Sam Ash Music Stores
Reviews and Complaints

I bought string for my wifes ukulele once and now they call and email regularly despite being asked and then told to leave me alone.

I went to Sam Ash Music Stores to purchase some strings for my wife's ukulele. The staff was helpful and I found what I needed easily. However, since then, they have been calling and emailing me constantly, even though I have asked them multiple times to stop bothering me. It's quite frustrating and I wish they would respect my request to be left alone.

I bought a banjo from Sam Ash Music Stores and they said it had normal wear and tear. But when it arrived, I saw that the neck was cracked on both sides and appeared to be fixed. They sold it to me under false pretense and might try to sell it again.

I sold sum music equipment to Sam Ash Music Stores, on last week. What they gave me was a joke. Ur better off in a different shop. Plus the service was sooo-slow. Took 3 hours of my time. Now, still waiting for check for my equipment. Check never came. So now, probably gone forever for alot more. DON'T WASTE UR TIME AT RIP-OFF Sam Ash Music Stores!

I bought a bass from a retailer and it was fulfilled by a music store chain. I tried to cancel the purchase right after buying because the retailer charged the wrong card. I couldn't do anything and all my attempts to contact the seller were ignored. When the bass arrived, I called the music store to return it. They said I had to pay for shipping even though I tried to cancel the purchase and they still shipped it. Shipping cost me $80.50 and I still haven't gotten my refund. I've spent lots of money at their stores before, but I won't ever do business with them again.

I would give Sam Ash Music Stores a negative rating if I could! I bought an expensive Les Paul guitar and they didn't offer me guitar insurance. Of course, something had to go wrong and I accidentally chipped it. They never mentioned insurance when I made the purchase, and I was so happy at the time that I didn't even think about it. I called their customer service for help, but they immediately shut me down. Now I have to pay to get it fixed. Be careful when shopping at Sam Ash! I've been doing business with *** and they have been much more helpful. I suggest going to *** first because they have a bigger selection, or try your local *** where insurance is always available.

I bought a guitar online (a *** C40II) as a birthday present for someone. They sent me the wrong item. I contacted them, and they said it was shipped wrong and asked me to return the guitar to get a new one. I agreed and sent it back. But I still didn't receive a guitar. I called them many times. Some people said they needed to check something and promised to call me back, but they never did. Others put me on hold for like half an hour, and then the call ended with a voice recording message. I still didn't have the guitar. They said I would get a replacement, but it made me feel embarrassed in front of the person who was supposed to receive the gift. I lost $176 and wasted my money. I tried to get my money back, but it was a waste of effort. They treated me so poorly. It was a terrible experience.

I recently bought a couple of keyboards from Sam Ash online and over the phone. The staff has always been really nice and knowledgeable. I'm on a fixed income and I'm trying to make my music career start again after a bad divorce. The salesperson from Sam Ash worked with me and got me good quality equipment and deals that I could afford. The only problem I have with this company is not even their fault. It's with their shipping practices. They use *** and *** has become so bad with their service that you're lucky if you even get your items, let alone on time and undamaged. If you don't believe me, check out their *** page one day and look at all the upset customers' comments. I'm sorry to say that I probably won't order from Sam Ash anymore until they switch to *** because *** is too unreliable.

Me and my buddies went to Sam Ash Cincinnati to ask about the time limit for checking out gear 'cause my friend got kicked out after 45 minutes the other night. We've spent a ton of cash in that store over the years, but the way they treated us when we asked about the time limit was so unprofessional and rude. They said this is just a transition store and you only get fifteen minutes to decide and buy it, and if you don't like it, tough luck, you gotta pay a 20 percent restocking fee and they call you a chronic returner. It ain't like that at ***, and when I mentioned that, they didn't give a *** about ***. Well, maybe they should, 'cause there were six people at Sam Ash and 20 at *** where we were first. They blamed it on covid and said no one can hang out in the store, and if we don't like it, we should stay away. They might have apologized to my friend, but they won't be getting any more of my money. Don't buy there, go to ***.

This place is a joke. I wouldn't be surprised if they go out of business within the year. I was searching around for a *** Reface CP that was listed as out of stock at practically every online music instrument retailer. This business popped up in my search and their website said it was in stock. Reached out to a representative and they verified, "yep, we have those in stock." Great! Was in the purchase process and saw a pop up for their line of credit, prequalified for a line of credit through this retailer, at the very end during a hard submission into my credit they denied my line of credit. No biggie... I thought I would just purchase out of pocket. Purchased the item and received an email that I would be notified when it was back in stock... wait hold up. Now not only have you wasted my time, negatively affected my credit, taken my money, and lied to my face.. but now you're telling me that after all that I won't get my item and will have to wait over a week to receive my money back. Contacted their customer service again and was rudely told "yeah, no. We don't have those. Bye." *** customer service. They don't deserve our money or attention. Save yourself the headache and go somewhere else... heck go anywhere else. You won't regret it.

I bought a Gear Shield protection plan from *** Ash about three years ago when I got a Line 6 wireless microphone. During the 3-year coverage, the microphone started acting up (the signal kept cutting out during shows). I filed a claim with Gear Shield, and that's when the trouble began. Here's the order of the problems: 1. Filing the claim was hard. The website was basic and confusing. 2. After submitting the claim, I got conflicting advice from two different Gear Shield reps about whether I needed to send in the microphone for a refund or replacement. 3. I had to talk to a Gear Shield manager to figure things out. They told me to mail the microphone and said they'd send a free postage label. But I never got the label, just an address to send it to. 4. I sent the microphone and didn't hear anything from Gear Shield for over a month. I had to escalate again to find out what was going on. They said *** Ash had to approve a full refund but hadn't responded yet. They also strangely authorized only a 75% refund, even though I sent the microphone back in perfect condition with all the parts. 5. After escalating again to Gear Shield (around 2 months after filing the claim), they told me the previous information was wrong. I actually didn't need to send the microphone at all since I had a refund policy, not a replacement. But they assured me that if I went to *** Ash with the claim number, they'd give me a new microphone right away. 6. Suspicious of this new advice after all the back and forth, I called my local *** Ash store and talked to an assistant manager. He had no clue what I was talking about and said they couldn't look up a Gear Shield claim. I had to practically beg him to contact Gear Shield directly to resolve the issue. 7. For the next month, I kept calling the assistant manager at *** Ash, begging for a new microphone or a refund. Call after call after call. He said he had to escalate to national customer service, who apparently didn't respond. Finally, about 3 months after filing the claim and spending around 10 hours on the phone, I got a refund check for just under $300. But let me tell you, most other companies like ***, etc. would have given me an immediate refund without the runaround or excuses. The bottom line is I will NEVER buy anything from *** Ash again, and I will NEVER buy Gear Shield for ANY purchase ever again.

I got some broken stuff in the mail from Sam Ash. I reached out to them a bunch of times, but they won't give me my money back. The things I got were no good for giving as presents.

I contacted them twice to ensure that the product I purchased, a guitar priced at $999, would be delivered on time. They provided me with an estimated delivery time without any issues. However, today they unexpectedly canceled my order, stating that it was falsely placed due to a system error. They did offer me a $20 coupon if I buy an item worth more than $100, but it turns out that this coupon is available to everyone.

I bought a portable speaker from Sam Ash Music Stores on August 1 for our church, One In Christ-Life Ministries, to help with our ministry. Along with the speaker, we also got a service agreement for 2 years (receipt is attached). The speaker stopped working in March, so I took it in for repair. Since then, I've asked multiple times in person and over the phone about the status of our repaired unit. Every time I ask, they half-heartedly look in the back of the store and come back with the same response: "It hasn't come back yet." It's been more than 6 months now! Our church can't keep affording to buy new equipment. We really need this issue resolved. Either give us our speaker back now or give us a refund.

I took my Pioneer unit to *** Ash Music Stores on September 28th for repair. I made sure to bring it before the expiration date of October 22. They found out that the unit was defective. The service center reached out to Warrantech (*** Warranty) and they said that the cost of the repairs was more than the unit itself. They mentioned that they would contact me regarding this repair. I got in touch with *** and they informed me that *** Ash was given credit for the replacement. I spoke to the store in *** about this and they said they needed to find the money. After going back and forth with the manager there, I'm still waiting for the payout. It feels like I'm constantly being given the runaround by corporate. I've attached the receipt that shows what I paid for the unit and the warranty that covered the repairs. I appreciate your assistance.

I ordered online from SamAsh, order number omitted. I got a message saying my package was delivered while I was at work. My sister lives nearby, so I asked her to check my house for the packages. When she arrived, there were no packages. I work long shifts, 16 hours a day, 6 days a week. The next morning, when I got home, I called the retailer to let them know I hadn't received my order. They told me there was nothing they could do and advised me to contact my bank and report the $927 charge as fraudulent. They also suggested I call the police. I followed their advice and reported the issue to the authorities, case number withheld, but there has been no resolution. I still don't have my packages or my money. I want a refund. It feels like I've been scammed, and it's frustrating that they say there's nothing they can do about my lost, misdelivered, and unaccounted for packages.

Purchased an extended warranty for my T102 and Apollo equipment, but the retailer won't honor it for my distorted-sounding microphone and power-shortage interface. They declined an in-store replacement, contrary to their initial promise. I demand a new set or credit for equivalent replacements. Misleading promises of easy exchanges are unacceptable. I expect the service I was assured of without the hassle of lengthy send-away repairs.

I ordered a used Alesis Command Drum Kit from Sam Ash around July 14th. They said it was fully functional, but when it arrived, there were some issues. The cymbals' choke functions don't work, probably because they've been heavily used before (they look mishapen from being beaten). I showed them pictures and asked for a replacement cymbal, but they gave me two options: send it back for a refund or keep it. I didn't want to send it back because it would be a hassle for me, the customer, to deal with. So, in the meantime, I'm using a different snare drum. However, since you shipped me a kit that clearly had more wear and tear than advertised, can you please send me a working 10-inch snare pad and a functioning cymbal for the kit? Thank you.

I got a Sam Ash store card because they promised a $50 purchase credit. I've been looking for this credit on their partner's website, but it hasn't been applied to my account yet. I will involve the partner in this dispute because they are responsible for the store card and advertising the $50 credit. If they don't work with Synchrony Bank to fix this issue, I won't pay off the remaining balance on my card, which is more than the $50 credit I should receive. The partner chose to work with a bank that doesn't honor their in-store promotions. When I called, the manager dismissed me and blamed Synchrony Bank, but that's not right. I will sue you for false advertising because of your partnership with this bank. You and Synchrony Bank need to resolve this problem, or there will be legal consequences, and you will end up losing more money than you're trying to cheat me out of.

I bought a Pioneer DDJ SRT-1000 from Sam Ash in Torrance. They offered me an extended warranty that covers any damage or exchange of the same product if they can't fix the issue. I had already taken the controller in for repairs once before. Luckily, a DJ friend let me borrow their controller so I could keep doing my gigs. But this time, Sam Ash didn't contact me and it's been over 30 days since I brought it in for repair. I talked to 4 different Sam Ash employees and none of them could tell me where my controller was or give me any information. They said a third party was fixing the issue, but when I called the repair facility, they said they didn't have any controller under my name. For 4 days, nobody called me back until today, 10.11.21, when a manager from Sam Ash finally called and offered me a 10% discount for the repair. I'm still under warranty and it's their fault for "misplacing" my controller and not fixing it in a timely manner. I need help.

I bought a Taylor 424CE Urban Ash Guitar and a Taylor Mini-e KOA guitar from SamAsh.com on 11/28/2022. They had a 'cyber monday' deal and a buy one get one free offer online for new products. The total cost was about $3,000 plus tax. Both guitars came with cases, one with a hard case and the other with a soft case. After I placed the order, I saw the same guitar (424CE Urban Ash) listed as 'used' on reverb. The pictures showed the same serial number and everything. I contacted Sam Ash to find out what was happening, but they said someone would get back to me about why they sold me a 'used' guitar as 'new'. It's been over a month, and that person still hasn't replied to my emails and calls. When I finally received the guitars, I discovered that each one had a problem. The 424CE had a defect in the finish, which couldn't have been caused by shipping because the box arrived in perfect condition. The Mini-e KOA they sent me was actually an older model, not the 2022 model. The older model had older style electronics, while the 2022 model had a built-in graphic eq and newer electronics. I contacted customer support again, and this time someone actually responded. I asked for an exchange or credit for the damages and the wrong guitars they sent me. However, they are refusing to respond now.

I sent back a broken flute to Sam Ash Music Stores through the mail. They got it on Dec 2, but I still haven't gotten my money back. I need them to give me a refund as soon as possible. Here's what happened: I bought an Azumi Flute (model#: AZ2SRBEO) from Sam Ash online on Nov 20, 2021. It arrived on Nov 27. They sent me a used and broken flute that wasn't even the right model. I wanted a new one. My daughter was really disappointed because it was supposed to be her gift. I contacted their customer service and sent them pictures of the flute. They sent me a prepaid mailing label with a tracking number. I sent it back on Nov 29 and it got to their warehouse on Dec 2. I haven't heard anything about the return or getting my money back since then. I talked to customer service through chat and on the phone, and they keep saying the return department will take care of it soon. But there's no update in their system. It's been a whole week since I sent the flute back and I haven't heard anything. I'm really worried about this. Please help me get my refund quickly. Here's some more information: Date of purchase: Nov 20 Return delivered on: Dec 2 Amount I paid: $1,593.51 ORDER#: *** case#: *** Return tracking#: *** from *** I attached all the info about the purchase, the return, and my conversations with customer service about the return and the broken flute.

I bought a Rode Microphone online from Sam Ash Music Stores on 11/13/2022, Order #***. At the time of my purchase, there was a change in the product that was not clearly explained to me. The difference between the two versions is the type of pop filter - one is made of metal and the older model is made of cloth. I paid for the metal one but received the cloth one, which is currently being sold for $269 in all other stores. I didn't realize I had received the older version until after I paid for it. I mentioned this issue to the General Manager of the store, and he said that if I wanted to return it, they would charge me a 15% restocking fee. He also said that if I wanted to match the price of other retailers, I needed to bring in the box. I explained that I didn't have the box and that I live an hour away from the store, so it would be inconvenient for me to do so. The employee who helped me from the beginning agreed with me that I received the older model. However, the General Manager refused to listen and blamed other retailers, saying their descriptions were wrong. I understood his point, but it felt unfair that I, as a consumer, had to suffer for a mistake made by a retailer. He once again insisted that without the box, he couldn't do anything. I told him not to worry, that I would contact corporate to resolve the issue, and I left. This gentleman started yelling at me in the store for a mistake that the retailer made. As I walked out, he followed me outside, telling me that corporate wouldn't do anything for me, which I now realize is true since their customer support is not helpful. This situation could have been resolved if the General Manager had checked the security cameras. I am seeking a resolution from anyone, as there is no corporate representation available.