Tone World in Administration

badlydrawnbanjo

Every visit to Sounds Great has been an absolutely joyless experience for me with poorly informed and miserable staff. The last time I was in there I had to explain to the Fender "expert" what the Coronado was.

richardhomer

badlydrawnbanjo;158212" said:

Every visit to Sounds Great has been an absolutely joyless experience for me with poorly informed and miserable staff.

The last time I was in there I had to explain to the Fender "expert" what the Coronado was.

Yet it used to be THE place for expert advice. Since Gary Sharpe and Rick Lowe left it has become a shadow of its former self.

The last time I went in (about a year ago), it was farcical. I asked for a price on an American Vintage Series Strat I had been playing. "Hasn't it got a price on it?" I pointed out that if it had, I wouldn't have asked.... The person then looked on their website and pointed to an American Standard in a totally different colour, asking "Is that it?" Foolishly (as it was about £600 cheaper than the likely price of the guitar I had enquired about) I said no.... Eventually, a second person looked it up on a Fender price-list. The figure he quoted was about £60 higher that other similar guitars they had on display, so I asked why? "They're all about that price". At this point, I couldn't be bothered. I put the guitar back on the wall and walked out, never to return. FWIW, I first bought something from SG in 1983 and had been a 'regular' ever since.....

A master-class in how to lose a customer.

Wilko_Snatch

Its pretty sad that Gary Sharpe's friends chose to post rubbish about Sounds Great Music in some misplaced loyalty without any basis in fact. I too have been a customer at Sounds Great since the early 1980's and 14 guitars, too much tech to list and a Yamaha Grand Piano later I can't fault the customer service or the value I get when in. To claim the staff are miserable is a joke - who ever saw Gary smile and unless you were a named artist he treated most regular people with contempt when they came in the store.

Sounds Great have gone from strength to strength since they left and I feel sorry for all the people who trusted Tone World with their instruments to sell on on their behalf as they have all lost their money and their instruments. Thats the kind of customer service I don't need.

As for Tone World is up for sale, but the cupboards are bare, the stock all belongs to other people and the staff including Rick (who I always thought was OK at SGM) have been sacked. Good luck Tone World Gary worshippers.

richardhomer

Wilko_Snatch;160096" said:

Its pretty sad that Gary Sharpe's friends chose to post rubbish about Sounds Great Music in some misplaced loyalty without any basis in fact. I too have been a customer at Sounds Great since the early 1980's and 14 guitars, too much tech to list and a Yamaha Grand Piano later I can't fault the customer service or the value I get when in. To claim the staff are miserable is a joke - who ever saw Gary smile and unless you were a named artist he treated most regular people with contempt when they came in the store.

Sounds Great have gone from strength to strength since they left and I feel sorry for all the people who trusted Tone World with their instruments to sell on on their behalf as they have all lost their money and their instruments. Thats the kind of customer service I don't need.

As for Tone World is up for sale, but the cupboards are bare, the stock all belongs to other people and the staff including Rick (who I always thought was OK at SGM) have been sacked. Good luck Tone World Gary worshippers.

I'm not sure how much of this diatribe is aimed at me but just incase it is I would like to clarify a few points.

1) I know Gary Sharpe only as a customer, though as previously stated, I first dealt with him over 30 years ago.

2) The story I recounted about SG not being able to tell me the price of a Strat is 100% true. Phil Lyon (SG's owner) even tracked me down at work when he heard of how angry I was, in an effort to make amends. The trouble is, one of the people who gave me attitude on the visit in question, was his son... I have always subscribed to the view that you cannot insult the customer AND take their money.

3) As I posted early in this thread, any one losing money on a consignment sale is very regrettable. Only a fool would suggest otherwise.

Clearly you are not a fan of Gary Sharpe. To save you the trouble of reading the full thread, you will no doubt be pleased to hear that Tone World HAS ceased trading....

badlydrawnbanjo

Wilko_Snatch;160096" said:

Its pretty sad that Gary Sharpe's friends chose to post rubbish about Sounds Great Music in some misplaced loyalty without any basis in fact. I too have been a customer at Sounds Great since the early 1980's and 14 guitars, too much tech to list and a Yamaha Grand Piano later I can't fault the customer service or the value I get when in. To claim the staff are miserable is a joke - who ever saw Gary smile and unless you were a named artist he treated most regular people with contempt when they came in the store.

Sounds Great have gone from strength to strength since they left and I feel sorry for all the people who trusted Tone World with their instruments to sell on on their behalf as they have all lost their money and their instruments. Thats the kind of customer service I don't need.

As for Tone World is up for sale, but the cupboards are bare, the stock all belongs to other people and the staff including Rick (who I always thought was OK at SGM) have been sacked. Good luck Tone World Gary worshippers.

Crikey, wind your neck in hey?

I have no affinity to either shop, and I don't even know who any of the people being talked about are. I'm simply stating that I have found the staff in SG to be both ill informed and unhelpful during my previous visits, where as the TC staff were at least always knowledgable about their product. And you can take that as a fact and stick it up your arse.

If truth be told I've always had a better standard of service at PMT than either of them.

lustycourtier

New member appears defending SG and calling everyone out? Interesting....

badlydrawnbanjo

lustycourtier;160166" said:

New member appears defending SG and calling everyone out? Interesting....

I'd guess that he's just nipped out for his dinner break in the butty shop next door....

Wilko_Snatch

Sadly not! But I believe they do a pretty good humble pie, perhaps they can save a piece for you know who? 

And I'm not calling anyone out of anything just showing support for the one good retailer left in the area. If us lot don't support these retail shops there won't be anywhere left to buy decent gear and try it before you buy it rather than online.

There are probably only a handful of these type of retailers left in the UK, who have the balls to invest in expensive stock and hope that we occasionally turn up and spend some hard earned on it. And too few of them are anywhere near the North West so be grateful we've still got this lot at sounds great, coz you'd miss them if they weren't there and had to buy everything from Tesco.

richardhomer

Wilko_Snatch;160257" said:

Sadly not! But I believe they do a pretty good humble pie, perhaps they can save a piece for you know who? 

And I'm not calling anyone out of anything just showing support for the one good retailer left in the area. If us lot don't support these retail shops there won't be anywhere left to buy decent gear and try it before you buy it rather than online.

There are probably only a handful of these type of retailers left in the UK, who have the balls to invest in expensive stock and hope that we occasionally turn up and spend some hard earned on it. And too few of them are anywhere near the North West so be grateful we've still got this lot at sounds great, coz you'd miss them if they weren't there and had to buy everything from Tesco.

I think you need to make your mind up....

Your vitriol towards Gary Sharpe suggests you would be pleased to hear Tone World - which was just the kind of shop you claim to champion - has ceased trading.

Wilko_Snatch

Was it really? Enough is enough nobody cares anymore. 

richardhomer

Wilko_Snatch said:

Was it really? Enough is enough nobody cares anymore. 

Really? Why did you join up TODAY, seemingly with the only intention of saying how pleased you are that Tone World is out of business and 'bigging up' Sounds Great? Very odd. Do you have an affiliation that should be declared?

ChrisMusic

I am with Richard on this one, the timing, and the tone, which is somewhat out of place here.  Affiliation was my first thought too.  And, yes, people do care, it is the better side of the human condition

We need as many good independent, caring and professional retailers as possible, Tone World included (but sadly no longer).  It is a shame that more of them don't spend a bit of time on the forums and learn how easy it is to lose a customer, and learn how easy it is to get it right and keep loyalty.  Lifetime customer value is at the heart of good retailing.

blueskunk

No affiliation at all here , never been to toneworld but heard plenty of good things about them. Not good news about them closing.

Iv bought loads of gear from sgm, nowt mega expensive by their standards, think i bought a brand new acoustic years ago for about 7 ton. Always had good service from all the staff, Garry included.

He always was cool with me even when raiding there second hand section which used to be full of quality guitars at fair prices.

gusman2x

I like sounds great. Never bought anything really expensive there (got my squier J masics there. It's my fav guitar, and they did a really nice set up for free right there and then), but they've always been really friendly and helpfull. I think Tone World was on ahiding to nothing really. To be able to sell high end, I think you need to be able to offer more affordable lines too.

 

I agree with teh comments above that PMT have offered some of the best service though. Those guys are really ace.

Van_Hayden

There seams to be an assumption that tone world wasn't profitable. I don't think that was the case.

richardhomer

Van_Hayden;160818" said:

There seams to be an assumption that tone world wasn't profitable. I don't think that was the case.

I suspect you are right, if you don't factor in the costs of the court case.....

guitarfishbay

I'm guessing the fact that I can't find anything easily about this case online means that nobody who knows anything can talk about it?

FWIW I have no affiliations either way.

richardhomer

guitarfishbay;160839" said:

I'm guessing the fact that I can't find anything easily about this case online means that nobody who knows anything can talk about it?



FWIW I have no affiliations either way.

There is reference on-line to both Phil Lyon of Sounds Great and Gary Sharp of Tone World being unwilling to comment on the case when contacted by MI Pro. I would imagine that some kind of none-disclosure clause formed part of the settlement.

It is also a matter of public record that TW's Administrators attributed the business's difficulties (at least in part) to the action.

Van_Hayden

IIRC there was an argument over a distribution company ToneTools or somthing like that that predates toneworld and that's where the fall out occurred.

Van_Hayden

By the power of google

http://www.mi-pro.co.uk/news/read/sounds-great-bounces-back/016110