Sweetwater set up prices skyrocket. Limited supply of Gibsons and Epis as well

[kelly campbell]

1 hour ago, kidblast said:

There's some stuff that you can learn about setups from Dan Erelewine   

dan erlewine guitar setup - Bing video

 

 

I realize there is more to a true set up but I am not a true musician only a  at best I only play in my home for my relaxation and enjoyment so I never felt I could tell a lot of difference in some of the other items.. Thanks for posting I will check it out.

 

[Twang Gang]

I have bought 7 or 8 guitars from Sweetwater over the past 8 years, and the experience was always very good.  The prices were discounted from the advertised price, all the guitars were flawless, and set up very well.  I never paid anything to them for a set-up.  However this buy out by a private equity firm does scare me a little.  But the last one I bought was after the buy-out and everything went smoothly.   My sales rep does call after a guitar is delivered to make sure everything was good and I never found him a nuisance.  Occasionally he would call me out of the blue and having been in sales most of my life I thought that was a good practice on his part as well.  He wasn't pressuring me to buy anything, but keeping in touch so that the next time I did need something I would think of Sweetwater.  The only time I had difficulty reaching him was at the height of the pandemic when he was working from home and I'd leave a message and he would call me back.

I have bought another 7 or 8 guitars and at least one amp from Guitar Center over the past 30 years or so.  The prices were negotiated down, the guitars usually needed some cleaning up and minor set-up work (that I did myself) after I got them home. The great thing about them (there were 5 or 6 stores in the Chicago area) was that you could try a large selection of guitars and play them through the same amp you had at home before you bought.

I also had a Sam Ash in the town I lived up north and they too had a good selection, and you could try them out hands on.  I probably bought another 6 guitars from them over the years, prices were competitive.  I never had them do a set up so I don't know what they would charge.

So I guess it depends on where you are but this thread is the first time I've heard of negative experiences with Sweetwater.  

[Murph]

4 hours ago, Twang Gang said:

  However this buy out by a private equity firm does scare me a little.

 

   this thread is the first time I've heard of negative experiences with Sweetwater.  

 

I'd heard of several lately.

And so it goes...

[zombywoof]

Bwahaha.  Just two or three days ago I got a call from my "personal sales engineer."   He is probably the fifth one I have had assigned to me over the years.  I do have to give Sweetwater credit though.  Despite the fact I have never spent any kind of money with them, they do still keep trying.

[BluesKing777]

Obviously their mission is to crack you, ZW! 

Hold the line!

Ha Ha, personal sales engineer! Previously Sanitary Disposal Engineer? Before that, Head Barista, Mc Donalds?

Sorry, back to guitars.

 

 

BluesKing777.

 

 

[Larsongs]

On 3/24/2022 at 4:33 PM, jricc said:

I guess I've been lucky with Sweetwater,  nothing but great service. 

Me too.. They still do their 55 point inspection & Set up at no charge.. While the Set ups may not be your personal preference, on the numerous Guitars I’ve bought from them, they’re always to Factory Specs.. Unless something happens in Shipping.. Which has never happened to me with Sweetwater. 

I’ve learned how to do my own Set ups so I can fine tune the Set up to my liking.. 

I recommend the OP & everyone learn to do their own Set ups. It doesn’t require great expense for tools & Youtube is your friend.

If I can do it any one can.. 

Edited April 3, 2022 by Larsongs

[Nifty]

On 3/25/2022 at 9:55 AM, BluesKing777 said:

 

^^^^^This!!!^^^^^^

Research and find the best local boffin to do everything your guitars need....everything.

I heard about my luthier/tech so many years ago, had a problem with a resophonic in the 90s and was told he was the man. And he is!

Rarely had a problem with anything he does and a most exciting time was getting him to make a custom 00 for me. That has given such an emotional connection that I feel like phoning him and thanking him.....each time I play my custom or a guitar he set.......but so do all his customers!

 

BluesKing777.

Count me in on this as well.

Last year, I bought a LP Classic from GC.   That was an experience by itself but the price was good (around 1800 I recall).  

I took it to one of two local luthier's and told him to do whatever was needed.   For $80, he restrung it but also adjusted everything else.   When I picked it up he had everything written down - before and after specs, etc.      He said try it for a few weeks and come back if something was off.   It was night and day. 

I'd say these guitars (at least mine) have issues off the rack.   Outside of some play-ability,  about all you can tell in a store is the finish and construction,  unless you want to start measuring things.

[Raul Rehlmann]

On 3/25/2022 at 12:02 AM, zombywoof said:

 I have only walked into a GC once.

Things guitar snobs say.

Like people who virtue signal saying they have never eaten at McDonald's. Or that they beat a hole in a guitar that someone took care and pride in making, because the guitar is just a tool.

[Murph]

On 4/3/2022 at 12:24 PM, Larsongs said:

I’ve learned how to do my own Set ups so I can fine tune the Set up to my liking.. 

I recommend the OP & everyone learn to do their own Set ups. 

Yep. I've never paid for a set-up.

I thought you were supposed to adjust stuff to your liking.

Like I'm going to let a stranger close to my guitar with a screwdriver, wrench or hammer.

We had to figure this stuff out WAY before there was an internet...

[fortyearspickn]

"We had to figure this stuff out WAY before there was an internet..."

My grandkids do not have any glimmer of understanding when I try to explain to them how we had to use the card catalog in the library to do the research for  a Term Paper in school. 

Set Up Prices Skyrocket ?    Same concept.  Double the Effective Minimum Wage, pay people that amount to Not Work - have Supply Chain Issues...  Connect The Dots ! 

[zombywoof]

3 hours ago, Murph said:

We had to figure this stuff out WAY before there was an internet...

Life would have been a whole lot easier if somebody back in the day had told me I could actually change the way a guitar played.  

[zombywoof]

14 hours ago, Raul Rehlmann said:

Things guitar snobs say.

Like people who virtue signal saying they have never eaten at McDonald's. Or that they beat a hole in a guitar that someone took care and pride in making, because the guitar is just a tool.

Whatever.

I have no problem with GC.  I just always had alternatives to GC which satisfy my curiosity about guitars a whole lot better.  So yeah, back when I lived in Kansas I could walk into a GC and find several Gibson J35s to play.  But I could just of easily have walked into Mass Street Music and while not finding as many Bozeman offerings to choose from also could possibly have tried out a Collings CJ35, a Fairbanks F35 and if lucky a 1939 J35.  I guess I just value eclecticism over quantity.  

What I remember about my one experience buying that Kay K24 at GC though was the strings were so old and crusty you darn near needed a tetanus shot to play the guitar.  When I asked why they had not bothered to slap a fresh set of strings on the guitar I was told it was not their policy to change anything on a "vintage" guitar.  I am going to take a wild guess and say they not knowing a good guitar from a can of tuna dismissed the instrument because of the name on the headstock coupled with the fact they were not going to rake in enough profit on the guitar to make selling it a priority.  

Edited April 9, 2022 by zombywoof

[Larsongs]

GC’s we’re pretty great 15 years ago.. Since then they have chosen to carry more low end Guitars.. And less & less High end Guitars..

Great for those wanting something inexpensive but not much interest for those looking for High end Guitars.. About the only GC I’ve been to in recent years that knocked me out was in Hollywood, Ca.. 

[Boyd]

My experiences have been pretty good at Guitar Center. Got a used 2008 J-50 there in 2014 that was like new and has been great. Got a 1965 J-50 ADJ in 2015 from another Guitar Center at a good price since it had been sitting around for almost a year. They had a few other J-45's and J-50's from the 1960's I was able to play and compare. Got there right after they opened and had the acoustic room to myself for almost an hour.

Last summer I found a used 2020 J-50 1960's Original on their website at a very good price,  just happened to catch it as soon as they listed it (didn't even have a photo yet). Had it shipped to my local store to pickup, it looked brand new, with new strings. That has been my favorite ever since.

I'm sure there is a lot of variation between stores however. Regarding luthiers, my local store had a guy who was great, he did a terrific job bringing my 1974 J-50 back to life after I neglected it for 30 years, LOL. He had his own business building custom acoustic guitars and eventually left GC for that, was sorry to see him go.

Edited April 9, 2022 by Boyd

[Kwlsky]

Learning to set up my own guitars was a wonderful learning experience.  And the trial and error occurred mostly with over filing and over sanding saddles and nuts that were inexpensive and easy to replace for another try. There are very good videos on youtube for truss rod information and adjustment to keep them unbroken. Paying for a set up is getting a fish, I'm very glad I learned how to fish instead.