J.W. Pepper

2012 Review #277: JW Pepper is a nation-​wide business that specializes in sheet music and music supplies. It seems MN is their main hub, but a lot of their business is done online. My experience with them has been online. Although they do have supplies, they are mostly for choral, band, or general music teachers, but very few string supplies.
In regards to sheet music, JW Pepper has an excellent selection. The website often has the ability to hear the music, see the music, but rarely both. I’m sure this has something to do with the individual publishers but that inconsistency is annoying. I have ordered music through J.W. Pepper on several occasions and about half the time it ends up being a massive hassle. Once I tried to download an E-​print (you have copyright rites but you print it out immediately). I paid for it but there was no PDF file attached to the link I paid for, so I didn’t get music. To their credit, they overnighted me physical copies at their expense, but they didn’t actually fix the link.
More recently, I ordered a piece and when it arrived (3 days late), it was missing all 1^st violin parts. I called and was told that the parts would arrive within 2 business days. 5 business days later I still hadn’t received it. I called and spoke with them and was given a lot of attitude. The employee implied that I made up the date I was told, as if it were impossible that I was told I’d get the replacements for their mistake within 2 days, which is obviously possible. Then I was told that the replacements had to come from the publisher. Why? wasn’t this J.W. Pepper’s mistake? Regardless, I did get the replacements but they sent me all copies; original music is printed on thicker, bigger paper and is much more durable and professional looking. If they were going to send me copies they should have just send me a pdf so I could print it myself. I’ll continue to use J.W. Pepper because they’re about the best option, but being the best option doesn’t mean it’s actually very good.