Long & McQuade

I recently found myself in need of a speaker and microphone set up for an event in Halifax and ended up at Long & McQuade for help. It was such an easy, painless procedure that if I ever find myself in need of such items again I’ll definitely return to them.
I rented a Bose system that was a stand alone speaker that worked perfectly for an art gallery space filled with around 100 people. It came with super easy operating instructions, an adapter for a computer or iPod, and a microphone, all for $ 30.
The entire rental took me about 10 minutes and I was able to drop the items off the next day. It could not have been easier.
They also sell musical items and offer lessons on various instruments. It’s definitely a place worth checking out if you need anything musically related!

I am not a musician, nor do I play one on TV. Mike is a DJ and spends a loooot of time here. While on a hunt for The Perfect Headphones, we ended up here.
Holy guitars, Batman. If you like guitars, amps, microphones, funky lights, all things musical, then this is your store. But the guitars are everywhere. Shiny, colourful, abundant guitars. They’re all you see when you first walk in. But we’re here for headphones, people.
Most stores only have a listening station for the super-​expensive ‘phones. Which is great, if you want to spend $ 350 on one pair. I do not. Being unable to try on any of the many $ 40 headphones in just about every other store was disappointing. It meant they didn’t get my money. If it’s something you’re expected to wear? You should be able to try on in store. Fortunately Long & McQuade has a wonderful listening station that features all the headphones they carry, even the $ 40 ones. After spending way too much time sampling ‘phones and listening to Pearl Jam and System of a Down, I finally settled on a pair.
Staff are very friendly and approachable. The store is small but has a good layout so you don’t feel crowded in. They also offer lessons and rentals. Were I musically gifted I would probably live in this place.

This store is definitely a musicians dream come true. From the moment you walk in you are overwhelmed by stacks of amps, pedals and walls (yes, multiple walls) of guitars. They have equipment for drummers, piano players, engineers, you name it. If it’s musical, odds are you’ll find it at Long & McQuade.
The staff here seem to have an encyclopedic knowledge of their products. It would be easy for musicians to lose hours just talking about the latest (and vintage) gear with the staff. This can be a bit of a double-​edged sword as I imagine beginner musicians can be left feeling a little intimidated. That being said, the staff I Spoke with were very friendly and instantly put you at ease. They did not seem interested in over selling their products and were very helpful and picking out gear within a predetermined price range.
Long & McQuade also offer the ability to rent a lot of their equipment in daily, weekly, and monthly plans. If you’re a touring musician looking for a new rig for a few upcoming shows, Long & McQuade can hook you up with some quality gear that won’t leave you strapped for cash. Besides, you’re a touring musician; you’re strapped enough as it is.
With their incredible stock, knowledgeable staff and flexible payment options, Long & McQuade is a musicians dream come true in Halifax.

I seem to go into this store with enough frequency that I should have more of a grasp on the whole kit and caboodle. But somehow I always feel on the periphery, floating around aimlessly, not knowing where to rest my gaze.
There are so many guitars, and since I’m not a guru on the topic, most look quite similar to me. You know the kind, they have strings, a body, a neck — you strum them? Yeah, those kind of guitars. Okay, I’m acting more ignorant than I actually am, but this allows be to enter into a more comedic review style, which I’m currently preferring.
Any who — there are amps galore, for rental and purchase, as well as enough tacky guitar straps to suit even the most bedazzled, flame crazy, white leather needs. I think my preferred section of the store is the percussion sector. I bought a sweet tambourine not too long ago, and I enjoyed standing up there, slack jawed, shaking the jangly objects unabashedly. I was really in my element.
This shop is definitely the Halifax scene when it comes to instruments, gear, and all of the little odds and ends that band kids require. The service dudes are always amicable and cordial, offering assistance and a smile, and there’s enough selection to whet even the most specific of appetites. A fine music mega-​store indeed.

This seems to be the mecca of music stores. Large and full of every instrument a musician can imagine or the budding musicians as well.
It is nice because you not only get to try the instrument first, but you can rent it. For us contemplating guitar lessons, this is the way to go.
The staff here are very helpful and have a lot of patience, thank goodness. Overall it was a great experience for newbies.

Was a tag along two times to this store. I like the wide open layout and that they allow interested people to play before they pay. That is you are allowed to use the instruments before deciding to lay down money. Both times it was enjoyable to stop in and check out the guitars. The staff were friendly and helpful to my friend, never making you feel rushed. The huge selection of musical instruments surely has every musician finding their muse at the price range they need. Always a sale on or promotion helping with decisions. I would recommend the store to any level of musician from beginner to professional.

It can be painful for me to walk into this location. There are just so many guitars! The Telecasters, The Flying Vs, The Hollow Bodies! I’m a kid in a candy store, a pig in filth, a happy thing in a happy place.
Why is this painful for me? Because I want it all and it’s all so expensive!
Actually, I get the feeling it’s a little too expensive, but I’ll save that for later.
This is a musicians one stop shop. They have a variety of instruments and gear for sale and rental. They also have a lot of technical stuff, both high and low end, to record your next symphony.
The staff are always very friendly, but it can be difficult to have a conversation with them because music clerks are notoriously finicky. It doesn’t matter if you’re selling instruments or records, if the clerk doesn’t share your taste in music it can be tricky. This is a universal truth, be prepared to face it in this store.
So what’s not to like about this store? Well, as I said before, it is expensive and seemingly a little more expensive than a lot of other music stores I’ve been in. While this doesn’t change the quality of their stock, it does affect the number of purchases you’ll be able to make.
All musicians in our fair city should definitely poke around this store someday. There are some wonderful instruments to see and play and rent. Everything is a little pricey, but a good musical instrument will be with you your whole life and is worth the investment.

I wanted to learn Fiddle for an audition that was coming up. Yes, I thought that in approximately three days I would learn the Fiddle well enough to fool the people auditioning me. First off, after three days, I actually was able to play the song, «Amazing Grace,» really, really well. Thank you YouTube. But also a big thanks goes out to Long & McQuade for renting me the Fiddle for only $ 24 a month! I was shocked. They didn’t even ask me to play it to prove my skills. The insurance was an extra four dollars and me being a newbie to the world of Fiddle playing, I thought it wise to fork over the few dollars to protect in case of breakage.
The staff can be very friendly or very unfriendly and very Introverted. So its always a gamble on how friendly the service will be. I was also shocked with how slow of a process it is to get someone registered and signed up. But I have also seen long waits for other reasons. When I returned the Fiddle, I had to wait about ten minutes and there was only one person ahead of me. Sometimes it looks like this is due to the Customer Service person and sometimes it looks like they are working as hard as they can but there is just far too much paperwork. My point is, if they don’t change their processing ways, bring a book.
This store has a ridiculously large selection of musical instruments. They also do private instruction but the best part is that most of the staff are obsessed with music and musical instruments. That helps make the customer service experience way better.
So they do lose a star for long lineups and inconsistent staff friendliness but if you need to rent, buy or learn to play an instrument, they are the ones to go to.
Oh yeah, I didn’t get the part. Maybe I’ll rent again for the month and see what happens. Or actually get lessons.