I am torn about this place.
They are one of two Collings dealers in Canada, and I have never walked into a place and seen a wall of Collings acoustics before. This store has the nicest selection of acoustic guitars in Toronto, if you are looking for a top notch, high end instrument... Actually aside from Dream guitars and a few other twelth-fret-like shops throughout the states, this is aone of the best shops in North America. They carry hand made guitars from Grit Laskin (they get one every year), Tony Karol, Linda Manzer (when they come in used)... Basically, I can say they have the best stock in town and they know their stuff and never buy or sell junk. Whatever you buy here will be a top tier instrument. Also good to note that they have a ton of electric guitars but I don't know anything about them so I will leave them out of this review. They have vintage Les Pauls lining the back wall behind the counter and they look beautiful.
I reason I am torn about it is that the service is usually bad. I don't know if they just don't want to help or talk with me, if it's a guys-guy kind of shop, or if they think that I can't afford to shop there, but they are not helpful when I ask for assistance or want to buy something there.
About a year ago, I was looking to buy a new or used 000 or OM guitar with a pickup, and my budget was $1000-$1500. They showed my a Larrivee L-03 with a pickup and when I didn't like it, the guy said 'that's all we have in your price range' and walked away. No offering to show me something for a couple hundred dollars more, no suggestions of where I should look or what other options are available, no offer to put a pickup in my existing OM guitar... It was just a cold experience that left a bad taste in my mouth. I ended up buying a Martin 000-16 at Ring music instead, and was extremely happy with John's service and time spent with me chatting about what the right instrument would be.
Second example, I went there to get some humidifiers, and I specifically wanted the Oasis in-guitar humidifiers. There were a few guys behind the counter not busy with other customers but no one offered to help me. I had to say 'excuse me' and then they were bothered that they had to go downstairs and get them, then he told me I didn't even need them at this time of year (I am aware, thanks, go get them.)
Then I had a good experience a few weeks ago - I went to get wall hangers and the guy (a different guy than I have seen before) was really nice, took the time to pick out the lighter-coloured woods for me, and was generally really great.
All in all, I would still rather go to Ring music, which is much less pretentious, but definitely carries a lower end product (they have the full line of Normans which start at around 300$). Twelth Fret is the only place to shop in Toronto if you're looking to drop serious cash on a guitar. And if they see 5 grand in you I'm sure they will be more than willing to come out from around the counter. I will shop here again in the future when I am shopping for a guitar that is worth more than my car, but it will not be in the near future :) read more