Anyone Stop Buying Basses Sight Unseen?

[ebozzz]

Providing clarity to an asked and answered question is not the same as being defensive. I believe that it is your interpretation that is flawed in this case.

Local simply means “nearby.” That doesn’t necessarily have anything to do with my mailing address. If I’m in Japan, as I was recently, anything I buy at Ikebe Gakki is local to me at that moment, and I certainly will have played it before forking over my hard-earned cash.

If you wanna buy things sight unseen, go right ahead. It doesn’t matter to me what you do with your money. I only said that I wouldn’t do that myself for any reason and then explained why, when prompted to, by you.

You were defensive. You implied that I said or meant something that I didn’t. All I did was make a statement that it was nice if you’re able to fill your needs locally, questioned if you settled for what was available and if that’s how you got down. YOU felt that I implied that you settled when I absolutely did not. Defensive….

In the initial post that I responded to you about you made no mention of how you purchased other than you don’t do so sight unseen. I mean, there was no mention of traveling to Japan & such so I asked what I asked. You could have simply responded that you travel to buy your gear in your first response to me but you didn’t. You focused on what you misinterpreted!

I don’t need you to tell me that it’s alright to make purchases the way that I do. Nor will I try to tell you how you should spend your coin. When I travel I also shop the stores in that area. When I’m home, it’s harder for me to find what I’m interested in so I do purchase things without having an opportunity to try them first.

 

[superheavyfunk]

When I’m home, it’s harder for me to find what I’m interested in so I do purchase things without having an opportunity to try them first.

Good for you. Doesn’t work for me and that’s all that matters as far as I’m concerned. Not really interested in an ongoing argument about your interpretation of my words. Have a good day

 

[DuluthDank]

I've only done that once, from a talkbass seller. It actually turned out great, but it was a cheap bass to begin with (Yamaha BB424X) Never again...it's just too stressful.

 

[ebozzz]

Good for you. Doesn’t work for me and that’s all that matters as far as I’m concerned. Not really interested in an ongoing argument about your interpretation of my words. Have a good day

More about YOUR interpretation of my words but run wild!

 

[slagbass]

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've bought used basses off TB classifieds and had no issues. I still feel comfortable dealing with someone off TB as long as they have a reasonable amount of good feedback. Heck, I even bought a used bass off eBay about 20 years ago and it is still one of my main players.

My only stipulation for buying used online is the bass in question has to have a stellar reputation for quality (Sadowsky, FBass etc.).

 

[Pilgrim]

I don't consider buying based on photos to be "sight unseen." I've seen them, just haven't touched them. The term "sight unseen" in the thread was used inaccurately IMO.

So no, I would not normally buy a bass without seeing photos, but I don't have to lay hands on it.

The one time I have stretched that was when Gretsch offered a Christmas special through GC 10+ years ago. It was this gorgeous orange 5123 hollowbody, which in theory was only offered on the basis of one per store. When I heard about it (and saw one photo in a discussion thread), I called the GC locally and said "If you can get one, I'll buy it." IIRC it was $699. They didn't have one, but they got one from a Denver GC and I had it within a couple of weeks. I still have it, and it's one of my favorites. I had two things going in my favor: 1) I've never held a Gretsch I didn't like. 2) It was new so I could have returned it if I didn't like it. In this photo, it's so new the shipping foam is still under the bridge.

I didn't like it, I loved it. But I saw a photo before ordering.

When

 

[Geri O]

I have bought new and used basses online, seeing pics abs descriptions, but not hands on before purchase. Not had a bad experience so far.

But I am trying stop buying basses online.

(Just not for reasons anyone else has listed….)

 

[WG Plum]

Nope. My two main basses were bought online unplayed. However, I knew exactly what the first was and had been searching for one off and for over twenty years and the other was a Squier P bass, so… Both are great.

 

[ebozzz]

But I am trying stop buying basses online.

(Just not for reasons anyone else has listed….)

So am I and our reasons are probably very similar.....

 

[Paul New]

I even bought a “vintage” bass online, sight unseen. And was extremely pleased with it. I’ve bought two double basses without touching them first. The only problem I ever had was a new Fender American Deluxe Jazz in the first year they were offered, bought from Thoroughbred Music. The rout for the neck pickup was misaligned. I didn’t even notice for a couple of years, but at that time american Fenders still had the lifetime warranty, so it wasn’t much of a problem. That’s when they were actually worth the premium!

 

[Chad Michael]

Bought this from our very own @Dr. Cheese . Love it!!

 

[Dr. Cheese]

Bought this from our very own @Dr. Cheese . Love it!!View attachment 7203179

That was one of the best passive basses and five strings I ever owned.

 

[mikeswals]

No. Nearly all of the basses in my collection were sight unseen, except for maybe 2 or 3.
Places around here rarely get the things I'm looking for, or just don't carry them at all, and majority of the time timing doesn't line up for used items when I'm ready to buy. Surprising for being such a big music city.

Of course in the past I have bought some things local, but ended up selling them too. So local and tested didn't guarantee 'keeper'.

 

[JenderBazzFass]

I've bought used basses off TB classifieds and had no issues. I still feel comfortable dealing with someone off TB as long as they have a reasonable amount of good feedback. Heck, I even bought a used bass off eBay about 20 years ago and it is still one of my main players.

My only stipulation for buying used online is the bass in question has to have a stellar reputation for quality (Sadowsky, FBass etc.).

Yes everyone I have seen here would seem to be a good sort, but if for some reason a scammer were in here or a deal went south I'd have no protections. With Craigslist I also have no protections, but I can inspect in hand first.

 

[skycruiser]

It only costs around $20 to return a bass to Sweetwater. That's the way I usually buy these days.

 

[jd56hawk]

Not sure if I'll ever buy another bass, but if I do, more than likely I'll buy it from Reverb where I can get something special.
Over the last dozen years, for every store-bought bass I purchased, I bought four sight unseen...never bought a bad one, either.

 

[sleddogn]

Looks to me, that more do buy unseen than not from the responses. I bought my first bass in 1988 at local store. Tried it, bought it. My second thru number 75ish all were bought online. What i don't like about these types of threads, are the "soapbox" borderline get mad responses when some don't agree with the soapmasters... The more the non-buyers on reverb, the better the chance of me finding it first

 

[Miles_ONeal]

All 6 of my guitars were bought in person.
I bought my first bass off the rack at GC.
I then bought a bass from a stranger online. While I sold it because the neck didn't fit my hand, it had problems I'd already fixed before realizing 5 strings hated me. Problems the seller had not disclosed. This left me a tad leery of buying from strangers. The next 4 basses I bought over the net but from people I had grown to trust first. I just today bought another bass, this time from someone I barely know, but they have an excellent rating on TalkBass, and a friend has dealt with them quite happily. So I'm not worried.
My last (I think) holy grail bass will be fairly expensive, but I'm unlikely to find one I can try first. So I'll have to trust a stranger and/or an online purchasing entity if I find said bass at a price I can live with.

To be fair, the local stores are not teeming with Thunderbirds, especially older ones by a variety of manufacturers, and birds are my jam.

 

[B-Mac]

I've never bought a bass I didn't see.

However, I have bought many basses that I have seen on the net and never played first and then did purchase online.

I don't think anyone has ever bought a bass that they have never seen first.

 

[Miles_ONeal]

I've never bought a bass I didn't see.

However, I have bought many basses that I have seen on the net and never played first and then did purchase online.

I don't think anyone has ever bought a bass that they have never seen first.

Seen on the net isn’t necessarily seen. Even legit photos don’t tell the whole story - never mind carefully curated photos, doctored photos, etc.