# Tundra Music



## guitarman2 (Aug 25, 2006)

I don't know what it is but I get a strange feeling when I consider buying anything here. Last week I had a CS Nocaster on hold at the L&M in Kanata. I was on my way up to the Ottawa area to visit family so I put this guitar on hold for me to try out and decide whether to buy. I had talked to Tundra to see if they had any in stock for me to look at. I always like to try a few if I can for comparison. All he had was a Nocaster relic in for $4,400. Way above my budget and relics aren't really my thing but since I was passing right by Whitby anyway I decided to stop in for a look. The guitar tone wise just sang beautifully. Wasn't really liking the relic look but it wasn't a heavy relic. Ed put on the old high pressure sale. I told him I was on my way up to Ottawa to look at a nocaster for $3,250 of which I had been told they'd discount because of a nick in the guitar. The nick had almost been invisible and in a spot you'd never see, never the less L&M discounted it from $3,250 to $3,100.
Anyway Ed ended up offering the guitar for $3,000 even. All the way from $4,400 to $3,000. Don't think I've ever encountered a music store with that deep of a discount for a brand new guitar.
At the time I didn't know what L&M was discounting for the guitar that I ended up buying but Tundra's offer was very tempting in spite of the relic. I know relic guitars usually go for more. Still I said to Ed that I wanted to see the one in Kanata first before I made up my mind and I'd be back this way in a few days. 
Well then I got a bizzare story. He said that someone else was interested in the guitar and would likely be back the next day. He didn't want to see me lose out on a great deal so I should grab it today. Then the story gets strange. He said the guy who was interested in it had his guitar stolen so this was an insurance deal. Where insurance would pay $6,500 for the guitar. So if I got it today I'd be getting a real good deal. 
I'm thinking if he can get $6,500 for it tomorrow why is he trying like hell to get me to take it today for $3,000. The whole thing just didn't smell right. 
Just to get out of there I said I'm going to a tim hortons to think about it for a few minutes and would let him know.
I continued down the road to Ottawa. I told my wife the story and even recounting it didn't seem like a true story. So 20 minutes after I'm down the road he calls me on my cell which came through the speakers of my car (bluetooth) and recounts the offer again, so my hears it and knows I was telling it accurate. I just said there is no way I'd make a decision until I tried the one in Kanata first. I ended up with the one in Kanata. I ended up really liking the one from L&M and bought it. I think its every bit as good as the one at Tundra (although the one at Tundra was a bit lighter).


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## Guest (Aug 15, 2015)

With that kind of immediate discount and especially the 'guys coming by to pay more'
story. Definitely fishy. Looking forward to the NGD thread.


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## hardasmum (Apr 23, 2008)

I remember the first and last time I was in Tundra Music in North York. It was about fifteen years ago and I had just picked up a cool National lap steel from the Guitar Clinic in Hamilton for about $100. (Back when those sorts of deals were still pretty common).

They had the same lap steel in Tundra so I asked the guy how much they were asking for it (because nothing in in the store had a price on it).

He looked me up and down and said it was worth $600 but he could make me a great deal and offered it to me for $400. 

I smiled and said, "Gee I just picked one up for $100 last week. I'm going back to the Guitar Cljnic to get another one."

I left the store and never went back.


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## Stratin2traynor (Sep 27, 2006)

Sounds like the guy at Tundra music should take some sales courses - not to mention a story telling course or two. If I walk into a store and there are no prices on stuff, I just leave because I know it's going to be a con job with floating prices. That guy at Tundra should get "Shittiest Salesman of the Year" award or SSOY for short.


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## skilsaw (Nov 4, 2014)

Hate to see a business slagged because of one salesman with a tendancy to fiction. But if the whole store has no price tags, this could be their sales philosophy. They guy should be selling fishing equipment . Either way, it isn't my corner of the world so I'll never go there, but it does make a good story. I'm a good loyal L&M customer myself. Their prices are OK and their service, even after the sale, is excellent.


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## ed2000 (Feb 16, 2007)

I have enjoyed checking out gear at Tundra since the early 90's at both Yonge St locations as well as their Kingston Rd/St Clair store. Their asking prices were subject to change depending who was on the sales floor. I feel better spending my money at L&M and the 12th Fret.


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## ed2000 (Feb 16, 2007)

skilsaw said:


> Hate to see a business slagged because of _*one salesman*_ with a tendancy to fiction. But if the whole store has no price tags, this could be their sales philosophy. They guy should be selling fishing equipment . Either way, it isn't my corner of the world so I'll never go there, but it does make a good story. I'm a good loyal L&M customer myself. Their prices are OK and their service, even after the sale, is excellent.


..............The owner slash salesman.......


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## guitarman2 (Aug 25, 2006)

Yes my understanding is that Ed is the owner. When I first got to the store Ed was out. The sales guy there couldnt tell me anything. I have a feeling everything goes through Ed


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## TA462 (Oct 30, 2012)

I've been in Tundra a few times looking at guitars and have never experienced any kind of weird feeling from a pushy salesman. I've always thought of Ed as a knowledgeable guy that will spend some time shooting the breeze with you, even if its not about guitars.


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## YJMUJRSRV (Jul 17, 2007)

gone fishing


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## Lord-Humongous (Jun 5, 2014)

I heard that Keith Richards bought a guitar from him. Not sure what to make of that but it's the only thing I've ever heard about Tundra. 

Sent from my Z30 using Tapatalk


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## YJMUJRSRV (Jul 17, 2007)

gone fishing


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## guitarman2 (Aug 25, 2006)

YJMUJRSRV said:


> And what if Richards did buy a guitar? So? Keith Richards probably bought gum at several Macs stores in the Toronto area on that trip too.


He brought it up as a statement as to the only thing he's ever heard about Tundra. I don't think he suggested it meant anything.


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## rollingdam (May 11, 2006)

Years ago I called Ed about getting a Sunrise Pickup and he could not stop talking about how he worked with the Stones-needless to say I did not buy anything from him.


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## guitarman2 (Aug 25, 2006)

rollingdam said:


> Years ago I called Ed about getting a Sunrise Pickup and he could not stop talking about how he worked with the Stones-needless to say I did not buy anything from him.


Yes just talking to him he gives that uneasy feeling of someone who spins yarns. He seems nice enough but there's just something about him that gives me an uneasy feeling. In my case the yarn he spun was just too unlikely.


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## boyscout (Feb 14, 2009)

YJMUJRSRV said:


> Ed McDonald most certainly is the owner. He is famous in Toronto. Unfortunately what he is famous for is exactly what started this thread. I can get 6500 tomorrow but I'm willing to piss that guy off by selling to you for $3000 today. Riiiiiiiiiight


Yup, this nails it. Under tundra is permafrost where nothing good grows. I wouldn't buy strings from Tundra.


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## rollingdam (May 11, 2006)

I could not believe that he was featured on Storage Wars Canada appraising some guitars


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## vadsy (Dec 2, 2010)

rollingdam said:


> I could not believe that he was featured on Storage Wars Canada appraising some guitars


A show of that calibre? It makes perfect sense that Tundra fits in with those hard to stomach characters.


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