Canada sucks for musicians. Here's proof.

I suggest you shop around online for a better price. Once you have a lower price go to L&M and show it to them. They'll price match. Doing that has saved me a lot of money over the years when buying there.

TD

 

Las time I was in the local l&m, a road worn jazz was almost $1500. Over $1600 after tax for a mim bass.

I am in the market for another bass and wanted to buy Canadian made, all I can find is 3 options. Godin, which doesn't have a model that speaks to me, F-bass and Dingwall, also mucho $$$$ for Canadian made.

The cost of living in Canada is terribly high. I am tired of it as well.

 

$449 US is about $609 CDN at current exchange rates. Has nothing to do with the Canadian market.
At least in this case.

Guitars/basses seem to be priced beyond just the exchange rate however.

 

555 Euro = 632.42 US
555 Euro = 822.69 CDN

Sounds like you are getting a better deal than Europeans.

 

L&M often has the lower prices on higher priced items around here.
Other places either have higher or the same prices.

On cheaper accessories it could be anywhere.
Except strings--they have the best string prices in town.

I get most of my stuff there, but still check out other stores--L&M doesn't carry everything--so sometimes I do stop other places.

 

... which is probably why those Canadian makers have to charge accordingly, and also the distributors that stock them to pay their rent, keep the lights on and pay their employees. They have to eat and keep a roof over their heads too, and as I discussed with @Sheldon D. recently, they're not exactly making a huge profit and drowning in Ferraris!

As pointed out earlier, we pay a hell of a lot more here in Europe. If I were to buy a high-end secondhand instrument every time I went to the States, then sold it on here having snuck it through Customs (which of course I'd never do...), I could pretty much pay for my flights with the profit.

 

that is because you have to pay for socialized medicine among other things

 

The cost of consumer goods is high. The cost of education and healthcare is lower. Also, our government (provincial and federal) have a wide range of programs to support artists and musicians. Having lived in both the US and Canada, there are certainly trade offs, and I miss cheap goods and cheap mail order. But I was honestly surprised at how good musicians have it in some other ways here. And I love the labyrinths of Montreal's music scenes

Also, because the exchange rate shifts, it's possible now and then to find amazing deals on gear. But I suppose that's like playing a currency market.

 

When the market went the other way, I snagged a year old never-owned Lull for a price I dare not mention here.

 

I dunno why this is thread worthy, really... It's not like you don't have options: buy used or move south.

Yes, the $$$ situation sucks but it is what it is. I'll repeat: do not buy new, tons of good deals in the used market. And trust me, it is a buyer's market right now, some sellers are getting desperate to move their stuff.

I absolutely love my american neighbors but I won't complain about my canadian situation and it would need something life changing for me to move south.

Stop looking at what you don't have and get creative, there's good stuff out there in our country.

 

Add another $50-100 shipping to where I live in Canada's north. Best to buy used.

 

I've bought several items at L&M and Cosmo Music in the last few years; 2 amps and 2 axes, brand new. I recently put in an order for a new small amp and gave a down payment only to see the recycling fee ($5) on the bill for the first time. I didn't think this fee would affect music gear. Anyone else notice this on recently purchases ?

 

In Canada I would be looking at Traynor amps. I have both a Traynor SB115 and a Fender Rumble 100 v3. Both excellent combos but clearly the Traynor is superior. L&M stocks these. They are hard to find here in the US, (NY). Just a siuggestion based on my personal experience.

 

Living in a bordering area, heavily trafficked by Canadians coming in, I know it's more than just the primary cost. It is also taxes. it does a lot to help our economy when our norther neighbors come to shop. My only wish is that they would not leave their "trash" in the parking lots. It is not uncommon to find old used clothing, shoes, etc just dumped in the lots as they head home wearing the new items, to avoid possible duty tax. The malls have even put in extra dumpsters, donation bins so that those clothes could go to homeless, but yet.......oh well. I still love my Canadian friends.

 

I was thinking this thread would be about how a miniscule population density and the proximity to a country with ten times our population more or less within less land and a culture of exceptionalism can possibly affect musical demographics. But yeah, prices on everything suck too - granted, I'm sure they're justified, they need to pay rent and utilities and everything, but our struggling dollar and economy doesn't allow for many toys either

 

How un-Canadian of them.
I'll apologize for my selfish fellow citizens, that's embarrassing.

But yeah, if you're not over in the States for over 24 hours, you have to pay tax and possibly duty on goods coming back.
And depending on the province, that could be 13% tax on the already charged state taxes. Plus applicable duties, if they apply.
And that only accounts for US made goods, not imported into the US goods.

Fortunately for me, my gf lives in Michigan, and I'm right on the border, so I get stuff shipped there.
So if I'm over 24-48 hours on a weekend, I can bring most stuff back free.

But as I have a pre-clearance border pass called Nexus, I claim everything.
I go over enough that taking the Nexus express lane makes a big deal in my life, so I don't take the chance of losing it to save a few dollars.