Bestsellers: Playing the guitar cause ‘they wanna be a rockstar’ Tell us about your bestseller
The path to rock stardom usually begins with a guitar.
And at Hamilton Rockshop it’s a particular type of guitar that’s likely to get a fretthrashing by learning fingers. Drummer and shop assistant Te Greening tells us more about Rockshop’s bestsellers.
I mainly run the drum department, but the store's overall bestseller would be a brand, Aria. They have a sort of a beginner, starter guitar. They do nylon and stell-strings in a bunch of different shapes and colours. They also do above beginner ranges. For me in my department down the back it would be the Pearl Roadshow drum kit that sells the best. It’s definitely a flying-off-theshelf product at the moment. Basically packed with everything you need to start playing.
Why do you think it's so appealing?
I mean [Aria guitars] are cheap for starters.
If you don’t have an idea of if you’re going to commit to playing, they’re good because you don’t have to break the bank getting one. And they play really nicely. People want to learn guitar because they wanna be a rockstar.
That’s the first thing you think of when you think rockstar, the guitar.
Who's attracted to it?
Some young kids, just starting to play. But it’s mostly teenagers, like metalhead teenagers.
Sometimes it’ll be old people who’ve got a bit of spare time.
How much is it (the best seller guitar, that is)?
From about mid hundreds right up into about $899 maybe in the beginner-ish range.
What's your favourite item/ product?
Would have to be a drum kit, probably the Pearl Midtown is my favourite.
It’s like a cute bebop kit, really easy to move and take around and it sounds really nice. I’ve been playing drums since I was in nappies. My dad played and he taught me.