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I was browsing around at Best Buy yesterday and found myself standing face to face with the Gibsons we've been reading about lately. The quot;Signaturequot; series LP and SG were there. And not to be outdone, Fender had their quot;Stratocasterquot; series, though I think it's really cheesy that they're using that name. I didn't get to mess around with them much, because I didn't want a salesman to come over and try to sell one to me (normally there's no fear of that at Best Buy, but for some reason, yesterday, they were constantly harrassing me).

The LP is the only one I really spent any time with. It's very light - almost definitely not mahogany. Therefore, it was much brighter than a Les Paul acoustically. The rosewood fingerboard was so light I'm not even sure it was rosewood. The ends of the frets were actually dressed better than the ones on the majority of the Gibson Les Pauls at Guitar Sinner. That's probably the only really good thing I can say about them. Playability-wise, it was about the same as a lot of Epiphones, and I'd say they're pretty equivalent to at least the lower end Epis. The price was about $160.

So, if you've got a Best Buy close, you might want to check them out. I will say that they're much better than the junk they were selling there before. They also started carrying GHS strings and Fender picks, so in a pinch you could get some there, but they only have .009s.

The Best Buy my friend worked at here in San Antonio actually had the Fender's before summer started, about a year ago.

Wal-Mart sells strings too. To be honest with you, I bought some just try out the quot;off-brandquot;, and they were pretty good! Granted, they died in about two weeks, but they were good for those two weeks.

Something else I thought was nteresting is that Sam Goody (and musicland) stores are selling the B.C. Rich Bronze Series, Squire Strats, Epiphone EB basses/SG Type guitars, and Wasburn Scott Ian and Dimebag Darrell low end sig. models. To add to that, I'm sure you know they've always had picks and strings and tab books, but now they've got guitar pedals too! Something else that's neat, I think, is that Target carries the same pedals as sam goody plus their own line of guitars. This stuff sort of reminds me of those stories I hear about people buying guitars from Sears and other department stores.


Originally Posted by Closed EyeThe Best Buy my friend worked at here in San Antonio actually had the Fender's before summer started, about a year ago.

Wal-Mart sells strings too. To be honest with you, I bought some just try out the quot;off-brandquot;, and they were pretty good! Granted, they died in about two weeks, but they were good for those two weeks.

Something else I thought was nteresting is that Sam Goody (and musicland) stores are selling the B.C. Rich Bronze Series, Squire Strats, Epiphone EB basses/SG Type guitars, and Wasburn Scott Ian and Dimebag Darrell low end sig. models. To add to that, I'm sure you know they've always had picks and strings and tab books, but now they've got guitar pedals too! Something else that's neat, I think, is that Target carries the same pedals as sam goody plus their own line of guitars. This stuff sort of reminds me of those stories I hear about people buying guitars from Sears and other department stores.

Yeah, it's starting to get where everyone is selling them. The day I walk into a gas station and see a new guitar for sale is the day I pull all my hair out.

oooo.. jacksonMIA do u know anywhere we can see the pics of these sig series LPs?

I don't have any clue. Best Buy might have them on their website. I don't know.

i saw the guitars at Target the other night...they are made by Washburn.

what pedals do walmart and targer sell? i haven't seen that yet? danelectro pedals would be my guess.

The only real downside to any of this I see if that by moving the lowend business to big box stores, locally owned mom and pop music stores, who were already struggling to compete with internet, mail order and the local GC will have an even harder time staying in business. I used to work for a store like that and it wasn't the musicians who kept the store open with their business, it was the suburban moms buying little Billy's first geetar.

Yeah... I really can't imagine anybody going to Sam Goody to buy a guitar. I've seen them there though, and played them, and been tempted by a Tele. So whatever.

I think the collective will of all the contained trailortrash keeps me out of Wal Marts.

Have you ever noticed that you see the EXACT same people in every walmart? It's as if they have Wal Mart GPS locators in their Saturns or Cavaliers.

slade


Originally Posted by danglybangerYeah... I really can't imagine anybody going to Sam Goody to buy a guitar. I've seen them there though, and played them, and been tempted by a Tele. So whatever.

I think the collective will of all the contained trailortrash keeps me out of Wal Marts.

Have you ever noticed that you see the EXACT same people in every walmart? It's as if they have Wal Mart GPS locators in their Saturns or Cavaliers.

slade

I drive a Cavalier.

I think that plenty of non-playing parents with 13-yr old wannaberocker kids will be shopping for other stuff in Target, see an all-in-one guitar pack for next to nothing, possibly even recognize the Fender or Gibson name and decide to save themselves a trip to the local music store.


Originally Posted by JacksonMIAI drive a Cavalier.

Substitute Trans Am then

slade


Originally Posted by pac112oooo.. jacksonMIA do u know anywhere we can see the pics of these sig series LPs?

Gibson Signature LP:
Originally Posted by danglybangerSubstitute Trans Am then

slade

Two of my best friends have Trans Ams, as does your beloved Hoff, I do believe.


Originally Posted by Guitar Toadwhat pedals do walmart and targer sell? i haven't seen that yet? danelectro pedals would be my guess.

Target sells Silvertone and Harmony acoustic, electric, and bass guitars, but I have never seen effects pedals there.

ToysRUs sells First Act pedals.

Only good use I can see for the Gibson Signature LP is it would be good if I decided to be Ace Frehley for halloween. I've been Peter and Paul, but Gene and Ace's meak-up is to hard to do myself...

It would be fun to smash too

Rock On~!~


Originally Posted by KacGibson Signature LP:wow. looks like an LP classic to me


Originally Posted by pac112wow. looks like an LP classic to me

I guarantee is doesn't play or sound like one though... Might be fun to mess around with reguardless.

Rock On!

Hmm..except for plastic nut, different tuners, dot inlays, wrong control knobs amp; wrap around bridge , yep looks exactly like a LP classic

These prolly have a bolt on neck too, I'd suspect.

I'm all for it...I think having them in the Sam Goody stores is a smooth move too...

As a parent, I know come December when I hit the absolutely freakin crazy@$$ busy mall to do my shopping, I wanna get EVERYTHING done at the same time in the same place... no drivin all over the country...parent walks in to buy some CDs for tween-age daughter...and quot;ooo.....I bet little billy would LOVE thisquot;...

quot;cash or charge?quot;

I hate to see mom amp; pops (in any business) go the wayside...but honestly I think it's a GOOD thing most do...most mom amp; pop stores are HORRID..service is horrible, selection is limited at best, prices are outrageous (believe me I understand the issues of rent/employees, etc, I've run mom amp; pop retail businesses before).

The strong Brick amp; mortar stores will survive..and have..because they are exceptional in selection amp; service and thus cater to a different crowd. Most parents buying timmy's first guitar are not players themselves and don't wanna deal with confusion of work on commission salespeople giving them waayyyyyy too much information, and/or bad attitudes. Later as the quot;childquot; gets more serious, then they seek out more reputable places to buy from...usually spurred on by the child who becomes more familiar with what he/she wants/needs.