As usual I needed something (this time, Powered P. A. Speakers and stands) and Sweetwater sent it out on time and it's exactly what I needed. I've bought gear from them in the past and they are always helpful and knowledgeable.
Super easy to view products and easy ordering. Delivered in very reasonable time and was well packaged for shipping safety. Received a follow up text to make sure I got product and was pleased. Over all a very simple shopping experience.
My purchases at Sweetwater have been a pleasant experience. My Sales Engineer Zach has gone out of his way and offered his experience should I need it. From purchase to arrival just a great experience. Other companies can learn from Sweetwater.
I have only dealt with sweetwater music a few times, but when I have their customer service has been top notch. Their personal touch when it comes to any size order is odd in a world where the personal touch is a thing of the past. I appreciate everything they do to assure my happiness as a customer.
Conner Smith was extremely helpful with my purchase, called afterwards to check on the purchase and my opinion on it. This was not the first purchase from Sweetwater and definitely won't be the last...
Salesman was very knowledgeable about the product. The product was shipped promptly. Miles Patterson, Sweetwater representative gave me a status e-mail on all transactions between Sweetwater and myself. I would not hesitate to do business with Sweetwater again.
John
El Paso, Tx.
Whether you're a seasoned pro, a novice or just enjoy music and/or playing music as a hobby, Sweetwater is THE best musical outlet store hands down. Their customer service is just outstanding, and I have to give a big shout out to my rep, Brenton Evans, who is super knowledgeable and professional, i'd be remiss if I didn't mention Henry as well. Great staff, check'em out for ALL your musical needs. Cheers.
I spoke with Chris today from customer service and I'll be honest, Ive never been talked to so disrespectfully by anyone at sweetwater before until I got Chris today. I spent over 1k elsewhere. Thank you Chris! It helps me find better service elsewhere. You keep up the great work for sweetwater.
After a quick call, they helped me create a package I wanted for the Moog Theremini to include a stand, headphones, and case. It arrived when they said it would. Our whole family loves it. I also feel great knowing we have a 2-year warranty included with a US-based company here to help us if we need it. Great experience.
Kristin - It's great to hear that you are enjoying your Moog Theremini, and I'm thrilled to hear that we were able to build a package to suit your needs. We are grateful to have the opportunity to provide such neat instruments to customers like you! We look forward to having the chance to serve you again in the future!
Ethan K - Customer Experience Specialist
I bought a gift card for my son-in-law via USPS. It was traveling around for some time. I called and spokes to Wendy in customer service. One of the most pleasant person I have ever talked to in Customer Service. The problem was solved. I will continue to buy from Sweetwater.
Honestly I think that any music vendor can sell you music equipment you are looking to buy what makes Sweetwater a cut above the rest is their customer service. It is the best level of customer service out there and if you are out in the market looking to buy a new piece of music equipment I would highly recommend checking out Sweetwater.com for your needs.
All us digital musician nuts are fortunate to have a place like Sweetwater that has technicians who can explain all this digital stuff to us. They have helped me more than I can say! If there's a problem, they will help you through it and if they don't know the answer, they will research it till they find it! Not only that, they will match or beat everybody else's cost! Sweetwater is a win win!
Their vaunted Sales Engineers are overrated. I'm currently working on keyboards, yet they coupled me with a drummer. Like he can make recommendations? And their reliance on FedEx to deliver their product is extremely disfunctional. FedEx is the WORST delivery company in the world. With me, they have a late delivery rate of at least 90%. Maybe to others that's not important, but to me it shows that you don't care about your customer. And when you call Sweetwater about the delay, they just don't give $#*!. They don't even call back when you leave a voice message for your Sales Engineer. I'm in my third day of attempted delivery, the third day of missing work. All because, I suspect, of Sweetwater requiring a signature because of the cost of the order.
I order quite regularly from Sweetwater being a musician and a filmmaker. And I can say with happiness no one cares about you like sweetwater... They always deliver on time package everything with care and with follow-up phone calls... I just have one complaint what's with the 2 lb of candy you send me every time I get an order haha you're blowing my diet... Jk... Thank you Sweetwater
Ordered a players Strat brand new from Sweetwater.The guitar was not playable due to sharp frets and bad intonation.
I let it go and paid my luthier to set it up.
I then purchased a Taylor 214 ce plus.
1.5 years later changing strings I noticed gouges that followed the wood grain. The damage was between the pick guard and first circle of the sound hole.
I explained to SweetWater that I never used a pick.
They still said it was " normal wear and tare"
They would do nothing at all for me. Even when I told then my luthier with 45 years in the business said it was a defect from manufacturing.They still would do nothing at all for me.
I now have contacted Taylor Guitars.
Word of advice never ever purchase an instrument from Sweetwater music.
If there is an issue with your instrument it will be you fault.BUYER BEWARE
I have owned over 20 acoustic guitars in my lifetime. Most I okayed with a pick. NONE OF THEM had gouges like this after less than a year and a half.
Bottom line is Sweetwaters quality control sucks badly.
Bought a Kala soprano ukulele from Sweetwater. Was a good experience. Unlike the generic online retailer that was the other option, from Sweetwater I got:
- A better deal on the package (Uke, carry bag, tuner).
- Good packaging and advice on leaving the Uke in the packaging for temperature to settle.
- Small personal touches which makes me understand they care about what they sell.
I have purchased an acoustic and electric guitar from Sweetwater in the last year along with a pedal. The experience has been excellent. The sales engineer, Stephen has been very good to deal with. Stephen is knowledgeable, very good communicator and has kept me informed of the process from start to finish. Stephen always ensured I was happy with my purchases. Thanks Sweetwater.
Thanks Cam. Really appreciate the kind words. Glad Stephen has been taking great care of you and I'll be sure to let him know!
No problems, bought many items and always had a great experience. Shipping was fast, and was always contacted to make sure I was satisfied... I see some have had problems, but for me it was an awesome purchase... It was also nice to read the reviews, both good and not so good... Honesty pays off...
I have never dealt with an online business that made more effort to give good support or where support was more easily accessible.
The first cable they sent me was defective. The second came very fast and was fine. In between I dealt with three different people in three different ways and all were accessible and helpful.
The only real online competition to musiciansfriend.com that I can find. Comparable prices, Free shipping, 45 day return guarantee, and a free set up! On top of this, my favorite part about this site is the ability to pick the guitar you want by it's serial number. I feel this makes the whole buying experience more personal and easy to deal with. The only downside to the whole service is that the set up causes the product to take longer to get to you then normally. But hey, I'm not complaining!
Overview
Sweetwater has a rating of 4.1 stars from 1,195 reviews, indicating that most customers are generally satisfied with their purchases. Reviewers satisfied with Sweetwater most frequently mention customer service, sales rep and free shipping. Sweetwater ranks 1st among Music Equipment sites.
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- Fort Wayne, IN, United States
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Business History
Chuck founded Sweetwater as a recording studio in Fort Wayne in 1979. The business was first located in his home on Getz Road, then moved to a subsequent home on Bass Road. Initially the fledgling company focused on providing recording services to local and national artists and businesses.
Two things prompted the leap from recording studio to music retailer. The first was Chuck's frustration with being unable to find a reliable, knowledgeable music technology retailer. Prices were outrageous, and after-sale technical service and support for the sophisticated electronics he used in his studio were non-existent.
Then, in the early 1980s, the revolutionary Kurzweil K250 appeared. This groundbreaking keyboard gave musicians and composers access to realistic orchestral and other sounds, opening new possibilities for music composition and performance. Chuck created his own sound library for the keyboard, and quickly gained a national reputation as an expert at programming the instrument. Renowned musicians such as Stevie Wonder, Kenny Rogers, and other top names began consulting with Chuck, purchasing K250 factory options and upgrades through him. Recognizing the industry's need for a new, dependable, customer-oriented approach to the musical instrument and professional audio sales channel, Sweetwater became a Kurzweil dealer to fulfill these requests.
As Chuck's expertise became known and the industry grew more sophisticated, those original K250 customers returned again and again for product advice. The company began representing more product lines, and rapidly developed and implemented its unique philosophy of relationship-based selling — treating customers as friends —and unmatched pre- and post-sale customer service.
Sweetwater's primary emphasis quickly shifted from recording studio to music retailer. A new building was constructed on Bass Road and was expanded four times to keep up with the skyrocketing growth of the company. But even that wasn't enough, as the company quickly grew to nearly 220 employees. In late 2005, Sweetwater began the process of moving to their new headquarters, located at the intersection of Kroemer Road and U.S. Highway 30. The location's 38,000-square-foot building will be expanded to a total of 150,000 square feet with the addition of a 40,0000-square-foot state-of-the-art distribution center, a rich-media auditorium and recording studios designed by world-renowned acoustician and studio designer Russ Berger, and a technical training center on a 44-acre property that will allow plenty of room for Sweetwater's massive projected growth: 175 additional full-time employees and $150 million in annual sales by 2009, and $180 million in annual sales and 450 total employees by 2010. Most recently, $1 billion is annual sales and over 2000 employees by 2020.
Today, Sweetwater is recognized as one of the most successful and fastest-growing music retailers in the nation. The company has been named to Inc. magazine's list of the 500 fastest-growing private companies three years in a row, and has received the Music Inc. magazine REX Award for excellence in retailing.
Company Representative
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- Sitejabber’s sole mission is to increase online transparency for buyers and businesses
- Sitejabber has helped over 200M buyers make better purchasing decisions online
- Suspicious reviews are flagged by our algorithms, moderators, and community members
Philip - Thanks for reaching out and for the feedback. This is awful to hear and I'm so sorry that you treated so poorly. We take this very seriously and want to dig in so we can fix this. Please reach out to me at justin_dunbar@sweetwater.com and I'd be happy to do all I can to make things right! Again, I'm so sorry.