I ordered a Mesa Boogie v 25 amp after obtaining a Gear Card to make the purchase. The web said, "In stock and ready to ship." The agent said it would be shipped the following day. That never happened! I called to let them know I had not received an shipment email. I was told there was only an open box with a tare in the front mesh. I could cancel the order or maybe they could reduce the price. Neither was acceptable to me. What an untruth to advertise all over the internet about their product being available, but knowing it wasn't. Even encouraging their gear heads to pretend it was available. Very misleading for a store that I trusted and counted as my "Go to" store. Date of experience: July 27, 2024As mentioned above - they sell damaged and already used musical instruments. I bought an audio card that came in a used box full of paper. The box with the sound card was wrapped in bubble wrap. The box itself was already open, and there were someone's prints and damage on the card. You cannot exchange for a new one, you can only make a return. But if you make a return, they will charge you shipping fee + something else. I bought this item at Stupid Deal. I thought I won $100. Ha! I broke down hard! To return it back, you need to pay more than half the cost. There is no point in returning.This store is owned by the guitar center. I guess they are in the same situation. SWEETWATER charge shipping fee too if you will make a return. But I've asked them about damage or used gear. They said we need some proof if you have some damage,if item arrived damaged - we don't charge shipping fee. I don't trust to all of them, but sweet water looks nice, then Musician Enemy Service Value Shipping Returns Quality Date of experience: July 9, 2023It's been several years since I've done business with musicians friend. The reason I stopped is because I had two items I needed to return for standard reasons. Both separate returns in new, unopened box shape. Total was $200. Never saw the money credited to my account. Customer Service said they didn't receive the package, though the USPS stated it was delivered. No recourse (don't get me started on PayPal). Lost $200 to these crooks. I had done business without hassle for several years prior to this incident and no issues, great customer service. I read that they had been sold to another company and that service and overall business model had dropped off significantly after the sale. Makes sense. Use Sweetwater, a local music shop, or other online music companies like Chicago Music Exchange or Sam Ash. DO. NOT. USE. MUSICIANS. FRIEND! Service Value Shipping Returns Quality Date of experience: April 17, 2023Brought a higher end Taylor guitar. I had to get BBB involved to get the promised reward points. They went out of their way to ignore me, disconnecting the live chat, and just being dishonest. I will never do business with Musician's Friend again. Tip for consumers:They treated me like crap. I will never spend a penny with them again. Products used:Taylor Guitar 414 CE Service Value Shipping Returns Quality Date of experience: October 20, 2023On their mailing list. Can't get off. Have received 35 (THIRTY FIVE) emails SINCE communicating with customer services more than 3 weeks ago. They keep saying they'll handle it. Still waiting, inbox reminding me a couple times a day how f'd up they are. Service Date of experience: December 19, 2023I have purchased with Musicians Friend for 19 years and it has really gone downhill. I received a Guild guitar this afternoon which came in a Martin Box from Guitar Center in Rockville, MD. I initially thought it was double boxed, but opened it and saw just bubbled wrapped; my initial thought was, "They sent a floor model." Yep, it had plenty of wear on the pickguard, scratches on the body and fretboard, and finger prints everywhere. I called MF and the rep, who was a nice guy who was as frustrated himself, said this happens way more with MF than you would think. Needless to say, it's going back. Date of experience: November 30, 2023According to Ben, the supervisor, their return policy is 3 business days from the time they receive the gear for a refund. So far, I have received 2 faulty gears, which I had to return and then sit and wait for days so I might get refunded. Ben, the customer service supervisor, is nasty, rude, and abrupt, making sure to make you as uncomfortable as possible. Extremely bad customer service Service Value Shipping Returns Quality Date of experience: March 21, 2024I bought a brand new guitar and received a filthy, factory defective, guitar packed in bubble wrap in a broken box with rusted strings a a severe coat of human grease. The guitar can't even be intonated as the neck pocket was cut too deep. Definitely why it sat on a hook at a local Guitar Center and the guitar couldn't even be tuned correctly. By the time I figured it out my return date had passed because I assumed that they would cover a defective product. Instead I was directed to seek out the manufacturer's local rep. My advice is to check your product out for every defect possible as soon as you receive it and return it if it does not meet the specifications of the instrument that you bought. I have been working on and playing guitars and basses for over6 decades and do have significant experience in these matters. Service Value Shipping Returns Quality Date of experience: April 6, 2024You'll be lucky if you get your shipment from these guys. Order a $1.5k guitar and was told I would get a free case cause Sweetwater offered it. When the order went through they charged me for the case. I should've learned my lesson there. Classic bait and switch to get me to buy from them. I canceled the order for the case and waited on the guitar. Was told it would be there in three days. It took 7 for the tracking to say shipped and left at my side door. Well, I have no side door and have no guitar. Almost going on week two now with no refunds, no updated information, still no manager call which I asked for a week ago, and no reassurance I'll get my money back. And yes, even if the guitar comes I'm sending it back for a refund because I needed to go out and buy one in person instead with how long they were taking. Going to open a dispute with my credit card company, they should be able to actually help. Lesson learned, buy from Sweetwater. Products used:You’ll be lucky if you get your shipment from these guys. Order a $1.5k guitar and was told I would get a free case cause Sweetwater offered it. When the order went through they charged me for the case. I should’ve learned my lesson there. Classic bait and switch to get me to buy from them. I canceled the order for the case and waited on the guitar. Was told it would be there in three days. It took 7 for the tracking to say shipped and left at my side door. Well, I have no side door and have no guitar. Almost going on week two now with no refunds, no updated information, still no manager call which I asked for a week ago, and no reassurance I’ll get my money back. And yes, even if the guitar comes I’m sending it back for a refund because I needed to go out and buy one in person instead with how long they were taking. Going to open a dispute with my credit card company, they should be able to actually help. Lesson learned, buy from Sweetwater. Service Value Shipping Returns Quality Date of experience: July 14, 2023I purchased a new Epiphone Les Paul on Labor Day 9-4-23, from Musicians Friend. What arrived, was a used guitar,in a beat up box, is a used, guitar with no Epiphone box, no wrapping as a new guitar would have, no hang tags, NOT NEW but used crap. I immediately called for and sending this junk back for a refund.Musicians Friend as their sister company, Guitar Center should be reprimanded for this horrible, bait and switch action. Beware. Date of experience: September 7, 2023They never check their online orders and have sold used vintage Squier Stratocasters I've bought and paid for not once but twice in the last three months…I will never even so much as buy strings from them again Tip for consumers:$#*! musicians friend and guitar center Service Value Shipping Returns Quality Date of experience: June 19, 2023Never trust this website or app for accurate information regarding inventory. Twice over the past year I have tried to order the same guitar, that was said to be in stock and ready to ship. Each time I get an email cancellation 5 days later. They have no customer service at all. Rude people that don't care about anything, assuming you can actually talk to a real person. I'm done with MF and Guitar Center. They are going down in flames. Tip for consumers:It's not in stock!!! Service Value Shipping Returns Quality Date of experience: June 3, 2022Be careful with this company. In an effort to not always buy from Amazon (stating the obvious here: the most efficient customer-focused business bar none), I thought I'd buy something from Musician's friend. Ordered a clothing item which was too small. Tried to return it but was told they do not accept clothing item returns (see attached return label photo). I tried to explain it's not my fault that it doesn't fit and that they would lose a customer, but nothing could be done. I hate to say it, but this is the reason all these companies will eventually be forced to fold. Their customer service just cannot compete with Amazon. Sad, but true. Products used:Sweater Service Value Shipping Returns Quality Date of experience: October 21, 2022They say items ship same day or next. I waited a week for them to finally ship. Every time I contacted customer support they didn't know ANYTHING about what was going on and the best they could do was say "wait and see". When the item finally did ship, I received an open box item with no warning. The order I placed was for a brand NEW synth, not an opened/returned/used one. They refused any sort of credit for getting an open box model. Quite literally the worst service in the music industry. Go to Sweetwater. Hell, go ANYWHERE else. Save yourself the frustrations. Thank me later. Tip for consumers:They do not ship quickly, their customer service is useless, they will sell you a new item but ship a used one. Products used:musical instruments Date of experience: August 16, 20223 "new" purchases. All 3 were used. 2 were the wrong product altogether. Why would anybody use this company? The only value they have is a website and a warehouse- they ship out random uses items for whatever you purchase. Save your time and your mind- avoid musicians fiend (as in a demon that plagues musicians). Tip for consumers:AVOID Products used:Keys / rack gear Service Value Shipping Returns Quality Date of experience: April 21, 2021Spent $1,100 on a brand new Ibanez S61. Box showed up the guitar was wrapped only in bubble wrap. No factory box no paper work no warranty no nothing. They took a floor model full of blemishes from a guitar center threw it in a box and sent it out. So incredibly unethical and deceiving. Selling used gear at brand new prices and trying to get away with it. I spend a lot of money on guitars and they just lost my business for ever. Date of experience: December 12, 2020I bought a Martin guitar a few months ago for $1726. Though the guitar is great - Musician's Friend is NOT great. I should have had $130 in Reward money to spend there - I never got it. After 5 calls over a month to their customer service - with each one politely assuring me the money would be in my account - it never happened. Bottom line: I don't like being lied to. Tip for consumers:I got the guitar alright. But they repeatedly lied to me about my $128 Rewards money - never got it. Products used:Martin 000-15SM Service Date of experience: June 4, 2021As has been said by many before, they sell used products as new. Only order with the expectation that the "new" guitar you're buying is one that was returned to a Guitar Center at some point. My "new" guitar was shipped in bubble wrap with dirty strings and finger prints all over the body. Service Value Shipping Quality Date of experience: March 5, 2022I attempted a return with Benny over the phone. He was laughably horrible and extremely unprofessional. I was sent the wrong item and when I attempted to start the return process, I was talked down to by Benny. I was told from Benny that I should have gone into another company's music store to verify the item size before ordering through Musicians Friend. Benny also threatened to erase the conversation because he did not like that I kept asking to speak to his supervisor. Benny refused to pass me on to his manager. Benny also said he would have refunded my shipping had I been more agreeable but decided not to because of my tone. Do yourself a favor and NEVER SHOP AT MUSICIANS FRIEND. They are not any kind of friend to musicians. Hopefully they go out of business soon. Date of experience: November 13, 2023Worst customer service. Website sucks. Consistent harassments from salesmen. Just horrible. There are tons of reputable places to by your gear. I promise you. You will regret shopping here. You have been warned! Matthew Davis, Renton, WA Tip for consumers:Don't. There are plenty of reputable music stores to choose other than this garbage fire. Products used:Friedman Guitar Service Value Shipping Date of experience: November 30, 2021I have yet to talk to a customer service rep over the phone that is not stoned. They could care less about their customers and are just trying to log minutes while doing putting in the least amount of effort. If you can't order it online, DON'T trust that these guys can handle your request over the phone. Date of experience: December 18, 2017Purchased a Epiphone Les Paul elec guitar and small amp. Electric is not for me. Confirmed I'm an acoustic gal. So, requested to return products. Took to UPS & it cost over $100.00 to return to MF. This is unbelievable to me. I'm sure MF receives discounts from their carriers UPS/FedEx. Why don't you extend something to your customers? NEVER AGAIN! You just lost a customer. Date of experience: June 30, 2018I am a college student in desperate need of musical items at a decent price. Musician's Friend sends out coupons and there was a 20% coupon that I had just seen, however it expired only a day ago. I called the main number and the site's wonderful representative Ashley Foard picked up. I explained to her my situation and she kindly and patiently helped get me my discount. I ordered a keyboard and other accessories to go along with it, constantly asking questions to make sure the products and payment were correct. I successfully ordered my products and she offered to call when they arrive to make sure everything was in good condition. I was very fortunate to have spoken with Ashley and I am very happy with my purchase. Service Value Shipping Date of experience: January 27, 2021Made a credit purchase of $3000 and it takes two plus days to verify my credit, I chat with customer service reps and they promise order shipping to no avail. I chat again the next day and this guy was a smart A**. Sweetwater is by far a better place to order over the web they actually call you and talk to you about your order and if there's a problem let you know. Musicians friend is incredibly slow, next time I will not bother, the only reason I didn't order Sweetwater is they didn't have the instrument I needed in stock. I'll see how soon my order arrives and the condition, I would not be surprised if some a** doesn't sabotage. I'll post another review after I receive my order that is if I ever do! Date of experience: February 14, 2017I have spent thousands of dollars ordering from them because over a decade ago they would always give me the best deal I could find... by far! Now they are affiliated with every other music site so you can't haggle, every site just gives you the same deal a different way. Ex- full price plus a case that costs $20, other site says full price with a warranty that costs $20, other site says they will give you $20 dollars off. More of a choose your poison attitude now rather than trying to get you the best deal so they can be the one to make the sell. Tip for consumers:Call around to try and get the best price you can. If you find a good agent, make sure to get their info and always use them. Service Value Shipping Returns Quality Date of experience: July 15, 2017