What's going on with the music shops these days?

[guitarkid]

Re: What's going on with the music shops these days?

It really makes me mad when shops do that. I wanted to trade some pedals and I took my "like new" in box w/ all papers Line6 Echo Park Delay and GC told me they would give me $25 towards the pedal I was wanting for it. My friend was looking at trading his Orange AD30 head for a Mesa so he took it to a local shop, they offered him $250 for a trade in on his Orange AD30....

 

[astrozombie]

Re: What's going on with the music shops these days?

I had this boss flanger pedal I thought I HATED. I THOUGHT no good sound existed in it's design. after a month or two of craigslist and no sale, I went to GC and they said they'd give me $40 for it. I gave in.

At least I got a nice dinner out of it.

 

[Wattage]

Re: What's going on with the music shops these days?

I have never been able to trade in gear, actually did it once to get my LP that I hae now. Never do it again.

 

[Ball&Chain]

Re: What's going on with the music shops these days?

If I were you, I would back away from the valveking, turn around and run. The go pick up a 2x12 cab for the Rev Jr.

 

[karpathion]

Re: What's going on with the music shops these days?

If I were you, I would back away from the valveking, turn around and run. The go pick up a 2x12 cab for the Rev Jr.

I have a 2x12 and 2 1x12s. I need more power. There is no way my Rev Jr, is gonna keep up with a 6505+.

 

[ItsaBass]

Re: What's going on with the music shops these days?

I have a 2x12 and 2 1x12s. I need more power. There is no way my Rev Jr, is gonna keep up with a 6505+.

You don't need more power. Power doesn't add a lot of volume (3 decibels every time you double it); it mostly adds cleanliness at a given volume. The movement of more air will do a lot, though. Try a 4x12 or 4x10 cab if you cannot keep up with your bandmate.

If you still cannot keep up, use a mic (and don't use one on the other amp).

I play my 15W Ampeg Jet II 1x12 as my main gigging amp against my bandmate's 100W Mitchell combo, Custom modded Baron heads through four twelves, a Laney through four twelves, etc. He has many fancy and LOUD amps...yet he doesn't keep any of them long. I've had my little Ampeg for over 15 years, and I will NEVER sell it. It's too good. I love little amps, just like yours. My 15W amp is usually loud enough, and because it is an Ampeg cranked almost to the breaking point, my tone smokes IMHO. If I can get a mic, all the better, but usually no sound guy will bother, even if I bring my own mic.

Here is a bad recording in a club with terrible sound, with the mic on the other side of the stage as me: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xQ6en6-ZGYM. I am playing the tan CS Esquire through nothing but a tuner and an ISP Decimator G String noise filter. Could be louder...but I can be heard, and I certainly don't need a new amp! If anything, an extension cab. But what I really need is a mic, and a sound man who isn't a lazy, incompetent POS. I'd venture to guess that is what you should try before trading in equipment, etc.

So, what I'd do right now is go see what you can trade in toward a Shure 57, a cable, and a stand from that pawn shop!

Also, perhaps even more importantly, tell your frigging bandmate to turn down!

 

[Ball&Chain]

Re: What's going on with the music shops these days?

I have a 2x12 and 2 1x12s. I need more power. There is no way my Rev Jr, is gonna keep up with a 6505+.

It doesnt sound like you have even tried the Rev along side a 6505 yet. Dont get caught up in the wattage so much. Wattage doesnt = volume as much as it equals headroom and judging the choice of amps between the 2 of you, it doesnt sound like cleans are high on the priority list.

The cleans on a valveking are fine, but the distortion is just awful. To be honest, I think you would be better of going with a spider IV 150 watt 2x12 for that price than a valveking.

 

[jimo]

Re: What's going on with the music shops these days?

The much venerated "Mom and Pop" shop...yeah right, well, dear ole mom and pop have been hosing people for 50 years that "I" know of......kids and people that don't know any better as a rule........and that's only one reason you don't see them so much anymore......

 

[karpathion]

Re: What's going on with the music shops these days?

It doesnt sound like you have even tried the Rev along side a 6505 yet. Dont get caught up in the wattage so much. Wattage doesnt = volume as much as it equals headroom and judging the choice of amps between the 2 of you, it doesnt sound like cleans are high on the priority list.

The cleans on a valveking are fine, but the distortion is just awful. To be honest, I think you would be better of going with a spider IV 150 watt 2x12 for that price than a valveking.

Nah, I haven't tried the two amps side by side yet, you are correct.

I did play a few gigs with my old band about a year ago. The Rev did fine against my buddies Blue Voodoo, " I know that's not saying much," I was even told the Rev sounded better.

If all else fails, I have an SM57, I'll just mic the thing.

I really only wanted the Valveking because I thought I could get it.
After the vids and clips I've seen of the VK, I'm glad I didn't. They really don't sound that great.

 

[formula73]

Re: What's going on with the music shops these days?

The only time I ever got a decent deal on a trade in was on my old Dean USA DFH. They sold for 3k+, new, but I was tired of having a guitar that I couldn't take out anywhere without yells about Dime and Pantera. I lucked out in that there hadn't been any on ebay in a long time so they took the original price and condition and gave me 1500 in trade towards my LP Trad Pro. I had it listed on several forums for 1450 with no bites, IIRC. I got that LP and never looked back.

 

[CapoFirstFret]

Re: What's going on with the music shops these days?

Nah, I havn't tried the two amps side by side yet, you are correct.

I did play a few gigs with my old band about a year ago. The Rev did fine against my buddies Blue Voodoo, " I know that's not saying much," I was even told the Rev sounded better.

Say what you will about the blue voodoo, but that was not a horrible amp! Also, just thought I'd mention, it's about 120 watts so it was at least equal to (if not more wattage depending on model) than a 5150/6505.

I think you'll be more than fine with what you have. I bought a ValveKing combo a few months ago for $75. I think you're absolutely downgrading going with a Valveking.

 

[formula73]

Re: What's going on with the music shops these days?

Say what you will about the blue voodoo, but that was not a horrible amp! Also, just thought I'd mention, it's about 120 watts so it was at least equal to (if not more wattage depending on model) than a 5150/6505.

I think you'll be more than fine with what you have. I bought a ValveKing combo a few months ago for $75. I think you're absolutely downgrading going with a Valveking.

+1 on both. I never thought BVs sounded all that bad. Dry, maybe, but not necessarily bad. I also had a VK112, and while it was a fun little practice amp, that's all it was. It got smoked, time and time again, at every practice and every jam.

 

[ItsaBass]

Re: What's going on with the music shops these days?

Nah, I haven't tried the two amps side by side yet, you are correct.

I did play a few gigs with my old band about a year ago. The Rev did fine against my buddies Blue Voodoo, " I know that's not saying much," I was even told the Rev sounded better.

If all else fails, I have an SM57, I'll just mic the thing.

I really only wanted the Valveking because I thought I could get it.
After the vids and clips I've seen of the VK, I'm glad I didn't. They really don't sound that great.

Thinking of miking a small amp as an "if all else fails" technique is going to sell your band's sound short. If you have a small amp in a loud band, it should be your first choice. Not always possible with all the dooooshbag sound guys out there, but always worth trying, considering how easy and cheap it is to get a mic, cable, and stand, and keep them in the trunk at all times.

I saw The Black Keys in probably 2003 or '4. The place was an outdoor venue that holds about 10,000 people. Dan played his Tele through some old frigging tweed amp that looked smaller than a Fender Champ. Must have been five watts at most, and perhaps a single 8 inch speaker. They put a mic on it and it filled the whole place, and nice and loudly. It is without a doubt the best way to get small amp tone at a loud volume. Piggybacking/slaving, etc. comes with more issues to consider, and more equipment to carry. A mic is not only the most easy and straightforward method, but it also sounds the best.

 

[Empty Pockets]

Re: What's going on with the music shops these days?

Say I wanted to trade you my Les Paul standard, for your LTD EC-400. "just an example". Would you say no?

Yeah but that's a no brainer...EC400's a $600 guitar and I can sell a Les Paul Standard used for a grand more than that.

Let's try and compare apples to apples -- if I have "mid-priced mid-powered amplifier A" for sale for $X, and you bring in "mid-priced mid-powered amplifier B" that I can also sell for exactly $X, why on earth would I do a trade unless I could get amp B for less than I bought amp A for?

Especially if I prefer brand A to brand B, or just happen to have a sweet wholesale contract with brand A, allowing me to stock lots of their product. I might want brand B simply to diversify my stock, but I also might want to keep all of my brand A stuff so that people think of me as the "brand A" guy.

When it comes down to it, nothing is worth anything unless somebody wants to pay for it. It's not a shop's problem if you paid more than they would for something; it's nothing personal if somebody offers you less than you want for a product.

You walk up to me on any given day of the week with any given piece of gear and ask me if I want to buy it, I'll probably say yes. The variable is how much I'm willing to spend on it, and I don't think I'm an asshole if I want to offer low prices on things I don't necessarily want.

The way I see it, YOU'RE the one being lazy and not selling it to somebody yourself. YOU said "I don't want to spend the time and energy on Craig's List or eBay trying to find the buyer who will give me top dollar for it," so you took it to a store full of similar products and a group of dudes who literally sell these products all day every day for a living. Unless you've got the exact piece of gear the store employee wants for his private rig, and you are offering a price that competes with his employee discount, you're not gona get top dollar for your piece.

That's just how it works. It's business.

 

[Agileguy_101]

Re: What's going on with the music shops these days?

The way I see it, YOU'RE the one being lazy and not selling it to somebody yourself. YOU said "I don't want to spend the time and energy on Craig's List or eBay trying to find the buyer who will give me top dollar for it," so you took it to a store full of similar products and a group of dudes who literally sell these products all day every day for a living. Unless you've got the exact piece of gear the store employee wants for his private rig, and you are offering a price that competes with his employee discount, you're not gona get top dollar for your piece..

If nothing else, my experience working at Guitar Center taught me that.

 

[karpathion]

Re: What's going on with the music shops these days?

You guys are right, as usual. I was just pissed at the time.

With more time to think about it, I'm glad they didn't take it. I have a love/hate relationship with this Krank anyways. I love to hate it! It's a badass little luchbox and I know it.

I just wanted a new toy, and didn't need one.

Like I've said before, I'm a little slow sometimes. It takes me a few days to calm and realize what i'm doing.