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Done with Sweetwater
- Thread starter minddrain
- Start date
I've used Sweetwater several times over the last 6 or 7 years for and have always had a good experience. Seems like you have just had a string of bad luck with so many issues.
As for the 1 - 2 week wait, that seems like it could be standard procedure and not their fault, but the bank handling their credit cards.
Also, you cancelled and they said, "okay see ya"- did you expect trumpets, champagne and a massage?
Wow. Sorry to hear about your poor experiences OP. This is the first I've ever heard anybody complain about SW. I've had nothing but positive experience with my rep. Over and above if anything. It took a couple of times of asking to get the calls to stop, but nothing excessive. The catalog just goes into the recycle bin along with 90% of my mail, so no biggie. They are always my first stop when looking for an item and I did get a slight discount on my Fender P purchase last year.
I guess no one's perfect...
I guess no one's perfect...
Can’t say I’ve ever had what I’d consider real customer service issues with GC/MF, Zzounds, AMS, Sweetwater, Reverb, eBay, or the TB classifieds.
Guess I’m luckier than most.
Guess I’m luckier than most.
Have bought often over the years. Never an issue and returns were simple.
I've gotten an occasional follow up call but nothing intrusive.
I've gotten an occasional follow up call but nothing intrusive.
I have never had a bad experience from Sweetwater. That being said, the only thing that slightly irritates me is my sales rep calling out of the blue asking if I have any projects or gigs in the near future (ie trying to make a sale), which wouldn't bother me too much except that my wife answers the phone 99% of the time and well, you know what happens next lol 
I bought two basses and a guitar from Sweetwater, great experience each time. Musiciansfriend too. No problems.
Sorry you had bad experiences with them. I don’t tend to buy guitars from online retailers, but everything else musical, I get from Sweetwater. I have had nothing but stellar experiences with them over many years of buying.
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I haven't bought anything from Sweetwater in...3 days. When they call, I see who's calling (caller ID), and I give them the opportunity to leave me a message. We're both OK with that. As they're not too far from me, delivery is a couple of days.
I'm a Sweetwater fanboy. I freakin' LOVE that store for a number of reasons.
I also do my best to frequent my local independently owned music stores, but they have limited inventory for some things.
- When I order online they CALL and confirm my order, tell me if it's in stock, and when it will ship.
- My sales rep is so good he'll often tell me about better products that are cheaper than what I ordered
- I love when my rep calls...I mean...I'm a bass player, how can I NOT love talking about gear
- GEARFEST...if you haven't been you won't understand. It's an experience!
- Did I mention I love my rep and look forward to his calls. Great guy who has taken good care of me over the years. I always appreciate being treated like a human being. Never can understand the people bothered by a phone call.
- Fantastic customer service...best of any organization I've ever dealt with. I actually spoke to their HR department about how they train their employees. The HR lady was also fantastic.
- Technology - The website is easy to use and during Gearfest, the use of mobile point of sale is outstanding
- Returns - I've returned several items. I always got an RMA the same day and never had an issue of getting credited.
- Selection - they have almost everything I want...often times in stock.
- Shipping - I get things to my door in two days...for free
I also do my best to frequent my local independently owned music stores, but they have limited inventory for some things.
No issues here with Sweetwater! My Go-to for musical stuff I need that they carry. Sorry to hear about your experience, but I’ll continue doing business with them.
I’m in the camp that’s always avoided Sweetwater because the phone calls that some people gush about sound just awful to me.
I like Zzounds, I’ve always found their support pretty great. Their catalogue is more limited than some of the other ones though. Also use MF.
I like Zzounds, I’ve always found their support pretty great. Their catalogue is more limited than some of the other ones though. Also use MF.
I also don't like the candy included in the box. Did I tell you that I'm doing Keto with a goal of doing CrossFit?
I haven't bought anything from Musician's Friend yet, but do have an account and cc card with them. And I have cards with Sweetwater and GC too.
Now I have made two major purchases with Sweetwater. The first was an Ibanez SR400EQM and GK MB210-II. It was a big hassle and I ended up getting a new service rep over it. The good out of that purchase was it was at my door in two days and not the 5 like I was quoted. And the new service rep I got out of it does a great job at customer service. Every now and then he will call and talk shop, not often though. And every now and then he will email me just to check in, which is fine too. But I don't get bombarded. And the rep he replaced I couldn't ever get an answer out of when I was trying to spend my money.
My 2nd purchase with SW was around $360, completely handled by my new rep, and you would have thought I was their best customer.
Then there's GC, I have one local so I buy at the store instead of online. I'm friends with one of the managers, and one of their guitar instructors. They actually have a guitar tech who knows what he's doing as well. But... There is one salesperson / manager that I have had to deal with on occasion and he's been kind of snobby, even when I was doing what would have been a $700 sale. He actually handed it off to another salesperson. So with that I called Sweetwater standing right there in front of them and said see ya, I'm going home to order this stuff online. I walked out of GC for $518 and extremely happy. Then I was in there the other day, I only spent 45 bucks, and this same manager treated me really well for the first time. Maybe's he's turning a corner or finally got him a girlfriend. I don't know.
I really wish my local guitar shop could do more for me. But they don't handle a lot of bass stuff. But the owner is there 4 days a week. And he's the type that if you need something and it's not available anywhere locally, he'll get on the phone and order it. I recently needed a set of short scale D'Addario Chrome flats. They're not even in the D'Addario catalog the guitar store had for ordering. So the owner got on the phone to D'Addario, placed his weekly string order early so he could piggyback mine on the shipping so it didn't cost me extra. I had them within hours of a gig I really wanted them for two days later. And he always thanks me for my business. I hope to do some bigger, major purchases with them in the future. But they have to have the gear I want or need. I will say this, they have been a good source for used pedals. And I got my eye on a rig he just took in on consignment.
All I can say is people are funny. If they don't own the business they are less likely to care if they're having a bad day or whatever affects you as a customer.
Now I have made two major purchases with Sweetwater. The first was an Ibanez SR400EQM and GK MB210-II. It was a big hassle and I ended up getting a new service rep over it. The good out of that purchase was it was at my door in two days and not the 5 like I was quoted. And the new service rep I got out of it does a great job at customer service. Every now and then he will call and talk shop, not often though. And every now and then he will email me just to check in, which is fine too. But I don't get bombarded. And the rep he replaced I couldn't ever get an answer out of when I was trying to spend my money.
My 2nd purchase with SW was around $360, completely handled by my new rep, and you would have thought I was their best customer.
Then there's GC, I have one local so I buy at the store instead of online. I'm friends with one of the managers, and one of their guitar instructors. They actually have a guitar tech who knows what he's doing as well. But... There is one salesperson / manager that I have had to deal with on occasion and he's been kind of snobby, even when I was doing what would have been a $700 sale. He actually handed it off to another salesperson. So with that I called Sweetwater standing right there in front of them and said see ya, I'm going home to order this stuff online. I walked out of GC for $518 and extremely happy. Then I was in there the other day, I only spent 45 bucks, and this same manager treated me really well for the first time. Maybe's he's turning a corner or finally got him a girlfriend. I don't know.
I really wish my local guitar shop could do more for me. But they don't handle a lot of bass stuff. But the owner is there 4 days a week. And he's the type that if you need something and it's not available anywhere locally, he'll get on the phone and order it. I recently needed a set of short scale D'Addario Chrome flats. They're not even in the D'Addario catalog the guitar store had for ordering. So the owner got on the phone to D'Addario, placed his weekly string order early so he could piggyback mine on the shipping so it didn't cost me extra. I had them within hours of a gig I really wanted them for two days later. And he always thanks me for my business. I hope to do some bigger, major purchases with them in the future. But they have to have the gear I want or need. I will say this, they have been a good source for used pedals. And I got my eye on a rig he just took in on consignment.
All I can say is people are funny. If they don't own the business they are less likely to care if they're having a bad day or whatever affects you as a customer.
In general Sweetwater has been pretty good for me. Although I have noticed my "sales engineer" is very slow to respond to emails if he responds at all.
I just bought some stuff from AMS and the experience was good.
For amps and hardware I'm ok with mailorder. For instruments, I deal with local shops exclusively.
I just bought some stuff from AMS and the experience was good.
For amps and hardware I'm ok with mailorder. For instruments, I deal with local shops exclusively.
Never had an issue with them and have purchased many items for my studio, but never an instrument. They could put more Tootsy Rolls in the shipping package and that wouldn't bother me.
But the follow up phone calls are annoying.
But the follow up phone calls are annoying.
