# Long & McQuade Demos



## Hammerhands (Dec 19, 2016)

I’ve noticed on a few guitars and pedals it will say "Demo available", and during the last sale some of the guitars were listed as demo.

So, if I go down to my local L&M, will there be a demo I can try of some of the guitars that are out-of-stock? Specifically, the Ultra and Pro II Jazzmasters?


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## bw66 (Dec 17, 2009)

If they list something as "demo available", it means that they have a lightly used in-store or new but lightly damaged one for sale at a slightly reduced price.


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## Hammerhands (Dec 19, 2016)

This guitar, if you select Winnipeg - Pembina, says Out-Of-Stock and Demo Available: Yes.

So it’s out-of-stock for new, but there is a beat one you can buy. If there is a used one, it will say out-of-stock and used available.









Gibson - SG Standard - Ebony


Gibson - SG Standard - Ebony




www.long-mcquade.com


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## player99 (Sep 5, 2019)

Remember when Gibson did this? When demo was short for demolition...


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## DavidP (Mar 7, 2006)

I believe the 'demo' label applies to rental returns.


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## BGood (Feb 20, 2015)

DavidP said:


> I believe the 'demo' label applies to rental returns.


That's what I thought too, makes sense.


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## Always12AM (Sep 2, 2018)

player99 said:


> Remember when Gibson did this? When demo was short for demolition...


Its funny how 9/10 of them look the exact same after. There are so many more efficient ways to destroy these. But obviously the plant conceived this fugly instrument also didn’t have the common sense to rent a wood chipper.


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## superfly (Oct 14, 2021)

player99 said:


> Remember when Gibson did this? When demo was short for demolition...


I've always avoided clicking on that video, knowing the pain it will cause me. Well, I watched it this time, and I was right, it hurts... I was contemplating a Firebird, but after this, I'll think long and hard about giving my hard earned money to a company capable of doing this...


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## player99 (Sep 5, 2019)

superfly said:


> I've always avoided clicking on that video, knowing the pain it will cause me. Well, I watched it this time, and I was right, it hurts... I was contemplating a Firebird, but after this, I'll think long and hard about giving my hard earned money to a company capable of doing this...


Did they say why they did it? If the guitars were fatally flawed and Gibson didn't want to have a poor instrument floating around ruining their reputation for years to come this was a publicity stunt gone wrong. But regardless the guitars were going to be destroyed. They could have done better by stripping them of hardware and donating the parts to charity.


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## superfly (Oct 14, 2021)

player99 said:


> Did they say why they did it? If the guitars were fatally flawed and Gibson didn't want to have a poor instrument floating around ruining their reputation for years to come this was a publicity stunt gone wrong. But regardless the guitars were going to be destroyed. They could have done better by stripping them of hardware and donating the parts to charity.


I really don't care why they did it. The mere fact that some white horse riding stardusted douchebag exec thought that it is a good idea bringing a guitar in-front of a bulldozer, the symbol of joy and happiness in front of a violent destruction, and decided to walk across the lined up guitars and film the entire soul torturous ordeal, tells me a looot about the people running the company and the values they stand for...


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## player99 (Sep 5, 2019)

superfly said:


> I really don't care why they did it. The mere fact that some white horse riding stardusted douchebag exec thought that it is a good idea bringing a guitar in-front of a bulldozer, the symbol of joy and happiness in front of a violent destruction, and decided to walk across the lined up guitars and film the entire soul torturous ordeal, tells me a looot about the people running the company and the values they stand for...


They definitely chose the dark side. But it was a publicity stunt. They figured if they are going to have to destroy $100,000 worth of guitars they should do it in "rock and roll" style. I agree with you, it was in really bad taste.


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## Hammerhands (Dec 19, 2016)

I think what I read, the guitars didn’t sell, even at very low prices, there was some sort of write-off but an insurance company demanded proof the guitars were destroyed. I don’t know how an insurance company gets involved.

I also read there was something toxic about the electronics.

I would have bought one for the right price. They could stockpile guitars for a very long time and sell them over many years. As long as they are in the catalogue, they would have sold eventually. Just keep using them in videos.


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## colchar (May 22, 2010)

superfly said:


> I really don't care why they did it. The mere fact that some white horse riding stardusted douchebag exec thought that it is a good idea bringing a guitar in-front of a bulldozer, the symbol of joy and happiness in front of a violent destruction, and decided to walk across the lined up guitars and film the entire soul torturous ordeal, tells me a looot about the people running the company and the values they stand for...


Jesus christ they were guitars, and crappy ones at that. They didn't kill puppies, they trashed guitars. Big fucking deal.


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## Lola (Nov 16, 2014)

player99 said:


> Remember when Gibson did this? When demo was short for demolition...


Why did they do that? Seems like such a waste!!


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## Jalexander (Dec 31, 2020)

colchar said:


> Jesus christ they were guitars, and crappy ones at that. They didn't kill puppies, they trashed guitars. Big fucking deal.


I’m sure Pete Townsend has destroyed that many in his career. Didn’t Garth Brooks smash a guitar every night too?


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## player99 (Sep 5, 2019)

Lola said:


> Why did they do that? Seems like such a waste!!


Looks like it was in 2019.

“[The Firebird X] was a horrible guitar, with too much technology all based on Windows 98 or something,” Wilkes revealed. He also noted that Gibson routinely destroyed guitars rather than repurposing them: “I’ve seen them take, daily, 10, 20 ES guitars that were painted and ready to go, and just cut ’em up because there was some teeny-tiny little blemish.”
As the destruction video spread online, many openly wondered why Gibson did not donate the guitars to a worthy cause. The manufacturer addressed those concerns in a statement, asserting that the video represented “an isolated batch of Firebird X models built in 2009-2011 which were unsalvageable and damaged with unsafe components. This isolated group of Firebird X models were unable to be donated for any purpose and were destroyed accordingly.”


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## SteveS (Apr 25, 2006)

I bought an ES335 rental/demo from L&M a few years ago.

It really wasn't that great a deal money wise. It was scratched all to rat [email protected]#t, and just looked like it was rode hard and put away wet so I ended up returning it.

The problem was it was a fantastic 335. Played great and sounded phenomenal. I really liked it. It was kind of like a relic that just fit you like an old pair of Levi jeans.

I thought I could replace it with another one that wasn't so beat up.
I bought three including a Reissue 59 and ended up selling them all.
They were all pretty as a picture but just weren't as good as that rental...

You live and learn but I still kick myself in the ass hard for that one....


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## BGood (Feb 20, 2015)

player99 said:


> ... Gibson routinely destroyed guitars rather than repurposing them: “I’ve seen them take, daily, 10, 20 ES guitars that were painted and ready to go, and just cut ’em up because there was some teeny-tiny little blemish.


If you destroy half the guitars you produce, you have to recoup the lost $$$ somewhere. No wonder they put this on their headstock.


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## zontar (Oct 25, 2007)

DavidP said:


> I believe the 'demo' label applies to rental returns.


It does, or so more than one person in an L&M at different locations has said.


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## jb welder (Sep 14, 2010)

Hammerhands said:


> I think what I read, the guitars didn’t sell, even at very low prices, there was some sort of write-off but an insurance company demanded proof the guitars were destroyed. I don’t know how an insurance company gets involved.
> 
> I also read there was something toxic about the electronics.


You are correct. It was only a couple years ago and we had several threads on the topic. And I worry about _my_ short term memory. 
This article has a short synopsis: Gibson just destroyed 100s of Firebird X guitars - here's why


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## SWLABR (Nov 7, 2017)

colchar said:


> Jesus christ they were guitars, and crappy ones at that. They didn't kill puppies, they trashed guitars. Big fucking deal.


I get it... and this vid pops up every few months as "Oh-no!! OMG!!! Why???" 

But, I think (I said, _I_ think) the consensus here is that something else could have been done with these other than flat out destroy them. Maybe donate to a few music programs at schools across the country?? I dunno. It doesn't outrage me, I am not "offended", just seems wasteful when there may have been (I said _may_ have been) better options.


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## player99 (Sep 5, 2019)

SWLABR said:


> I get it... and this vid pops up every few months as "Oh-no!! OMG!!! Why???"
> 
> But, I think (I said, _I_ think) the consensus here is that something else could have been done with these other than flat out destroy them. Maybe donate to a few music programs at schools across the country?? I dunno. It doesn't outrage me, I am not "offended", just seems wasteful when there may have been (I said _may_ have been) better options.


Yes the could have put a guy to work removing the dangerous electronics and turning them into a regular guitar. Then they could have sold them and recouped their money.


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## 2manyGuitars (Jul 6, 2009)

On the original topic, is there ever any wiggle room on their demo prices? There’s an item I’m looking for and someone messaged me last night that one of the local stores has a demo on their used rack for $349. A new one is $379.

I mean, that’s not even 10% off.


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## bw66 (Dec 17, 2009)

2manyGuitars said:


> On the original topic, is there ever any wiggle room on their demo prices? There’s an item I’m looking for and someone messaged me last night that one of the local stores has a demo on their used rack for $349. A new one is $379.
> 
> I mean, that’s not even 10% off.


Sometimes. Just have to ask. And yes, sometimes the discount is pretty small.


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## 2manyGuitars (Jul 6, 2009)

bw66 said:


> Sometimes. Just have to ask. And yes, sometimes the discount is pretty small.


Just called and $349 is it. She said it was a return with no box or manual.
So not a “demo” or a rental. It’s a used item missing the documentation and packaging. An 8% discount ain’t gonna cut it.

She offered to have a new one ordered from the supplier but who knows how long that would take right now. I told her I go out of my way to support my local store but for 30 bucks more, amazon will have one on my doorstep tomorrow morning.


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## Lola (Nov 16, 2014)

jb welder said:


> You are correct. It was only a couple years ago and we had several threads on the topic. And I worry about _my_ short term memory.
> This article has a short synopsis: Gibson just destroyed 100s of Firebird X guitars - here's why


Short term!!_Yikes. I go into a room ott to get something and it leaves my memory. I make myself sit there till I remember or not. This really never happens To me but I think there some extenuating circumstances lol


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## colchar (May 22, 2010)

SWLABR said:


> I get it... and this vid pops up every few months as "Oh-no!! OMG!!! Why???"
> 
> But, I think (I said, _I_ think) the consensus here is that something else could have been done with these other than flat out destroy them. Maybe donate to a few music programs at schools across the country?? I dunno. It doesn't outrage me, I am not "offended", just seems wasteful when there may have been (I said _may_ have been) better options.


Oh yeah, there were other options but too many people fetishize guitars and get overly worked up about that video.


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## colchar (May 22, 2010)

2manyGuitars said:


> On the original topic, is there ever any wiggle room on their demo prices?



It all depends on how many times it has been rented and how much money they've made off of it. Rented 100 times? Decent discount. Rented once? Minuscule discount.


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## 2manyGuitars (Jul 6, 2009)

colchar said:


> It all depends on how many times it has been rented and how much money they've made off of it. Rented 100 times? Decent discount. Rented once? Minuscule discount.


I get that but I don’t know how I feel about something that was returned being labeled as a “demo”.


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## FatStrat2 (Apr 7, 2021)

IMO, 'demo' is a euphemism, a softer word for rental or 'used'. But it's also all-encompassing too, so it works for them. Given that, I've bought several 'demos' from L&M over the years and not only are they unique, but the items I bought were in pristine shape. Probably just lucked out.

As for L&M discounts, they are as exciting as a dishwasher. And in my neck of the woods, they rarely give more than 8% to 10% off.


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