Music123 and MF same company

DaBassman · #1 03-24-2008, 06:28 PM

This may be old news to the rest of you.......
I noticed lately that many of the closeouts/refurbs on the Music123 and MF websites were exactly the same.....
So I asked MF if they were connected in anyway and they told me: NO, they were not.
Yesterday I got an email from Music123 talking about their TuneCore program and I noticed it was "presented by The Guitar Center" (MF's brick and mortar stores)
So, I sent the same question to Music123 and lo and behold they answered me today and said that they, MF and The Guitar Centers are all associated and owned by the same company......
So, MF lied...imagine!

It's like a Sam Ash/Manny's deal......

**baba** · #2 03-25-2008, 07:10 AM

Add Guitar Center to the mix.

lefty007 · #3 03-25-2008, 07:56 AM

Yes, old news. MF and Music123 are exactly the same now, same warehouse and personnel, different Websites. Just like Zzounds and Same Day Music.

They do it so unaware shoppers see products listed at different Websites and they compare the price. The might lower the price in one of the Websites by a few dollar, just so people that are comparing think they are doing smart shopping.

Guitar Center is owed by the same company, but I think the keep the two sides separated a good deal, besides the buying power.

I've had nothing but good experiences with MF, I have to say. Beat the heck out of driving to my local GC or Sam Ash only to find they don't have anything of what I need in stock. MF: Free shipping, no human interaction, 45-day return policy = Yippie!

DaBassman · #4 03-25-2008, 09:35 AM

I just thought it was interesting that MF lied to me when I asked them the same question....they should at least get their stories the straight!! LOL

saxofunk · #5 03-25-2008, 10:04 AM

The MF rep maybe didn't know - they're paid to process orders, not to understand the corporate hierarchy.

While were at it, Woodwind & Brasswind (wwbw.com) is part of the same universe.

DaBassman · #6 03-25-2008, 10:13 AM

Maybe, but I had sent the email to thier Customer Service dept, not order processing so I would hope they had a handle on it......anyway, I'll still buy from them....just thought it was an odd response.....Buyer beware, as always ;-)

Turock · #7 03-25-2008, 10:22 AM

I just canceled an order with Music123 (out of stock item), and received email confirmation of my canceled order. At the bottom of my email from Music123:
"We appreciate you choosing Musician's Friend."

BusterDog · #8 03-25-2008, 10:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by saxofunk

While were at it, Woodwind & Brasswind (wwbw.com) is part of the same universe.

I recently talked to a manager at Woodwind & Brasswind (it's one of my local music stores), He said they used to be owned by Music123, but they nearly ran them into bankruptcy, now they are separate.

jhintx · #9 04-05-2008, 10:21 PM

I aggree with Saxofunk. The person you spoke to at the call center may not know. I have guys working in my stores that don't know...not that we are hiding anything, they just missed the announcement when we bought them, or other outlets...like Brasswind/Woodwind.
jh

bassguppy · #10 04-06-2008, 04:12 PM

If I had to guess I would say some of the people answering your phone call are not musicians. So, it would not suprise me that they would not know. I would also guess alot of musicians who don't hang on forums or the internet would know either.

justabass · #11 04-07-2008, 10:23 PM

Add Music and Arts as well...

elpezpr · #12 04-07-2008, 10:25 PM

When I called Music123 they answered the phone: "Musician's Friend"

Hawaii Islander · #13 04-07-2008, 11:05 PM

Music123 used to have good shipping pocilies with a variety of options (especially to Hawaii). Now they are using MF's draconian shipping policies.

$69.00 service charge on heavy items with ground shipping only (translation = we won't ship it to Hawaii)

AlphaMale · #14 04-08-2008, 01:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaBassman

I just thought it was interesting that MF lied to me when I asked them the same question....they should at least get their stories the straight!! LOL

They told me about them and guitar center.
Musicians friend is pretty awesome but I did get a stupid what seemed like a really hot knife burnt through the plastic on my amp. And this one product was really flimsy. I also played an order on thursday and payed for one day shipping and got it on a tuesday. But I'm not unsatisfied. Musician's friend has really cheap bass strings I can't find at guitar center.