Sunday 12 April 2009

Wired For More Sound

I have to stop doing this.. I got some more music gear.

This time it's a Boss GT-10 Multi Effect unit.

About two weeks ago the Rock Inn had a one day sale which had the above processor for 39,800 yen. I contemplated whether I really wanted, or needed it, and in the end I let it go.

The next day I decided that I did want it, and tried just two days later to see if they could still do that price. Being in Japan I was not surprised that they flatly rejected doing it.

Yesterday I saw an online ad from Musicland Key in Osaka doing the same one day price for today. Naturally I thought it'd be no problem to go to the SAME shop in Shinjuku and ask if they can do the same price.

No, of course not. I DID get a free pack of strings from them so I won't hate on them too much.

I received an email from the Ishibashi store that their "best" price (non discounted at all!) was 49,800 yen.

"Many apologies for inconvenience this may cause you. Please let us know if you any concern!"
No inconvenience at all, I'll just shop elsewhere! Great, quick response to my email though. Kudos to that.

I thought to go back to Rock Inn but I didn't really think they deserved a second chance. I bought a cheap Taiwanese guitar cable for 300 yen at TC Gakki and on the way back I thought I'd go to Shimamura Music in the Pepe building in Kabukicho.

I spoke to Tomomi who REALLY bent over backwards to make the sale. At first she tried to bring it down to 43,900 yen with a guitar cable. It didn't sway me. Next she noticed it was in Osaka, so I said I had a friend there who could get it for me.

She asked for Musicland's number in Osaka to confirm they had them in stock and came back to me to say they would do that price.

To be sure, I asked her if I could try it out before going through with the sale. They have a Mesa Boogie Express combo similar to mine so it was the perfect opportunity to test it with a comparable amp. The store was a little noisy, but I think it sounded pretty good.

It's refreshing to find a store that actually CARES about selling their products. To the other companies, let it be a lesson to you. You just lost a genuine sale. I highly recommend Shimamura Music. Even if you check elsewhere come here last, they actually care to match a price.

They didn't have the actual unit in the store, so they're posting it to me to arrive on Tuesday morning. I hope I got my address written right! Stay tuned for the low-down on this new piece of sweetness.

G.A.S. be damned.

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