Hello all

Long time no visit once again - good to be back now though

Just wondering if anyone has had any experience good / bad using this website for music instruments?

I'm looking to upgrade my clarinet and they have some good prices but a bit wary from using sites that I've not been to before / know anyone that's used them.

It's hereHere

(Hope the link works - not done these before!)

Thanks

Rach

No idea what they are like but if at all possible I'd go somewhere where you can try out several instruments if you are looking for an upgrade.
You might find that the instrument you have in mind doesn't suit you as well as you hope.

I have been and tried a few out - set my heart on a Buffet E11 a long time ago and this is the one I'm looking to buy - just trying to find the best competative price for one now

Beautiful clarinetness

I bought my soprano sax from Netmusicalinstruments and I was very impressed with them. This was the post I made at the time:





I've bought a couple of things from them since - they seem to specialise in things that I can't get elsewhere!

Netmusicalinstruments is the online arm of Ackerman, who I think have a couple of shops in the Sussex area (at least they did last year, don't know if this is still the case).

Thanks for that skylark - I had a bit of a search to see if there was any mention of this before, but couldnt find anything

I think the shops are still there yes, they seem to be doing well ...

Am admiring their range of sax music from the diploma list they've got ... tempting, very tempting...

I bought a Rovner ligature from netmusicalinstruments and it arrived the day after I'd ordered it, beautifully packaged. I've also ordered music from them. Their service is excellent.

j

One other thing you might want to bear in mind is that there can be slight variations between instruments even within the same make and model - so check the company's returns policy in case it doesn't quite match up to the E11 you tried in the shop.

Yes they have - one in Crawley, one in Hove and one in Chichester.

http://www.ackermanmusic.co.uk/

I've found some of their prices to be cheaper than Dawkes which is the shop I usually use.

Lucid

with this. Also, as I was told when I was looking around last year "We can do you an internet price if you want an internet service." i.e. clarinet in a box straight from manufacturers, no set up/adjustment to make it properly playable and no after sales service/adjustment if necessary. Mine's been back a few times to the retailer I bought it from - only for minor adjustments - but I'm sure if I'd had to pay for them each time it'd have soon added up or I'd have had to put up with a less than ideal adjustment.

Just bear in mind that buying over the internet may be tempting if you get you a fantastic deal on price but maybe you won't get the same service that you would get in a shop. Therefore, it might also be a false economy.

Good luck in your quest.

also. Chances are you won't have a problem, but you don't want to find out too late that you can't do something about it.

Surely it's no different buying from netmusicalinstruments than buying from Hanson or Elida Trading - and both of those distance sellers are regularly recommended on this board. Netmusicalinstruments say you can return the instrument within 14 days without giving any reason. Hanson and Elida Trading say you can buy on approval, but don't you have to pay first and get a refund if you want to send it back - what's the difference?

Incidentally, to take up Dawn's point, netmusicalinstruments don't sell out of a box - they have workshops and test the instruments prior to sending them out, as my experience bears out. Not that I'm on commission but whilst there are undoubtedly online retailers who give very poor customer service, in my experience netmusicalinstruments is at the opposite end of the spectrum and it doesn't seem fair to tar them all with the same brush. And buying from a high street shop doesn't necessarily guarantee good customer service, if Sarah's recorder experience is anything to go by!

I obviously can't speak for Dawn or Flossie, but my only thought was that it would be wise (and isn't it always - I'd suggest the same for any site I hadn't heard of) to double check returns policies. It's nothing personal against the site - I checked Elida's returns policy before I ordered my viola, and that was with Liz posting on the forum and many forumites having had an excellent experience.

It's always worth reading the small print and being 100% certain of where one stands.

I think people have misunderstood me here. What I suggested was that it would be a good idea to check the company's returns policy. I did not say that the OP should not buy from this, or any other, internet site.

It was Dawn's comments about "internet service" which I was responding to And I was only wondering why an internet service as provided by netmusicalinstruments would be cautioned against when what seems to be a similar service offered by Hanson and Elida Trading is regularly promoted with enthusiasm on this board It was simply an attempt to have a two-way conversation, debate the pros and cons, exchange thoughts...

This shows how easy it can be to misunderstand each other when you're talking online rather than face-to-face and don't have body language etc to help you.

I think I've been misunderstood too For the record I was not criticising Net Musical Instruments. Just urging caution when buying online in general. The OP had not made up her mind on purchasing from this site and was "looking around for the best deal".

My quote was from what was said to me by a number of music retailers and I thought worth bearing in mind whilst weighing up where to buy from.

I actually was responding in agreement with Flossie's comment on looking into things further, checking returns etc.

One advantage of buying stuff online is that you are protected by the distance selling act. Returns are much harder for the retailer to dispute as you have a seven day cooling off period.