# Bad Experience at LA Music in Mississauga



## Fiveway

I just posted a review on yelp but I thought I'd share it here too and see if any of you guys had thoughts to share about this shop. 

I'll start with the good: LA Music has a great selection of instruments. They stock a number of very high end models of the lines they carry. It's a big store with a lot of stock, which is great. 

Here's the bad, and unfortunately there's a lot of it: When I walked into the acoustic guitar room, it seemed like everything they had was low or mid-tier models. Turns out there's a room, about the size of a walk-in closet where they keep acoustics over $1500. From what I could see through the window, there were probably about 30 guitars in there, but it was tough to see. The door to this room is locked unfortunately, so I couldn't get in there to see what they had. I found it a bit annoying to have the nicer instruments locked away.

In the back I found another room where they kept all the upper-end electric guitars. Again, anything over about $1500. There were at least a hundred guitars in this room, so I was really interested in getting in there to see what they had. 

I found the door locked, again, just like the acoustic guitar closet. When I tried to open the door the sales guy started telling me about the school nearby and how a kid irreparably damaged a $16000 guitar and now they don't let anyone in that room. I told him I wasn't a high-school student. He said they don't even let him play the instruments in that room. 

You can't really see much through the door. The Gretsches all face the opposite direction and it's really hard getting a sense of what's in there. The sales guy just kept rambling on and on about how tough it is to run a music store when everyone wants to wreck your high-end gear. By that time I was really annoyed and tuned him out. He just kept yapping on and on.

I was annoyed by the fact that a middle-aged guy with disposable income, is getting treated like a high-school kid. It was insulting to be treated like a child. But it was made much worse by the sales guy's ingratiating chatter, trying to make excuses for why LA Music was going to continue to treat me like a child. And that was exacerbated by the fact that the sales guy made it sound like LA Music doesn't even trust him, a supposed expert, with an instrument over $1500.

It made me feel bad. It was a bad shopping experience. I go to guitar stores to feel good. Like every other guitar player in the world, I go to guitar stores to dream about my next purchase, to discover an axe that I'd never seen before and to sit down, get a feel for the weight of it, the neck, the tone. And like every guitar player on earth, I'll do this once a month and spend an hour or two in the store, playing a couple dozen instruments. And maybe once a year, I'll drop a couple grand on something. This is how guitar players shop. If you run a guitar store you not only have to accept it, you should probably encourage it.

But LA Music doesn't respect or trust their customers enough to even let them get within 10 feet of a guitar that costs over $1500. They've built a culture of mistrust and they project that onto their customers and they paint everyone with same brush, from the poorest school kid to richest Oakvillian.

If you want people to buy guitars from you. Let them look at the instruments. If you have to treat them like museum pieces (which I admit some of the really high-end instruments are) at least display them in a way that people can get close enough to drool without getting saliva on the guitars. But for god's sake, don't make your customers feel like children for wanting to get close enough to look at the guitars. 

If you think the bad experience ends with that, there's more. It actually starts with the surly prick at the cash register when you walk in. This guy is the exact opposite of a walmart greeter. 

Once you're put on edge immediately after walking in, and after you're insulted by being treated like a kid, you can have the joy of browsing the cheap guitar room. This room is filled with hundreds of guitars, most of them in the sub $1000 range.

Because these are the cheap guitars, they're just the factory setups, some of which were downright awful. Many of the guitars I picked up had buzzing notes, or high action or corroded strings and every single one was out of tune.

Yet the salesfolk were standing around yapping. I can understand how expensive it would be to restring and set up a couple hundred guitars. But if the store's empty why not grab a guitar or two and tune it up? Maybe wipe down the strings if they're a bit crusty?

Anyway, my experience at LA Music was very bad. They made me feel bad about wanting to look at nice guitars. They made lame excuses that continued to insult me. And when they let me play the cheap guitars, they were badly set-up and out of tune, which further sucked any remaining joy out of guitar shopping.

If you go to guitar stores to add a little joy to your life, avoid going to LA Music. I won't be back.


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## GuitarsCanada

There is something missing here that I am not getting. The locked rooms that you speak of. These guitars are for sale? If they are for sale what is the policy? Did they tell you that the guitars are for sale but they dont allow "anyone" to play them or only people that are deemed to be tire kickers? Central in Welland has a room like that but when they see a "buyer" coming the door gets unlocked fast. I can understand high end guitars being kept away from the kids. But not from serious buyers.

When I say serious buyers that does not imply that you have to go in there and wave cash either. Just look the part


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## Hamstrung

If you search "LA Music" on this site I'm sure you'll see many posts that reflect a similar experience. Why bother even stocking these instruments if you can't even allow an interested customer to check 'em out! There's lots of gripes about their online service as well. 

There's another store in Brantford named LA Music. DO NOT confuse the the two! They are completely different operations and not affiliated. The one in Brantford is run like a store should be! They not only have their higher end stuff accessible it's the first thing you see when you walk in. It actually makes ME nervous for THEM! That said the staff is friendly and they have a pretty good selection. Not as big as LA in Mississauga but so what.


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## greco

Hamstrung said:


> There's another store in Brantford named LA Music. DO NOT confuse the the two! They are completely different operations and not affiliated. The one in Brantford is run like a store should be! They not only have their higher end stuff accessible it's the first thing you see when you walk in. It actually makes ME nervous for THEM! That said the staff is friendly and they have a pretty good selection. Not as big as LA in Mississauga but so what.


I was just about to type the exact same information. Hamstrung beat me to it. LA Music in Brantford is one of my favourite stores.

Cheers

Dave


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## Fiveway

From what the sales guy said, the way I interpret the policy is 'no one gets to browse around in this room, not even me. If you want to play something I can bring it out for you." But you can't even see all the guitars in the one room, because a bunch of them are facing away from the window. It's terrible merchandizing, especially for guitars: please look through this window at 100 guitars, some of which are facing away from you and let me know which one you'd like to see. 

The guy told me that there's a high school around the corner and I said I'm clearly not a high school kid. I expected that he'd grab the keys and let me in right after I said that , but he just blathered on about how he couldn't let me in there.


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## Jake

You're not the only one to have a bad experience there. I had previously ordered some effect pedals from their online store and had no problems with them. I went to Mississauga (to visit family) and decided to stop by the store. When I first stepped in, I saw a staff member moving acoustic guitars, (or maybe just cases I wasnt sure) and I saw him kick a case across the floor to male room for the guitars he was holding. God forbid there was a guitar in there, but I was shocked to see an employee do this. 

Later I was asking about prices on ordering a new guitar that wasn't available in store. The clerk at the cash just pulled out his blackberry and googled some prices. He then tried to tell me that I could get a custom shop model guitar of the one I wanted for the price of the standard. I tried to tell him that the model he was showing me was a standard model with a custom shop neck (hence the logo) and he wouldn't believe me. I was getting very annoyed with the staff, as he knew nothing about the guitar I wanted, or how to get me a price. Overall I had a bad experience at LA Music, and I definately won't return.


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## GuitarsCanada

If you guys are up in that area try Cosmo Music. That is a nice store. Their new location is huge.


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## Hammertone

I wandered into LA music a couple of months ago. After asking where the Gibson Custom Les Pauls instruments were, I was ushered into the electric room. I played a bunch of Gibson Custom Les Pauls until it was time for me to move on. Admittedly, I do exude a suitably god-like air of authority, wealth and achievement. 

If confronted with a music store peon, I usually ask for the owner or manager - that works pretty much all the time and gets me access to whatever I wish to play. I bet it would work at LA Music as well. Clearly the low-level drudge who dealt with you assumed that you were a member of the great unwashed.


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## jcon

Do what I do when I go to LA Music... Pass right by it and walk across the street to The Guitar Shop. No a huge place, but always nice stuff kicking around and definitely more customer oriented. The REALLY nice stuff isn't on display but is on their website so whenever I see something I like, all it takes is a call or email to Brent then just sit back and watch my bank account drop


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## Fiveway

Hammertone said:


> I wandered into LA music a couple of months ago. After asking where the Gibson Custom Les Pauls instruments were, I was ushered into the electric room. I played a bunch of Gibson Custom Les Pauls until it was time for me to move on. Admittedly, I do exude a suitably god-like air of authority, wealth and achievement.
> 
> If confronted with a music store peon, I usually ask for the owner or manager - that works pretty much all the time and gets me access to whatever I wish to play. I bet it would work at LA Music as well. Clearly the low-level drudge who dealt with you assumed that you were a member of the great unwashed.


Lulz. I'm the opposite. I spent a long time trying to cultivate a proletarian aura, despite my deft intellect and substantial means. It appears to have worked this time.


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## seadonkey

Hammertone said:


> Admittedly, I do exude a suitably god-like air of authority, wealth and achievement.


 Greatest line in the history of Guitars Canada!


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## cheezyridr

just because a guitar costs less than $1500 doesn't make it cheap. clearly from the wording of your post, you feel that's the case. yet still you went over to the "cheap" guitar section, to play some of them. that you have no intention of buying, because they don't cost enough. that doesn't sound like a proletarian to me. sounds a little less like aura, and a little more like disguise.


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## Fiveway

cheezyridr said:


> just because a guitar costs less than $1500 doesn't make it cheap. clearly from the wording of your post, you feel that's the case. yet still you went over to the "cheap" guitar section, to play some of them. that you have no intention of buying, because they don't cost enough. that doesn't sound like a proletarian to me. sounds a little less like aura, and a little more like disguise.


You're reading too much into it. Cheap means 'doesn't cost a lot of money'. Don't imply that everyone who uses the word 'cheap' is a corksniffer. I own a cheap squire tele and play it all the time. 

And to be honest, LA Music made the distinction between cheap and expensive, by not allowing people to get near the guitars that cost more than $1500. I didn't make that decision and that's really the point I was trying to make.


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## Merlin

I've gotten a similar vibe from LA (Mississauga). If I had some kid tell me I couldn't look directly at the good stuff, I'd have collared the nearest manager and told them point blank that they'd just lost a customer. Period, end of story.


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## EchoWD40

I was in the market for an SG a few months ago. So i decided what every guitar player does and shop around! All of these are Mississauga stores. I went to the Guitar Shop. Great service. I went to the L&M, again surprising great service. I went to KAOS, they didn't have what i was looking for but were very helpful and friendly. then i decided to go to LA. I walk in, see a bunch of crusty epiphone SG 400's. Then i see an SG Standard. Approximately what, a 1400 dollar guitar new? So i ask the guy to see it. He then asks me if i plan on buying it today. I told him yeah, i'm gonna shell out all of my money, on a guitar i never played, heard, and just looked at. I told him to **** off and left. needless to say i'm never giving them my business ever again.


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## Milkman

Store owners should realize the impact one unhappy customer can have, particularly in this age of evolved communication and networking.

Consider how many people have read this thread alone.

I understand that they have to protect nice guitars from abuse. Frankly there are a lot of "tire kickers" who enjoy hanging out at music stores impressing everyone with their chops and with no intention on buying anything.



When guitars get worn or damaged they obviously become much more difficult to sell. We want a pristine guitar that nobody has touched but we want to play any guitar we choose.As a buyer I want to be able to examine the goods closely and without pressure.I find the best way to do that is at a store with which I've developed a relationship. I get what I wouldn't hesitate to call excellent service from LA in Brantford, which (as has been stated) has no connection whatsoever to the store in Mississauga.


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## GuitarsCanada

Milkman said:


> Store owners should realize the impact one unhappy customer can have, particularly in this age of evolved communication and networking.
> 
> Consider how many people have read this thread alone.
> 
> I understand that they have to protect nice guitars from abuse. Frankly there are a lot of "tire kickers" who enjoy hanging out at music stores impressing everyone with their chops and with no intention on buying anything.
> 
> 
> 
> When guitars get worn or damaged they obviously become much more difficult to sell. We want a pristine guitar that nobody has touched but we want to play any guitar we choose.As a buyer I want to be able to examine the goods closely and without pressure.I find the best way to do that is at a store with which I've developed a relationship. I get what I wouldn't hesitate to call excellent service from LA in Brantford, which (as has been stated) has no connection whatsoever to the store in Mississauga.


Based on the few years of bad reviews of LA Music, If I were the owner of the LA Music in Brantford I would think about changing the name


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## cheezyridr

Milkman said:


> Store owners should realize the impact one unhappy customer can have, particularly in this age of evolved communication and networking.
> 
> Consider how many people have read this thread alone.
> 
> I understand that they have to protect nice guitars from abuse. Frankly there are a lot of "tire kickers" who enjoy hanging out at music stores impressing everyone with their chops and with no intention on buying anything.
> 
> 
> 
> When guitars get worn or damaged they obviously become much more difficult to sell. We want a pristine guitar that nobody has touched but we want to play any guitar we choose.As a buyer I want to be able to examine the goods closely and without pressure.I find the best way to do that is at a store with which I've developed a relationship. I get what I wouldn't hesitate to call excellent service from LA in Brantford, which (as has been stated) has no connection whatsoever to the store in Mississauga.


good points i think


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## Mooh

Never been there and by the sounds of it I'm better off for it. I've had rough treatment in guitar stores dating back to 1972 when I first started buying the things, but those places saw very little or none of my money. Long & MacQuade has got a lot of cash from me over the years, and their payment/credit plans are a boon to working musicians. The 12th Fret, Elderly Music, Stew-Mac, London Guitar Shop, have also got significant coin off me. I try to use the local shop Ernie King Music as much as I can, but it suffers from the usual mom'n'pop syndrome. Generally I've bought the high end acoustics from the builders, so no stores benefit there.

Few shops took me seriously when I was a teenager, in spite of all the respect, dignity, and good will I could muster. My experience was that I had to be a regular customer, buying small things like strings, capos, slides, books etc for a long time before anyone showed me much respect. Eventually I caught a break from one store so they got my business for a long time, the benefit to me was good price breaks, referrals, and good will, and the benefit to the store was dozens of guitar and amp sales, rentals, band business, and good will. It was a learning experience for me, for sure. 

Retail music marketing seems to be an area where there is much work to do.

Peace, Mooh.


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## GuitarsCanada

To be fair though, to all music stores, its a wanky business. Most of the gear is expensive, even more so to stock, you have to let people play with the stuff and therefore are wide open to damage. Its not like most retail stores where they may have one demo piece on the floor and 10 packaged on the shelf. Its also one of those businesses that you get a lot of people just hanging out in, no intentions of buying.

Somewhere in the middle of all this is where they need to be


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## Metal#J#

I've never been there but last week I did put a deposit down on a Fly Deluxe that was 1/3 less than any other Canadian dealer. In dealing with Sam over the phone I can say the experience has been better than average. I did ask him if the guitar was old stock and if it had been hanging around and he said it had never seen the showroom. This I can appreciate. If you're selling more of your high-end guitars online......which I think they probably are, than why not keep them from getting finger Fu(ked by every greasy handed slob that wants to pick it up. If you had 50 guitars in the $1500+ range for sale, both online and on the floor, it would be hard to create a 30 day eBay listing and call it a "new" guitar when in that 30 days it could easily be picked up by 10 people (wearing ring, watches, belts and metal zippers) every day. That's how Guitar Center got the nick name "Guitar Denter". I understand the op's frustration but I also understand how frustrating it would be to take in a bunch of online returns or give discounts because of play wear. Here in North Bay a guy I know started a new/used music shop. Every single guitar in there was absolutely disgusting to touch. Their policy was to let anyone play anything. I'm no Howie Mandel but I just assume everyone has poor hand washing practices and I'm glad I'm getting a guitar that I don't have to disinfect before playing. On a last note, if I'm paying $2500 for a new guitar I really don't want to see play wear just like when you buy a new car you don't want to see 500 mistery km's on it. You gotta know 10 people have test diven the bag off off of it. If this policy is working for LA than I see no reason to change it.


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## Mooh

GuitarsCanada said:


> To be fair though, to all music stores, its a wanky business. Most of the gear is expensive, even more so to stock, you have to let people play with the stuff and therefore are wide open to damage. Its not like most retail stores where they may have one demo piece on the floor and 10 packaged on the shelf. Its also one of those businesses that you get a lot of people just hanging out in, no intentions of buying.
> 
> Somewhere in the middle of all this is where they need to be


Point taken.

Peace, Mooh.


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## Mooh

Originally Posted by *Hammertone* Admittedly, I do exude a suitably god-like air of authority, wealth and achievement.



seadonkey said:


> Greatest line in the history of Guitars Canada!


Agreed. LOL!

Peace, Mooh.


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## Hammertone

Mooh said:


> Originally Posted by *Hammertone* Admittedly, I do exude a suitably god-like air of authority, wealth and achievement.
> 
> 
> 
> seadonkey said:
> 
> 
> 
> Greatest line in the history of Guitars Canada!
> 
> 
> 
> Agreed. LOL!
> Peace, Mooh.
Click to expand...

 Thank yew, thank yew. I'm here all week. Enjoy the veal.


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## Steadfastly

Milkman said:


> Store owners should realize the impact one unhappy customer can have, particularly in this age of evolved communication and networking.
> 
> Consider how many people have read this thread alone.
> 
> I understand that they have to protect nice guitars from abuse. Frankly there are a lot of "tire kickers" who enjoy hanging out at music stores impressing everyone with their chops and with no intention on buying anything.
> 
> 
> 
> When guitars get worn or damaged they obviously become much more difficult to sell. We want a pristine guitar that nobody has touched but we want to play any guitar we choose


I would bet that there is a built in discount or some such policy in place with the manufacturer that pays this or at least helps if you have to discount the instrument. If I was a manufacturer, I would certainly have some such policy so that customers get to try out my guitars.


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## Guest

Steadfastly said:


> I would bet that there is a built in discount or some such policy in place with the manufacturer that pays this or at least helps if you have to discount the instrument. If I was a manufacturer, I would certainly have some such policy so that customers get to try out my guitars.


I once dropped at PRS Custom 24 on the counter at 12th Fret as one of the guys was handing it to me. Made a dent. He said not to worry about it. They have insurance and it'll get sold as a dent model and no one will be out any money.


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## Morkolo

Maybe I'm alone on this one but if their service is bad before you even put a dollar on the counter would you expect it to be any better when you have a problem?


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## Metal#J#

^a bit presumptuous if you ask me.


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## jimihendrix

Check out this thread....

http://www.guitarscanada.com/electric-guitar/24436-la-music.html

Once they have your money...it never leaves the store...It's a family owned store...so "asking for the manager" is kinda useless as they all cover for each other...

They even goes as far as telling the customer that the guy who handles refunds is out of the country and can't be reached...and to come back in 10 days (their return policy is for 7 days)...and it's store credit only...you NEVER get your money back once they have their grubby paws on it...


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## bw66

iaresee said:


> I once dropped at PRS Custom 24 on the counter at 12th Fret as one of the guys was handing it to me. Made a dent. He said not to worry about it. They have insurance and it'll get sold as a dent model and no one will be out any money.


My guess is that this was a lie. One way or another the store would be out _some_ money - _however_, this is a smart, customer-service based lie - a rare thing in any industry. 

I am one who loves to try guitars, but I am deathly afraid to try out any of the vintage Gibsons behind the counter at my favourite guitar shop for fear of doing harm - even though the owner would happily let me. My personal policy is to never try out anything more expensive than what I own unless I am seriously considering buying something. When I am seriously shopping, I like to try out one or two instruments that are roughly double my budget, just to see if I can discern any appreciable difference. 

Like others have said, if you own the store, you get to make the rules, however, like others, I am more likely to support a store that shows me trust and respect.


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## smorgdonkey

iaresee said:


> I once dropped at PRS Custom 24 on the counter at 12th Fret as one of the guys was handing it to me. Made a dent. He said not to worry about it. They have insurance and it'll get sold as a dent model and no one will be out any money.


I would have done a full on Hendrix on that guitar after he said that - complete with lighter fluid.


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## hardasmum

Double post


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## hardasmum

Metal#J# said:


> ^a bit presumptuous if you ask me.




What is presumptuous?


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## Metal#J#

hardasmum said:


> What is presumptuous?


What is presumptuous?[/QUOTE]To presume that because they won't let you play the expensive guitars that the rest of the service would be poor. Maybe they have their reasons.


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## Guest

bw66 said:


> My guess is that this was a lie. One way or another the store would be out some money - however, this is a smart, customer-service based lie - a rare thing in any industry.


Maybe. The insurance thing wasn't a lie. The only thing would be whether their premiums went up on the claim.



> I am one who loves to try guitars, but I am deathly afraid to try out any of the vintage Gibsons behind the counter at my favourite guitar shop for fear of doing harm - even though the owner would happily let me.


I try to avoid playing anything my Visa couldn't cover. And man was my Visa scared that day!


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## GuitarsCanada

bw66 said:


> My guess is that this was a lie. One way or another the store would be out some money - however, this is a smart, customer-service based lie - a rare thing in any industry.
> 
> I am one who loves to try guitars, but I am deathly afraid to try out any of the vintage Gibsons behind the counter at my favourite guitar shop for fear of doing harm - even though the owner would happily let me. My personal policy is to never try out anything more expensive than what I own unless I am seriously considering buying something. When I am seriously shopping, I like to try out one or two instruments that are roughly double my budget, just to see if I can discern any appreciable difference.
> 
> Like others have said, if you own the store, you get to make the rules, however, like others, I am more likely to support a store that shows me trust and respect.


It was most likely a white lie. But the 12th fret has been around a long time and they deal in high end equipment and their clientele are serious people. It's not your run of the mill music store. I am sure he cringed inside when that guitar hit the table but they have been around long enough to know that accidents happen and that by screaming at you or throwing you out of the store would not fix the dent. I am sure you have a lot more respect for them now after that. Thats what a good business would do in that situation. They also know that serious people, many of them pro players, are not going to slap down a few grand on anything until they are sure they want the gear. That's why at the fret you can go in there and play the gear. 

A store like that does not cater to nor really attracts kids or hacks. So they play by a different set of rules.


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## guitarman2

GuitarsCanada said:


> There is something missing here that I am not getting. The locked rooms that you speak of. These guitars are for sale? If they are for sale what is the policy? Did they tell you that the guitars are for sale but they dont allow "anyone" to play them or only people that are deemed to be tire kickers? Central in Welland has a room like that but when they see a "buyer" coming the door gets unlocked fast. I can understand high end guitars being kept away from the kids. But not from serious buyers.
> 
> When I say serious buyers that does not imply that you have to go in there and wave cash either. Just look the part


I wouldn't even go in to a music store that locks away any instruments. I go to L&M and I've played $5,000 custom shop guitars. If you don't have them out you're not going to sell them. And I don't feel I should have to get a particular room unlocked when I want to look. Even if you are a tire kicker, tire kickers turn in to buyers. I've drooled over very very expensive guitars and gone back several times to play them, evaluating different things each time I've gone back, to eventually buy the guitar. Buying a $3,000 plus guitar rarely means going down to the local music store and plopping down your cash like buying a pack of smokes.


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## guitarman2

iaresee said:


> I once dropped at PRS Custom 24 on the counter at 12th Fret as one of the guys was handing it to me. Made a dent. He said not to worry about it. They have insurance and it'll get sold as a dent model and no one will be out any money.


Hmm. What a great way to get a guitar at a discount, having the music stores insurance pick up part of the tab. :-D


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## hardasmum

Metal#J# said:


> What is presumptuous?


Thanks for the clarification.

Someone used the analogy of buying a new car. I was just thinking that unless you special order some options from the factory you're buying a car that has sat on the lot and been subjected to sun, rain, snow and bird shit. No different than a new guitar seeing some "Stairway" with dirty hands.


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## Metal#J#

hardasmum said:


> Thanks for the clarification. Someone used the analogy of buying a new car. I was just thinking that unless you special order some options from the factory you're buying a car that has sat on the lot and been subjected to sun, rain, snow and bird shit. No different than a new guitar seeing some "Stairway" with dirty hands.


It is different....... a new car sitting on a lot getting rained on is to a new guitar collecting dust in a locked room.....a new car with 500kms of let's see what this Fu(ker can do is to a goth with 8 rings on and a studded skull belt buckle hacking away on a glossy new PRS.


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## zontar

Wow--they lock them away and don't let a guy with money buy them, yet I've been in a few stores where I even tell them, I'm not buying, and a salesman puts an expensive guitar in my hands. (Maybe he's trying to tempt me though)
And when I bought my last one I had a salesman handing me guitars that were more than I could spend--and I told hi that--I kept getting expensive ones handed to me.

i wonder what would happen if I went to this LA Music...


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## Metal#J#

The guys at Cosmo's have their expensive axes in rooms up stairs, some in locked display cases, but when I was amp shopping last year the sales guy was pulling them all out with no hesitation. Downside is half the guys in there don't know what they're selling. I guess they're told to feel each customer out. I'm sure some get denied there too.


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## hardasmum

Metal#J# said:


> a goth with 8 rings on and a studded skull belt buckle hacking away on a glossy new PRS.


Goths play keyboards. Duh!!


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## Guest

guitarman2 said:


> Hmm. What a great way to get a guitar at a discount, having the music stores insurance pick up part of the tab. :-D


I'm sure it helped that I was:

a) very sickly pale mere microseconds after this happened and stammering on about "oh my god! i think i can cover that on my Visa...";
b) slightly known to them;
c) never ever un-careful with things like that in the past.

I wouldn't recommend testing that theory about it being a good route to discounts.


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## Thornton Davis

A couple of years ago I bought two EBMM 5 string basses from LA without any problems. This spring I went back to see what they had instock and found they had reorganized the store and locked the doors to the rooms with the "good gear" in them. Tried to get into the bass room but that was not going to happen. I chalk it up to the owner being a moron. I won't be back. 

TD


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## YJMUJRSRV

This is all sad really.
Its been a long time since I saw a nice old school guitar store on this continent. Once again we've big boxed the whole experience. LA Music is very much trying to compete with big box. Most the guys I knew with cool stores moved on. A few diehards held but they always complain about it. At first reading this thread I though LA music was being simply ridiculous. Then reading people discuss a store having "insurance" for dented guitars ..... good grief. Where is the common sense?
When I was a kid I worked at a few classic places. (OK this is decades ago) Mom and pop shops and the whole thing was about people coming in and falling in love with a purchase. My job was not to put guitars in anyone's hands or to judge who plays what. My job was to let them choose then A) qualify them as a buyer, B) take away their hesitation to buy their choice today.
On occasion I did throw out the obvious tire kickers with no respect but that was a really small crowd. But I also followed thru with everything touched. Always a rag in my pocket to clean and tune what people played or may play. Japanese store still do that. We don't for some reason. If you want a kick go guitar shopping in Tokyo. If you want to play something they make sure its in tune and clean FIRST. You feel like Keith Richards shopping in Japan. I think it helps customers stay in line too. When someone goes thru that effort for you, you kind of feel stupid if you are not genuine. Not like you have to buy but it sure makes you want to buy if you find something you like.


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## Robert1950

America has Ed Roman, we have LA Music Mississauga


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## ledfloyd

I just hate the attitude that they did you a huge favor just by letting you walk in the door.


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## Todd68

That's the shop across the street from The Guitar Shop. I went in once and I was done with them. Just cross the street and go to TGS. They'll treat you well and the good guitars are there to try. I've spent loads at The Guitar Shop. I haven't spent a single dime in L.A. Music. Even the name bugged me!


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## hardasmum

YJMUJRSRV said:


> This is all sad really.
> Its been a long time since I saw a nice old school guitar store on this continent. Once again we've big boxed the whole experience. LA Music is very much trying to compete with big box. Most the guys I knew with cool stores moved on. A few diehards held but they always complain about it. At first reading this thread I though LA music was being simply ridiculous. Then reading people discuss a store having "insurance" for dented guitars ..... good grief. Where is the common sense?
> When I was a kid I worked at a few classic places. (OK this is decades ago) Mom and pop shops and the whole thing was about people coming in and falling in love with a purchase. My job was not to put guitars in anyone's hands or to judge who plays what. My job was to let them choose then A) qualify them as a buyer, B) take away their hesitation to buy their choice today.
> On occasion I did throw out the obvious tire kickers with no respect but that was a really small crowd. But I also followed thru with everything touched. Always a rag in my pocket to clean and tune what people played or may play. Japanese store still do that. We don't for some reason. If you want a kick go guitar shopping in Tokyo. If you want to play something they make sure its in tune and clean FIRST. You feel like Keith Richards shopping in Japan. I think it helps customers stay in line too. When someone goes thru that effort for you, you kind of feel stupid if you are not genuine. Not like you have to buy but it sure makes you want to buy if you find something you like.


Gassing up your car in Japan is a good experience in customer service, even buying a beer at 7/11. One of the many things they beat North America at.


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## Morkolo

Metal#J# said:


> What is presumptuous?


To presume that because they won't let you play the expensive guitars that the rest of the service would be poor. Maybe they have their reasons.[/QUOTE]

I based it off of my own personal experience with a local music store, bad customer relations before the sale and atrocious service when issues popped up and my bass was only a couple of months into the warranty period. So when I come across businesses like the one in the original post, I just stay away these days.


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## The Grin

Here is one I had on Yelp a while back on Long and Long & McQuade


My experience with Long and McQuade have varied to extremes. To start with the positive side; it is the only location I know of that sells my brand of strings in copious packs. The section (although small) of used pedals leave some kind of hope to find something scarce I want. This example was one small system that no other store even knew existed, so it was to my surprise that I found what I wanted there (Voodoo Labs Pedal Switcher).

On the negative side, and you who read this has my honest word with nothing more, for what that may be worth. The product knowledge I have endured from the select members of the staff have been nil to embarrassing. For example: I asked if there was a type of passive EMG pickups I could order. The sales person simply said they do not exist. I now currently own two H4's and a "H1A Hot Rod" I have purchased from other sources.

Finally was the time my brother-in-law wished to purchase his first off the shelf guitar and asked me to help him pick one out. With $600 in his pocket we made our way there. I selected one guitar (Godin Freeway), picked it up and as it passed my personal first test we asked the clerk if we could try it on an amplifier. We were told to place the guitar back and leave the store. I assured the man we were paying costumers, but he repeated his demand and we complied. I have relived this many times in my mind and come up with no reason for hostility. I wish I handled it more assertively but this is how it happened. My brother-in-law was quick to forgive and returned a few years later and bought a different guitar. As for myself, Long and McQuade will always by my last resort, including pawn shops.

The quality of their products is without question stellar. My grievances lie with the select individuals who stand behind the counter


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## Metal#J#

The worst treatment I've received in all my years was a the 12th fret and on more than one occasion. I know some people hear regard the place as being professional and whatever but there's no excuse for what they did to me. I purchased my first PRS there and they offered to set it up with my choice of strings. In doing so the tech put a chip in the headstock while filing the nut. He then proceeded to glob some black paint on it in hopes I would not notice......which I didn't because I was so tired from having me stand around the shop for 2 hours while they told me the setup was next in line (which meant the paint is drying). I travelled about 400km to pick up that guitar and it was a long ride home just to be totally let down when I got home to discover what they had done. When I called the next day to confront the owner he stated that he was not aware of this but then stuck his foot in his mouth later by stating it was his belief that the chip was there before the setup.....which it wasn't because I had gone over it so many times. He then offered to take off 50 big whole dollars off a $3200 guitar. I told him I would not be happy with that so he offered to fix it. But they already had tried and it was a hack job. Angry as can be I decided to let it go because I was already enjoying the guitar to much to send it away. They never even gave me the $50. Years later I ordered so parts for my other PRS and I called before to confirm exactly what they had for me (phase II tuners and other stuff). Like I said before it was a long drive for me and fortunately I did have other business in town so......I get there and they have phase I tuners and the wrong knobs. I'm like dude.....for all he knew I had made that drive just for the parts. Guy looked like he couldn't care less. Just to be clear why i was driving 400km for this stuff....this was before I got into buying online. It's clear to me that they value the Asian guys business (that came in and laid down thousands on a vintage Tele and literally could not play) more than mine. I would say "their loss" because I've been a bit of a huge gear whore since then......but then again, I'm certain my business means nothing to them.


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## smorgdonkey

Metal J...that is a horrendous story. The worst part of it is that they did not pursue the act of trying to make it right with you. They should have been actively contacting you and trying to fix that situation. What they should have done was order another guitar exactly like yours and when it came in, asked you to bring your guitar back - then give you the new one in exchange for the chipped one.

Most people say that there are 2 sides to every story but I would never get anything there based on your story alone. I simply can't stand people like that.


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## hardasmum

Metal#J# said:


> they value the Asian guys business (that came in and laid down thousands on a vintage Tele and literally could not play) more than mine.


Any reason why you had to mention this person's ethnicity?


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## Metal#J#

hardasmum said:


> Any reason why you had to mention this person's ethnicity?


I said he was Asian because he was Asian. What's the problem? You didn't question why I chose to describe the other person as a goth.


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## Metal#J#

smorgdonkey said:


> Metal J...that is a horrendous story. The worst part of it is that they did not pursue the act of trying to make it right with you. They should have been actively contacting you and trying to fix that situation. What they should have done was order another guitar exactly like yours and when it came in, asked you to bring your guitar back - then give you the new one in exchange for the chipped one.
> 
> Most people say that there are 2 sides to every story but I would never get anything there based on your story alone. I simply can't stand people like that.


There's more to it.......I probably would have exceeded the word limit trying to go into detail.


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## hardasmum

Metal#J# said:


> hardasmum said:
> 
> 
> 
> Any reason why you had to mention this person's ethnicity?
> 
> 
> 
> I said he was Asian because he was Asian. What's the problem? You didn't question why I chose to describe the other person as a goth.
Click to expand...

The problem is you were correlating the man's ethnicity with his inability to play guitar. If he was white and couldn't play would you have mentioned he was Caucasian?

Goth is not a race it's a style which is why I didn't take offense.


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## sulphur

_*^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^*_


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## Metal#J#

hardasmum said:


> The problem is you were correlating the man's ethnicity with his inability to play guitar. If he was white and couldn't play would you have mentioned he was Caucasian? Goth is not a race it's a style which is why I didn't take offense.


I think it's funny that you have to take issue with this. The guy asked one of the sales people to play the guitar for him......he never even strummed a chord and laid out $14,000 iirc. Not commenting on his skills at all......because I never saw him play. Goth is still a denomination as is the term Asian. I apologize if I offended anyone.......I'm sure you all know it was not my intent.


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## hardasmum

Metal#J# said:


> hardasmum said:
> 
> 
> 
> The problem is you were correlating the man's ethnicity with his inability to play guitar. If he was white and couldn't play would you have mentioned he was Caucasian? Goth is not a race it's a style which is why I didn't take offense.
> 
> 
> 
> I think it's funny that you have to take issue with this. The guy asked one of the sales people to play the guitar for him......he never even strummed a chord and laid out $14,000 iirc. Not commenting on his skills at all......because I never saw him play. Goth is still a denomination as is the term Asian. I apologize if I offended anyone.......I'm sure you all know it was not my intent.
Click to expand...

I apologize if I read too much into your comment if that was not your intent.

I would still strongly disagree that being a Goth and being Asian are in anyway related...unless you can show me a Gothic passport.


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## Milkman

So .....we shouldn't shop at LA in Missisauga unless we're Asian Gothic.

Ok. 

Got it.


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## hardasmum

Milkman said:


> So .....we shouldn't shop at LA in Missisauga unless we're Asian Gothic.
> 
> Ok.
> 
> Got it.


Thank God for the internet.


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## Metal#J#

Thank who? Just kidding! Don't want to derail this one any further.


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## hardasmum

Metal#J# said:


> Thank who? Just kidding! Don't want to derail this one any further.


Debated using a capital "G". Ditto.

It is nice that we can have adult conversations here on the GC forum without resorting to the name calling I see other places.


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## Guest

Metal#J# said:


> I think it's funny that you have to take issue with this. The guy asked one of the sales people to play the guitar for him......he never even strummed a chord and laid out $14,000 iirc. Not commenting on his skills at all......because I never saw him play. Goth is still a denomination as is the term Asian. I apologize if I offended anyone.......I'm sure you all know it was not my intent.


I think its funny too


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## Clean Channel

Hammertone said:


> assumed that you were a member of the great unwashed.


I hope this means you listen to Mike Bullard on Newstalk 1010; he cracks me up every time I tune in! (He says 'the great unwashed' all the time)


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## Clean Channel

seadonkey said:


> re: "_Admittedly, I do exude a suitably god-like air of authority, wealth and achievement."
> _Greatest line in the history of Guitars Canada!


Would have been perfect had he not forgotten the Oxford comma. "...authority, wealth*,* and achievement."


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## captainbrew

The person's ethnicity has nothing to do with your story. Makes you come off as a biggot.


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## captainbrew

Metal#J# said:


> I said he was Asian because he was Asian. What's the problem? You didn't question why I chose to describe the other person as a goth.


The person's ethnicity has nothing to do with your story. Makes you come off as a biggot.


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## Metal#J#

captainbrew said:


> The person's ethnicity has nothing to do with your story. Makes you come off as a biggot.


 you mean bigot? I'm not prejudiced nor am I intolerant of others opinions.


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## GuitarsCanada

Metal#J# said:


> you mean bigot? I'm not prejudiced nor am I intolerant of others opinions.


He simply mentioned the dude was Asian. I personally did not read anything into that. Maybe Asians with big wallets get treated differently in that store. If thats what he seen, thats what he seen. Does not mean he is a bigot. I would take it up with the management of the store.


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## Metal#J#

Why is it a problem for me to point out that the guy was Asian? The point is that the 12th Fret made the exception for a visible minority by providing better service. Yet I'm a bigot for pointing it out. I don't fault or resent him. I think by providing better service they stereotyped him by assuming he had expendable income just because he was looking at high dollar items.


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## GuitarsCanada

Metal#J# said:


> Why is it a problem for me to point out that the guy was Asian? The point is that the 12th Fret made the exception for a visible minority by providing better service. Yet I'm a bigot for pointing it out. I don't fault or resent him. I think by providing better service they stereotyped him by assuming he had expendable income just because he was looking at high dollar items.


Thats the way I read it, and I personally dont dig that kind of crap from any store. All customers should be treated the same, regardless of perceptions or race. You could look like a bum off the streets and have wads of cash. Never assume anything when you are behind the counter


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## Guest

Metal#J# said:


> Why is it a problem for me to point out that the guy was Asian? The point is that the 12th Fret made the exception for a visible minority by providing better service. Yet I'm a bigot for pointing it out. I don't fault or resent him. I think by providing better service they stereotyped him by assuming he had expendable income just because he was looking at high dollar items.


That's how I read it. I don't get the outcry from the others.


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## hardasmum

Metal#J# said:


> The point is that the 12th Fret made the exception for a visible minority by providing better service.


They probably made an exception for a "person" who was asking questions about a big ticket item. Can't imagine his race had anything to do with it.

I think you stereotyped him as having a disposable income. I've never even heard of that before!


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## YJMUJRSRV

One of my best customers way back was a guy that looked like he installed drywall for a living. Always jeans and a ballcap ... looking like he was on lunch break from the jobsite. But this guy was loaded. He owned several hunting and fishing resorts. Sharp axe this fella was, he simply preferred to dress and live that way. He had millions but no desire to prove it to anyone. He knew how rich he was, who cares what somebody else thinks. I sold him quite a few things before I found out his story. I just figured he was a contractor. I asked him one day and he said "I dress like a hick because its more fun being a hick than a suit and tie"

Another time way back I was having a bad day and was a little short with this middle aged accountant looking guy at the register. He waited politely, paid and off he went. A co worker came up to me and said, do you know who that was? "Some old guy" I sad. How did he pay? my co worker asked ... "VISA". So I checked the store copy (yes back when we used the carbon copy swipe thingys) .... name on the credit card? Bruce FairBairn. I look outside and he's pulling away in a new BMW convertable.

You never know who anyone is by looks alone.


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## Metal#J#

hardasmum said:


> They probably made an exception for a "person" who was asking questions about a big ticket item. Can't imagine his race had anything to do with it. I think you stereotyped him as having a disposable income. I've never even heard of that before!


I could also stereotype you as having oppositional defiance disorder.......or being intentionally naive. For whatever reason it seems your bent on making me look like something I'm not.


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## hardasmum

Metal#J# said:


> hardasmum said:
> 
> 
> 
> They probably made an exception for a "person" who was asking questions about a big ticket item. Can't imagine his race had anything to do with it. I think you stereotyped him as having a disposable income. I've never even heard of that before!
> 
> 
> 
> I could also stereotype you as having oppositional defiance disorder.......or being intentionally naive. For whatever reason it seems your bent on making me look like something I'm not.
Click to expand...

I did not call you a bigot or a racist, I simply asked why you felt the need to mention his race. 

The reason this struck a chord with me initially is because you sound like my mother-in-law. When telling me her Dentist sold the business she insisted on mentioning the practice was bought by two Pakistani brothers (the brothers were born in Canada by the way).

I inferred from your statement that he couldn't play guitar because he was Asian. If that was not your intent I have already apologized. You did however blatantly state that he must have had a disposable income and you based that on his ethnicity.

When I toured Japan I was amazed by the bands we played with. Even sixteen year old kids were in great command of their instruments not to mention the staff and gear at the clubs we played at make our respected medium sized venues in Canada look amateur.

To suggest I have ODD makes no sense at all. Firstly you are not in a position of authority over me and secondly I have not been the least bit hostile in my posts.

You are correct that I am naive. I am naive to think I live in a world where race, sexuality, or gender don't matter. I must live in a bubble.


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## Metal#J#

I don't have authority over you. That only applies when the diagnosis is given to a child. You ARE obviously oppositional. You tend to argue without a real reason or for ignoring the obvious.


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## GuitarsCanada

This one is almost done guys, get your last comments in


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## hardasmum

Metal#J# said:


> I don't have authority over you. That only applies when the diagnosis is given to a child. You ARE obviously oppositional. You tend to argue without a real reason or for ignoring the obvious.


My reasoning is pretty clear. I don't care for racist remarks. 

What's the obvious I am ignoring? That stereotypes are true? Italians love pizza and the Irish are drunks? That it's okay to be a bigot? 

You are the only one here being hostile, defensive and avoiding my original post by name calling.

I am done. Back to my happy bubble.


"All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing." 

Edmund Burke


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## Metal#J#

I don't recall calling you any name. You on the otherhand are calling me a racist and a bigot......which I a m not. And defending against false claims makes me hostile? Come on!


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## greco

GuitarsCanada said:


> This one is almost done guys, get your last comments in


Thanks.....


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