Sam Ash music stores to close after 100 years in business

After 100 years in business, the iconic music store chain Sam Ash announced the upcoming closure of all its locations. abc7.com/14762606

[@williamhornabrook8081]

Online is great for convenience and locking down the lowest price, but with music, you really want to try before you buy. You need a physical store for that.

[@humphreybogart6663]

I can see it both ways. Without playing the rest, you might just like what you buy. The personality comes with the player. Aa Eddie Van Halen shows...even a piece of crap, can be polished into legend.

[@FUCKTHESYSTEM71]

People try out equipment at sam ash then they order it from places like Sweetwater for cheaper prices 😂

[@humphreybogart6663]

@@FUCKTHESYSTEM71 It is like shoes. I know my size and ordering them online just saves time. Sweetwater kicks butt!

[@RMS12.2]

You're right. 😂​@@FUCKTHESYSTEM71

[@kevin2400]

Online has nothing to do with sam ash closing its doors... its bidenomics

[@torccchaser6712]

a very sad day

[@RoboCop-zn8bt]

The good old days are truly dying. Bring back video stores, toy stores and music stores.

[@seanrosedotcom]

Don't forget the book stores mate~!

[@peterdvideos]

As a musician it’s very sad.

[@jogmas12]

Being a lefty guitarist it never really dawned on me to actually try and buy in person at these physical stores because they don’t stock lefty guitars anyways or at least very minimal! While on line at say sweetwater, I get much more in choices

[@fok8810]

why this look like 2001

[@hugh.munguzs]

bro fr

[@kikeenriquez4436]

i agree!

[@SurveYoung]

The worst management living on credit for years now the bank will own it , they didn't care about the employees or the customers Greed at its best

[@Chevroletcelebrity]

whenever I go into retail stores the employees always younger and seem apathetic and uninformed. It makes you not want to go into these places and deal with them. It’s the retail employees who are to blame for everything going out of business. 🤨

[@factchecker6674]

Sounds more like a management problem.

[@TruthAndMoreTruth]

OK Grandpa! Should I get off your lawn now? Corporation fails, and you blame the lowest paid workers at the absolute bottom, with zero influence or impact on how the business is actually run? Who hired and trained (or didn't train) these workers? GTFO boomer!😆😆😆😆

[@HartsfieldSpotting]

Wow that is sad news. I grew up at Sam Ash. That was my absolute favorite place ever.

[@deedeeOWL]

Music stores and bookstores are closing thanks to Amazon

[@liamfromtheu.k1469]

Nope you're wrong. Bookstores are closing due to people read less books, their obsession with quick and fast and free content has closed a lot of bookstores, also the clost of printing a book in the U.S there is zero profit in it now. Music stores closed due to they dont teach Music in public schools anymore this generation has zero interest in buying instruments anymore, theres no reason, there are no large bands just a single producer who most likely learned music growing up in or around a church band

[@factchecker6674]

@@liamfromtheu.k1469 With AI we won’t need creators anymore-lol.

[@jogmas12]

Books take up space whilst ebooks don’t

[@kevin2400]

Bidenomics is closing pretty much every store... people can't afford to shop anymore

[@legendaryTMNICO]

Stop blaming Amazon.

[@mikec7176]

Another good one gone! I bought gear from Sam Ash from the time they opened their store in Cherry Hill NJ, and for decades after. Sad it is being replaced by “online” shopping because a lot of times I would stop in to the physical location and look around the store and something would always catch my eye, and I would buy it, plus you could always get a great deal on anything you were buying! Thank you Sam Ash for all the years of great service, and deals throughout my musical journey!

[@omarsmusic4316]

Online shopping for musical instruments? As a long time musician that sounds absurd to do I could never purchase a guitar without knowing what it feels and sounds like first and testing each nut and testing it and tuning it to see how it works.

[@IMPULSOESTATICO]

Welcome to the 21st century.

[@dantenapoles5951]

I agree with you brother but the beginners and amateurs just kept buying online. Plus as a seasoned player, I been had my gear, only once in a while changing a pedal here and there. But this now sucks for so many would be great guitarists who will now, never be. The times, they are a' changing.

[@jogmas12]

See, that’s archaic. No one does that anymore. Btw my first electric guitar was a Harley Benton. Something I can’t get at Sam ash. The Harley Benton while it was cheap, the build was very good, no buzzing frets and no sprouting frets. A good guitar to mod upgrade with real Kluson tuners and Seymour Duncan pups etc….

[@kevin2400]

Bidenomics jack

[@Brian-qg8dg]

Quality control today is much much better for musical instruments at all price points. And returning is usually not an issue if not satisfied. $150-300 guitar could now be just fine and last a person a life time. And 9 out 10 would arrive without any major flaws or much differences. But whatever.. it's great to buy a guitar of the rack, but does suck thst you get no adjustments tools or anything. Getting a new item straight out of a box is a guarantee that it wasn't played around with prior to leaving the factory.

[@djoglala]

Rip. It's where I got my first bass. Dean metal man 4 string.

[@jeremyking9185]

Got my Jackson SL2H Arch Top Sam Ash Special Edition 2006/2007 Galaxy Black from the SA store in Atlanta back in 2008. Very sad to see them come to an end.

[@shanemcconnell1736]

I worked at the New York store in the 90s, it wasn’t ran very well back then, and that was the flagship store, so I’m not surprised

[@strumminronin]

I visited that branch back then as a tourist. I agree that that particular store had a "homeliness" to it, not systematic but people there made it work. I had dreamt of visiting again some day, but I guess not now. :(

[@dabtheplanet]

Dirty thieve's fault.

[@jogmas12]

……Playing filthy riffs

[@nalaeel219]

So much easier and cheaper to buy at an online retailer. Zzounds and American music supply even offer no credit check monthly payments. I’m sure people are going to those places.

[@Brian-qg8dg]

​@@maidenthe80slanot in today's market. Quality control today is much better. And you get a box and tools and everything ofbhow that instruments came from the factory. When buying off the shelve, it can be great, but you don't know what's been done to that guitar. It could of been returned, pickups could be fake now. Who knows. And you don't get a box ans tools etc. I do both.. I found a beautiful LTD with a mapple top on-sale at thr store. It played and sounded graleat. Impulse buy! Other times I'm online searching for like new guitars on Ebay..or B stock or returned from online dealers. Whatever works I say!!!

[@iengineer_247]

I was an Employee at both Miami locations!!!

[@larrycavallucci3258]

I live in Maricopa County, where Phoenix AZ is located. There's ONE Sam Ash store here in the Valley, in Glendale, but only about 30 minutes to the West. I'll be going over there tomorrow to see what kind of deals they have at present. Those will probably get better as time gets closer to whatever closing date they have. I have bought gear at that store, both instruments and accessories. They also have a great and wide selection of used amps. Also bought my original home recording studio gear there. A big disappointment in their closing. I'm still a "touchy, feely" guy. There's nothing like actually PLAYING an instrument you might want to purchase. I've bought two Gtrs from Sweetwater, one good and one bad experience. Not my sales guy's fault. The PRS SE Custom 24 came with a very good setup. The opposite was true of my Fender Tele, with real crap tuners on it. My sales guy did send me replacement tuners for free. I had my Luthier do the replacements, and he said the "original tuners that came with the Gtr were crap, probably $25 worth". And that was on a Tele with a $600 list price. I blame Fender for their lack of Quality control, and now won't buy another Fender in the future, as I have another Tele, the Hybrid model, and also two Fender Bass gtrs. We do have a number of Gtr Centers in the area, and I did buy an Epiphone Les Paul Custom Lmtd Edition Black back from that store, at a great price too! This sad news is also a sign of our CRAP Economy over the last 3 1/2 YRS! Need I say more about that! Just this....been to the gas station or grocery store lately???

[@jamesgibson3242]

I'll miss Sam Ash. I did business with them. Purchased guitars and strings there.

[@334honda]

Less white people mean less customers.

[@adamstrachn]

I hate to see this happen, but it's their own fault mostly. Stopped stocking variety in the late 2000s. They also made the choice to not deal with online customers correctly. Gave way to keeping the cheapest gear in stock and not keeping up with the times when it comes to the modem guitarist and bassist. No real in stock options on Schecter, Jackson, ESP/LTD, Ibanez, Cort and the like from $800-$2000 range. Not keeping any amps in stock except cheap practice garbage and a few BOSS Katanas. It goes on and on. Guitar Center isn't much better.

[@lalosalamanca6936]

Why pay for a musical instrument when a plate full of beans will turn you into a full orchestra

[@Unlucky13ification]

The local guitar store in my town is closing, too! The owner said he's going to sell online now. Not enough people buy stuff at the store. Maybe not as many people play guitar music and instead they make electronic music.

[@kevin2400]

Bidenomics jack

[@kevin2400]

Restore my comment please and thank you

[@jdssurf]

IN PERSON IS A MUST FOR REAL GUITARS.................REAL STORES WITH REAL TECHS AND HANDS ON INSTRUMENTS, VERY SAD ANOTHER PHYSICAL STORE CLOSING.

[@Sea_Spirit_805]

It’s Bidenonics!

[@jaad9848]

Guitar Center filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy during the end of Trump presidency, so what is that?

[@protostars]

No it's not.... Trumptards don't know shit... go back to sucking your Qtips

[@protostars]

@@jaad9848 trumptard economics

[@liamfromtheu.k1469]

nope blame republican Ronald Reagan he removed the federal budget to maintain music in schools, once music was taught in public schools kids had no reason to buy or learn instruments, his decision to do this grossly affected the future of music, kids bought turntables instead of horns and violins Thats why Rap and Punk were huge in the 80’s no music training needed just by a cheap guitar drumset or a drum machine

[@melg9825]

Are you looking over DEI? I am sure that is the main reason

[@d_Howard]

I wonder if it's worth considering something similar to tariffs to equalize the playing field between brick-and-mortar stores, and online stores who have a tremendous advantage by not having the expensive overhead.

[@pastorclhill788]

Nothing is as good online as in person

[@334honda]

But most people now days are white like you and want things cheaper,

[@Online_ToughGuy]

Very sad. I used to live right down the street from the Tampa location. I first moved back to the area right before I started high school and was having a really rough time adjusting. At least 3 days a week after school id ride my bike up to the store and just hang out and play the same handful of shitty power chord riffs I knew at the time. It was such an escape for me and great memories in there.

[@ShigleySheila]

Build Back Better

[@drumtwo4seven]

THEIR OWN FAULT THEY CAN'T COMPETE... NO MORE TOWER RECORDS ETC ITS 2024 MOVE ON

[@Quicks1lvr]

​@@drumtwo4sevenbuilding back better

[@chadgeary5615]

😂😂😂

[@liamfromtheu.k1469]

@@92tube88 Actually musical instruments ARE digital downloads, for $100 i can download every drum that ever existed to my Akai drum machine, every horn every cymbal every string instrument is all on a download now, and has been for about 20 years, everything is a download now

[@factchecker6674]

@@92tube88 Bird Back Butter. (Beets, bears, Battlestar Galáctica)!!

[@BKrystall]

I had a lot of friends who used to work at the Hollywood location.

[@chadgeary5615]

Bidenomics strikes again! 😂😂😂 FJB. You can save other stores by voting TRUMP2024 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸

[@AlanElias350]

“They sound different in person” What do they sound like online?

[@timslee0618]

I used to go to the one in Cerritos back in my HS Drumline days

[@sonidosoundwaves]

So sad, I bought so many dj items at Sam Ash stores in Westminster and Ontario California. Definitely online retail has changed business industry.

[@PatrickCharlesjpc]

This is sad news; I used to love shopping at the Sam Ash store on Sunset Blvd in Hollywood; it was always a more pleasant atmosphere than Guitar Center.

[@joe2591]

Sad days. Online music sites killed real musicians.

[@kevin2400]

Nope..... its bidenomics... Biden did this

[@CookiesAwesomeVideos]

I never got to take a last visit to mine which is now closed 😢

[@xsydor26]

Guitar Center is 250 million in debt. I thought Sam Ash was doing better. Sad to hear.

[@Brian-qg8dg]

Don't blame online.. I've been in Sam Ash a few times in every decade since the 80's, was never that excited when in there. At least guitar center had and sometimes had a vibe. Anyway, just another company not learning to adapt. Sam Ash has distribution channels, warehouses, store locations, yet didn't utilize much for the online game. Again, at least guitar center pushes the online sales, and obviously offers pickup and returns at stores. Sam Ash should of invested heavily in buildong their online presense, or at least partnered up with a popular online only music store. Or maybe they want to be done with this business.

[@pizzathehut6693]

Guitar center is next!!!!!!

[@jogmas12]

Exactly, they selling junk on line, and sweetwater is kicking their behinds

[@TruthAndMoreTruth]

This is what happens when family businesses are handed down to kids/grand kids who are not qualified to grow or maintain the business. They opened one of these in San Diego, and it's a very underwhelming store. Lots of very empty space, poor merchandising, no real selection.

[@hoosierdaddy8002]

Thanks Biden.

[@chadgeary5615]

​@@pandaman1968ok, nerd

[@melg9825]

What about DEI? I am sure you can blame DEI for it.

[@kevin2400]

Thanks joey poopy pants biden

[@kevin2400]

Restore my comment please and thank you

[@kevin2400]

Thanks joey poopy pants biden

[@user-sn3ch4mt4i]

If only Sam Ash had a robust online shops that could save it from closing down.

[@vincemcman4086]

I was just thinking of this skit in Extract ! Oh man i havent laughed that loud in a while

[@HiThereFaceHere]

I've been waiting for this for years. It was seriously only a matter of time for Sam Ash. Especially once Sweetwater and Reverb started. I'm waiting for Musicians Friend to be next

[@Ronald-hk6fk]

Joe BRIBEden America

[@villyramos3114]

I feel like somehow a part of me is also going away along Sam Ash Stores, thanks for all the amazing memories I've made in those stores, will be hugely missed.

[@oldfriend327]

Can I say something please and not get blasted off of here. Sam Ash created their own problems. TERRIBLE customer services and interpersonal skills in person with customers in the stores, very bad online practices, and they didn't and STILL don't understand there is absolutely no shortage of guitars and related equipment in so many other places AND online. Sam Ash won't budge on Used/Preowned gear prices and guitars sit on the walls for years before they finally realize nobody is going to pay top dollar for a used item, especially with obvious wear and tear. They say "come in and play." If they get the sense you are not a paying customer, you are ignored.

[@keefmeister77]

Damn, where will I get my crummy overpriced Chinese stuff now?

[@SurviveTheDay]

Brick & Mortar or eRetail makes no difference. Sam Ash is a name you can trust. A real shame one or two big name musicians or even bands haven’t stepped up to keep it going and set sail for another 100 years in business.

[@factchecker6674]

Too bad-I had bought a lifetime yearly guitar setup with the guitar I bought from them when they first opened on Sunset. Nothing lasts forever.

[@FUCKTHESYSTEM71]

Did you stop and think the guarantee was for their lifetime not yours 😂

[@factchecker6674]

@@FUCKTHESYSTEM71It was 30 dollars. I had it done 7 times. Saved me about 300-350 bucks I guess.

[@trixiegirl2516]

Is it me or does every business starting to fall apart? You know like 99 Cents Only Stores, Rue21, Dollar Tree, Family Dollar and now Sam Ash.

[@pappyprimetime7510]

Yes, Amazon and online shopping is competing with bm. But the toughest thing is manufacturers selling their own products and bypassing the retailer.

[@LucasJRice]

If only these stores had instruments that people wanted but it’s too expensive to have multiples of expensive models just for me to decide of this Fender American sounds different than this exact same Fender American. These stores aren’t even really fulfilling this trope that they push.

[@coachcleats13]

First Guitar Center and now Sam Ash

[@ErikShen2907]

Hey Rocco... .CLOCK OUT!!!!

[@jamesschenk]

What the hell is going on with this sick country now you cant even buy a lousy guitar these day this internet shopping shit is getting out of hand

[@James-cs3hp]

When I heard the stores were closing, my first thought was wonder who died...and it was the man himself...guess the rest of what he left behind was Exhausted....

[@InfinitelyQurious]

Oh man, this just makes me so sad.

[@bradspringer2372]

Cant blame it on crime. Shoplifters do not play musical instruments.

[@ernestadams9283]

Sad I’m A Drummer

[@charleslanphier8094]

You need to play 500 guitars to choose one ? Are you Jimmy Page?

[@carouselofcrazychrisb]

Bought my first guitar at a Sam Ash

[@stvnd1]

Been playing music for 35 years and never even stepped into a Sam Ash. No surprise.

[@lalosalamanca6936]

Bruce Playing your back pipe after eating beans isn’t really considered music

[@stvnd1]

@@lalosalamanca6936 Maybe not, but your mom plays quite a melody on my skin flute.

[@charlespiper9291]

Keeps Pookie from stealing

[@Psyclonus7]

my local sam ash has been dying for years

[@user-pz6js5dv3v]

Screw sam ash one time i picked up a guitar i wanted to buy i started to play a solo ans the guy kickedd me out saying i was slamming the guitar around not true but i think because i looked kinda homeless at the time he was being discriminate and so i went down to guitar center right after and bought the same les paul there without any issues whatsoever

[@Avenue77]

You gotta move to Tennessee...that stuff store is not popular there

[@popsiclestick8405]

This looks like a 1980s video

[@jogmas12]

Sweetwater is what did it in for them

[@guitarexpert2245]

I don't like Sweetwater. Can't try anything out in person

[@mattmallon6546]

Bidenomics at its finest.

[@drumtwo4seven]

FALLOUT FROM CHUMPS FKD UP ECONOMY HE LEFT THE USA WITH

[@chadgeary5615]

​@@pandaman1968ok NERD

[@kevin2400]

​​@pandaman1968 I bet you were fun during the so called pandemic

[@drumtwo4seven]

DOESN'T MEAN MUCH FOR MUSICIANS THERE ARE PLENTY OF OTHER OPTIONS,,, GUITAR CENTER, AMAZON, MUSICIANS FRIEND (OWNS GC), SWEETWATER, CASCIO INTERSTATE MUSIC... TONS OF ONLINE RETAILERS SELLING MUSIC GEAR FREE SHIPPING

[@Quicks1lvr]

Democrat extremely happy to support major corporations and online only purchasing

[@drumtwo4seven]

@Quick.What do you think Sam Ash was ??? Mom and pop brick and mortar 🧱🧱🧱 NOT ! You can't get anymore corporate than sam ash... Sweetwater is fl.only, CASCIO INTERSTATE isn't a chain either d m f k r DUH

[@drumtwo4seven]

@pandam .NOT they were just another high volume music store chain.

[@davidsaroea5530]

Oh great. Now I have to go to guitar center. They suck

[@bobbarksofficial4335]

RIP

[@stevenlamarjr7694]

I'm so mad 😡

[@chiarosuburekeni9325]

Never went to one. Guitar center only

[@chiarosuburekeni9325]

@@pandaman1968yeah. I’ve always heard that Sam Ash was the Target to Guitar Center’s Wal-Mart. I might have to drive out to one before they finally shut down for good.

[@xkj-286-86ho]

☹️

[@manuelcamacho4915]

Its starting to happen the next collapse of supply

[@currentphonograph7487]

Bummer

[@RobustArid379]

I don’t understand, you owe no money

[@andrewshanley2704]

This is sad

[@djgreenhornet2892]

Oh well 🤷🏿‍♂️🎸

[@mrcrowleyoz]

Now all the posers will go to guitar center…

[@iblackfeathers]

bad customer service. 👍

[@andrewhinojosa4517]

😢

[@First1ToComment]

Amazon 🎉

[@kevin2400]

Bidenomics jack

[@dixonyaarmouf4630]

Mismanagement in combination with Bidenomics

[@greenmanalishi6963]

Joe Bidens America

[@eddiebmx]

Thanks biden

[@leecornwell5632]

Thanks to the real estate's people.

[@ameliabedelia7018]

Isn’t this the store that sells trashy lingerie? I lost my innocence there.

[@JL-rd5gn]

this is sam ass, you ash 😉

[@paddyoak1]

Yes, yes; that’s the one.

[@buffalowick8003]

Lol do what? I never saw such inside my Sam Ash

[@TheStrangeKage]

Bidenomics!!!!!!@!!!!!

[@samt8164]

Yeah I heard that Biden's online music store is offering way better deals on guitars and amps that these brick and mortar stores just can't compete with. Plus verybody knows that Joe Biden invented the internet.

[@kikeenriquez4436]

they're gonna have to do better than 5% off instruments to get ppl to buy lol not even the sales tax

[@ralphschueler9437]

Sam Ash 48th Street in New York City I think they're still open but they were the best Sam Ash store in the country if you want to meet Jimi Hendrix when he was alive with the Rolling Stones when they were in town or recording a deck of Records or Atlantic Records which was right there bye Sam Ash you can meet a lot of people just walk into Sam Ash pick up a Guitar stop playing before you know it you jamming with the Allman Brothers they they show up I mean it was really rocking and rolling back in the hay day. They will always be remembered for that

[@Teskatlipoca]

... you can't feel nothing 😅

[@arm5080]

Build Back Better

[@ginohernandez3770]

Joe Bidens America