Calling everyone from Toronto and the GTA

[SnowBlind]

Im just wondering where you get your gear from. These are the stores that I know.

Steves
Songbird
La music
Wallies
Long and Mcquade

Does anyone know anything about "Allegro music" or "12th fret"? Aswell, Do you guys know where I can get the best deal on a Vox ad15vt?

Thanks.

[Dirty_Frank]

I know the 12th fret has a lot of vintage and good used gear. They have a website here:

http://www.12fret.com/

[SnowBlind]

It says that under retail they only sell Koch and Polytone Amplifiers. Possibly in the actual store they will have much more of a selection?

[Dirty_Frank]

It says that under retail they only sell Koch and Polytone Amplifiers. Possibly in the actual store they will have much more of a selection?

I'm not sure about their new amps. It could be that they just can't list all of the companies they deal with. I do know that they always have a fairly good selection of old fender amps at reasonable prices though.

You'd be best just to give them a call and ask, or hopefully someone will know better than me.

[FrogRick12]

Hey SnowBlind,

Try The Guitar Shop in Port Credit or The Arts in Newmarket - very cool shops.

www.theguitarshop.ca

www.theartsmusicstore.com

[Duke of Metal]

Songbird
La music
Long and Mcquade
The Guitar Shop
12th Fret (a little bit too far for me)

Those about the only stores I go to in Toronto. I appsolutly hate dealing with Steves music.

Now days, if i need to get something, I check at www.axemusic.com... they're located in Calgary but give excellent service.

[david henman]

...there is a great store for used instruments in scarborough called "encore music". its located at the corner of danforth avenue and danforth road, and the owner is dave duvall - he is also a player. i go as often as possible, and i have scored some amazing deals there. also a good place to sell your gear on consignment.

[davetcan]

You should also check out Capsule Music on Queen Street.

http://capsulemusic.com/

[Lester B. Flat]

Tundra Music in Scarborough has lots of vintage gear. You'll find amps under the guitar section.

http://www.tundramusic.com

[cohenj]

Songbird
La music
Long and Mcquade
The Guitar Shop
12th Fret (a little bit too far for me)

Those about the only stores I go to in Toronto. I appsolutly hate dealing with Steves music.

Now days, if i need to get something, I check at www.axemusic.com... they're located in Calgary but give excellent service.


Steve's had a bad rap for customer service about 2 years ago, but have you been there lately? I shop there all the time and they are very friendly and helpful. My understanding is that they routed out the bad elements some time ago.

Jeff

[Duke of Metal]

Steve's had a bad rap for customer service about 2 years ago, but have you been there lately? I shop there all the time and they are very friendly and helpful. My understanding is that they routed out the bad elements some time ago.

Jeff
hey Jeff,
No i havent been back there. I've had bad exprience dealing with their salesmen and I dont like that.

I think they should be nice to everyone whether they're buying stuff or just browsing.

but anyways.. No i havent been back there. I am worried to go back there and deal with one of their bad staff and this time loose it and do something bad. But if your saying they "got rid" of the bad elements, then maybe I'll give it a try sometime again if I am down there in that area.

[devil6]

hey Jeff,
No i havent been back there. I've had bad exprience dealing with their salesmen and I dont like that.

I think they should be nice to everyone whether they're buying stuff or just browsing.

but anyways.. No i havent been back there. I am worried to go back there and deal with one of their bad staff and this time loose it and do something bad. But if your saying they "got rid" of the bad elements, then maybe I'll give it a try sometime again if I am down there in that area.

They've been very helpful and friendly the last few times i went there. And anytime i've had questions about gear even though i said i wasnt buying anything they answered them without sounding like i was wasting their time. My only complaint is i think they have TOO MANY helpful people in there now, it seems like every time i turn around another employee is there asking if i need help with anything

I personally like Long and Mcquades for new gear and Capsule music and Songbird for Used gear.

[Welladjusted]

i like pongetti's music in hamilton. they're nice guys and their prices are better than L&M. I get most of my stuff from lakeshore music because it's the closest. i got my amp, electric, and acoustic there

[Robert1950]

Ring Music on Harbord St. just west of Spadina - http://www.ringmusic.com/index.html

Paul's Boutique on Nassau St. in Kensington Market. - http://www.paulsboutique.ca/index.php

[david henman]

...for anyone in the area, i'd like to recommend kaos music at 3052 Bloor Street West near the Kingsway.

the manager, lou roppoli is a player (house of not) and a super guy.

they deal mainly in non-fender and non-gibson lines, although they have epiphone and will probably upgrade to gibson soon.

they have several g&l models in stock, lots of great amps and pedals and excellent prices. more to the point, lou is easy to talk to, if you get my drift.

i've been trying to get him to set up a deal with heritage guitars...

[Gibson Guy]

I love hanging around the 12th Fret because they have the best vintage selection in town, far as I'm concerned. Nothin' but quality. They also carry a lot of more reasonably priced stuff. As for amps, for the most part they carry Traynor and Fender I'd say, but I've seen small Marshall's, Vox etc. Always something there to check out, no matter what your price range. They are not the least expensive, but I think they have the best techs in town and provide great after-sales service. I've bought there many times. I also check out The Guitar Shop in Port Credit, and have bought there. Good folks, and good prices I think. Steve's has some good people, but it's always chaos in there in my experience. LA Music has a huge selection now, with 2 stores a block apart. For L&M I go to the new Mississauga store. Big Mike M. is a good guy, and they have good selection, but their guitars get a bit beat-up by customers. Their prices are good too. I find Encore a bit hit and miss. Good amp selection, but I haven't seen too many guitars I'd buy. For the off-beat stuff, definitely Capsule, and you can find deals at Songbird, both on Queen West. Can you tell I spend a lot of time looking at gear?

[Gibson Guy]

By the way, Hi David Henman!

[SnowBlind]

Actually all im interested in is in a good deal. So I guess Steves is the way to go.:rockon:

[Robert1950]

...for anyone in the area, i'd like to recommend kaos music at 3052 Bloor Street West near the Kingsway.

the manager, lou roppoli is a player (house of not) and a super guy.

they deal mainly in non-fender and non-gibson lines, although they have epiphone and will probably upgrade to gibson soon.

they have several g&l models in stock, lots of great amps and pedals and excellent prices. more to the point, lou is easy to talk to, if you get my drift.

i've been trying to get him to set up a deal with heritage guitars...

I'm just east of Toronto, so I just got out to this west store. I tried a couple of G&L Tributes (see Korean Made thread). Lou was the one that helped me out. Yes he did play the guitars I was trying and he was good, and helpful.

David noted they don't have Fender and Gibson. But they do have G&L. They also have Epiphone, Ibanez (the MIK and MIJ models), Washburn and Peavey. On the amp side they have Peavey, Traynor, Crate(?), Marshall and VOX. Been around since '89. I was impressed.

Seems like my two favourite new instrument stores are 12th Fret (On the Danforth in the east) and Kaos (On Bloor West). That's about a 45 minute uniterrupted subway ride from store to the other.

By the way, they were selling the Traynor YCV20WR for a LOT less than L&M - don't let L&M know.

[torndownunit]

I buy 99% of my gear off of Craiglist actually. I am a little North of Toronto, and I find Toronto prices insane.

[ne1roc]

I shop regularly at L&M in Mississauga. The service is impeccable! They have even matched prices of items on special at Musicians Friend.com.

I recently purchased a G Major at Steve's and again, I was impressed with how friendly everyone was. L&M pricing is slightly better then Steve's. LA Music is great too.

[david henman]

I buy 99% of my gear off of Craiglist actually. I am a little North of Toronto, and I find Toronto prices insane.

...curious...what is craiglist?

[nacho_grande]

Here you go:

http://toronto.craigslist.org/msg/

You can find a lot of good deals on everything not just instruments. Check the homepage.

LA Music is really great place. Staff is also great.


PS: And yes Toronto prices are brutal.

[Hinrich]

Sure 12th Fret is great for their selection of guitars. Not sure they're prices are the best, and don't get your gear serviced there. I got nothing but attitude from one of their repairmen and when I complained, the owner shrugged it off and said he's a great person. No apology or nothing. He may as well have told me to go screw myself.

[iggs]

Not a fan of L&M ... the one on Bloor and Ossington anyway, they always seem annoyed or too busy to even talk to you ... :mad:

Steve's is better but it's always packed and noisy with guys trying to play Metallica solos on out-of-tune guitars and practice amps .... :rockon2:

Song Bird is great for used and consigned stuff, pretty good guitar and amp repairs.

Nowdays I just call Scott at www.axeandyoushallreceive.com whenever I need something, great service, great price, he'll actually play the pedals over the phone for you if you can't drop by his place and check them out. Will take time to figure out what is it that you need and what will work for you the best. :D

[iggs]

Just to add two more stores that are pretty good in Mississauga:

L.A. Music, www.lamusic.ca
The Guitar Shop. www.theguitarshop.ca

[Welladjusted]

i live right near lakeshore music L&M, so i go there the most, but i like the staff at pongetti's more, despite their much smaller selection.

i don't really need to buy too much more gear before i have all that i need (a delay pedal, volume pedal, maybe a wah and more guitars and i'll be set), so i suppose my standards are a little lower. that said, neither store seems to mind me trying out amps, which is really all i do at music stores anyways

[Robert1950]

Sure 12th Fret is great for their selection of guitars. Not sure they're prices are the best, and don't get your gear serviced there. I got nothing but attitude from one of their repairmen and when I complained, the owner shrugged it off and said he's a great person. No apology or nothing. He may as well have told me to go screw myself.

12th Fret has more than they show on their web site. Their instruments on display have been better set up than any other store I've been to. They have Fender, Marshall, THD, etc, etc on the amp side. All the major brands of Guitars (no G&L tthough). They have three rooms where you can close the door and try out guitars/amps in private - you don't have to compete with every Yngwie, Stevie Ray or EVH wannabe shredding and wailing away like at Steve's.

Plus they have world class guitar techs upstairs and they did a class A job on my 30 year old semihollow body. I found them very knowledgable and easy to talk to. And the most amazing selection of high quality acoustic guitars in the city. They're in the east end, on the Danforth, just west of Woodbine Station. You really need to check the place out a few times to get a feel for it.

On prices, I found the sticker prices just a bit lower at 12th Fret compared to Steve's and L&M. But everyone will match prices.

I also like Kaos Music in the West end. Very friendly, easy going customer service. Doesn't have the volume of stock like Steve's, L&M, or 12th Fret, but I like the place and the staff..

[blues]

It certainly helps knowing the owner and I do of course but this is a nice little store that caters to alot of musicians. I also think Dave the owner, a working musician himself is very reasonal when it comes to consigning stuff you would like to move. He managed to sell me an american telecaster a week ago and that would be real tough to do for most of those high end shops mentioned.

http://www.encoremusicexchange.com/

[cloudnine]

...for anyone in the area, i'd like to recommend kaos music at 3052 Bloor Street West near the Kingsway.

the manager, lou roppoli is a player (house of not) and a super guy.

they deal mainly in non-fender and non-gibson lines, although they have epiphone and will probably upgrade to gibson soon.

they have several g&l models in stock, lots of great amps and pedals and excellent prices. more to the point, lou is easy to talk to, if you get my drift.

i've been trying to get him to set up a deal with heritage guitars...

I take lessons there, and Lou built me an amp! :wave: