So I was thinking about buying a music man stingray on the bay. and of course being a poor college student, I was going to buy it used. I have played a few stingrays and I really loved how they feel and sound. But I was wondering how much do I have to worry about when buying one online? What are the chances that I won't like how the one I buy online plays? I'm a little intimidated of buying a bass that Ive never played and have only seen a few pictures of (not that I really care about wear and tear). Thanks guys!
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Buying a used bass online.
- Thread starter gnome_hunter
- Start date
It can be a crap shoot. If I was buying a pricier bass like a MIA Fender or Ernie Ball, I may look to TB classifieds first.
I bought a Jazz Bass Special on Feebay last week. It was a $500 bass, and the model isn't readily available, so i had no choice.
A stingray can easily be had all over.
Just curious, why do you favor the Stingray over the Sterling?
Stingrays are pretty consistent. If you've played one, you've pretty much played them all. ebay is a great place to purchase used gear. The discounts are deep, and the buyer protection is solid. I've bought dozens of used basses off ebay. I was only unhappy once, and ebay/Paypal gave me satisfaction.
and in addition to eBay and TB classified (start there) ... I recently got a great deal on a practically brand new instrument on Guitar Center's used site.
I bought an Ibanez BTB off eBay about a year ago... got a killer price and had absolutely no trouble with the transaction.
OTOH if I was looking at a higher dollar investment like a StingRay I would definitely check out TB Classifieds first. Especially with eBay getting more and more out of control with the fee thing.
OTOH if I was looking at a higher dollar investment like a StingRay I would definitely check out TB Classifieds first. Especially with eBay getting more and more out of control with the fee thing.
I have bought dozens of used basses online, I pay cheap , cheap prices when buying online so if something is wrong I can always get my money back because of how low i paid, as said it can be a crap shoot.
As far as buying anything used, especially without being able to see it first, it can be a gamble. I bought a US G&L Legacy guitar used off ebay and it was practically brand new so in that case it worked out great for me. Just check around. The classifieds here seem good though i haven't bought anything here (yet). The good news is if you don't like it since you are buying used you should be able to sell it for what you bought it for (roughly) provided the bass you get doesn't have some sort of major flaw that the seller did not disclose.
As far as playability, just about every stingray i ever picked up felt about the same (the newer classics obviously feeling different than the standards). Other than that, the bass should be able to be set up exactly how you like it. Good luck.
As far as playability, just about every stingray i ever picked up felt about the same (the newer classics obviously feeling different than the standards). Other than that, the bass should be able to be set up exactly how you like it. Good luck.
Yes! Buy from TB! This Stingray in particular!
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/f126/fs-possibly-trade-2010-ebmm-stingray-4hh-black-rosewood-744126/
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/f126/fs-possibly-trade-2010-ebmm-stingray-4hh-black-rosewood-744126/
Just bought a bass off a TBer, best I've ever owned. i've sold a few as well. But I would go to a GC and test out the rays for yourself then just come back home and go surf ebay or TB for the one you want lol
What is your budget? You mentioned being a poor college student. Stingrays aren't exactly the least expensive items in the bass world.
Ask TB'er, "A-Step-Towards". That dude is like a buying/selling machine.
Ask TB'er, "A-Step-Towards". That dude is like a buying/selling machine.
If you are buying from Ebay something to keep in mind is that any item purchased can be returned if it is not as described by the seller. So ask questions like is the neck straight? are the frets in good condition? Any answers given count as part of that sellers description. You may have a little hassle getting it returned but it's better than being screwed with a bass you don't want. I've bought several basses through Ebay and not had any issues. I would try to find what you want in the classifieds on Talkbass first.
+1. I've given plenty of business to my local mom-and-pop guitar shop, but after I played an Ibby BTB there and realized I could get one on eBay for for half of what they were asking, it was a no-brainer.
It did make for a bit of an awkward moment when I brought it in to the mom-and-pop store for a setup, though.
+1,000,000
Asking questions helps you as the seller in two respects. First, ask lots of questions. The seller may say the bass is in, "great shape". What does that mean? The more questions will usually draw out more information.
When I bought a bass recently, I asked the guy about cracks. Come to find out that the bass had some finish cracks. Not a big deal, but something that was neglected in the original description.
The second benefit of questions is it allows the buyer to gage the seller's response time. It's not a hard and fast rule, but if it takes the seller days to get back to you, what do you think the same person will do if you have an actual problem? Now, there are circumstances where the seller isn't able to respond, but communication speed is something I look for.
Glad someone noticed
I am not up there of the ranks of some of the gas fans on here , but I have owned around 70 basses the past 2 years and another 20 or so guitars
And thats being a poor college student, wait tell i graduate and get a legit job.
Honestly stick to TB, the prices can be super great deals but they go fast , really people on TB know there "stuff" a bass priced cheap is gone fast but since people know prices well alot of great basses come up at fair prices. Are you buying something you can flip for hundreds in profit? not at all but your getting a solid deal and with this community its easy to be cautious of who to buy and not buy from. Most guys here will treat you right, i had one problem once from a bass i bought here, he sent me a partial refund and all was well.
You must have some bad luck. I'd say buying on line has a 95% chance of success.
I can't imagine doing that, personally. I need to play an instrument, unless it was something I'd played before I spoze, from a very reputable source. I owned and old Hofner so I know how they feel. I'd still be very wary though.
I have no problem buying used basses online. Basses available at local stores are often poorly set up and they won't let me set up one of their basses to my specification.
Unless there is a serious structural problem, I can make a decent bass play and sound fantastic.
Unless there is a serious structural problem, I can make a decent bass play and sound fantastic.
