Pete DuBaldo

[Fusionman]

I wanted to add this to my JP6 post but decided to just add a new post as the subject matter IMHO is more than worthy. LOL

Pete DuBaldo is absolutely one of the finest dealers I have ever had the pleasure to work with. In my 30 years as a pro guitarist I have dealt with alot. I even worked retail gtr/amp sales for 5 years from 1988-1992 so I would know.

He is 100% on target with his product knowledge and brand loyalty to EB MM. He responds to email and phone in a more than professional, appropriate and timely manner. He clearly loves what he does. The JP6 arrived in pristine, immaculate condition. My only regret is that his shop is about 2-3 hours from where I live as I could easily become a regular customer.

I learned of Pete only because of this forum and felt comfortable enough to reach out to him based upon the 500 thousand other Pete tributes regularly published here. Well the tributes are true. If anyone out there needs even a slight push to purchase your next MM from Pete, then please PM me. I cant recommend him enough.

Id also like to thank to regular forum members here who were as equally well versed in JP6 knowledge. Your help helped me to make the right decision and go for this gtr. I thank you as well. I have been lurking alot for the past several months but I am looking foward to becoming more active and vocal here as well.

A note to Sterling Ball; you are lucky and forunate to have dealers like Pete doing what they do to get your outstanding products into the hands of musicians all over the country and even the world. Pete is the third MM dealer I have worked with and I must say all have been impressive but Pete really is a stand out.

BTW, google Pete's name on YouTube if you havent done so already. He is a very good guitarist too. Joe F Fusionman

 

[Sweat]

Very nice, I too only found Pete due to this forum and he has been a great dude to deal with, all of my guitars that I currently own come from DuBaldo music, and Nick is great to deal with as well. They have been outstanding in thier knowledge and pricing. And Fusion if you think 2 to 3 hours is a long way try 3000 miles, if I was that close I would be in trouble

 

[koogie2k]

Pete is a stand up guy period.

Great thread and a great compliment (amongst the many) that he deserves.

 

[roburado]

Allow me to join in the chorus. Pete's a great dealer to work with. I think it would be difficult to find a dealer that knows more about these instruments than Pete and other Knucklehead dealers do. Back to the DuBaldos, I think he and Nick do a great job.

 

[paranoid70]

Speaking strictly as a consumer, what would be the advantage of going through DuBaldo rather than other EBMM dealers?

 

[ernie1966]

Pete is definitely the man, especially when it comes to EBMM.

I should know, I bought over 10 Pets thru him.

 

[roburado]

Speaking strictly as a consumer, what would be the advantage of going through DuBaldo rather than other EBMM dealers?

Well, for me, other dealers in my area don't seem to know their product as well as Pete and Nick. So, I'd rather not order from someone who doesn't know all the details about a particular product. Pete and Nick are on here regularly. So, they know what's up. They're up-to-date with their knowledge.

Example: I asked Pete at the Dallas Bash last year if the 2007LE AL would be available with rosewood. Pete said he didn't know. I asked Big Poppa the same question on the same night. BP said he didn't know and that essentially they hadn't made that decision yet. I can see myself going to a local dealer and asking the same question. I can see their responses being something like the ones below.

"What guitar are you talking about? Who makes that? Who's Albert Lee?"

"Albert Lee only comes with maple." (which it usually does, but later, it was stated by BP that the AL would come with either rosewood or maple)

"Are you talking about a custom shop color?"

"We don't have any in-stock, and I don't know when we'll get any in." (Uh...I'm planning to order it. I know you don't have it in stock, because it doesn't exist yet.)

"What's a piezo?"

"What's an MM90?"

See, I don't want to go to a dealer who knows less than I do about the instrument I want to order, but maybe, that's just me. I don't want to go through the whole process of ordering and have the dealer screw it up, because he was unaware of the availability of an option or it slipped his mind that I specified an option due to the fact that he was unaware that an option existed.

If I order a 2007LE AL with MM90 and piezo, that's what I want to get (assuming that configuration was an available set of options). Or...if I order an AL with Medallion Gold, MM90s, Black Pearloid pickguard, and piezo. I don't want to get an AL with Medallion Gold, MM90s, black pickguard, and piezo, because the dealer didn't have his act together and ordered black instead of black pearl due to not knowing that there's a difference.

Pete and Nick know this stuff, and I'm not going to have to teach the dealer his product.

 

[Fusionman]

For me the short shipping distance is a key element. I prefer to not have the product shipped from very far and subjected to various climates, humidity, handlers, shipping hubs, etc.

Trust is the biggest thing though, after all, you are giving a dealer a credit card number with a high approval amount and taking his word that the gtr is pristine, new or has been NOS or a demo. These are expensive instruments.

My opinion is Pete's word is valid and true. The gtr is EXACTLY what he said it would be nothing more or less. In my world, a mans word is nothing if not honest.

This is not to say that Pete is the only excellent MM dealer of course there are others and Ive dealt w/a few and they too were good but I really think Pete's terrific. If he has the MM gtr you want, go for it. I will absolutely purchase more gtrs from Pete.

 

[Astrofreq]

That Pete is a real schiester!! BEWARE!

just kidding of course!

I emailed him with questions several times and he's always been sure cool to answer them, usually in record time. I wish all dealer were like him.

 

[Sweat]

Speaking strictly as a consumer, what would be the advantage of going through DuBaldo rather than other EBMM dealers?

Well like the others have said, knowledge base, being a member of the froum on a regular basis, good service, good pricing, honesty and good in store stock, plenty to chose from, all my guitars are from Pete and all were instock, no ordering or waiting and always what I wanted at the moment, they are proactive instead of reactive, now to be honest speaking as a consumer the only negatives to DuBaldo and these are minor to me, distance but that really is not an issue, takes a week to ship and no financing plan such as what GC offers, again if I want one I will save and or sell stuff to get it.

 

[SteveB]

Pete's a great guy, and even though I haven't bought a guitar from him (yet), I suspect that one of these days I'll put my money where my mouth is and nab a JP BFR from him, and hope that it will make up for not buying my last EBMM from him.

He also keeps his EBMM stock updated on his web site, and that is important to me.. I like to window shop on his site and see what he's got on order that's unclaimed.

 

[Big Poppa]

he is also a pharmacist which as you know can come in handy

 

[lock-ny]

I actually emailed him for a price quote on a guitar is his quote was considerably lower than my local guy -

 

[robelinda2]

here in Australia we have Colin- the "Aussie Pete".

 

[unclerico]

Mr. Dubaldo is great. I emailed him about EBMM Petrucci Prices. Asking about his Sapphire one, (Matching Headstock, Inlays, Piezo, D-Sonic). I got a great price back. I will definately be getting my first EBMM from him. Just need to get money .

 

[MikeVt]

I don't like Pete.




















Sorry....just wanted to add some variety to the opinions. Pete knows I'm kidding - otherwise I wouldn't have bought 2 EBMMs (with another on order) from him so far...

Mike

 

[Samk]

here in Australia we have Colin- the "Aussie Pete".

Yep! Colin is the best!

 

[Paul in WV]

I learned of Pete only because of this forum and felt comfortable enough to reach out to him based upon the 500 thousand other Pete tributes regularly published here. enough.

I was in a similar situation. After searching Google forEVER, I finally found DuBaldo Music at about 1:20am (I'm not much of a Google Search guy...but it was literally 25 pages in...). I sent an e-mail with questions and had a reply waiting the next day.

Trust is the biggest thing though, after all, you are giving a dealer a credit card number with a high approval amount and taking his word that the gtr is pristine, new or has been NOS or a demo. These are expensive instruments.

Again, very similar situation. At the time, I didn't know this forum even existed but I was reading JP's forum a bit from time to time and I kept seeing little drop-ins over there from someone at DuBaldo Music (he was using a different handle there). I had already placed my order with Nick (again, someone I didn't know at all) and was understandably a little worried. I've ordered thousands of $$ of stuff from the internet but nothing like this.

Then, one day, there was a link from someone there to a posting here. The scales fell from my eyes. Here was the official Ernie Ball forum! I then noticed ALL the posts from Pete and about Pete and I was instantly glad I decided to order from him. I've never been a bit sorry since!

I actually emailed him for a price quote on a guitar is his quote was considerably lower than my local guy -

This was exactly why I started looking on Google. Local guy was unwilling to deal at all...Pete gave me the price I'd seen while reading many reviews and looking at many other places on the 'net.

I couldn't recommend them anymore as a dealer than I could recommend getting an EBMM over any other guitar.

 

[PeteDuBaldo]

Wow, thank you all for the kind words, this was a very nice read after a long weekend at job #1. To show my gratitude to all you skinny stingers, I will post some cool pics on the bass side tomorrow

Joe, thanks for the very nice email. Enjoy the axe!

 

[leftyguitarblue]

Because of this forum I have heard of Pete and I can't wait to buy my one from him, probably the 2008 LE, whatever it may be.. Sounds like the best dealer around me. I'm in New Jersey. Not too far Pete!