The SHORT: customer service and knowledge on anything pre-internet days is an issue.
PRICES: Essentially the same as all other musical instrument shops in the vicinity.
The LONG: you'd think working in an established music instrument institution now with a few locations throughout the greater Montreal area (and Toronto) would make you a happy employee. But perhaps the drudge of retail is the same all over, be it the fast food chain, cold-call sales from tele-communications companies, or working in a music store.
Basically the stereotypes are pretty true - the employees avoid eye contact and aren't really interested in helping you out. Other businesses you have to fight off the sales employees who swarm at you the moment you walk in, but with Steve's it's more along the lines of wearing "employee repellant" spray.
BUT anyone who has dealt with Steve's on, say two or three occasions will obviously say that this is standard behavious for people working in this business, so it shouldn't come as any surprise for anyone.
The MAIN issue is that the employees seem un-knowledgeable on any"tech" pre-Y2K. I won't go into details but suffice it to say if you are looking for something which hasn't been "mainstream" gear since, I don't know, 1995, chances are they'll have no clue what you are talking about.
Essentially everytime I walk out of any of Steve's locations, I am reminded how pleasant online shopping has begun, or at the very least, trek out further into the outskirts of town to shop at Long & McQuade. Or better yet, seek out those indie shops where the owners are working there and are more receptive to customers' wants and needs.
IMPORTANT NOTE: If you put a deposit down on guitar strings for special orders, make sure you get the sales person's name and do regular check ups because from my experience, they'll just cash in the $10 and forget about you. read more