Just a comment on Sweetwater...

[culturejam]

I really like Sweetwater's overall "customer experience". I'm not always up for chatting with my rep (Greg), but he does know music gear and has never tried to talk me into buying more than I've ordered. He doesn't follow-up with a call on every single order, but he does if it's a guitar or amp. And it's not to sell me more shit, it's to see if I like it or have any issues. I think that's awesome. Most other online retailers will refer you to the "Get Fucked" department if you have an issue, and they damn sure don't follow up to make sure things are good.

Another plus for me is that Sweetwater doesn't have any operations in New Jersey (but ZZounds and AMS both do), so I can buy with an installment plan and not pay any sales tax.

[Barracuda]

My first sales engineer was kind of an unhelpful dickish salesman type guy who never really knew much about the things I asked him about (which were mostly questions about amps and pedals they stock, so he should have at least had SOME idea)... I think he must've been fired though, because I was switched to a new sales engineer and he has been super helpful, listened to my needs and recommended I look into lots of equipment that I have ultimately enjoyed. Mind you he hasn't been a pushy salesman, he always answers my questions, but has just referred me to gear he uses and likes. He's also not afraid of being critical of some gear they stock, which is nice. Pretty much if I can buy something from Sweetwater I will, because of the customer service and I get my gear the day after I order it for free (I live about 2 hours from their HQ). I don't usually get calls for any orders except something big, and that's usually just a follow up to make sure things are running smoothly. Gearfest is pretty fun in the summer too.

[01010111]

I get follow-up orders for everything. Sometimes my guy calls just to see what I'm up to and if I want to talk about gear. I like it, but every time he's called, I've been somewhere I couldn't talk really... He seems to know his stuff, though.

[plaidbeer]

I've had the same Sweetwater rep for years and he's never called me out of the blue. He's only returned my calls when I left a message and he's never pushed anything on me. I buy new stuff from them because I've never received anything bad or damaged that I had to send back and they inspect guitars prior to shipping. I remember people discussing issues with their Blacktop Jazzmasters when they came out and mine was just fine after a basic setup (which I would do with any guitar).

My only thing is that I'm ready to pull the trigger on either a Squier VM 72 Thinline Tele or a Masics JM and they're currently out of both.

[rfurtkamp]

I've gotten the circle of annoying calls - which for someone who has no real sleep schedule is a pain in the ass.

They finally stopped calling after several contacts.

"Is that 13-pin Roland cable working aright for you? Doing what you need it to do?"

"Yes, or I'd have called back and gotten a RMA."

Silence.

Last time I tried to order something I didn't specifically know what I was getting (to take advantage of the alleged expert sales dudes), the only thing he could steer me towards in a recording interface didn't fit my needs at all - I wanted 4 or more actual (not summed to stereo USB) inputs. And everything suggested was Cadillac-level shit.

Now it's a 'order when they have something nobody else does' - prices are acceptable, the shipping times alright, etc.

But annoying sales calls to 'check up' are the devil. This isn't 1985.

The one thing they do do right past delivering the product is the demo videos etc are generally good. And they're often the only ones doing good demos on Roland-type stuff when it's very new. They *have* mastered the art of YT demos that don't primarily sound like the impact of a pick on guitar strings.

[skullservant]

I've only bought something from Sweetwater once, it was the EHX Soul Food. They had listed it as in stock on the webpage, but had apparently sold out by time I had ordered it. I had a sales guy call me and let me know that they weren't in stock and to see what I wanted to do. He was also a little confused and wanted to confirm the shipping address because I shipped it out to Chankeez instead of myself. But after I clarified that it was going to the right place, I only one one other phone call letting me know that it was going to be shipping once it came into stock. I actually haven't heard from them since.

[rfurtkamp]

Maybe they base it on how you order now.

I always call in (example being the out of stock you discovered) where possible on something I want/need then and there - my example, there was no other major retailer in the country at the time with 13 pin cables in stock. It was right after Fukishima and the supply lines for Japanese owned/warehoused/managed stuff was iffy, but I'd scored what may have been the last new GR-55 available.

Except it was not the pickup-included model.

I'd found a GK3 pickup too, but no cable.

So enter my Sweetwater experience. I must have spent 6 hours calling stores in the US to find somewhere that had one, I wasn't ordering squat from a web page by that point.

[skullservant]

Oh wow. Yeah, I had ordered online instead of calling

[technicoloraudio]

I just write it down and burn it in the fireplace and my sales rep nudges me awake the next morning with a latte and a donut. Yall are doing it wrong.

[Blackened Soul]

They have not been putting enough tootsie rolls in their shipments of late, I don't like laughy-taffy, other than that I have no complaints about them.

[odontophobia]

my buddy got a great deal on a drum kit this year because sweet water was blowing some '13 models out and the rep called my buddies' dad and they ended up getting a really nice yamaha kit so there's that. it has its perks, that's all i'm saying.

i used to hate it anytime somebody from guitar center would follow up with me. drove me mad. recently though i had a bad experience with something that was warrantied that the salesman fucked me on and i filed a complaint and the manager called me the next day and offered to return my item and the warranty so that was nice.

[indianDYsummer]

I also dislike that about Sweetwater. If I want to talk to a sales rep, I will call them. They used to call me every 6 months or so to "check in" and see if I needed anything. Very annoying. I hate getting a million magazines too. Last time they called, I asked them to stop, and they haven't called or mailed since. now that's customer service!

[UnicornTrap]

I dunno, I like sweetwater. However, my sales rep (wayne) is really cool, and I end up shooting the shit with him for a good 5 minutes. Their free 2 yr warranty on almost every product is really nice, so I tend to purchase anything major brand new there if it is in stock. I have gotten them to bend on prices a bit if stuff is on sale elsewhere. My mother (who has purchased gear for me as a gift from time to time) is in the anti-camp since they ended up calling her a few times haha

[Barracuda]

They have not been putting enough tootsie rolls in their shipments of late, I don't like laughy-taffy, other than that I have no complaints about them.

My girlfriend complains that they haven't been putting in bit-o'-honeys of late as well.

[LaoWiz]

Sweetwater is great, but I always get paranoid when they call and think it's collections or some weird work call. Its impressive that they called me last week after I ordered a cord. I wish that they wouldn't call, but since they are nice and personal I will always order from them, though. I just hardly ever order from places like that.