Conference napalm::guitar

    One place that is worth checking out is Hampshire Music.
    
    I don't know what it is your looking for, but their prices 
    are pretty good.  Some times you can get a good buy, sometimes,
    it's so so...  You have to watch them, and know what the price "REALLY"
    is so you can call their bluff..
    
    But, lots of git-fiddles, both acoustic and electric.. big on Ibanez
    electrics, some Strats, Paul's. SGs here and there...
    
    Some real nice acoustics too... Ibanez, Guild, Aria...
    
    
    Once in a while, they have a 40%/50% off sale.
    
    

    
    Regarding the 40-50% off sale at Hampshire Music:
    
    I have yet to walk in there without them telling me about a 40-50% off
    sale that day, and I've been in there a lot of times over the last 3
    years.  Not that it isn't a good place to buy a guitar, especially a
    Gibson.  I bought my current Gibson there, and when I can afford an
    SG Custom I'll most likely buy it there too.  I certainly haven't seen
    any other local dealers that could beat or even meet the Hampshire
    Music prices on Gibsons.  It's just been my experience that you shouldn't 
    feel pressured by the "40-50% off today" line.
    
    By the way, is there anyone out there who hasn't gotten that line when
    shopping for a guitar at Hampshire Music?
    
    
    								John

    re -.1
    
    Tee Hee. The 50% off sale at Hampshire Music is a running
    joke with my friends. Don't get me wrong, I like the store.
    What 50% off really means is "This guitar lists for $1500,
    you can have it for $750."
    
    -Tom

    
    That's what I thought.
    
    
    								John

    I also kind of like Hampshire Music (although I've never bought
    anything major there), and they've never given me a line about sales.
    They are actually so congenial I wonder how they stay in business. I've
    been in there a number of times and tried things out without buying. In
    most music stores I'd be personna non grata.
    
    - Ram

       For those of us who might not know (Like me) I'll ask-"Where's 
    Hampsire music? (It's not a dumb question if you don't know)
    
    
    J/

    It is on Amherst St. in Nashua, between the Honda dealer and leda
    lanes.  Amherst St. is exit 7 off route 3.
    
    
    Don 

There is another Hampshire music store in Plastow New Hampshire
just over the MA/NH boarder.

Take Route 495 north, to exit 51b, north on route 125 aproximately
4 miles. On your right in small shopping plaza. This is a smaller store 
than the manchester, but they have a good selection of guitars.

I've had good luck with them. I bought both a Hohner bass, and an
Aria acoustic. I'm happy with the prices that I negotiated on each one.

About the 50% price thing. I walked in the store one day whan that was
going on, and picked a brand new Gibson off the wall that was marked
at $2500. The guy at the store was kind of shocked, and said that the
50% sale was in effect for EVERY OTHER GUITAR in the store but that one!
The story was that he was supposed to move it off the rack, to the back of the
store, but he forgot! I mumbled something about "bait and switch laws", but
didn't press the issue, because I didn't even have $1250 anyway.
Knowing this young sales guy from previous visits, I believe that it 
was incompetence that led to this mix-up, and not anything devious.

I've gotten some good discounts, when the stores calculator wasn't 
functioning properly. Lets see, 50% off this hundred dollar gizmo, thats
30$ plus tax, right! Yeah, okay, and how much for a couple gross of guitar 
picks. Young kids can't add worth squat these days!

Anyway, they have always been very friendly, and very willing to wheel and
deal on prices. Quite uncommon these days, anywhere. Give 'em a try,
and don't forget to negotiate that list price.

Rick

    Well, I've been goin there for years, and yes, it's true, there
    are many times they'll talk sale, however, there are other times they
    don't.
    
    So in my experinece in the last 14 years, it's certainly not a 
    'standard',,, wether it appears that way or not, and though they 
    frequent sales, you will pay a higher price if they're *not* 
    having one of the sales campaigns.