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Buying a bass from Amazon ...???

#2
Be careful about it. I've heard of some real dogs coming from there. I got one myself. It was a Spector Legend that had just about everything wrong with a bass that could be. It looked like it had been put together by someone who had been on a drunken binge for 2 weeks.
 
#4
MTBassMania said:
So... Anyone ever done this? Thoughts? The bass I want is there, and I figure why not?
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At one time, a lot of junk reject basses were being dumped on Amazon and sold as A-stock. Whether or not this is still the case, I do not know.

I've bought many basses on Amazon in the past. Some were fine, some were absolutely horrific. They took the bad ones back at no cost to me, though.

Amazon sells a lot of strange merchandise, sourced from strange places.
 
#5
Ordered from amazon a few times. Only problem time was bass case from another distributor (not sold by amazon) had to cancel order due to item not actually being in stock. Other 3 times no problem. Twice for strings, one for a bass. Bass came in extra large pkg with padding and bass's box inside that.
 
#6
I've bought one bass from there, had two minor dings on it. Not sure if it came that way or UPS just had fun with it in shipping. But it plays and sounds great.
Thought I'd only buy a instrument off amazon when they have a insane sale on them. I wouldn't buy a retail price instrument off them.
 
#7
There's a savings, but there's a gamble. I bought a sight untouched. and blemished American Deluxe Jazz from Zzounds. It's perfect beyond my imagination. But I understood I was wagering, and it could just as easily worked the other way.
 
#8
They have the best refund/exchange policy on the web, so I wouldn't worry about getting a dog. If you do, just send it back for a refund or exchange. I buy strings from them all the time. Its nice ordering them in the afternoon and often getting them the next day! (Amazon Prime)

I buy a ton of stuff from them all the time. I live up in a pretty remote mountain community so we have no choice, but even if I had stores closer, I would probably still buy from there.

Before you commit to Amazon though, be sure to check Musician's Friend! They have given me great deals on everything I have bought for my new home studio. You need to CALL them though. Don't just go by the web site prices.

Just bought a Rickenbaker 4003 from them yesterday. They beat everyone else on the web by several hundred bucks. I am talking about prices I got by calling all these stores on the phone.
 
#11
Rip Topaz said:
Another thing to watch for with Amazon is to check the seller. Make sure that you're buying from "Amazon" and not some third party you've never heard of. If the third party is someone like Musicians Friend you are usually ok.
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Yeah, it was from Amazon LLC, not a third party. Mostly, I'm worried about shipping. I kind of live in a bubble... I'm in a canyon, surrounded by the Rocky Mountains, with several small, un-incorporated towns in my area. If it doesn't get shipped to my residence, or if I'm not there to sign for it, it could end up at any of 6 Post Offices within a 100 mile radius, with nothing more than a note in the online tracking log that says, "Left Notice."

It's happened. With Amazon, no less, for a book on small (home computer) studio mixing tips & tricks. After the book was "in limbo" at some Post Office for a week, I sent them a very perturbed e-mail and they were very apologetic, sent me another book via next-day UPS with specific instructions to leave it at my door.

I e-mailed them my concerns (AFTER buying, thinking it was no big deal after my last experience... durp dur), and they said they can't "just choose a carrier" (UPS, USPS, FedEx, etc.) or how that carrier chooses to deliver it, but if I don't get it by the end of next week, contact them for a refund or replacement.

I think that's crap. If I told them, "Ship UPS, leave inside my door," they can ship it UPS and leave it in my door - I've done it with other internet companies without a problem.

The ONLY reason I bought it, is because it was the only place that had the EXACT bass I wanted (model, parts, color, etc.), and they only had one left. What can say? I'm on a time frame. Girlfriend issues... I'm sure you understand.
 
#12
Any bass you buy without holding it in your hands first is a risk.
Even if it's brand new, it could be B-stock.
Even if it's A-stock, individual basses vary in quality, wood grain, etc.

At least with Amazon (and other well-known, reputable sellers) you have a return policy to rely on.
 
#13
Rockin Mike said:
Any bass you buy without holding it in your hands first is a risk.
Even if it's brand new, it could be B-stock.
Even if it's A-stock, individual basses vary in quality, wood grain, etc.

At least with Amazon (and other well-known, reputable sellers) you have a return policy to rely on.
Click to expand...

How do you tell if it's "A-stock" or "B-stock"? Up until this forum, I've never heard those terms used like they are used here. I figured A-stock was "made in home country by people that care about the product" while B-stock was "made in communist asia by $0.05/hr workers who slap it together and ship it out."

But how the terms are used here, it makes me think, "Oh, this one was made from the inner tree, meaning denser wood... A-stock. This one, outer tree, less dense... B-stock." Or vice versa. Or, the "tone master from this company didn't like it... B-STOCK!"

Lingo can really irritate the heck out of me...

And I have played one of these models before. Just not this specific one.
 
#14
MTBassMania said:
How do you tell if it's "A-stock" or "B-stock"?
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B-stock is manufacturer's reject, return, refurbished, repaired, resealed, floor demo, damaged or otherwise distressed merchandise.

Amazon sells vast acres of this stuff as A-stock -- which is new, fresh, sealed, top-quality product -- in every department, even if you're paying straight retail price for it.

I'm absolutely amazed at some of the junk I've gotten from them. Really breathtaking. :rollno:

It all eventually worked out, but sometimes I had to do as many as four (4) returns to get a non-junk product.

The weirdest bass buy was a great deal on an instrument that wasn't even manufactured yet. I think about seven months later I finally got it. Great, factory-fresh bass for what it was at a bizarrely low price, but what a strange deal. :confused:
 
#15
As stated several times..your rolling the dice. I wouldnt do it but alas..im sure we'll see your complaints on here in the coming days but you have been warned.

I dont see how you can expect a massive company to meet your specific shipping requirements..They are a MASS retailer....you are but a number to them.

I like Amazon for some stuff but a guitar is not one of them..Ive returned several with issues and defects as others have mentioned..sometimes their prices are too good to be true..maybe not...Hopefully it all works out..but please dont hop on here to vent should it not work out.

Oh and there is a hefty thread on here regarding Amazon and deals fwiw..def. worth the read
 
#18
I have had great luck ordering 3 unseen/shipped basses- and luck is exactly it.
I'm a boony dweller too and unless I feel like driving 70 miles to actually touch something (which is rare) I buy online. I have shipped back all kinds of equipment but never a bass.
It's good to be Irish.
 

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