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Done with Sweetwater

#421
Most of my online gear purchases are from Musicians Friend. I’ve always had great customer service when needed, and they have sales often. I’ve had good experiences with Chicago Music Exchange as well.

I didn’t really need a follow up call from Sweetwater on a strap purchase. I did call Sweetwater for some cab advice once, but I felt that I knew more about the products in question than my sales rep did.

I purchase from my local shops if possible.
 
#422
Call them and ask for Joe James to call you back and get set up with him. He called me a few times and it was appreciated. The last time he called was just after I was booted from a band and with no prospects. When I related that and that I'd not be needing any new gear he has not called back and seems he will wait for any changes. So far none.
 
#423
Bob E said:
So, recently I started getting sales emails from musician's friend every couple days. Tonight I finally took the initiative to open one and click the unsubscribe link, which is kind of irritating since I never subscribed in the first place. The link took me to a page on their site that said I could only unsubscribe by calling their customer service. Needless to say musician's friend is now on my blocked list, and that's all the incentive I needed to stop buying their junk.
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When you originally posted this, I had to test it myself. I unsubscribed with no problem whatsoever. They only asked me to check a box saying why I wanted to unsubscribe, and I checked "other." I was immediately unsubscribed. Not sure why you had the problem you did. It seems to me that even the dumbest of marketing people would know that to require someone to call that wanted to get off a list would be HORRIBLE, as well as pointless business tactics. I can't help but to wonder if you almost fell victim to a scam of some sort. Would love to hear others experience with this...

Anyhow, I got off the list (because I'm on their list with 2 email addresses), and yesterday they sent me via snail mail the first catalog I received from them in years :). Now that's much better marketing if ya ask me, and it almost hooked me into a couple of things. My GAS for bass guitars has been wiped out by my new Stingray, but I realized quickly that I suffer from GAS. Not BAS. Recording gear, guitars, accessories... ehhh...
 
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#424
Went straight to their web site and tried again.
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#425
Bob E said:
Went straight to their web site and tried again.
View attachment 3581093
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I'm going to guess that has something to do with the fact that you said you never put yourself on their list. Maybe to ensure that you actually get off of it? I'd call and see what was up if it were me. I really doubt it's to try to win you over. I think it's more likely because theres a problem of some sort.
 
#426
I dunno. I've only had great experiences with Sweetwater. I generally go through my 'rep' unless it's sub 50$. They've bent over backwards to get things to me on a deadline, they've taken returns on a defective item that was outside their return policy (not their fault, but an electronics failure that sometimes just happens, just didn't 'show up' until after their window of time).

I've had good talks with a few people there about gear and playing...

...and my rep has regularly provided really nice pricing on nearly everything I've bought.
 
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#428
only good experiences for me. the bass i wanted was “out of stock”, i ordered it anyway assuming a waiting period, sales rep called to let me know it was on back order and asked if i wanted a different color... after saying no... he did some research and found the one i wanted that another sales rep was expecting a cancellation for... and it was in my hands 3 days later! i was stoked.
 
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#430
I have purchased several things at Sweetwater in the past 7 years. Tons of money. Several guitars and basses. Only returned one item in that timeframe just because I didn’t like it, not that it was defective. Just got in a brand new Fender Deluxe Active Jazz V that had terrible buzz, ground issue. It shouldn’t have passed the 55 point inspection! Makes you wonder if they’re checkmark happy on some areas. Had a authorized Fender service center take a look under the hood after he confirmed the loud buzz too.Tech said it had the preamp replaced with lots of spliced wires! The input jack had been replaced at one point and whomever did the repair used the shortest amount of wire they could use, not what he would’ve done. He said he’d be happy to talk to Sweetwater for me. He sent me photos of the inside, and I recorded our conversation when I went back to get the bass. His advice was to return it, he didn’t want to touch it, it was to suspect for a brand new bass supposedly. Contacted Sweetwater and after texting my reps understudy, sending him the photos and telling him what the tech had said, giving him the techs name, location, credentials etc., they finally get back to me and report the bass was sent back to the Mexico plant earlier this year for a cosmetic flaw!!! Apparently it got a new, poorly connected preamp as well!!! Seems extremely sketchy! I never noticed a repair mind you. BUT, they are supposed to send me another bass under 10 lbs and I get to pick it out ahead of time. Apparently they will contact me after they get more in in a week after it’s been weighed, photographed etc. for me to pick from. Be Leary, if you get something in, brand new that has issues, they send it back to be repaired and you’ll never know unless you have a similar situation as me. Be Leary if you get John G or Doris T as your Sweetwater inspectors!!! We’ll see if it pans out. If it doesn’t I’ll never buy another instrument online ever again!
 
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#431
Gotta be a fluke. Like someone suggested get another sales rep on the phone. Maybe they are having the same problems hiring good people as other industries. I had a good sales person for a while but when I could not afford to buy much I got dumped off to another sales person. Now I just call whoever answers but with a new job working every week end all I have is youtube so my buying is a lot less then it would be if I was playing in a band. I don't forsee anything new but the Ellefson bass I had to buy with another retailer since SW was out of stock.
 
#432
I use Musicians Friend mostly now because they will answer my emails. Sweetwater never does and it went on for a few years. Gave them way too many chances. MF gets my business now and I am only about halfway through setting up a recording studio. Ordered 5 mics from MF lately for the studio including a KSM44A. Ordered a Beta 87A yesterday.
 
#435
GregT said:
I use Musicians Friend mostly now because they will answer my emails. Sweetwater never does and it went on for a few years. Gave them way too many chances. MF gets my business now and I am only about halfway through setting up a recording studio. Ordered 5 mics from MF lately for the studio including a KSM44A. Ordered a Beta 87A yesterday.
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I stopped using MF back in 2008. Started using Sweetwater the same year and have since, same sales rep the whole time and always great customer service.
 
#436
Gorn said:
I've heard of their stellar customer service for years. Then I learned for myself that that means a lot of people are apparently impressed by monthly solicitation calls and a "personal" sales rep. They're no better or worse at customer service than any of the big online retailers. Buy from any reputable website with a phone number and a return policy. None of them are special.
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I said “none of them are special” two years ago and it should be “none of them is special”. I apologize.
 
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#439
I’d have to say your mileage may vary on this one. But I’ve had nothing but good experiences with them. I’ve had two sales reps over the last 10 years. The reason for the change is that at Gesrfest about six years ago I connected with a different sales guy that knew more about the gear that I was interested in at the time, so I asked I to be switched over to him. But I’ve dealt with other individuals in the Org for purchases (when my guy wasn’t available), or the few returns that I’ve ever had to do and with any warranty replacements I’ve had. I’ve also had good experiences with some of the other sellers mentioned above too.

For my most recent examples, I placed an order for a set of strings online late last night and received the tracking number this morning. I texted my sales guy about an hour ago for pricing and availability on a set of Aguilar pickups and he responded within 30 minutes. I picked up the phone and placed my order, then we chatted a little about gear and recent gigs in general.

I certainly understand it’s possible to have a bad experience with any company, but by in large SW has pretty good customer service and have always come through for me. Oh, and I don’t receive any solicitation calls like were mentioned in other posts. I only receive phone calls from them when I’ve sent an email, text or left a voicemail for somebody to return my call otherwise I don’t hear from them.

Hopefully the issues you had with that bass was an edge case or anomaly and they’ll make it right for you, or to your satisfaction.

good luck :thumbsup:
 
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