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L & M Ripoff

aqsw

aqsw

May 28, 2006
324
13
#1
Not sure if this is in the right forum or not.
Long and McQuade Canada ripoff.After spending about $8-9 thousand there in the last 6 years, I went there today to order a Fender American deluxe Jazz, using a 4 year old Gibson SG guitar(mint-which I bought there for $1250.00) as a trade.
They offered me $360.00 for a trade in. :eek:Oh well, Kijiijii here I come. I will never step in their door again.

I think I'm going to have to spend an extra grand now and get that Dingwall Super J!!:hyper::D
 
#3
thats all they offered damn i got offered 540 for my american standard jazz bass theyre before and thought that was a rip off lol. thats even worse. Well music stores have to make a profit some how and thats how they do it, fyi its much better trading gear here or selling stuff here than taking anything to a big name company.
 
#4
I'm so glad I live in a city that borders the U.S. Definately one of the few bonuses of living "in the north". Why? Because I constantly order gear from the U.S. (M.F. or other places including Brooklyn Gig, Ebay, T.B. purchase). I have the gear delivered to a site 20 minutes away located right across the border in northern Michigan. Save easily 1/3 the cost.

I laugh out loud looking at the prices at L & M, L.A. Music, Steve's etc.

Don't get me wrong, I like to support local and still do (strings, lessons for my kids etc.) BUT.. Saving big $$ is a no brainer FOR SURE....

Good for you for walking out at that insulting offer for the S.G. What the heck, did they think it was the Epiphone version :eyebrow:

Take care,

Marc
 
#5
aqsw said:
Not sure if this is in the right forum or not.
Long and McQuade Canada ripoff.After spending about $8-9 thousand there in the last 6 years, I went there today to order a Fender American deluxe Jazz, using a 4 year old Gibson SG guitar(mint-which I bought there for $1250.00) as a trade.
They offered me $360.00 for a trade in. :eek:Oh well, Kijiijii here I come. I will never step in their door again.

I think I'm going to have to spend an extra grand now and get that Dingwall Super J!!:hyper::D
Click to expand...

You're never going to get market value in a trade-in scenario no matter where you shop. You're much better off selling privately so you can get top dollar...
 
#13
You're never, ever going to get anything good out of a trade-in from any store. I always check mine with them just for kicks. My Sterling's usually end up around $300-$400, my G&L I think I got offered $450 for (custom USA model).
They have to turn around and sell it, and still make a profit on it, so of course they're going to low ball you on it. Expecting otherwise is just wrong.

So what, you spend $1500/year there. That's nothing to a store like that at all. They won't even notice you being gone.
 
#14
aqsw said:
Why not?

When I bought the guitar there they told me I would get fair value on a trade in. I was told by another store I should ask about $800.00 for it. Plus, they should try to keep a good customer.

JMO
Click to expand...

They took something of yours without your permission?

I’m not unsympathetic to your situation, nor am I siding with them, but “Ripoff” isn’t the proper term, imo.

:)
 
#16
aqsw said:
And your missing the point on keeping or losing a good customer.
Click to expand...

So go elsewhere if they don't want to "take care of a good customer." There is no rip-off in your story. Just a store that doesn't want to sink money into a piece they may have a tough time moving.

But if you think that trade-in value was a "ripoff" I would suggest you don't understand how music stores work, or grok the value of used gear outside of the TB fantasy world where depreciation doesn't exist and basses don't have deadspots...

Let's do the math. If you *paid* $1250 4 years ago, market value for a garden variety SG now would be maybe $700 if it is dead-clean. That is retail price. So trade in would have to be around half that which would be $350. So they actually were $10 generous by my calculation.

They aren't ripping you off or being mean or disrespectful - that is just the realities of the used musical instrument market.
 
#17
Ray Salamon said:
You're never, ever going to get anything good out of a trade-in from any store. I always check mine with them just for kicks. My Sterling's usually end up around $300-$400, my G&L I think I got offered $450 for (custom USA model).
They have to turn around and sell it, and still make a profit on it, so of course they're going to low ball you on it. Expecting otherwise is just wrong.
Click to expand...

Ok, fair enough. I may be wrong but I still don`t feel I was treated right. They still lost all my business in the future. (As if they care)
 
#18
L&M is a weird store.

I have traded things in there and got amazing deals. other times I have taken things in and been totaly insulted by what they offer.

What I don't like about L&M is that most of there stuff is overpriced, and any used stuff they sell they sell for over market value of what it would be on the street used.

they lost my business as well a while ago over some crap they pulled on me.

They also used to have a fantastic bass section, but what they have now is just pitiful.
 
#19
If you go in looking for something they don't have, you always get the "we can order it for you."

ya of course you can and then you will charge me more for what I could order it myself for online and it will take twice as long to get to me, if you even call me about it.
 
#20
I think this would have been an actual rip-off if they guy behind the counter pulled out a gun and robbed the OP. Instead, he felt insulted by the offer and is complaining.

Anyone who has been doing this music thing more than 6 months knows that YOU NEVER TRADE GEAR IN AT A STORE UNLESS YOU WANT TO GET HOSED. EVER.
 

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