The official statement:
It is with a heavy heart that we announce that effective May 2nd 2024, all Sam Ash Music Store locations will begin store closing sales. This unfortunate news also presents a fantastic opportunity for great deals across our premium selection of musical instruments & pro sound equipment. We will also be offering specials on samash.com during this time. Thank you for allowing us to serve musicians like you for 100 years
I’d visit when in New York but, admit, wasn’t a paying customer. Sammy Ash passed last year. While visiting once, I overheard two salespeople talking: “Sammy said to give him a deal, so he gets a deal.” Or something like that.
Has Sweetwater just gotten too good at selling gear? Personally, I have The Guitar Attic here in town.
The internet killed the guitar-io store
I always liked Sam Ash. Never had one locally but when in Vegas they were my first choice for the retailers. Bought an amp there in a former life. Miss that thing.
Sweetwater is really good at selling gear - we actually use their CSR team as an example of how to do the job.
We just got a Guitar Center here at the mall. I'm hoping the small indy music store on Main St. survives. I know which one I like going to, and it's not at the mall.
Wow, I didn't know there were still Sam Ash stores.
We in Richmond have had Sam Ash next door to Guitar Center for a number of years. I've been in both quite a few times.
Who was that guy with the annoying voice that said: "The Times They Are A-Changing." 
J.A. Ackley said:
Wow, I didn't know there were still Sam Ash stores.
We actually have/had two in Orlando.
Dude. $360M in revenue last year seems like they could sell it but apparently not!
I've bought a few things from them over the years but I fondly remember buying as many Tascam rack mount cd recorders as they had, on clearance, and selling them on eBay. That was fun. Plus I got to play with one for a while.
Sucks to see another good chain of music stores go down.
We didn't have any around here, but I've seen other local chains go away to the likes of Guitar Center. We had a New England chain that I loved called Daddy's Junky Music that I spent a lot of money in back when I was gigging. They had a store right next to Berklee School of Music in Boston that was incredible. They had so much cool and unique gear in there, as they liked to focus on used stuff. They also had the "Daddy's Basement" which was jammed with clearance gear. They always had wacky stuff down there, like synths that took floppy disks and guitars that needed work. I still regret passing up a retina-searing neon yellow pointy 80's shredder guitar for $49 down there that would probably sell for over $1000 now. No one wanted it because it was the late 90's.
Guitar Center used to be pretty good, especially the Boston location a few miles up the road from Berklee, but they moved when GC started reinventing themselves as more of the "Walmart of music stores". They used to have amazing deals and a killer used section and drum shop, and I got all sorts of stuff from that original store. They are pretty awful these days and I only go there when I have to. They also bought out Musician's Friend, which has also gone downhill as a result. Sweetwater seems to be the way to go when buying online these days. That or Reverb.
All that said, I try to hit up the smaller, local places and smaller chains when I can. We have an AMAZING Music Go Round in the Boston area that has taken up the mantle as THE place to get cool used gear. We also have another local shop a few towns away that was just recently bought out by another shop when the owner wanted to retire, and I've been going there since I first started playing. The new owner bought his first guitar there and took lessons from the owner, so it was a passing of the baton when he bought it. He's since improved the place by bringing in more brands and expanding what they carry. They are in good hands.
There is a Sam Ash store in a mall near me and I have bought a few things from them. Unfortunately, the last few times I've shopped they haven't had anything of interest to me. I understand that store was on the early chopping block, but I haven't ventured over there to see if they have anything left I could use. Maybe this weekend. Google says the store is still open.
We've bought a few things from Sam Ash for the kids over the years. I'll have to check out if the one in town has any deals. Usually, when a business liquidates, they jack up the prices and then "lower" them again.
David S. Wallens said:
J.A. Ackley said:
Wow, I didn't know there were still Sam Ash stores.
We actually have/had two in Orlando.
I think the second to last guitar I bought (my Sterling JP157) came from one of them.
In reply to David S. Wallens :
You really need to make the Trek to Sweetwater, it's an amazing place.
In reply to Tony Sestito :
Daddy's was awesome. I did pro audio repair work for a while while in college - our office was just up the street from Daddy's.
I'm fortune enough to live walking distance to Ryan Fowler's guitar experience. It's probably my favorite thing about my neighborhood, though I'm definitely his worst "customer" the only place I ever play is there, there's about 6 of us who meet up and jam out there twice a week. Since we choose to only play there, he doesn't see the point is us grabbing gear, none of us are taking lessons. I set Ryan up with a board and some recording gear for his studio, but it pales in comparison to the equipment that get to enjoy others who are far better than me play on and I get to hear my imperfections played on PRS pieces, Guilds and I've developed a great appreciation for playing a Taylor 362ce, after having not previously appreciating Taylors. My father played a 56 Guild, that's still in the family, my niece and nephew are far better players than I was on it.
