katsumbhong
Offline
Taichung, Taiwan

How's it going everyone.

Simple question.

Do you guys tend to purchase your audio equipment and/or parts locally to help support local stores or do you purchase your equipment and items online via Amazon/eBay.

Even though I'm in Taiwan, I try to purchase as much of my audio parts (connectors, wires, heat shrink, chips, etc.) locally if at all possible. I also try and purchase audio equipment from small local pro-audio shops in efforts to support their business.

I could probably save a few bucks doing it online through pchome or ruten, but I try to support small businesses whenever I can.

With the chiptune scene being in my eyes, economical, would you guys rather save a few bucks with Amazon or drop some cash at a shop?

YukiKakushi
Offline
South Dakota, United States

I personally do both, but I really do prefer picking up parts locally. Currently where I'm living there aren't to many audio/electronic shop, but if I can buy anything from a local store I usually do. The nice thing that I like about shopping at local stores is that when you get to know the people that work there and your tight on money they will usually work with you to help you out.

Last edited by YukiKakushi (Dec 7, 2015 6:58 am)

bitpusher2600
Offline

I was fortunate to be able to do so and it happened by chance! I mean I buy my cables and stuff at local stores but when I wanted a Gameboy pro-sound modded for LSDJ, I had to go online to buy  because I don't know a thing about soldering boards and etc. Turns out that a shop called Thursday Customs is local to my state (in fact, about an hour and a half away where I live.) So yeah, it is definitely nice to be able to get stuff near home smile

katsumbhong
Offline
Taichung, Taiwan
bitpusher2600 wrote:

I was fortunate to be able to do so and it happened by chance! I mean I buy my cables and stuff at local stores but when I wanted a Gameboy pro-sound modded for LSDJ, I had to go online to buy  because I don't know a thing about soldering boards and etc. Turns out that a shop called Thursday Customs is local to my state (in fact, about an hour and a half away where I live.) So yeah, it is definitely nice to be able to get stuff near home smile

Justin does some real clutch work. I had him take care of a few commissions for me before I moved to Taiwan.

yogi
Offline
Jelly Stone park, MD USA

More and more, online. Love going to local electronic supply stores but over the last few years there are fewer in my area. Years ago, there were some great surplus stores and well stocked shops. The few that are left  really only deal with IT and Alarm/CCVideo contractors and don't stock the large selection for DIY types.Plus the cost is way up there when you pay the retail prices.
  Online, Mouser is my goto site but have been hitting EBay some for Bulk/NOS stuff. Mouser is super fast with it's shipping, OTOH EBay's China sellers take weeks but cost much less.
Yogi

DJCactus
Offline
D D D Detroit, not the burbs

I try to purchase locally when I can.  Unfortunately out by me in metro-Detroit we don't have many local options, I've bought tons of gear from Guitar Center even though it wouldn't be my first choice, I probably get just as much gear online as I do locally.  The nice thing about Guitar Center is that I've never really had to pay full price and when I cant get a deal the guy always throws something in.  I've gotten tons of cables, pedals, strings, and other random studio necessities that way.

Last edited by DJCactus (Dec 7, 2015 6:58 pm)

my.Explosion
Offline
Finland

I don't like dealing with local music-equipment-pushers because a) they are really "pushers" and b) it's usually more expensive (not that I don't agree that it should be and I fully understand why, obviously)

Usually though it's that the few local people I've dealt with are fricking stingy, man. And one of them went as far as to just plain badmouth another company, which he admitted to was one of their own manufacturer-thingies (the people that they, the distributors, buy stuff off of to resell).

After that I just gave up on local. Small things, picks, cables, adapters. Yes local, obviously. But larger/more important stuff. Online (oddly).

Last edited by my.Explosion (Dec 7, 2015 7:45 pm)

nanode
Offline
(ﾉ◕ヮ◕)ﾉ*:･ﾟ✧ el ass dee j

Yes.

chunter
Offline
Brunswick, GA USA

I actually feel bad that I don't use the local music stores more, but they don't carry what I need because I'm probably the only guy in town who wants what I'd buy. and strings are way more cost effective when ordered.


The bummer is that I know them and they know me, so it isn't exactly great support for the local scene.