I started buying from Sweetwater 3 years ago after hearing about this great store from my brother in law & the studio engineer where I was doing some session work. So I applied for a Sweetwater credit card, got it easy enough and purchased a new guitar. That was 3 years ago & many pieces of equipment bought since then. I now only buy from Sweetwater, everything & anything you could want. The service is top notch at all times, your merchandise arrives quickly & in excellent condition. My sales rep; Derek Senestrano is just the best, as are his assistants. I just cannot say enough good things about this store, hoping to make the trip from Cleveland, Ohio to Ft. Wayne this year to see this amazing store.
I buy all of my new gear here. Have never been disappointed! Service is 2nd to none. Shipping is fast... they roll the carpet out for you, even if you're only making a $15 purchase. I'm a customer for life!
Second go around despite best efforts, if you ask a question they don't care and don't know their own products. Please compare the prices provided here and save you some money along with get legit info from someone who actually knows what their talking about. In store prices are better even in high price cities and upper end stores. Sweetwater used to be good but they forgot that the Yachats and fancy cars came from them overcharging your pockets and we don't have to put up with it.
It's great to shop at Sweetwater. Even if it has been months since my last purchase as soon as the next day following my online order petition I get a call from my personal representative to thank me, tell me the order is on its way, and reassure me that he's there for any trouble shooting or technical support issue. My personal sound engineer (Adam Cesarz) also calls me from time to time to see how I'm doing with my new gear and check in to see if I need anything else. The order fulfillment always arrives promptly, in excellent condition, and accompanied by candy. In these day and age of poor customer service everywhere I think a company like Sweetwater deserves to be recognized.
Simply awesome!
"Needed a solution for our small church, improving on the current sound system by adding wireless mics and a few speakers. You guys made it so easy. I have zero experience with this equipment and you took the time to get me comfortable without breaking the bank. And Your technical expertise prevented my organist from melting down. Gosh, all I had was a catalog and boy am I grateful I called. Thx u for providing delivery info and tracking. Simply awesome service!"
I wouldn't ever order a guitar from any other site/store. Outstanding service, great customer follow up and unbelievably fast shipping. My recent purchases have been ready to play right out of the box. My sales associate... Andy is a real pro. This company is the Zappos of the music world. PERFECT in every way!
I've made 3 major purchases from Sweetwater.com now. Products have consistently arrived top of the line. As advertised, shipping and packing are the best in the business.
I've had several conversations with Staff at Sweetwater.com concerning my purchases. The response, customer service, and level of professionalism with these folks is 2nd to none.
I'd personally rate them a 6 out of 5 stars. They continue to amaze.
Highly recommended PM or write me for details on my experiences with them on 2 guitar and 1 amp purchase. Best Music Company I've Ever dealt with online, or in person.
Very cool guys with a clear understand of the industry and excellent service response.
They may not always be the cheapest but, they back what they sell.
With the 2 years coverage deal and dependable staff, it gives me peace of mind, knowing my investments are covered.
Now that's the type of assurance that keeps me coming back. (going on 2 years now)
So I have bought over 15k of DW drums and recording studio stuff from Sweetwater in the last 2 years. I was able to get 24 months same as cash and free shipping. It saved me a lot of money. The customer service is perfect. Sweetwater for life!
Hands down the best customer service in the music gear industry - Every time I deal with these guys, I continue to be amazed by their customer service. You'll usually get assigned to a certain guy who will help you every time that you call. How can it get better than that? I've often called to just ask random questions even if I'm not looking to buy, and the patient phone operators will fully indulge and oblige me. Seriously, much of what I know about gear I've learned from these guys. I'd much rather deal with them than those dumbasses over at Guitar Center, and the loyalty factor will keep me buying from them. I fully endorse Sweetwater, despite the higher prices.
I've been singing and playing guitar for 55 years. I know what sounds good, but I never knew much about the equipment that would get me to that sound. The technician at Sweetwater listened to my concern and made a recommendation. He talked me through the set up process when my JBL monitor arrived. Love doing business with this company.
I have purchased music equipment online from Amazon, Samash, Guitar Center, etc. Sweetwater is a company I can trust very much. I have purchased audio interface and earphones from them. My salesman John Castro is very enthusiastic and professional, Always answering my concerns or questions in time. I thought the whole shopping process was enjoyable.
I am very happy to recommend this company and Mr. John Castro to everyone, and my friends will also buy music equipment from him.
What separates us from our competitors is our excellent Sales Engineers and management. John will be happy to hear that you are satisfied with his assistance! Thank you for recommending Sweetwater and John to your friends!
-Stacia Brinneman, Sweetwater Customer Experience
It's awesome to shop with sweetwater; I haven't received my gear yet, but the service I have been receiving from my personal sales Engineer (Keith) is extremely helpful. Always, just after less than an hour I receive email that my Product is already on its way... that only is interesting. Technically, I am newbie to recording world and I have been struggling to choose among thousand alternatives of gears available today, but Keith helped me suggest some great gear that would fit my needs. Living far away from USA was't a barrier for me, since this is the second time purchase, I can confidently shop and receive my equipment as expected. Shopping with Sweetwater is Sweet. I will shop again!.
I've went from big name retailers to Sweetwater for the reason above... You're actually talking to real musicians. If you're a drummer, you'll be talking to a drummer, not a sales rep. As a guitarist, I enjoy the help and conversation you'll have with your personal associate... Meaning you'll always be talking to the same person who gets to know you and your preference, and offer suggestions of new products you never knew of... Very helpful. Sorry, my photos are at the church I attend
I was looking for a gift for my son for Christmas and extremely pleased with the expert help provided by Mike at Sweetwater. The Orange black stack was a perfect gift and will recommend to anyone that they call them first! Shipping was very fast. It was a very enjoyable and unexpected online experience talking with someone before ordering. Mikes followup call to confirm the equipment arrived safely and was perfect in every way was a bonus.
A problem developed with the software portion of a product I purchased from Sweetwater. It became of roundhouse of difficulty in seeking a resolution. In as much as my original posting expressed my frustration, I must equally speak out regarding the manner in which Sweetwater Sound stepped forward and took the issue into hand directly and through their technical support, sought out and resolved the issue.
I would consider myself a rather demanding individual when something goes wrong and I am subsequently pleased that Sweetwater Sound persisted in a most professional manner to ensure that I wasn't ultimately saddled with a problem not my own. I commend them for their enduring patience during a troubling situation.
So if you need musical products, I speak here without reservation in recommending this company and its staff.
Finding myself 2000k from my home and a sudden chance to record on short notice had me running around for gear, not so common gear. Sweetwater worked on several angles to help me out. It was far more than I've seen elsewhere! Thanks Mason and Jacob! - CPS
This is a Great Company to do business with they are very on top of their game with great products and customer service which is A1 in my book. All the service Reps are courteous and always willing to help with all of your needs and not to many companies offer free shipping. I never have to wait long for a delivery. Great Work Sweetwater
I read some other reviews that state they had trouble returning their product or getting a refund. I wanted to say this was not my case at all. I was able to receive a refund within 5 days of returning my product and they refunded everything except the return shipping fee. Additionally, my sales engineer was prompt and helpful answering questions about the return process.
My name is Rick from South Central Texas. Been playing guitar in various bands since 1959. Recently found Sweetwater on line and decided to try them after a bad experience with a company that I had been doing business for years. Found Sweetwater to be one excellent company! Talked with Derek and what a guy -- ultra clued in to Sweetwater products and one friendly guy like we had know each other for years.Excellent employee. Bought a Fender Twin True Tone guitar amp. Received it 2.5 days later. A great amp and sounds like my big Twin Reverb 65 Reissue but a potful lighter in weight. Sweetwater and Derek...the only ones that will get my business from now on!
-Rick, thank you for the stellar review. We appreciate it and look forward to continue doing business with you!
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
Joshua - Thanks so much for the review, and I'm sorry that your experience with Sweetwater was negative. I agree that this is not how we want things to go, and I want to make things right. Would you mind shooting me an email so we can try to make things right for you?
Justin D. - Director of Customer Experience
justin_dunbar@sweetwater.com