Question: What is proper guitar store etiquette ?

[billpepper82]

I know it's looked down on to play Stairway but why and what are some others?

[Roubster]

I think that's a bunch of nonsense in the first place. When I was learning to play guitar, the first thing I learned was Smoke on the Water so that's the only thing I could play in a guitar store. And even still, why should anyone care what you play. The only thing that I think should be observed is to try not to break peoples ear drums by cranking the heck out of the amps.

[mtrejo]

Haha, I think that started with Wayne's World if I'm not mistaken. Did that kind of ruin it for Stairway? Who knows. It seems to be something that I've thought about as well…I don't care, I still do it. not sure of others but it's annoying when someone is "shredding" aimlessly and really loudly for what seems like nonstop. Personally I don't listen to what other people are playing.

[Spudmurphy]

I called into a guitar store tonight - been working away and decided to pop in on the way home. A young guy was in the store and wanted to try out a Blackstar amp. He hooked up a guitar and played some licks - ok so he's a young guy and I thought that there was no feel in his lick playing. All of a sudden he cranks up the gain and goes into some great sweep picking. I had already talked to him so this old guy (me) says to him " Man I love that technique, I wish I could use some of that in my playing - just where do I start?" He proceeds to talk me through some rudimentary exercises that I'm gonna try later. Nice kid nice attitude.

uhhhhhhhh does this have anything to do with the thread ?? :-)
I'll go now!!

[SteveR]

Don't play too loud and don't worry about playing well known riffs if that's all you know at the time. Seasoned employees are able to block out every Metallica riff they've heard or the intro to Sweet Child o' Mine.
You are the as a potential customer and should be treated as such.

[Mark-NL]

The only thing that I think should be observed is to try not to break peoples ear drums by cranking the heck out of the amps.

check out his other vids too. I think they are hilarious.

[DrKev]

Seasoned employees are able to block out every Metallica riff they've heard or the intro to Sweet Child o' Mine.

Disagree! Trust me, people might get better at not showing it, but it hurts every time. Even if it doesn't show, we shudder, cringe, and cry on the inside. "OH please good lord, no!! Not this again!!!!!"

There are some regular 'shop goers' who elicit a similar internal response in store staff even before they've walked in the door, let alone picking up an instrument.

Nobody would mind if it wasn't all played so often and so horribly badly. Let's face it, people who CAN play well have a strong inclinations NOT to play "Stairway", or "Sweet Child o' mine" or "Seek and Destroy" in music stores. And it's nothing against bad playing, or those particular songs (I happen to love "Seek and Destroy"). It's just that a little variety goes a long way, know what I'm saying? Bad playing and the same old crap over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over and over, are a combination that should be included in the Geneva conventions as torture.

It's one good reason why guitar store employees should be paid more. (Of course, if I had my way their pay would be docked for every guitar they didn't clean and retune after aforementioned kids get their greasy, filthy paws on my lovely stock ).

Yes, it's been over a year since I stopped working for the store. Doesn't feel so long when I think about this. Maybe I should call that psychiatrist....

[Jack FFR1846]

May i help you riff - YouTube


Denied!

[FantasyMetal]

I think that when you go into a music store you should be able to play whatever you want. I'd rather hear the new kid playing some riffs poorly than the guys who are just playing a million miles an hour trying to showoff their "chops" (mostly because this is almost always at ungodly levels). We all started somewhere. The surest way to discourage future musicians is to make a fuss about what they play in a music store. That being said, I'm still as timid in a music store today as I was when I first started, because I know people are sitting there critiquing whatever I play, when all I want is to try out some new piece of gear. Just my two cents.

[radrock]

And even still, why should anyone care what you play.

I'd go a step further and say, why should I care what anyone thinks of what I play.

[tonelover]

I can't stand playing in a store, makes me uptight as hell. When I know I am going to, on the way over I actually plan a few songs to play that I figure they haven't heard too often, and so I don't freeze when I sit down. Even then I usually mess them up horribly.

[Tim O'Sullivan]

I used to frequent a few music shops in London and built up a very good relationship with them. Whenever I would try out an amp or guitar I would always play Stairway or Smoke On the Water for my own amusement!

[SteveR]

DrKev - I get what you mean and maybe you were subjected to more audio torture than I was at my store.
I'd be happy if I never heard 2 kids trying to fumble their way through the harmony parts for any Metallica song. Luckily you're out of there now.

[tommyindelaware]

if there wasn't all these kids in there playing all these things, ebmm wouldn't be here. be glad you have the problem...

[straycat113]

I was never one to crank an amp in a guitar store as I find it rude and annoying, and don't play any pieces you are in the middle of learning. Some things I would play in stores that always went over well were Zeps Ten Years Gone and a spot on medley of Little Wing, Bold As Love, and Castles Made of Sand, by Hendrix that always had guys come up to me to chat in a store. This thread really reminds me of this insanely funny guy I used to hang out with who had way more balls than talent. He looked just like a young version of Clapton in his Journeyman phase, with the exact hair cut, light beard, and sun glasses lmfao. I can remember walking into Sam Ash with him and the employees hanging around him as if he was someone famous. He asked for the most expensive Les Paul to check out which they gladly handed him, walked over to a Marshall 100 watt head and dimed it then proceeded to bang away on an E chord. As you guys can guess I was heading for the door the minute I saw him stick the jack in the amp.

I think that No Stairway thing has been famous for so long, it may actually sound refreshing to hear it today.