Sam Ash?

[Clive Hugh]

I have ordered some PU's from Sam Ash and their shipping seems a bit lax to me. Does anyone have any info on how good / or bad their service is?
As a foil to that, I ordered a pedal from Pedal Geek on last Thursday and got it in the most remote area of Australia on the Monday, that is brilliant service.
Clive

 

[scrubs]

Yeah, I've noticed that, too. Most online places ship within 24 hours, but Sam Ash seems to take substantially longer.

 

[guitar junkie]

two of the worst mail order deals i have ever had were through Sam Ash. and after the last one i have decided to not even shop with them. as they really just made me mad, the sales guy i had to deal with was really bad. and i would say that the first time it took twice as long to get what i was suposed to get while the other one took three times as long! bottom line is go buy from guitar center.

 

[Clive Hugh]

Guitar Junkie and Scrubs,


Thanks for the information, I'll buy elsewhere in future.
Clive

 

[louloomis]

I'm in NY (from NY) and I go there all the time (for 23 years). I've been to many and they're all the same. Dirty, disorganized, not knowledgeable. I feel bad because I'm sure nice people work there, but I barely even go there for strings. Back in 1986 they "lost" my keyboardist's expensive cabinet and then took 6 months to replace it.

LL

 

[Easto]

The Sam Ash here in Orange County (Calif) is a mess. It's almost impossible to get anyone to help you, all the guitars have incredible dings in them. Personally I've been so dissapointed the 2 times I've been in the store I decided to take them off the short list and only go back if absolutely necessary.

 

[dyingserenity]

the same ash i went to in ontario cali..they tried to sell me a esp ltd f-250 with a broken string and no volume or tone nobs...but i told them to go look in back for a brandnew one and i got it but yeah i highly recomend guitarcenter and Musiciansfriend.com

 

[Clive Hugh]

the same ash i went to in ontario cali..they tried to sell me a esp ltd f-250 with a broken string and no volume or tone nobs...but i told them to go look in back for a brandnew one and i got it but yeah i highly recomend guitarcenter and Musiciansfriend.com

I had a look at guitar center asnd their web site was quite similar to Sam Ash's, then I saw that they use the same shippers - comerxia - and I was a little put off. I also rang Sam Ash and asked for an update on my purchas and the lady said it had left their center and was with comerxia so it seems that the shipping co. might be a tad slow.
I could buy in Australia but for the same PU's I'd most likely pay close to double so where possible I try to buy from the US. It usually means good service and often quicker than interstate here but this time it's not and I had a similar experience with music toyz, their price was good but they were as slow as .

 

[Clive Hugh]

And I just found out they don't ship internationally. Bugger!

 

[louloomis]

Don't use Guitar Center. They're obnoxious, overpriced, and engage in very sleazy tactics. Way worse than Sam Ash. I'd go with zzounds or some other place long before any of those mega-turd houses.

LL

 

[Clive Hugh]

Don't use Guitar Center. They're obnoxious, overpriced, and engage in very sleazy tactics. Way worse than Sam Ash. I'd go with zzounds or some other place long before any of those mega-turd houses.

LL

I just looked at zzounds, there is nothing about dealing with international customers, but I sent them an email asking anyway.
Thanks
Clive

 

[Outlaws]

I wouldn't use their online site. I have been to the Store here in Phoenix and it is all run by emo kids armed with the product description.

I was getting a mic and the kid is sitting on the phone talking to the other end about what mic might be better for this or that....excuse me, but I was always taught that the customer IN the store is more important than the one jerking your chain around on the phone....but maybe thats just me. Then the others came around and tried to act liek they knew what I was doing. They are like, "what kind of mic'ing you gonna do. I was like, "its for my cab." they say, "what kind of setup you got." I say, "a THD BiValve."

-Speechless.

Conversation over. In over their heads and they knew it.

 

[Lambo]

Although they are the high priced spread, I've found Sweetwater to have the best shipping service, and it's free. Having said that I've had good and bad experiences with all of them (Sam Ash, Zzounds, Musician's Friend, Sweetwater, 8th Street, American Musical Supply,etc.) so YMMV. If you don't require financing then the best price (brands limited to Roland, Marshall. Ibanez, Behringer) can be found at BPM Music. You definitely pay for the convenience of financing; but what's a mother to do LOL?

 

[sub006]

I've only used Sam Ash retail stores, never mail order. They tend to have 50-70% house-brand instruments (their brands are Carlo Robelli, Brownsville, etc.) that look very nice but play poorly, or perhaps as good as the low,low prices would suggest. Name-brand stuff is priced as well as GC, but GC has a much better selection at most locations.

One of my sons has used Musicians Friend or Music 123 (I think they're the same) on-line with very satisfactory results.

 

[louloomis]

Although they are the high priced spread, I've found Sweetwater to have the best shipping service, and it's free. Having said that I've had good and bad experiences with all of them (Sam Ash, Zzounds, Musician's Friend, Sweetwater, 8th Street, American Musical Supply,etc.) so YMMV. If you don't require financing then the best price (brands limited to Roland, Marshall. Ibanez, Behringer) can be found at BPM Music. You definitely pay for the convenience of financing; but what's a mother to do LOL?

No offense, but how is Sweetwater's shipping service free when they overcharge in the first place. I think the "free part" is the part paying for the chairman's "free lunch".

LL

 

[guitar junkie]

well i need violin strings today so i headed over to sam ash....
and the place just does not have anything in there and i saw violins that i have watched sit there for months some even had DUST! on them.....
any way i got strings and i made them match a price for me that put things under their cost about 16% or something so the guy was not really all that happy..... but what really made me mad was when he gave me the wrong change he did end up making it right and i got a heck of a deal....
still hate dealing with them and will not buy much there if i can help it.... although they do have a nice used violin that i looked at and who can say if it sticks around in there (and i think it will) maybe it will get chalked up...

 

[Lambo]

No offense, but how is Sweetwater's shipping service free when they overcharge in the first place. I think the "free part" is the part paying for the chairman's "free lunch".

LL

Like I said, they are the high priced spread; "you might find better but you won't pay more" is their code to the road. And for what they charge, that's a heck of a lunch LOL! Having said that though, Musician's Friend has the same prices, 'free shipping' is like the old 'bait and switch trick' and yet a lot of people still rave about them. As crazy as it sounds I have purchased from both of them due to the fact that I like to play as I pay. People talk about heart disease and arthiritis but G.A.S. can be every bit as debilitating.

 

[Toker41]

I picked up a Brownsville Bat guitar for my son, and ended up playing it more myself. I know these are considered "junk", but this is a solid mahogany, well playing guitar. The pick ups are crap, but the guitar itself for $200 is as nice as anything else I played for under $1200.
But, yeah...the service at Sam Ash is a pain in the ass. Why do I have to wait in 3 different lines when I buy something. I even have to wait in line just to leave the store. And watch out for that "12 months no payment, no interest" crap. It's a trap!

 

[rxQueen]

ooh! ooh! here's a new one: SCAM ASH. ROFL.

 

[louloomis]

ooh! ooh! here's a new one: SCAM ASH. ROFL.

Perfect!

LL