Off the cuff and

for the hell of it....and since I have to time to spend...hopefully it's not wasted...
 
There have been numerous threads about guitars. This and that...just folks sharing, talking and enjoying.
At work I've heard people joke about getting a job at Wal-Mart in their retirement years...Ug...yeah I'm old enough to be in conversations about retirement...weird but true.
Anyway, if in my retirement I wanted something to help keep busy and/or even have a little unneeded income I think I'd apply for a job at a music store...if there was one around, which there isn't.
Then I thought- you know it would be cool to be a guitar salesperson that would have a good reputation by being helpful with good advise and information for the customers. So.....
 
The scenario; You're a guitar salesperson and a father with his teenage son need your help picking out the first guitar for his son because they know nothing. How would you handle that?
 
I know how I would and for some reason thought if I did write my approach it may be of interest and possibly help others.
Of course I'm not unless others think it's a cool idea  and if so want to mention theirs first...or just shoot this dog before it bites somebody.

I've enjoyed this fantasy job. I think  I know that I've enjoyed this more than I would dealing with customers.
If I had to deal with the public I'd probably end up in jail for a very long time...well not for a very long time. Longer than I would care to be there no doubt.
 
Randy reminded me-  My teacher told me; "Mike, you're going to get a student that you know will never be able to play a guitar...and don't you tell them"..."whatever you do, don't tell them".  Ok I said. A guitar had nothing to do with it at all.
Money just can't buy a player and a player can play any guitar that's playable. Only so much a salesperson, teacher or guitar can do.
 

A Squire strat and a little frontman amp.
 
Ear plugs for pop.

why anyone would aspire to work in a music store is beyond me.
 
heheh
 
back in the day of mom and pop stores,
yeah.

The constant noise would drive me up a wall. 

Hi,
 
Not sure I can add to the topic, but the reverse is also true, since the first guitar I ever had was a Gibson EB-0 (with the pegs the other way!), and I had it for over 5 years, and my only issue, really, was no lessons, and little ability to take it further, what with work full time and school full time, and all that. In the end, what I did not know, was, what a great instrument it was, although I was well aware of how many bands and folks I was aware of, were using that same bass guitar and sounding great, which I could not achieve and did not know enough to get that far.
 
So I traded it in for a Fender Jazz ... and while it was a great bass and I had it for 20 years, the FJ did not help me improve, because I could not "hear" it, or "feel" it, although with a couple of teachers I obviously had a touch, that was nice ... but what I wanted to hear and play, was not available, and no one was able to help define that better, so I could improve my interest, and then (hopefully) develop it.
 
I think that most of it, has to do with your own inner vision, and feel. If you notice the kid just fooling around in the background, and finding things, instead of that extra time with one more scale, I would suggest that you want to see if the kid is "looking" for something in that sound, which could/should help improve the interest in the instrument and its sound. My main concern, is that most teachers do not see enough of those moments, and are not capable of helping the youngsters learn from it, and develop it into something ... different ... that helps the kid maintain the interest. I, simply, was not interested in learning when the saints go stupidly nowhere or sweet little eighteen (adults only!) ... and to me, that turned me off any more lessons, while I tried hard to learn the bass parts in many a Guru Guru song (did not exactly succeed ... the variations are way out of sight and differ all over the place), or play along with Fairport Convention or even some Pink Floyd ... but a teacher, instead of helping me clean up those to make it better, so I would learn more on the instrument, would take me out of that space, and bring in some easy 4/4 thing or other that took away what I wanted to work on.
It did not dawn on me, that I had to have some mechanics down, mostly because I go for feel so much, and I could go a couple of songs on Nektar, but a Chuck Berry ... I simply can not get inspired to even learn the notes!
 
Sometimes, I wonder what kids are looking for ... a sound that is on their head? ... if that is so, what you are trying to teach is not gonna happen ... the kid will still be tied up to what he is hearing, even if it is his favorite song. Help him with it, then?
 
Teaching changes then ... you are no longer a teacher, but an assistant helping the kid learn more ... and simply thinking that finger mechanics is the answer, is a harsh reality that takes the dream, the vision, and the inspiration out of a lot of music! Without that 3rd dimension, the music dies!
 
Not sure this helps ... may sound a bit winded, but it's not meant to be. And the same thing is happening with me trying to get some help on the keyboards/computers!

That's great Randy. Enjoyed.
I studied in the back of a music store. There were bass, piano, drum and a guitar instructor (mine).
They had a note board with various letters and such from musicians that had studied there saying hi and updating all on their career. I remember thinking "wow" and wonder if I'd go anywhere. I was so into learning that doing small gigs for coins was enough and most of the time, too much.
 
I too would hang-out on Saturdays after my lesson. It was the earliest time slot for Bob. I traveled so far he gave me hour sessions.
I had studied with Bob for so many years the owner treated me like a son. He had no problem loaning us big systems for outdoor concerts.
I'm sure glad I got so many years of enjoyment with all those at the store.
 
There was a guitar tech that worked there and I left a Gibson 347 there. The neck had a small twist he was going to check so we'd know what was what. He had in the case, standing, on the floor by his counter and that Sat. night robbers came in the ventilation system, dropped onto his counter...they stool a lot of stuff. Dick told me he couldn't believe they walked all over my axe and didn't take it...the store's insurance would have replaced it and the worse...the neck was to bad for fret work to help. Bummer.