# Sweetwater-Quite The Place



## Steadfastly (Nov 14, 2008)

A little different than your L & M, wouldn't you say?


----------



## BrianW (Aug 23, 2017)

Just a little!


----------



## colchar (May 22, 2010)

Their head office?


----------



## grumpyoldman (Jan 31, 2010)

The IKEA of the musical instrument world? 

John
thegrumpyoldman


----------



## Bubb (Jan 16, 2008)

That's kinda like comparing L&M to Jed's Ukulele and Kazoo Emporium.


----------



## cheezyridr (Jun 8, 2009)

Steadfastly said:


>


a school cafeteria where all the tables are the nerd table. hahahahahaha


----------



## Guest (Nov 20, 2017)

So .. where are the guitars?


----------



## Jimi D (Oct 27, 2008)

Any music store conceived with an ounce of creativity, soul and/or love is going to be quite different from L&M... I'd like to visit there... and buy something cool...


----------



## DaddyDog (Apr 21, 2017)

Cosmo Music is similar. I've only been once but it blew me away. Also, they sent a guy to find the guitar I was looking for. Then set me up in a quiet room with the 2 amps I wanted to try.


----------



## Gimper (Jan 14, 2016)

I just bought an Amp from Sweetwater. Super helpful and friendly service.


----------



## Steadfastly (Nov 14, 2008)

DaddyDog said:


> Cosmo Music is similar. I've only been once but it blew me away. Also, they sent a guy to find the guitar I was looking for. Then set me up in a quiet room with the 2 amps I wanted to try.


Yes, I have done the "virtual tour" you can do online. For those that can't visit, I suggest trying it. It's very innovative and very un-L & M. Here is a link. Click on the arrows. It works like Google and will take you all around the store.

Virtual Tour | Cosmo Music


----------



## Distortion (Sep 16, 2015)

Like it or not L&m is close to having total control over Canadian music instrument sales. I just left my local Best Bye because I want a alternative. They just did renovations and they had a total of 4 crummy guitars and three key boards in the corner against the wall . About a quarter of what they had 2 months ago. Number crunchers did the math and they don't want it .


----------



## jdto (Sep 30, 2015)

It sucks that so many of the L&M locations seem to be bad. I've been pretty happy with the Bloor St. location in my dealings with them, so far. Cosmo Music is an impressive place, though.


----------



## Robert1950 (Jan 21, 2006)

I will not buy from an American retailer.


----------



## 59burst (May 27, 2010)

Robert1950 said:


> I will not buy from an American retailer.


Why not? If you don't mind sharing that. Thanks.


----------



## Robert1950 (Jan 21, 2006)

59burst said:


> Why not? If you don't mind sharing that. Thanks.


I have never bought without playing ( I have traded twice on this forum though). I haven't been to the US since 1971, have no desire or plans to do so. (Even less so in the past year) I'd rather hand my money over to a Canadian retailer even if it is more.


----------



## 59burst (May 27, 2010)

Thanks for your thoughtful reply.

I'll buy from the US when what I'm looking for isn't apparently available here, but otherwise I try to shop local and used.


----------



## Steadfastly (Nov 14, 2008)

I will buy local if the price is equal, close or the convenience makes it worth my while. Otherwise, I shop where I get the best price.


----------



## SG-Rocker (Dec 30, 2007)

Looking at that Cosmo Virtual Tour and I am really digging that white JMP Superlead !!


----------



## Robert1950 (Jan 21, 2006)

Of course it is quite the place. It is bloody American. Canada doesn't have the population or financial resources to support a place like that.


----------



## 1SweetRide (Oct 25, 2016)

Would love to visit that store. I'm not down on L&M. In fact, I think we're lucky to have them.


----------



## SG-Rocker (Dec 30, 2007)

I love the vibe in Cosmo, they really go the extra mile to make musicians of all stripes fell welcome. Additionally the active sound room for trying out gear is world class. 

I personally celebrated a NGD today with a new Gibson Les Paul Classic from the L&M on Whyte. Got it for $700 off with a price match.



Sent from my SM-G930W8 using Tapatalk


----------



## troyhead (May 23, 2014)

1SweetRide said:


> I'm not down on L&M. In fact, I think we're lucky to have them.


I'd agree with this. There are other music shops around, but I find many just aren't as good. Of those, one seems kind of sketchy because many guitars have no price tags and the sales guy says, "I think it's $___," so you never feel all that certain if the price will be the same when you return. The other one is much more professional and reputable, but they only do returns for store credit instead of refunds. It's not like I buy stuff to return it 30 days later (I don't think I've *ever* done that with music gear), but if I have the choice to purchase an item for the same price at a store where I can undo buyer's remorse with a no-questions-asked refund, I will definitely choose that option. I get why the smaller shops don't do that, but they also need to understand why I don't like "no refund" policies.


----------



## jdto (Sep 30, 2015)

troyhead said:


> I'd agree with this. There are other music shops around, but I find many just aren't as good. Of those, one seems kind of sketchy because many guitars have no price tags and the sales guy says, "I think it's $___," so you never feel all that certain if the price will be the same when you return. The other one is much more professional and reputable, but they only do returns for store credit instead of refunds. It's not like I buy stuff to return it 30 days later (I don't think I've *ever* done that with music gear), but if I have the choice to purchase an item for the same price at a store where I can undo buyer's remorse with a no-questions-asked refund, I will definitely choose that option. I get why the smaller shops don't do that, but they also need to understand why I don't like "no refund" policies.


I agree and I think L&M's return policy is a huge plus for them. I've never bought something intending to just use it for a month and return it, but the sentiment of the policy is that you sometimes don't know until you get something home and that makes sense to me. I've returned two guitars because they just weren't working out the way I thought they would when I bought them. Paying new prices, it's nice to have that as an option and it's certainly a selling feature. I've bought quite a few guitars from them and have been satisfied. I've also traded in (and often up) and they are always fair with giving me a decent value on my trade-ins or even sometimes taking stuff back as a used return after the 30 day period. Again, this is mostly at the Bloor location and I can't say what other stores are like in that regard.


----------



## Distortion (Sep 16, 2015)

L&M return policy is just silly. Unless it is faulty you should be the owner. All that returned stuff is sold as new again to the next guy but guess what it is now used and should be sold as such or go into their rental program. I have been their and amps and pedals are returned for what ever reason and right back on the floor to be sold as new it goes. Who wants to pay new price for a amp that has been in three different basements over the last year. Flame away.


----------



## jdto (Sep 30, 2015)

Distortion said:


> L&M return policy is just silly. Unless it is faulty you should be the owner. All that returned stuff is sold as new again to the next guy but guess what it is now used and should be sold as such or go into their rental program. I have been their and amps and pedals are returned for what ever reason and right back on the floor to be sold as new it goes. Who wants to pay new price for a amp that has been in three different basements over the last year. Flame away.


You make a good point, but I guess it’s something you know going in and part of the deal when shopping there. It’s not like they make it a secret or do it in an underhanded way. You can also ask for them to bring one out of the back if they have it. I did that with my Les Paul Trad. I was the first person to open the case and it was pretty cool.


----------



## Hammertone (Feb 3, 2006)

Robert1950 said:


> ...I haven't been to the US since 1971, have no desire or plans to do so...


Wow. That's over 45 years. Any particular reasons why?


----------



## Robert1950 (Jan 21, 2006)

Hammertone said:


> Wow. That's over 45 years. Any particular reasons why?


Never had that much of desire to go there. What limited funds I've had I would rather spend it on something else. Never seemed that important to go there for me. Last time I had an opportunity for a free trip, I turned it down, but why would I want to go to Minneapolis?


----------

