Michael Jones
New member
Yeah, I hear ya VOX. I'm not saying its right or wrong, just the way it is.VOXVENDOR said:
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mikeh
New member
I agree with Alan - the industry can't support 3 major chain stores. The whole thing has been a house of cards. I was having that same conversation with a small family owned music store that has been the "pro shop" in my city for about 40 years (fortunately Mars didn't do them in). Ironically, we were having the conversation the day before the Mars issue went public.
I can't begin to imagine how much Mars owes to Roland or Shure or Behringer or whoever. If those manufacturers take a huge hit - they have to recoup the loss somehow (can you say price increase) - so this is bad for everyone.
Naturally, the manufactures will want to help Mars work thru this if they can (lets face it Mars moves alot of gear - at least certain gear). But, I'm guessing Mars won't have nearly as much gear to sell (even in the stores it plans to keep).
Regarding the floor space alloted to guitas vs. recording gear. If you talk to almost any music store they will tell you they sell more guitar gear than anything. Most guitar players own several guitars and amps (hell guitar ain't my main axe and I own 9 and 4 amps, etc etc). So common marketing dictates that you allot more space to that which sells the most!!!
I do take issue with a comment by kjam22 - if we all use the local store (Mars, or who ever) to simply check out gear we plan to buy on the internet - then naturally those store will go under - and if they go under so does the opportunity to check out gear.
I work in a drum shop (and I'm actually one of the rare guys who actually does know about the gear I sell) and I have had guys come in and pick my brain for info, try out various kits (sometimes over several visits) and then later come in buy a set of sticks - only to tell me they bought drums "on line". If everyone does that - then on line will be the only place left to buy.
So I for one hope Mars can pull through - cause if they stiiff the major manufacturers - the indendant stores will feel the impact - and in todays economy they are all barely geting by.
I can't begin to imagine how much Mars owes to Roland or Shure or Behringer or whoever. If those manufacturers take a huge hit - they have to recoup the loss somehow (can you say price increase) - so this is bad for everyone.
Naturally, the manufactures will want to help Mars work thru this if they can (lets face it Mars moves alot of gear - at least certain gear). But, I'm guessing Mars won't have nearly as much gear to sell (even in the stores it plans to keep).
Regarding the floor space alloted to guitas vs. recording gear. If you talk to almost any music store they will tell you they sell more guitar gear than anything. Most guitar players own several guitars and amps (hell guitar ain't my main axe and I own 9 and 4 amps, etc etc). So common marketing dictates that you allot more space to that which sells the most!!!
I do take issue with a comment by kjam22 - if we all use the local store (Mars, or who ever) to simply check out gear we plan to buy on the internet - then naturally those store will go under - and if they go under so does the opportunity to check out gear.
I work in a drum shop (and I'm actually one of the rare guys who actually does know about the gear I sell) and I have had guys come in and pick my brain for info, try out various kits (sometimes over several visits) and then later come in buy a set of sticks - only to tell me they bought drums "on line". If everyone does that - then on line will be the only place left to buy.
So I for one hope Mars can pull through - cause if they stiiff the major manufacturers - the indendant stores will feel the impact - and in todays economy they are all barely geting by.
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Lucho
New member
Yes, chapter 11 is not the end of it, but in this industry where new products hit the market every week, it's tough to stay afloat if the people you're buying from won't sell to you because of a questionable solvency. I wouldn't sell anything on credit unless I knew for sure the other party would have the money to pay me. Your customers may also ask for newer products that you probably don't have because you can't get them from distributors. So good luck to Mars, it's great to have competition but I don't think they'll make it past this.
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mikeh
New member
Lucho has a very valid point, if a music store can't get the newest gear they lose credibility with customers.
I for one will be very interested to see how this shakes out
I for one will be very interested to see how this shakes out
jeap
Banned
is it safe to order something from mars online?
they have something i want.
they have something i want.
kjam22
Member
mikeh said:
I hear what you're saying.... and I don't disagree with you. There are things that Guitar center in OKC carries that I have bought from them. The guy who runs the place is knowledgeable, and customer oriented. He spent a lot of time educating me on different instruments etc that they carried. And I could tell he really knew his stuff. I have bought a drumset from him and some other items this past year. But there are things I need that they don't carry... that Mars does carry. But I wouldn't buy drum sticks from the guys at the OKC Mars.
About a month ago I bought a Roland 3080 sound module off the internet. Guitar center didn't have it. I went to Mars to check it out... nobody in the store knew enough about it to answer any serious questions. They had it paired up with some speakers and a Roland A-37 controller. They knew where the on and off switch was and that was about it. They couldn't even find the manual for the one on display to help figure the thing out. Compound that with the fact that the unit was cheaper on the internet.... now why would I buy it from them at Mars?
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ozraves
New member
well, my favorite stores in okc area are honest ron's (ron lira is way cool), rawson's and norman music. oh yeah, i love campus music in norman for getting things like strings, picks, guitar straps. joe walden, who owns the place, is a great tube amp repairman. unfortunately, none of the good independents stock recording gear.
i've found the people at guitar center and mars are ok about 1/3 of the time. mars, every now and then, will have some surprisingly low prices on certain guitars and software. guitar center seems to be the same way on recording gear.
i've found the people at guitar center and mars are ok about 1/3 of the time. mars, every now and then, will have some surprisingly low prices on certain guitars and software. guitar center seems to be the same way on recording gear.
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M.Brane
New member
Dealing with GC or any other big chain is simple: know what you want, what you want to pay for it and don't be afraid to walk if they won't deal. Nine times out of ten they'll stop you before you hit the door. It always gets me when they use the old "gotta talk to the manager" line. I actually asked the guy once "Is this a music store or a car dealer?" 
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sjjohnston
New member
Lucho said:
Yes. In recent years, retail bankruptcies have tended to lead to liquidation. Possibly Guitar Center will buy some individual stores, but I don't know that they've got a ton of ability to finance acquisitions at the moment.
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FURAX Eric
New member
I don't think anyone has the financial ability to do anything for now. Mars might make a strong recovery... who knows? If they have some huge sale, I'll buy stuff, not just because or anything, but I want stuff! =)
Mars is the only alternative to Sam Ash in my area, and Sam Ash seriously sucks. Mars has so much more to offer in product selection and service (Yes, in my experience, the sales people at Mars may be asses, but at least they actually come up and TALK to you. At Sam Ash I've had to hound down people, no one has ever asked me if I needed help. And once I hound those people down, they just point me in a direction, and walk away.)
So I'd like to see Mars at least somewhat succeed, otherwise I'm gonna be buying all my gear through Musicians Friend. =)
Mars is the only alternative to Sam Ash in my area, and Sam Ash seriously sucks. Mars has so much more to offer in product selection and service (Yes, in my experience, the sales people at Mars may be asses, but at least they actually come up and TALK to you. At Sam Ash I've had to hound down people, no one has ever asked me if I needed help. And once I hound those people down, they just point me in a direction, and walk away.)
So I'd like to see Mars at least somewhat succeed, otherwise I'm gonna be buying all my gear through Musicians Friend. =)
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musikman316
New member
I won't buy gear from GC, Mars, Sam Ash or MF... they all have crappy customer service. If I'm going to do mail order I'll buy from Sweetwater...
Other than that I'll go to MacMidiMusic.com or Pro Audio Design.
Other than that I'll go to MacMidiMusic.com or Pro Audio Design.
Scooter B
New member
HI kjam22 and welcome to the board fom another OKC-ite and CCMer....check your PM box
Mars and GC have brought many products in town to try out that I could only see in magazines before or have to go to Dallas. I hope they both stay in business but I am partial to Honest Ron's too... I have a custom built bass from his hands that I am very happy with.
GC (somewhat ironically) does carry more home recording (ie not guitar specific) stuff locally.
I did pick up an new in open box but under warranty ECHO DARLA 24 soundcard for $99 on labor day list $379
but it crashed my hard drive secondary to a fried DSP which is being fixed under warranty. Unfortunately I lost a lot of stuff I could not back up b/c my hard drive froze up and I had to clear and rebuild it....so Mars is not alone in that catagory.
Hopefully it will be worth it when I get it back and can actually use it.
Mars and GC have brought many products in town to try out that I could only see in magazines before or have to go to Dallas. I hope they both stay in business but I am partial to Honest Ron's too... I have a custom built bass from his hands that I am very happy with.
GC (somewhat ironically) does carry more home recording (ie not guitar specific) stuff locally.
I did pick up an new in open box but under warranty ECHO DARLA 24 soundcard for $99 on labor day list $379
but it crashed my hard drive secondary to a fried DSP which is being fixed under warranty. Unfortunately I lost a lot of stuff I could not back up b/c my hard drive froze up and I had to clear and rebuild it....so Mars is not alone in that catagory.
Hopefully it will be worth it when I get it back and can actually use it.
kjam22
Member
Scooter B said:HI kjam22 and welcome to the board fom another OKC-ite and CCMer....check your PM box
Mars and GC have brought many products in town to try out that I could only see in magazines before or have to go to Dallas. I hope they both stay in business but I am partial to Honest Ron's too... I have a custom built bass from his hands that I am very happy with.
:
I like Ron. He's the best place in town to get guitars set up etc. Pretty sharp guy. And really decent on what he charges for stuff.
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ozraves
New member
kjam22 said:
ron does the best set up work in okc.
a friend of mine has a '56 strat that ron saved from some clown who wanted to put a kahler trem on it with the locking nut. ron told him he'd build whatever guitar he wanted in exchange. ron traded a couple of guitars from my bud for the '56 strat. at the time, back in the 1980s, i don't think this was a moneymaker for ron but more of a rescue mission.
kjam22
Member
ozraves said:
Yes he does.... I've got an 83 strat. If you remember that year fender made a lot of their strats with just one tone knob on it... and the guitar cord plugged into the pick guard. A picture of it at http://members.cox.net/kjam22/index. Anyway... since that picture was taken I took the guitar to Ron and he set it up as a traditional strat. Fender parts etc. Drilled out for the input jack. Really good work, and really affordable.
He's done some work on my bass and on a couple of amps for me too. Nic guy. Still thinks it's 1968, but a really really nice guy
darrin_h2000
Banned
Then Again they may be pulling a Kmart and doing it to get out of some of the leases of the poorer performing stores. Hell Cinci has a Mars that is ten times the size of KCs and KC is a much larger market.