AXE-FX III took away the appetite to go to guitar shops

I thought a guitar shop was a necessary evil that we all have to go through like taxes.

Rusty strings, detuned guitars, amp that are no plugged in, no cables to use anywhere, guitars that are either way too cheap or way too expensive...

The list goes on. I never had the appetite for that, especially not people hearing me play. I have an Axe and well never have entered one since then except for strings.
 
I think most people that can afford a Fractal unit won't be interested in most of the gear available in a modern Guitar Center. I'm not a dollar snob but like higher quality equipment, and when I go into a GC, with the exception of the PRS and some Gibsons on the top row, the rest of the gear just doesn't interest me any more.
 
Much is already discussed in the wonderful reviews here how great AXE-FX III is, so one thing I can add as a compliment is: AXE-FX III took away from me the appetite to go to guitar shops.

My weekend hobby used to be hanging around guitar shops, spending 3 hours on watching/trying the gears that I would end up not buying.
After I got an AXE-FX, in front of guitar shops, I find myself not having appetite to go into. I walk away, satisfied with myself saving time for the wonderful journey with my AXE at home. Then I find myself in front of my AXE for 6 hours.
Yeah I hear you. Seems like I have so much more time to shut up and play my guitar.
 
It's actually a shame we're losing physical guitar, 'brick & mortar' stores, or any type of store for that matter, to technology. It's certainly a more convenient way to shop for things, but it eliminates the ability to 'try before you buy', or at least complicates the process, what with returns and what that entails. There are benefits, but I'm not so sure the positives completely outweigh the things we lose. I used to love taking a Saturday trip with a couple musician buds, and being able to literally hit 3 well-stocked music stores within a half hour drive of each other, and try out various guitars, amps, & pedals, even if none of us really intended to buy something. Of course, we always came out with something new as well, not just strings, but the Axe Fx has fixed that! ;)
 
The mom-and-pop stores have really taken a hit. I'm lucky to live just a few miles away from one of the best. They've got everything from 60-year-old jewels to the latest from the big makers to the products of local luthiers to the cheap stuff, and plenty of used guitars. Three generations of the family have worked there, and the owner is the most knowledgeable vintage expert I've ever met. Try to top that, GC. ;)
 
The mom-and-pop stores have really taken a hit. I'm lucky to live just a few miles away from one of the best. They've got everything from 60-year-old jewels to the latest from the big makers to the products of local luthiers to the cheap stuff, and plenty of used guitars. Three generations of the family have worked there, and the owner is the most knowledgeable vintage expert I've ever met. Try to top that, GC. ;)
Sounds like Chuck Levin's.
 
If Fractal could just release a Variax style guitar I doubt I would need to leave the house for anything other than gigs and work.
 
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I never found it useful to try amps in a guitar store. Trying an amp at a good volume in an 8,000 Sq ft. open space store will sound way different than that tube amp in a small office or bedroom. I made that mistake with an old 5150 combo. Sounded great in the store and when I got it home it sounded painful.
 
I love guitar stores . I am really sad that they disappeared one by one . These places are paradise to me like record stores . I feel so fine when I see tons of gears . When you want to purchase a guitar or something else, you spend 20 hours on the net reading and seing things but you are not really convinced . In a Music Store you try it and buy it quick . It’s what happened to me in august once again. I was looking for a Les Paul since months and months on the net . It takes me 30 min to purchase one because … I Tried it !
Everytime I go to a new city these are the first place I need to go . Same for records stores
 
I love guitar stores . I am really sad that they disappeared one by one . These places are paradise to me like record stores . I feel so fine when I see tons of gears . When you want to purchase a guitar or something else, you spend 20 hours on the net reading and seing things but you are not really convinced . In a Music Store you try it and buy it quick . It’s what happened to me in august once again. I was looking for a Les Paul since months and months on the net . It takes me 30 min to purchase one because … I Tried it !
Everytime I go to a new city these are the first place I need to go . Same for records stores
Yeah. Except the last few times I went guitar shopping I didn't buy anything. Didn't like what I came for enough to spend the money, nothing else flipped my beanie.

Going to look at some low-mid-line PRSs tomorrow, unless I chicken out. We'll see...
 
I love guitar stores . I am really sad that they disappeared one by one . These places are paradise to me like record stores . I feel so fine when I see tons of gears . When you want to purchase a guitar or something else, you spend 20 hours on the net reading and seing things but you are not really convinced . In a Music Store you try it and buy it quick . It’s what happened to me in august once again. I was looking for a Les Paul since months and months on the net . It takes me 30 min to purchase one because … I Tried it !
Everytime I go to a new city these are the first place I need to go . Same for records stores
I spend hours, weeks etc. in Guitar stores as a Teenager.
There was a small guitar store a few miles from home, 20 minutes by train. I spend a lot of freetime there. I was allowed to spend time in their repair shop etc.
More than 20 years later I learned everything from a luthier that is/was like a father for me.
 
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