The Guitar Exchange The Guitar Exchange stole Christmas and $1400.00 from my 15 year old son. Catonsville Maryland

Not true. Situation resolved. Transaction completed. I've ignored this post for 3 years, mainly because it apparently wasn't adversely affecting my business. By this point, Jan. 2010, I've heard from a few people about it, and it's time to set the record straight. 

I've been in business for over 30 years. Not many businesses last any where near that long, and certainly not if they treat their customers the way this individual claims. In any business there are occasional complaints or disputes that need to be dealt with. This is one that got very skewed. 

Chris Glass had been to the shop a few times and very much fallen in love with the guitar his mother put on lay-away on 7-15-06 with both of them present. There was nothing but good feeling all the way around, a very pleasant transaction. Our lay-away policy is 1/3 down and the balance due in 30 days. We sometimes extend the terms for our customer, and we did so for Ms. Glass. The understanding was that the instrument would be paid for in full within a couple of months. Happy to do it: Velina made mention of the fact that she and her husband were separated and that he had lost his job and that that's why she needed the extra time. 

We didn't receive another payment until over 3 months later ( 10-14 ) and it was only $150: the balance until then, and for over 3 months, was $1,525. In the interim there were a number of excuses and maneuvers on her part, including questioning the price / value of the guitar and on at least one occasion promising to come in with a certain amount on a certain day and then sending her 15 year old son in to say that in fact she wouldn't be coming. 

Keep in mind that over 3 months after the initial deposit, a payment was made: there was no issue about the guitar not being suitable. By November 3rd we still had a good enough working relationship that Chris brought in another guitar to sell on consignment and we paid him for the sale of it on December 15. 

To be fair, Ms. Glass had been indicating, and apparently was having trouble with her finances, so month after month we extended the terms. It's true that eventually she requested that we try to find a less expensive guitar for Chris to get instead, but that can be tricky between other dealers / stores, and we certainly wouldn't have wanted or been able to strike a deal with the store across street, who she mentions, being that they are our arch rival. At any rate we weren't able to come up with the right thing at the right price. We did try. The type of guitar requested had a sophisticated double locking tremolo system that would have been a lot for anyone at Chris's level to have to deal with - much less "suitable" than the one originally chosen, so doubtful that his instructor had the view that is claimed.

On December 30th, 5 1/2 months later, we were able to apply all of the money she had paid toward another, less expensive instrument that had come in that Chris had taken a liking to, and we also reduced the price a bit, to facilitate completion of the deal. Velina mentioned the Ripoff Report she had posted and said she would have it removed. There was still a balance of $588. due and finally on January 10th Velina and Chris came in to pay off the guitar, I was happy to have the deal resolved and they obviously were also. We parted on good terms. I told Chris that we would warranty the guitar and to let me know if he had any problems or questions. Chris was very happy with the guitar, and as of a year or two later, still was. I know this because I spoke to Chris at least one of the times that I called Velina about the Ripoff Report that she had promised to have taken down.

I spoke to Velina a few times over the next two years, the last of which was in January '09, requesting that she remove or amend the complaint in view of the fact that the situation had ended amicably and that Chris was very happy with the guitar. She was completely amenable to my request but it never got done, and I just let it go. At this point I can't. I have complete documentation of everything stated here, including her signature on the receipts.

Owner