Cool Jam

[Rob Quail]

Originally posted by Luc The Tinkerer
Personally, I feel they treat me with respect and I have a good consumer/store rapport with them. I used to find them a tad snooty the first few times I went there, but for the past 6 years I have no complaints at all.

I've dealt with too many morons at Song Bird to even take them seriously, and while the customer service at Steve's has improved tenfold since the late 80's, they still have too many "green" sales people for my own taste, and the screw up from last year .

I havent been to the main L&M for years. The one on Steeles has such bad staff there it is a joke. Clueless. But I know some people who work at the Bloor store and I respect them. Luc, you also have clearly built up a great relationship with them over the years and that is as good as gold.

I have bought 3 guitars from Songbird and have dealt with their service staff as well, and they have always been top-notch. There is one guy behind the counter there who seems to know absolutely everything about every guitar that moves thru the place; pups, history, size of production runs, etc etc. As for their service staff I brought my S500 in there to have a buzz corrected on one fret, and the guy spent the whole day on my axe (which was all covered by their in-store warranty) doing the nicest fret dressing and set up I have ever seen. Free.

Steves has the worst staff and the worst prices in the GTA.

[Rob Quail]

Originally posted by funky
Brother Rob,

It's simple really. Large music stores could care less about selling to musicians. You see, musicians are poor, and they always want a deal. They are a pain in the ass if you're managing a music store.

And what do you have against D'Addario? I've used them forever. Rarely break a string and always have consistant tone. Must be a Tele thing

Sorry to rant back at you man, but I understand both sides of the issue.

yeah, I understand the economics. But it still disappoints me. We all suffer, because the smaller guitar makers have trouble selling their stuff...

I got nothing against the strings. But I hate the damn packaging -- the so-called "enviro-paks" with all the strings in one plastic bag. Yecch!! (finicky bastard ain't I??)

[SomeGuyNamedRob]

Originally posted by Rob Quail
(finicky bastard ain't I??)

The first step to recovery is to admit that you have a problem.

[Jack E Martling]

Originally posted by SomeGuyNamedRob


The first step to recovery is to admit that you have a problem.

Rob, since you live in the Chi, have you ever gone to Midwest Buy and Sell?

[SomeGuyNamedRob]

Originally posted by Jack E Martling


Rob, since you live in the Chi, have you ever gone to Midwest Buy and Sell?

Nope. So far I've just stuck to the three in my area : Guitar Works Ltd, Flynn Guitars, and The Sound Post. IMO, those three are pretty good stores - they each carry a nice array of stuff at all budget levels, and have staff that help you without riding piggy back (ok, Sound Post is a bit more in your face than the other two).

Robochimp has been telling me good things about Maknn Music downtown, but I still haven't checked it out.

[Jack E Martling]

Originally posted by SomeGuyNamedRob

Robochimp has been telling me good things about Maknn Music downtown, but I still haven't checked it out.

Makn Music is all totally high end gear. If you are into funky vintage Fender/Silvertone/Marshall/Vox/Orange/Hiwatt amps and vintage Fender/Gibson/Rickenbacker/Kay etc guitars you should go. It's an old pawnshop located on Irving Park just west of Austin.

[SomeGuyNamedRob]

I'm not really a "vintage" kind of guy. But maybe I'll have a look before making my way back to the great white north.

[Matisse]

I wish there was a nice big music store nearby.

[fischman]

Originally posted by Matisse
I wish there was a nice big music store nearby.

Matisse, you must've been really bored to search through and find this relic of a thread.

[Matisse]

Originally posted by fischman


Matisse, you must've been really bored to search through and find this relic of a thread.

Yes.

You are right.

[Andrewrg]

If ever you get to the UK,specifically Devon and more specifically,Exeter visit Mansons on Fore Street.Great staff,nice selection of all sorts of stuff and Hugh Manson is a well respected luthier-builds stuff for Tull,Muse,Zeppelin,Steve Howe etc.His brother Andy is a fine acoustic luthier and taught the guys at Brook guitars who,IMHO,build the best acoustics around.

[Matisse]

I like it when music stores carry some used gear.

[dirtyragamuffin]

Gosh Matisse, if you weren't around, who would we trust to dredge up dusty old closed threads :rolleyes:

[Matisse]

Originally posted by dirtyragamuffin
Gosh Matisse, if you weren't around, who would we trust to dredge up dusty old closed threads :rolleyes:

I don't know.

Who would you trust?

Hmmmmm

'cept it's not closed is it?

[dirtyragamuffin]

For all practical purposes, anyway.


And...no one :wave:


I'm going to go out on a limb here and conjecture that you might not be a "current events" sort of person. Do tell?

[Matisse]

Originally posted by dirtyragamuffin
For all practical purposes, anyway.


And...no one :wave:


I'm going to go out on a limb here and conjecture that you might not be a "current events" sort of person. Do tell?

I like events.

New and used.

Lately I have been transcribing letters written in March of 1797 by a United Empire Loyalist.

Yesterday I edited news stories that are being carried today by UPI.

[dirtyragamuffin]

[mikebc]

New Post for 2006!

Came across this thread and thought I'd ask others in Toronto...What the F#*% has happend to Steve's since around Dec 05?

I usually go to 12th fret, Capsule, and Songbird but Steve's is part of my circuit and I used to like going there to test out new models that the other stores are less likely to carry.

Used to be that you could walk into Steves grab a guitar plug in and go.

Now they've hired a staff of snotnosed wankers that will remind you that you should ask an "assist"ant first before you play a guitar. Then they'll stand over your shoulder while you play, tell you that what you are playing is god' gift to music, and will get really pissed if you choose to try more than one guitar out.

What the?!

This was the way that Long and McQuade used to treat their customers...and now Long and McQuade have cleaned up their act while Steve's has really gone to S#!%

Anyone know whether Steve's is under new management?

...yet again another good reason to stick with the stores that obviously cater to musicians.

[Timezarrow]

[SIZE=12]OOGA BOOGA!![/SIZE]

[Shuborno]

I bought my Strat at Steve's in Toronto.

I actually liked that their "Wall of Strat". I played several of them (MIM and MIA) and when I finally reached MY Strat, I knew it was special (a Highway 1 that played better than the American Strats costing $400+ more).

It was busy, but an employee didn't take too long to come help me. She knew what she was talking about and let me try the guitar in peace (didn't hover over me or pressure me or anything).

EDIT:
I believe this experience was in the summer of '05.