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Ok, time for the Canadian equivalent. I'm not sure how much contact people here have had with Lamp;M, but I've never been successfull haggling with them except for a single time. I was buying a used guitar which had been in the store for a while, and the salesman was this old guy who's been doing his thing for decades who knows me and my dad from buying things over the years through him at the store.

Whenever I try to use cymbals and pedals as a trade-in towards new gear, they try to rip me off hardcore and don't back down, even if the store is empty and I'm making educated statements. I'll go there, then I'll go to another place which will offer me twice as much right off the bat.

So, anyone have any stories? Anyone know what the secret is?

The secret is to avoid industry destroying chain stores and support proper mom and pop shops... better service, and generally better deals as well


Originally Posted by ZerberusThe secret is to avoid industry destroying chain stores and support proper mom and pop shops... better service, and generally better deals as well
Meh.... around here, there are plenty of shops which aren't chains which are in easy driving distance, but there aren't many deals. Long and Mcquades is price-competitive, so everyone prices their stuff relative to Long and Mcquades. I can only get deals on used stuff or weird brands like Eastwood that long and mcquades doesn't stock. Long and Mcquades also doesn't stock BC Rich, Hammer, Heritage, Deans, or Tokai, but the small shops haven't picked up on that target market except for this one place in brampton called the travelling musician. They have a lot of shredder guitars with really good setups, but the guitars there aren't cheep and they have relatively few medium-level models.

Get to know the Lamp;M guys, the ones at mine at least are pretty good about stuff. Generally the prices are pretty much set, but whenever I buy there I can always get them to toss in something (patches, strings, picks, slides) to sweeten it for me. What I do like is that they're not on commission, let you return anything for any reason, and have a pretty solid selection (including tons of used stuff). I'd love to support the mom and pop operations of the world, but the ones here are either con artists or aimed strictly at the entry-level market, so Lamp;M it is...

well it depends ive been offered a used LP slightly cheaper. It depends on who you talk to, usually they will throw in free stuff when i buya guitar and they just tab it to the bill for free saying things like (strings were damaged) I agree witht he above post, they don't earn commission they todl me the same thing, and they sually have pretty good people there, well the one i go to at least they seem to know their stuff pretty well. Some of them are pricks no doubt but i know certain employees there i always go to becaus ei knwo they are willing to help me out.

I try to avoid Lamp;M for the most part, unless there's something there that nobody else has. Lamp;M in my city, for the time being, have higher prices than the mom amp; pop stores for the same guitars, so that's the thing. Plus the staff at my loca Lamp;M are either too old and won't let anybody touch the Gibson's, or in their 30's and want anybody under the age of 25 to leave the store.


Originally Posted by V-SpotI try to avoid Lamp;M for the most part, unless there's something there that nobody else has. Lamp;M in my city, for the time being, have higher prices than the mom amp; pop stores for the same guitars, so that's the thing. Plus the staff at my loca Lamp;M are either too old and won't let anybody touch the Gibson's, or in their 30's and want anybody under the age of 25 to leave the store.

salesmen in Lamp;M Winnipeg are ass*****. bought my LP and amp there coz they're the only ones that sell them. in my case, i didn't have problems playing their Gibsons but when i bought one the salesman's facial expression looks like he's disappointed i bought the guitar and talking to him is like he is only talking to you coz its his job, like talking to a robot. maybe he's a racist or something.

Mostly i deal with smaller stores..... I've been to the Lamp;M stores in Toronto and Vancouver.... They are good stores for the most part. If you have the money to spend you can get almost anything you could want thru them... Me on the other hand shop in smaller stores looking for bargains... I love scoping out small towns stores and stuff on holidays... I've bought most of my collection thru serious bargain shoping thru Pawn Shops, small town guitar stores, and a local huge store that i know the workers very well and they look after me.

The only Bargain i have ever found at Lamp;M is oneday i walked into one of their stores and found a used 1999 white Fender Mexican Strat for $199.... Never seen a used guitar priced that low at any Lamp;M.... Why it was so cheap i have no idea.... Did not ask, just paid and split!

WhoFan


Originally Posted by bryvincentsalesmen in Lamp;M Winnipeg are ass*****. bought my LP and amp there coz they're the only ones that sell them. in my case, i didn't have problems playing their Gibsons but when i bought one the salesman's facial expression looks like he's disappointed i bought the guitar and talking to him is like he is only talking to you coz its his job, like talking to a robot. maybe he's a racist or something.

Some of the guys at the winnipeg store are *******s, the fat guys pretty cool. I also live in winnipeg, and visit that store about once a week during the summer just to play around with stuff and not actually buy anything. Most of them dont care about that. I try for the most part to not shop there, but its the closest store to me that isn't crap. You should check out mothers music on wall street, they have the same price as Lamp;M for some stuff, but their guitars are regularly cheaper by about 50 dollars. Quest Musique, on portage, is also really good, when you go to that store they try to get you to play the expensive stuff just for fun, they don't pressure you at all, and they can get pretty technical explaining how stuff works.
I got a pretty sweet deal on my amp at Lamp;M though which is the only major purchase I've made from that store (other than the hundreds of dollars on strings over the years). I got a used mesa boogie combo for about 40% of the original price.