Do Guitar Shop Workers Take Guitars Home?

[BluesKing777]

As I drove around a BMW 630i, very expensive, that a car salesman drives around a while then parks out front of his house on this very busy feeder street...this car is for sale and the next owner buyer would probably die with his leg in the air if he knew the goings on.....

So then it occurred to me - guitar shop workers probably do the same! Play it at home until it sells, then move on to the next? How would you know in these days of internet sales?

Comments?


BluesKing777.

[EZYPIKINS]

Kinda like asking your wife, of her past relationships.

Best practice, don't ask the question if you can't handle the answer.

Just enjoy the time you have together.

[Dbone]

Originally Posted by BluesKing777

As I drove around a BMW 630i, very expensive, that a car salesman drives around a while then parks out front of his house on this very busy feeder street...this car is for sale and the next owner buyer would probably die with his leg in the air if he knew the goings on.....

So then it occurred to me - guitar shop workers probably do the same! Play it at home until it sells, then move on to the next? How would you know in these days of internet sales?

Comments?


BluesKing777.

That car is called a demo. It’s common practice for car salesman to have access to them, and they are sold as a demo at a reduced price.

Hard to sell as new with all those miles on it. At least a car has a mileage indicator. Need one for the guitar ;-0

[s2y]

My butcher once admitted that some of his finest cuts don't quite make it to the counter for public consumption.

[warfrat73]

I seriously doubt that it's a common practice. Owners of guitar shops, perhaps. Rank and file employees, I rather doubt it.

I used to work in outdoor retail, managed a store for a while. There was one employee there who would regularly "borrow" (without permission, obviously) things to show his friends and bring them back in unsaleable condition (I knew that he did this before I became manager, and quickly put an end to it--and his employment with us-- when I did).

Too much risk of that kind of thing happening.

[donlyn]

Originally Posted by s2y

My butcher once admitted that some of his finest cuts don't quite make it to the counter for public consumption.

Reminds me of a certain meat company bacon commercial.

Don
.

[Maryc-k]

Rumor has it that there was a certain guitar shop in Texas that used its inventory in the owners recording studio and then eventually sold them as new. They are no longer in business, but I think it was a deceitful practice. While it was never public knowledge I did notice their inventory at times represented models that were two to three years old at times.

[Mbroady]

I use to manage a billiard club and some of the off duty employees would use the pool cues that were for sale. When I brought it to the attention of the owner, she basically said that she was ok with it. It was hard to find good staff and this was one of the perks of the job. They sold as new but I always mentioned that the que had been sampled. Plus, the prices were really good.

It was a great place to work, especially as a youngling (I was just shy of 20)

[rmp]

Not a good idea for anyone. I know a repair tech, he is pretty good too. Worked out of a local store.

Took some guitars home to work on them there instead of the store. His house was broken into, guess how the rest of the story went.

One of the guitars lost in the break in was a 72 Rickenbacker. His insurance company did not cover the loss on the guitars that were not his.

[Dotneck]

I had a friend who ran a music shop in Ohio. He loaned out guitars and amps all the time. Not just to employees either.

[musicman1951]

It was 50 years ago, so I'm not sure if it's relevant, but I worked at a fairly busy music store a couple of years while in college and nobody took instruments home at the end of the day.

[EZYPIKINS]

I know a guitar shop owner who will take home trade ins.

But not customer guitars.

[TennesseeWalker]

Originally Posted by BluesKing777

guitar shop workers probably do the same! Play it at home until it sells

perhaps some small number of individuals do, probably most don't -
up to the guitar shop owner as to whether thats acceptable.

i can't really see a guitar selling from inventory if it's being played at home by a guitar shop worker - - -
as for internet sales, you wouldn't know - many very small internet business sellers back bedroom is their showroom.

[Mark Stone]

Originally Posted by Dbone

That car is called a demo. It’s common practice for car salesman to have access to them, and they are sold as a demo at a reduced price.

Hard to sell as new with all those miles on it. At least a car has a mileage indicator. Need one for the guitar ;-0

A "Strumometer"?

If it's a small mom-and-pop shop I imagine a guitar may go home with the shop owner from time to time.

[BluesKing777]

Originally Posted by Mark Stone

A "Strumometer"?

If it's a small mom-and-pop shop I imagine a guitar may go home with the shop owner from time to time.

Yes, Strumometer! Love it, thanks.

I have bought guitars new in a wrapper in a box, but mostly the new....ones....have been off the rack, so to speak. And while I love the guys at the shop I haunt in better times, one new guitar had plenty of miles on the old Strumometer, I reckon. Mostly the shop is great to sensational, clean spotless in tune guitars on the rack, but the whole business model rather sucks, doesn’t it? If they are on the rack, they are demo models, not brand new. And in better times, they had a few clean duplicates lined up in the storeroom after a sale and they don’t come out until the dude has gone.....

They must be loving the new relic rage.


BluesKing777.