what you're getting into in a store like that.  They guy obviously had no idea what was going on, and he didn't really seem to care much either.  If he did care, he wouldn't have done what he did.  But yeah, it was still slimy and I felt a little dirty just being in the room.

bottom line: when you buy or sell ANYTHING to or from ANYONE you do your research.  If you don't you may get screwed, and if you don't watch out for you, don't expect anybody else too.  

Sorry ... I have to totally disagree with you on this. Stock is stock. The online stores have stock just like the brick & mortar stores. Very few online stores are allowed to drop ship the item ... meaning that the manufacture ships it rather than the store. Not saying it doesn't happen, but it's not as common place as it used to be.

Anyway ... back to why I disagree. There are plenty of online stores that sell old stock, unwanted stock, discontinued stock, etc. Plus, just like a brick & mortar store, online stores run specials or sales on various items from time to time ... and always for a good reason ... and that reason is not because they just want to give you a lower price. Musician's Friend will blow-out gear, as well as Steve Weiss Music and many others.


Excellent story!  Yes, integrity seems to have vanished from the planet. Well, if it's not completely gone, it rarely comes into the light.

I've had people look at me like I'm a complete idiot when I tell them that they didn't charge me enough, or that they gave me back too much change. I believe in the old sayings ... "what goes around, comes around" ... "you reap what you sow" ... and so on. There's been times in my life when I haven't handled or done things the way I should have. And it's those memories that haunt me all the days of my life. The only way to get some peace is to go back and make it right.

Bart, those are some great quotes....  ;)
Back on topic....Recently I was at a local GC just looking around. This middle aged, overweight guy comes up to me and asks if he could help me. He was carrying a pair of sticks and tried to assure me he was a drummer. I asked him the price of a Drum Dial and he said, "Drum what?" Then he assured me that the bottom line Pacific set was one of the best around. I told him I had Mapex Orion and Deep Forest sets. He said, "Is that an off brand? Never heard of them." I laughed and asked how old he was. He said 32 years old. I replied, "I had already been playing drums for 12 years before you were born." I then said, "I'll bet you've never heard of Slingerland or Craviotto either." One of the other workers looked at me and smiled. I winked at the other guy and walked away.... The other worker was listening and got a big charge out of it. He was about 20 yrs old and knew exactly what drums I have. I walked up to the younger guy and he sold me a Drum Dial that was in stock. He even matched the Musicians Friend sale price.   ;)   Put some sticks in a guys hand and he's a drum salesman.    ::)   ;D

Not to burst your bubble, but Musicians Friend is owned by Guitar Center.  Go to www.guitarcenter.com and click on the link to buy online.  It takes you to musicans friend.  They also bought out what was left of Mars Music as well.

I haven't had such bad experiences with the guys at the local stores. Most of them are pro or aspiring musicians who simply need a part/full-time day job to pay their bills.

The bad thing around here is the few brand options and the slow movement of inventory. PR is quite small (100x35 sq./miles approx.) and we only have too big distributors for most of the small shops. This warehouses only order new merchandise when they run out of inventory and some times it takes weeks for the new shipment to arrive - it all depends of the manufacturer's waiting list (as Bart well explained in a prior thread).

As I said in another thread, the comparsa I play with had a gig during the Christmas season in one of this big stores. Since the first weekend (Thanksgivings) thru the last one (New Years) I asked every Saturday for some common Remo heads - 14" & 13" coated PowerStroke3 and Ambassador snare sides in the same sizes. The answer was always the same: "Don't have 'em, but those are already ordered. It will take like a month."

I havent seen a store with Acuarian or Attack heads; only Remos, Evanss and Ludwigs. Sometimes the poor guys dont even know about the existence of certain new products because their so outdated inventory.

Music stores should do some kind of concessionaire agreement with the manufacturers (like supermarkets do) so if the inventory do not move as supposed they will take it back and replace it for the more in demand items. It seems like win-win deal for both involved parts. That way the manufactures can keep better track of the consumer trends, diminish production costs, inventory costs, shipping and/or returning costs. (Sorry, Im an accounting graduated and this was a hard to resist opportunity ;D)