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Bass Palace, Scranton

#21
Shoot! I was just in Scranton Monday! I could have checked it out! Oh well, if it's closed as DaBassman says, it wouldn't have been any good any way...

EDIT: just tried to go to the website via the link in the OP and got an "unavailable" error. Not good...
 
#22
I don't what happened with Bob, since he was nothing but nice and friendly and sincere since I dealt with him for the past four years. But he owes me some serious bread for a bass I sold in his shop, and now I can't get in touch with him at all. The Website has not been updated in who know's how long and what about all the other people who had stuff there for sale and are now out their money too. It just seems crazy that Bob would do something like that, especially since last I spoke to him at the Philly Guitar Show, he seemed so optimistic about getting the business up and running again. If anybody knows any other info, please let me know. Thanks
 
#23
The website is down, the phone is disconnected. The doors are padlocked. I had an email from Bob in response to a call that got through before the phone went dead. He was going to get back to me with prices about an L-1000 or two. But never did. Said he was "staying under the radar". Now he is really under it. Too bad, looked like a cool place.
 
#24
If you haven't already guessed the rumor I'm hearing is the Bass Palace is having some financial difficulty. I've talked with a frined who dealt with them regularly and he said he had no idea why they closed. I hope not! There was some great stuff in his store. But if your closed and your web site is down you're not selling anything either.
 
#26
I'm in Scranton, same town as Bob and the Palace. I used to visit the store every other week or so but he's been closed up for quite a while. The last few times I went in to see him and Bernardo he was talking about what a hassle it was to keep the store open, maintain website sales and do shows, all at the same time. He was also having some issues with his building and property.
He kind of indicated (threatened ?) to close the store and just do ebay sales and the occasional show. If you check eBay user "thehyn" you'll see he's been auctioning off quite a bit of stuff, assorted pieces, parts and an occasional bass. Bob's always been a straight up guy with me although I've never made a major purchase from him, just accessories. I do believe Bernardo is out of the picture alhtough I may be wrong. I don't want to start any rumors.
At any rate, if you're out there Swami, post a reply and let us know you're OK.
 
#27
Wovoka77 said:
I don't what happened with Bob, since he was nothing but nice and friendly and sincere since I dealt with him for the past four years. But he owes me some serious bread for a bass I sold in his shop, and now I can't get in touch with him at all...
Click to expand...

Good luck friend. He disappeared on me too. As I mentioned before, this guy looks OK but has a criminal potential.
I've been burned badly by him.
PM for complete details as I don't like to go public with this.
 
#28
The "Bass Swami" is a thief and I couldn't be happier that he is out of business. My wife bought me an MIJ Vantage VP 800 series bass from the Bass Palace for my birthday.
[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

I have a Vantage VS600 series bass that I bought new back in 1983 when I was in high school. I had drooled over the neck-through VP series for a very long time. It looks just like the VP820B that is pictured, except it has two p-bass style pups.

It was listed as being in "Very Good" condition. When it arrived, the thing was absolutely unplayable. Someone had obviously used a screwdriver to pry the frets out of the thing. There were huge dents on the underside of the neck directly under the first 6 or frets. The frets that were in there extended up to a full 1/4" out the underside. If you tried to play it, you would have torn your left hand apart.

The electronics were a complete mess. Lots of large dings and rust.

When I contacted "the Swami" he shucked and jived about how ratings like "very good" were subjective and that he felt he had labeled it correctly. I suggested to him that most people would expect a Very Good rating to indicate that it is actually usable as a musical instrument.

I ended up converting it to fretless and passive. I am still not happy with it and have considered more than once turning it into a side table.

I have posted this story many other places on the internet and my hope is that these postings have somehow contributed to his shop closing.
 
#29
I remember meeting him at a guitar show in Saratoga Springs, NY and when I asked him if he had any lefties he went into a triade about how he would NEVER carry any lefty basses because he always got stuck with them......which is OK, but he was just very nasty about it like it was my fault for asking......kind of a strange dude.........so, no great loss for us lefties! ;-)
 
#34
I did some finish repair work for him a few years back. A little work swapping for gear and straight up purchases too. It went OK. His number 2 guy was good to deal with.

I think Bob is a complex individual. High energy, intense, a bit mercurial. He seemed more focused on basses and players than on the finer points of being a businessman. He definitely knew a great bass from a good one.

In my experience, he was very good on the floor at guitar shows, doing deals smoothly and taking care of his customers. Running a bricks and mortar operation did not seem to be his strong suit. If he's back up with mainly online sales now, has should do fine with that.

I have to find out if Bob is related to Henry Hynoski, former prodigious Pitt Panther FB and now pro player.
 

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