12 QUESTIONS WITH GRAPEVINE GUITAR WORKS

Can you give a brief history of your store?
GGW opened up in 2005 as a small internet venture during the hey-day of guitar trading on eBay. We became so famous for our breadth of knowledge in the guitar market, and our radical customer service that the biz starting growing little by little as we added dealership after dealership. We now have a 3000 square foot showroom in historic Grapevine, TX and are consistently in the top 10 eBay sellers for guitars and amps, both new and used.

Was there a particular person -- a teacher, another store owner, a
family member or friend, etc. -- who inspired you to go into this business?
My dad has always encouraged me to do whatever I do "all-in." While he's not a guitar player... he is an avid model train collector and he taught me a thing or two over the years about getting REALLY crazy about a hobby. My own passion for guitars is the same as most boutique shop owners... its my love and my hobby, and its been my chance in life to do what I really have passion for. I'm grateful for it - many people don't get that chance.

What instrument(s) do you play personally? Do you have a band?
I play guitar, both electric and acoustic. I fronted a pop/grunge band in the early 90's which shall rename nameless. I am one of those unfortunate guitar players who came of age when it was uncool to play solos or have serious chops... so my speed and technical knowledge has always been subservient to my "metal-reared" friends. But I LOVE to play... I own a Reverend Sensei 290, amongst 13 other personal guitars - many of them "cheapos" which is kind of a sub-hobby of mind - finding awesome playing guitars for *super* cheap.

What makes your store different from the average "Big Box" music store?
We have comfortable couches and we let people play really expensive guitars without hovering. And we sell most strings for like $5 a pack. No one has a sales quota, and everyone who works at GGW is there because they want to be. Oh yeah, and we have a guitar and amp tech who actually knows what he's doing... that alone puts us in a category by ourselves!

What has been your proudest moment as a musical instrument dealer so far?
Taylor Guitars invited me to California as a top-tier dealer to spend 3 days at the factory. While there, I got to spend 30 minutes with Bob Taylor selecting tone woods and designing my own personal custom Taylor. Bob is a master of his trade, and I don't think I took a breath the entire 30 minutes we were together.

How did you hear about Reverend?
Reverend has always had the coolest ads and the best looking guitar designs, and for years I wanted to try one. Finally got my hands on one and the rest was history. In early 2010 I was looking to add another line to my growing showroom... a line I could trust for consistent quality, and one that was really respected by players, both amateur and professional. Reverend was the obvious choice, and I've never looked back. Revs have been one of my most consistent sellers and I have not had a single case of buyers remorse.

What Reverend models do you stock regularly?
We load in heavy about 2 or 3 times a year with the entire line and then try to keep the inventory replenished on a one-by-one basis throughout the year. Its hard not to carry the entire line... each model offers something so unique and I just want to have them all hanging!

What do you like about working with Reverend Guitars?
No corporate bull. Reverend's team operates just like us - just a group of folks who love music and know what a quality guitar is in a no-frills package. No fancy promotions or gimmicks... just quality instruments at a great price point and that's what people really dig about Reverend.

What amp brands do you sell? What pedal brands?
We are an authorized Vox dealer, and also sell two high end USA lines - Paul Reed Smith and Carr. And there are so many used amps in the showroom, we have to swap out power outlets when people want to test them!

Do you have any unusual hobbies, skills, or pastimes you'd like to share with us?
My hobby is my work... so from that standpoint.. you've got it! My other three hobbies are named Georgiana (my fantastic wife of 13 years) and Daniel and Katie (8 and 6... Danny plays a Flying V covered in Pokemon stickers and Katie plays a pink Kala ukelele).

Do you have any advice for up and coming players?
Learn your theory and scales early. Muscle memory in your late 30's is SOOO hard to build. It may seem boring, but there is a huge payoff.

Please tell us about any events you have coming up?
Hanging with Ken and the gang this weekend at the Dallas International Guitar Festival, the biggest guitar show in the world!

Sean Simon
Grapevine Guitar Works