Everyone has heard the expression, “Time passes quickly when you’re having fun.” Well, we must all be having a ball here at Sweetwater, because everyone has been commenting on how fast 1998 has flown by.

Actually, it has been a lot of fun this past year, and a lot has happened. We’ve added quite a few product lines (like Yamaha, for example) to our already impressive list. We’re now stocking and selling all the very best guitars, basses, amps and accessories. We’ve added a huge new warehouse and a whole floor of new offices. We’ve increased our sales staff, our creative staff and our technical support and service staff. We’ve increased the number of issues of Sweet Notes we publish each year. And we’re now exhibiting at all the major industry shows like NAMM and AES.

But of all the events of the last year, nothing was more visible or had more impact on you, the customer than our 1998 Equipment Directory and the two subsequent supplements, the Yamaha Directory and the New Gear Update. To say that response to this was overwhelming would be an understatement. Within weeks of the first mailings we actually had to increase the number of phone lines coming into the Sweetwater building.

And now, because music technology does not sit still for anyone, we have just finished
printing our brand new 1999 Equipment Directory. It’s full of new products, updated information and product specs. Last year’s Directory was 156 pages, but our creative team knocked themselves out and this year’s edition is 212 pages - that’s about half an inch thick! It’s literally the encyclopedia of music technology, and like our last Directory, will doubtlessly serve as the definitive reference for the entire music industry. Plus, as a bonus, it’s the ultimate “dream book” for planning your own personal stage or studio setup.

To answer your first question: Yes, everyone on our domestic mailing list (all 150,000+ of you) will automatically receive a copy. In fact, the first mailings went out around Thanksgiving, but we probably won’t get all copies mailed until after the first of the year, so you might need to be a little patient. Those of you outside the U.S. should call your Sweetwater Sales Engineer for information on how you can get your own 1999 Directory.

If you just can’t wait until your personal copy arrives, you can check our Web site (www.sweetwater.com) where PDF files of the entire directory are already posted, so you can access all the valuable data online.

As we head into 1999, we can tell you that last year was just the beginning. There are a lot more exciting surprises ahead that we just can’t tell you about yet (sorry). But the one thing that will never change is the quality of service you get from Sweetwater!

From your Sales Engineer all the way to the Shipping Department, everyone is totally committed to not only serving your needs, but taking care of you in a way that will always leave you with a big smile on your face.

We can’t possibly say it enough: Everyone knows that the phenomenal success story that is Sweetwater Sound could not possibly have happened without our loyal customers. We’re all here to make sure your music-making experience is the best it can possibly be. If there’s a way you feel we can serve your needs even better, we want to know about it. If you have a problem or concern, we want to hear from you so we can make it right.

Yes, we have great people, great products and great prices, but we always feel that it’s our commitment to making our customers absolutely ecstatic about the way they’ve been taken care of that makes the difference between Sweetwater and any other music retailer. That will continue to be our goal for 1999 and well into the next century!