Buying In Store vs. Online.

[Jarnett]

I've bought basses in the store and online before. I think everyone prefers to play a bass before buying it to make sure that it is what they want. But with some basses availability or lack of for many reasons buying in a store is not an option. I know someone has a horror story or two, lets hear them. Also if you have a positive story I'd love to hear that.

 

[WoodyG3]

Mostly good. I try not to buy anything online that I can't return or flip at the cost I paid.

 

[mmbongo]

Of my 30 or so bass purchases, 98% of them were online. The last one I bought in person was from Bass Palace at a guitar show and got royally screwed on a high end USA bass (bass was a lemon and was told to basically go pound sand), so there you go. Online only for me.

 

[NortyFiner]

I don't buy BIG things online, or at least not easily.

Pedals, strings, and other small stuff < $200ish? Sure.

Amp? Maybe; I got my Ampeg Micro VR online. It's good, but I kinda wish I had shopped around more in stores. Damn that 15% off GC temptation!

Bass? I won't buy a bass I can't try out unless it's from a good source, like a trusted TB'er or a reputable website, and even then I have to think about it.

 

[CrewsControl]

If you buy the bass you just played at the store, aren't you really paying full new price for a used bass? How long has it been sitting in the showroom and how many monkeys have effed with it in that time?

 

[Batmensch]

it's only been in the last few (3 or 4) years, I've been able to buy brand new gear after having pretty much nothing (Except for a '78 P-bass I had to sell) for a good long time, and it was all bought online, because I didn't/don't have easy access to a proper music store that caters to someone like me. Since '09, I've bought new an '08 MIA Jazz, an Ampeg BA115, a MIM Strat with a Fender Super Champ XD, a Squier VM J and a VM P, and an SX Ursa 1 P-bass. All bought online sight unseen (or unplayed rather), and each one was about as nice an example of each respective model as you could hope for. I've had VERY good luck buying online.

 

[tinman 1967]

I have bought basses online before,.. 3 on E-Bay, a 4003 from POTRs . so far so good, I absolutely would have loved to try them beforehand, but there would have been no way. The RIC was no worry at all, the 2 Gibs (used) , I did a bit of worrying but all turned out great! Both of which I was able to contact the seller and speak to him on the telephone before buying.

You can sometimes get a vibe from someone after speaking with them.

Now to buy an acoustic bass or an acoustic guitar sight unseen? Not me! No way,.. BIG No No!

 

[iammr2]

Basses and shoes, always try them on first.

You can't see/feel the flaws when buying online.

 

[snyderz]

I play only unlined fretless basses. Good luck finding one in a store. I've had 35 basses, all on-line. No complaints.

 

[M.R. Ogle]

Some really excellent and revealing discussion in THIS thread on buying online vs, in-store:
http://www.talkbass.com/forum/f8/fender-factory-setups-why-so-high-860794/

 

[BioDriver]

I've been fortunate in that every online purchase I've made has been a good one. However, the benefit of buying at a store is that you can typically haggle the price down after demoing it, which isn't a possibility with online purchases. Fortunately TB's marketplace is very honest and the sellers' ratings are public.

 

[Biggbass]

I've bought two in store and two on line...one of the on lines was from a small music shop with phone conversation prior to purchase. All good.

 

[giacomini]

mostly good experiences

 

[mpdd]

aside from the ebay jazz bass body that was wired totally incorrectly things have gone swimmingly online

 

[onosson]

I don't think I'd buy a bass or similar instrument online, as they are too individual, but I did spend $1600 on a Nord keyboard last year.

 

[Maxdusty]

Bought about 10 used basses the past year online. If you buy used instruments online, you are at the mercy of whoever packs it as they won't come in the original packing material the bass was shipped in the first place. I bought 9 used basses from Guitar center that were packed extremely well- almost overkill but better safe than sorry. The other one was my most recent purchase. The box they used was already partially destroyed but taped up prior to shipping. I was very worried the bass was damaged inside, no packing material was used inside but was in an especially cushy gig bag that protected the bass inside. Almost as if it was lazily used in lieu of any packing material- must have worked as the bass wasn't damaged one bit, and got a free gig bag too.

 

[whatiswhat]

I bought my EBMM bongo online from gc 2 years ago. I used my $250 off coupon along with the 25% off sale and saved some big cash! If it was lacking in some way I could have just returned it. I've purchased roughly 90% of my gear online and plan to keep it that way. If I get my wallet out in-store, I get trigger happy and drain my bank account

 

[Gaolee]

Musical instruments pick me, not the other way around. I can't buy 'em online, since electrons don't pick me.

 

[countbassiedad]

Online all good for me and the shops are usually great at working out any issues.

I seldom buy used because most of the stuff on ebay and Craigslist is priced about the same as what I can pay for new (on sale or negotiated) with a warranty and free shipping.

I don't know who buys that high priced used stuff and why but am glad for it when I need to sell. My hunch is that Craigslist is a way to keep it from the wife/gf - because its cash.

Somebody mentioned selection too. I'll shop my local Sam Ash and GC, but too often they don't stock what I'm after.

 

[Bryan R. Tyler]

I've purchased nearly all of my basses online (around 25). The one bass I had the most issues with was one of the few I bought in-store. I simply can't find nearly anything I'm interested in in nearby stores, and am unable to drive to distant ones.

I can't buy 'em online, since electrons don't pick me.

They do just as much as musical instruments do. Meaning neither do