Buying Local.

[Silence Dogood]

Do you enjoy buying local?

I'm a big believer in buying local, but I realized not long ago just how much I'm buying online these days.  Amazon has made it so convenient, and in all reality, there aren't a lot of local options (outside of specialty items) where I live.  It's big box stores all over the place for almost everything.  We have even been doing the majority of our grocery shopping online for the past few years.  I don't buy a lot of music gear outside of strings, and I've mostly been using Strings By Mail for that (I great company, by the way, with stellar service). 

There is a really great shop over in the next town that I've been going to for a long time.  I've bought a guitar there over the years, pedals, and lots of smaller things.  Recently I realized it had been a couple years since I'd stopped in.  On Saturday my youngest son and I went since I needed some guitar strings.  They have large photos on the outside wall of famous guitar players and I got to tell him a bit about each one (except one I didn't know! - a younger female player who still remains a mystery).  He had such a good time looking at all the guitars on walls and picking out which ones he liked best (remember when guitars were cool simply because they looked cool?).  We had a great time and I resolved to grab one of my kids and take them to a local shop each time I need some strings, a cable, etc.  It definitely is more inconvenient, but I figure I can build some memories at the same time as supporting a local shop.  A few sets of strings a years isn't much, but I know it helps them.

What is your local shop like? 

[Silence Dogood]

Here is a pic of my son posing outside the shop with EVH.  We listened to Van Halen on the drive home.

[Queequeg]

Do you enjoy buying local?

What is your local shop like? 

My local shop is an hour away.
It's among the best stores in the country IMHO.
Perhaps you've heard of it.

[StringPicker6]

I'm blessed/cursed to have 2 local larrivee dealers near me in the Philadelphia area. One is about 15 minutes from me, and I already grabbed 2 of their Larry's, the other let me off easy with a parlor purchase 

I'll admit that I used to frequent a certain big box retailer that rhymes with "Shmitar renter", but the last time I was there they had locked up the nice acoustics, and I wasn't about to bother Johnny Shredder Teen to ask him to unlock a J-45 just so I could take it off the wall... Bottom line, I adore local music stores.  My significant other puts up with them when I drag her to one.   

[teh]

With three exceptions, (an Alvarez Artist dread that I purchased from my wife's nephew, a baritone uke I bought online directly from Kala and my FORUM VI purchased from Larrivee via the forum), everything I own came from a local brick and mortar store or a small time instrument maker. I retired in April from a company with 25 years of service from a position that enabled me to travel to 12 states and the District of Columbia and I always did my research to seek out local shops when I was on the road. I also had two rules I followed:

1) I made it a practice to ask the owner or store employee for permission to play one or more instruments and treated them with care.
2) I always bought merchandise (strings, a capo, guitars stand or clothing) and told my friends and coworkers about my experience.

My company also a branch office within 30 minutes of the Martin Factory and another 45 minutes from Huss and Dalton, pretty cool to shake hands and say hello to the owners. The Larrivee Factory is on my bucket list but I have to work out the logistics of a 2,500 mile distance from my house to Oxnard.

[B0WIE]

My tastes have gotten a bit specific to be buying local very often but I do make efforts. Did find a great, used luthier built flamenco a couple years back.
I'm big into supporting brick and mortar when possible as I don't want to be in a world where I need something (be it strings or even pet food) and have to have it shipped. Local shops putting their inventory online has helped a lot.

[unclrob]

I don't have credit cards so I do all my buying with cash.Last guitar I bought was a 98 Larrivee L10 koa lefty,put a righty nut on it since no one wanted it and suprize it plays in tune all the way up the neck.We have a GC here but they don't like me since I advise some clients to do charge backs on really bad services and repair.My local store is Music Master's great shop and really good people.I haven't been there in a few months but then again I haven't been out of my home for at least 5 months.

[Silence Dogood]

2) I always bought merchandise (strings, a capo, guitars stand or clothing) and told my friends and coworkers about my experience.

My company also a branch office within 30 minutes of the Martin Factory and another 45 minutes from Huss and Dalton, pretty cool to shake hands and say hello to the owners. The Larrivee Factory is on my bucket list but I have to work out the logistics of a 2,500 mile distance from my house to Oxnard.

If I go into a shop and mess around with any guitars, I will usually buy a set of strings or some picks as a way to say 'thanks.'  It's not much but I'm sure every little bit helps.  I've never really enjoyed playing guitar in a shop setting, so most times I just look around.  I've also done the Martin tour, back in the autumn of 2019 before the world lost its mind over covid.  It was a lot of fun.  I hope to make it to the Larrivee factory someday and look around. 

[eded]

There are a couple local shops that I go to...  one acoustic specific and a couple others that are both electric and acoustic.  As others have mentioned, my tastes are pretty specific these days which makes big local purchases difficult.  Not having a local Larrivee dealer kind of sucks.  Smaller stuff like strings, capos, etc. I try to do local, but I admit it sure is easy to go the online route.  I have stated my dislike of the uhm...  big box music store so I won't mention them.  I do have great luck with a local Music-Go-Round (franchise used gear shop) that I've been going to for decades.  My latest bigger purchase, a Squier Bass IV, I bought straight from Fender because none of my local shops had any and they said they were unavailable.

Ed

[eded]

There are a couple local shops that I go to...  one acoustic specific and a couple others that are both electric and acoustic.  As others have mentioned, my tastes are pretty specific these days which makes big local purchases difficult.  Not having a local Larrivee dealer kind of sucks.  Smaller stuff like strings, capos, etc. I try to do local, but I admit it sure is easy to go the online route.  I have stated my dislike of the uhm...  big box music store so I won't mention them.  I do have great luck with a local Music-Go-Round (franchise used gear shop) that I've been going to for decades.  My latest bigger purchase, a Squier Bass IV, I bought straight from Fender because none of my local shops had any and they said they were unavailable.

Ed

p.s. truth being told, I'm working more on moving unused equipment out than getting new stuff these days

[Silence Dogood]

My local shop is an hour away.
It's among the best stores in the country IMHO.
Perhaps you've heard of it.

Seems like a cool place to visit.  Maybe it was an unusual thing, but a friend once bought a mandolin from them via the internet.  The thing literally started coming to pieces within days of receiving it and that shop would not make it right.  In fact, they refused to even hear his side of the story or see pics of the damage; they just told him the damage "wasn't covered."  He was stuck with the faulty instrument.  I have to admit the whole episode made no sense to me.  Maybe he just dealt with a bad employee? Either way, it soured me to that shop and I never bought anything from them for that reason. 

[Queequeg]

Seems like a cool place to visit.  Maybe it was an unusual thing, but a friend once bought a mandolin from them via the internet.  The thing literally started coming to pieces within days of receiving it and that shop would not make it right.  In fact, they refused to even hear his side of the story or see pics of the damage; they just told him the damage "wasn't covered."  He was stuck with the faulty instrument.  I have to admit the whole episode made no sense to me.  Maybe he just dealt with a bad employee? Either way, it soured me to that shop and I never bought anything from them for that reason. 

That's interesting. I can't imagine what transpired with your friend. It runs absolutely contrary to everything I know about Elderly Instruments, having dealt with them for 40 years or so.

[Silence Dogood]

That's interesting. I can't imagine what transpired with your friend. It runs absolutely contrary to everything I know about Elderly Instruments, having dealt with them for 40 years or so.

Yes, same here.  I've never seen anyone online with an issue like my friend had.  I think it was a one-off deal with a bad employee. 

[Riverbend]

Seems like a cool place to visit.  Maybe it was an unusual thing, but a friend once bought a mandolin from them via the internet.  The thing literally started coming to pieces within days of receiving it and that shop would not make it right.  In fact, they refused to even hear his side of the story or see pics of the damage; they just told him the damage "wasn't covered."  He was stuck with the faulty instrument.  I have to admit the whole episode made no sense to me.  Maybe he just dealt with a bad employee? Either way, it soured me to that shop and I never bought anything from them for that reason. 

As a Michigander, Elderly's has always ranked in the "legendary" category for myself and my musician friends, and this is the only negative story I've ever heard. Doesn't mean it couldn't happen though, and I'm sorry for your friend's misadventure. Perhaps the nicest kid-in-a-candyshop experience you could ask for in these parts. I have a Larrivee dealer about 25 minutes north of where we live and I've bought lots from them over the years, including my OM-40. I support them every chance I get because I really like having them here.
On a broader scale, my wife has been sourcing some of our food from online retailers. We support our locals in a big way, but she's found two other sources that she really likes. One is called Butcher Box, and she buys some sustainably sourced meat from them. Comes packed in dry ice and so far we've had great luck. The other is called Misfit Market (?) and they sell organic fruit and vegetables, among other things, that might be a little misshaped or slightly damaged, but always perfectly fine and edible. As she's the "shopper" in the family, and she's happy, I'm just going to leave that right there for obvious reasons.       

[mike in lytle]

We buy local for almost everything, unless it simply isn't available, or something oddball.
There is one kind of chicken feed we buy online, and a subscription for really good olive oil.
I try to be aware of where the product comes from, but buying local also benefits that company and the employees, cause everyone has to feed themselves and buy shoes for the kids.
As far as music stores... well, we got Guitar Tex. Love it.
Mike