hey guys im looking at buying anowther bass as ive just sold my Lakland 55-02. The Ibanez GWB35 caught my eye, others have said this bad boy has a nice Mwah sound to it. Now i havent found any stores in Melbourne that stock these, so im out of luck finding one. The store in my hometown can get one in, but unfortantly hes only a small business so i would hate for him to have to hold on to the bass if i return it. Is it worth taking the risk, there are stores that stock that are 600-800km away. By the way does this fretless cut though mixs, i play for a prog rock/metal band.
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buying without trying?
- Thread starter Tomass
- Start date
I bought my #479 fretless Lakland on eBay, so I didn't have a chance to try it out before, but I was more than happy when I received it - I couldn't put my finger on anything that isn't brilliant on this bass. I put my faith in the seller's description, and that was a good call (although rare for eBay, perhaps).
Ironically, I'm selling that bass now, because I'm moving to China to work and won't be using it for years anyway...
In my opinion you want a fretless with Bartolinis no matter what - because of their high amount of midrange, you get huge amounts of "mwah", which is in essense midrange tone. And then you want a passive/active option, so you get the possibility for more punch as well - my Lakland is brilliant for both singing fretless notes and punchy rock notes because of that. By the way... I'm sorry if this has come out as a sales speech...! I just think you'd want a bass like mine, unless you're unhappy with Lakland for some reason. Why did you sell yours?
Ironically, I'm selling that bass now, because I'm moving to China to work and won't be using it for years anyway...
In my opinion you want a fretless with Bartolinis no matter what - because of their high amount of midrange, you get huge amounts of "mwah", which is in essense midrange tone. And then you want a passive/active option, so you get the possibility for more punch as well - my Lakland is brilliant for both singing fretless notes and punchy rock notes because of that. By the way... I'm sorry if this has come out as a sales speech...! I just think you'd want a bass like mine, unless you're unhappy with Lakland for some reason. Why did you sell yours?
i just bought a CIJ fretless jazz bass. couldnt try it before i got it but ii consoled myself with the fact that if i dont like it i can just sell it again
I'm no longer afraid to buy anything without trying it first (I used to be 
).
Simple fact is, it takes me longer than 15 minutes to decide whether or not a bass/amp really is for me, or not
. I have to own it, try it with every possible setting on my Bass POD XT, slap it, stroke it, pluck it, pick it, wear it for 4 hours straight etc. etc.
I've grown ""into" some basses and "out of" others. Sometimes those which are intially "stunning" can get quickly "enfuriating" and those which seem "bland", may actually turn out to be a real solid, dependable stalwart!
As long as you've done all of your homework and you think that the Lakland may be for you, then give it a go, I say.
For what it's worth, I can honestly tell you that out of all of the basses below, the only one which I tried out before buying was the headless Status (the rest were all from ebay or mail order).
That Status Bass is one of the ones from this group, which has subsequently been sold ! There's a moral in there, somewhere .
).Simple fact is, it takes me longer than 15 minutes to decide whether or not a bass/amp really is for me, or not
. I have to own it, try it with every possible setting on my Bass POD XT, slap it, stroke it, pluck it, pick it, wear it for 4 hours straight etc. etc.I've grown ""into" some basses and "out of" others. Sometimes those which are intially "stunning" can get quickly "enfuriating" and those which seem "bland", may actually turn out to be a real solid, dependable stalwart!
As long as you've done all of your homework and you think that the Lakland may be for you, then give it a go, I say.
For what it's worth, I can honestly tell you that out of all of the basses below, the only one which I tried out before buying was the headless Status (the rest were all from ebay or mail order).
That Status Bass is one of the ones from this group, which has subsequently been sold
! There's a moral in there, somewhere .
I've bought without trying...and have been successful 5/7 times. The only 2 times an instrument was a dud, was when I bought a guitar, and a mandolin. With basses, I've been very lucky that they were all solid players 
I have to agree that it's a crap shoot...and hanging around on boards like these doesn't help in stirring the GAS pot...but the beauty is, if it doesn't work for you, you throw it back up on the trading block & it'll work for someone.
Maybe a bit of a loss to yourself, but I just think of it as a "leasing fee" !
Maybe a bit of a loss to yourself, but I just think of it as a "leasing fee" !
I agree that it's a crap shoot. I like to get my hands on a bass before I buy and having said that, I've bought basses in person that I later regretted buying.
I'm much more careful these days. One of the nice things about GC is the 30 day return guarantee and the local shop (my favorite place to shop) I do business with will let me take a bass home to try it. I'm just not comfortable shopping for a bass online.
I'm much more careful these days. One of the nice things about GC is the 30 day return guarantee and the local shop (my favorite place to shop) I do business with will let me take a bass home to try it. I'm just not comfortable shopping for a bass online.
If I can't try before I buy, I like to go used; so I can either have someone else smooth out the bumps for me, or at least tell me what the bumps are.
Obviously, this is the advantage of buying used -- you often may decide down the road that you don't like the bass, and then you don't really lose much money on it.
In your geographical situation, though, you're going to have a tough time finding too many interesting choices in the used market.
I've only ordered a new bass sight unseen once. It was a Lakland DJ5 that I liked a great deal. However, I had played other Laklands in the store, so I didn't feel like it was completely blind -- I could gauge how the neck felt, the overall construction quality, etc.. Had I played my DJ5 in the store though, I would have discovered that I didn't like the J-retro preamp prior to ordering one on my bass. You might see if there are other basses by Ibanez in stock in your area so you can get a general sense of quality, neck feel, string spacing, etc. before taking the plunge.
I have bought a number of used basses on the TB classifieds without having ever played anything by the maker. In the case of the Sadowskys and Reverends I bought "blind", I love them and still own them. However, since I bought them used here in America, I didn't feel like I was taking a huge risk, as I felt I could sell them fairly easily for about what I paid if they weren't for me.
I'd try to find a bass locally that's as close to what you want (make, model) as you can before ordering a new bass "blind."
In your geographical situation, though, you're going to have a tough time finding too many interesting choices in the used market.
I've only ordered a new bass sight unseen once. It was a Lakland DJ5 that I liked a great deal. However, I had played other Laklands in the store, so I didn't feel like it was completely blind -- I could gauge how the neck felt, the overall construction quality, etc.. Had I played my DJ5 in the store though, I would have discovered that I didn't like the J-retro preamp prior to ordering one on my bass. You might see if there are other basses by Ibanez in stock in your area so you can get a general sense of quality, neck feel, string spacing, etc. before taking the plunge.
I have bought a number of used basses on the TB classifieds without having ever played anything by the maker. In the case of the Sadowskys and Reverends I bought "blind", I love them and still own them. However, since I bought them used here in America, I didn't feel like I was taking a huge risk, as I felt I could sell them fairly easily for about what I paid if they weren't for me.
I'd try to find a bass locally that's as close to what you want (make, model) as you can before ordering a new bass "blind."
Until recently I would have never thought about buying a bass without trying it out. But that's exactly what I did when I bought my Barker this spring. I can't explain it, and I don't expect it to ever happen again, but who knows?
JKT
JKT
Over the past 6 years since I've returned to playing, I've played one bass before buying - my MIM precision. I've only had one instance where I just haven't been satisfied with an on-line purchase. I bought an amazingly preserved, nice-playing, beautiful transparent blue '86 L-2000 off eBay but found that I don't like the pickups/electronics. The rest have been customs, which don't exist until you commission them. I have otherwise been blessed with fine instruments. No duds in the group. 
Ken
Ken
The advantage of buying used is, you don't get burned so bad if it turns out you don't like it. The disadvantage is, you're unlikely to find *precisely* what you're looking for used; there are simply too many variables.
Carvin tries to solve this with a trial period guarantee. They know you're unlikely to find a Carvin in most stores, of ANY model. They also offer a list of options as long as your arm. BUT, you can return it no questions asked within 10 days if it's really way wrong for you, and only pay shipping one way.
For me, the knuckle-biter was the Tobias I ordered from Gibson -- no returns, very expensive, reputation for shipping horrible junk, no customer support. Russian roulette - the odds were in my favor, but the consequences of bad luck were serious.
But with most basses, if you've played something pretty close, you have a very close idea what you're getting. Some folks love Ibanez; I've never cared much for them.
Carvin tries to solve this with a trial period guarantee. They know you're unlikely to find a Carvin in most stores, of ANY model. They also offer a list of options as long as your arm. BUT, you can return it no questions asked within 10 days if it's really way wrong for you, and only pay shipping one way.
For me, the knuckle-biter was the Tobias I ordered from Gibson -- no returns, very expensive, reputation for shipping horrible junk, no customer support. Russian roulette - the odds were in my favor, but the consequences of bad luck were serious.
But with most basses, if you've played something pretty close, you have a very close idea what you're getting. Some folks love Ibanez; I've never cared much for them.
Living where I do, there is very little chance of playing much before I buy--in my town, I have Fenders, a couple Pedullas, a Warwick or two once in awhile, Lakland Skylines (very limited), and Spector. So most basses I've owned have been bought without playing first.
I've been buying basses used now. That way, like others have said, I don't take a hit on resale if a bass doesn't work out for me. I actually think it'll be a long time before I buy one brand new again, if ever.
I've been buying basses used now. That way, like others have said, I don't take a hit on resale if a bass doesn't work out for me. I actually think it'll be a long time before I buy one brand new again, if ever.
4 of the 7 basses I have or have ever owned were purchased sight unseen, save for a picture on the net with the last 3 (my current basses)
Not a dog in the bunch! 2 have had minor issues (scratchy pot and a semi sloppy pup route on one, very slightly bent pot shaft on the other) but nothing that made me upset.
Besides, if I didn't like them, all I had to do was return them.
Not a dog in the bunch! 2 have had minor issues (scratchy pot and a semi sloppy pup route on one, very slightly bent pot shaft on the other) but nothing that made me upset.
Besides, if I didn't like them, all I had to do was return them.
Im quite sure the GWB35 doesnt have passive/active option. Ive got an Ibanez Sr640 and that thing slices through any mix, much better than what the Lakland did. It has a real low mid range growl, so im looking for a fretless of that nature. The GWB35 has the same body wood, possibly the same or better bass/treble boost/cut like the SR. I gues i dont like the sound of Ash, to trebly for me.
