Is a Sweetwater Visit Worth the Trip

The wife and I are making plans for a little fall getaway - and the way things are shaping up our travel plans are shaping up - with just a little tweak, I might be able to talk the wife into a making a visit Sweetwater. I'm not really in the market for anything at the moment - but wouldn't mind an opportunity to see some of the keyboards that never seem to make into in the local Guitar Centers in my area. I'd love to lay hands on some Korg stuff that isn't a "Microkorg", something from Nord (my local GC doesn't do "red"), maybe a little Hammond SK1.

 

Now I just know that a keyboard shopping trip in the middle vacation getaway is gonna cost me some personal capital with the wife. Before I make that investment - I'm hoping to hear from some fellow forumites who may have visited Sweetwater before. Is the Sweetwater showroom worth going out of the way to visit?

dude...you have to be kidding? you want to interupt a getaway with your wife to visit Sweetwater to check out gear?

Give me your address I'll mail you their ultra thick catalog.

Tell her you've written her a song and need to find a keyboard to play it on.

I wouldn't worry about your relationship as much as I'd worry about your pocketbook. I took a vacation with my wife last week to Austin and I made it a point to have Switched On Music as part of the itinerary. I didn't need a new keyboard, but after visiting the shop I'm now convinced that I MUST have an Octave Cat.

Why does a getaway always have to do only with what a woman wants? If she wants to see the botanical garden, we have to go. If she wants to go shopping all afternoon, we have to go. But if we want to spend an hour in a music store, we're insensitive chauvinistic pigs.

Assuming you have enough leasure time during the getaway, do it. If it's a short one, focus on doing other fun things together... but make it be fun things for both of you.

Do they have a store front? i didn't know...

 

Now I certainly think novamusik would be a store to visit.

Why does a getaway always have to do only with what a woman wants? If she wants to see the botanical garden, we have to go. If she wants to go shopping all afternoon, we have to go. But if we want to spend an hour in a music store, we're insensitive chauvinistic pigs. Assuming you have enough leasure time during the getaway, do it. If it's a short one, focus on doing other fun things together... but make it be fun things for both of you.

Christian there is no such thing as an hour in a music store.

There is when my wife and the kids come along

Speaking of toy stores to check out, one of these days I want to get up to LA (Pasadena?) and see what's inside Noise Bug. It's not that far. And if I'm ever back in San Francisco with time on my hands, I'l like to go check out Robot Speak.

And speaking of child torture...

 

Christian, that reminds me of when I was a kid and my mom was an avid seamstress. There weren't any fabric stores in our town, so when we'd take our semi-regular trip "down the hill" for better shopping, she'd drag my brother and I into the fabric store.

 

Oh.

 

My.

 

GOD.

 

The boredom... I can't begin to describe the boredom. She seemed to spend forever and a day. In reality it was probably no more than an hour, but at that age and with NOTHING else to see or do... omigod. SO BORED.

dude...you have to be kidding? you want to interupt a getaway with your wife to visit Sweetwater to check out gear? Give me your address I'll mail you their ultra thick catalog.

 

We're planning a week long road trip to explore a little bit of Kentucky using the excuse that we're celebrating our 24th wedding anniversary. I suggested Kentucky as an alternative to the "Up North" fall trips we've been taking for years ... and within a day or two, I ended up with an itinerary and a schedule (two things I absolutely HATE to have on a vacation). Since it looks we'll be passing through Fort Wayne on the way home to Michigan - I figured a couple hours doing something of my choosing seemed reasonable.

 

I wouldn't worry about your relationship as much as I'd worry about your pocketbook......

 

 

There's definitely a bit of danger there! Especially when you when you factor in the inevitable quid pro quo that always seems to part of a keyboard purchase. Thanks to quid pro quo the CP300 I bought to replace a dead P200 a few years back ultimately came with 12 piece setting of "Christmas dishes". Who'lda thunk it? I dread to think of what might come with a Kronos or SK1!

 

We're planning a week long road trip to explore a little bit of Kentucky

 

 

My sister lives there. I've toured a lot of bourbon distilleries - pretty interesting!

 

We're planning a week long road trip to explore a little bit of Kentucky using the excuse that we're celebrating our 24th wedding anniversary. I suggested Kentucky as an alternative to the "Up North" fall trips we've been taking for years ... and within a day or two, I ended up with an itinerary and a schedule (two things I absolutely HATE to have on a vacation). Since it looks we'll be passing through Fort Wayne on the way home to Michigan - I figured a couple hours doing something of my choosing seemed reasonable.

 

 

If you are passing by Fort Wayne you have to stop. It is right off the Highway. Sometimes your salesman that has helped you in the past will give you a tour. Very cool! With a wife less cool however. With a wife and kids even more so, I know this for sure. For me shopping and trying out keyboards and other instruments has always been best when done solo, preferably with a lot of money burning a hole in my pocket.

We're planning a week long road trip to explore a little bit of Kentucky using the excuse that we're celebrating our 24th wedding anniversary. I suggested Kentucky as an alternative to the "Up North" fall trips we've been taking for years ... and within a day or two, I ended up with an itinerary and a schedule (two things I absolutely HATE to have on a vacation). Since it looks we'll be passing through Fort Wayne on the way home to Michigan - I figured a couple hours doing something of my choosing seemed reasonable.

 

That makes a lot more sense than when I first read your post. Thank goodness I edited myself. I just celebrated my 35th wedding anniversary in September and I've learned a few things along the way and a trip to Sweetwater with my honey wouldn't be one of them. But since your a veteran married couple you already know.

My wife used to go to Al Nalli's in Ann Arbor with me and helped me pick out my D50, Ensoniq EPS and the Korg Wavestation. She also went on road trips with me to Flint for a JD800 and a day trip to Grand Rapids to pick up an EMU Emulator Elll, so we've shared in a lot of my equipment adventures together. She's been absolutely wonderful in supporting me, but not all spouses are like that, that's why I shuddered when I read it.

Sounds like fun, have a great time and......buy something and call it a souvenir.

Noisebug is in Pomona. About 35-40 miles from the middle of Los Angeles. That town is not that much fun but Noisebug is worth a visit.

 

If you're in Pasadena then go to Future Music in the Highland Park neighborhood of Los Angeles. No new equipment but on a good day it's like a museum of vintage electronic keyboards. The local food is better, too.

 

And of course, there is Los Angeles County's fine selection of Guitar Center locations...

Been there. It would be a real shame to drive through Ft. Wayne on I69 and not visit Sweetwater. I wouldn't drive several hours on dirt roads for it, but it's really convenient to the freeway. You could offer to drop Mrs. SpaceNorma at http://www.glenbrooksquare.com/. It's ten minutes down the road...

Why does a getaway always have to do only with what a woman wants?

Apparently the Prince Regent wears the pantaloons in his family.

 

Most of KY is beautiful. The countryside around Lexington is gorgeous, and of course Mammoth Cave deserves two days, if you don't mind that sort of trogging about.

And speaking of child torture... ... In reality it was probably no more than an hour, but at that age and with NOTHING else to see or do... omigod. SO BORED.

 

 

I've shopped with women. It was more than an hour.

I'm a big fan of Noiusebug, bought 3 synths from them already and they are tops in my book, 10/10!

 

I am in no way affiliated with them or get any sort of compensation by recommending them but they treat me like gold and I trust them 100%, plus they give wicked good deals with regards to pricing.

Just got back from my road trip - during which I got a chance to visit the folks at Sweetwater. I can answer my own question now - it WAS worth the trip. Finally got a chance to lay hands on a bunch of gear that simply isn't to be seen in person at any of my usual haunts. I spent the better part of 3 hours playing with the following toys:

 

 

Jupiter 80 ... nice, relatively intuitive user interface, but too "Yanni-ish" in terms of sounds for my needs.

 

Kronos ... nice, but didn't jump out as a "game changer" for me. Played the 88 key version - and just can't get past the feel of Korg's keybed. Granted, I did little more than step through presets - that said however, I came away feeling that the ratio of truly usable presets to total presets isn't all that high.

 

Nord Electro 3 - nice! Great sounds, nice feel, intuitive interface. I could see one of these making it's way into my rig.

 

Kurzweil PC3LE8 - NICE! Good feel. I was impressed with the "useable presets to total presets" ratio. Lots of very useful sounds readily available at the touch of a button.

 

The only keyboard I was hoping to lay hands on that they didn't have on the floor at the moment was a Hammond SK1. (Did get to play an XK3 though....)

 

I got to meet Ryan, the sales guy I usually deal with). He took a few minutes out of his day and took me on a tour of their very impressive campus. Also spent a few minutes yakking with Paul. The campus and the people were all very hospitable.

 

It was definitely worth making the stop!