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G-K not that available in Canada?...Pity

K

kootenay mellie

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Feb 3, 2015
12
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#1
Interesting - based on numerous reviews and forum comments here and elsewhere, I have convinced myself (as we do with most gear) that I would like to have a listen to (and probably purchase) the GK Neo 212-2 which I would pair up with my 700RB 2 and biamp feature. Not sure how many Canadians use this site but geographically I live in small town southern BC but are making a trip to Alberta - Calgary and Edmonton soon so started calling to line up a place to listen and compare. Turns out the dealer, Long and McQuade, which is huge across Canada, has exactly one unit on the west coast (which would cost me to have shipped to Edmonton so I could listen to.) Contacting the distributor (Yorkville in Ontario) turns out he apparently gets very little call for these from their distributors. Hmmm Seemed popular but... I totally get that stores cant stock every line or brand but one unit in Canada? Add in the current dollar difference and getting it from the USA actually would cost me more. Could just buy the thing from Amazon and be done with it but frustrating how one cant have a listen first. Rant done now. Feel better.
 
#2
GK is extremely available in Canada, L&M carries them. You really cannot get any more available than that in Canada.

My L&M has GK in at all times and their amp selection is joke. I asked them about getting a Fender amp (head, not combo) once and they told me they don't order them because the wait time on production is too long... it was probably the most pathetic excuse I have ever heard, especially from a Fender dealer. I am kind of surprised that they did not have any GK in Calgary or Edmonton.
 
#4
I have to agree, however the downtown Vancouver store is probably the best around, due to one great guy-and a friend.I'll just call him J.He has a broad selction, even Sadowsky.Its a pain for me out in the boonies, an hour drive, but worth it.The other outlets, I agree , are like they have never re stocked.I still have not seen a Fender Bassman tube head, or many other amps, that have been out for years now.I say order your gear from the states, and pick it up at the border.Tons of people do everyday.L&M really dont seem to care.Look out for #1.i say."Dam it Jim, l'm a doctor, not a sturgeon!".Axe music also has gear, but not GK.I do love the GK sound, always did.
 
#5
BassmanPaul said:
Personally after my recent buying experience at the Scarborough branch I'll never spend another penny in any Long and McQuade store. Sad really 'cos I count some of the Long siblings as friends. :rollno:
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that is too bad. that is my local store too. I know many of the people there and they seem to be good guys/gals.....and I have had good experiences buying form them. A Yammy I bought new in the box had some finish issues that I didn't see in the store, no problem, they re-ordered and exchanged pleasantly.....another time an amp I ordered came from another store, but on opening the box, it was obviously a returned unit, again they fixed up the problem (now, the problem should not have happened in the 1st place in that the shipping store sent out an amp that had a tag on it saying "return for repair", but not a disaster)...and another time they shipped an amp from another store with a shipping fee that I was willing to pay, but they waived it went it arrived
 
#6
I apologize to the OP for dumping my rant into his thread. It's just that this experience turned a new gear buying experience into somewhat of a disaster. I was excited: WOW new gear!!! Isn't that supposed to be fun??? In future anything I want/need will come from on line dealers.

Edencab I'm a few lights further east off Ellesmere.
 
#7
Many stores and internet stores let you try stuff for a while, and if it doesn't work out return it.
You'll probably have to pay shipping. Consider it a month of rental

It's just really hard to know how an amp will do in the real world by simply trying it out in a store. It takes a few weeks, rehearsals, and venues, to really know how it will work out.

Buy local if you can.
 
#8
No sweat on the rant - L and M have been good with a few things I have bought but they are far, far away. You can check stock on an item on their websites for each store which I did for the 212-2 - everyone except Abbotsford had no stock - I thought that was a mistake until I phoned a few and found otherwise. I live 10 min from border so up until the dollar tanked it would have been good. (599 in us, 749 in Canada - same same) For ***** and giggles I just phoned Saskatoon (actually have a sister there) - sales rep said closest Neo 212 is in Abbotsford - haha GK not so readily available
 
#9
BassmanPaul said:
I apologize to the OP for dumping my rant into his thread. It's just that this experience turned a new gear buying experience into somewhat of a disaster. I was excited: WOW new gear!!! Isn't that supposed to be fun??? In future anything I want/need will come from on line dealers.

Edencab I'm a few lights further east off Ellesmere.
Click to expand...
hah me too!...Scar Golf and then south
 
#10
I bought my GK NEO212 from the local L&M. They didn't have it in stock and I wasn't sure I wanted the 212 or 410. They agreed to bring them both in for me to try at no cost to me.

I avoid L&M whenever possible, however. The independent music store in town treats me very well. They let me try out a rig I was considering at a gig to see if I liked it. No down payment, no commitment to purchase, nothing. I just walked out the door with it and brought it back the next day. See if they'll do that at a L&M...
 
#12
kootenay mellie said:
No sweat on the rant - L and M have been good with a few things I have bought but they are far, far away. You can check stock on an item on their websites for each store which I did for the 212-2 - everyone except Abbotsford had no stock - I thought that was a mistake until I phoned a few and found otherwise. I live 10 min from border so up until the dollar tanked it would have been good. (599 in us, 749 in Canada - same same) For ***** and giggles I just phoned Saskatoon (actually have a sister there) - sales rep said closest Neo 212 is in Abbotsford - haha GK not so readily available
Click to expand...

My bad... I thought you were looking at amps. They usually have one GK cab in, that's it. It's never a 210. The lone GK goes well with the lone Markbass 410, they don't stock any other MB models except the odd combo. It's usually a Traynor, Ampeg, and Mesa dumping ground. Ampeg and Traynor are the only ones that you can easily find the entire product line, this is probably true across Canada. Mesa is usually that 410/115 combo cab (do these all lack high-end or just the ones in my store?) and maybe a 410. I am into Epifani, those are rare in L&M's system as only one store can actually order them, the others can only pull from store stock.

I cannot recall seeing a new Fender or Orange bass cabinet in my L&M ever...

+1 for Vancouver L&M as well. I was blown away when I went there.
 
#16
Hey, I forgot another G.rant.The no effort, don't care policey of said music stores(but not my fav one mentioned earlier)on setting up the basses and guitars to play.So many times my son and I have picked up a nice axe, only to find it virtually unplayable.Either the strings are in the next cloud level, or the neck has more bow than R.Hood.At least spend 2 minutes on each guitar.But no, unless you luck out with the set up as it left the factory.I never pick one up anymore.Thats a fact Jack-Thats plain Lame!
 
#17
Disclaimer: I'm friends with a few L&M employees, so grain of salt etc.

That out of the way, I actually think we're pretty lucky to have L&M in Canada. I can't speak for other regions, but every single store I've been to/shopped at in the Lower Mainland (Terminal, Port Coquitlam, North Van, Surrey, Langley) has had friendly, knowledgeable and helpful service, fair prices, and decent selection. If you go into any Tom Lee, you can see what a truly awful bass department could be...

It's easy to forget hanging out here, but bass is a microscopically small portion of the sales volume for most stores. Add to that most non-TB customers buying habits (Squier/Fender basses, Ampeg, 410 cabs), and the natural desire of L&M to have their own brand available, and it's understandable that there's not much room left on most sales floors. Any retail operation needs to move inventory, so there's no space to stock things that only sell once in a blue moon. I'd be willing to bet that G-K cab has been in that store for quite a while, and is probably only there because someone ordered it to try and never paid (this was a huge problem for them, hence why they started demanding deposits). Frankly, if G-K 212 cabs were flying off the shelves, I guarantee they would be stocked in every store.
 
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#18
BassmanPaul said:
@edencab Coffee at Timmie's in Centenary Plaza??? :D

BTW I'm playing Smiling Jacks next Friday the 6th. :)
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Well, I'm pretty close to you guys! Lawson and Meadowvale here and I played Smilin Jacks two weeks ago! Booked in there again in early May.
I have to agree with Paul re the Scarborough store. I stopped going there when they opened the Pickering Store. The young lad running the bass section is pretty cool!
Sorry for the de-rail!
Fishheadjoe
 

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