In fifty years I’ve returned one bass for a broken truss rod. If I buy a bass, I’m committed unless it’s a real issue
Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
How many Basses do you Return per Year?
- Thread starter Hardbassjunkie
- Start date
Returning basses on a regular basis? (Pun intended!) where do all of you get the money to do this? Aren’t we in a pandemic? Aren’t we all struggling to make ends meet? My stimulus checks have been used to pay bills. Buying a bass (or two or three) then not being happy with them and returning them doesn’t make sense to me at this time. Hmmm. Crazy times, to each his own, and whatever floats your boat. I just don’t understand people’s priorities.
Within the past year I purchased 4 new basses, two that I kept and two I returned within a couple of days. I’ve probably returned around 7 basses in my 30+ years of playing.
Unfortunately I rarely find basses locally to buy, but it’s not for lack of trying. So I rely heavily on YT videos, reviews, and TB. I spend hours researching my purchases before I buy. But sometimes a bass arrives that just doesn’t work for me.
I’m thankful for the return policies of online dealers, but I also fully aware they are trying to run a business, so I try to be responsible and respectful with any return policy.
Unfortunately I rarely find basses locally to buy, but it’s not for lack of trying. So I rely heavily on YT videos, reviews, and TB. I spend hours researching my purchases before I buy. But sometimes a bass arrives that just doesn’t work for me.
I’m thankful for the return policies of online dealers, but I also fully aware they are trying to run a business, so I try to be responsible and respectful with any return policy.
I take everything with a grain of salt. I was honestly just curious to what people thought. At the end of the day I will make the decision and if they don't want my business as a result then so be it. I have purchased 6 basses from them over the years and the last one I returned was used so they just took it and put it right back on the shelf for the same price.
Wow, you really got me thinking here 
I've been buying (or acquiring, if counting my parents' early purchases for me) basses since 1982. Never returned one.
But, we all have different experiences. Do what's right for you, in both buying and returning.
On another note, it's fun to be able to post on TB again!
I've been buying (or acquiring, if counting my parents' early purchases for me) basses since 1982. Never returned one.But, we all have different experiences. Do what's right for you, in both buying and returning.
On another note, it's fun to be able to post on TB again!
Everything is comical (at least to some people) when they create a ridiculous hypothetical example by way of a reply and then think they’ve somehow made a crushing point.
If you want to get serious I’ll be happy to discuss it with you. If you’re just blowing smoke for your own lols then lets just agree to disagree and let it go at that.
I've returned used items from GC used because they are way optimistic in their descriptions. No basses, guitars, snare drums or cymbals.
Return? Really, returning about anything is an extreme rarity for me. By the time I determine it's not for me or it's time to move on it is WAY outside of the return window. I think over the last 2 years, I returned 3 things.
That's really it.
- Yamaha THR30II (I just hated it from the time I got it and after a week just didn't want to be associated with it any longer. lol)
- Levy's Leathers Strap (Ordered the wrong color by accident. Replaced it with the right one)
- Rode mic Shockmount (didn't realize that this shockmount didn't work with my particular model.)
That's really it.
Despite the fact that I generally buy instruments before I try them. I’ve returned 0.
Always kinda assumed you should just resell it and take the financial hit.
ymmv?
Always kinda assumed you should just resell it and take the financial hit.
ymmv?
buldog5151bass
Kibble, milkbones, and P Basses. And redheads.
There's nothing wrong with the bass. You have no reason to return it.
I can confirm that this is actually a pre-internet attitude.
I used to work at a chain bookstore that had a pretty liberal return/exchange policy because, occasionally, customers would end up with books with missing pages or other misprints.
I was shocked at how many times I had to deal with people returning books they bought because "I didn't like it" or "It was too boring".
Never, ever, as I don't buy cheap stuff, and I make sure I know what I'm getting before I get it.
Some people are doing great. Most music manufacturers have stated that 2020 was their best sales year ever. I know it's not fair, but I don't know how to fix it either.
I sent a Gibson SG bass because I was sent the wrong color and last year I sent a Fender JMJ Mustang bass back because the relicing was really off-putting and I just couldn't live with it. I had to pay shipping costs to return it, which seemed fair.
I recently got an Epiphone Jack Casady that came with such a bad setup I wasn't initially able to gauge whether the bass was messed up. Rolled the dice on a setup and it was fine in the end, but I really had expected better from Sweetwater. Fret sprout, bowed neck--for a Chinese bass that sells for $800 it really should have started out better.
My bigger sin is to get on waitlists and then at the last minute pull out.
I recently got an Epiphone Jack Casady that came with such a bad setup I wasn't initially able to gauge whether the bass was messed up. Rolled the dice on a setup and it was fine in the end, but I really had expected better from Sweetwater. Fret sprout, bowed neck--for a Chinese bass that sells for $800 it really should have started out better.
My bigger sin is to get on waitlists and then at the last minute pull out.
Karen: Waiter! Excuse me but that fillet was just not to my liking. I either want my money back or a fresh one;
Waiter: But sir, you already ate it
Karen: THE CUSTOMER IS NEVER WRONG!!!!!
I call it: Internalized Karenism
I returned the same bass last month, mine was the dropped copper ss. It was a nice looking bass, just to many issues wrong with it for the price. Only other bass was about 10 years ago, an Ibanez SR500. I felt the same way towards that bass.
Buying so that you can use the return policy because you want to try a piece of gear is wrong. Buying and then feeling guilty about spending the money is poor planning. Purposely breaking a piece of gear to get a return is the lowest of the low. If there are issues, or if it just didn't work out, return as needed. But if you're still deciding the fate of an item, keep it clean and pristine. The next person is expecting to buy a new instrument. Or the business is taking a hit on the sale price as an open box item, which eventually comes back as higher prices for everyone else. If you're returning multiple instruments in a year, there's a good chance that you're abusing the policies.
Maybe one a year. I’m left handed so there are few options for me to tryout basses before I buy. I end up getting them and not liking them. Most of the time I sell them, but if it is from guitar center I ship it back. Half the time the bass has some problem the salesman failed to notice when he described it to me. I understand they want commission, but dishonesty gets the item shipped back.
