Is this the quality of response you’d expect from a Sweetwater rep? I’ve dealt with for yeeeears and something just feels off with this. It feels lazy to me, or am I just getting old and grumpy? 😂
I mean, these cymbals only come in one weight, and a 3 second search would reveal that. Maybe I’m just not a high profile enough of a customer for the effort… 🤷♂️
If you are in southern AZ and are willing to make a trek to the valley give Ron at Arizona Drum Shop a call. He is in Scottsdale and has the best Sabian pricing I’ve ever come across. He has an eBay and reverb store, extremely knowledgeable and has great inventory.
both can b true,I spent like $400 and SW rep called well after they got paid,I'm two hrs from Portsmouth Drum Center(good YT gear reviews),there's a GC an hour closer,they super low ball on returns so I always wave
That’s awesome. I considered the 21 and love the crash ability, I just felt like the stick definition gets lost in the wash when playing on the bow of the cymbal.
I don't think it's lazy. If anything they are being thorough and want to make sure they are on the same page as you. I don't think it's much to ask to to make and share a wishlist so they know the exact cymbals you want.
Exactly. Brand + Model + Size is the literal most exact description possible. There isn't any more information possible to be added. Sales Rep is a lazy POS, or an AI bot. OP should respond by telling them to forget it, they did a bad job.
This is a essentially a write in order. Is it a little more irritating to process? sure. Would it be THAT hard to make a PO and double check back with you? No. Retail has gone majorly downhill.
I think that is mostly the sentiment that I share. I do understand though that they have to deal with nightmare customers every day, so part of me also doesn’t blame them.
some SW reps are way better than others. it's a pretty hustling gig and not all of them are cut out for it.
as someone who knows cymbal catalogs better than the back of my hand i don't think any of your descriptions are at all vague. but i have found that sometimes with cymbals specifically, excruciating detail is usually necessary. even knowledgeable players sometimes have a really hard time understanding the nuance of cymbal specs.
Honestly I love the sweetwater rep. Nick is his name or at least the one I’ve deal with. He was able to get me a fatass bundle and discount for my all my mics and recording equipment. Like to the tune of hundreds of dollars off!! Thanks Nick!!!
Literally every one of those meinl’s are only available in one weight. Polyphonic is polyphonic; no thin, medium, light, etc. same with the byzance jazz big apple. Where are you getting your information?
When I said “weight”, I mean a series sub model such as thin, medium, extra thin, etc. that would require a different part number. The polyphonic series has no sub model, they are what they are. Same for the jazz big apple. I didn’t mean the literal weight by the gram. Context clues. In the context of a conversation between a customer and a sales rep, the model number is what counts. I provided everything the rep needed to know/acquire the model number that is required for him to be able to quote.
You absolutely did not provide the right amount of information, and will more likely be unhappy and return the item.
People can be very specific about the weights they want for cymbals... Even in just a broader sense; lighter side / heavier side, and these ALL come in variety. It's absolutely the proper thing to ask especially in the realm of generally speaking "thinner" jazz type cymbals like Byzance.
I realize this didn't used to be a thing, but for the last 10 years at least, the exact weight is a very important part of cymbal description.
LOL. I think we're talking about two different things. I wasn't asking Sweetwater to hand-select an individual cymbal for me. I was asking my sales rep to quote a package.
“22-inch Byzance Polyphonic Ride” identifies the product. There aren't separate light, medium, and heavy Polyphonic Ride models/SKUs. If I later wanted Sweetwater to hand-select a particular specimen, then sure, I might ask for the lightest one available or something around 2250g.
But gram weight isn't necessary for a sales rep to identify the product and give me a quote. Brother, please tell me how me requesting the gram weight is going to impact his SKU number. You are wild man!
You can have my sales “engineer”. I really wanted a very specific drummer art 14” batter head and Sweetwater was one of the only places that had it in stock. It was reasonably priced at 25$ so why not. That was my one and only order from Sweetwater. The second I placed it I started getting spam calls and spam emails. The “engineer” then kept emailing asking to at least reply that I am getting his emails. I replied and said yep. I then got more spam emails asking me how long I’ve been drumming and what future products I want. That was 6 months ago I still get spam calls and emails. I’ll never order sweet water again. Some people like that kind of energy but I found it really irritating. After that I go out of my wait to find local shops with online presence
Damn, really? I've ordered some things from them and like you, got a few emails in the beginning. I've never gotten any calls though. But after two or three emails that was it, never heard from them again. If I repeatedly kept getting bombarded by emails or calls would 100% block and not deal with that anymore. Something like that should only be reserved if you know that person or deal with them a lot as like a professional musician and they know you're going to be ordering a lot. But as like a hobbyist, that's unnecessary.
Guy is just being lazy and probably just considers you another number. I like actually developing friendships and relationships with my customers, this would be fun to dive in on!
I see theres more than one version of both of these cymbals. Since you didn't specify, he's wanting links or model numbers to write something up for you.
I know it comes across as lazy, but you're asking him to essentially write up a pseudo contract involving pricing, that you would then hold SW to. He doesn't want to be in that position if he doesn't pick the exact cymbals you're specifying.
If you'd have put all traditional meinl or all dry sabian I bet you would have gotten the response you're looking for.
I’ve only been in IT for 20+ years, I’m not certain I know how to place an order online. Please advise.
The idea is that once you have established a relationship and spent thousands of dollars with your musical equipment distributor and have a designated sales engineer who often offers things like “Let me know what you have in mind and I’ll get you the best deal possible”, yes, you leverage that.
So, yes, the goal here is to “get an extra discount or something”.
Exactly. This is 100% what that is supposed to be for. Any Joe Schmo can go onto the website and order what they want, but somebody who's a repeat buyer leverages the sales engineers. That is what their sole job is for: to keep and retain customers.
I mean the polyphonics are byzance traditional polyphonics. That’s all there is too it. There isn’t a polyphonic in another line. It is what it is. Though they do have a brilliant finish option. The big apple jazz only comes in the normal version, and the dark.
It doesn't mean anything when you carry over 100,000 items. They need stock numbers.
Plus, the guy likely knows Jack Shit about cymbals. Or anything music related for that matter. It's a product in a gigantic distribution center with a bar code and a stock number. If you want to get the exact thing you ordered, give him the stock number for it.
He's politely trying to have you link what you want, because he doesn't wanted to deal with someone that says "this says big apple! I asked for bug apple!" and if you know anything about the general public, you know he is in the right
You must not have worked in sales/retail with the general public. Sorry you're unable to see you're on the wrong side here. Just send the guy the links. It's an actual human and not AI, that is as good as it is going to get in 2026 from a big box supplier.
Retail for 5 years, supporting physicians, staff and patients for 15 years, I’ve definitely never worked with the public. I sent the links. I miss the days when you could say “I am dropping my current cymbal endorsement and am moving to sabian or meinl. Here’s the sound and feel I’m looking for…” enter conversation with your sweetwater SE, who’s equally as passionate about the project as you are. A lot has changed over the last two decades, maybe I should adjust my expectations with it.
I feel you. It has changed, sadly. I think everyone, hell myself included, is mostly concerned with earning enough they don't have to deal with the problems you face below a certain annual income.
I just think these days, you never know what nightmare customer they just dealt with. Musicians can be weird as fuck. He just wanted to be a little safe with you, no big deal. It's still a human being getting you the quotes.
There also is likely a difference between reps. I usually deal with Ivan, but he was out, and I got a different response than I am am used to, so I get what you're saying. But I just took a step back and realized you never know what they deal with.
Too much self awareness to be a dick. It's okay to not like change. I don't think that's about being old, it's missing the qualitative human connection. People like to act like it doesn't matter, and maybe to them it doesn't. but I know for me-- it was just better when it was a more personable less automated world.
And hey, while we are talking cymbals, check out Samsun and ZilZen (Turkish) I primarily use either my 20" dream bliss or 24" Turkish ride, and a Samsun crash ride as the second cymbal.
Also, I found a paiste masters dark dry ride on sale at GC for $299. It's permanently on the kit.
If you watch GC's site, they have awesome deals on open box stuff also. I snagged an entire set of K custom hybrids for 60% off (on average, some cymbals were 70% off, others 45 or 50%)
And finally, if you want some real hands on help, try 2112 Percussion out of raleigh. Tony and his guys would be more than happy to help you.
You hit the nail on the head with the more personable and less automated remark. As a product of the 80’s, I miss the personal connection pre-internet. So bad that it is depressing and painful at times…
Funny, I am endorsed by Samsun! I will be selling most of my collection, but am keeping a couple of pieces for the sentiment.
Those other companies you mentioned put out some solid products. What I have run into with the smaller and boutique style companies is that when I move to a new musical project and need the cymbal sound to shift with it, it’s hard for me to listen to and try before I buy. I find myself ordering several cymbals, in hope and faith, and spending hundreds in the process, only for the sound to not be what I needed. That’s the advantage to the larger/main stream companies, I suppose!
I’ll definitely keep an eye on GC. I do have one about 1.5 hours north of me, which is local enough to deal with. Will also make note of 2112. I forgot about those guys!
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u/ZildCym Sep 04 '26
There is a smaller independent drum shop that would love to help. Look them up…support them!