Buying local

Asa Brosius · Posted 23 Oct 2008 7:41 pm

Not sure if this is the proper forum heading to post this under, but here goes...maybe this bind is familiar to those of you, like myself, living far from a steel guitar hub, and wanting to support your local music store vs. ordering products online/via telephone.
The options:

A- ordering through the local music store would help to create a local market for "specialty products," i.e, pedal steels, picks & bars beyond the Dunlop range (not knocking them), and instructional material. Eventually, steel related items might just show up, creating more interest...and letting Joe Schmo (me) play more psg's and steels.

B- ordering through respected and established distributors,(i.e. Steel Guitar Nashville, Scotty's, etc.) No doubt about the products, no doubt about the owners-you get exactly what you want, and feel good about supporting them, and the steel "cause" in general. But the money goes far away, you can't try before buying, and the local music store (for good financial reasons) keeps ordering Fender Squires and Yamaha acoustics (again, not knocking them, but they're ubiquitous).

Despite being born in the 80's, I've read through the entire run of 'Steel Guitarist' magazine, so I know that this is far from a new issue. I'm also relatively close to Fessenden's shop in Montpelier Vermont, so I'm not in a steel wasteland (there's a six string 2-pedal version at the local music store that's a blast to play). There are also some incredible local players, such as Gordon Stone and Jim Pitman (shameless Vermont plug). But back to the subject-any thoughts about this issue?

Asa

David Doggett · Posted 24 Oct 2008 7:46 am

You owe it to yourself to get the best equipment at the best price, no matter where you have to get it from. I doubt if any amount of personal purchases on your part will make steel guitars and accessories profitable for a small music store in an area with few steelers. The small shops that have steel stuff usually do so because the owner is a steeler and will put up with the small volume and small return. You can't be expected to create and support a market by yourself. So do what you have to for yourself, and don't worry about the market.

Jim Pitman · From: Waterbury Ctr. VT 05677 USA

Hi Asa,

Thanks for the shameless plug.
I think we met or talked?
E-mail me (forum feature)some time if you ever want to discuss PSG. I'll give you my PN.
I see the benefits of buying local as you mention. In fact I met with a bunch of other engeineers last night and we discussed ways to get our own state government to hire us before considering going out of sate. The money stays here and snowballs into other local economy sectors.
However, to play the devil's advocate - I'm thinking steel guitar is so speciifcally set up, for the experienced player anyway, that any retail inventory of steel guitars would be aimed at the new player and thus would have to be set up in a standard manner. I suppose the retailer could become an expert and offer to reset the copedent. (time and $) The builder's are most likely working on such a small profit margin that there is no benefit to having a middle man unless it's someone like Musician's Friend or Steel Guitar Country in Nashville with national exposure and potential sales volume. Musician's Friend does this with Carter but note they only offer the "Starter". It's market is the electric guitarist or the beginner considering playing but not wanting to risk the big investment.
The six string guitar you mention here in VT is Jerry's attempt at offering a low price model that someone like a guitarist would purchase for the odd steel guitar affect he'd like to get. A record producer/guitarist type might also considering having one of these around in the studio as an alternative to hiring a PSG player for radio commercial work. Not that I should speak for Jerry, I think that's where he is going with that. Like Carter, the market is the electric guitarist - huge. Whereas we PSG guys make up about some very small % of that.
For now, a full blown PSG costs so much I doubt any local store will buy them outright so they would need to be consigned. I know Jerry is so busy - as soon as he's built a guitar it's on it's way to someone.
Let's just hope PSG gets really popular.
Perhaps this won't happen until someone makes a mostly electronic one rather than the mechanical beast they are currently.
Gee......can I buy a Wii PSG?

Henry Nagle · From: Santa Rosa, California

I think that steel guitar stuff is such a niche industry, that even when you buy on the internet, you're still supporting the "little guy". I don't think there are enough steel guitarists in most areas of the US for it make any sense for a small music shop to stock anything more than a bar and some fingerpicks.

For my six string guitar requirements, I believe very strongly in supporting local music stores, even if I have to pay a bit more. That is the cost of having a place to try stuff out, get advice, meet other musicians, etc. The internet is useless when you need a set of strings "right now!".

When I started playing guitar at the age of twelve, I spent all my time after school hanging out at our local music store. I learned how to change strings and solder cords and set up guitars. I met many local musicians that eventually I would play in bands with. I learned all about different kinds of guitars and amplifiers. More importantly, it gave me something productive to do as a young teenager.

The internet can be great for info and specialty purchases, but it's no substitute for a local, tangible music store.

Edward Meisse · From: Santa Rosa, California, USA

I go to my local music store for everything that they carry. And, like Henry, I'm willing to pay a little more. There is alot to be said for supporting local merchants whenever possible. It keeps your money in your community (where it is more likely to come back, in turn, to you) and it gives your friends and neighbors jobs.
But for most of the stuff they don't carry I do go elsewhere. There is a reason that they caryy the stuff they do. Conversely there is a reason they don't carry other stuff.
I try to walk the proverbial razor's edge.
_________________
Amor vincit omnia

Don Drummer · From: West Virginia, USA

A six string two pedal version? Now that's they way to get the youths started. What a great idea!

Bobbe Seymour · From: Hendersonville TN USA, R.I.P.

I like this idea myself! 6 or 8 string, two pedals, possibly a knee. A lot can be done with this.

Bobbe

Larry Bressington · From: Nebraska

Dont waste more money, Take off 4 strings of your choice, tuck the knee levers out the way, install as you progress.
_________________
A.K.A Chappy.

Dave Mudgett · From: Central Pennsylvania and Gallatin, Tennessee

IMO - support the people and businesses who support your musical and business aims. If local music stores have a good selection of steel guitar merchandise, and care (and know) enough about steel guitar to competently cater to you or other PSG players, that's great. But most places, those folks are very much the exception, not the rule, in my experience. Support has to work two ways, or what's the point?

I ran a (mostly vintage at the time) guitar store through the 90s - this was before I started playing pedal steel. But we still got them when we could find them and gave a few people good deals, since we didn't know much about them and there wasn't a lot of demand either. If anybody wanted us to get strings, bars, or other accessories, we did - but there's no way we were gonna be Bobbe Seymour, Billy Cooper, Dewitt Scott, or Al Brisco, for example. In no way do I think it's in any way 'disloyal' to try to find the best stuff and best deals you can, in or out of your local area.

A big caveat - when you do buy at-a-distance, you should take a caveat emptor approach. A bargain is only a bargain if you deal with straight shooters that are both competent and you know you can trust. Even if you have a guitar in-hand, unless you are competent to assess it yourself, either bring someone along with you who is, or deal with reputable people who will make sure everything is right. IMO, this can be significantly more tricky than, for example, assessing a 6-string guitar because the mechanics can be quite arcane, especially in some of the older pedal steels.

There are frequently arguments about whether or not one should start on a restricted-capability steel or insist on a min of 10-string 3+4 or 3+5. I wouldn't go out of my way to get a 6/8-string with zero or 1 lever, but the Emmons student-model 10-string 3+1 was enough to coax me out of the vintage guitar biz - I didn't have time for both. I think PSG players sometimes forget that there's an awful lot of music you can play with minimal setups or even - shudder - no pedals or levers at all. To keep this thing from making the dogs howl, you need to get your bar control and picking technique together, and that doesn't really require anything but tunable strings on a plank, a bar, and the willingness to practice a lot.

All my opinions, of course.

Tracy Sheehan · From: Fort Worth, Texas, USA

Repeating my self here but look at what Chalker and others did with only 8 strings long befoe pedals came out.And many with only 6 or 7 string non pedal.Tracy

Mark van Allen · From: Watkinsville, Ga. USA

Wow, it would be so great if there were local steel shops everywhere. Atlanta is a very big town, used to have a couple of dedicated steel shops, no longer.

I agree that supporting any of the steel stores I know of, Bobbe Seymour, Scotty, Frenchy's, Billy Coppers and others is supporting the local shop, just not local to us. You have to love 'em for hunting down products, equipment and CDs and giving us a central location to get them.

As for non-steel-specific items, it's sometimes hard to balance the benefits of internet or phone shopping against the support and service of a local retailer. If you have one that provides support and service.

Les Anderson · From: The Great White North

We have only two music stores left in our area and both of their owners have told me that ordering in stock for such a specialty instrument (steel guitar) will sit on the shelf for years. They just plain do not want inventory that does not move or that is not in the mainstream of the local music scene.

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