Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
Pist Off with musicians friends!
- Thread starter mantaraya
- Start date
I have only had one 'conflict' with MF and I did not get the outcome I was hoping for. Otherwise I have had no issues. For reasons other than the one noted above, I have made it my policy to try NOT to buy from the big box places. For any future purchases I will do what I can to support brick and mortar stores, either locally or regionally.
Yup. I get discounts and they also honor my BMI songwriter's discount. And I write the gear off at tax time. And they write personal update inquiries to everything I buy from them. Love that company.
Stuff does happen - you can't imagine how much stuff they ship out every day, and it is easy for some low-paid warehouse guy to grab the wrong box.
If you do receive something broken or re-packed or defective - it is REALLY IMPORTANT to take photos immediately -maybe even before taking it out of the box.
ALSO - to pay it forward and prevent them sending out something defective again and to help the guy back at the factory that receives it from MF, PLEASE MARK THE ITEM as defective, and what the problem is. Attach a LARGE note to the item with some packing tape, etc. I would also mark the outside of the box with marker or a taped on note. I have been in that end of it and would really have appreciated the customer telling me what was wrong with the item.
If you do receive something broken or re-packed or defective - it is REALLY IMPORTANT to take photos immediately -maybe even before taking it out of the box.
ALSO - to pay it forward and prevent them sending out something defective again and to help the guy back at the factory that receives it from MF, PLEASE MARK THE ITEM as defective, and what the problem is. Attach a LARGE note to the item with some packing tape, etc. I would also mark the outside of the box with marker or a taped on note. I have been in that end of it and would really have appreciated the customer telling me what was wrong with the item.
- Feb 27, 2005
- 3,218
- 125
- Disclosures
- Full disclosure, I'm a certified Fender technician working in a music store that carries Fender, Yamaha, and Ibanez products among others.
I stopped going through MF last Christmas when a tube arrived broken out of a set of four. I called, because in the past they'd made things OK, and was told to get a return shipping label from UPS. Who told me I'd need a return authorization from MF. Who told me I needed to start the claims process with UPS first. Who said they couldn't do anything without a return order from MF. All this just to make sure it got returned and exchanged correctly, they never once offered to pay for return shipping.
Bottom line, by the time I got my paperwork sorted out, the return period had expired and I was told they'd no longer accept the package. Look, I understand things happen, but I was treated poorly by customer service, not a shipping mistake. I also started having as little to do with UPS as I could over it, Fedex or USPS all the way.
Thanks for nothing, guys. I started ordering every little thing through Sweetwater. Of course these days when I want something I order it through my own store
Bottom line, by the time I got my paperwork sorted out, the return period had expired and I was told they'd no longer accept the package. Look, I understand things happen, but I was treated poorly by customer service, not a shipping mistake. I also started having as little to do with UPS as I could over it, Fedex or USPS all the way.
Thanks for nothing, guys. I started ordering every little thing through Sweetwater. Of course these days when I want something I order it through my own store
Nice. Another example of cultural sensitivity, presumably by a stoopid American.
And....here comes another American bashing. Why pass up an opportunity to hate on people, right?
Nope. Not at all. I apologize if you read it as such. I should've realized that ironic humor, even separated by only a few words, could me mis-read as hate, which it is far from. Hate can be found in post #2.
+1. I have only had to return one item to them, a combo amp that was DOA, they paid for the return shipping, replaced my item with a new one (that turned out to work this time) and shipped it back out to me. I paid nothing more in this whole process and the problem was corrected. Their customer support was very easy and it seemed they really wanted to make things right with me.
My interaction with Musician's Friend has been stellar, and I only very rarely stray from the used market that I love so much. I purchased a pair of GK Neo 212 cabinets in a great holiday sale and the customer service I encountered before and during my order was extremely helpful and catered to my weird shipping instructions (as a student). The cabinets were packed great and came ahead of schedule.
I had issues with an MXR M288 Octave pedal I ordered, and they immediately honored a return and shipped out a replacement (barely any trouble verifying my original order). So, even though I like to support my Talkbass/local brethren as often as possible, but for anything else I'm definitely going through Musicians Friend over Sweetwater or GuitarCenter
I had issues with an MXR M288 Octave pedal I ordered, and they immediately honored a return and shipped out a replacement (barely any trouble verifying my original order). So, even though I like to support my Talkbass/local brethren as often as possible, but for anything else I'm definitely going through Musicians Friend over Sweetwater or GuitarCenter
This aint my first online experience. and i know big companies make mistakes and so. No a great discovery over here. My point is that it was clearly a DEFECTIVE unit, packaged so poorly... that led me think whether they KNEW what they were restocking. Thats deceiving costumers. I have bought new, b-stock and so.. and i know what to expect.. but this kind of pist me off..shipping problems are in other category.. no selling defective units as new :scowl:
This definitely should not have happened. Will you shoot me an email, I'd like to make sure we make right on this mistake. That email is [email protected]. Sorry for any inconvenience this may have caused!
This isn't right either on our part. It's our job to make sure it gets to you in perfect condition, regardless of how the manufacturer sent it to us. Will you email your order details over? I'd like to get them down to our warehouse so they can follow up. Thanks!
If there's still anything we can do to make this right by you, I'd love to hear from you!
I stopped going through MF last Christmas when a tube arrived broken out of a set of four. I called, because in the past they'd made things OK, and was told to get a return shipping label from UPS. Who told me I'd need a return authorization from MF. Who told me I needed to start the claims process with UPS first. Who said they couldn't do anything without a return order from MF. All this just to make sure it got returned and exchanged correctly, they never once offered to pay for return shipping.
Bottom line, by the time I got my paperwork sorted out, the return period had expired and I was told they'd no longer accept the package. Look, I understand things happen, but I was treated poorly by customer service, not a shipping mistake. I also started having as little to do with UPS as I could over it, Fedex or USPS all the way.
Thanks for nothing, guys. I started ordering every little thing through Sweetwater. Of course these days when I want something I order it through my own store
That sounds like a lot of hoops you shouldn't have to jump through. Email me, I'll make sure we get this taken care of for you. That email again is [email protected].
I generally do not buy anything online because I would rather see it, tough it, play it first. However, I have bought a couple of things from Musician's Friend and have had great luck with them. Even when returning something, the process was very easy.
Maybe things wouldn't get bad at times if people would commit to their purchases, instead of being perpetual tire kickers by buying up new gear and quickly making more used gear inventory for the retailers with their incessant returns.
I've only had 1 transaction and it went perfectly.
Friends that have dealt with them have never had any issues either.
I suppose that with any big operation, something is going to fall through the
cracks every now and then.
If I spent $700. on something and it came like you described, Yeah, I'd be pist off too!
Sounds like they are willing to make it right, so good for you.
Squeeky wheel gets the grease.
Friends that have dealt with them have never had any issues either.
I suppose that with any big operation, something is going to fall through the
cracks every now and then.
If I spent $700. on something and it came like you described, Yeah, I'd be pist off too!
Sounds like they are willing to make it right, so good for you.
Squeeky wheel gets the grease.
This is what i honestly think's the problem. That 45 day no ask return policy makes people use the gear and then sending back. There should be at least a % fee for restocking gear when theres nothing wrong with them. If they are not right, then is company's problem and MUST assume its responsibility. And of course a MUST better check for returned items.
I admit there has been a couple times in my life my amp was in the shop and so I used the guitar center rental program.
Buy an amp on my credit card, use it at the gig and take it back.
I dont feel bad about it.
Buy an amp on my credit card, use it at the gig and take it back.
I dont feel bad about it.
Wow - to see a company of this size having any involvement on a forum level like this is inspiring . . .
So glad this worked out for you. Of course the cost of your 'free' rental; was paid by those of us who actually BUY things from GC.
But it worked out for you and that's the main thing.
I buy a ton of stuff from both sweetwater and MF and also if I absolutely must GC. GC in my opinion is a stain on the industry. I normally try stuff there and then get a better price online.
I often pit them together to get the best deal since unfortunately I have to pay sales tax from both companies.
I still dont feel bad.Ive only done that a couple times.
Thats capitalism at its best. They dont have to keep the policy but since they do Ill use it if I please. I can shop there and buy elsewhere if I choose. I love America.
- Oct 7, 2000
- 18,619
- 38,939
- Disclosures
- Endorsing artist: Musicman basses
...and you buy amps you know you're not going to keep, use them, return them, and feel good about it. Not sure what's worse. The fact that you look at and treat GC as you do, or the fact that you're proud of it.
I didnt say I felt good about it or I was proud, although I guess that is implied. I really dont feel good but those occasions I was in a severe pinch and had to get something to play the gig, which at the time was how I paid my bills. Some people might think badly of that choice and others might not. I dont have any love for GC, thats a fact that wont change, but I dont make a habit out of anything Ive stated in this thread that you would consider bad behavior.
Umm,
Guitar Center is Musicians Friend. They bought it years ago about the time Bain Capital took the corporate reins.
From the GC wiki:
In 2000, Guitar Center purchased mail order and Internet retail house Musician's Friend for $50 million, asserting that the merged company was the world's largest seller of musical instruments.[10] Musician's Friend became a wholly owned subsidiary that was headquartered in Medford, Oregon until 2011, when Musician's Friend's headquarters operations were gradually consolidated into Guitar Center's facilities in Westlake Village, California.[11]
In 2005, Guitar Center Inc. acquired Music & Arts, the largest school music dealer in the United States, and merged their subsidiary band and orchestral chain American Music Group into Music & Arts (as the company was renamed).[12] Music & Arts was founded in 1952 in Bethesda, Maryland and sells band and orchestra instruments, guitars, keyboards, drum sets, printed sheet music, and related supplies.
In the summer of 2006, Guitar Center purchased four stores in Texas from the popular South Texas and Central/South American company, Hermes.[13]
In February 2007, the direct response division of Guitar Center, Musician's Friend, purchased assets of the Indiana-based company Dennis Bamber, Inc., which included leading band and orchestra retailer, Woodwind and Brasswind, plus Music 123 and Lyons Music.
They also own HarmonyCentral.com and here locally in L.A. bought WLA Music with no plans to keep it open.
The odd thing is that with all these acquisitions and the debt load incurred they've been on the edge of bankruptcy for years now.
From "The Music Trades Magazine" July 2012
Notwithstanding solid operational performance, Guitar Center has been hobbled by a crushing $1.56 billion debt burden that was incurred in late 2007 when Bain Capital acquired the business for $2.2 billion. Since the acquisition the company has consistently operated in the red, unable to cover the approximately $160 million in annual interest expense. The Steady losses have triggered regular credit "downgrades" from the ratings agencies Standard & Poor's and Moody's. In the most recent downgrade, issued on May 8th 2012 Standard and Poor's wrote " We have downgraded Guitar Center's liquidity profile to "less than adequate" and revised our ratings outlook to negative from stable."
Yay Bain Capital! Go America corporate raiders!
