A Guitar And Gear Support Forum

I just got an email from my Sweetwater rep telling me they're expecting a lot of price increases in the next few weeks.

Hey Edward!

I wanted to personally let you know that we are expecting price increases on many of our brands in the coming weeks. These increases are due to shipping, production, and supply chain issues in the music retail and manufacturing industries. If there is a piece of gear you are on the fence about, now is the time to buy! Even if the gear isn't in stock, we can lock in the current lower pricing and make sure you are taken care of. Don't hesitate to reach out if you have any further questions!

This was inevitable, but I've never received a warning about price increases from a retailer before. Makes me wonder how bad it's going to be if Sweetwater is doing a marketing push to get out in front of it.

Sweetwater has always been a pretty proactive company when it comes to marketing, and they do have good customer service, so not too surprising that they'd get out in front of it.

Yeah, I noticed that GFS is doing the same thing. Pushing stuff now because of impending price increases. It will be interesting to see how much more the next batch of AL and AD 3200's are going to be. My guess is that they are gonna be $599. I really hope these post covid supply chain issues are resolved by the end of the year.

I contacted SW and already ordered an Ibanez AR420 Violin Sunburst and a hard case, a Focusrite Scarlett 2i2 interface, a Boss ME 80 multi effects pedal and, since I was already there, a couple of guitar stands and a couple of string sets. Just mere $1300, give or take.



Where are we going...

PS: Funny anecdote: Would you be happy if you found forgotten money behind your socks and underwear drawer? What if you found $160.000,00 that you forgot you saved somewhere, in cash? Well, I found a small roll of bills (8 bills, to be precise), Bs. 160.000,00. Can´t even get a piece of bread with that now. Bus tickets starts at Bs. 400.000,00. I will put them back in the drawer to show them to my grandsons, maybe ten years from now.

Money is a crazy thing.

Not sure if I derailed the thread a little, Moss? I was just thinking outloud.

Things are going up everywhere.

When the government increases the amount of dollars in circulation by printing trillions of dollars and then giving them away, and economic output is not growing at anywhere near the same pace, the only possible result is inflation.

It is a horribly regressive tax that punishes the poor and low income families that need to buy food and other essentials, while rewarding the wealthy whose investments grow faster than their expenses. Wage growth pretty much never keeps up with inflation so all workers, even upper upper “middle” class, will take a hit at some level. Oh well.

Chocol8 wrote: ↑Fri Jun 18, 2021 12:43 pm When the government increases the amount of dollars in circulation by printing trillions of dollars and then giving them away, and economic output is not growing at anywhere near the same pace, the only possible result is inflation.

It is a horribly regressive tax that punishes the poor and low income families that need to buy food and other essentials, while rewarding the wealthy whose investments grow faster than their expenses. Wage growth pretty much never keeps up with inflation so all workers, even upper upper “middle” class, will take a hit at some level. Oh well.

That's the truth. Most people seem to think that inflation is a force of nature, but it's a product.

We let a privately owned consortium of international banks control our circulation and interest rates, and then wonder where inflation comes from. We happily cash our stimulus checks, and then wonder why that money doesn't buy as much as it used to. Must be the greedy manufacturers and retailers that are to blame!

Mossman wrote: ↑Fri Jun 18, 2021 1:24 pm We let a privately owned consortium of international banks control our circulation and interest rates, and then wonder where inflation comes from. We happily cash our stimulus checks, and then wonder why that money doesn't buy as much as it used to. Must be the greedy manufacturers and retailers that are to blame!

To play devil's advocate ( which I often do ), those "greedy retailers and manufacturers" don't have to work too hard when it's considered good sport to own several dozen guitars, or a basement full of guns, or a shed full of motorcycles. Not referring to anyone specifically there but in general, when you have entire web communities dedicated to the concept of buying as many guitars as you can, it's kind of a no brainer for the manufacturers to keep their foot on the gas. And it's not just the guitar industry - pretty much every hobby has a cult following of gear junkies that can't wait to buy the next gadget to add to their quiver.

Not suggesting that is wrong or bad, but none of these items are necessities - and we ( in general ) keep buying them as fast as they can be made.

Yep, this is entirely our fault as both voters and consumers. We are getting what we ask for.

They close their 2nd Quarter Books at the end of the month so there's that too.

Well, just in case I decided to buy a lot of stuff. Unfortunately none of it from Sweetwater though.

Ordered a Strymon Deco from them a few days ago.