MCChris

It has nothing to do with being a crybaby or having an axe to grind. It has everything to do with having a low tolerance for bullshit. The maskless, designer-leather-jacket bit is beyond ridiculous.

I highly doubt it, but maybe it's possible that folks like Jol and the Guitar Aficionado crew have conducted extensive market research and determined that one can indeed tap into a lucrative customer base by being an arrogant, abject prick.

The spray's no doubt been 'shopped in, which adds to the overall asshattery on display in that image.

My guess would be someone at FMIC.

If it came from anybody else I'd swear it was a parody.

If the wind changed direction? Definitely.

Or a few of them to appear on the used market. Biggest. Resale. Hit. Ever.

"Join the Tribe of Excellence"

Correct.

Actually, you're still not getting it. You never do, really. See if you can get this straight: you have NO idea what it takes to run a business, online, brick-and-mortar or otherwise.

"Best deal" doesn't always equate to "lowest price," especially if you value things like service after the sale. No, but don't expect your unsubstantiated bluster about how to succeed in the business world to go unchallenged. And again, nowhere have I contended that adapting to changing business environments is not universal. I really hope you're better at twisting words in a courtroom or at a deposition than you are on the forum. If not from me, the judgment will come from the banker evaluating a business plan.

LOL! No it's not. Again, big talk from someone who's never done it. Show me where I said a business shouldn't have an online presence. Of course it should. The comment I made that got you and Austin all cheesed had to do with just one of the multitude of challenges a small business owner is faced with on a constant basis, that being the "rock bottom price for everything, no matter what" mentality that has become pervasive among modern consumers. This and all the other challenges that have so far gone unmentioned make it unbelievably difficult, if not impossible, to survive as a small business owner. Only a minute percentage of the population have what it takes to be a truly successful entrepreneur. Popping off on an internet message board about risks and real-life local evidence doesn't qualify.

A career working for someone else isn't the same thing as owning and running your own business. Yes, you've reinvented yourself, but it's still someone else's dime that's fortifying your paychecks. Get back to us when you've become a current entrepreneur, or better yet, an entrepreneur five years into it. You may or may not have changed your tune by then.

And those that can't do or have never done often make statements such as these.

Interesting that youse two are taking this so personally. Must be a northeastern thing.

That's because you guys don't sell stuff for "dirt cheap," which seems to be the no. 1 priority for purchasers in the digital age.

That's a subtle part of its success. Same way MySpace initially succeeded and Facebook continues to succeed by measuring the amount of "friends" someone has. It's really a brilliant way to tap into society's collective psyche.

This is the mindset that allows eBay to be what it is. My guess is that the vast majority of people who conduct business on there do so not out of necessity but to get their kicks by wheeling, dealing and getting bargains. This is particularly true of music hobbyists who are buying and selling pure luxury items. Very few people need a new guitar, amp or pedal. If people would conquer their obsession with shuffling shit around via an internet auction site, they'd be at the mercy of no one.

<raises hand> I wised up a long time ago. Welcome to civilization, Willie!

Perhaps the prescription on them glasses of yours needs some adjustin'. That logo would get whoever made it laughed out of Graphic Design 101.

No. It's a shitty Hamer logo.

Shit, man. Get better, bud!

Posted at 420, no less! Fantastic guitar. Perfect.

Your best bet is to try something outside the city. Thundernotes and Haynie got rooms at the Hampton Inn in Munster, Indiana, the town where I live. Since you're coming from the east, this might make sense for you, as well as save you a few bucks. You'll have to call the hotel to find out if there are any rooms available, how much the rooms weigh, what their neck profiles are, and if the management would consider a trade for a Japanese Tele with gold hardware and a Fishman acoustic bridge.

Exactly like that.