Did you pre-order the Helix Stadium?

[wharf rat]

I first requested to cancel the order on 11/7. Having heard nothing, I bumped up the request on 11/11. He wrote back to ask if I was sure I wanted to lose my spot in line and that I'd be looking at March for delivery if I re-ordered after cancelling. I confirmed I wanted to cancel. I got that sad-sack voicemail on 11/12. I emailed back to once again confirm the cancellation. Still not cancelled 14 hours later.

I’ll add some about this SW thing just because it has come up a few times in this thread. I have been a solid SW customer since ~2017. I took a break from guitar from my early 20’s to my early 30’s. My girlfriend (now wife) got pregnant with triplets and I sold everything. After we were stable for a while, she green lit my EBMM Cutlass, a Fender Blues Junior and a few pedals. Over the course of the last 7-8 years I have purchased a TON of stuff from them, to include instruments for literally my entire family (bass, drums, acoustic guitars, etc). I’m in the Navy and have had SW land small contracts for audio / visual equipment for my ship (PA, cables, speakers, etc).

I have definitely had my fair share of returns here and there, but it has been a net positive financial situation (on the side of SW) for almost a decade.

To lose a sale, and potentially a customer, for $200-300, is insane to me.

 

[EOengineer]

I’ll add some about this SW thing just because it has come up a few times in this thread. I have been a solid SW customer since ~2017. I took a break from guitar from my early 20’s to my early 30’s. My girlfriend (now wife) got pregnant with triplets and I sold everything. After we were stable for a while, she green lit my EBMM Cutlass, a Fender Blues Junior and a few pedals. Over the course of the last 7-8 years I have purchased a TON of stuff from them, to include instruments for literally my entire family (bass, drums, acoustic guitars, etc). I’m in the Navy and have had SW land small contracts for audio / visual equipment for my ship (PA, cables, speakers, etc).

I have definitely had my fair share of returns here and there, but it has been a net positive financial situation (on the side of SW) for almost a decade.

To lose a sale, and potentially a customer, for $200-300, is insane to me.

I do wonder whether some of this is good old fashioned desperation. It could be my confirmation bias, but I’ve definitely become aware of an uptick in sales, coupons, and aggressive marketing the last month or two…even beyond the normal holiday shopping rush. I’m starting to wonder if sales in general are in a bad spot.

 

[deadpool_25]

GO MAKE FUN OF DEADPOOL FFS

 

[DanRad]

I first requested to cancel the order on 11/7. Having heard nothing, I bumped up the request on 11/11. He wrote back to ask if I was sure I wanted to lose my spot in line and that I'd be looking at March for delivery if I re-ordered after cancelling. I confirmed I wanted to cancel. I got that sad-sack voicemail on 11/12. I emailed back to once again confirm the cancellation. Still not cancelled 14 hours later.

Still not cancelled, but I just noticed they dropped the price of the Stadium to $1,870 on the invoice. No discount on the backpack, though, and not sure about the store credit.

 

[Fireproof]

I don’t think , I suspect release is the 18th next wed

I’ll take that.

 

[wharf rat]

Still not cancelled, but I just noticed they dropped the price of the Stadium to $1,870 on the invoice. No discount on the backpack, though, and not sure about the store credit.

Well that works. If they did that for me I’d still be with them.

 

[JiveTurkey]

 

[AlbertA]

Guy still hasn't canceled my order.

I first requested to cancel the order on 11/7. Having heard nothing, I bumped up the request on 11/11. He wrote back to ask if I was sure I wanted to lose my spot in line and that I'd be looking at March for delivery if I re-ordered after cancelling. I confirmed I wanted to cancel. I got that sad-sack voicemail on 11/12. I emailed back to once again confirm the cancellation. Still not cancelled 14 hours later.

Post in thread 'Did you pre-order the Helix Stadium?'

Nov 12, 2025

• AlbertA

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[DanRad]

Well that works. If they did that for me I’d still be with them.

Yeah, I don't know. Makes me more inclined to keep my pre-order, since I put it in on day one, just in case MF is off-base with their expected ship date. But the MF deal is still better with the 15% off the backpack and the $166 in store credit (not sure what the bonus bucks will be on SW IF my rep figures out that I didn't want financing). Combined with the bad taste from that pathetic voicemail, I'm leaning toward sticking with MF, especially since my SW rep hasn't even communicated with me about the discount.

 

[paisleywookiee]

I think SW is taking the (somewhat arrogant) position of "well, we're going to sell everything we get anyway, so no need to go out of our way here." That sure seems to be the gist of it.

 

[Digital Igloo]

I'd rather read something about ideas regarding future development. That'd be interesting to me.

We're not allowed to talk about future plans.

30% Chihuahua and 13% Pug, I would have never guessed. What an interesting mix!

The dachshund must have dominant genes because his short legs and fat belly are total weiner dog. Except with Benji's face.

I think SW is taking the (somewhat arrogant) position of "well, we're going to sell everything we get anyway, so no need to go out of our way here." That sure seems to be the gist of it.

Arrogant or otherwise, they're not... wrong.

 

[wharf rat]

Arrogant or otherwise, they're not... wrong.

I think it’s just interesting that other vendors are able to work with customers but they don’t want to do that. I find it suspect that they’re saying they have zero margins but other vendors do? I highly doubt that they’re paying L6 $2200 for these units. Even if they had some slop built in to pay their reps, I can’t imagine that they have zero wiggle room.

SW has done a phenomenal job of marketing themselves as “the place” for gear purchases. They have slick marketing, photos of the actual guitar, smooth communication between you and your rep, etc. They really have done a great job of making it seem like customers are putting themselves at risk if they make gear purchases elsewhere.

Problem is, a Helix Stadium from GC / MF is the same unit you are getting at SW; there is zero variation. I’ll get the same support from L6 regardless of where I purchase the unit, so a cheaper entry price, better return policy, rewards points, and better financing options are ultimately going to push people away from a company that refuses to work with their customers.

I mean, people aren’t asking for $10 off a $50 pedal. This is a huge purchase.

I mean, in the previously referenced voicemail, the rep had ZERO compassion for the customers bottom line, rather, they cared explicitly about their own bottom line, which is frustrating when you can get these units significantly cheaper elsewhere.

I’d be willing to bet that once these units are in the wild, you’ll be getting Reverb vendors sending offers for 10, 15, or 20% off post haste.

 

[ian_dissonance]

Yeah, I’m honestly surprised. I’ve never had a “no” on a price match in ten years.

 

[Fireproof]

I think it’s just interesting that other vendors are able to work with customers but they don’t want to do that. I find it suspect that they’re saying they have zero margins but other vendors do? I highly doubt that they’re paying L6 $2200 for these units. Even if they had some slop built in to pay their reps, I can’t imagine that they have zero wiggle room.

SW has done a phenomenal job of marketing themselves as “the place” for gear purchases. They have slick marketing, photos of the actual guitar, smooth communication between you and your rep, etc. They really have done a great job of making it seem like customers are putting themselves at risk if they make gear purchases elsewhere.

Problem is, a Helix Stadium from GC / MF is the same unit you are getting at SW; there is zero variation. I’ll get the same support from L6 regardless of where I purchase the unit, so a cheaper entry price, better return policy, rewards points, and better financing options are ultimately going to push people away from a company that refuses to work with their customers.

I mean, people aren’t asking for $10 off a $50 pedal. This is a huge purchase.

I mean, in the previously referenced voicemail, the rep had ZERO compassion for the customers bottom line, rather, they cared explicitly about their own bottom line, which is frustrating when you can get these units significantly cheaper elsewhere.

I’d be willing to bet that once these units are in the wild, you’ll be getting Reverb vendors sending offers for 10, 15, or 20% off post haste.

Yeah. It’s not about margins.

It’s really that they can sell all they get without discounting, so why give up the extra margin. If my SW rep was correct - they have an initial allocation of 400. With another 1000 by end of year. Compare that to something like 3500 that I’m hearing GC/MF are getting, and SW is probably correct in thinking they can sell all they get without discounting.

Sucks for the consumers, but we do have a choice and it’s why many of us ended up placing orders with GC/MF. We can get them cheaper, and apparently sooner.

 

[wharf rat]

Yeah. It’s not about margins.

It’s really that they can sell all they get without discounting, so why give up the extra margin. If my SW rep was correct - they have an initial allocation of 400. With another 1000 by end of year. Compare that to something like 3500 that I’m hearing GC/MF are getting, and SW is probably correct in thinking they can sell all they get without discounting.

Sucks for the consumers, but we do have a choice and it’s why many of us ended up placing orders with GC/MF. We can get them cheaper, and apparently sooner.

Yea kind of genius on their behalf. Get that initial hit at top price and then they can soften their stance once the honeymoon situation is over.

 

[Whizzinby]

I think it’s just interesting that other vendors are able to work with customers but they don’t want to do that. I find it suspect that they’re saying they have zero margins but other vendors do? I highly doubt that they’re paying L6 $2200 for these units. Even if they had some slop built in to pay their reps, I can’t imagine that they have zero wiggle room.

SW has done a phenomenal job of marketing themselves as “the place” for gear purchases. They have slick marketing, photos of the actual guitar, smooth communication between you and your rep, etc. They really have done a great job of making it seem like customers are putting themselves at risk if they make gear purchases elsewhere.

Problem is, a Helix Stadium from GC / MF is the same unit you are getting at SW; there is zero variation. I’ll get the same support from L6 regardless of where I purchase the unit, so a cheaper entry price, better return policy, rewards points, and better financing options are ultimately going to push people away from a company that refuses to work with their customers.

I mean, people aren’t asking for $10 off a $50 pedal. This is a huge purchase.

I wonder if it’s just that there has been enough people looking for the match that it’s risen to the point of being a notable amount of money being pulled off the table, and they aren’t overly eager to lose it knowing someone else will easily slot in for it anyway. If it’s a handful of dudes it’s one thing, but if it’s several hundred people that starts adding up to real money.

Not defending them, but I’d guess that’s what’s up.

 

[sashimi]

Interesting that sweetwater gets so fewer allocated. I guess it makes sense because MF is owned by GC and they’re everywhere.

 

[wharf rat]

I wonder if it’s just that there has now been enough people looking for the match that it’s risen to the point of being notable amount of money being pulled off the table and they aren’t overly eager knowing someone else will easily slot in for it anyway. If it’s a handful of dudes it’s one thing, but if it’s several hundred people that starts adding up to real money.

Not defending them, but I’d guess that’s what’s up.

Oh 100%.

Looks like they intentionally ordered less than they should have and won’t budge on price. Keeps their profits intact and they have room to maintain their prices later once the stock starts trickling in and the fervor is over.

 

[sashimi]

And I am honestly surprised any of them are discounting a brand new product on preorders before it’s even released.

 

[Whizzinby]

And I am honestly surprised any of them are discounting a brand new product on preorders before it’s even released.

Agreed. They are going to sell them as fast as they get them for at least 3-6 months, I’m surprised anyone would scalp their own profits before launch.