Last year we were saddened to hear that the Sam Ash music store chain closed its doors after 99 years of operation. Brick and mortar retail is tough and getting tougher by the day as so many of us choose to buy our gear online, so the closing wasn’t entirely surprising. Still, those of us that grew up with the chain shed a tear when the news was announced. Thankfully, the brand is not gone for good, as Sam Ash has now reappeared as on online entity called Sam Ash Direct.
As Director of E-Commerce for Sam Ash Direct and great-grandson of Sam Ash Derek Ash states, “We want musicians to know that Sam Ash isn’t gone—it’s just evolved.”
The company was brought back to life after The Gonher Group purchased the brand and intellectual property late last year. Now, the company is back online at its familiar samash.com.
So many musicians grew up buying their gear from Sam Ash that most will let out a cheer for the company’s resurrection. That said, when it comes to buying an instrument, nothing replaces the in-store experience of actually feeling several instruments to find one that just fits.
I remember going through about a dozen Telecasters until I came across one that just felt like magic in my hands, and that can’t be replaced by online purchasing.
That said, instruments today are made better than ever, with more precision and quality control, so it’s difficult to buy something bad. You’ll just never know if you missed one that was magic.
So welcome back Sam Ash Direct. The music world will definitely be a better place with you in it again.
