The loss of small shops would be horrible. Baxter the owner of Casino guitar literally took hours to help me go through every Lowden in the shop and find the magical one for me..He even was so concerned about finding the perfect guitar he changed strings to make sure a Lowden that I passed on was not because of strings sitting… Let’s just say the Lowden I thought I wanted was not the one I left with but man was it a win…. Hats off to Casino for the effort they put into finding the right guitar for the player.. thanks again guys you all rock

Morlocks were the people living underground in The Time Machine.

I bet they're trying to figure out a subscription model. Like "Adjust the neck? Oh, for the low, low price of $100/month we'll unlock the truss rod."

Most makers can barely deliver quality products at exorbitant prices. Fender and Gibson, I am talking to you. They will utterly fail at direct sales because they are backstabbing those who made them successful. They are failing at their core function, and cannot spell customer service with Vanna White putting the letters in order. Support your local shop.

The music store died when no one could afford or carry a variety of inventory. The branded store would suffer the same demise I do believe. Customers want strings, mics, drumsticks and everything else. No one wants to shop 16 different branded stores. You wanna look at all the stuff in one place.

What you are describing are all the the computer/electronics franchise stores that have come and faded into the past that nobody even remembers. Radio Shack was to Guitar Center for instance. Best Buy's star is fading as we speak. It doesn't work. The model is too impersonal. Buying a musical instrument is a highly personal experience. At the same time the Inter webs are killing small shops because you try it out at the store then buy from Sweetwater. It's a crazy world we live in Master Jack.

Wisdom from my 16 year old son. He said, "Ya know, dad, you can totally just have the guitars you have and just be done with all this crap." 100% genius. 46 years old and I never thought of that.😆

You nailed it - I see it being good to be able to “try before you buy” kinda thing - the Gibson Garage would certainly have a better selection of Gibson guitars that any of my local shops, but I wouldn’t want to actually buy it there. I’d still rather support my local guys. And if you live far from a “company store” you are forked.

Manufacturers probably don't do the GC model, but they could do a version of the Apple model - strategically placed brick and mortar shops in targeted markets. They would be able to have their endorsed artists make appearances/workshops at these stores. It could happen.

I love your market/industry analysis. You guys have really found a niche in guitar KZfaq world with this stuff. And it's a great service to help musicians understand how they sit in a larger ecology of manufacturers, artisans, and retailers of various sorts.

This is more about branding and showcasing the products the way that the manufacturers want to put them in the best light while being able to push the entire line and cross sell sister brands than a true desire to be in distribution/retail. They can control the entire experience and get direct touch points and feedback from customers. The downside for consumers is that they won’t get to see other options and impartial advice. It’s probably a good way to learn more in depth about a brand’s products but I will continue to patronize small independent shops and support small/medium sized businesses that give great service and are committed to what they love to do.

It'd be cool to go into a boutique guitar store that had a "Fender mod-shop room" and see all of the color choices and options in person, and examples of cool combinations already made. Then place the order at the store and have the boutique guitar store do the setup and the taking care of things.

If you thought the way they treated shops other than GC was bad during the pandemic, just wait until they have their own b&m down the road competing directly with the LGS.

I think a library model would be interesting. Pay an annual membership fee, borrow a certain number of guitars for a set time, and return them. There’d be issues with damage and theft, but people have figured how libraries should work for other things. With how much guitar players buy and return instruments, a library seems to make sense. If you want guitars to buy, maybe a small shop attached. It’d probably also attract people who are interested in guitar but don’t want a financial commitment.

I really don't know why I watch you guys every day that I possibly can. I am 75 and own about 26 guitars and my wife bought a shirt for with your business name on it. Looks like it came from NYC. I have no plans of buying another but you guys are funny as hell. Thanks for doing the show.

I wouldn't be surprised to see the huge brands (Fender, Gibson, PRS) create franchise stores in most large-ish cities that sell/stock the whole range of instruments with more control over the store from the mothership. The Mom and Pops / LGS may end up refocusing on smaller brands, boutique brands, and used stuff. That might be good if you have franchise stores near you (major cities) but not so good if you don't.

Love you guys look forward every time to watching you

You guys will have the coolest car dealership in the US. Congrats on another great video.

I think there's a model more like the watch dealer model. Most of the branded boutiques are operated by an independent dealer, though not all dealers have the full boutique treatment. Some models are only available from boutiques, and boutiques have new models stocked first. The details might just mean "heres an entrance to the showroom with the brand name instead of the operator name on the door and it goes straight in to a showroom dedicated to the brand" but then could be connected to the rest of the shop. As a buyer, i'd be really happy to go online and find "hey... Theres a fender showcase store that will have every model available to pick up and try" even better if "and it is next door to a Gibson store and a PRS store and a schecter store" (they could be operated by the same dealer... Could just be entrances on 4 sides of the same building). Right now, at least from where i sit, its "look up the dealers within 100 miles online, check their inventory, dealer A has these versions, B has a different set, C had a different set, and they're all in different directions so i give up, watch a bunch of reviews, and order from something online"

I was at your shop this past Saturday. I had a blast and Jason was great!

Last week I went to our local guitar shop. I visit them once or twice a year and the owner still treats me like 40 years ago when I was a student with hardly any money. I wanted him to show me a Fender Blues Junior. He showed me instead a Mustang because I wouldn‘t be able to buy the Blues Junior, he said. I finally played the Junior but only for 5 minutes and he didn‘t give me a Fender Strat, but a nice Squier Jazzmaster. I love that guy.

Manufacturers might do well to "rent" space in existing brick and mortar shops. Send you the inventory they SWEAR you need to stock to be a dealer... BUT ON THEIR DIME.

This sounds like an absolute nightmare scenario. If this comes to pass I'm exclusively shopping for used gear on reverb.

Music Go Round was a national franchise model. There were around a half dozen in the Chicago area. Closet one is in Wisconsin.

Larry Miller Fender/Squier. Larry Miller is a local car dealership Let me go talk to my sales manager about your offer

The Morlocks were partial to Eloi au gratin for most meals. But, Eloi Supreme pizza was nice for a change, I'm sure! I just read that on the internet, so it MUST be true!

I think the brick and mortar store will go away entirely. Fender, Gibson, maybe PRS will have flagship stores in major cities and that's it. People want low prices and big selection. Independent stores just don't provide that and the repair services are often minimal.

Salesman: Ok, this is the best guitar ever made. It will outlive your grandchildren. So I am gonna go talk to my manager and see if I can get you that $50 price cut. Later: So I talked to the man, he will not let me do $50 but I wore him down to a $35 price cut. It is the best deal you will ever see on this guitar. So is it a go? Yeah Ok? Great! So I am gonna get our financing manager in here, pretty sure I can get him to cut half a point on financing. Alright so here ya go! Enjoy you new Fender Bullet!

True story, I flew to Tokyo in mid June, went to the Harujuku area to check out the Fender flagship store and it was closed for the weekend! There was scaffolding in front so maybe some unexpected repair work

I've been to SO many Peavey dealerships in my lifetime. All of those silverside amps lined up smallest to biggest. The Guitars T-10, T-15 and up in all of their various colors (natural, red, black, sunburst). It was like walking into a McDonalds, I always new what was in there, NO surprises. BIG SIGH!

You guys have great insight in the guitar world. Thanks for sharing

The Yamaha store would be rad. Great lawnmower, great jet ski, great electric guitar, great acoustic guitar 😂❤

I have 4-5 GC within a 30 minute drive of me. Though they have a ton of stock, none of them have more than 4-5 real Fender or Gibson lead guitars on display and they're all 20 ft up for you can't even read the tag. The small independents have even less, with two outstanding exceptions here in Atlanta. I think it's the reality of $2-3k guitars. No one can afford to stock them, nor let them be handled. Local GCs have only 1-2 tube amps. Likewise only low end orange amps. It's a weird thing, leading me to buy used 90% of the time.

The creatures that lived underground in the movie The Time Machine were called Morlocks. (not sure about the spelling.)

You didn't tell me about the ghosts when I was there! I live in a haunted house in New Orleans and am fascinated by the topic. HOWEVER, On the topic at hand: I would be in favor of "Car Dealership" model for guitar/music stores. Fender would be the ideal model. They cover more of the musical instrument marketplace than any other single manufacturer. The reality is: Independent music stores simply cannot work on a financial level in all but the biggest cities in the US. Casino Guitars and a handful of others are the exceptions that proves the rule. New Orleans Louisiana, one of the greatest musical cities in the US, can no longer support an independent shop like Casino Guitars. I knew the owner of the old New Orleans Music Exchange very well, and he kept it going personally until he fell over dead from a heart attack unexpectedly in his early 50s. No one was ever able to make that shop work again. The 2-3 people who tried walked away in disbelief that he kept it going as long as he did. New Orleans is a poor community, relatively speaking, despite an overall metro population about 1.2 million. Some outside interest would HAVE to shoulder a significant amount of the initial capital investment, and be willing to support cash flow as needed on on an ongoing basis. New Orleans is a "walk up" town in many ways and therefore very different from Southern Pines. A local shop in New Orleans would HAVE to have significant in-store inventory, and a willingness to work closely with local musicians. (who are often criminally underpaid, but that's another story.) I can't believe a New Orleans' store would be able to count on internet/phone/etc orders for the majority of their business, as Casino Guitars does. Bottom line: I'd welcome a franchise Fender shop in town. Hell, I might even look into developing it myself, LOL!

I think the car dealership model as we know it will change. It only exists because networks are already in place as are all the laws and legal agreements that protect them. So it will take a while. But, Tesla doesn’t have that problem. They opened “Gallery’s”. It’s basically just a show room. If a customer wants to buy them they help you order online. I think that very thing could happen with guitars. You want to see and try a guitar, go to a gallery and then buy online. The problem is that every guitar even of the same model is slightly different just due to things like different wood batches. That matters to the older generation but does the younger generation that buys everything online already anyway care?

In addition to my local shop Greysons which has an awesome knowledgeable crew and collection of instruments & gear theres Norms Guitars and the GC flagship store. Having said that Fender would be like a tourist destination but I dont see them doing incredibly well out here. Perhaps someplace more guitar shop deprived out in sweetwater territory.

Drat, that awesome Les Paul custom with the three humbuckers is getting pushed out of the frame again. But i have faith that it'll be back. Eventually. But it's definitely nice to see those vox ac30 amps.

Think a retailer-owned, licensed guitar store advertising and buying coop based on best practices. It's been done in other categories and it works

I love my small local guitar shop. I wish I live nearer to you, so I could Visit your Shop! Michael, St. Augustine Florida 😅

If I want to look at one brand of instruments, that's what company websites are for. If I want to see a variety of instruments (maybe a Danelectro, a Gibson, a Fender, etc, etc) then I need to go to a brick and mortar business establishment and immerse myself in tonal nirvana . My two cents, YMMV.

Guitar shops aligned with a brand-a Gibson shop, a Fender shop, etc-would be ridiculous and horrible. Let’s not forget the myopic moves Gibson made in the recent past that alienated them from many guitar players. The self-tuning guitar, for example, putting energy and effort into a development no true guitar player ever asked for. Who has ever gone to a guitar shop and wished it sold only one brand of guitar? Or had a more limited selection connected to only one brand and its affiliates? Usually you’re thinking, “Man, I wish they had some Guild guitars or an Alvarez acoustic or some Martin OM models or whatever?” Variety is the spice of life and the spice of guitar-playing. The allure of the guitar shop is the possibility you might find some holy-grail instrument within the variety on display, the serendipity you might stumble upon. Could you get that in a Fender-only shop? Yeah, you probably could, but it would be more limited, the shop more predictable, and over time the allure of guitar-shopping would likely wear thin. In its wake would be just Sweetwater, certainly a great online company, but the in-person guitar community cultivated by robust shops existing in brick-and-mortar buildings where real people can talk guitar, try out gear, hear others making noise & music with this instrument we love-that’s what keeps the guitar buzz humming along beautifully. At least, that’s how I see it.

Guitars have become an object of worship.

The cool thing about that is that you’d be able to try everything that the manufacturer offers. Now you can’t find 75% of what they offer in local shops. Even stores like GC and Sam Ash have very limited selections. So you buy something from Sweetwater and either love it and keep it, or return it. That’s kind of Sh*tty way to shop. Most of us would like to compare brands/ models when we are buying. That makes it difficult. Only the major cities would have enough dealers to satisfy the public. Why do they have to squeeze every last penny out of a purchase. Keep it the way it is. Bring back the mom and pop shops. Gibson is so stupid. They should have a tier level for dealerships and make it so the dealer doesn’t have to spend $100k on guitars. Bronze = All Epiphones and limited Gibson USA’s, Silver is a step up with some better USA’s, Gold All USA’s plus some Custom Shops. Platinum would have top of the line everything with CS ordering. They would be present in more shops and available to more players. Fenders seem to be everywhere but they have so many series it would be impossible to see them all unless there was a Fender store. So if they had a store in the 3major markets, NY, LA and Nashville. I’d have to go to one of those city’s to test it. That means travel, hotels, restaurant expenses. I’d buy a different brand or we’re back at the Sweetwater scenario

You can spearhead the Association of Super Cool Guitar Shops of America. Your own trade group.

I agree that I don't necessarily think this would be a terrible idea. At minimum, it would be better than both the direct sales model and current big box music stores (cough...Guitar Center).

It would suck. What if a Fender shop ends up being the only music shop in your town and to try another you have to drive an hour away? Or what if the Gibson store opens and ends up being the only place in town you can try a Gibson? Plus will that be the way it winds up for other instruments, drums at the only drum store in town and only the brand of drums the store has because it’s a certain brands store?

Why did Fender open a showroom in Tokiyo? I've seen your store online. And it looks awesome. If i was within driving distance, I would definitely go there. The Morlocks.

Honest Al’s guitar sales

I am watching you from my job at a car deallership !!!

Franchising local mom & pop music stores is a horrible idea. I would hate it.

Your lit reference is a load of Morlocks.

I'm gonna see oppenheimer! Been avoiding behind the scenes videos until after.

Not sure, but they sure are pricing them like it!!

MO. Guitar Center could survive as a smaller operation IF they were being run by business minded music geeks. Financial bailouts by private equity fund investors never work for the business. At some point the assets are worth more now than the promise of profits later. So, that type of investor won't actively work toward the success of the company, instead preferring to cash out and move on. Growth is the curse of business (required by investors/publicly traded cos.), change the paradigm to profitability and the problems become more manageable.

If Fender made their own store, it could carry so many other brands, itd feel like a normal guitar store imo. Charvel, Jackson, Gretsch, Guild, Squier, all these and more in house.

The hulk looking kids. Was actually a whole family of green folk that lived in the Appalachian mts. I can't remember why their skin was green but it is true.

So what franchise would you become? Also, the ability to visit with one guitar in your mind, and leave with another brand would be lost.

I'm going to open up a Glarry store in every major city.

The green kids from Lumaria?!?

I’m not buying any new guitars. I think other people are leaning this way to with these price increases of EVERYTHING. I have slowly turned my gear acquisition obsession towards stockpiling things like bulk strings, spare small parts, speakers, tubes, pickguards, luthier tools, capacitors and small things. It’s much cheaper this way 😂 I switch parts and have a rotation of modifications I do to my guitars. I have 3 amps 6 guitars 15 or so pedals and a mini guitar shop of stockpiled stuff. My next quest is acquiring all the tools I need to do a refret.

I only shop at the cricket wireless of guitar shops

Thanks!

On the subject of the green people, there is that family in Kentucky where their skin is actually blue. I think I looked into it and it was some sort of genetic or silver poisoning thing. Also, guitar dealers sound kind of weird. I like the model of being able to just walk in a store, look at the wall, and pick up whatever I find interesting. To be fair, I think you probably do see more cars that you wouldn't be able try otherwise with the dealership model, so maybe that would be an upside?

First off, let me say that I love the independent music store, and the good ones should be ok. Having spent 25 years in the retail industry I firmly believe that the big 3 (Fender, Gibson and PRS) will quickly build store fronts. I watched it happen with Nike. Nike royally pissed off all their independent stores and destroyed decades of trust by selling direct and it has worked out great for them. I guarantee the guitar world has taken notice and will go to it. There will still be independent stores, but they might not see as many limited or custom runs though.

If Fender stores actually had every Fender, Squier, Gretsch , EVH etc. model in stock I’d be all for it. They wouldn’t though but that would have big value for me.

Actually, I'm surprised it's taking this long. Micro Center has had an Apple store-in-the-store for years. Macy's and Kohls have done a lot of this too. I'm guessing GC won't because it would take too much floor space and bodies, not to mention the problem of mixing guitar and amp products. If someone works this out, they could become the next GC.

The underground people that flocked to the siren in "The Time Machine" were called the Eloi. What's really pathetic is I didn't have to look that up. My life is a textbook on how to waste good brain cells.

The third Back to the Future is the best by far!

I never want to hear the word planogram again. Though I’d heard for the last time..thanks guys. Not sure what the numbers look like, but seems it would be a lot of money to roll out enough company stores to have a big enough reach to matter. Is it that much different than simply working with capable, non GC shops to help make carrying the products more financially viable for them? Because if they go online and people can’t get their hands on something to try it out anymore, then it creates a whole different problem with customer satisfaction, returns, etc.

Baxters hair has no rules sleezstacks

LOL I really enjoy your videos guys. I'm not sure how this would work out. I'm not really a fender guy. I would be going to the Epiphone dealership? I do like ESP guitars too. You mentioned amps, how would that work? Sorry I live a couple miles away in Washington state. I'd like to visit Casino Guitars but, it might chew up a little of my guitar budget getting there. Sweetwater does rock for selection.

Great channel… you guys make me laugh! 😂

As a franchisee, you don't want to be a franchise. I don't think an individual business owner could make it on a single brand in the guitar industry.

Were you thinking of C.H.U.D. Baxter, the 1984 horror movie? the Cannabilisitic Humanoid Underground Dwellers? lol

"your looking for new guitar? gibson? well we just ran your credit, and for 500$ down we can get you an epiphone."

that guitar over Baxter's left shoulder is stunning. What is it?

I don’t understand why BRANDS do not sell online and deliver to music shops for customers to pickup. The shop gets a fee and reviews the instrument. This would inspire a surge of new shops starting up in every town and every city. Multiple shops in big citys. Seems like everyone would win with this model. Example: l buy online or order hence the “mod shop” my guitar. It’s delivered to not a HUGE brick and mortar store but a smallish brick and mortar shop. Customer picks the new instrument, may purchase a few sets of strings, a branded strap, a tuner, sign up for lessons, buy string cleaner small easily stocked items could and would be additional items for sale. Makes too much sense to me. If l was currently a brick and mortar music retailer, there’s no way in this universe I would pay and stock and set on Gibson instruments with their “scree the dealer” MOD shop business model. Fender l guess is just as bad. It’s just fun to hate on Gibson 😂

I personally would prefer the brand-specific store model

I still prefer the 'mom and pop' shops

If we get shops that are just fender or gibson or Ibanez that be insane. And be really bad.

I heard the word 'ghosts'.... if Casino has a bit of paranormal activity, you must do a show on it in October. : ) Boo !

The parallel adjacents to the bicycle industry are surprising. In the bike world the big brands are buying the successful small shops they've been supplying to, they tend to fire the existing staff and leave a bad taste in customers mouths. I really hope the guitar industry does things a little better and dont go to mono brand franchise shops because in the end its never as good as an experience. They really seemingly tried to trip up the small shops by not allowing products to be shipped to them. How do you stop owners from seeing the money and not selling shops though. They also were very secretive about how many shops they had been buying up. The people that had transitioned thru other shops into the new company always seemed annoyed at the lack of selection even with other 'company approved' brands. Like when old netflix had everything before everyone thought they could make their own streaming service.

I’m so 20th century, I still like one-stop shopping.

Blast from the Past is the movie where they lived underground

The Morlocks

the day, the music died ? Bye bye Miss American Pie ? Baxter - your mission is to find who Miss American Pie was/is. Do you accept that challenge ? Ptr Cheers from NZ 😎🎸🤘

Also, what does a franchise do with guitars that arrive and have issues?

If you're a franchise, how do you help someonebuy the right guitar for them? I hope it doesn't come to this.

Guitarvana, Carvana only with guitars. I can get you a comb. Cheap

C.H.U.D.'s - Cannibalistic Humanoid Underground Dwellers

I’ll still buy from you guys or Sweetwater. I like to play before I buy and will never purchase from big box places….GC and a few others.

Is it possible to run a used only store?

I will guide you guys around when you land in Japan.

If this business model does become a thing, I would expect Gibson to partner with a bunch of companies that aren’t already connected to Fender to compete- and perhaps PRS would have to do the same.

Just imagine how awful it would be to walk into a store and not be able to A/B compare a Martin against a Taylor guitar or not get to A/B a Fender against a MusicMan or compare two different brands of amps to each other. I do realize there are those good ol' boys who say " I ain't, gonna pick on any thang but a Martin just like my daddy" etc..etc,. And the market is full of some pretty dumb buyers but many folks want to try out a Collins and a Yamaha and a Martin and choose based on tone more than tradition.

This is an awful idea. I am not a brand buyer I buy a guitar based on what it is and if I like it or not. I need that selection and to compare brands and models. My hometown has about 300,000 people and we can support one used and one new music instrument store.

I know such a place and I actually liked it. Very easy to get an overwiev so I bought me a guitar on the spot becuase I saw it. Small shops tends to be messy and somewhat personal and there are often homies/dudes hanging around so when one picks up a guitar some homey usualy popps up yeahhh yeahhh that is a good or a bad guitar bla bla bla and then cames the shopguy bla bla bla. Please give me a brake here...

A Casino franchise is the only logical answer. 😎🤓

Whenever you do an episode with predictions of future events I would appreciate you two dressing up like Conan O'Brien and Andy Richter doing the Year 2000 skits. Please and thank you.