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Basses available in the UK?

#21
Toasted said:
Most people live a travel-able distance from London. Unless you’re living way up in Scotland,
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Amen to your whole post Toasted! Also, despite living in the northern outpost of the empire I still wouldn't think twice of going to London for the day to get the right guitar if I couldn't get it at home. I did that very thing last year and was well pleased.
 
#23
My opinion is valid. Well.. as valid as everyone else's, I suppose! :)

I'll not deny that the current situation is fine for some people (Bruce included). What I disagree with is the sweeping statement/inference that buying from the US is a silly thing to do.

If I set out to look for my current crop now, without looking overseas, I'd still be looking in 5 years' time. So.. looking overseas works for me. :)
 
#24
wateroftyne said:
Heh.. it's the Bruce Lindfield mantra.

You know... where everyone lives around the corner from a friendly little bass shop, which a friendly man what sells everything in their wildest dreams at perfectly reasonable prices.
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This is just total rubbish - I've never said anything like this and it is of course totally unrealistic!!

But as other have said here - a nice day out in London is very pleasurable and definitely worth the effort!

London is huge for all types of retail and is as good as anywhere on the planet - we should be proud of that.

But the serious point is that by trying so many basses I get a lot more experience at knowing what suits me and what doesn't!

If I had only tried the 3 or 4 basses that I actually bought over the last 5/6 years - then like you, I might not be able to tell for several months what was wrong with a bass.:hmm:

But as I have tried and played literally hundreds of different basses in that time - often spending 2 hours or more in the store - I can tell what it is about a bass I like or don't like - pretty quickly! :)

I think that experience is worth every penny and would recommend everybody to do the same.
Most of all maybe - because it is fun!! :hyper: :bassist:

I love bass shopping, trying stuff chatting to people about basses seeing all the sights in London etc etc.

Whereas buying by mail order - is just stress and worry :

- is it going to be held up in customs, how much will they charge?
- is it going to be damaged in transit?
- have they shipped the wrong model?
- is that neck thicker than it looks in pictures?
- have I been scammed?

etc etc :(
 
#25
JmD said:
What can we easily get hold of here?

Any good bass shop's online in the UK?
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It's interesting that this thread has digressed from this question. Having worked in the MI industry for a while ten years ago there seemed to be a healthy crop of bass friendly shops across the UK, mostly in the big cities, Birmingham, Manchester, London.

Peoples purchasing practices have changed dramatically over the past decade and several bass dedicated shops have also gone. Although I agree that purchasing your bass from a shop where you have sat down with the bass and are happy with the cost/service etc is the ideal, ultimately more and more people are using shops for a try out and then buying online - for everthing not just basses.

I think it is fair to ask if there are any good online shops in the UK - however I think we fall way behind the US and even Europe on this.

I recently took a risk and travelled 100 miles to Machinehead in Hitchen to try out a Roscoe bass that I found by accident whilst checking out links on bass guitarist web site. I new nothing about them but using the internet did some research. The company importing them went bust and they had the stock at reduced prices (there are still a couple left).

I was lucky - the bass was perfect and I got a good deal. I decided after a couple of weeks to try a purchase another as a backup (got GAS). After a huge amount of intertime (new word) I found what I was looking for at the Groove Shoppe ( I also received great service from other dealers on the way)

In twenty years I have never imported anything! Well it could not have been easier, I called on Monday PM in the UK and the bass arrived Wednesday AM in the UK.:hyper:

I did have a small problem but Gard at Roscoe and David at the Groove Shoppe bent over backwards to help out and all was resolved.

I could not have got this bass in the UK and it cost me the same as the reduced bass in the UK - I too lucked out on the import duty:ninja:

Yes the Bass Gallery and Bass centre are good and offer great service, but if they do not have the bass/gear you are looking for what is the option?

PS There are some awesome basses direct on line in the UK eg Shucker/Status/Overwater - and this is the state of the market.

PPS I have spent too much time in music shops over the years and do not have the time nowadays.
 
#26
I'm not against buying stuff from the US and I shop via the net all the time - I usually buy something at least every month! :)

Last thing was a pick up for my DB from the US - got delayed in customs and they slapped on a hefty fee - but it was still cheaper than buying from a UK shop!

But what I feel is that a bass is too "personal" to buy without trying and there are too many possible things to go wrong.

Also I think the experience of trying loads of basses is very valuable.

So as one example, I remember being in the Gallery and chatting to Martin Peterson - he encouraged me to try basses and explained why they sounded like they did...:)

He even insisted I try an Alembic 6-string that looked unbelievable and was priced at over £6,000 - although I told him I would never pay that much a for a Bass Guitar!

I think the experience of trying a £6k bass - that was actually worth that much (!!) is something I would never have got through buying basses online...:hmm:

And I would really regret having have missed that kind of thing....:(
 
#27
poptart said:
ultimately more and more people are using shops for a try out and then buying online
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This is a disgraceful practice. I wonder how many TB'ers would like their workplaces to be used in this mercenary fashion. If you want to buy online then do so, it's your choice. But don't have the hypocrisy to enjoy the services of a local store with no intention of ever being a customer.
 
#28
I absolutely agree - this is the feedback I am getting friends who run music shops every where:hmm:

It's interesting that all sorts of shops/organisations offer "web prices" that are cheaper than there own shop price - it's feeding the fire.

I am a great believer in building up relationships with shops as you will in the long run get the support.

IMO there are too many of us who buy on price alone:crying:
 
#30
Bruce Lindfield said:
That's right - I can remember going into the Bass Centre when it was in Wapping and trying very bass in the Status range and they've always had a very good range of all types of basses. :)
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Ah yes, the good old days. i remember that shop as well.
I have seen a few pro player there as well (including john Entwhistle). Dont like the new shop although i have got quite a bit of gear from it in the last few years (mainly as its only a 15min walk from home)
I think Denmark st is terrible now. and i avoid it if i can. over priced and very little choice. couldnt even get a set of D'addario XL's or Chromes

Dave.
 

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