Anonymous
map-marker Gainesville, Florida

Dishonest business

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Bait and switch BS after taking my order and stating that the specific item wasn't in stock. Stay well clear of these weasels!
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User's recommendation: Never shop here

Jack F Njw

Employing pedophiles

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Marty Bartel (manager) was a music teacher in buffalo mn who was caught slipping sexual notes into childrens lockers, and with child *** on his computer. Know who you are dealing with.
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Cons:
  • Employs pedophiles

Preferred solution: Nothing

Anonymous
map-marker Baltimore, Maryland

Amati 203 Mellophone

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Is this instrument currently in stock? If not, how soon ca; you get it? Thanks. As you may guess this question was never answered. This music store is a joke. Nothing ever goes right when dealing with them. Check out their BBB ratings for many similar complaints. The good news is I did find a horn, elsewhere. I wont bother with Jim Laabs or Troy Laabs ever again. They simply dont care, hence the reason they no longer have email contact with their customers. Too many unhappy customers
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User's recommendation: Don’t Bother…

Brian J Bkv

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Verified Reviewer

Customer Service

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Rude and unwilling to help on the phone. Made a lot of "UGHHHH" gasps and basically just wanted me off of the phone. Won't use his service again...
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Phillip F Ykx

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Verified Buyer
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Verified Reviewer

Seagull artist peppino

Jim Laabs Music - Seagull artist peppino
Jim Laabs Music - Seagull artist peppino - Image 2
Hi Troy, would you please send me the receipt. You have my peppino for sale on ebay and you said you had to order another because it was sold. I have tried to contact Troy whom sold it to me with no response. I asked for a different artist mosaic cw EQ same price no response. It has raised suspension of a scam
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Loss:
$1400

Preferred solution: Deliver product or service ordered

User's recommendation: Do business at the store and not online cuz

Phillip F Ykx

This review is written by an individual who has purchased the reviewed product/service and/or confirms being a paying customer of this company. Check our FAQ

Verified Buyer
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Verified Reviewer
| map-marker Naples, Florida

Seagull artist peppino

Jim Laabs Music - Seagull artist peppino
Jim Laabs Music - Seagull artist peppino - Image 2
Hi Troy, would you please send me the receipt. I have tried emailing, text and called. No responsed I asked for a different Seagull Artist Mosaic cw EQ and no response. I bought it . Troy called and told me someone sold the guitar I purchased and I would have to wait a month. Can you just kindly contact me troy I had to use this website just to email you
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User's recommendation: I don't have a recommendation and I'm not pissed off. Jim Laab got the money for my order then I got a call that the guitar was sold already. It was taken off Reverb but it's still listed on eBay. I asked for a different guitar to replace the one I ordered. Still no response. A simple phone call. You got my number

Jason L Tqa

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Verified Reviewer
| map-marker Marshfield, Wisconsin

Cussed out my wife in front of my small children and demanded payment for services not rendered.

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DO NOT USE THIS COMPANY. LOOK ELSEWHERE.

Please note for clarification that this review is for their piano moving service specifically, but does reflect on the entire business. 0 stars, would not recommend. My family and I have had simply the worst experience possible here. My wife and I purchased a beautiful baby grand piano from a private seller and began to shop around for a reputable company to move our new piano.

My wife discovered this business and was informed they had a piano moving service. She was advised that someone would call her later that day. My wife received an email only (no phone contact attempts were made until the end) the next day. Of note, I have retained all emails and communication for legal purposes if need be.

My wife even provided them with her personal cell, but they declined to call her initially (well get back to this one). My wife described the area inside and out surrounding the piano to the best of her abilities, including that there was a door adjacent to the piano leading outside. She was informed by the sellers that there was grass outside this door (covered by snow as one could assume as it is now the dead of winter in northern Wisconsin). The movers did not request photos, however we did provide a couple anyways again, trying to be as helpful as possible.

About 1.5-2 weeks later, this company contacted my wife and told us they would be available the next day. As I work full time, my wife (attempting to be helpful and as thorough as possible) drug all 3 of our young children (1 is an infant) early in the morning to meet the movers and ensure everything went smoothly. Upon arriving, the 2 gentlemen who arrived with the truck (who per my wifes report were very kind and helpful) noted that as there was snow and possibly ice in front of this door, they would not be able to move the piano safely. Very understandable.

I would never want to endanger someones life for a piano. They attempted to try another longer route through the house, but this was not ultimately possible. My wife then received a phone call from someone named Troy Laabs, who proceeded to yell and cuss at my wife with my young children in earshot! He accused my wife of lying to him and demanded payment immediately, declining to move the piano regardless of payment.

My wife called me in tears. I attempted to remedy this for her by calling Jim Laabs Music Store. After some phone tag, I was placed in touch with Josh. Josh was very professional (thank you, Josh).

I have since been informed that Josh (though he was the only professional person I had personally spoken to) was indeed a young kid who works behind the counter and did not have any control or knowledge of the situation. After explaining my frustrations and requesting an apology numerous times, Josh (it seemed like was being fed a script, as he would regularly place me on hold and come back with more information) insisted that we owed money for the truck. I explained that A.) no contract was signed, therefore no money is owed. B.) my wife was treated like garbage and profanity was used against her in front of my young children and no apology has even been attempted.

C.) it is generally poor customer service, at best, to scream at and cuss out a customer, then demand payment for services not provided. D.) I am not amenable to making any payment to a company who treats me or my family this way. Prior to this obscene behavior, I am a reasonable guy, and would be happy to work with any friendly small business who has run into unforeseen roadblocks. E.) this company does not even have the self-awareness or respect for their customers to offer even a scripted apology (come on folks, market research tells us a lot about the power of even a simple Im sorry.).

On principle, we will be using another piano moving service from farther away that will cost us twice as much as there is not another service close by that we are aware of. I will also be spreading this warning around to everyone I know as a cautionary tale.

View full review

Preferred solution: Apology

User's recommendation: Go elsewhere.

2 comments
Guest

And they had the audacity, the sheer gall, the utmost in unprofessionalism and extreme rudeness, to not sell me some piano bass strings for my tenor banjo! What is this world coming to anyway! I know, it's all Trump's fault!

Guest
reply icon Replying to comment of Guest-1840266

I bet that's an employee in the replies trying to cut down the original review

View more comments (1)
Jason L Tqa

This review is from a real person who provided valid contact information and hasn't been caught misusing, spamming or abusing our website. Check our FAQ

Verified Reviewer
| map-marker Marshfield, Wisconsin

Cussed out my wife in front of my small children and demanded payment for services not rendered.

stars-rating-full stars-rating-full stars-rating-full stars-rating-full stars-rating-full

DO NOT USE THIS COMPANY. LOOK ELSEWHERE.

Please note for clarification that this review is for their piano moving service specifically, but does reflect on the entire business. 0 stars, would not recommend. My family and I have had simply the worst experience possible here. My wife and I purchased a beautiful baby grand piano from a private seller and began to shop around for a reputable company to move our new piano.

My wife discovered this business and was informed they had a piano moving service. She was advised that someone would call her later that day. My wife received an email only (no phone contact attempts were made until the end) the next day. Of note, I have retained all emails and communication for legal purposes if need be.

My wife even provided them with her personal cell, but they declined to call her initially (well get back to this one). My wife described the area inside and out surrounding the piano to the best of her abilities, including that there was a door adjacent to the piano leading outside. She was informed by the sellers that there was grass outside this door (covered by snow as one could assume as it is now the dead of winter in northern Wisconsin). The movers did not request photos, however we did provide a couple anyways again, trying to be as helpful as possible.

About 1.5-2 weeks later, this company contacted my wife and told us they would be available the next day. As I work full time, my wife (attempting to be helpful and as thorough as possible) drug all 3 of our young children (1 is an infant) early in the morning to meet the movers and ensure everything went smoothly. Upon arriving, the 2 gentlemen who arrived with the truck (who per my wifes report were very kind and helpful) noted that as there was snow and possibly ice in front of this door, they would not be able to move the piano safely. Very understandable.

I would never want to endanger someones life for a piano. They attempted to try another longer route through the house, but this was not ultimately possible. My wife then received a phone call from someone named Troy Laabs, who proceeded to yell and cuss at my wife with my young children in earshot! He accused my wife of lying to him and demanded payment immediately, declining to move the piano regardless of payment.

My wife called me in tears. I attempted to remedy this for her by calling Jim Laabs Music Store. After some phone tag, I was placed in touch with Josh. Josh was very professional (thank you, Josh).

I have since been informed that Josh (though he was the only professional person I had personally spoken to) was indeed a young kid who works behind the counter and did not have any control or knowledge of the situation. After explaining my frustrations and requesting an apology numerous times, Josh (it seemed like was being fed a script, as he would regularly place me on hold and come back with more information) insisted that we owed money for the truck. I explained that A.) no contract was signed, therefore no money is owed. B.) my wife was treated like garbage and profanity was used against her in front of my young children and no apology has even been attempted.

C.) it is generally poor customer service, at best, to scream at and cuss out a customer, then demand payment for services not provided. D.) I am not amenable to making any payment to a company who treats me or my family this way. Prior to this obscene behavior, I am a reasonable guy, and would be happy to work with any friendly small business who has run into unforeseen roadblocks. E.) this company does not even have the self-awareness or respect for their customers to offer even a scripted apology (come on folks, market research tells us a lot about the power of even a simple Im sorry.).

On principle, we will be using another piano moving service from farther away that will cost us twice as much as there is not another service close by that we are aware of. I will also be spreading this warning around to everyone I know as a cautionary tale.sse

View full review

Preferred solution: Apology

User's recommendation: Go elsewhere.

1 comment
Darian Ree

Thanks for sharing this amazing post with us! I am looking for moving my piano at london to surrey! Suggest me the best piano movers in london

Anonymous
map-marker East Providence, Rhode Island

Bad service

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I bought a brand new a paolo soprani accordion and the product is very bad
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Anonymous
map-marker Brooklyn, New York

DO NOT GO!

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Stay away from this place, I have very reliable information that Mr. Laabs is the Grand Wizard of the Wisconsin Chapter of the KKK. He uses his store to launder money for White Nationalists business.
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1 comment
Guest

I would love to hear more about this

Anonymous
map-marker Clintonville, Wisconsin

Safety

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I'm told that Laabs is still delivering nationwide during the COVID-19 outbreak even though both states he has locations in are on "lockdown". Just seems unsafe and like they care more about profit than anything.
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Pros:
  • People are getting their orders
Cons:
  • Public endangerment
Gregory B Ell
map-marker Stevens Point, Wisconsin

THE REAL TRUTH ABOUT JIM LAABS

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First of all, what I'm going to tell you is the absolute truth about Mr. Laabs' business, I know first hand because I was a former employee and saw what this immoral, unethical liar was doing to customers.

Jim deals in the evil underworld of gray market pianos or should I say FrankinPianos. What this means is, Jim and his son Igor (Troy) Laabs buys heavily used pianos and gets them running again using parts (mostly inferiors Chinese) from other banged-up pianos and shines them up and re-sells them. Obviously Jimmy Boy would tell the poor unsuspecting customer that the piano was from an original owner and the parts (depending on the brand) are from Germany, Japan, Austria, Italy, etc.

Please, please, please, do not buy anything from this *** he is such an underhanded scoundrel. Again, I was there and feel its my duty to tell the public about sneaky jerk.

View full review
Loss:
$5000
Cons:
  • Very very bad people
Reason of review:
Bad quality

Preferred solution: Let the company propose a solution

2 comments
Guest

Thank you for the info. You just saved me $1000k

Guest
reply icon Replying to comment of Guest-1735034

Pianos make great inexpensive firewood. I often get them free or super cheap on Craigslist, etc, load the pianos in my truck, take 'em home and then break out my trusty axe and smash away. Another bonus is that I make money on recycling the metal parts too.

View more comments (1)
Anonymous
map-marker Stevens Point, Wisconsin

Be careful

I went in to buy a harmonica and the price tag was on the case showing for all to see. I said I would like to purchase it and gave Jim the cash to cover it and tax, but he said this was marked wrong and added $10 bucks to the price. He had me over the barrel and he knew it cause no other place in town and I needed it that day. Not good when a local owner treats another local buyer that way...
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Paul B Xqp

Lawsuit

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Im currently suing this P.O.S! I was in his store recently and he tried to sell me a French Horn, I told Jim I would think it over and continued to browse around the store, when I walked out to my car, it looked like someone threw acid on my hood, a witness told me he saw a person walk out of the store 5 minutes before me and tossed a liquid at my car. All the negative reviews about this *** are true, Jim is the devil and I will enjoy seeing him twist, turn and pay me in court.
View full review
Cons:
  • Horrific
Reason of review:
Lawsuit

Preferred solution: Suing

1 comment
Guest

That is beyond awful if they did something to your car. Would it be possible for you to keep this review chain updated on the case?

Anonymous

Unhelpful

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Stopped by the store today and received no help. Two employees were assisting one person and the lady in the office who said she was an owner didn't take the time to answer questions. Another mentioned being understaffed and didn't have the knowledge to assist me. Very disappointing and frustrating.
View full review
Cons:
  • Customer service
Reason of review:
Poor customer service
Anthony C Uee

Wrong Strings

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I used to not have any issues with this store when ordering violin strings. I ordered strings several months ago, and once ordered, received a call telling me that the strings are out of stock. The website did not reflect this and I had a performance within a couple weeks. They did send me more expensive strings w/o charging me extra, but the employees there absolutely do not understand stringed instruments. So, if you are a string player, make sure you know exactly what you want. I ordered strings again, and they sent me strings that are not even on the website. They are still Thomastik Vision strings, but I ordered Solo, and they just sent me something else. I'm going to go ahead and use the strings they sent me since they are the same bring, and who knows, maybe i'll like them better. But because of my customer service experience from last time, I'm not going to really pursue the issue. Strings are some of the least expensive for certain brands, but they don't know what they're doing when it comes to strings instruments.
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Reason of review:
Not as described/ advertised

Preferred solution: Deliver product or service ordered

About

Summary

The company was established in 1958. Today it is headquartered in Stevens Point WI. It is an online store of music instruments and equipment. The store offers a wide range of new and used instruments. Here are hundreds of organs, dozens of woodwind and brasswind instruments.

Guitars, banjos, basses, mandolins; violins, violas, cellos, and modern stereo systems are all in Jimlaabsmusic. In the downtown of Stevens Point there is a showroom where you can come and see the whole range of the offered goods, since the web-site gallery and the collection in the showroom are two different systems.

Jim Laabs Music reviews and complaints

Jim Laabs Music is ranked 69 out of 495 in Music stores category

Area Served

USA

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