The Covid19 is wiping out businesses left right & center. Even the big boys with sleek online facilities and large warehouses are going to be struggling to stay afloat with a loss of footfall and customers deferring buying stuff until there is greater financial stability. A lot of folk including me have taken a real battering on their pension funds (I've already lost £140,000 and I suspect it's going to get even worse before it gets better), so buying gear is the last thing on my mind at the moment and I suspect that sentiment is expanding fast.
We were looking for a 'new' ex demo car for my wife, but that's on hold now and have cancelled test drives re 'social distancing' and our current cars haven't been used since last week - so there's just no point in buying anything right now.
I'm not saying everyone will stop buying but even 'collect only' sales on Ebay will be hit as most folk now won't be prepared to drive/travel and have unnecessary social contact.
Even before Covid19 we've seen loads of music stores (including famous ones like Ivor Maraints), close. But there has never been a global event like this before - it's impacting on gear manufacturers too, so even if stores do manage to sell existing stocks, getting new stock will become an increasing problem as factories shut down.
Right now, it's becoming like a dystopian nightmare and there are of course a lot more important things to worry about than music gear - but I feel genuinely sad for self-employed folk who don't have the support and security of a big employer behind them, including guitar techs, luthiers, and smaller amp builders who's businesses may simply not survive, and of course those playing in bands for a living are going to suffer too as venues close.
Schools are closing (My wife's a teacher) and my daughters and I are in professions where we can work from home so we're luckier than a lot of folk. But things are getting more frightening by the day.
So I really just want to wish everyone here well, hope you and your families and loved ones all stay well and safe...and do your best to hang on in there and keep rocking.
I started out with nothing..... but I've still got most of it left (Seasick Steve)
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Not having any money is.
Been uploading old tracks I recorded ages ago and hopefully some new noodles here.
Been uploading old tracks I recorded ages ago and hopefully some new noodles here.
http://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/57632/
Let’s hope Mr. Sunak is as good as his word and will provide enough help to at least get us through the crisis. Afterwards, who knows... the world may go back to how it was before, or it may not - hard to tell.
"Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski
"Only two things are infinite - the universe, and human stupidity. And I'm not sure about the universe." - Albert Einstein
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I was never a big buyer but I have a couple of amps that can go and a couple of guitars plus some other bits and pieces. Luckily sales of my own products so far haven't been affected being as most come in at under £20 and weigh less than 500g. So I'm in a better situation then most of my professional mates.
So it will be a buyers market for products like the Helix, expensive amps, USA Strats, boutique pedals etc.
OP is right. The larger music companies/ manufacturers may tough it out but it’s likely that the days of small boutique products is over for a while.
You should try our area of London ...
Formerly TheGuitarWeasel ... Oil City Pickups ... Oil City Blog 7 String.org profile and message
Time for the vultures to descend.
Of course, no one will buy his overpriced items anyway, so he better have deep pockets or all his money will be tied up in stock.
Formerly TheGuitarWeasel ... Oil City Pickups ... Oil City Blog 7 String.org profile and message
I am now wondering if we ever worked together back when there was still work...
It strikes me that the elephant in the room regarding music retail has been the governments policy of Austerity for the last decade? I know people go on about on line shopping and all that but consider this?
I was in Leipzig last October. Next door to my hotel in the centre of town was a small mom & pop music store. Exactly the sort of place that has closed down in the UK. They had a display of Weehbo pedals in a cabinet. I’ve always wanted to try the JVM drive.
The simple (and uncomfortable) answer is that Germany has a more robust middle class. Wheras in the UK. Once you’re outside London & the South East. The biggest employer is the public sector. Who’ve had a decade of pay freezes.