A Friend in Need
A Site for Broke Musicians
by John A. Accardo
The speed of technology's constant evolution both helps and hurts the musician's market. As soon as something new comes out it's extremely expensive, but at the same time all the related products that preceded it drop to all-time lows.
Either way, it would be nice if you had a "friend" that worked at the local music shop and could give you great deals on all the stuff your musical heart desired. Well, that's actually the foundation for what has become one of the premiere websites, MusiciansFriend.com.
This useful website serves one sole purpose: to give musicians the best prices and selection, along with superior service to help them achieve their musical goals. A detailed look at their site and the services they provide will instantly prove that principle.
The first thing you'll notice is the vast variety and high quality of the equipment that the company provides. Musician's Friend offers well over 36,000 products through their mail-order catalogues and on their website. You can find anything from guitars to keyboards, DJ gear, books and sheet music.
The company also offers a 45-day Best Price Double Guarantee for those of you that are nervous about a hefty investment. If you buy a product on their site and find a lower advertised price from any authorized U.S. dealer for an in-stock product, you can contact them and they will match the price before or after the sale. And if you already purchased an item from Musician's Friend and find a lower price within 45 days from the purchase, you are eligible for a refund of the difference. All you have to do is make a phone call or send an e-mail.
Just to drive home the point, they offer a Stupid Deal of the Day that gives you a chance to take advantage of a really good deal. Recently they offered a Fender Footswitch, which usually costs about $33, for $10.
In addition to their products, Musician's Friend offers plenty of online resources that are equally helpful. You can sign up for a newsletter that will send you "virtual" technical tips and information, special deals, and chances to enter contests and win valuable prizes every week. You can also sign up and get free email@musician.net.
There are also informative features like columns that spotlight some of your favorite artists, articles by industry insiders that can give you the inside scoop in the music business, and stories by accomplished musicians. There are product reviews for those of you who would like to do a little research before dropping a lot of cash on a musical investment. Most recently, Musician's Friend hooked up with %Guitar One% magazine and provides articles that detail the full technical specifications and features of a given product.
As an extension of what they do with the written word, editors record videos about products, giving their reviews and demonstrations and so on, then edit them down to appear in the Media Center. Additionally, you'll get technical tips, such as "How to Change Your Guitar Strings," and interviews with artists like Mark Slaughter of Motley Crue fame.
Navigation on the site is relatively easy. The design is fairly simple and there aren't many, if any, bells and whistles. The toolbar gives you access to many of the aforementioned sections of the site and there are no pop-up ads.
Founded in 1983 by Robert and Deanna Eastman, the headquarters was initially stationed in San Diego, Calif., but the duo relocated to a dairy barn in southern Oregon. With the idea of helping fellow musicians driving them forward, Musician's Friend quickly became a leader in the music equipment industry.
For more information about Musician's Friend, visit www.musiciansfriend.com, or call them toll free at 800-391-8762. You can even contact them by mail at Musician's Friend Inc., P.O. Box 4370, Medford, OR 97501.
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