MCChris

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.

Rest assured, there will be no shortage of douchebags on the "dance" side of the place after 10 pm, so be prepared for that. Chevelle opened for my band at Dome Room back in the day. Good times!

I'm gonna take vacation days on the 14th and 15th, so no tours of Playboy HQ, I'm afraid. The upside is I'm available to do more fun stuff like take people to Make'n Music and the Twisted Spoke.

We can start by not being so over-dramatic. If that's how you choose to react to that sort of treatment, that's your prerogative. Other people choose to be vocal about their displeasure, and most of them HAVE taken their money elsewhere. They remain on this forum for the people, not for the brand.

That makes one of you!

And your argument would be wrong LOL! It was a huge deal when Lombardo left Slayer. Peart's on a whole other level, given his role in the songwriting and the band's longevity.

What about the Copeland analogy? And of course there's Zep/Bonzo. More obscure, but while the quality of Motorhead's drumming certainly improved when Mikkey Dee came on board, Philthy Phil's trashy style was a huge part of their early sound. They became a different band when they replaced him.

I'll compare it to Slayer losing Lombardo. Bostaph was a great player, but something was missing in the chemistry, and a lot of Slayer fans picked up on it. Casual fans? Again, not enough to make a determination. Portnoy is a damn good drummer, certainly on Lombardo's level but with a different style, so I think it's a good comparison.

No, but a brief bump from "Pull Me Under" didn't make them a successful singles band. The proof is in the record sales and/or ticket sales. DT ain't headlining the same venues that Maiden or Rush are. ...... will have zero interest in Dream Theater.

I'll go along with that, when you're talking about a band like Nickelback (who actually replaced a ho-hum drummer with a great one and I'm sure none of their listeners cared less). But, say, the Police without Copeland? Even casual fans would notice that. Of course, we all know Dream Theater doesn't really have any casual fans who aren't musically inclined (nor any fans with vaginas) so this discussion doesn't really pertain to them.

I was shocked to see that Lou hasn't chimed in on this topic yet, until it occurred to me that he's probably sucking his thumb in a fetal position somewhere in a state of deep mourning.

Without an excellent drummer, average joe radio listener will never hear your band, because your band will be shit. If your drummer sucks, your band sucks. Period. No exceptions.

A price for a new item (and especially a custom item) that's considerably more than used isn't necessarily inflated. Often it's justified, especially when you consider the craftsmen who work at Hamer. I'm sure there's not a single person here who would appreciate having the value of their livelihood dismissed as "inflated" simply because what they create can be had for less on the used market, or the service they provide can be done for less by someone with less experience or talent.

But the tone's kinda farty. Might need a new battery for those EMGs.

You do realize that only buying used Hamers for "absurdly low" prices does little if anything to keep the brand afloat. Come to think of it, the same goes for alienating people who are willing to plunk down big bucks for a new Hamer by refusing their easily executed custom order requests (and doing so with an attitude, no less).

I've not confirmed yet. Excalibur's a cool room. Bring your A games, fellas.