The Death of Sam Ash and How the Musical Instrument Industry has changed since the 1990s 

I think it also has to do with the fact that unfortunately, guitar-based music has taken a major backseat to electronic and rap music. No one is buying these instruments because the youth doesn’t care or see the merit in learning how to play.

After purchasing several $500-600 acoustic guitars and an Epiphone Les Paul, I finally took the plunge and got a Taylor 614CE. I found it on FB marketplace within a 2-hour drive and paid about half of the new price. Cutting out the middleman is another blow to these corporate sellers.

Wow. I didn't know that about Sam Ash. I teach at a store under the Guitar Center umbrella and did receive that letter from the new CEO. I like where I work, but there's no denying how happy I am as a Sweetwater and Fiddlerman customer. I'm also a short drive from a terrific violin luthier. You're quite right on how these stores make their money: lessons, student instruments, and repairs. We'll see where this next decade takes us.

In the past 7+ years I think I only set foot in a music store when I needed something faster than the delivery could make it... and I bought a LOT of gear. Like you said, they're just moving online

I've never liked shopping in music stores and their demise doesn't bother me one bit. The music stores I've had to shop in had awful mgmt, awful staff and sales people, high MSRP level prices, horrible return policies (all sales final), limited selection, offered insulting pennies on the dollar for trade-in/sales. They're going out of business because most of them 100% deserve to go out of business, in my experience. Any supposed disadvantages(not being able to try in person) are massively outweighed by the advantages offered by online/mail order stores. I love the internet shopping era, have zero love/nostalgia for the old pre-internet, music stores and "their take it or leave it" attitudes. I happily left them behind decades ago. I'm surprised they've managed to hang on this long.

Thank you for a most informative and entertaining video, David! Though I never bought anything more than some strings or a cable or two at our local Guitar Center, the your mention of the place gave me a pang of Gen Y nostalgia. An old buddy from school who reminds me a lot of you in terms of musical expertise used to work there back in the day. Another friend with more of an amateur interest would always head down there to pick up some new guitar, bass, or amp whenever he got an inheritance payout. Good times.

Great video. I really enjoyed listening to the story.

The thing about online information is that it's just someone's opinion. Meaning there is a lot of good information along with bad information. What's right for me may not be right for you. Being able to ask questions is key. I opened a music store a few years ago after being out of it for many years. But I was in a WANT industry for 26 years in between. What will happen is that the big box stores will go away and smaller privately owned stores will be the go-to place. Of course, online sales will be there and aren't going anywhere. These stores will have to have online presents. But as these big online retailers go public, the quality starts to drop. The service ends if it is huge. I fix guitars every week that went through the 55-point inspection. I just fixed a MIM Fender Tele that wasn't even playable from the factory. There are a ton of great local music stores where you are going to get the best advise and service.

thanks for the info.

Unrelated, but you latest article is worth a video IMO.

I've bought two Eart guitars in the last couple of years. The quality for the price of these Chinese guitars is superb and I could mod the pick-ups and electronics after the fact for far less than buying from a big brand. I think makers like Eart and Harley Benton are having an effect too.

Everybody always asks me about Sam Ash

All the guitar I ever needed was on the QVC network by sunglassed flaminco expert Estaban.

Not just music stores…….everything in America it’s shutting down. For example I’m a fisherman, Walmart used to have everything…now all the quality stuff is gone, Border’s books gone overnight. We are becoming lazy, we don’t want to leave the house anymore, we buy everything from home . That’s so sad

I've quit buying guitars online since the gov decided they want to tax p2p sales of used merchandise online.

You have a $200 Chinese guitar. What more could you want?

F

BIDENS America

More importantly, the reality for gigging musicians, even those playing with legacy 80s rock bands, is harsh: they might earn only around $800 per gig, translating to $40k to $60k per year. This is less than half of what I make as a tech employee, not even counting benefits, bonuses, and stock options! Rock is dying, and the guitar and amp industry is surviving thanks to bedroom warriors. Generation X is the last great rock generation! Cheers from Park City, Utah!