I'm hearing all of this and I've been there but I think a big part of it is the fact that these 18/19 year old kids don't give a shit. They are just all hyped up to be working in a guitar shop. I'm 18, I've been working in our shop for two and a half years now, and I'd say that between me and my friend/colleague Ryan we are the only two left that have a clue about guitars. Its all about enthusiasm. I'm not a good guitar player by any stretch of the imagination, but I know enough about gear and have played enough different things to know what I am talking about. I learn about the stuff I need to know about. I have a near encyclopedic knowledge of Fender, Gibson and G&L even thought they hold little interest for me. If these kids would learn shit outside of there work hours they could be great, but they go off to drink beer and play System of A Down.
In the process they give all 18 year olds working in guitar shops a bad name. I get so much shit from customers looking down on me because of my age, but it's always nice to one up them with Ibanez knowledge and especially when they find out that I am the one who set up their guitar just they like it for slide in Open E. Thats right, the spotty kid over there in the camo shorts and long hair singing along to Necrophagist does know how to do something...prick.
Sorry for the rant.
