The~Kid
Well-known member
You know those "Campuses" overseas next to the factory/buildings where a 10 year old makes shoes or Iphones.....
Yeah good stuff and more facts *_*
Yeah good stuff and more facts *_*
311boogieman
Well-known member
Here is another fact for you:
Monkey Man
Super Moderator
In case you missed it:
You know he apologised to her at least 3 times in that very thread, no?
skoora
Well-known member
Yeah, that is some pretty shit money, especially if you have kids. The benefits would help but that’s not great take-home. I bet the metric pressure is pretty intense, or they wouldn’t reach out so much.
The~Kid
Well-known member
Its practically Amazon on steroids....... Or without offending anyone really........ Like having a little China/Venezuela/North Korea within America...... On "Campus"......
Nvm the below average living wages, below average taxes, below average cost to live/work there and whatever else goes on at SweetWater relative to other parts of the country...... On "Campus"......
How does anyone else compete against that relative to them and well..... Its probably easier for them to be Amazon than it is for Amazon to be Amazon from that perspective
The~Kid
Well-known member
Yes this is probably the best for folks who want to bury their head in the sand.........
It can be a real Jungle sometimes
S̷͖͑m̵͎͂á̵̺s̸͚̈́h̴̬̑
Hack
I accidentally rolled over and elbowed my wife in the nose one night. I apologized for it, and it was an accident, and she forgave me.
If i had a 3 week affair with her sister, the apology would come off a bit less genuine.
The kid trolled the post in a very fucking weird way. Then apologizes. She accepted, then he stuck around and kept spamming the thing, just in a less combative way. The whole thing is stalkerish and weird.
Quite a few people have picked up on it. The fact that we even had conversations about this guy is strange, but there is something immensely wrong with him. I don't know him in real life. I don't know if he is a rapist or if he has a collection of women's shoes from the women he has slept with, or if he has his mom's body in his basement.
S̷͖͑m̵͎͂á̵̺s̸͚̈́h̴̬̑
Hack
Someone should stop them from forcing their employees to take and keep those jobs!
Someone should stop me from buying from them pretty much once a month!
Someone really needs to stop the manufacturers from getting so many sells through them!
Or ...and stay with me here...Someone should go back on his meds. @The~Kid We have already established your stunted intellect...but that someone is you. Go back on your meds, bud.
Corey James
Well-known member
Too many haters people.
There are Sweetwater reps who are really good at what they do and make over 100 grand a year.
Very few at guitar center are making more money than the new guy at Sweetwater.
Maybe a handful of people doing OK at Mom and Pop shops but those numbers are getting smaller every day. Yes that does suck. I taught at multiple guitar stores and I would love to see them survive, that’s extremely difficult in today’s world.
ultimately people enjoy working at Sweetwater or they move on
My rep is awesome. His name is Jozy Franco. He was new when I started working with him. Today I’m one of his smallest clients. The guy is smart and he has a work ethic and he has a desire to please his customer base.
There are Sweetwater reps who are really good at what they do and make over 100 grand a year.
Very few at guitar center are making more money than the new guy at Sweetwater.
Maybe a handful of people doing OK at Mom and Pop shops but those numbers are getting smaller every day. Yes that does suck. I taught at multiple guitar stores and I would love to see them survive, that’s extremely difficult in today’s world.
ultimately people enjoy working at Sweetwater or they move on
My rep is awesome. His name is Jozy Franco. He was new when I started working with him. Today I’m one of his smallest clients. The guy is smart and he has a work ethic and he has a desire to please his customer base.
Music&Chaos
Well-known member
I was looking at an IT gig that paid pretty well. They wanted someone closer though. That range has to be the general average, because the IT gig paid more than that for sure.
Sweetwater has treated me better than several local Mom and Pop shops over the years. Sad but true. My rep is awesome as well - appreciate you, Jason!
Sweetwater has treated me better than several local Mom and Pop shops over the years. Sad but true. My rep is awesome as well - appreciate you, Jason!
BABMusic
Well-known member
They also have their own cemetery.
OldGtrGuy
Well-known member
I think the bigger problem is $7.25 being minimum wage? Thats like 1996 wages tbh. How could anyone survive on that?I had this in my browser cache while responding in another thread on this topic. I thought I'd drop it here to set the record straight, as there were some things said about this company that are not true. I can't speak to the 53 point inspection or whatever as I have never bought a guitar from them.
Facts:
As of 2026, there is no verified evidence that Sweetwater Sound pays below the minimum wage. While Sweetwater is a dominant market leader, it does not hold a monopoly in the music instrument industry.
Labor and Wage Practices
Sweetwater is consistently recognized for its workplace culture and employee benefits.
- Employee Recognition: In 2024 and 2025, it was named among the "Global Top 100 Inspiring Workplaces" and Newsweek’s "Greatest Workplaces for Parents & Families".
- Compensation: Current 2026 data indicates an average annual pay of approximately $26,000 to $50,436 for various roles, with entry-level hourly rates estimated around $12.50 to $15.00. This is above the federal minimum wage of $7.25.
- Benefits: The company provides an on-site medical clinic (free for employees and families), 401(k) matching, paid parental leave, and tuition reimbursement.
- Vendor Standards: Sweetwater states it maintains high ethical standards for its 1,100+ global vendors to ensure corporate responsibility throughout its supply chain.
Market Position
Sweetwater is not a monopoly, although it is a major force in the retail music industry.
- Market Share: It is the largest online retailer of musical instruments in the U.S., reporting a record $1.86 billion in revenue for 2025.
- Competition: It faces significant competition from other large retailers such as Guitar Center (which has over 300 physical stores) and Sam Ash, as well as numerous local independent shops and other online platforms.
- Ownership: In 2021, the founder sold a majority stake to the private equity firm Providence Equity Partners to fund further growth, though he retained 25% ownership.
Thread in question
Their 55 point inspection is just as good as a Walmart door greeter. Some are quite enthusiastic and others not so much. Ive gotten at least 5 guitars from SW and at least 3 of them were sent right back.
I do appreciate their no hassle return policy however.
Rick Lee
Well-known member
I go to the SW campus about 4-5x per year, as I pass through Fort Wayne on my way to work in South Bend. I don't know what they make, but cost of living in Fort Wayne is way below what we pay here in the Phoenix area. The SW campus is pretty nice. It would be an excellent work environment if you were looking for a W2 job/career. I've worked in way worse looking facilities. I've also been to some of those factory campuses in China. There is no comparison. Factory workers in China migrated from the countryside because the factory work is far easier and more lucrative than subsistence farming, and they can save enough to send back home to their families in the countryside. If you've never been to the countryside in China, you just have no idea what real poverty is. It's like going back in time 500 yrs. I was just there six weeks ago, so I know it hasn't changed much since my first trip there 20 yrs ago. I'd take working at SW any day. People who make that comparison really have zero credibility.
rsm
Well-known member
These low / minimum wages are probably starting wages.
My first SW rep I had for proabaly around 20 years, he was promoted to management, and I've had my second SW rep ever since, probably 10 years now. When I buy from SW, he's always been helpful,
but I get what I want at better prices, from MF; the membership points add up (especially when you're buying $3500 guitars and $4-5K keyboards). Better prices, getting what I want how I want, MF works best for me. I've had the same MF rep for at least 10 years, maybe closer to 15 years now.
Last time I checked, SW does not sell guitars without their 55-point inspection; I'm not interested. Thankfully, they don't do these inspections on keyboards and synths, I purchased several modular / semi-modular synths from SW over the last several years when the prices / availability were right.
My first SW rep I had for proabaly around 20 years, he was promoted to management, and I've had my second SW rep ever since, probably 10 years now. When I buy from SW, he's always been helpful,
but I get what I want at better prices, from MF; the membership points add up (especially when you're buying $3500 guitars and $4-5K keyboards). Better prices, getting what I want how I want, MF works best for me. I've had the same MF rep for at least 10 years, maybe closer to 15 years now.
Last time I checked, SW does not sell guitars without their 55-point inspection; I'm not interested. Thankfully, they don't do these inspections on keyboards and synths, I purchased several modular / semi-modular synths from SW over the last several years when the prices / availability were right.
BABMusic
Well-known member
I like to make fun of Sweetwater because I just find their niceness a bit too off-putting. But my guy is more honest and not phony like some of the others. He's one of those guys you mentioned who is doing well. He knows a lot about pickups and amps, which I appreciate.
The problem is complex and it started decades ago, but a lot of it has to do with the US having the reserve currency and outsourcing that takes advantage of that position. It's not going to last forever, and it will collapse in an epic way one day, but that might be years or decades from now. Even Fort Wayne, which is indeed a lot cheaper than Phoenix, has also gotten to the point where people making low wages cannot afford a one bedroom apartment. Sweetwater had their employees watch Dave Ramsey videos on how to live on low income. But yes, no one forced them to take those gigs. But what happens when too many of these jobs cannot simply afford to live? Well, you get San Francisco and how no chefs can afford to live there.
rsm
Well-known member
not just B-stock, which I don't usually buy. When I buy from MF, GC, ProAudioStar or SW it's usually new gear. GC and ProAudioStar, I'll buy used or open box, not B-stock
But if you call in at MF, you can often get 10% off, sometimes 15% off; add that to membership points, I'm buying new gear in factory sealed boxes with a few to several hundred dollars off.
I've had around $900 in membership points at most at one time, when I was buying a few new EBMM Kaizen 6 guitars, at 15% off, in a short time.
rsm
Well-known member
Here's a recent example from MF:
New Item cost: $1,336.98, + tax: $79.55 = $1,416.53
15% off the item price: -$200.55
Total price, - 15% + taxes + fee shipping: $1,215.98
Minus membership/loyalty points: -$495.71
My total cost for new item, taxes and free shipping: $720.27
total savings: $1,416.53 - $720.27 = $696.26
New Item cost: $1,336.98, + tax: $79.55 = $1,416.53
15% off the item price: -$200.55
Total price, - 15% + taxes + fee shipping: $1,215.98
Minus membership/loyalty points: -$495.71
My total cost for new item, taxes and free shipping: $720.27
total savings: $1,416.53 - $720.27 = $696.26
Rick Lee
Well-known member
I don't think my "sales engineer" has ever been able to get a discount I've asked for, but I always get one if I ask from MF. Still, I like SW better for some reason. But I'm not a big spender with them. I tried them and MF for ordering my purple chassis SLO, but both told me I had to order directly from BAD, which worked out better, since they don't charge sales tax for stuff shipped outside CA, while SW and MF have to. That saved me a bundle.