Pay and benefits are subpar - Guitar Gallery - Guitar Handler Sweetwater Employee Review

3.0
Jun 8, 2022
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

The people that work here are awesome and if you like music seeing all the guitars is pretty fun

Cons

Pay is bad, there's an incentive system that docks a dollar per hour off your pay for the whole week if you miss a day whether you missed work because you had a horrible car accident or just didn't feel like going. It's $100 per pay period for the standard health insurance, that mixed with the pay leads to a pretty undesirable job.

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Sweetwater Response
4y
Thanks for sharing your feedback. I wanted to clarify 2 points…. 1) The incentive system is designed to reward our team members for strong attendance by giving them an extra $1 /hr when they work their scheduled shifts (no unexcused absences) and don’t incur any tardies. Over 90% of our team members earn this extra pay each pay period and we’re really glad we’re able to deliver this to them. 2) We have multiple health plan options available with premium credits that are provided to employees who take part in a basic health screening once per year. For employee-only coverage under our High Deductible Plan, employees earning their full wellness credit pay only $18 per pay period for full medical coverage. The traditional plan is just $42 per pay period. If you have questions or would like further clarification on how these options are managed, feel free to talk with a member of our HR team. - Jeff Ostermann, Chief People Officer

Explore other reviews about Sweetwater

5.0
Jun 19, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

-Structure for private lessons -Create your own hours -Pool for new students -Food discount -Benefits

Cons

-I personally did not have problems

4.0
Jun 5, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

If sales and music are your drives, Sweetwater is as good as it gets. Management in my experience has been very supportive and development-oriented, creating a positive culture around the company. They have a fantastic training program (albeit intense) that trains on both products and sales methods, so even if you're lacking experience in a given category there's plenty of coaching and training to get you ready for the role. Over time, the position can also be quite lucrative which compliments Fort Wayne's low cost of living well. They also offer relocation assistance since all positions are on-site, and a great benefits package. I've been fortunate to become great friends with many of my coworkers and honestly some days don't even feel like work. Ultimately, with this job you get what you put in, and making a solid living to geek out over music gear all day is a pretty sweet gig.

Cons

The job is very demanding - it's a fully commission sales job that revolves around constant customer outreach via call, text, and email. This means starting out is tough financially, and days are usually long. Try to have a savings cushion before you start, especially if you're moving from another city/state. You also work nights, holidays, and rotate through weekend shifts which won't be new for those who have worked retail before, but it's still a tough adjustment. Starting out I struggled from a social aspect as well. Fort Wayne is a cool city, but it's no LA, NY, or Chicago. Long hours at work make going out and making friends or getting involved in community groups/organizations difficult.

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