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I get to Vancouver Island about once a year. I live in BC's interior. The last couple of years I've been to Victoria I found and visited "Classic Guitars" on Fort Street. The folks there seemed friendly. I saw some pretty decent vintage guitars and some nice vintage amps. Cleanest ever Drip Edge Bandmaster head I saw was there. As though it just left the factory.
Sadly, I dropped by today to see they had to close up shop. I loved going there to check out old gear. I never bought anything though. I assume that might be a common problem.
I think maybe Kijiji, Craigslist, Reverb, E-Bay and even Facebook groups are killing stores like this everywhere.
With the info and help available on the internet you can find almost anything to buy, then teach yourself how how to fix and maintain it.
Classic Guitars sold amps at retail prices. They had to. They have high operating costs. I can only guess how expensive rent is in a prime downtown Victoria location.
I like to buy vintage amps that need service and repairs. At low prices. I scour the net to find them. I used said methods to teach myself how to do my own amp maintenance and repair.
It's sad to see another store gone. I'm probably an example of where a good chunk of the market is going today. Times they are a'changin.
The luxury of walking into a store and admiring a Tweed or Brown Deluxe, or a BF Bassman. Maybe a Princeton Reverb, all in one location are drying up. L&M has no vintage gear ever it seems. It's a luxury maybe nobody can afford anymore.
Sadly, I dropped by today to see they had to close up shop. I loved going there to check out old gear. I never bought anything though. I assume that might be a common problem.
I think maybe Kijiji, Craigslist, Reverb, E-Bay and even Facebook groups are killing stores like this everywhere.
With the info and help available on the internet you can find almost anything to buy, then teach yourself how how to fix and maintain it.
Classic Guitars sold amps at retail prices. They had to. They have high operating costs. I can only guess how expensive rent is in a prime downtown Victoria location.
I like to buy vintage amps that need service and repairs. At low prices. I scour the net to find them. I used said methods to teach myself how to do my own amp maintenance and repair.
It's sad to see another store gone. I'm probably an example of where a good chunk of the market is going today. Times they are a'changin.
The luxury of walking into a store and admiring a Tweed or Brown Deluxe, or a BF Bassman. Maybe a Princeton Reverb, all in one location are drying up. L&M has no vintage gear ever it seems. It's a luxury maybe nobody can afford anymore.