Lately, I've become interested in getting back into the creation and performance of music. It's great to be playing guitar again, although there have been some sore fingers along the way. I've also been rebuilding my computer music studio since my computer crashed a month or so ago. I asked Monica what she thinks of me playing music again, and her response was, "It's great, now go write me a song!"

So today I went to a pawn shop to look for a cheap delay pedal for my guitar. I can't afford a very expensive pedal, so I thought the pawn shop would be a great place to look, and besides, in Auburn the pawn shop is not a creepy dingy place or anything. Unfortunately, the pawn shop did not have much in the way of pedals, so I went to the local music store instead. Besides, I needed some guitar picks anyway.

I really want to support the local music store, because I believe that keeping my business local helps the economy of the community I live in. I could go online to internet music chains, but there's something immediate about music stores. I like to wander around, looking at the many guitars, checking out the massive amplifiers, and soaking up the general atmosphere. But I have a problem with music stores. The problem always occurs when interacting with sales people in the music store. Here's a perfect example from today:

Me: "I'm interested in a delay pedal. What is the cheapest one you carry?" I ask this after I have already looked at the delay pedals in stock and know which ones they have.
Salesman: "Oh, that would be [insert name of most expensive non-stereo delay pedal they carry]. That is, if you want a decent one. Of course you could get delay with a combo multi-effects setup, but if you just want delay by itself...[It's painfully obvious what the salesman would rather I buy] Let's see, retails for...[taps buttons on calculator], that would run you about XXX dollars."

Sigh. Yes that was a three digit number. I know for a fact that they carry a $30-$40 model. Furthermore, why would I pay three digits for effect I can get for free on my computer, even LIVE, for just a few bones spent on cables to plug my computer into my amp? It's always like that when I go to a music store. One time I asked a salesman at another store about an amplifier and all he would say to me (with disdain clearly showing on his face and in his voice) was, "That's a solid state amp. I'm an old tube amp man, so I don't know anything about those things." Really?! You're a music store salesman. You sell musical istruments and accessories for a living,and yet you care so little about making a big sale that you will brush off the customer because you don't approve of the type of amplifier he is asking about?

Today, I paid for my guitar picks and left. Later, I will look on Craigslist or an online store, where at least I know I can get honest information about the product I want, nobody lies to me about how much it costs, and nobody can brush me off because I didn't ask about the right product. Online, everything is straight and to the point, with no B.S.

Music store owners, take note.