Another experience here of ordering, waiting, and having to reach out to get an update on something that was purportedly in stock. Also emailed to inquire about sets that were not listed. Jason responded and said he could get them for me. I then expressed interest in ordering them and got nothing back. With the number of online retailers for strings, there's just no reason to deal with this hassle. The harsh reality is that you often only get one chance with a customer before they go elsewhere.
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Fret Nation
- Thread starter joel406
- Start date
This has always been a great rule of thumb that was passed on to me by many professional musicians I’ve crossed paths with when I talk about strings. Always budget at least $100-200 worth of strings in bulk and you won’t have to worry about buying more for another year or three.
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Deja Vu all over again. The hardest part for me was that while I was playing the 3-weeks-with-next-to-no-communication waiting game with Fretnation, I was seeing the same products in stock at the same prices on Amazon.
The argument "expressing criticism means you want the company to fail" is preposterous, to be polite. The real world isn't binary. No one wants FretNation to fail. We (some of us) simply want them to improve.
I don't trust any website that reports inventory in supposed realtime. Whoever does that job is not there anymore and no one has replaced them. On every website on the internet. Far as I'm concerned, we're back in about 1997 with websites accurately representing their shop operations.
That said, I placed an order at FretNation 2/4 for one set of strings...and 2/14, they notified me of shipment. It's entirely possible the strings were actually out of stock, and it's also possible they're backed up on orders due to personnel/staffing shortages. Not an issue for me personally, though I did get a confirmation email. Not getting one would definitely concern me, and it sounds like there really is a software problem that no one's around to fix.
They've treated me well, but there's caveat emptor for even our favorites in these odd times.
That said, I placed an order at FretNation 2/4 for one set of strings...and 2/14, they notified me of shipment. It's entirely possible the strings were actually out of stock, and it's also possible they're backed up on orders due to personnel/staffing shortages. Not an issue for me personally, though I did get a confirmation email. Not getting one would definitely concern me, and it sounds like there really is a software problem that no one's around to fix.
They've treated me well, but there's caveat emptor for even our favorites in these odd times.
To be fair, you could send a gerbil with a tiny note stashed in a minuscule backpack by rowboat from Isla Hornos (southern tip of Chile) to Sweetwater, and in time receive a gerbil back with a note from your Sales Engineer wanting to follow up with your order. And another a month later.
I'm so old that I remember coupons for products by mail order in the early 1970s. It was not uncommon for the fine print to read: allow 60 to 90 days for delivery. Actually, I have such a coupon at home.
If you walk into a brick and mortar store you see if they have a product, or not. These days, possibly not.
If you are going to order online, make sure that the product is actually available before you place your order.
I'm working with supply chains from around the world, and I can tell you that i've never seen anything like the current situation in over 43 years of doing so.
If you walk into a brick and mortar store you see if they have a product, or not. These days, possibly not.
If you are going to order online, make sure that the product is actually available before you place your order.
I'm working with supply chains from around the world, and I can tell you that i've never seen anything like the current situation in over 43 years of doing so.
The issues we're talking about existed long before Covid showed up - I haven't ordered from BSO/FN in a few years.
The guy I deal with there is great. I don’t get totally unsolicited calls, although he does check in to see if I’m happy with my order - which is fine.
Update: The owner of Fret Nation just called me on the phone, apologized and tried to make it right. THAT is the epitome of integrity! I'll buy my next warwick from them in a heartbeat.
I've ordered from them 15 times in the past 10 years. They've always done well for me. Here recently Jason accommodated an unusual ordering request of mine and I am incredibly grateful. I understand some of the frustration posted here but FretNation will continue to have my business.
All my orders from them were amazing. The last two took a LONG while, and what did he do? Sent a more expensive set for the same price, because of time constraints. Always have had stellar business with them.
A couple weeks ago I ordered 5-string short-scale DRs from him, and they came Amazon quick, so bad experiences are not universal. I did have one bad experience when he had the personal problem, but that was a long time ago.
I have ordered from Talkbass, and it was good, but they don't have a lot of variety.
Amazon has screwed the pooch several times for orders, and I only order again because it's easy to return and so easy to order. In fact, I ordered a set of short-scale, and received long-scale just this last week. I can send them back, but I won't have them and what I need is not in stock (probably never was). Plus, their search function blows. Why is it they suggest a billion things I would have been interested in and couldn't find, after I buy something? Where was that stuff when I spent 8hrs. searching?
Anyway, strings are a poop show right now. Out of stock, whatever, so I just order where I can find stuff, and fret nation has a fair amount of stuff in stock, so that's where I'll order. I do wish he would get the DR short-scale 5-string Black Beauties in stock, but I believe that's DR's deal, not his.
I have ordered from Talkbass, and it was good, but they don't have a lot of variety.
Amazon has screwed the pooch several times for orders, and I only order again because it's easy to return and so easy to order. In fact, I ordered a set of short-scale, and received long-scale just this last week. I can send them back, but I won't have them and what I need is not in stock (probably never was). Plus, their search function blows. Why is it they suggest a billion things I would have been interested in and couldn't find, after I buy something? Where was that stuff when I spent 8hrs. searching?
Anyway, strings are a poop show right now. Out of stock, whatever, so I just order where I can find stuff, and fret nation has a fair amount of stuff in stock, so that's where I'll order. I do wish he would get the DR short-scale 5-string Black Beauties in stock, but I believe that's DR's deal, not his.
Ok...
I'm the idiot who created this "thread". I Gotta say, I really didn't think this thorough enough before posting.
I do not wish any bad juju on FN.
I was just disappointed. I ordered what was listed as In Stock. 1–3-day shipping. Turned into 7-10 days.
Now normally it's no big kahuna that shipping is a little drawn out. But I'm gone at 9:30am tomorrow. I'm gone for 3 weeks. I couldn't wait.
FN is a small operation and with the strains of the past 3 years I'm sure there has been little improvement.
But I do NOT!!! Wish anything bad on Fret Nation.
They refunded quicker than any company I have ever seen. The $$$ was in my PayPal before I knew a refund was coming.
Give em a chance. Maybe they can get better. I ordered strings from the TB store last night. Hell until last night I didn't know TB had a store.
And after a call to our manager an arrangement has been made to ship strings to our first venue from our New York office. So see... Nobody died. There is always a solution. I hope FN gets it together. And operates better in the future.
I'm the idiot who created this "thread". I Gotta say, I really didn't think this thorough enough before posting.
I do not wish any bad juju on FN.
I was just disappointed. I ordered what was listed as In Stock. 1–3-day shipping. Turned into 7-10 days.
Now normally it's no big kahuna that shipping is a little drawn out. But I'm gone at 9:30am tomorrow. I'm gone for 3 weeks. I couldn't wait.
FN is a small operation and with the strains of the past 3 years I'm sure there has been little improvement.
But I do NOT!!! Wish anything bad on Fret Nation.
They refunded quicker than any company I have ever seen. The $$$ was in my PayPal before I knew a refund was coming.
Give em a chance. Maybe they can get better. I ordered strings from the TB store last night. Hell until last night I didn't know TB had a store.
And after a call to our manager an arrangement has been made to ship strings to our first venue from our New York office. So see... Nobody died. There is always a solution. I hope FN gets it together. And operates better in the future.
You know what? After thinking about this a bit, I would buy from Jason again without hesitation based on my first-hand experiences. He's given me really exceptional deals on the items I've purchased and his service was top notch.
I think with any very small business I'd reach out before ordering an item to make sure it's still in stock, especially these days, and especially if it's a big ticket item.
Heck, ordering tube amp parts from some of the more venerable online suppliers is like looking at the internet circa 1994. I'm in the habit of sending a quick email to confirm that they still have what I need.
Shipping on a global level has yet to recover. Give it time.
