Strange experience in shop

[Gnumarco]

Hi all, I just wanted to share an experience I had visiting a music shop in my country (France). I knew for having been there years before that the had some MM guitars so I headed straight to where I saw them before. There I only see a JP6 BFR, nothing more...
I ask the guy I they have any other MM and he tells me that no, and that he does not want to see any more MM guitars because they just do not sell and that he is stopping to sell MM.
Talking a bit with him, he told me that MM guitars are very expensive instruments (which they are! In France a JP6 costs around 3000€) and people who spend that amount of money prefer to buy Fender or Gibson because they are a lot easier to sell after.
He recognizes that MM guitar are really great instruments but their public is too narrow and typical buyers of these guitars are high level shredders who anyway do not have the money to buy them.
I was sad hearing this actually. I don't know if this shop is or was official dealer. It is Cactus Music in Bordeaux.

Cheers!

 

[fbecir]

Hello

If you want to see some MM guitars in France, the only reliable shop is California Music in Paris (Guitares Vigier, guitares PRS, guitares Musicman et amplis Orange à Paris).
Gerard, the owner, is a nice guy and he is a defender of non G or F guitars (he stocks also quite a lot of Vigier).
Otherwise, the other shops who sold MM guitars before are not stocking them anymore.

 

[Gnumarco]

I know California Music, been there quite some times and it is nice. A pity though that we cannot find other reliable shops in France.

 

[coldsummer]

The resale value is definitely a factor when considering a new purchase. To be fair it's the same with any high value item, not just MM, not just guitars.

 

[**DRB**]

I find it sad to hear that F#nd&r or G$bs×n are the guitar of choice anyehere.... I'm new to the MM experince and I love my L3 but there are LOTS of great guitar companies out ( with MM being an excellent choice!) there that aren't F or G.

I looked for a "deal" when buying my recent amp and guitar, but resale value wanst really a consideration. I purchased what I felt "connected" to and the cash come out, period.

 

[DrKev]

Remember, every guitar hanging on a wall that doesn't sell is taking space from another guitar that could sell and help keep the store open. If a guitar store can make more money selling a dozen Squiers in the same time period that it takes to sell one Music Man, that's what most of them are going to do. Of course we can order anything we want at any time from a Music Man dealer but most stores can't afford to keep anything in stock waiting for us to walk in the door with a wad of cash. Particularly in this day and age when many customers use guitar stores as little more than a showroom before buying online.

 

[69tele]

Hi guys not to hi jack the thread but I will be in paris next week, any tips on guitar and gear shops ? the one you mention is in Montmatre right?

 

[Capelo]

Totally agree with DrKev here. Having said that, I feel some music shops in Europe have a bit of a funny way to go about things compared to its US counterparts.

I am originally from Madrid (Spain) and know of a couple of shops there that have had the same MMs and other high-end guitars hanging on their walls literally for ages. Yet if you ask them about for a deal on a guitar most of ther time they feel offended and ask for the full current MSRP. I not saying they should sell these guitars at fire sale prices, but if something has not sold for over 7 years maybe it time to do something about it, no?

 

[DrKev]

Hi guys not to hi jack the thread but I will be in paris next week, any tips on guitar and gear shops ? the one you mention is in Montmatre right?

Aw man, shame I'm not here, it'd have been nice to say hi!

Anyway, yes most of the guitar stores are near close to Montmartre, just one block down the hill from metro station Pigalle, on rue de Douai (pron. roo de doo-ay) and rue Victor Massé (pron. Vick-torr Massay).

 

[fbecir]

Hello

Here it is :
https://www.google.fr/maps/@48.8816...m4!1e1!3m2!1s9AkOElcjFeotjt9GD2n0wA!2e0?hl=fr

You have a quite a lot of music shop in Pigalle.
Pigalle is also famous for its "hostess bars" and sex shops thus it can be an interesting journey

 

[DrKev]

But it's now also getting famous for nice little bistros and bars, so it's getting better.

 

[69tele]

thanks for the info will be sure to check them out , the music shops that is !

 

[KevinUK]

Hiyah, I live near Bordeaux part of every year and have noticed that European ( mainland) EBMM prices are VERY much higher than UK and they are in turn higher than US.

There is a couple of EBMM's for sale on the for sale page here in France, One I would dearly love to buy but the prices is twice what it is worth in UK market. The point I make here is that, is this price hike due to Euro trade import tariffs or Greedy French and German dealers who are not controlled by the principle ? ie EBMM US.