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Toronto Stores: GHS Precision Flatwounds

#3
It's a shame that behemoths like L&M don't carry much GHS. All you can find in their stores are Boomers.

I'd like to see GHS have more of a presence in Canada. GHS makes my favourite flat wounds.

As it stands now, D'Addario seems to almost have a monopoly.
 
#6
I'm from Winnipeg and I tend to agree it is a shame a big national chain like Long & McQuade doesn't stock enough variety of bass strings on a regular basis.

Here's the good news, though...

I recently ordered two sets of DR strings from bassstringsonline.com and saved myself 19% off of what I would have paid at the local store, even with the shipping and the US/Cdn exchange! So, go figure...
 
#7
L&M can and will order them if you want but it will be flat out cheaper to buy from bassstringsonline.com, at least it is for me with my DR's. If I order 2 packs of strings I save almost $10. Buying strings locally blows where I live unless you want D'addario or Ernie Ball, and they don't even carry everything D'addario just most of it. I grew out of EB strings personally.

Also, if you frequent your L&M they will stock stuff just for you, just be warned that if your the only guy buying 1 kind of strings, they will be old when you go in for your sixth pack.
 
#8
It does suck that you can't buy locally. I guess I'm spoiled by Jean who runs the Vancouver L&M bass department and keeps a really good stock of various flats. On the other hand buying flats is something you don't need to do very often so it's not really that big an inconvenience. And bassstringsonline.com and JustStrings.com both have huge inventory, good prices and great service.
 
#9
Whereabouts in TO are you? A few weeks back I dropped in at Cosmo Music up in Richmond Hill and they carry stuff which I didn't find at the different L&M outlets that I've visited (their store is large, by the way). Can't recall if I saw GHSs other than Boomers during my visit, but you could give them a call. Who knows - maybe they could put in an order for you.

Any reason why you're limiting yourself to just bricks-and-mortar stores? I got lucky scoring a 5-string set of La Bella Super Steps at Steves (oh yeah, you could try them as well) ages ago and when I came back for more all they had were "Deep Takin'" ones and flats. No one else carried them. Found them online and they turned out cheaper after factoring-in all the add-in costs.
 
#11
Root 5 said:
It's a shame that behemoths like L&M don't carry much GHS. All you can find in their stores are Boomers.

I'd like to see GHS have more of a presence in Canada. GHS makes my favourite flat wounds.

As it stands now, D'Addario seems to almost have a monopoly.
Click to expand...
HEY GHS OFFICIAL -- ARE YOU READING THIS?
 
#12
iiipopes said:
HEY GHS OFFICIAL -- ARE YOU READING THIS?
Click to expand...

Yes sir, no need for the shouting. :)

The immediate issue is that, as everyone knows, a set of flats lasts a lot longer than rounds. So from a dealer standpoint, what are you going to order more of, in order to make a decent return and rotating stock?

That said, let me see who we need to contact.
 
#15
L&M sells a lot of D'Addario Chromes and other flats sit.

My local store stocks Fedora, Smith and a few other "weird" brands. They barely ever sell a set.

Weird at L&M doesn't sell. Gibson, Fender, GK, Marshall, Ibanez and Ernie Ball is what they sell guitar stuff wise. Tat is where they make their $$$$. Sucks but that is the reality of a chain guitar store.
 
#16
I'm a Torontian, and while I do as much buying as I can at my local shop, St. John's Music near Bayview and Eglinton, they don't stock a lot of the strings I like. I tried bassstingsonline.com and Jason is great. I get most deliveries in about a week. He even answers the phone when you call. Trust me, I totally prefer to buy locally, but I don't believe the profit margin on strings is high, so I understand smaller shops not occupying 10% of their realestate on bass strings.
 
#17
GHS Official said:
The immediate issue is that, as everyone knows, a set of flats lasts a lot longer than rounds. So from a dealer standpoint, what are you going to order more of, in order to make a decent return and rotating stock?
Click to expand...

But what are the reasons for them (dealers) to carry a comprehensive selection of D'Addario, Rotosound, DR, and Fender when GHS is represented only by Boomers (Which are great strings by the way)?

An obvious answer is lower demand.

But I think that it's more so the product not being available to customers - IE. tapewounds.

GHS has the quality. You just need to be visible, available and represented.

As it stands now, all we see at an L&M store is a wall plastered in D'Addario, Roto, Fender & DR.
 
#18
Root 5 said:
GHS has the quality. You just need to be visible, available and represented.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the comments; we are in the process of looking into it. We have a giant sales meeting coming up in a couple of weeks that I'm keeping all of these concerns written down and bringing up there (in addition to sending them off immediately as well).
 

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