Is it so hard to say "I don't know"?

[mariamousie1]

Recently I joined a band and I'm going to play the flute. The only thing is I don't actually own a flute, and the band's rental guy refuses to call me back (but that's a different rant). My dad said it would be cheaper in the long run to just buy one, so I went over to Wal-mart after hearing they had musical instruments for good prices. Here's a transcript of my Wal-Mart experience.

Me: Excuse me, do you sell musical instruments?
Woman in electronics (which is at the back of the store): They're at the vision center.
Me: *goes to vision center which is all the way at the front of the store*
Me: Excuse me, do you have any flutes?
Vision center lady: If we did, they'd be in electronics with the alarm clocks.
Me: *back across the store to electronics, but can't find the alarm clocks*
Me: Excuse me, do you have musical instruments?
Woman who is not the first woman: Yes, they're in toys.
Me: *goes to toys which is fortunately right next to electronics*
Me: Excuse me, are there musical instruments in this section?
Woman in toys: No, sorry.
Me: *back to electronics, where I find my mom who has found the alarm clocks and the instruments, unfortunately there are only clarinets and saxophones*

Seriously, why make stuff up? If it's not your section, please find someone who can answer the question or just say "Sorry, I don't know." I much prefer it to wild goose chases. It's not the first time this has happened to me at Wal-mart either.

Also, we went to Canadian Tire to look at glasses. My mom found some she liked but she couldn't find them in a box, and there was no one in the section to help us. My mom went to customer service and they called for someone to go to kitchenware. I waited with my mom in kitchenware for about 5 minutes until I got bored and went out to the car and read a book until my mom came out 10 minutes later without the glasses because no one ever showed. I don't want to sound sucky, but...actually I can't think of a way to end that sentence without sounding sucky. It's been an irritating morning.

Edit: I have a funny story too though. In Wal-mart we were looking for a birthday present for my dad, and decided to get him the DVD for Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix since he really likes those movies. We went down the movie aisle and couldn't find it, and my mom said "What is it again?" I told her the title, then said I would find someone to ask. I turned around, and an employee who was right behind me putting movies on the shelves was holding out a copy of Order of the Phoenix to me. It was so funny because he never said a word.

[Shabo]

Do yourself a favor, and go buy a nice flute. When I was a little kid in band, I used the flute that my mom had bought when she was little. I'm pretty sure the thing is older than her! But it still works perfectly. The instruments in Wal-Mart are good for people who are only going to play for a few years in like 2nd grade, not for someone who is looking to do a bit more advanced stuff. In addition, should you ever decide to stop playing, good quality flutes will get you a better resale than a pos flute from wally world. For example, my flute is a Bundy. I did a quick search, and most of them are selling for $125+ for a used flute. I highly doubt they paid that much for it when they bought it, and there is still good prices to be obtained for it now (if we were selling it.)

[GolfCart34]

I bought my flute at a high end music store used for $150. I got that thing 13 years ago and it still works great (even though I don't play anymore, although I did offer it to my cousin if she ever wanted to join the school band). Look up your local music stores and see if they have anything good in stock at a reasonable price. That way you know you're getting a quality instrument and they can fix it in short order should something break on it. I've even seen instruments in the Sears and JC Penney catalogs. There are plenty of other options than Wal-Mart where you can get a quality instrument. Too bad you didn't live around here (or down by the coast of New Hampshire rather) because they have a magazine called the Want-Advertiser and they always have instruments for sale in there.

As for the instruments at Wal-Mart. I've never seen them in a standard Wal-Mart store. If they do have them, they're tend to be at the supercenters and they've always been on a display next to (not in) the vision center. If I were an employee there and I had no clue as to where an item was I'd say something along the lines of, "You know, that's a good question. I'm not sure but let me find out for you right now." To me that always sounds better than just a plain, "I don't know" or making excuses as to where you think the item is. It's always a possibility that the instrument stock moves so frequently that people just have no clue to begin with.

[PepperElf]

exactly... walmart - or any other discount store - is not the place to get an instrument if you're serious. the best thing to do is check out an actual music store.


There's just too many things a real music store will have that discount stores won't even consider.

Such as... trained staff who can help you pick out a proper instrument. Sure you can buy a cheap guitar at a discount store, but the employees there aren't really going to tell you how to take care of it, or have the knowledge necessary to guide you to a quality instrument. All they'll be able to to is say "yeah it's over there."


At a real music store, the staff is trained - and most of them are musicians themselves. They might be more expensive than say walmart, but they'll also be able to help you maintain the instruments with proper cleaning kits, tuning, and the like.

And for personal examples
1) My sister played oboe from 4th to 12th grade. At least twice a year she'd get her oboe re-tuned at the store, and she always made sure she had extra reeds around. Plus, there was usually a nice selection of sheet music there too.

2) I started with flute but for my 13th birthday my parents traded it in for a guitar. I knew *nothing* about guitars except that I wanted one. The staff there really helped me pick out a good one, showed me a few things to look for in sound quality... and the guitar I ended up getting... I still have 22 years later. Yeah it was nice enough that it's lasted that long.


and... that brings up another point. Music stores often have used instruments, let you trade used instruments in, or let you rent. kinda sounds like a win-win situation.

[BookstoreEscapee]

Edit: I have a funny story too though. In Wal-mart we were looking for a birthday present for my dad, and decided to get him the DVD for Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix since he really likes those movies. We went down the movie aisle and couldn't find it, and my mom said "What is it again?" I told her the title, then said I would find someone to ask. I turned around, and an employee who was right behind me putting movies on the shelves was holding out a copy of Order of the Phoenix to me. It was so funny because he never said a word.

I've done this numerous times. I would overhear a customer asking for something at the customer service desk, and by the time the CS employee had looked it up, I'd have gotten it and be back at the desk and hand it to the customer. Oftentimes I did this when it was something that was on a table or other display I had just set up (I used to be in charge of new releases). Or I'd hear customers talking between themselves and would just grab the book and hand it to them. It's kinda fun

[mariamousie1]

Thanks so much guys! My dad says he was at a place called Bel Air Music today and he says they sell flutes for $250 dollars. So you're right, that's probably a better idea, to go to a music store. We're going there tomorrow.

As for Order of the Phoenix, it's funny, but I wish that guy would come to my house and do it again, because I can't find it. My dad's going to get it late because my mom put it away somewhere and can't remember where.

[Titi]

I have a question.

Did you ask specifically for a flute? or just for musical instruments.

I only ask because I also go to a Walmart that sells musical instruments and we have found them in all of the places that the associates mentioned.

The guitars and drums were up by the vision center, the woodwinds (I guess because it doesn't have a reed it's not considered a woodwind.) in electronics and the brass instruments (including the flutes) in the area between the toys and lighting departments.

Really confusing and frustrating to people looking for instruments.

[mariamousie1]

I believe I asked them all for flutes except the first lady, but if she worked in electronics and I asked for instruments wouldn't she say "There are some here, but some in the vision center?" Oh well.

[wynjara]

I haven't tried the band-type instruments, but the FirstAct (brand of instruments Wal-Mart carries, at least around here) guitars are actually really nice. I just remember seeing them for the first time and thinking "Wow, people can actually find instruments without needing to do a separate trip to a store they normally wouldn't even know exists!"

[Shabo]

the woodwinds (I guess because it doesn't have a reed it's not considered a woodwind.) in electronics

Even though they do not have a reed, they are indeed considered woodwinds. It's definitely not a brass instrument.

And wynjara, maybe you have seen a different type of guitar than the ones I've seen, but the ones at the Wally world near me look like fake toy guitars. I'd hardly call them decent. Maybe decent for a 5 year old, but certainly not for someone who is serious about learning.

[PorkChop]

You can get musical instruments at Wal-Mart?

Your best bet is to visit a music store. I played the clarinet from 6th to 12th grade. My band instructor gave me a wooden clarinet (he found an abandoned clarinet in the storage room) for symphonic band. For marching band, I rented a plastic clarinet from a local music store. The owner is a clarinet player herself and also gave me some pointers. Plus, she, my mom and including my band instructor played in high school band together.

I haven't touched the clarinet since the day I graduated from high school 7 yrs ago. It is wonderful that you are still playing your art after school.

[Seshat]

Go to any music store and ask for student-grade instruments, if you want 'inexpensive but durable and with a decent, if plain, sound'. Music stores are very used to catering for people who are just starting, and try to have instruments which are the best compromise the staff can find between price and quality.

Once you're ready for a better sound, music stores are still the place to go. At least until you're a making a living as a music professional, when you may prefer to go straight to the boutique craftsmen custom-making instruments.

[marasbaras]

Wally World tries to hire sucky employees. That has to be it. I've run into a few really good ones, most just seem to hate the fact that you are disturbing their universe.