Sweetwater guitar feedback

[BritishBluesBoy]

I bought one single guitar strap from them and that started an all-out onslaught of phone calls, emails, and huge catalogs in the mail.... Took me ages to get them to stop. That kind of stuff drives me absolutely nuts...

[frankthomson]

i did
great deal/service/etc

[DexterTK]

I really like Sweetwater. The only calls I get are after I make a big purchase and they call to make sure everything was good with the order. I've never gotten "sales" calls. They're not like telemarketer calls. The extent of the call is hey was everything okay with your order? I say yes and he says cool let me know if you need anything. It's not like a used car salesman.

I like the "personal" touch. Since most of the mom and pop music stores closed in my area, and I won't be caught dead in GC, I like the personal feel of Sweetwater. I also use MF but usually if Sweetwater doesn't have what I want or out of stock or vice versa. Both have a good return policy and good customer service. Go with what you feel more comfortable with.

[TeleKato]

It's a fine line. But for me, it's not yet been crossed.

I have gotten stuff from them, but never the 'mother lode' guitar (>$1K). Service and product have been perfect every time.

Now the salesman assigned to me does send me email about once a quarter and calls every-so-often. Usually, I see the number and just let voicemail get it ... but he does sometimes call at the darnedest times ... Anyway, he's now learning that I'm more into build than buy and we actually had a chat via email about that. It's all still in the line of him keeping dibs on a guy who may buy stuff ... but he's not being a pest.

As someone said ... I would not let this stop me from buying from them. Smaller company than GC or MF, and I do kinda like that. Plus ... it's from Indiana, as am I (at least originally).

[soulman969]

My experience with them has been somewhat like TeleKato's. I get catalogs, periodic emails and an occasional phone call from the sales rep assigned to me but none of it is overboard. I've yet to buy from them but I have told the rep I would give them a shot at my next major guitar purchase or a pedal order. MF has more of what I need when it comes down to small accessories and I've always had good experiences with them.

Sweetwater employs sales people, not just telephone order takers. No one should be offended if a sales guy calls. That's his job. If he didn't he'd probably lose it and in this economy that's not a good thing. You're a known buyer of products he sells so a courtesy sales call to see if you're in the market for anything seems pretty normal to me.

It's not like Victoria's Secret is calling soliciting you to buy lingerie. I guess those who may be offended have never held a sales job in their lives. Sales people get paid to make sales calls on buyers of their products. That's been going on forever so if you want them to stop the calls just tell them so. When I was in sales and asked to do that by a perspective customer I always complied.

No one will buy from you if you just keep annoying them no matter what "the book" on sales may say.

[Telepi]

I ordered some gold reflector knobs from them two years
ago to dress up my Les Paul. A day lat later they called
to say they had shipped.

My wife asked, "oh did you order another guitar".....
The knobs arrive almost 10 days later. It was free
shipping. They go from Indiana to Pennsylvania down
to Tennessee then finnaly up here to St. Louis.

I put them on. Wife loves the look.

A week later SW calls. "How do you like your knobs"?

Catalogues an inch thick start showing up every month.
Then more phone calls start coming in and messages
left, "This is so and so, can I help you..." and of course
emails.

I finnally figured out how to go on line and unsubscribe
from everything.

I do like my knobs though. I just don't get to see them
very much, because the Les Paul stays in its case ever
since I got my Tele - from Guitar Center.

[mickeydean]

I used to shop there. They would call my house and my wife would answer. My wife knows what Sweetwater is. Can of worms opened.

[GDL629]

Never had a bad experience with Sweetwater and I've ordered several times from them.
Very rarely do I get a cold call from them, they've alwys been very helpful and my sales reps from there have never been high-pressure.

[electrablue]

Originally Posted by mickeydean

I used to shop there. They would call my house and my wife would answer. My wife knows what Sweetwater is. Can of worms opened.

Funny . . .

[drb1346]

Sweetwater is a great company. I've got dozens of purchases there, all with great results. Plus they've got a FREE 2 year warranty (MF charges for theirs) and free shipping on everything, no minimum. Fantastic customer service, too.

I've never, ever gotten a phone call from them, other than to make sure my stuff arrived on time and in good shape . . ..

[Dave Hicks]

I've never been pestered by them. But I've never spent a pile of money there, and I'm a walk-in customer (they're about 45 min away).

My sales guys have given me some good advice on guitar setups, too.

D.H.

[Rolling Estonian]

I've ordered from all of the big boys over the years. I stick with AMS now because if I order by 4 I receive my product the next day, I really like that.

M

[telleutelleme]

I would rate them pretty high. The calls are not too frequent and the customer rep I have has always been very helpful. He even pointed me to a cheap source for a RCA to SPDIF converter they didn't have in stock I needed. Most of my recording gear has come from them and a couple amps. Repairs or warranty work has been slow at times.

[vjf1968]

With over $6,700.00 in purchases over a five year period I have to say Sweetwater has got to be the best website to order gear from. Only had one issue with a Boss DD-20 which did not work, they sent me a new one and told me to send the defective one back when the new one arrived.

The also have a pretty good tech support team if you do run into trouble with your gear.

Never had the constant phone calls so I do not know if that is a regional thing or how certain sales engineers operate. I have received the occasional e-mail maybe once month if that. But never a phone call.

I do get the catalog but that gets put into the recycling after I look through it. No harm no foul.

[younkint]

They occasionally call me. No big deal to me; maybe it is to others. Sometimes I just shoot the breeze with them. They're cool about it and if I asked them to stop calling, I'm certain they would. I've had nothing but good experiences with them; they do know their stuff.




.

[Sw0rdfish]

Slightly off topic but correct me if I'm wrong. I thought MF GC were one in the same and owned by the same company.

[Rolling Estonian]

Originally Posted by Sw0rdfish

I thought MF GC were one in the same and owned by the same company.

GC owns MF, Music & Arts Center, Hermes Music, Music 123, Woodwind and Brasswind.

M

[telebuc]

I've purchased items from Sweetwater. I believe I've receive two calls in over five years. I don't find that excessive at all, and the transactions have always been smooth. I expect to shop there again.

[drf64]

The CEO, Chuck Surrack, has posted here before. Maybe he will respond to some of the concerns.

[solly]

Sweetwater hates me. I have made 2 purchases from them in the last year and I didnt get candy either time.

I have been very happy with my dealings with them. The only calls i have received from them have been followup calls to ask if i was happy with my purchases. I also get their huge catalog in the mail. I recycle it. I havent received emails from them, im guessing it all depends of who youre sales rep is.