vourot Posted September 25, 2009 Share Posted September 25, 2009 The L&M gear guide came in the mail the other day. I almost spit my coffee all over my screen when I saw the prices for new Gibson acoustics. $2525- J-45 Standard ( not my thing but the vine only costs a few hundred more at $2950 ) I know prices go up but come on.... I paid $1599 U.S. for my AJ less than 2 years ago. You can't really haggle with thier prices either. SG prices are more in line with states however. The one wierd thing I noticed was that a SG 61 re-issue is priced lower than the U.S. by over 200 dollars. Must be old stock. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jefleppard Posted September 25, 2009 Share Posted September 25, 2009 L&M made this increase sometime last fall. i know your shock. when i walked in and saw that the '45 had gone from 2075 to 2575 overnight, i was stunned. it has backfired on them - at least locally - for the same 5 gibsons in the showroom here - 2 songwriters, 1 j185, 2 - j45s - have not sold and are gathering dust. same thing on the electric side. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Blackburn Posted September 25, 2009 Share Posted September 25, 2009 Enjoyed reading your post . . . a couple observations from the "world's coldest major city" -- Winnipeg Manitoba Canada -- where one of Long & McQuade's 42 (correct) stores happens to be the only Gibson dealer in town. And for good reason: they have a terrific reputation with the Gibson company, such that once a year or so, Gibson makes a special model of acoustic or electric guitar JUST for them! Last year, 2008, it was the guitar I acquired -- my dream guitar, a "Northern (Southern) Jumbo" -- a "limited edition" (glorified J-45) "custom built" and signed by master luthier Ren Ferguson. I purchased mine "used" for 18-hundred (Canadian) dollars -- about 15 hundred U.S. The original purchaser was a local blues legend, "Big Dave McLean" and when he bought it, ten months earlier (early 2008, for about twice that amount of money) the Canadian dollar was 'on par' with the American; today our dollar is back to where it's historically been -- worth 25 per cent less. So that figures into the mix. Our Long & McQuade store is THE premier fine instruments store in this city of 700,000. Like you, I just got MY copy of their beautiful catalog, and the most expensive instrument is that gorgeous top-of-the-line J-200 custom model for about 5,150 dollars (if memory serves). That's like paying about 48 hundred U.S. I'm guessing that's close to what Americans are paying for the most glorious guitar made at the Bozeman plant (and perhaps without Ren Ferguson's ballpoint pen signature? Just as an aside, Mr. Ferguson gets 500 to 600 requests per year for instruments carrying his signature). As for Gibsons not selling very well: They almost fly off the shelves (or off the wall hangers) at the Winnipeg store: constant, steady turnover. Same with Taylors, incidentally. I was in there just yesterday and chatting with a man playing a 12 hundred dollar Taylor (cutaway model). "Sounds nice," I told him. "Your playing, and the tone of that thing." "You just told me all I needed to know," he said, and -- turning to the salesman, a friend of mine, (who's just acquired a J-45 of his own) and the man playing the Taylor said: "I'll take it!" Good thread. Thanks for posting. Mark Blackburn Winnipeg Canada post script: Since my guitar is a glorified J-45 (mahogany back & sides, silver Grover tuners) I wrote a review last winter for the closest model to mine, at the 'world's biggest website.' Admittedly this J-45 (to which I attached my review) is a modern classic (Rosewood) with gold hardware, but today it's marked down a thousand dollars from 3,400 U.S. dollars. Here's a link to that, and -- if you scroll down the page -- to my review. Thanks again for posting this thread! http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002GXW7U/ref=cm_rdp_product Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yggdrasil Posted September 25, 2009 Share Posted September 25, 2009 Their current prices reflect last year's drop in the CDN$ from the xchange rate 2 years ago, when we were 10% above par. However, with the recent rise in the CDN$ to 93% of USD, they now lag - their prices are too high in relation to USD prices. Frank in Toronto (but originally from Wpg) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wonderful remark Posted September 25, 2009 Share Posted September 25, 2009 I am in winnipeg too.. and I saw the northern jumbo as well, nice guitar indeed. that L&M really over price everything. As for Gibsons not selling very well: They almost fly off the shelves (or off the wall hangers) at the Winnipeg store: constant' date=' steady turnover. [/quote'] they have had few gibsons on the shelf over a year.. a nice hummingbird vos, a couple J-200, CF-100 and others as well.... but that hummingbird vos is very gorgeous but the intonation is a bit off.. however I wouldn't mind owning one.. I bought my J45 last june... for $1999 at L&M... I guess I got somewhat of a deal, buying my guitar then... They have a very nice HD-28.. and a very dull HD-28v... I am GASsing for a HD-28.. that thing really is a cannon.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onewilyfool Posted September 25, 2009 Share Posted September 25, 2009 Fender also raised thier prices this year......and then the market went bust........they now have informed their dealers to go back to 2008 price guidelines.....I think Gibson shot themselves in the foot this year with their whopping price raises......Dealers are sitting on their stock for long times now......just be patient, you will see %20 coupons...."special pricing"....."special order"...etc...etc....I don't know anything about L&M....but be patient......no store wants to celebrate a "birthday" in their store of one of their products (over a year on the wall or shelf), if you see a guitar you like that has been on the wall for a while, just go in and make a low ball offer....see what happens......OR....buy used.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zeebee Posted September 25, 2009 Share Posted September 25, 2009 'nudder pegger here. My understanding that the same group that owns L&M also holds the Gibby distribution rights in Canada....any wonder the brand is well represented in the chain? For what it's worth I go out of province for all my purchases as the selection in town is too brand and model limited. The 12th Fret in Toronto or Folkway in Guelph are class acts with 72 hour approval periods. I refuse to be "played" by L&M's premium pricing policies and no tech on site service. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drathbun Posted September 25, 2009 Share Posted September 25, 2009 I love our L&M here in Calgary. The staff are all knowledgeable, helpful and friendly. The acoustic room is filled with some of the best guitars in the city; Gibsons, Larrivee, Martin, Taylor. I was also amazed at the price increase. I paid $1900 Cdn for my Songwriter Deluxe a year ago last month and now they are $2595! I seem to know when to buy guitars! I picked up my Rickenbackers for dirt cheap before the prices went into the stratosphere (no offence Fender). I won't be buying that J200 just yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gilliangirl Posted September 25, 2009 Share Posted September 25, 2009 I love our L&M here in Calgary. The staff are all knowledgeable' date=' helpful and friendly. The acoustic room is filled with some of the best guitars in the city; Gibsons, Larrivee, Martin, Taylor. I was also amazed at the price increase. I paid $1900 Cdn for my Songwriter Deluxe a year ago last month and now they are $2595! I seem to know when to buy guitars! I picked up my Rickenbackers for dirt cheap before the prices went into the stratosphere (no offence Fender). I won't be buying that J200 just yet.[/quote']Me too. Our L&McQ is wonderful. I feel like it's my second home. I got the flyer too. I'm still coasting on my recently purchased J-185. I really want a Shure SM27 but they didn't have one in the flyer so, meh. Doug, did you know that James left? He's got his own business now..... James Fry guitars. He's also working at Guitarworks. I am not fussy about Guitarworks because, with the exception of a few staff, the rest are not very friendly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drathbun Posted September 26, 2009 Share Posted September 26, 2009 Me too. Our L&McQ is wonderful. I feel like it's my second home. I got the flyer too. I'm still coasting on my recently purchased J-185. I really want a Shure SM27 but they didn't have one in the flyer so' date=' meh. Doug, did you know that James left? He's got his own business now..... James Fry guitars. He's also working at Guitarworks. I am not fussy about Guitarworks because, with the exception of a few staff, the rest are not very friendly. [/quote'] Karen, you're talking about the Guitarworks in the north not the one on MacLeod Tr.? I bought my Taylor from the one on MacLeod and they seemed quite helpful and knowledgeable. Although, they won't give the first setup free like L&M. Their tech works on commission. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jefleppard Posted September 26, 2009 Share Posted September 26, 2009 that's it. all this talk about L&M - i can't take it. i'm getting in the car and.........(tires squealing, cries of "i'm comin' home, baby" are heard in the distance) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vourot Posted September 26, 2009 Author Share Posted September 26, 2009 There are 5 L&M's that I can drive to in the lower mainland. The one I most frequent has the better staff but the not so great tech. When I bought my gretsch I couldn't tell he did anything to it on the free setup. Then, when I bought some mini grovers to replace the bad tuners on the gretsch I was going to get it done at another shop. The other shop was downtown and too much of a hassle to get to after work ( traffic ) so I took it to the guy at my prefered L&M out of convienience ( its on the way home from work, handy but dangerous ) So the not-so-great tech replaced my tuners. They are crooked. Not so much that most people would notice or care but when viewed from the back they are not lined up properly. So, while I am 95% happy with L&M some of their guitar techs do not seem to be top notch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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