Musician's Friend rewards customer loyalty in typical fashion.
They are the online retaiI arm of Guitar Center, I call 'em the MFers...

One of the guitar-related online forums I participate in had this thread posted.
Actually, I should disclose that this particular forum is operated by a premier American guitar brand.
This is NOT not a third party of hobby/enthusiast types spewing whatever crosses their mind.
The forum participants are usually very responsible in their posts, or they are chased away by the rest of us.

Thought I would put it here for all the world to see....
My comments added in parentheses.

Guys, let me first say I enjoy your topics/posts each day, even if I rarely post. I need to vent a little tonight re: Musician's Friend, and part of the vent involves my LP Standard - Cranberry. I love the guitar, and I have chambered and non-chambered LPs, so the chambering is not an issue for me. First of all, to keep this thread LP related, some pics:

(This is a must. If the forum moderators deem the content unrelated to their product, they will delete it.
Of course, I will not post the pics of the guy's guitar. Let's just say it's very nice looking.)

Anyway, over the last two years, I have found some EXCELLENT dealers such as Centre City Music, EM Shorts, FQMS, etc. I noted that NeoConMan (Yours truly) and Silverbursted (Friend and fellow guitar enthusiast) also rave about BG--have to give them a call sometime.
(BG is Bizarre Guitar in Phoenix, Arizona.)
I would still pick up something from MF if it was a good value, such as a Stupid Deal of the Day (i.e., the Cranberry above), a blem, a blowout, etc. Another reason I would pick up something from them is if the guitar was an exlusive to them that I really liked, such as the Cranberry above.

Anyway, over the last 1.5 years, I have purchased my fair share from MF, and one of the guitars I tried to purchase was an LP Double Cutaway (again, exclusive to MF/GC/Music 123 . . . the double cutaway that featured two volumes and one tone knob, chambered body, Burstbuckers).
Anyway, I received a 15% coupon from them around Thanksgiving last year, so I tried to order the LP Double Cutaway in black cherry. They initially told me that they had it in stock, but a few days later, I was told that they would receive some in a day or two, which became next week, which became two weeks, which became a month. Shortly after Christmas, I noted that the black cherry finish had disappeared from the website, so I inquired. MF told me that they discontinued the color. Good to know! Primarily, I was irritated that I had to call them to learn this. MF asked if I wanted to switch to another color, so I agreed to switch to dark orange (whatever that would have been) because they were expecting one, and I tend to like unusual finishes.

Another month went by, and it became clear that the guitar would not be made in that color after all. I had contacted them recently, again about the LP Double Cutaway, to see if they would cut a better deal since GC blew them out at $999 over the 4th of July holiday, and if not, if they would still honor the 15% off deal they offered me last Thanksgiving (and on which they failed to deliver). After much discussion, they told me that they would still honor the 15% (as they should, it was their offer in the first place). HOWEVER, a supervisor told me today that there was a note in their system, under my account, stating that they would no longer give me any "deals" better than MAP unless it was a price match.

Instead of being thankful for a repeat customer, the supervisor told me that they thought I had been given too many breaks. He then specifically referenced the Cranberry LP above. He questioned how I got such a good deal and he told me that he just did not understand why I got such treatment in the first place.
WTF? I told him it was a Stupid Deal of the Day (my gosh, it would have blown his mind if he would have known that I also got the $500.00 rebate, too!). I then talked to a higher level supervisor (this was the third person), and he told me, with no lack of arrogance, that one of his colleagues felt that I had received too many good deals and that they would no longer work with me unless it was a price match. I am dumbfounded by their ignorance and their arrogance, particularly when they referenced the Cranberry LP like I ripped them off when it was their Stupid Deal of the Day. Furthermore, they simply do not and cannot offer the level of service you would get from EM Shorts or Centre City Music; yet, they act as if they are the only place to buy a Gibson (exlusives aside, of course). Sorry that I don't contribute that often, but holy cow, when I start typing, I really cut loose!
Finally, thanks again for all of the knowledge and laughs you guys provide me on a daily basis. I just needed to vent to my LP brothers tonight.

I'd LOVE to hear a manager with Musician's Friend try to defend this.
I'm sure they can explain it in mind-numbing detail.
Give us a collegiate-level dissertation regarding their policies, digging deep into the fine print and Legalese....

THIS is the crap we are allowing to happen in this nation. Get treated like this, and come back for more.
Not me. I vote with my wallet.

FIGHT BACK against retailers who treat you like dirt and then smile when you hand over YOUR hard-earned money!!!