Anyone Stop Buying Basses Sight Unseen?

[Rdore2000]

I live in India and so I really don't have much of a choice. I've had fantastic luck thus far sight unseen though.

 

[Just Wrong]

I was thinking about starting a similar thread this morning. I am a few days away from putting a deposit to have a luthier build me a bass, but as I was driving to rehearsal yesterday, I started thinking about my only prior experience with a luthier.

The bass was four months late -- not really an issue per se, but the luthier never told me he was running late; I had to ask him a month and a half past the ETA.

There was a loose knob and an intermittence issue with the input. I had to have a tech raise the nut because it was so low it was causing back buzz.

I know setups are subjective, but the setup was objectively bad. The luthier also included an allen wrench to adjust the truss rod. I managed to put it in with a bit of trouble, but didn't think much of it. Except, I couldn't take it out. It was a cheap wrench that wasn't exactly the right size. I dinged the truss rod slot trying to get it out.

Talking of dings, the bass had a lot of them -- I've been playing for 20 years, and I've never had a bass as beat up as this one was when it arrived.

I asked for the semi-hollow model. They had pictures on the website of how they their "f hole" looked. The bass arrived with a drastically different "f hole."

Writing this down, I can't believe I didn't return it or at least ask for a partial refund. It wasn't cheap either - $5,100.

I know this was one experience, but now I'm second guessing myself...

Edit: I want to add, though, that I love the bass... I just didn't expect to have to put $200 worth of work on a new bass. Or pay for a new bass that isn't anywhere near mint. I understand that handmade means there can be some defects, but not that many and that bad. The "f hole" on mine looks better than the ones in the pictures, but there's no way I would've went ahead with a different "f hole" than advertised without letting the customer know if I were a luthier.

 

[EncoremMP]

Agreed with all the Lefties here. Just not possible to try before buying.

 

[moon-bass]

I've bought hundreds of basses online without playing them first. Only had one issue, which the seller should have disclosed (and could have been caught in pics). A little bit of due diligence and paying with credit cards/PayPal goods and services helps.

 

[gln1955]

I Haven't tried a bass before buying since I bought my first one in 2004. None of the shops in my area from Columbus to Cincy, have had what I wanted when I wanted it.

 

[pb9717]

I normally only buy basses online. It’s very rare I come across one in a store that I’ll buy.

I also am able to find instruments well below market online, and flip them, while it gives me a chance to try them.

But I rarely if ever have had the chance to try a bass before I’ve paid for it.

I also have the good fortune to have a good credit limit on my GC gear card, so I can buy any used bass from them , try it, and return it to the store locally if its a dud, broken, etc. I don't mind paying the $20 shipping to try a bass for 45 days.

 

[PennyroyalWe]

Yes, in 2012 after getting an absolute dud.

 

[mambo4]

I only bought sight unseen once, everything else at least got into my hands first.

 

[jensenmann]

I bough a few basses unseen online, when the price was really good or the risk was low. But all my higher priced basses were bought either new (Wal, FBass) or I tried them before buying.

 

[Gervais Cote]

I prefer by far driving up to 4 hours back and forth to try a bass before buying it than buying online.

Nevertheless, I now build my own basses myself now so problems solved.

 

[shoot-r]

The only musical equipment oriented product I'll buy sight unseen/untried is strings.

Upside of the local brick and mortar stores no longer carrying what I'd call gigging level equipment, it keeps me from spending what I can't afford.....downside, I'm needing a new gigging amp/head, I want to checkout a Genzler Kinetix 800 in person, closest stocking brick and mortar is roughfully a 4 + hour drive.

 

[Nebadon2000]

I have bought most things online over the last decade or so. With no hassle returns, there's no risk involved in ordering online.

I will not buy a USED bass online though, unless it's from a place like Guitar Center where I can return it in store if needed. I have had too many experiences with dishonest sellers, undisclosed damage, or improper packaging resulting in damage that the seller did not want to make right and which resulted in a drawn out dispute. Unfortunately, too many dishonest individuals out there.

I see it the same as you but not so many bad expierences but I am aware of high likelihood

Last 2 purchases where new from reputable Dealers: If I was to consider Used it will be reputable dealer
I will not by used even here on TB

 

[Maxi Funkl]

My last 6 basses were bought sight unseen all via cyberspace.

 

[TOOL460002]

I may have played the MIM P my parents bought me in middle school but other than that 100% sight unseen. Seven Stingray 4H's and, while some needed a bit of work, I don't really regret any of those purchases.

 

[kmon]

I hear ya but Sight unseen gives me access to thousands of basses. Seen gives me access to a few.

I find that the right questions asked of a remote seller get me most of the info that I’d get from holding the thing.

 

[bigdaddybass12]

I only buy used site unseen from guitar Center only. I have bought five, I have sent two back to our local GC. Watching GC for another one already!

 

[mustBmtd]

Never bought a bass sight unseen, and couldn't play it as well.

 

[dune]

I haven't and probably won't. I've always had a strong distaste for the music store experience and vastly prefer shopping online. Throughout my life on the road and off, there are really only a handful of music stores I've really enjoyed doing business with, and none of them have been of the big box variety. So, as long as there's a solid return policy, I'm fine with buying basses online sight unseen and so far, I'm 4 for 4.

 

[Michael Jewels]

While I much prefer to buy anything, and I mean anything in a store where I can see and hold the item, stores are becoming more and more rare.

Buying sight unseen is sometimes the only way to go.

As I've said many times, I research anything I buy, usually for months before I actually buy it, and read as many reviews on the item as I can.

Reviews can't always be trusted, but you can usually get an accurate picture of an item if there are a lot of positive reviews.

I've bought about a dozen basses, amps and pedals online over the past 20 years, and haven't been disappointed once.

Mike

 

[LowEndSoul]

Agreed with all the Lefties here. Just not possible to try before buying.

I'm a lefty too (but I play right-handed). There are a lot of us here, it seems. I started playing right handed because I'm too easily confused by mirroring everything.