If you want to share the names of some of those stores, I'd be glad to have them! I usually go to the big box stores just because it's convenient, but if you have a local shop or mom & pop that you like, feel free to PM me with the info.
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No more ebay(basses) for me!
- Thread starter apollo bass
- Start date
If you want to share the names of some of those stores, I'd be glad to have them! I usually go to the big box stores just because it's convenient, but if you have a local shop or mom & pop that you like, feel free to PM me with the info.
Oh yeah. Being a seller is a much different situation. I haven't sold a bass on ebay since the rules changed to favor buyers, but I will shortly, and I'll be very nervous about it.
Gladly. I don't have a problem letting people know because the locally owned and operated music stores are a dying breed and the ones in Greater Seattle deserve to live--not just survive, but to thrive. Not only are the prices competitive, their service saves a lot of time and elevates confidence in your buying decision.
A good number of used basses at Bass Northwest are on the low side of the going rate, and some are stone cold bargains. I once had in my hands a Gibson TV yellow 1993 Les Paul Special bass with Thunderbird pickups they priced at $599. While I went home to think about it, it sold to an East Coaster who tried to flip it. They typically price most used USA G&Ls at $799 including the Leo-era G&L basses which will often fetch over $1K on eBay. Their strings are as cheap as anywhere and they have good selection. Buy in person and Bass NW gives you free setups on that bass for as long as you own it.
Bellevue American Music sells their KRK Rokit powered monitors for $20-30/pair cheaper than GC/MF/M123, and their other products are competitive. My last purchase was a high quality 8" splash cymbal for about 2/3 what you could land one on eBay.
I often shop Seattle American Music for strings because they're close to Woodland Park Zoo (which I frequent for the exercise of walking around it). SAM also has instrument prices at least even with GC/MF/M123 and their strings and some accessories are competitive with the online specialty stores like Juststrings.com. Jimmy T., one of the guys at this store is a pro bass player and is extremely helpful at zeroing in on the right bass for you.
I live very close to Guitarville and have bought many things from them over the years including my present bass amp, an Eden Nemesis RS210 combo. Once they had a Fender acoustic bass with solid top and back and hardshell case in Excellent + condition marked all the way down to $400. That was very tempting but I needed other things more. I saw a Fender Japan MB-5 5-string priced (and about the same condition) about 60% of the exact same thing at a pawnshop on Aurora.
I haven't gotten much at Trading Musician but I've seen some very good deals there as well, including a perfectly set up like new Rogue 8-string bass for about $239. The setup they put on it was worth about $140.
Lightning apparently does strike twice!
Many of you read my thread "Screwed on ebay" a couple weeks ago. Well, I took Pilgrim's advice and went looking for a one of the Gretsch short scale Jr Jet Electromatic basses. I found one, with a small nick, used Buy It Now and picked it up for a cool $160. I was elated!
I paid immediately, seller replied immediately and agreed to my request to wait a couple days before shipping so the bass would arrive after I returned from a trip this weekend. All seemed right with the world. Then I got home a few hours ago and found this message...
"I'm really really sorry, but the bass got stolen last night (Friday).
I work near FedEx, but not UPS, and I remembered you said you knew
your UPS driver and he'd leave your stuff where he knows it is safe,
so I wanted to ship the bass UPS. I waited until Friday, because if I
shipped it Friday it would be there Tuesday, and I asked my girlfriend
to ship it along with a guitar I sold on Amazon. She took the big box
with the guitar inside and waited in line a minute and then came back
out to get the bass, and someone had actually taken the bass out of
her car! Made off with the box and everything (the box was a Fender
box from another guitar, so obviously it broadcasted what was in the
box). She called the cops and everything, and they took a report, but
it was a $160 bass guitar, so they didn't/wouldn't do much. Hopefully
it turns up in a nearby pawn shop, but we're not holding our breath.
I'm obviously not happy since I basically had $160 in money stolen!
I'm really sorry about that; I refunded the money immediately. Again,
I'm really sorry."
WTH??? Twice in one month!? I had even received an update from ebay saying it was shipped on Friday so I was looking foward to playing my new bass tomorrow or Tuesday.
I can blame only myself, the seller has a 12 rating with 92.9% feedback but all of the post sale communication seemed perfect. I know, there is the possibility it REALLY was stolen, and I did get my money back (again!) so there's no harm, but after the horror stories following my last episode I'm feeling a bit snakebit. Is there anyone I can trust out there to buy a used bass from?
wow that sucks
well I'm like an ebay guru in my family and all I can say is
under any circumstance never buy from anyone under 99%
99% is a little far for me even
thats all I can really say but you got your money back so all is good, but find someone with a good rating and if you like them stick with them.
Turtle I think you missed the last half of the thread. The story goes bad again...the deadbeat seller claimed the bass was found in a local pawn shop. Now the deadbeat seller has sold it to the OP again. Watch this space.....
haha... oh its classic me to just jump to the end
I don't blame anyone for doing so when the post count runs past, ehh, 30 or so...otherwise I'd be a hypocrite.
Ebay seem to always side with the buyer with any dispute, I'm guessing they're trying to protect their business by keeping the buyer safe and protecting them from dishonest sellers.
It sucks for genuine people who are selling genuine products to boneheads like the buyer in the above post.
Engine207
Losing faith in humanity...one call at a time.
I suspect that this was a case of a tire-kicker. Nobody who even looks at a bass can not know that you've got to tune it before you can play it. I'd bet he just wanted to try it out for a week or use it for a gig, knowing that he'd get his money back, no-problem. I was just the random victim...which I guess worked out for me, 'cause I've come to love that bass!
Hey, I appreciate the heads up. BTW, it sounds like we're in the same neighborhood. I will have to go check out the American Music near the WP Zoo - I'm in the area frequently.
Thanks again for the info.
Gaolee
Official leathers tester and crash dummy
I can also vouch for American Music. I live within walking distance of their shop, and consider it a blessing.
