Call me old-fashioned, but I don't think a store should be a dealer for a company it's not willing to fully promote and support. I've seen it to. It seems that some stores simply have favorite brands and they put a lot of effort into pushing those brands. Some of it comes down to dealer agreements. Historically, Gibson has had pretty high minimum order requirements for its dealers. So this might explain to some extent why the guy was pushing Les Pauls on you. Or he might just like Les Pauls better. In any case, it does irritate me when I go into a store and the employee feels the need to give me all sorts of unsolicited advice.

My 1st "attempt" to go to L&M to order my 59 ended up w/a heart attack 1/2 way there...but I evenetually got it - lol

Salesman actually steered me away from the fender modeling guitar (told me line 6 was way better) came within 2 weeks, unpacked it in front of me to make sure everything was included & also have had a replacement charger shipped as cradle on 1st one was buggered.

Well, tonight I went into L&M Brampton to use a fresh $100 gift card acquired during X-mas to pick up a DT25 head to complete my dream rig. When I talked to the guy at the counter, it took several minutes (and several people) to agree that the instant rebate applied. However, I was then told that since they didn't have one in stock, they had no serial number with which to complete a transaction, so unless it came in by Monday it wouldn't fall under the promo period. I then asked about the DT25 combo that I had tested out minutes earlier on the floor (which from the sounds of it would need the tubes replaced immediately); I really prefered the head, but I was running out of options. When they brought it up to the counter and I got a closer look at it, I could tell that the salesman's claim that it was 'fresh in' was bull; the tolex was beat to hell and scratched in a number of areas. When I suggested that given the condition of it I shouldn't be playing full price, he told me he had no authority to make that call and that while he could find the guy that could (how long would that take, I wonder), it was unlikely he would agree to anything.  As I wasn't about to pay full price for an abused runner-up choice, I ended up walking out, exasperated.

Ugh... so much for completing my dream rig.   Neither LA Music nor Best Buy are showing the instant rebate, and I doubt I'll have much luck correcting that with them before the end of the month. And don't get me started on Axe Music's slimy tactics ("mail-in rebate?  No, no... we'll handle that for you!  Of course, you have to get all of it through us to qualify").

Oh, another fun highlight of the trip: when I tracked down a salesguy and mentioned it had no power cable, he showed up five minutes later with the power cable, hooked it up, and walked away... but didn't give me a patch cord! I ended up having to look around the floor to find one.  So much for customer service.