Your worst bass shopping experience

spudmaster34 · #1 09-01-2006, 09:12 PM

I dont mean little things like guitarists wanking away, make it less commonplace, if you don't mind.

Mine: today, I was in a store trying out a few basses, I was ussing a 50w amp with the volume on about 2, bassically, quiettly, I was on a stool right in front of the amp, so it worked. An employee came over to me, turned the volume to 10 and said "go for it", unfourtunatly, the danolectro longhorn I was playing had a neck as straight as an arrow, meaning fret-buzz. I felt like such an idiot.

can anyone beat it?

Woodchuck · #2 09-01-2006, 09:20 PM

I got good one. I was tuning the bass by using harmonics, and the salesweasel comes over and says, "I know what you're trying to do. May I?"

So, I give him the bass, and he proceeds to fumble the intro to "Portrait of Tracy". Then he goes, "It's something like that."

He gives me back the bass, and I tell him that I was merely tuning it. He turns red

and walks off.

spudmaster34 · #3 09-01-2006, 09:26 PM

Jiggybass · #4 09-01-2006, 09:47 PM

I once got punched in the gut because I seemed to have picked up a bass, which I was looking to buy (Ric. 4003, jetglow), before this guy that hit me had a chance to pick it up. Talk about impatience

The sad part was, I really didn't do much other than say: "I got here first, now if I may have just five minutes, and it'll be all yours"

But He couldn't seem to wait that long, and it's not as if he had any reservation on it or anything. Needless to say, the hit caught me by surprise, and made me drop the bass, and bend over, almost falling to the floor. I shoved the guy, and he tumbled over his stool, and fell to the floor. Luckily I did not get into any trouble, as a sales rep. had been there to see it. I just left the store, As the slaes rep. prevented the guy from coming after me. I guess the guy must've had to pay for damages, or something, even though I had dropped it, being punched in the gut didn;t leave me much choice(or control) over it. So I wasn't at fault.

Skeletomania · #5 09-01-2006, 10:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jiggyjazz24bass

I once got punched in the gut because I seemed to have picked up a bass, which I was looking to buy (Ric. 4003, jetglow), before this guy that hit me had a chance to pick it up. Talk about impatience

The sad part was, I really didn't do much other than say: "I got here first, now if I may have just five minutes, and it'll be all yours"

But He couldn't seem to wait that long, and it's not as if he had any reservation on it or anything. Needless to say, the hit caught me by surprise, and made me drop the bass, and bend over, almost falling to the floor. I shoved the guy, and he tumbled over his stool, and fell to the floor. Luckily I did not get into any trouble, as a sales rep. had been there to see it. I just left the store, As the slaes rep. prevented the guy from coming after me. I guess the guy must've had to pay for damages, or something, even though I had dropped it, being punched in the gut didn;t leave me much choice(or control) over it. So I wasn't at fault.

After reading that, all I could think about is all the basses hanging on the walls. Think about the instruments and take the fight outside.

buzzbass · #6 09-01-2006, 10:07 PM

Guitar Center, any location, take your pick. The 2 near me in NJ especially suck.

cassanova · #7 09-02-2006, 03:41 AM

Sam Ash last night. Thread to come on it.

BuffaloMO · #8 09-02-2006, 05:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jiggyjazz24bass

I once got punched in the gut because I seemed to have picked up a bass, which I was looking to buy (Ric. 4003, jetglow), before this guy that hit me had a chance to pick it up. Talk about impatience

The sad part was, I really didn't do much other than say: "I got here first, now if I may have just five minutes, and it'll be all yours"

But He couldn't seem to wait that long, and it's not as if he had any reservation on it or anything. Needless to say, the hit caught me by surprise, and made me drop the bass, and bend over, almost falling to the floor. I shoved the guy, and he tumbled over his stool, and fell to the floor. Luckily I did not get into any trouble, as a sales rep. had been there to see it. I just left the store, As the slaes rep. prevented the guy from coming after me. I guess the guy must've had to pay for damages, or something, even though I had dropped it, being punched in the gut didn;t leave me much choice(or control) over it. So I wasn't at fault.

You should have called the cops or broke that Ric over the guys head!

matrok · #9 09-02-2006, 06:17 AM

I have a feeling GC will win in this thread.

Back in 94 I joined a band with a lot of 5 string in their material, so I went shopping for an affordable bass. I had been playing an Ibanez SR800 for several years so I decided to start there. The SR405 was in my budget so I went to GC to try it out. Sales guy gets it down, then proceeds to plug in and start playing it. He's telling me how it doesn't compare to his two and three thousand dollar basses, and bragging about all his gigs. Finally hands it over to me. I play a few licks, like the feel, hand it back and tell him that I'll go pay more somewhere else. Jerk was dumbfounded.

A guy I knew owned a small music store in the town I was living in. I was working at a music wholesaler at the time and used to deliver his stuff saving him the UPS charges. He ordered the bass and gave it to me for cost.

Kenny Allyn · #10 09-02-2006, 06:53 AM

How about a ... good to Bad to GREAT! experience.

About 9 years ago now I was just getting into 5 string basses, and had been looking at several, when I read about the Warwick Pro M 5 in Bass Player mag ... it seemed like it might be the one. I could not find one locally anywhere. I made a phone call to a friend of mine who owned a small music store in Jonesboro Ark. ... damn if since I had seen him last he had become a Warwick dealer, and actually had one .

I drove over and played it ... put down some money on it for a lay-a-way and told him I would be back in a month to get it .

Well two weeeks went by and I just couldn't take it ... had to have it! I called him and told him I would be there on Saturday ... and after a moment of silence he kinda muttered ... "ah don't make the trip .. I sold it" ... SAY WHAT!

Turns out HE didn't sell it but he did leave it on the rack when I left and went to lunch, and another salesman did.

The GREAT ending is he called Warwick and told them the story and that I was a very picky and demanding customer ... PLEASE find the "best" one they could lay their hands on and ship it to him ... they did , and the one I ended up with is 3 times better than the one I had initially bought.

... I still have that "bad boy" to this day ... only 5 string I own or need .

invader3k · #11 09-02-2006, 07:37 AM

See, at least in that story, the owner did his best to make things right.

Kenny Allyn · #12 09-02-2006, 07:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by invader3k

See, at least in that story, the owner did his best to make things right.

So true!

... But it could have gone the other way ... I was just lucky "this time" .

spudmaster34 · #13 09-02-2006, 05:13 PM

wow, 2 bad experiences in 2 days

today, as part of the same bass shopping binge, I was at gc, 2 kids (8-10 years old) came into the bass section, one said to the other "these are the basses, you don't want one, they arn't as cool as guitars" the other agreed and they left

but I ended up making an order for a new yamaha, so it all works out http://www.yamaha.com/guitars/produc...RODUCT,00.html

iplaybassguitar · #14 09-02-2006, 05:31 PM

when i ask a guy as a guitar store if i can try the bass, he brings it over to the amps, tells me hes a drummer, pounds the open e five times then plays blitzkrieg bop....every f***in time too!

Nick Ioannucci · #15 09-02-2006, 07:58 PM

ok picture this. guitar center. april 06. trying out a warwick corvette fretless and an american 62RI pick up the jazz plug it in set my eq the way i like it, and wank away, the chicken red hot chili peppers, whatever. theres an employee working on a guitar next me and says wow nice, you know all the good ones, nice tone good taste in basses, so i thanks, and he leaves, and i think im having a great time. then some sales monkey comes over, completely changes my eq, and all i can do is stare at him, flaberghasted(sp?..) so he says yeah, this way sounds better, especially for slap(he did the exact opposite of what i like cut the mids gives it a nice scoop) thats how i set mine when i pay with my band. so, being the hot tempered customer is always right punk sixteen year old i am, i slowly turn my head and look at him. and he continues talking, asking if he can help me with anything else, and i happened to be having not the greatest of days, and say to him, "hey listen, do i look like im you? i dont play slap, and a scooped sound cant cut for crap, so if you dont mind, no there is nothing else you can help me with, dont play with my eq." i wasnt yelling or anything, but im sure i didnt say it all that nicely, he looks at me liek im the *******, says something rediculous about how he was just trying to help and no reason to be rude. hes lucky i didnt go to talk to the manager. it was a little bad luck on his part though. he didnt even ask or anything. meh. needless to say i didnt buy anything

Tbirdbassist · #16 09-02-2006, 09:16 PM

I've had lot's of bad experiences at shops.

The most annoying are when you are playing and that one dude comes in, picks up that squire with the skull and crossbones, goes over to an Ampeg SVT or somerthing large and turns up rediculously loud playing something horribly and sounding stupid trying to out-play you.

Poop-Loops · #17 09-02-2006, 09:25 PM

That is when the thumb over the neck "baseball bat" grip comes in handy.

Nick Ioannucci · #18 09-02-2006, 09:30 PM

lol, shoulda taken a squire to the sales monkey's face.

Indiana Mike · #19 09-02-2006, 09:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jiggyjazz24bass

I once got punched in the gut because I seemed to have picked up a bass, which I was looking to buy (Ric. 4003, jetglow), before this guy that hit me had a chance to pick it up. Talk about impatience

The sad part was, I really didn't do much other than say: "I got here first, now if I may have just five minutes, and it'll be all yours"

But He couldn't seem to wait that long, and it's not as if he had any reservation on it or anything. Needless to say, the hit caught me by surprise, and made me drop the bass, and bend over, almost falling to the floor. I shoved the guy, and he tumbled over his stool, and fell to the floor. Luckily I did not get into any trouble, as a sales rep. had been there to see it. I just left the store, As the slaes rep. prevented the guy from coming after me. I guess the guy must've had to pay for damages, or something, even though I had dropped it, being punched in the gut didn;t leave me much choice(or control) over it. So I wasn't at fault.

I am sorry to say that the next person that even thinks about hitting me may actually do it but will pay an eternity of hell for it..

Mean people suck ass

Poop-Loops · #20 09-02-2006, 09:56 PM

That was beyond mean, that was just plain stupid. What could he have possibly accomplished with that?

"HEY YOU!! I PUNCH YOU!!"

"You are right, sir, I stand corrected."

When does that ever happen?