Vintage Instruments - Philadelphia SNOTTY Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

In March of 2011, I decided to take a 3-hour drive to Philadelphia and visit Vintage Instruments.  It is a music store more or less that carries a wide variety of vintage wood instruments.  My interest was in their vintage guitar area.  When I arrived there shortly before Noon (they open at 10AM), I felt like I was intruding.  The guy looked at me quizically like "why are you here" kind of look.  That was red flag #1.  I like to be greeted when I arrive to do potential business and talked to like I am important to their business.  These intruments are in the $8000 - $25000 range.  In today's market, if I had a potential customer showing up at my door, I would be treating those customers like gold.   There here for a reason and they have the cash if there showing up.

I explained that I had brought with me several vintage instruments and that I was interested in looking at his inventory.  Once I told him what I had brought with me, as possible trades, he was much more interested in speaking with me.  That was red flag #2.  - Kind of goes to red flag #1 above.  Regardless of what I had to trade, that should not have mattered.  Treating people well, goes a long way when your business relies on relationships.  I would like to develop new customers for that repeat business.  I did not get that sense from Vintage Instruments - Philadelphia.

We went to the lower level where the vintage guitars were hanging.  I played a few of them and the gentlemen looked over my instruments and appeared to only be interested in one of them (I had brought 4 with me).  Of course, when we got down to the haggling (I wanted to trade one for something he had), he only wanted to allow a minimal value for trade in yet, when I looked at his website over the years, the guitars like mine, sold for much much more than he was willing to allow for mine.  I was told that the economy was playing a role.  That was red flag #2. - Be fair to people.  In this case, I felt as though I was being taken advantage of or that he was trying to bilk me out of a few grand by low-balling the trade value.

I have over the years called this business several times.  Similar experiences.  Snotty, talk to you like your intruding on their day, that your call does not matter, etc ..  It is a real shame.