Price Online Vs In Store...

[Steadfastly]

We pay 15% HST here in NB, so if I bought online in the US, it would be quite an extra saving. Every $1000.00 would be an extra $150.00 saving.

[Shades of Blue]

Originally Posted by nitram

A-freaking-men.So you want it both ways?

It honestly doesn’t matter if he’s in business or not if I can’t afford his guitars. I have mouths to feed and bills to pay, so paying $800 extra on a guitar to support a local shop? He ain’t hurting too bad obviously.

It goes both ways. It’s not my responsibility to keep him in business. Get competitive or go home.

[Shades of Blue]

Played the D-28 at the shop yesterday and just didn’t care for it. Solidified that I like my D-18 much much better.

The D-28 was hollow in the mids and all I heard was highs and lows. It was surprisingly bright, but not like a Taylor sound. There was girth and low end, but but no real growl like a D18.

[brencat]

Originally Posted by Todd Yates

You reference a discount off "retail", but I don't know if you mean MSRP or MAP. MSRP on a 2018 HD-28 is $3,800, and MAP is $3,029. I can buy it, and you could too, for $2,280. These guitars are consistent enough that I would not pay anything close to $3,800 for it new no matter how much I liked it. I would pay more than $2,280 for the privilege of playing first and buying locally. How much more would depend on how much I liked that particular example.

I think Todd summed this up perfectly. I would be willing to pay a modest premium to the 40-off MSRP pricing of $2280 for the privilege of trying in store. However, when it comes to Martin or Gibson, I will not pay MAP ($3029) under ANY circumstance, as there are no shortage of dealers nationwide who will sell at the $2280 price but you have to call and ask for it.

[Placida]

Originally Posted by Shades of Blue

This same guy argued with me that Martin was not "Reimagining" the D-28 last year and told me that I must have seen a "one off." That really ticked me off.

Reminds me of a Guitar Center store manager who argued with me, saying Martin never made an HD-35. The third time telling me this he came within 18 inches of my face. He even refused to look it up on the Martin website. I don't recall having visited that store since.