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I've bought many instruments (and amps) online, from GC, MF, and Sweetwater, as well as many new and used locally. In fact, I had a fantastic bass delivered from SW just last Friday.
I had one instrument with an issue, a plus top Strat that wasn't really new from GC, but my local store made it right on the spot.
MF _is_ GC, but GC adds the option of local returns if you've got a store within driving distance. Sometimes MF has better prices, GC will match them if asked, as they ARE them.
My favorite online retailer is Sweetwater, I've found them to provide top notch customer service. The only downside is returns would need to be shipped, and a boxed bass or amp is not cheap to ship.
It's worth adding that I worked in a local independent music store back in the day and am very experienced and comfortable setting up my own instruments. Setups vary, preferences vary, shipping an instrument can move things, and many are not fully intonated by the factory when shipped. One of my jobs at the store was putting basic setups on instruments shipped to us before they went on the sales floor. Most all new instruments will require some sort of adjustment. If yours does, wait a week or two before you either start or take it to a local pro to let it acclimate back to the world after being in trucks, trains, shipping containers, and/or airplanes.
I had one instrument with an issue, a plus top Strat that wasn't really new from GC, but my local store made it right on the spot.
MF _is_ GC, but GC adds the option of local returns if you've got a store within driving distance. Sometimes MF has better prices, GC will match them if asked, as they ARE them.
My favorite online retailer is Sweetwater, I've found them to provide top notch customer service. The only downside is returns would need to be shipped, and a boxed bass or amp is not cheap to ship.
It's worth adding that I worked in a local independent music store back in the day and am very experienced and comfortable setting up my own instruments. Setups vary, preferences vary, shipping an instrument can move things, and many are not fully intonated by the factory when shipped. One of my jobs at the store was putting basic setups on instruments shipped to us before they went on the sales floor. Most all new instruments will require some sort of adjustment. If yours does, wait a week or two before you either start or take it to a local pro to let it acclimate back to the world after being in trucks, trains, shipping containers, and/or airplanes.
Straight from Fender to your doorstep via online. And spend over 50 bucks, get 2 day shipping for only $20.
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I'm fairly sure all the big retailers do free shipping. Usually at most two days. I know zzounds does some stuff free next day. I just bought a ukulele for no good reason that should be here tomorrow.
Based upon my previous experience, I’d go with Sweetwater. I’ve bought basses and recording gear over the years and the two times I needed to return something (a bass and a microphone) it was no problem and at no cost to me. You can actually see the bass, get the weight and check out the reviews. Short of actually playing the instrument, it’s a pretty good way to shop.
All of my latest bass purchases over the last several years have been online. - and there have been a lot! Only one not so favorable experience, and that was when buying from overseas.
I've been really lucky with Reverb, and here on TB. Though, when on Reverb, I generally shop reputable stores. There are a lot of great retailers on Reverb that don't get a lot of publicity here on TB... Gear Tree, Pitbull Audio/Music Store Live, and Mesa Boogie Hollywood are some of the places I've had great experiences with.
I've been really lucky with Reverb, and here on TB. Though, when on Reverb, I generally shop reputable stores. There are a lot of great retailers on Reverb that don't get a lot of publicity here on TB... Gear Tree, Pitbull Audio/Music Store Live, and Mesa Boogie Hollywood are some of the places I've had great experiences with.
D
tbh I always wanted one, and a few years back I borrowed one for a gig and really liked the sound I could get from it, plus the neck felt a bit easier. I've been spending the last few months doing comparisons as best as I could, and it seems like a solid bet? There's a couple of pawn shops locally, but their bass offerings are a bit sparse/nonexistent (going off their web listings), plus covid cases are on the upswing where I live so it doesn't feel like a good idea. I totally hear you about it being preferable to actually play it first, and that would be my preference, but it just doesn't feel doable now.
D
I'm leaning Sweetwater based on the feedback here/elsewhere, but they just went totally out of stock on the one I'm looking at. I might call them up to see if they have any clue when more might get in, but if it'll be awhile (more than a month?) I'll probably just go with Zzounds since they're the only other one that has what I'm looking for.
Try Sweetwater or Zzounds! If you don’t like it you can return it or exchange it! I particularly like Sweetwater for their backup service!
Ah....got it. You know what to expect so that's good.
I live in a small town where, yes we do have a music store and have to drive a bit to get to a store with a larger selection. I've bought quite a number of basses online as a result and haven't really had a bad experience with any of the major stores. Sweetwater is the best, but also don't count out places like Guitar Center. I've bought more used basses than new though, Guitar Center and their used selection and low shipping (around $20) is great for that.
Last bass I bought new, sight unseen and never tried one before was a Sire V3 Jazz bass. Sire actually makes some great jazz bass alternatives for a very good price and they do most of their sales through online purchases from Sire directly. The basses are both active and passive so have great versatility. I know you're set on the Fender but just wanted to mention Sire as maybe a possible option down the road.
Buying online is great. Remember ye olde days when there was no Internet and trying to find basses that one wanted was a gianormous PITA? I do.
Now, I can find what I want without fuss and return whatever needs to be returned. Sure, it's an inconvenience to have to ship something back (only had to do that once), but it takes far less time to do that than to call around, go store to store, or whatever. Just remember to save the shipping box. The only disadvantage that comes to mind for me, of course, is that the local music store is losing business to the online giants.
I don't know whether ordering directly from Fender is a good thing or bad thing. I've never done it and I have never encountered a person who has done it.
Now, I can find what I want without fuss and return whatever needs to be returned. Sure, it's an inconvenience to have to ship something back (only had to do that once), but it takes far less time to do that than to call around, go store to store, or whatever. Just remember to save the shipping box. The only disadvantage that comes to mind for me, of course, is that the local music store is losing business to the online giants.
I don't know whether ordering directly from Fender is a good thing or bad thing. I've never done it and I have never encountered a person who has done it.
I've purchased quite a number of basses (new and used), and both bass-related and PA-related gear (new and used) online. Every transaction I've ever entered has ended well. I've had a couple of minor issues, but those were worked out in a timely manner satisfactorily. I prefer buying gear on-line relative to the hassle of trying to find a seller within a reasonable distance (and I live in densely-populated SoCal!). Buy from a known source and read all the documentation prior to buying and you should be fine.
+1 for buying from a retailer with a no hassle return policy and discount + rewards program. I bought a used bass from GC with the only risk being paying ~$25 return shipping if I didn't like it. Got a killer deal, plus enough rewards point to buy a nice heavy duty boom mic stand.
i buy most of my basses online from dealers with good reputations. when i had an issue with a hofner from AMS, they overnighted me a replacement so that i had it in my hands before i even returned the original with the bad neck angle. same with sweetwater, MF and GC. never had a problem when there was a problem with a bass. and buying online means i have the widest possible selection of like every bass made.
and if weight's an issue, a lot of over-$300 basses at sweetwater include the weight. my rep had the warehouse weight the sealed boxes for one cheap model and sent me the lightest one.
and if weight's an issue, a lot of over-$300 basses at sweetwater include the weight. my rep had the warehouse weight the sealed boxes for one cheap model and sent me the lightest one.
I know Sweetwater does free shipping, and even though it's not 2 day shipping I've never gone any longer than 3 days to get something from them.
Really??? Three pages and no-one has mentioned the true reason why you buy from Sweetwater?
It's the candy, it's all about the candy.
It's the candy, it's all about the candy.
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Try Sweetwater or Zzounds! If you don’t like it you can return it or exchange it! I particularly like Sweetwater for their backup service!
Sweetwater is great on follow-up service as well. They provided a replacement jack plate for my BB434 a full 9 months after I bought it at no charge after I let them know it was showing signs of corrosion/oxidation. I sent them a picture of the problem and a week or so later I had a shiny new part in the mail. It wasn't a stock part either - they had to get it from Yamaha. Who else does that?
D
Well, they're out of stock of every Fender jazz bass at Sweetwater & they're not expecting to get more until the end of July (I called, gave them contact info, & they'll supposedly let me know when they have the one I'm looking for), but Zzounds has 'em in stock and one in my preferred colour... hmm. It's so tempting to just order it from Zzounds, but Sweetwater seems a bit more detail-oriented, so I might wait it out. Patience is a virtue, or something... 
Definitely try Sweetwater, I've ordered 3 basses from them and they have all been great instruments. Unfortunately, they get played by me.
One of them was a special order SB Jazz with maple neck, took about a month and a half but, unless you're in a hurry, was worth the wait. They didn't stock the maple neck in SB.
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I can't speak for sweetwater as I've never ordered from them, but it's all about the return policy. I just resolved a 3-week-long nightmare dealing with a company I ordered from off Reverb. Long story short, returned a bass to them because the neck had too much bow and the truss rod was over-tightened and they just blew me off. Paid $50 out of pocket to return it to them and still waited weeks for a refund- and only got the refund after contacting reverb 3 times before they issued the seller an ultimatum to refund me in 24 hours or they would refund my payment themselves.
As much as it pains me to recommend them, Guitar Center's return policy completely negates my fear of buying stuff online- particularly used stuff. If anything is wrong, or you simply don't like it, they'll let you return it to any of their stores within 45 days. I've bought probably 20-30 used instruments this way and only had to return 3 of them, but it was fast and painless.
As much as it pains me to recommend them, Guitar Center's return policy completely negates my fear of buying stuff online- particularly used stuff. If anything is wrong, or you simply don't like it, they'll let you return it to any of their stores within 45 days. I've bought probably 20-30 used instruments this way and only had to return 3 of them, but it was fast and painless.
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