$5000 for a new HDX system

[musicman691]

Originally Posted by corp

It's going to happen.........



I've receive a price for just HDX card with sw and w/o any interface........?

You may have gotten a price for the HDX card without interface but if you read the fine print you'd see there's a qualification to that - you have to already have brought an HDX card & interface. That's the way Sweetwater is doing it. Maybe others are doing the same thing - I don't know.

[Diccer]

Corp
Nice find, sweetwater does seem to have "options" for those who seek a little further

[Carl Lie]

Sweetwater says they expect HD cards the week of the 18th. Right after I get my bonus. Too bad it won't cover one.

C

[corp]

Originally Posted by musicman691

You may have gotten a price for the HDX card without interface but if you read the fine print you'd see there's a qualification to that - you have to already have brought an HDX card & interface. That's the way Sweetwater is doing it. Maybe others are doing the same thing - I don't know.

Sweetwater is always to expensive.....It's 1k lower w/o interface trade-in but dealers are getting better prices this time around.......?

[musicman691]

Originally Posted by corp

Sweetwater is always to expensive.....It's 1k lower w/o interface trade-in but dealers are getting better prices this time around.......?

I don't know why people say Sweetwater is expensive - just about every large online retailer has the same prices within a few dollars or even pennies.

[ejwells]

Originally Posted by musicman691

I don't know why people say Sweetwater is expensive - just about every large online retailer has the same prices within a few dollars or even pennies.

I think people say that because it's true of ALL large online retailers.
MAP (minimum advertized price) is as much of a joke as retail price is.
Paying a low percentage over dealer cost is the goal.
Places I deal with give me X% over dealer cost.
In other words, something with a $1000.00 pricetag at Guitar Center, Music 1-2-3, Zzounds, Musician's Friend, etc., maybe costs them about $650.00. The mark up is absurd on gear.
Makes sense for joints like Guitar Center. Those warehouse sized building are not cheap to build, let alone to heat and staff.
Huge dealers like Guitar Center and Musician's Friend pay way less than smaller dealers, because of large volume purchases. For a big box company like Musician's Friend, buying 100's of Stratocasters at a time is going to be significantly less cost per unit than a Mom and Pop sore buying 2. Yet, MAP (minimum advertized price) has to be the same everywhere.
It's basically a joke, as any dealer can sell whatever they want for whatever price they want, they just can't advertize it for less.
Although, you do see legit dealers on eBay selling for $xxx.xx or best offer
I have not paid MAP for an item in 7 years, and neither should anyone else. Trust me, most dealers (big or small), are happy to make X% over dealer cost.
Sweetwater will deal, trust me. Plus, they have the handy "no interest for a year" specials that occur a few times a year, which makes paing a little more than one could pay elsewhere rather attractive.
Sweetwater also stands above most the other large online retailers because their service is great.
That is to say, they actually have people that know gear working for them, which is not the case (by and large) with other big online retailers.
It's my mission to pay as little as possible for gear. It's the retailer's mission to try to get as much as possible from me.
It's a game, and like most games...it's fun to play.

[Drew Mazurek]

NEVER pay retail.

[ejwells]

Originally Posted by dmazurek

NEVER pay retail.

Nobody pays retail. Retail doesn't even exist.
My point...never pay MAP.
Refuse to do so.
Walking into a Guitar Center like a sheep, and paying their price on a $1000.00 item is foolish.
Make them a reasonable offer. If they say they can't do it, ask to speak with the department manager.
If he says he can't do it, thank him and walk out.
Chances are he'll come get you before you make it to the door.

[musicman691]

Originally Posted by ejwells

I think people say that because it's true of ALL large online retailers.
MAP (minimum advertized price) is as much of a joke as retail price is.
Paying a low percentage over dealer cost is the goal.
Places I deal with give me X% over dealer cost.
In other words, something with a $1000.00 pricetag at Guitar Center, Music 1-2-3, Zzounds, Musician's Friend, etc., maybe costs them about $650.00. The mark up is absurd on gear.
Makes sense for joints like Guitar Center. Those warehouse sized building are not cheap to build, let alone to heat and staff.
Huge dealers like Guitar Center and Musician's Friend pay way less than smaller dealers, because of large volume purchases. For a big box company like Musician's Friend, buying 100's of Stratocasters at a time is going to be significantly less cost per unit than a Mom and Pop sore buying 2. Yet, MAP (minimum advertized price) has to be the same everywhere.
It's basically a joke, as any dealer can sell whatever they want for whatever price they want, they just can't advertize it for less.
Although, you do see legit dealers on eBay selling for $xxx.xx or best offer
I have not paid MAP for an item in 7 years, and neither should anyone else. Trust me, most dealers (big or small), are happy to make X% over dealer cost.
Sweetwater will deal, trust me. Plus, they have the handy "no interest for a year" specials that occur a few times a year, which makes paing a little more than one could pay elsewhere rather attractive.
Sweetwater also stands above most the other large online retailers because their service is great.
That is to say, they actually have people that know gear working for them, which is not the case (by and large) with other big online retailers.
It's my mission to pay as little as possible for gear. It's the retailer's mission to try to get as much as possible from me.
It's a game, and like most games...it's fun to play.

Couldn't agree more. Sometimes I don't mind NOT going for the lowest price possible because I get great support from a vendor that might be a little more expensive and with today's equipment that's a good thing. That's why I don't get the animus against Sweetwater. Like you say they know their stuff, and if the sales engineer you usually deal with doesn't know something they'll get with their people that DO know and you get your answer. Ditto for returning something because of infant mortality. Happened to me a few years back when I purchased a Moog Voyager Rack Mount synth and a PolyEvolver Rack Mount synth. Voyager worked perfect and the Polyevolver turned on and died after a couple of minutes. Called Sweetwater to tell them what happened and they offered if I was in a time crunch to overnight a new unit to me no extra charge (they didn't care if they got the original unit back before shipping me the new one). Wasn't a necessity so I told them just to send it the normal route.

That's why I deal with those I deal with. Treat me right, especially when things go toes up and I'll buy from you irregardless if I might save a few pennies (literally) from buying somewheres else.

[musicman691]

Originally Posted by ejwells

Nobody pays retail. Retail doesn't even exist.
My point...never pay MAP.
Refuse to do so.
Walking into a Guitar Center like a sheep, and paying their price on a $1000.00 item is foolish.
Make them a reasonable offer. If they say they can't do it, ask to speak with the department manager.
If he says he can't do it, thank him and walk out.
Chances are he'll come get you before you make it to the door.

Yep - I did that with an SRV signature Strat some years back. Got it for 2/3rds tag price.