Honestly I have bought from SW over my local store because of the 24-36-48 month financing. If everyone had 12 month financing, I would buy a lot more big ticket items locally. Inventory hurts my local stores too. I want things that aren’t in the “standard” choices. That forces me to shop elsewhere.
Not sure how do they do it but I bought a PRS guitar from Zzounds and got 18 months of no interest. Why shouldn't I use their money instead of mine. No hidden fees , no other charges. It was the purchase price divided by 18 payments and that was it. I think they used Affirm. Great deal.
Synchrony Bank is like a loan shark. 30+% interest to the client after the promotion period plus they charge the merchant another 5% to 20% for the privilege of using their card. The merchant gets screwed too.
I haven't paid a dime in interest to them for years. This little fee isn't going to break me. The merchant doesn't have to do business with them. Being that they are tells me they are hardly getting screwed.
This is what is really ignorant of this video especially for professionals in the “MI” industry, this is SYNCHRONY and NOT Sweetwater. Really telling about how informed these folks are when they’re conflating the two without any clarification. Also just seems like this is another of their videos mined from TGP threads for clicks.
I’ll only finance items from Sweetwater where I’m only paying $3-8 per month per item. That way I can get the gear now without paying the full amount upfront, but still pay it off way before the 36 month or 48 month term.
I totally use to go to guitar center to play test guitars that I would buy at Sweetwater 😂 I’ve also bought stuff from musicians friend and guitar center that show up covered in warehouse dirt and grim. It’s hit or miss. Sweetwater is always perfect, they can take the 2% for peace or mind. 2% is $20 on a $1,000 guitar. Which is $.50 a month on 48 month payment. But definitely a slippery slope that I have been down on before. I now am way more careful and sparse when I use financing.
Back in the 70s I got my first great guitar working at a landscape nursery for 2 bucks an hour.I put it in layaway at Dayton Band and paid about ten bucks a week.( I starved on Sundays).So when I brought it home it was mine.Plus- nobody is going to lend money to a labor goon in a recession .Like the one that's coming.
Cash is king! It's the best negotiating tool available, except for car dealers. Car dealers typically get a back end portion of the finance charges so cash is not an incentive for them.
100% agree if you play a handful of guitars at CME and buy from GC, you are NOT getting the same guitar. I’ve got guitars from CME that I bought in-person after playing them at the store, and from GC, which I tried out at a GC. Besides the fact that it’s just not cool to take up space and time at one shoppe just to purchase from another.
When car places came out with 'dealer invoice' there would be a number on the invoice that was a serial number but in reality was a kickback for moving an item they needed to move.
Synchrony has my Sweetwater, GC and Lowes accounts, I finance for 36 to 48 no interest and pay off in 6 to 8 usually. They gamble I will have financial hardship, pay late and hit me hard, I gamble if I have financial issues the minimum payment wont be a problem till I get back on my feet. Between Sweetwater and GC I usually have a grand on the books at all times, pay it off for a few months and wait till the wife gives the go ahead!
It's a 1 time 2% it isn't a 2% compounding interest... part of it is probably to not only cover SW cost but those people who fail to pay as well. It's 2%, I'm good with that.
Forgive me, I have sinned. Purchased a guitar direct during the Fender Black Friday sale. I feel terrible. Please overcharge me to rid my body of the disease of the flash. And load on some coffee. Have a good day brothers.
American Musical and Zzounds have the best financing. It charges a card you already have for 3, 6, 12 or 18 months. A store card is usually higher interest and not useful otherwise. What Sweetwater does is basically a loan, not really credit. The Private Equity that runs Sweetwater now will look to push this stuff more.
@@KnuckleheadStuey I know. It's just that with the volume and dollar amount of business they do, they could actually negotiate some better terms etc. for their customers.
Never, EVER put yourself in debt and use financing for any guitar or equipment you'd like to have. Show mature patience, save up your cash and when you have enough for your purchase decide then if you still feel it's worth it. I own 30 guitars, 11 amps and more equipment to mention all paid in cash. Debt sucks and financing almost always makes you pay more for your gear than it's worth once paid off. Patience and due diligence is the key to success.
@@southernpanda33AMS and Zzounds are owned by the same company (same inventory, same payment terms). Never had issues with AMS and I go to them for most gear.
Financing Is one of the biggest profit centers at a music store. I don't like it because I know how much the sellers make off it but it can move a guitar into someone hands that would have been on the shelf otherwise.
The economy is built on a bubble of money that doesn't exist. You nailed it on the head. How much would they lose, if this bubble didn't exist to pad them? But if it bursts, we plebs will suffer the most, as usual. So enjoy the ride while it's here and running, lol.
Of course, you can. These financial institutions aren’t going to repossess what you have financed with them. They aren’t rent to own companies or payday lenders. However, if you don’t pay your debt they will likely garnish your wages if you keep ignoring their other collection attempts.
Just say "NO!!!!" Cash is King. You can't buy or put on lay-a-way. Then you can't afford it. Ask the Geetar Gorilla, he has never led me wrong. How else do you get to 200 geetars?!?!? 🎸🎸🎸🎸🎸
Got my Sweetwater total way down. Once it's paid off, it's not going to be used again. Are they doing anything to our current totals, or are those locked in as they were when we bought a year ago? ALSO, with all of this, what are tariffs going to do to the business? My days of buying are over. But, I have all the gear I need.
I no longer have my Sweetwater or GC cards. They were the devil for people with severe GAS like me. I have never tried a relic’d guitar or one with a V-neck because they’re simply aren’t any around me ever. I’m starting to get arthritis in my hands and I’m convinced that different shaped necks would help that.
I bought a cheap mighty mite v shaped just to try it. I really liked it. I play with thumb over the top a lot and it was really comfortable. I did remove the neck, the frets were too shallow and it was cheap feeling but I’d be interested in buying a good quality V shaped neck down the road.
For a custom build like Kiesel I’ll do a partial down payment and pay off the remainder when it’s done, but never finance a more expensive guitar than you can afford. You don’t need an expensive guitar to make amazing music.
Open a Synchrony savings account and get 4.5% interest (current rate). So, if you put in 10K you'll get $450 in interest so you can buy a Squire Classic Vibe every year and it doesn't cost you anything.
Don't do it people. Don't put yourself in debt over stuff, let alone this stuff. Look at all the guys that had junk guitars... Eddie, Rivers, Steve Morse... You don't need a ton of stuff.
SO sick of "Sweetwater is great...." then blame the banks. Sweetwater could do it differently. Zzounds offers plenty of no credit payment options. But do as I say not as I do and listen to many here and don't finance. Buy used from the person who bought something they shouldn't have and now needs to dump it for 50-60% or more of what they paid. But yeah, all credit cards are waiting for you to fail to pay on time/in time, so you pay deferred interest or fees. Nothing new how banks work since dawn of time 🤣 Per later in the video what would happen to Sweetwater or all other monolithic etailers if they didn't finance? Out of business or mega shrinkage lol
Synchrony assesses the 2% fee; not Sweetwater. It's not assessed on the backend in your Synchrony account and not on the front-end of the sale... which is where the fee would be assessed if Sweetwater was making that 2%. Also, break out your calculator, calculate what 2% of the total is and then divide it by your financing term (24, 36, or 48 months) and what are you paying? This video is designed to supply disinformation to inspire outrage at their competition, to hopefully convert sales over to them. If it works on a couple of people who don't dig any deeper, then it was a success... Lame.
Ive long sense thought that Guitar Stores should have a "Im not going to buy but I want to play some guitar fees".. .I dunno $20-40 or something. Just a fee to help the shop stay open if your a player but not a buyer. If you buy the guitar how about the fee go towards the purchase. I see this player not buyer a lot and it is very irritating.
I know Baxter has a vibe and goes for a “look” But dude… you look like you just got out of rehab… Tighten up!! Also… I still don’t understand how yall literally stole the mtv logo and intro for your channel…
I’m going to remember this comment and respond again in 12 months. If you think the economy is bad now it’s going to be worse this time next year. Of course, you will have deleted this comment by then.
@@charlesbolton8471why will it be worse? Because you are a Trump hater or never Trumper? If you think the economy is better now or you are better off now than you were 4 years ago, you are in denial or part of the .001%. It has nothing to do with who you voted for, it simply is what it is. I’m retired and I am so much worse off then when gas was well under $2.00 a gallon and I could actually afford groceries.
![Chris Langan - The Interview THEY Didn't Want You To See - CTMU [Full Version; Timestamps]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/9miVG2xT5jY/mqdefault.jpg)
Honestly I have bought from SW over my local store because of the 24-36-48 month financing.
If everyone had 12 month financing, I would buy a lot more big ticket items locally.
Inventory hurts my local stores too. I want things that aren’t in the “standard” choices. That forces me to shop elsewhere.
Not sure how do they do it but I bought a PRS guitar from Zzounds and got 18 months of no interest. Why shouldn't I use their money instead of mine. No hidden fees , no other charges. It was the purchase price divided by 18 payments and that was it. I think they used Affirm. Great deal.
Synchrony Bank is like a loan shark. 30+% interest to the client after the promotion period plus they charge the merchant another 5% to 20% for the privilege of using their card. The merchant gets screwed too.
I haven't paid a dime in interest to them for years. This little fee isn't going to break me. The merchant doesn't have to do business with them. Being that they are tells me they are hardly getting screwed.
I love Sweetwater, I have learned to despise the synchrony .
This is what is really ignorant of this video especially for professionals in the “MI” industry, this is SYNCHRONY and NOT Sweetwater. Really telling about how informed these folks are when they’re conflating the two without any clarification.
Also just seems like this is another of their videos mined from TGP threads for clicks.
My Sweetwater, Lowes, TJ Maxx, and Paypal cards are all through Synchrony. They're getting their cut from every demographic of shopper.
@ probably the last thing I order from Sweetwater through synchrony
I love credit. I would have nothing without it. I would still be playing the Esteban I got at Goodwill that had a separated neck
I’ll only finance items from Sweetwater where I’m only paying $3-8 per month per item. That way I can get the gear now without paying the full amount upfront, but still pay it off way before the 36 month or 48 month term.
I’ve done the financing. 48 month can convince you to get something.
Which is why it exists of course.
Knowledge is power! Great video!
I totally use to go to guitar center to play test guitars that I would buy at Sweetwater 😂
I’ve also bought stuff from musicians friend and guitar center that show up covered in warehouse dirt and grim. It’s hit or miss.
Sweetwater is always perfect, they can take the 2% for peace or mind. 2% is $20 on a $1,000 guitar. Which is $.50 a month on 48 month payment.
But definitely a slippery slope that I have been down on before. I now am way more careful and sparse when I use financing.
Play what you can pay and you’ll be ok ✌️🎸💪
Sweet intro with the clay...is that another reference to old mTV?
Real Mr. Bill vibes too.
If we use the word toys in place of gear, how smart does financing sound for your toys?
Back in the 70s I got my first great guitar working at a landscape nursery for 2 bucks an hour.I put it in layaway at Dayton Band and paid about ten bucks a week.( I starved on Sundays).So when I brought it home it was mine.Plus- nobody is going to lend money to a labor goon in a recession .Like the one that's coming.
Got divorced during Covid and financed some guitars. Terrible idea. Guitar debt is dangerous.
Cash is king! It's the best negotiating tool available, except for car dealers. Car dealers typically get a back end portion of the finance charges so cash is not an incentive for them.
100% agree if you play a handful of guitars at CME and buy from GC, you are NOT getting the same guitar.
I’ve got guitars from CME that I bought in-person after playing them at the store, and from GC, which I tried out at a GC.
Besides the fact that it’s just not cool to take up space and time at one shoppe just to purchase from another.
When car places came out with 'dealer invoice' there would be a number on the invoice that was a serial number but in reality was a kickback for moving an item they needed to move.
Guitar Center, Vintage King (via Synchrony) is doing the same thing.
Synchrony has my Sweetwater, GC and Lowes accounts, I finance for 36 to 48 no interest and pay off in 6 to 8 usually. They gamble I will have financial hardship, pay late and hit me hard, I gamble if I have financial issues the minimum payment wont be a problem till I get back on my feet. Between Sweetwater and GC I usually have a grand on the books at all times, pay it off for a few months and wait till the wife gives the go ahead!
Same😂
Same plus MF. Haven't ever paid them interest. Small fee isn't going to break me.
Ditto
They have this $2 charge of not going paperless billing 😂
I use 0% financing every now and then, and pay things off in 2-3 months. Locally I like layaway.
Only thing I ever bought on Finance interest free was a Stereo in the 80's
I have a synchrony card for harbour freight. Dangerous
Sugar Ray were the bad guys in that Scooby Doo movie starring Baxter's second in line man crush to John Mayer: Freddie Prinze Jr!
It's a 1 time 2% it isn't a 2% compounding interest... part of it is probably to not only cover SW cost but those people who fail to pay as well. It's 2%, I'm good with that.
Forgive me, I have sinned. Purchased a guitar direct during the Fender Black Friday sale. I feel terrible. Please overcharge me to rid my body of the disease of the flash. And load on some coffee. Have a good day brothers.
American Musical and Zzounds have the best financing. It charges a card you already have for 3, 6, 12 or 18 months. A store card is usually higher interest and not useful otherwise. What Sweetwater does is basically a loan, not really credit. The Private Equity that runs Sweetwater now will look to push this stuff more.
These credit cards go through a bank. It's not Sweetwater giving you the credit.
@@KnuckleheadStuey I know. It's just that with the volume and dollar amount of business they do, they could actually negotiate some better terms etc. for their customers.
Never, EVER put yourself in debt and use financing for any guitar or equipment you'd like to have. Show mature patience, save up your cash and when you have enough for your purchase decide then if you still feel it's worth it. I own 30 guitars, 11 amps and more equipment to mention all paid in cash. Debt sucks and financing almost always makes you pay more for your gear than it's worth once paid off. Patience and due diligence is the key to success.
Whoops too late
This is very good advice.
Just remember that whenever you borrow, you become their bitch.
I’ve never had a problem with American Musical Supply or Zzounds. Just do your research.
@@southernpanda33AMS and Zzounds are owned by the same company (same inventory, same payment terms). Never had issues with AMS and I go to them for most gear.
I wouldn’t have half my gear if not for the zero interest offers. As long as you pay it off on time no biggie.
Financing Is one of the biggest profit centers at a music store. I don't like it because I know how much the sellers make off it but it can move a guitar into someone hands that would have been on the shelf otherwise.
The worst one is KLARNA for me because they charge TWICE a month. I only get paid once a month so my budget is super tight, once/mo is where I'm at.
I do it but i double up the payments
The only reason I financed is to have a loan that I've paid off because I dont drive or have anything else that helps build credit.
Yup, still paying for gear I no longer have. It totally sucks.
The economy is built on a bubble of money that doesn't exist. You nailed it on the head. How much would they lose, if this bubble didn't exist to pad them? But if it bursts, we plebs will suffer the most, as usual. So enjoy the ride while it's here and running, lol.
A Sugar Ray Weekend like Wondewall
Financing = Walking on ice barefoot...
Can you legally sell the gear you’re still paying for?
Of course, you can. These financial institutions aren’t going to repossess what you have financed with them. They aren’t rent to own companies or payday lenders.
However, if you don’t pay your debt they will likely garnish your wages if you keep ignoring their other collection attempts.
@@charlesbolton8471 I see. Thanks
I have a 000-28 on 48 right now 😂
Otherwise I’d never bought it
Now, the restaurant will be at risk for cash armed robbery .
Just say "NO!!!!" Cash is King. You can't buy or put on lay-a-way. Then you can't afford it. Ask the Geetar Gorilla, he has never led me wrong. How else do you get to 200 geetars?!?!? 🎸🎸🎸🎸🎸
Have been a Sweetwater customer since the early 90s, extremely annoyed at the “free finance fees”
Got my Sweetwater total way down. Once it's paid off, it's not going to be used again. Are they doing anything to our current totals, or are those locked in as they were when we bought a year ago? ALSO, with all of this, what are tariffs going to do to the business? My days of buying are over. But, I have all the gear I need.
Mid level gear sounds amazing these days. No reason to break the bank for a Gibson when LTD is 1/3 the price.
I no longer have my Sweetwater or GC cards. They were the devil for people with severe GAS like me. I have never tried a relic’d guitar or one with a V-neck because they’re simply aren’t any around me ever. I’m starting to get arthritis in my hands and I’m convinced that different shaped necks would help that.
I bought a cheap mighty mite v shaped just to try it. I really liked it. I play with thumb over the top a lot and it was really comfortable. I did remove the neck, the frets were too shallow and it was cheap feeling but I’d be interested in buying a good quality V shaped neck down the road.
Volume is too low 😕
For a custom build like Kiesel I’ll do a partial down payment and pay off the remainder when it’s done, but never finance a more expensive guitar than you can afford. You don’t need an expensive guitar to make amazing music.
Please please please do not put sugar Ray in the same category as third eye blind.
Dont add 3% for cc swipes, you build it in the price and offer doscount for cash!
Open a Synchrony savings account and get 4.5% interest (current rate). So, if you put in 10K you'll get $450 in interest so you can buy a Squire Classic Vibe every year and it doesn't cost you anything.
Don't do it people. Don't put yourself in debt over stuff, let alone this stuff. Look at all the guys that had junk guitars... Eddie, Rivers, Steve Morse... You don't need a ton of stuff.
SO sick of "Sweetwater is great...." then blame the banks. Sweetwater could do it differently. Zzounds offers plenty of no credit payment options. But do as I say not as I do and listen to many here and don't finance. Buy used from the person who bought something they shouldn't have and now needs to dump it for 50-60% or more of what they paid. But yeah, all credit cards are waiting for you to fail to pay on time/in time, so you pay deferred interest or fees. Nothing new how banks work since dawn of time 🤣 Per later in the video what would happen to Sweetwater or all other monolithic etailers if they didn't finance? Out of business or mega shrinkage lol
You guys need to put a tip option on your credit card transactions. 18% recommended minimum tip sounds reasonable.
Synchrony assesses the 2% fee; not Sweetwater. It's not assessed on the backend in your Synchrony account and not on the front-end of the sale... which is where the fee would be assessed if Sweetwater was making that 2%. Also, break out your calculator, calculate what 2% of the total is and then divide it by your financing term (24, 36, or 48 months) and what are you paying?
This video is designed to supply disinformation to inspire outrage at their competition, to hopefully convert sales over to them. If it works on a couple of people who don't dig any deeper, then it was a success... Lame.
Tax fraud
Ive long sense thought that Guitar Stores should have a "Im not going to buy but I want to play some guitar fees".. .I dunno $20-40 or something. Just a fee to help the shop stay open if your a player but not a buyer. If you buy the guitar how about the fee go towards the purchase.
I see this player not buyer a lot and it is very irritating.
I know Baxter has a vibe and goes for a “look”
But dude… you look like you just got out of rehab…
Tighten up!!
Also… I still don’t understand how yall literally stole the mtv logo and intro for your channel…
I’m sure he looks and dresses better than most people who comment on here.
It's Bidenomics.
His administration has been the most anti junk fee in history.
I’m going to remember this comment and respond again in 12 months. If you think the economy is bad now it’s going to be worse this time next year.
Of course, you will have deleted this comment by then.
😆
Are the skid marks in your tighty whities Bidens fault too? STFU
@@charlesbolton8471why will it be worse? Because you are a Trump hater or never Trumper? If you think the economy is better now or you are better off now than you were 4 years ago, you are in denial or part of the .001%. It has nothing to do with who you voted for, it simply is what it is. I’m retired and I am so much worse off then when gas was well under $2.00 a gallon and I could actually afford groceries.