You're right on this!

[This message has been edited by rsm2000e (edited 02-14-2009).]

Sadly, snowbird and retiree music stores are getting hard to find...

As to the gig analogy, if you talked to the bandleader, and found out basically he wasn't going to hire you no matter HOW good you were, you wouldn't bother going to the audition. Why is a non-snowbird store going to stock arrangers they KNOW will be bottom-lined on them and they can't afford to stock them?

One thing I like to do is, when I go in a store, I try to get the salesman to show me what HE thinks is a good keyboard. Then I can pretty much tell straight away if he is just a slacker, or actually knows something about ANYTHING. If he doesn't, and I want to talk prices, I just ask for the store manager. No point rewarding stupidity...

Kingfrog speaks from a fairly unique position... I doubt that many of us live in these retirement areas (Florida retirees tend to go further south than me!), and from experience, even most of those lack a music store with such an emphasis on arrangers. Would that we were all lucky enough to have something like that close by!

I think it's totally cool that this board has such a great number of talented and knowledgeable people willing to share their opinions and expertise! Fantastic resource! Kingfrog clearly knows 'what's going on' in retail, and he has made some very valid points

You too Diki!