Look, here's the point...

Would you buy a $3500 arranger without playing it first..? If you would, well, fine.

But even you thought it necessary to drive into the city, and play one. Now imagine a world where all but the few stores that survive going bottom dollar (and even flourishing chains like Mars have gone bust playing that game) close down, or, as Kingfrog points out, only stock items that move quickly. TOTL arrangers are NOT in that category.

So, your opportunity to try one out dries up completely, and you are FORCED to 'buy before you try'. Maybe you live in the NY area, or another highly dense population area. You MIGHT have one of the handful of surviving stores that stock these. But odds are, you are not. So, the question again... would you buy a $3500 arranger without playing it first?

No?

I guess the 'honorable' thing to do then, would be to ask the store FIRST about the price, and if they won't match your online quote, DON'T PLAY THE ARRANGER IN THE STORE... You aren't going to buy from him, why should he give you a free demo, knowing you'll not give him your business?

Would you play a free gig for someone, knowing they weren't going to hire you again? I doubt it. But you'll happily go into someone's store, play his very expensive arranger, and walk out and buy it elsewhere...

Mark my words. Keep this up, and virtually NO-ONE will stock them at all (remind you of what's actually happening? )
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An arranger is just a tool. What matters is what you build with it..!