It seems like "try before you buy" is virtually impossible outside the biggest brands

[pdusen]

I often see people on this board recommend that you "try before you buy", and while I agree with that in principle, can we just accept that, unless you're looking for a Fender/Squire/Ibanez/Whatever, it's nearly impossible to actually do that?

There's a bunch of brands I'd love to try out: G&L, Zon, NSD... but I've never seen a music shop carry any of these. To use G&L as an example, I live near a Sam Ash, which is apparently a G&L dealer, but there was nothing to be seen there but the big brands (although, to my surprise, they actually had 3 or 4 Rickenbacker basses on the wall. This was the first shop I ever saw that had them.)

In the last two years I've visited a few smaller Mom and Pop shops, but they have the exact same problem; in fact, it's even worse because, as smaller stores, they have a smaller variety of instruments from those same big manufacturers.

For reference, I'm from Flint, Michigan originally, which got a GC about a decade ago, and I now live in the Philadelphia area.

 

[Eilif]

To an extent you're right.
Trying before you buy can take some time, or even be impossible- depending on where you live. I do think though that if you call around to shops or can make a day trip to a larger city it is usually possible to find at least an example or two from a much wider range of brands.

May take some time, but despite what TB seems to encourage, taking your time when purchasing a new instrument is wise, especialy when it comes to the more expensive high end brands.

Of course, take all this with a grain of salt since I live in Chicago and almost every brand of bass is probably for sale somewhere within 40 miles of here.

 

[wvbass]

I live in an area where there are very few try-before-you-buy options. Day trips are great, and Pittsburgh, Lexington, Louisville, Columbus, etc., are all options for that, but that still leaves a lot of instruments unavailable.

It is good advice, but if everyone on TB strictly followed the "try-before-you-buy" advice found here, there would be no custom builds. You can't try the exact bass you are going to buy if it hasn't been built yet, and another bass built by the same luthier may not sound or feel the same as the one built for you.

 

[Doctor J]

Some of the bigger brands engage in practices which, let's say, discourage vendors from carrying alternate brands. Then, of course, there is also the practice of them buying and shelving competitor brands leaving less fish in the pond. Ah to be back in the days when you could buy a Hamer and plug it into a Genz Benz.

 

[hrodbert696]

Yes, you're generally right. Try-before-you-buy is a valid principle... whenever you can do it. But I have bought basses on the basis of specs and online recommendations (mostly on TB), and for the most part been happy with them. Just check a return policy.

Also, this is a good reason for showing up at TB GTGs. Lots of guys will bring their instruments - especially their more unusual ones - that you can try out. Or, when I was in Florida, on a vacation in Orlando, I stopped into Bass Central, which has an extraordinary selection. Wasn't in a position to buy at the time, but got a much clearer idea of what to order when my finances improve. There are other great shops like that to try and check in at when you're traveling.

 

[40Hz]

Yeah. It's like watching your salt intake and taking regular cardio walks. Easier said than done.

I guess the more realistic and more up to date advice would be: Don't buy anything that doesn't come with a generous return policy.

That's about as close as it gets for many of us, myself included.

 

[JRA]

yep: try-before-you-buy isn't possible for many. so you take a chance. it's not the worst situation: some cats go to the music store to try an instrument, buy because they're sure of the 'fit', and end up bitching about their choice months/years later. i don't think there are any guarantees either way.

IME:
expensive custom build = no way to know what the end product would be after hefty 50% down payment. but it worked out fine: great instrument.
off the rack = some were returned or sold after i got tired of the limitations. some were great players after tweaking.
modding = sometimes you win, sometimes you lose. a little skill can really help in getting a great player.
internet buying = i've actually had the most luck with these (they needed tweaking, of course).

life is a crapshoot sometimes. so are musical instruments, sometimes. both can be really fun, IMO!

 

[songwriter21]

Two words: return policy (you'd only be out the shipping charge back to them, and hopefully not a restocking fee, too)

 

[Eilif]

It is good advice, but if everyone on TB strictly followed the "try-before-you-buy" advice found here, there would be no custom builds. You can't try the exact bass you are going to buy if it hasn't been built yet, and another bass built by the same luthier may not sound or feel the same as the one built for you.

It's true.
Of course many folks see purchasing used instruments as the next best thing to try before you buy. If you wait for a good deal on a used example of a bass you're interested in, you can generally count on getting purchase price back when you resell. That, combined with doing research to find an instrument you're most likely to like can be almost as good as trying before you buy.

 

[B-line]

Generally, its not easy or possible to try out many basses. The only thing I can add is that after a good time both owning different basses and playing many others, you can develop an instinct for what you know a bass will be- Components, tonewoods, the builders previous work, electronics- all paint me a good picture of what the bass is about.

Still, it will not sub for playing the instrument and seeing if it "bonds" w/you.

Certain brands- Lakland, Lull, Sadowsky, Roscoe, etc. You KNOW they are top-tier, but it still won't guarantee the bass is for you. I've owned all of those listed (not Roscoe tho) and although they were phenomenal instruments- no longer in my Studio.

If you live near Bass Central, or Atlanta Bass Gallery, or The Bass Place, you would be lucky, they have great selection.
But most of us have to count on referral and/or experience to choose.

 

[zortation]

The economics for music stores has changed drastically over the years. They can no longer afford to carry stock like they used to; at least that's what it's like where I live.

 

[somebrains]

GC tried to carry more in the past, see where it got them?

We have boutique stores in my area, and it's no different than your average mom and pop, you have to carry what sells.

So the ideal store with a little of everything is your high traffic used area of the store. This will depend on your area having a lot of musicians that want to buy and dump gear.

 

[zortation]

GC tried to carry more in the past, see where it got them?

We have boutique stores in my area, and it's no different than your average mom and pop, you have to carry what sells.

So the ideal store with a little of everything is your high traffic used area of the store. This will depend on your area having a lot of musicians that want to buy and dump gear.

"Dump" being the operative word here.

 

[Bunk McNulty]

Funny. I have an unusual bass up for sale in the classifieds; not a peep from anyone, and I can understand why. It' a new design from a new source, made in India. I can rhapsodize about it all I want, but that's not the same as playing it. I have a feeling it is going to be in my life for a good while yet until the thing gets some kind of recognition factor going. 'Twas ever thus, I guess...

 

[Sweet Willie]

"Try before you buy" is not always possible. Fair point. If you have time to make the purchase (e.g., more a "want" than a "need"), take the time to do what you can to make as informed a decision as you can. And, as @40Hz aptly points out, a solid return policy is your friend.

Depending on what you seek, being in Philly should give you some decent options, and it's not too tough to figure out a trip up to NYC or down to Baltimore or DC if those cities might expand what you can play. Also, when I travel for work or pleasure, if I pass a music store, I'll almost always pop in to see what they have and try to play some things that are unfamiliar to me to expand my knowledge bass (pun intended...ooooofah!). For example, I was in Brattleboro VT last year and stumbled across a small musical instrument shop. They had a Traynor lightweight head that I'd eyed online but never played. I used the opportunity to learn a little about it and try it out. (Nice little head.) I took the shop owner's card, and if I do one day decide I want a Traynor, I will try to order it from him.

 

[mikeyjm2]

Out of the 12 I have now I was able to try only 2 before buying. Not ideal surely but I don't have a problem playing any one of the 12. Maybe I'm just lucky. Good advice though on looking at return policies these days.

 

[Big Hoss]

For what it's worth, most "without a sizeable dealer network" manufacturers and online retailers will give you a reasonable return period allowing you to try out before you are fully committed to an instrument.

Shipping costs however can be somewhat abusive...

 

[Island Thumper]

yep: try-before-you-buy isn't possible for many. (exactly, try living in the middle of the ocean) i don't think there are any guarantees either way.

IME:
expensive custom build = no way to know what the end product would be after hefty 50% down payment. but it worked out fine: great instrument.
off the rack = some were returned or sold after i got tired of the limitations. some were great players after tweaking.
modding = sometimes you win, sometimes you lose. a little skill can really help in getting a great player.
...

Expensive custom build: Totally agree. If you research enough about what makes basses sound like basses, you can get a pretty good guess of what your custom bass will end up sounding like. Seems like scale-length, pickups, placement of PUPS, hardware and strings contribute most to the overall tone (BO vs NT, types of woods, etc...I can't say I can tell). I learned a lot from this forum over the years of why certain basses sound like they do. "GREAT INSTRUMENT"

Off the rack: Exactly. Bought, sold, traded them all away but a couple. All were either too heavy (besides short acoustics, but the ergonomics on the wrist, ouch!) or sounded like mud. Don't even go into GC's anymore...

Modding: I modded a wicked Mikro 5-string with EMG's, BTC, Hipshot hardware, even Luminlay side dots--the thing sounds "pretty good" but ergonomics (weight, neck, frets) are what you would expect from a budget bass. Not worth selling...

 

[somebrains]

We are hitting on whether immediate availability or delayed customer demo is the obstacle to purchase.

It is a polarizing decision making experience, so if a person is inclined down a path no obstacle from the other paths should interfere.

I literally makes these distinctions with software developers M-F and sometimes weekends bc mixing defined paths rarely produces satisfactory outcomes.

Granted I'm the guy that builds the pipeline that tests their code, so often I seed their own project requirement and needs into every validation hurdle. It can generate a lot of friction when you are basically saying what you did violated your criteria to produce/remediate what you wanted.

Anything is possible, how much friction you will produce to achieve it is the internal debate.

 

[Ellery]

One problem I have is understanding the difference between C and D necks, and the different radiuses. Because when I do get to try a bass, very often the sales person can't tell me what kind of neck that is, thus I don't know what those specs mean.