| While I agree that contacting Shen guy in the US is probably a good idea you might consider this as well. Shen has a shop with basses on display and for sale right in the heart of downtown Shanghai. It's about a 10 minute walk from the Westin Hotel at The Bund Center Building, on a street that has several blocks full of music stores. I think it's called Jenling Lu. It's been about a year since I was last in Shanghai but at the time most examples of his line of basses were there for sale. Willows, Rogeris, Hybrids and Plywoods. I bought my Willow direct from Shen at his original factory in Suzhou in 2005. But I don't think one can do that anymore. Since then his factory has been moved to larger facility in a "special economic zone" in of area in Suzhou that has controls over all goods that are manufactured for export. It's difficult to divert a bass that's been dedicated to export out of this zone for a local sale, directly to an individual, the government regulates this stuff. Has to do with taxes and duties and such. Sam explained this to me a while back, when I wanted to buy a flight case. It had to go from factory, where it was stored, to the Shanghai store in order for me to pick it up, even though I was working in Hangzhou, which is closer to the factory than Shanghai is. Kind of complicated but Sam is so cool, he drove the case from the factory to the Shanghai store himself, in order to get the case to me in time for my flight out back to the States. He's a real nice guy. I'd bet that you could find just the bass you are looking for at the Shanghai store and probably still get it for less money than it might cost you in your home country.
Last edited by Mike Carr : 08-06-2008 at 01:59 AM.
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