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Sweetwater has a rating of 3.4 stars from 1,193 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 2nd among Music Equipment sites.
This company responds to reviews on average within 4 hours
Sweetwater's customer service is phenomenal! They have a good range of products and with good prices. The guitar we bought was affordable and great quality. It arrived quickly with no damage - it was packed well. I was surprised and impressed to get a call from Sweetwater just a few days after the guitar was delivered. They were just making sure everything was good. That's great customer service!
Ordered some products then the next day A representative reached out and said they were sold out & products would not be available till January and wanted to know if I still wanted them. I let them know I did. They reached back out two days later saying their was a glitch in the website and I could not have the products for the price I purchased them for. I was fished to their website to buy the products on a sponsored advertisement from Google. False Advertising is Illegal. My Wife has got me gear from these guys for years. I have advised her and she will no longer make purchases through them.
I could cite a dozen instances of great service by SweetWater. The most recent: I botched receipt of an item and ultimately the most reliable solution to the time crunch I created was for customer service to arrange for me to pick up my replacement guitar case at a FedEx facility -- not a Walgreens, not a 7-11. Yes, a replacement; they had replaced my item that had a tiny defect without question and without asking me to return the original item in advance.
If you don't believe this, I don't blame you. Their service is unbelievable.
Tip for consumers:
Don't shop anywhere else. Seriously.
Products used:
Guitar case
Date of experience: December 21, 2021
Every order from Sweetwater includes a small packet of candy which I find to be a nice little touch that says a lot to me. It says a lot because even though I'm not ordering hundreds or even thousands of dollars worth of equipment they still include that little packet of candy. That little touch along with their #1 customer service including follow ups on every order no matter how small all say that I'm a valued customer. It is for these very reason why I continue to order from Sweetwater!
Date of experience: March 13, 2020
I wrote a review on a product that I ordered, it did not mention my "sales engineer" or say anything subjectively bad about the company, it was imply the facts. The order took longer to ship than they state on their website and the product looked used. They chose not to publish it... I find this disingenuous at the least. My guess is they will not publish anything that doesn't praise them without question. Bad form... for the record about the picture included, there was no film covering the display that was how the display looks with nothing covering it..
Date of experience: March 4, 2020
"Highly recommend this company. I had ordered two cables and they immediately called me after the order was placed to let me know that one of the cables was not available. They offered other size of cables and shipped them out to me. They even called after the order was received to make sure they were working and I was satisfied! Never have I had a customer service experience like this!" Oh and the candy included was a great touch!
Products used:
Audio Cables
Date of experience: April 6, 2022
I have shopped at Sweetwater for a few years and spent thousands of dollars. They text and call you when you place an order. I thought this was a sign of good customer service but I never had a problem until now. FedEx delivered my package to the wrong address. This shouldn't be hard to remedy. I contact Sweetwater and let them know what happened. It took four days before they sent out my replacement package. I had to contact them many times just to get that. The final insult was that they would not ship it to my place. I had to pick up my package at a Walgreens near me. I will never place another order with them.
Tip for consumers:
You’ll be fine if you don’t have any issues with your shipment. Any issues with the shipping and they will give you the run around and make it very hard to clear it up.
Products used:
Headphones
Date of experience: November 23, 2022
Not advised of the 5 to 7 day rule on check by phone when I expressed I needed the equipment asap. Ordered gear on Tuesday my check was shown as pending on Friday, cleared on Saturday and here I am on Tuesday ONE WEEK without my money or the gear I ordered. Sweetwater please review your bank and it's services. Your not getting the best return for your business. After a few more days the gear finally arrived. This whole thing was not a fault of anyone but rather just how stuff goes sometimes. Over all Sweetwater stood with me and was really great threw the whole event.
Tip for consumers:
Ask about shipping delays with check by phone.
Products used:
None
Date of experience: May 4, 2021
I've been using Sweetwater for a little over a decade and I've never been disappointed with the service, or the care that I have received. I would and have highly recommended them to anyone looking to buy musical equipment. One other cool reason to use them is that I have had the same sales rep for almost 10 years.
Date of experience: January 16, 2019
I just purchased a guitar, amp and accessories from Sweetwater. All of their staff that I have communicated with have been very professional, caring about excellent customer service and attention to detail. Their prices are excellent along with their quick and safe shipping. They truly do care about their customers. I am a very satisfied customer that will return.
Tip for consumers:
Quality Customer Service and Products
Products used:
Fender American Ultra Stratocaster HSS, Fender Tone Master Twin Reverb 2x12" 200-watt Combo Amp and accessories
Date of experience: August 16, 2022
If all businesses had this kind of customer service the world would be a better place. I will definitely be ordering exclusively from Sweetwater for all of my musical needs from here on out. The staff is friendly, enthusiastic and very knowledgeable. If I had grown up in music and had the skills and knowledge of the staff at Sweetwater then I would want to work there. Hands down one of the best companies out there. Order from them once and you will be a customer for life.
Date of experience: May 18, 2017
The package came on time and packed full of surprises. There was candy, a cool sticker and a really cool Sweetwater catalog. They have really fast shipping and amazing customers service.
Would recommend them to anyone who is into music or candy.
Date of experience: January 31, 2019
Sweetwater is where I buy all my musical equipment. The service is excellent the products are perfect, and I know if there ever is a problem it would be resolved. Rob Kramer has been great in helping me with all my purchases.
Date of experience: October 30, 2017
My expectations were exceeded during my experience with Sweetwater. Clearly there is a commitment to service from the sale through delivery. The personalized communication and availability of educated staff is confidence building. Looking forward to doing business with Sweetwater again very soon.
Date of experience: October 15, 2019
Sweetwater has launched my career by helping me select the right equipment and instruments to bring my dream to life... Mike Conyers is excellent, and so knowledgeable, beyond the normal sales engineer in all the other online stores... he has made all the difference in my shopping through guitar online stores... I'm so impressed with his caring about you and your purchases... love shopping at Sweetwater and Mike has made all that difference.
Date of experience: November 5, 2018
I came upon this website trying to find an aux splitter (I was using it for a Halloween effect) I asked a question about shipping and the guy called me back which was super helpful and he also found out what I was using it for and realized I got the wrong size! The guy helping me went out of his way to find a new cord that would fit my project! Very helpful would definitely recommend! I am definitely buying more things from this website from here on out. Keep up the good work!
Date of experience: April 16, 2020
Purchased a Taylor for a friend. Two months in two pick-ups went out. As there are no certified Taylor service tech in my area. They had my buddy ship back to them. Turn around on fix was two weeks. Awesome.
As a drummer myself. Every piece of equipment I have purchased has served as expected. They are my only source when seeking music equipment
Date of experience: July 5, 2019
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...
Products used:
Sony Headphones for Djing
Date of experience: November 16, 2023
I work with Paul Lea as my advisor, and time after time he helps with input on product selections, pricing and availability, etc. and is always very quick to respond via email. Between Paul's help, the prices, and your inventory, I always prefer to get my gear from Sweetwater. Appreciate all the support... Jeff
Date of experience: December 27, 2016
I purchased a Kala ukulele from Sweetwater. When Fedex didn't deliver it on the expected date, I was told nothing could be done; I should give them a call. When the ukulele finally did come, it clearly was not new. Someone had glued one strap stud to the bottom of the instrument (Kala doesn't do this) and never even glued on the other. I have tried for 24 hours to reach someone about this, I even sent a photo of it to Ian, my "sales engineer." Nothing. Now I am reading that if I send this uke back for a new one, I will have to pay the shipping for their negligent and potentially dishonest actions. This is an incredibly disappointing first experience with Sweetwater. There will not be a second.
Date of experience: May 2, 2020
Hello, Jamie! We'd be glad to look into this for you! Could you please contact us at WeCare@sweetwater.com to confirm your order number? Our Sales team are currently working from home, and wait times are unfortunately longer than normal at the moment… But we would love the opportunity to make this right for you. We truly appreciate your patience at this time, and thank you for your message today!
Sweetwater is my go-to for all things musical. Their vast inventory, incredible prices and the sales staff's knowledge of everything in their catalog, or online, is only surpassed by their amazing customer service (I'm looking at you, Patrick Schaefer)! If you're not shopping Sweetwater for your music needs, you're not getting the product, prices and service you deserve. Period.
Date of experience: January 30, 2018
Your customer service can't be beat. As a business owner, I have seen good and bad service. As a consumer, ditto. Your service and attention must be based on the same model as mine. The customer is where our paycheck comes from. Keep them happy, and they'll keep coming back. Also, your selection is top notch for anyone in the industry. From the beginner to the professional, you have something for everyone. Keep up the good work and Thanks Again Ian!
Date of experience: May 31, 2017
Everything looks good, but I haven't taken the guitar out yet. It's for a birthday for a kid. They were awesome about my inability to know what I was doing. I ordered two incorrect things, and they returned shipment and fixed my mistake very graciously.
Date of experience: October 3, 2020
Probably the best online buying experience I've had. Your follow up and customer service is unparalleled. Kudos to the shipping dept, never received a better packed and sealed delivery before. The candy is a nice touch too. A+
Date of experience: September 4, 2017
I ordered several things from Sweetwater, as I am building a custom guitar. They had everything I needed, and were able to answer all my question.
Witch there were many. Much appreciated.
Thanks Sweetwater..
Date of experience: February 28, 2021
That sounds really cool! If you need any other parts, let us know! We are always here to answer any questions you may have! And just because you don't see something on our site doesn't mean we can't get it! Ask your sales engineer about special order parts!
- Zach Bloom, Customer Experience
Absolutely hands down the best experience to date for me! And i have been around awhile. Big Shout Out to NICHOLAS WEAVER! Above excellent in customer service from start to finish. Thanks to him I'm getting some pretty amazing gear at a more than fair price. Sweetwater will be my only go to from here on.
Thank You
Date of experience: March 15, 2018
Sweetwater is the best music store out there today. And I've used them all. Hands down the best! Customer service has no equal, from sales engineer follow up, then another from the CEO and it doesn't stop there... they send something sweet in the package
Date of experience: November 9, 2019
Sprawling megastore featuring high-quality musical instruments & studio recording gear.
How do you go from a portable 4-track recording rig in a Volkswagon bus to being the nation's leading retailer of professional recording and music equipment?
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.
Thanks for the review, Scott! Product reviews normally post to our website within 5 business days of being submitted, so you should be seeing it published very soon.
Should you have any issues with your order, please feel free to contact us direct via phone or email. We are always here to address your questions or concerns.
Thank you again for reaching out!