Well Barbara, I was such a telecom exec some few years ago, and had that sort of spendable income - which is why I used the analogy ... and in truth, I understand that is why Guitar Center caters to those kind of people, and I am glad for those kind of people. I am just disappointed they don't care about me anymore (two years ago I returned making my living at music - and therefore live just above the poverty level!).

I don't put all the Guitar Center folks in one basket, as I seemed to above. I know some great guys that work there - I enjoy their company and care about their opinions. But the Guitar Center has recently changed thie approach to sales and taken a page out of the car sales book. These days they are more interested in hiring the personality types that fit that practice.

I hope you don't take offense at those comments. I liked the idea behind the chain, and liked the way seveal of their stores worked, but I dislike their changes and realize they are not meant to cater towards the likes of me.

As to great small stores and businesses - mentioned by you and Frank?? I love these type of businesses. I live for these places. I find them all over the country and always spend time in them when I can. I mentioned Elderly (though that's grown ito a bug business, it still fits the small business mold in many ways) - I found a great little acoustic instruments shop in Fredricksburg VA - I found another great shop in St Loius - Rick's brought me to a couple in Toronto - I know they're out there!

I guess I've come full circle on this issue. I used to hate the big stores because they always had some yoyo sales guys tryig to impress you with his licks and his lingo - and sell you the hottest guitar on the market. Then when the Guitar Center came along, I found lots and lots of really fine guitars under one roof, and could sit and play anyone I wanted (stock market investment made the scale possible). Now the are finding stock market investors want return on their investments and they have foolishly chosen the conservative apporach; how do these other professional sales orgs work? what worked for them? let's hire a Harvard MBA with huge sales track record and let him set the tone! No surpirse, you get what we've been talking about.

BUT if they'd dared to be different, if they'd have analyzed and believed in their strengths, they might have developed a new kind of approach - they might have found a way to make their large scale model work without lowest common denominator products and high presssured sales tactics.

But I've been in big business long enough to know that they are frightened of innovation. They rarely choose the road less travelled, and they rarely know how to launch a long term "career" on the strengths that brought them into the forefront to begin with.