So this has a happy ending?

I buy some stuff from Elderly. If I had the salarly of an "adult job" I'm sure I'd buy more ... but on a musician's dime, I buy only what I need. I have to say if I need something quick, I'd probably use a mail order business, and check the "quick ship" box on the order ... but I do keep track of every order I've made with Elderly, and have had to wait for a thing or two but never without reason or notice.

Elderly is actaully a great shop, and one of the few that I consider doing any serious business with. They are first a retail store. As Mark says, if you are buying an instrument, chances are you want to hear, touch it, smell it first! So, they're a good place to go and visit more then anything.

When I was playing in Chicago, I left Dallas a day early, just so I could go to Elderly and play the Banjola I bought from them. I did buy it on-line rather then on the spot, because I had other things to consider ... but it was shipped almost right away, and I had the tracking info on my confirmation notice. When they noticed that they didn't have the Hard Shell Case I'd ordered, they asked me if I wanted the instrument shipped right away, and then back order the case (for 2 weeks). I did. They handled all the shipping and the paperwork correctly and shipped me the case, on-time and told me when it shipped. A complication to the original order that couldn't be helped - and it was handled just fine.

Then I bought an LR Baggs magnetic pick up from Elderly (for the Banjola). Great pick up, by the way - but that's another thread. I played with it on my Larrivee (J10) for a few days, and fell in love with the pick-up, but I could not fit it to the Banjola without serious surgury - so I decided to return the pick-up. I called, asked how, was given instructions, and sent it back. No problems.

I know it's frustrating when things fall through the cracks ... but I have to say Elderly is great store, they've got great gear (don't even walk in the store with your credit card) and great staff ... I have been to the store twice - and easily spent 3 hours there each time ... I buy my strings from Just Strings or from Guitar Gallery (because I 6 or 7 sets at a time, and use Newtone Masters - and that's another thread, too).

I'm glad things worked out Mark - I wince every time I see this thread come up, because there just are't that many really stores around!