Musician Friends - anyone getting their orders from them?

[Jim Eaton]

I was just wondering if anyone else has an item on order from Musician Friends and is getting the same excuse's I am about when it will ship?
On 7-16-07 I ordered an item that was listed as "in stock - ready to ship" and now it's 8-3-07 and the best I can get out of them after 3 phone calls and 3 e-mail's with "customer service" is: "were moving our warehouse and your order will ship in the next 5-7 bussiness days...or longer".
JE:-)>

[Jack Therrell]

Hello Jim: I have dealt with mf many times and have recieved good service. But about a month ago I ordered a case for my guitar only to find out later it was out of stock. Finally I called them and ordered a case that was in stock amd recieved it today. My complaint is they need to let you know about the stock situation when you order. You might need to give them a phone call. Jack

[Jerry Overstreet]

Been dealing with MF for nearly 20 yrs. Always had my stuff in 2, 3 days at most.

Recent order a week ago today. Told to expect in 3 to 5 days. Called them...very vague. Said would ship maybe early next week, couldn't say for sure. Didn't get a p.o. or conf. # for tracking.

I understand the slowdown is due to the warehouse move.

I'm hoping the situation gets better and I get my order this coming week, else I'll be after them again.

[Jim Sallis]

Hi, guys. Musicians Friend recently bought Music 123, and while the two at the moment are operating semi-independently, they're apparently in the process of consolidation, which is partially what the warehouse change, and the delayed shipping, is all about.

[Ben Jones]

Ive had excellent service from musicians freind in the past (they accepted a return of a $699 guitar well after the thirty day return period). However, I've also had the backorder out of stock run-around and not just recently...they keep pushing the due in date up two weeks, then two weeks later you get another email that says "we expect it in in two weeks"..two weeks later same email telling you to wait two more weeks. Cancelled my order, ordered from Sweetwater (best service out there IMHO) and had the item in two days. For whatever reason MF is horrible at backordering out of stock items. Happened this May. happened over a year ago as well.
Give Sweetwater a try.

[Stephen Gambrell]

I don't buy stuff from Musician's Friend.

[John Coffman]

I know they are moving to a new warehouse and that delayed my last order. It took 6 days to get it. Normally I order on Saturday and get it on Thursday afternoon. Also be aware they do make mistakes on shipping charges. I ordered an amp that weighed 40 lbs and the computer charged an up charge of 69.99 to the order. One phone call and it was fixed. They have always been good at customer service with me. If you order a clerance or refurbished item it can add a few days to the shipping since these items are rechecked before shipping out. Best of luck.

[Danny Hullihen]

Musician's Friend. They are one of the main reasons that almost all local music stores are no longer in business these days! So much for "hands on" anymore.

[Jack Stoner]

They were in the process of moving their warehouse from one location to another in Kansas City, Mo. I think the relocation is done but probably still a lot of "dust to settle".

I don't think it has anything to do with buying 123 as this has been planned for about a year.

BTW, Guitar Center owns Musician's Friend.

[Curtis Alford]

I ordered a gig bag yesterday and was told it will ship the 08/10/07. Also their cataloge states items will not ship before that date. They are relocating their warehouse.

[Colby Tipton]

Try this one on for size.
I was supposed to get something from Line6 back in January, they sent it to the wrong address.
I've been calling, I've e-mailed and I've called some more.
Still nothing, that's 7 months.

What do you think I ought to do?

[Jerry Overstreet]

Yes Curtis, their catalog does state that. However, the orders that Jim and I refer to were placed way prior to the catalog mailing and in my case, the person that took my order told me that my item would be delivered to my address in 3 to 5 days.

The item is a blem, matter of fact, but I've seen no difference in the past regarding blem items that I have ordedred.

The longest delivery time ever was eight days and that was due to UPS screwups. The item was actually in town in 2 days but was sent on an excursion to Lexington and back for 5 days. Go figure.

As stated, I've had stellar service from them in the past both in timely shipment and in customer service. I'm willing to give them the benefit of the doubt within reason and will try to be patient as long as is possible.

Per Jack's reply, the warehouse move has been planned for some time and I believe is not connected to
the more recent GC acquisition.

[Stephen Gambrell]

I don't buy stuff at Guitar Center either.

[Ernie Pollock]

I would like to personally thank Musicians Friend, American Musical Suppy, and Z Zounds for helping me not to make a very good living in my little store. I am in the process of clearing out all standard guitars & related stuff because of these mail order houses. I will continue doing steel guitar only, but will probably be run out of that too in time.

Ernies Music
301-264-4172
http://www.hereintown.net/~shobud75/stock.htm

[Danny Hullihen]

Amen to that Ernie!! Thanks to Musicians Friend, (and a few other mass-merchandisers) there's no longer any music store within 50 miles of here, and I hear about more and more closing up shop almost every month now! I don't think you have to worry much about the steel guitar builders dumping on you, however, with the "major name amp builders" ... your chopped liver! So much for keeping the faith there huh? "-)

What goes around comes around my friend, and someday it will! Looking forward to it.

[Jack Stoner]

Not all the "small" music stores are "drowning" because of the Sam Ash's, Guitar Center's, on line stores, etc.

My friend and steeler Johnny Bondz (Bondz Music) is still going. He is the "local" Peavey dealer and almost all steelers I know in the area including myself buy their Peavey amps from him. Most of the local non-steel musicians also go to him "first" and buy their equipment and supplies from him. He is also doing a strong P.A. systems sales and installation business.

Johnny has been considering selling but it's because he became eligible for Social Security last year.

Would buying from the Forum be bad for the local retail music store?

[JW Day]

I ordered one of their Fender Blem P.A. sets A couple weeks ago. I got the order in about 10 days, but it was short 4 items that was supposed to be in the package. I have called and sent E-Mails to no avail. There won't be any more $600.00 orders to them. JW Day

[Danny Hullihen]

You're right Jack, not "all" music stores have suffered from the event of the conglomerates, and I'm always happy to see that. However, I sincerely believe that if things keep going like they are, and especially considering our economy as it is now, it won't be long before the total demise of just about all ma & pa stores are gone completely. Let's face it, they can't compete with pricing, expecially when Musicians Friend, and Guitar Center stores etc. are selling items at or below what it costs the store owner to buy them! And I've witnessed a lot of that! It's great to get such a good deal on something, and one would be foolish not to purchase it. However, that's just it, they will, and they do, and hence, the local guy looses. Enough of that going on, and he's in big trouble financially. It does happen, and it "is" happening! I've seen three music stores here close thier doors permanently that have been in business for decades due to this. What's worse, they couldn't even sell the business at a mere fraction of the investment they had into it. Makes sence to me. After all, who would want to buy a dead horse that will never recover, regardless of what you bought it for? It's kind of like buying a full-blown muscle car out of the 60's and then expecting to get 40 miles to the gallon out of it. Nice to have as long as you can continue to afford to keep pouring money into it, and have no expectations other than fun to do.

Regarding buying steel amps from the local dealer, that's great too. However, in most cases, the mass-merchandisers don't, (or won't) carry these kind of items anyway, so you don't have much to worry about in that market. Unfortunately, it's a very small market, and it won't anywhere near pay the bills.

With regards to the Forum being compitition for the local music stores, I don't think so, as for the most part, this is usually guys selling their personal gear at used pricing, and not stocking dealers that have inventory they have to somehow find a way to sell to regain their expenses on. There's quite a difference in "want to" sell vs. "have to" sell it. If a guy doesn't sell his equpiment here, he just deals with it. Nothing to really loose. However, if the music store owner doesn't sell it quick enough, he has quite a large investment to loose, and enough of that, they'll go belly-up with huge losses trailing them!

[b0b]

There's no music store within 30 miles of here. I do almost all of my music shopping online these days.

[Danny Hullihen]

Good point Bob!

[Erv Niehaus]

I have a good music store about 45 miles from me. I have done a lot of business with them over the years.
They have a Musician's Friend catalog laying right on the counter and they will match MF's prices any day of the week.

[Jack Stoner]

Bondz music is 25 miles from me but I still go there. The "biggies" are in Tampa and Orlando which are about the same - 65 miles away.

I was referring to buying new strings from the forum. I realize it supports the forum but it also takes away from some local stores (e.g. Bondz sells steel strings and accessories and usually has one or two used steels for sale).

I also somewhat understand pricing since I worked at a music store (Little Roy Wiggin's "Music City" In Nashville). Little Roy also had his own brand of strings that we had custom packaged by Squier. He also had a Shure "distributership" because of the amount of mic's that were bought from them.

BTW, Johnny Bondz was the Gretsch/Sho-Bud salesman here in Florida.

[Jon Light (deceased)]

Complicating the issue is the fact that a small store cannot likely compete with the price of bulk-buying behemoths. Matching MF's price, while probably necessary to keep the customer from walking, just might make the margin too small for the small store to survive although they only have to match it for those who insist on going to the catalog and forcing the issue. I used to do business with a small local store, willingly paying a bit more for the convenience of knowing that he was there if I needed to run down and pick up an emergency item--string, cord, pick. But when faced with the choice of buying a Korg tuner for $15, free shipping, no tax online or $25 plus tax.....I'm still trying to sort out what constitutes 'doing the right thing'. He is out of business---more a rent increase thing but still...

On top of that---there's a pet supply store a few blocks away where I've been buying kitty litter for $20 for a 30lb bucket. A Target came to town and sells the exact same thing for $9. Now you have to add to the equation the possibility that not only does Target have a buying power edge (fair or unfair) but just maybe I've been price gouged by the local shop for the last 15 years.
I absolutely imply nothing about the dealers here on this thread. But it is a factor that sits in the mix. Unfair competition is unhealthy but that doesn't mean that competition is unhealthy.


----oh, about MF---they are notoriously bad about back orders---it just isn't in their constitution to actually say 'we don't know when we are getting it in' and they will always give you a date, even if they have to pull it out of their...back pocket.

[Les Green]

I'm having the same problem with MF. I placed an order on June 10th, to which they said the shipping date was 4 to 5 days. Since then, about every two weeks I get an e-mail saying it's been up-ed by two weeks. Luckily it was an item I didn't need right away so I decided to ride it out. Now they say it will be shipped Aug. 8th so I'll wait and see. Probably be my last order with them. I've already checked out Sweetwater and they look good. Just no good music stores around here close for those items you need in a hurry.

[Ray Montee (RIP)]

About two months back, I ordered a TasCam PortaStudio and headsets. I rec'd them in short order and was pleased with all aspects of the transaction. It was my understanding they were located in Medford, Oregon, however the merchandise was shipped from Kansas City, KS. THAT was a surprise!

Over the last twenty years, I don't know how many times I've attempted to purchase a musical item from the local BIG NAME and mom/pop types music stores. The big stores seem to be staffed by indifferent or unknowledgeable teenagers, more into tatooes, body piercing and spiked, rainbow colored hair than music.

The several smaller stores I attempted to shop at, while providing more personal services, seemed not to have a clue about anything other than brass or reed instruments. That's not the consumer's fault.