Musician's Friend

[Cult_Status02]

Hey guys, I just received my AKG c430s in one big box. In that was little boxes for each mic. One was plastic wrapped, the other was not. Well guess what, some packer at MF stole the mic and mic clip out of one box. So I have to go through a bunch of shit to get it taken care of as I am on a big dealine to get them, and ended up reordering them, and then I have to send what I did receive back to MF to get credit back.

Have any of you had problems with MF before, this is the first thing that has happened like this, but I was wondering how common is it.

From now on I'll be going through Sweetwater, I think, but they didn't have the 2-mic for $199 like MF did.

 

[crazydoc]

I've probably gotten about 15 things from MF. All went smoothly except once when they sent me the wrong guitar (unfortunately worth less than the one I ordered.} I too reordered it to expedite getting the right one, and they sent me a shipping label (email) to ship the wrong one back, and properly credited my account when they got it back.

So although they fuck up once in awhile, they stand behind the customer in my experience.

 

[bubbagump]

From now on I'll be going through Sweetwater, I think, but they didn't have the 2-mic for $199 like MF did.

Call Sweetwater. They match prices 99% of the time.

 

[Zaphod B]

I've had excellent results with American Musical Supply. Their prices are similar to MF, Sweetwater, and ZZSounds.

They also have an EZ-pay plan - three separate hits on your credit card (or five, depending on the purchase amount) spread out over time.

 

[jonnyc]

I've had excellent results with American Musical Supply. Their prices are similar to MF, Sweetwater, and ZZSounds.

They also have an EZ-pay plan - three separate hits on your credit card (or five, depending on the purchase amount) spread out over time.

I've taken advantage of that. It's really wonderful and doesn't even require a credit check.

 

[Dogbreath]

I've had about 6 orders from MF and 1 was a total screwup, hair-pulling experience. They truly pissed me off.
Since then I've gone thru AMS and had zero problems. I'm sure there will be a screwup with them as well but MF just had this snot-nosed punk ass attitude when it was their screwup that they'll never get another dime from me.

(end of rant)

 

[sound125]

MF has lousy customer service. I now deal with ZZounds, Sweetwater and Sam Ash. Excellent service and no hassle on returns.

 

[BigRay]

Music 123 here....

and sweetwater...and vintage king...and calistro music. and vintage loop..

 

[killmachine]

I've never had any problems with any of the distributers.. One friend of mine gets free shit all the time, extra strings here, and extra cymbol there, they even sent him a free DW double kick once. Seriously I couldn't believe it. He's gotten more free crap from MS than anyone I've ever known.

I however, had some porn stolen from me pry from someone at the post office, they managed to stick there hand in there break the DVD cases and pull out the DVD's and all I got was some broke ass DVD cases. So yes I know what your going through.....

AND I'M A TOTAL PERV!!!!!

 

[ch2os7]

M/f

Over all I've had good experiences with Musicians Friend. Their customer service has been courteous and helpful anytime I've had a problem. There was one time when I received a CD burner that didn't work so I reordered instead of waiting for the whole process of returning the broken one and receiving a new one. They said that would take about 2 weeks. I got the re-ordered one in about 2 days and then I got a replacement for the broken one 2 weeks later. That was a hassle but it was a really great price so I found someone to buy the extra one rather than return it.
Anytime I've been unhappy with the service I received from Musicians Friend I would talk to customer service about it and they would make it right with me.
I have also bought from Sweetwater, American Musical Supply and ZZounds & found them to be very good too.

Wow, I buy too much stuff.

 

[SRR]

I have had all good outings with MF. Minus one small problem, I ordered a pair of AKG headphones and a headphone extension cable. Cable said it was back ordered for a few weeks which turned into 2 months and then I canceled the cable. I never was in a hurry to get the cable so really it wasn't a problem for me. But most of the time I get the good stuff from fullcompass, as they are cheaper on most items. Like the V69ME my wife just bought me for my birthday, it was $247! (I am not affiliated with Fullcompass in any way, just a happy shopper with them).

 

[Supercreep]

Anybody use Cascade Media? I'm thinkin' about picking up some mics from them.

 

[Cult_Status02]

Hey guys, thanks for the stories This is only the first bad thing that happened with them before, but when I was depending on those mics to come in today to use them with a band, I, needless to say, got very pissed. I'll admit MF does usually throw lots of free stuff in, like an extra pair of sticks or a whole bag set with your drum set. I remember I got a new set from there, came in 2 days and with bags, a week later that set was selling for the same price but with the bags and a whole sabian b8 set (14" hi-hat, 16" crash, 20" ride).

I'll check out zsounds and AMS. Do either of them ever throw free stuff in?

 

[jaykeMURD]

I too have ordered many, many things from MF. Things from strings and picks to guitars, speaker cabs, etc. So far no problems. I can't imagine them being perfect, with all the orders they get. I'm sure they have a good system working in their warehousing, but still, there is always a chance of error.....human error. I should know, I work in a musical suppliers warehouse!!!

 

[dgatwood]

I have had all good outings with MF. Minus one small problem, I ordered a pair of AKG headphones and a headphone extension cable. Cable said it was back ordered for a few weeks which turned into 2 months and then I canceled the cable.

My experience was similar, except that I was in a hurry for at least some of the cables, with my studio torn down waiting for them to arrive so I could rewire with the cables running a different direction. I ordered about a dozen cables. One came in. The other 11 (of four or five different lengths) were ALL on back order and none of them had arrived after 6 weeks.

I emailed them and asked if they would be willing to substitute a cable of equivalent length that they -did- have in stock for the four that were urgently needed. They said no. I cancelled the order.

As of the time that I finished making my own cables (having mail-ordered the parts from Markertek on the same day I cancelled the MF order), the cables were still back-ordered with a month of additional waiting according to their web site.

That was the last straw. MF's shipping times were getting worse and worse, with almost every order I had placed having at least a two week back-order on at least one product for the past five or six orders. I was a regular customer there until that experience. I haven't ordered anything from them since.

Sure, I regularly pay a good bit more (no ASCAP discount) to get them from Zzounds, 8th Street, AMS, SweetWater, Markertek, or occasionally Sam Ash, but it's worth it to know that I'm not supporting a place that doesn't care enough about my business to eat $15 on a couple of cables.

 

[brandrum]

I've probably spent upwards of $7000.00 with them and I'm always 100%satisfied (email confirmations, shipping speed, stuff actually being in stock etc)...if there ever is a problem they always take care of it no questions asked.

 

[Dr_simon]

MF are great until they screw something up and then they are rubbish.

I boycotted them for about three years after the mother of all fuckups on there part. Instead of an apology I had the mother of all fights to get a bloody refund ! Not fun.

I still use em if they have a particularly good deal however the last big order I placed (like over a couple of K) went to sweetwater !

 

[RandyW]

I like them all

I probably purchase most of my equipment from MF, followed by AMS, 123, and Sweetwater.

The only problem I've ever had was with MF, I ordered a cheap bass amp that was a blem. When the thing arrived the front of the speaker cab was smashed back into the cabinet about 5"'s and the chassis of the amp was bent.

I don't think I'd ever order another blem from them. But they sent Fedex out the next day and credited my account.

 

[roadwarrior]

While Musicians Friend is as competent as most Etailers out there, by far I have perferred the experience at Sweetwater. They have seasoned pros (they call Sales Engineers) who are typically college graduates in the field of sound engineering or have studios of their own . Almost all are working musicians as well. With this wealth of experience it's no surprise the level of assistance and follow through on your purchase is going to be superior to just about any possible other choice out there.

Indeed I've parted with over $15k with them just since September of last year. It seems I'm on the phone ordering one thing or another with my sales engineer (Mark Magdich) over there at least every month. Most recently a Rode K2 (an amazing mic to say the least) and today I'll be receiving a Neumann KMS105 for my live work. They have really come through when I needed them. My DAW board had a light out and the local repair center said it would be a month to get the part (the unit was just out on the market and parts were not yet available ). I called their tech department and my sales engineer, and together they got Korg to authorize a brand new one sent the next day. I have to say I rather doubt Musicians Friend would either take the initiative nor have the expertise to handle it in this manner. Most wouldn't for that matter. So I'm a real die hard Sweetwater fan, and they get my dollar first and foremost whenever I have a need. Just a heads up for those who are ready to pull the trigger on any new gear. Oh, and by the way, yes they are more than competitive on price, but keep in mind......price is important only until you have a problem or question. It's THEN that the men are separated from the boys as far as professional recording and sound vendors is concerned. In this regard Sweetwater is #1 on my list.....and no, I don't work for them but am in sales and work for a company with a business model very much like them.......

 

[bigtoe]

full compass for the bigger purchases...ams for the smaller 3-5 month to pay thing.

musicians friend is GC's 'mail order division' now, yeah? they lost me after a few screwed up orders right when GC acquired them.

Mike