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Buying Smart - Whether It's Your First Instrument Or Your 20th

So there it is – you have the itch – the itch to buy an instrument. Maybe you’ve had it for a few weeks, months, or even years - but recently you’ve been thinking that now is the time to do something about it. Perhaps you’ve been wanting to learn to play an instrument you’ve never played before. You’ve always loved “that” sound, admired the people who could play, and now you’re ready to take that first step toward instrument ownership. Or it could be that you’ve been playing for a while and you’ve been thinking about moving toward a better-quality instrument. Or maybe you’d like to have something a little different from what you already own. Something that will give you a different tone or different feel. You have the itch and you’re ready to scratch. So now what do you do?

In today’s world there are many ways to shop for an instrument. Many of us will begin our search on-line, hopeful to discover exactly what that elusive, perfect guitar, banjo, or mandolin might be. We delve deep - reading every article, press release, review, and forum post we can get our eyes on in the hopes that somewhere along the way the mystery will reveal itself and we will just know “Ah-ha! THIS is the guitar (or banjo, or mandolin, etc.) I should own!”

Others of us will look to our instrument heroes for inspiration and enlightenment. “John Q Talented Guy plays a ________. I really like his music and how he plays so perhaps I should buy something like that.” Or we may be drawn to a particular brand, wishing to own an instrument with THAT logo displayed on the headstock. And for those of us who are just starting out, we may be thinking “The cheaper, the better. After all, I am just a beginner.” So we head to Craig’s List, our Uncle George’s attic, or click the “Used” button to see how little we can spend.

On the surface the above scenarios may seem right, after all - you know better than to just throw your money down on the first thing you see. However, there is something very crucial missing from the equation: experienced, knowledgeable, personalized guidance.

“That banjo that you helped me select is the best I’ve ever had. I love it and can’t put it down. I wish I had come to you years ago.”
Matt H.

“My husband loves his guitar! It is just perfect. He will be enjoying it for many years.”
Lorrie A.

“Best guitar I've ever played in 50 years. It’s me all the way!”
Garry H.

“I bought my first real guitar from this place back in ‘74-‘75. I’ve been coming back ever since!”
Bill F.

These quotes came directly from our customers after we helped them, either in person or over the phone, find the right instrument for them. To do this we spend time talking with our customers, getting to know and understand what it is they want and what it is they need, whether they are looking for their first instrument or their 17th.

Also, as we are working with a customer and understanding what it is they are looking for, it’s not uncommon for us to know of makes or models that would be a good fit – that the customer was not aware of. We can make these suggestions and often the customer is thrilled to find an instrument they love that they didn’t know about before coming to us.

Knowing how to pair the right instrument with the right person only happens with experience, having a thorough understanding of what makes one instrument different from the next, knowing what makes one player different from the next, and a desire to provide our customers with a personalized experience where they walk away with an instrument they will enjoy and play.

Unfortunately what we see all too often is someone who, after doing some research, bought what they thought they wanted or perhaps they followed the advice of an inexperienced, uninformed salesperson. Either way the end result is the same: at some point the person comes to realize they have an instrument that they’re just not happy with. This means they’re probably not playing it much and, if they can afford to, they are back to square one looking for another instrument to buy. Sadly, this is one of the reasons people give up on playing.

Don’t let this happen to you! When you are ready to begin your search stop in, call, or send us an email and talk with us. We will give you the time and attention so that you to come away with an instrument you really like, not just today but for many moons (and songs) to come.



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