Big Pine – Top 2 places for music shops2 recommended music shops in Big Pine

Great little market and gas station. Everything was well organized and clean.

I recommend this place for a stop when driving through Big Pine, CA. It’s a great little hardware and grocery store,, with fishing and souvenir stuff.

This is a great place for a little bit of everything.

I found just about everything I needed while camping at Taboose. A lot of hardware for a small town store. And tons of food stuff. Keep going back as needed.

This place has everything – for a small shop.

A couple of years ago, I bought a shower here. Went back recently on a Sunday morning. $4/token got me 10 minutes-ish (?; no signage or communication from store on how long) of now appalling conditions.

I was given the “North” bathroom (same as last time) in a horrid state. Overflowing trash bin outside. Inside: old, filthy floor to ceiling; toilet paper was out, but piles of soiled toilet paper on the floor; no hand soap; water dripping from ceiling; dirty, stained curtain. The worst was the hot water, which flipped between hot/high pressure and tepid/low pressure.

Good music playing, friendly employees, and a good selection.

Absolutely incredible store. Owners are so nice and friendly. Soooo much to look at, it’s musical heaven!!

Pretty awesome

Really “phoning it in” with the variety. Very few early recording of popular music and only new pressing of the most popular releases. Nothing in between. It’s mostly an instrument shop with some records to keep the shop open.

Good selection of vinyl and instruments.

They always have a great selection

Employee was rude just because we did not see the don’t touch the guitar sign. Lost my business.

Worst customer service.

The owner (I assume, or whoever was in charge both times I went) is exceptionally rude and condescending.

I’m very surprised this place has such a positive overall rating on Google; Maybe it’s only when people want to play something that they get treated like children because many people seem to have had a great experience with little things like strings and picks.

I went into this place twice.

First time, I was greeted pleasantly by an employee. I asked to play the Casino they had hanging on the wall and he said, “that depends; do you intend to buy it?” Immediately turned off, I said “well I’ll have to play it in order to make that determination,” and he directed me to the back of the store to ask the owner. I said “you know what man, thanks anyway; really not my kind of vibe. Thanks though.”

Went in again like 3 weeks later hoping to play the same Casino they had on the wall. Again I was greeted pleasantly. I hadn’t brought a pick so this time, I asked where their picks are and the owner said something to the effect of “they’re everywhere. Got ’em up front, back here, over there” etc. I said “How about Jim Dunlop Nylon 73’s?” he said, “they’re back here” pointing to the back where they sold the picks. I then told him, “okay great. I’ll take a pack of those and then if it’s alright I’d like to play that Casino you have over there.” He responded, “not with a pick you’re not” and I’m like, “huh, really?” He then told me that I should be able to tell if I wanted to buy it without a pick and said something like, “it’s called keeping a new instrument nice.”

I sort of laughed at the insult, shook my head, and said “yeah man thanks anyway.”

As I left, he had the audacity to say “that says a lot, you know,” another deliberate insult to a customer prepared to drop $650 on a brand new guitar in his store.

I thought to myself how much more it said about him and his business practices.

The thing that gets me is, I’m not a child with Cheeto dust on his fingers and dirt under his fingernails. My mom didn’t bring me in. I don’t even remotely look like some kid who’s in there to “shred.” I’m in my 30s and have been playing music professionally for over 15 years (something I thought might’ve been hinted at by such a specific pick request) and I know darn well how to respect a new instrument that I haven’t paid for.

I’ve been in dozens of places like this all around the country and have never been treated with such condescension, let alone outright insulted.

Everyone who walks into your store is a potential lifelong relationship. How about asking your prospective customers some respectful probing questions like “oh you like that Casino; are you a single coil guy? How long have you been playing? Are you in a band? Any gigs lately?” There are MANY ways to get a feel on how likely it is for a customer to disrespect your new merchandise without insulting them.

Such a shame that the only music store within 30+ miles of my new residence in Big Bear would choose to throw away what would have been hundreds (if not thousands) of dollars of business over what at WORST would have been a slightly scratched-up finish on a new guitar that could easily be buffed out by a competent tech.

I’ll never spend a dime at this store.