Is it just me? Or are sells reps in music stores more willing to sell a guitar then a keyboard. I was at Bill's Music House in Baltimore Maryland, and wanted to check out the Casio XW-P1. First of all, the Keyboards are stuck in a back corner of the store, and there are not many people back there, as there are in the Guitar and Drum section. Which are near the front of the store. Plus the sales reps weren't very helpful. I wanted to know more about the XW-P1 and play it, but it was not hooked up to an amp. So they hooked it up, and then walked away. Talk about rude. I have the same problem with Guitar Center, and Washington Music in Kensington MD. Sales reps are not very helpful. At least in my Home state! I get better service online. They could have had better customer service. Or maybe it was me. After all I was waring a Baseball cap, T-shirt, jeans and sneakers. Maybe I just looked like another annoying kid. Not bad for a 41 year old guy! If that was the case then they can forget my business.

If a non chain store, wants to compete with the online stores, then they better get their acts together.

I get better service online.

Sorry for the rant but this is how I feel. You want to get your customers to come back, then show some respect!

I think even the simpler keyboards are much harder, technically. With the majority of guitars, you have one or two pick-ups, a selector switch to choose the pick up and volume and tone controls. I see sales people sort of shying away from midi guitars or any electrical equipment that is a little more complicated.

If they are on commission, they don't spend as much time helping people looking at lower end stuff.

Ah, the wonderful world of retail.


R.

Thank You Russ!

Even though guitars are much simpler I find that many guitar salesmen still aren't that knowledgeable about them either. I remember a while back buying a low priced Les Paul Special from Guitar Center. They had 4 of the same guitar for sale. I decided I would get one but spent some time playing all four them a few times each to decide which one I liked best. The salesman came up to me and with a puzzled look asked why I was trying them all out ... "but they are all the same". No !!!! I said they are wooden instruments and they are all different. Different wood grain, different necks and fretboards. The difference maybe subtle but they are certainly not the same. I don't think I convinced him. He probably thought I was just a crazy old man. But I know they all felt different to me even if they looked the same.

You are absolutely right, Nigel. Each instrument is different. that's why I don't like to take a chance and order one without playing it.

With automated processes, the differences aren't as great as they were years ago, but they're still there.

Trying them out is the only way to do it!

Russ (another old man) Lay

Maybe, that's why I don't find too many sales reps in the keyboard area. Of course a lot of sales reps were steering more towards say Yamaha. It's as if the could sense that I did not have a lot of money. Although I did have one Guitar Center sales rep steer me towards a Motif 6. for $1,200.00. Even though I cold not afford it.

Of course I don't play keyboards either. That's why I have stopped buying them.

Paul how was the XW-P1 that you played around with?

Um! I didn't spend to much time with it, because I had a hard time trying to figure out how to work it? The Hammond Organ section was not too bad, but since I was not helped out, on how to figure it out I gave up and left. It looks, good, but I was having trouble trying to figure out how to change the tones? To me, it was not straight forward. Also, the sales staff was not very helpful either. I was spending too much time scanning the keyboard trying to find where to change the patches for the sounds. It's a little complicated for me. Casio's home keyboards are much easier figure out. There are some synths that are easy, others that are hard.

Of course I did not feel comfortable in the store either. I was even afraid to touch the keyboards. I have the same feeling when I go to Guitar Center.

Paul- I've seen the same thing and from a business model point of view, keyboards are an inventory item that tends to be costly and difficult for their salespeople to demo very well.

Unless its a specialty shop or a BIG/SERIOUS store (no offense guitar center-you're still my go to place for cables...) its difficult to feel like the salesman "enhanced" your shopping experience...

Thank You Bill!

Yea, there aren't to many specialty shops in my area. It's mostly guitars, drums and full size pianos. Acoustic and digital, and or band instruments.