The Seattle store is cool, entire inventory in one big page: All Basses | The Bass Shop
and planning road trip to AZ: https://www.thebassplace.com/
and planning road trip to AZ: https://www.thebassplace.com/
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Largest bass store in the US?
- Thread starter OlyWhite
- Start date
They're out of business. The fancy shop in Garland is Jimmy Wallace, but they have vintage stuff more than custom shop.
Yep, Shawn is a really good guy. I've bought several pieces of gear from him, and Hopper at Bass Central is a nuce dude as well.
Replay Guitar seems to have at least 50-75 basses in stock most times I go in there.
have you tried the BASS PRO SHOP in Memphis? (worth a trip)
I went there a few years ago. The stock they had on hand was greatly reduced from what it was the first time I went, back in 2012.
Another rec for Shawn at Replay. He's doing a real good job with his bass department at that store. Worth a visit is you're in that area.
Check over on the Custom Shop thread. I think Rocket? Music sells a lot of CS basses. Don't know if they are a brick and mortar though.
- Jul 11, 2005
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Certainly nothing in the Milwaukee Wisconsin area.
I always tell people...we don't get none of them fancy basses here
I always tell people...we don't get none of them fancy basses here
Most of them have a good amount of stock. Finding high-end stuff is probably pretty tough. Not sure it moves as quickly as more affordable options.
Empire Music in Pittsburgh had the most custom shop basses hanging on the wall of any store I've been into. Nicest overall selection by far, although I've never been to Sweetwater or Chicago Music Exchange. Empire has a bunch of "exclusive" Custom Shop models also. Give them a call and ask for Anthony.
Basses start at the 4:33 mark.
Something a bit more flashy if you're into it. Regardless, they all sound great. I was genuinely impressed with how many different CS they had and would go there first if I were looking to get one. Good luck with your search.
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They seem to be focusing on Sandberg, Spector, Lakland, Dingwall, and MTD. Nothing wrong with that! But other brands like Sadowsky, Ken Smith, Roscoe, F Bass, and Fodera have disappeared.
Didn't know they were out of business. But they used to treat customers that way. So did Charley's guitar shop in Dallas.
Good luck in your search!
My memory was at the latter visit there was only about 1/3 as many basses on display. And a lot more price point stock. Just wasn’t the same.
It's not fancy, but I recently bought a bass from Dave's Guitars Milwaukee location, albeit shipped. Is most of the fancy stuff at the other store? (I bought a rather fancy acoustic there, also shipped, about a decade ago.)
At least CME is within a reasonable driving distance, which I visited a couple years ago (and sold the fancy acoustic I bought from Dave's, along with other stuff).
It sounds better than Cleveland, anyway. There are a couple GCs left which are a mess, one of which had the fake Stingray that was recently posted. There is a high end shop, Guitar Riot, but I've never been there. And a vintage guitar shop, Timeless, which I visited once.
They told me that they no longer occupy the space next door where they stored inventory. So now they have less display room in the shop. I was also told the really pricey gear, like Alembic, is at the owner's home.
Still beats the pants off your average music store!
