playing in guitar stores... - Guitars101

trey85stang · 05-02-2005, 07:51 PM

Does anyone have a hard time playing in guitar/music stores?? I dont know why but everytime I play in a guitar store I get nervous and can never playing anything that well. I've played on stage a couple of times before and never got nervous.. why do I get nervous in a guitar store??

Anyways.. I just got my guitar back after a week. I took it to get setup finally.. now I have to learn to play it again.. it feels so much different

When I got it it was setup up for like 52-11's i replaced the with 42-9's and the neck needed to be adjusted. The strings rattled but I played it anyways and I guess I got a little to used to it. ohh well its going to kick arse now

**Riff Addict** · 05-02-2005, 08:25 PM

Yeah its awkward when you plug in and everyone in the store stops and gawks at you just waiting for you play "Eruption" or something. I just try to ignore them and focus on the guitar's playability.

I can play great with a band in front of an audience but not by myself in a music store.

ibanezlover · 05-02-2005, 09:03 PM

I have that problem 2. I hate playing at the local music store. The guitars that i pick up and play are almost always out of tune as well.

wahwah · 05-02-2005, 09:05 PM

First thing I do when trying out an amp or guitar is a big fu-k-off A powerchord...I've done that forever!

**CanyonCarver** · 05-02-2005, 09:30 PM

I have had the same problem. I actually would forget everything I ever learned. No idea whatsoever of what I'm going to play.

Now I have a little routine and start playing some Megadeth fast riffs like Vortex or Tornado of Souls. It's fun to see the "power chord" kids pop out of the woodwork to check it out while readjusting their droopy pants.

**DrCode** · 05-02-2005, 09:31 PM

yes, I HATE playing in guitar stores. It never sounds or feels quite right - that's probably why I never buy new amps, I just can never get a sound I like with a strange guitar and none of my normal gear. thought I was the only one!

trey85stang · 05-03-2005, 12:03 AM

sweet... I thought I was the only one. I was thinking the next time I go into a guitar store I am going to memorize a set list

maybe that way I can think of something to play.

I was in the store with my own guitar cause I just picked it up from being setup, I thought.. hell this is a perfect time to check out some amps and gear. So I hooked everything up but man.. the store was crowded (lots of space.. but there was a lot of people there) there were 2-3 people playing drums.. someone was playing a piano.. another guy was playing bass (rather loudly)

I hooked up to a peavy Triple X for about 5 minutes.. couldnt figure out what to play etc.. so I gave up and left.

I do feel better that others have this problem too

Stiglar · 05-03-2005, 12:15 AM

i used to get very nervous playing in guitar stores .. but you get used to it i think .. when i was buying my first serious electric guitar i played squillions before choosing the right one and hopping through 5 stores in a day you just kinda wanna play and get out of there . don't even think about the nervousness !

MattM · 05-03-2005, 01:09 AM

i think its just the atmosphere of the place. seems to be a common problem for alot of us....me too.

although you see some of these guys once in awhile who like to show off in the guitar store....so they start up some "smoke on the water" or "when i come around"...and play it really LOUD for all to hear.

im like wow youre amazing.

**stingx** · 05-03-2005, 04:16 AM

I used to be like that too. I guess it's just a natural fear of embarrasment. I got cured from it though by being OVERLY embarrased one time...My friend and I went to Sam Ash one afternoon on a Saturday to check out amps. Well my friend was doing his thing and I headed over to the Fender section of amps. I grabbed a guitar off the rack simliar to what I normally play, found a pick but needed a cable to plug in. I found one after a short time near some stomp boxes so I just took it and headed back to the Fenders. I was enthralled by an old, used Twin that was on the floor so I plugged in. Nothing. No sound. So I went through the usual checklist...guitar knobs, standby on the amp, etc. Nothing. I started farting with all the knobs, turning them skyhigh. I stood up to switch seating postions when all of a sudden it became feedback hell and it was f00king LOUD. EVERYONE in the whole store looked and some were holding their ears. It turned out the cable's wiring sucked and when I switched positions the wires must have made contact again and sent the signal to the amp. I was unbelievably embarrased, turned the amp off, fetched my coat and got the hell out of there.

**Mondy** · 05-03-2005, 04:26 AM

I used to be like this, but now I don't give two shits to be honest. This was mainly down to going to two good guitar stores. I was going to buy a new guitar, and I wanted to play everything within my price range and play them enough to know which one was the one.

Like Stiglar says, eventually, you get to the point where embarassment goes out of the window. Especially when you have a grand that you have to spend, and you want to make sure you spend that money wisely.

Also, my brother has always said to me that if you're trying something out, you wanna be able to have the time to do everything on it that you want to do and that takes time, and also volume ! Heh heh heh !

Anyway, the other, more recent time was when I was trying out distortion pedals. I didn't want to be playing any of my stuff, you know, just in case someone knicks it (yeah, right). So I ended up playing some arpeggios up and down the neck. Well, I had 6 pedals I wanted to choose from, so after an hour or so, these arpeggios were coming really fluently.

A guy walked in and popped his head in and said, "That sounds really cool man !" I don't think I would have ever got that feedback had I been playing Stairway To Heaven or some other cover !

Remember, you're there to try out what the guitar can do if you are gonna purchase it. So fook what everyone else may think of you.

Rythameen · 05-03-2005, 06:34 AM

I try to focus on myself, but it is almost impossible with the droopy pants set wailing on whatever 2 power chords they learned that day. On the other hand I was in Sam Ash a couple of weeks ago, it was a late week night, and this guy walks over to the teles to check em out, a salesman comes running over and says he's got one all plugged in ready to and that he should try it. The guy sits down and looks embarrased or nervous like we all get, and then I am not sh***ing you, he closed his eyes and started in with all this 2 handed Stanley Jordan style jazz. I stood there dumbstruck for about 15 minutes. He thanked the salesman for letting him play, and said maybe he could afford one someday. I swear if I would have had the money, I would have bought it for him on the spot.

El_jalepeno · 05-03-2005, 06:59 AM

Don't be intimidated with taking your own guitar into the store to try out an amp. Afterall, that is what you are really doing there in the first place, right?

Usually I will just play along with the music playing in the background unless there is no music then I noodle around trying out the different things that I am interested in.

Stiglar · 05-03-2005, 07:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by El_jalepeno

Don't be intimidated with taking your own guitar into the store to try out an amp. Afterall, that is what you are really doing there in the first place, right?

Awesome advice! it's something alot of people overlook .. it is why your there and i've found it gives the impression that your really serious about buying to the owner not just out there to grab the most expensive guitar you can plug it into the most expensive amp and bang away ... They can be alot more willing to help out and be more helpful

**Mondy** · 05-03-2005, 07:21 AM

My brother went into a shop once and when he cranked the amp up, an assisstant came over and told him that he couldn't turn the amp up so far and that there really was no need to turn it up that loud to try it out.

My brother answered with, "Look man, I'm thinking of buying this amp, and when I play live, I play LOUD ! So I am gonna HAVE to turn it up to see what it can do LOUD !"

The guy continued to be a prick so my brother walked onto the next store where he could turn it up and try it out !