My last visit to Sam Ash in the Ft. Lauderdale area started out pretty much like the GC experiences listed above.

I wanted to see the S-900. Most of the personnel were young guys sporting various adornments from tattoos, pierced noses and eyebrows to dreadlocks. Among the din of guitars and drums being tried out was the house system belting out reggae.

Finally a 20-something young man asked if he could help me. And, help me, he did. I asked about the S-900. He said two had just come in and were in the back warehouse. He offered to pull one out for me. While he did, I had a chance to preview the Korg PA 800, one of the very few other arrangers on display.

The young man arrived with the S-900 still boxed up. He set it up, plugged it in and I inserted my thumbdrive and started getting acquainted with the subtle differences it has compared to my 3000.

While I didn't purchase anything on this visit, the young salesman, who previously knew little about arrangers, got a pretty good introductory lesson on some of Yamaha's capabilities. And, not once, did he call me "Pops".

Another potential customer came up and got interested while I was putting the S-900 through some paces. He was asking some very "buyer-like" questions. I wouldn't be surprised if that kid sold that board soon after I left.

Eddie