World Guitars- yay or nay?

Deijavoo

That's poor to hear. We all have bad days, even people who work in service industries, but I'd have probably just left the guitar.

richardhomer

Deijavoo;362145" said:

That's poor to hear. We all have bad days, even people who work in service industries, but I'd have probably just left the guitar.

I did actually did this with Sounds Great
about eighteen months ago.

Having been a customer for over thirty years, I had also started to deal with (now sadly defunct) Tone World - which was started by two of SG's ex-employees. I was asked by a member of SG's staff if I'd been into TW and answered truthfully. From there on, I felt much less welcome than someone who had spent thousands with them should....

I went in to try some American Vintage Series Strats and found one I particularly liked. During my visit I'd been ignored by the owner's son and generally felt 'cold-shouldered'. I should point out - I had the money and was ready to buy.

I left empty handed and would never go back.

Money is too hard to come by these days to put up with a poor buying experience when you are trying to spend it.

Twinfan

Jeff's a very good salesman and is clever with his business model which is always evolving.  I find his setups terrible though so I always have to do my own unless it's an out-of-the-box PRS!

Always worth watching his website for something special to come in.

DamianP

They like to sell the imported guitars it seems.

Zodiac51

Schnozzalee said:

I grit my teeth when I click on one of their vids - that intro tune is so damn wimpy and then your met with...well...Jeff.

I really like the Slaves to Gravity tune, it's a shame the decided to call it a day and didn't get the commercial success they deserve. I hope that WG will continue to use it as their "sig tune" for many years to come.

The danger is (when you are dealing with joe public) is that someone leaves you some leftfield shitty feedback in a review or on a forum and you start to think that everyone thinks like that.

Blueingreen

I do think the set up to perfection thing is bullshit, because it doesn't take account of personal preferences.  I do a lot of minor tweaking of my own guitars, and I've never had a guitar from a shop or back from a tech that I can't improve.  

richardhomer

Blueingreen;362520" said:

I do think the set up to perfection thing is bullshit, because it doesn't take account of personal preferences.  I do a lot of minor tweaking of my own guitars, and I've never had a guitar from a shop or back from a tech that I can't improve.  

As I've said in other posts, the only person who can actually set a guitar up to perfection is the player. How hard you pick, how light (or otherwise) your fretting hand touch is, etc, will influence how low you can drop the string height and intonation adjustments.

'Perfection' from a shop set-up for me would mean that the guitar is as playable as it possibly can be, when fitted with the customer's choice of strings and with the assumption that the player will have an 'average' - as opposed to unusually light, or heavy - touch.

Blueingreen

A tech who really understands your preferences can do it. But a shop setting up guitars for whoever happens to want to buy one?  No way.

FreddieVanHalen

To the original question, if you don't like a shop's image or marketing you don't have to buy from them.

I'd be more interested in the quality and range and price of instruments and standard of service rather than whether I'd feel the chemistry on a dinner date with the owner.

I don't really know Jeff, but if he's just being who he is then good luck to him. I'd rather have that approach and the person not be my cup of tea than have a fake relationship with someone who only cares about the money. Maye that's just me, Hugh Heffner obviously has a different view :-)

Whenever I have contacted WG they've been professional and helpful, sometimes out of hours.

Monkeybone

Zodiac51;362499" said:

Schnozzalee said:

I grit my teeth when I click on one of their vids - that intro tune is so damn wimpy and then your met with...well...Jeff.





I really like the Slaves to Gravity tune, it's a shame the decided to call it a day and didn't get the commercial success they deserve. I hope that WG will continue to use it as their "sig tune" for many years to come.The danger is (when you are dealing with joe public) is that someone leaves you some leftfield shitty feedback in a review or on a forum and you start to think that everyone thinks like that.

I didn't realise they used Slaves To Gravity on their videos, I'm friends with Tommy, the singer/guitarist!

JohnPerry

Zodiac51 said:

It you want some serious high-end tasty stuff then they are about the only place to go

http://i.imgur.com/Tsg8JDK.jpg

 

? ...apart from Coda, Peach etc. I emailed WG a serious inquiry about a Matchless Lightning a few months back and had cash waiting. No reply. Bought a Bad Cat from Coda in the end.

Loobs

I had an extremely negative experience at the London guitar show a few years ago with Jeff, who was unbelievably rude. I will never give that man a penny.

He was stupid too, I had the money in my pocket.

Gassage

@loobs

Exactly the same. When I bought my R9 he had a bourbon burst up for a lot of money. I'd have done the deal for 5% off. He intimated I was a tyre kicker.

I do think he's a marmite guy- a lot speak highly but I prefer Coda, CCGX and Peach.

Strat_a_tat_tat

While I appreciate that he must have done a fair few things 'right'... or he wouldn't have stayed in business for so long... I've never found him to be particularly engaging. Like some others have said... in the past, I've sort of sensed that he's made a few assumptions about customers.

As a general point... In sales, there's a danger that a salesman's guesstimates about the character and intentions of a potential customer can become self-fulfilling. Take Mr Gassage's example... if the salesman decides that the potential customer is a tyre kicker - and treats him as such - the chances are the customer could take exception and then go buy elsewhere. The salesman is then left thinking... 'Ha - I knew it. He had no intention of buying!'

capo4th

I have worked in sales for 20 years never judge a book by its cover and never judge a guitarist by his t shirt

Strat_a_tat_tat

capo4th said:

I have worked in sales for 20 years never judge a book by its cover and never judge a guitarist by his t shirt

Hey... if a guitarist can afford a T shirt... he's already got a bigger budget than I have.

Dave_Mc

Strat_a_tat_tat said:

While I appreciate that he must have done a fair few things 'right'... or he wouldn't have stayed in business for so long... I've never found him to be particularly engaging. Like some others have said... in the past, I've sort of sensed that he's made a few assumptions about customers.

As a general point... In sales, there's a danger that a salesman's guesstimates about the character and intentions of a potential customer can become self-fulfilling. Take Mr Gassage's example... if the salesman decides that the potential customer is a tyre kicker - and treats him as such - the chances are the customer could take exception and then go buy elsewhere. The salesman is then left thinking... 'Ha - I knew it. He had no intention of buying!'

That's what I always think (not about Jeff, I mean in general).

Gassage

Strat_a_tat_tat said:

While I appreciate that he must have done a fair few things 'right'... or he wouldn't have stayed in business for so long... I've never found him to be particularly engaging. Like some others have said... in the past, I've sort of sensed that he's made a few assumptions about customers.

As a general point... In sales, there's a danger that a salesman's guesstimates about the character and intentions of a potential customer can become self-fulfilling. Take Mr Gassage's example... if the salesman decides that the potential customer is a tyre kicker - and treats him as such - the chances are the customer could take exception and then go buy elsewhere. The salesman is then left thinking... 'Ha - I knew it. He had no intention of buying!'

It's his loss. I spend a lot on guitars and I'm v v v loyal to those who are good to me. I've prob bought 5 top end guitars since August

Strat_a_tat_tat

Gassage said:

It's his loss. I spend a lot on guitars and I'm v v v loyal to those who are good to me. I've prob bought 5 top end guitars since August

Yes... I don't doubt it. That's one of the dangers of making snap decisions about potential customers.

richardhomer

Gassage;390074" said:

I've prob bought 5 top end guitars since August

I seriously doubt this - it seems like a lot more.....