Ordering Online

I've only had good experiences with buying instruments through Musician's Friend. They ship quick, too.

 

Can I make a suggestion?

I have done this in the past and it has worked out well and then it has turned out badly. I live in a small town with local shops of all kinds. Everything is cheaper on the internet. EVERYTHING. But, On-line shopping will sooner or later crush our local stores. I am not rich, so try and understand what I suggest comes from a poor guy.

It was not with a bass but something similar that I needed. It was $250 less on-line verses my local shop. Call me stupid, but I went into the local shop and told them I had found it for so much less. I told them I wanted to keep the bussiness in our town so I offered to pay $125 more than the on-line store but $125 less than his shop. He took the deal. I felt good spending the money in town even though I could have gotten it for less. I am not sure the shop owner was happy but he got a sale rather than no sale. I left it up to him.

I should mention that I tried this same thing for a saddle I was buying for my daughter at the local tack shop. The owner screamed at me and tthrew me out. He blamed me for all his problems competing with on-line stores. I tried to explain that I was trying to help him and also not spend way too much than I needed. He did not care.

So it may be a huge mistake, but it is something to think about. m2cents

 

Your experience with the tack store owner is telling. It is always unfortunate when ensuing events obsolete one's business model. But this is nothing new. To compete, a local business of the sort as the tack store must provide a level of service and intimate customer relationship that can't be had through an on-line dealer.

OTOH, there are those few local dealers that I wouldn't feel bad at all were they to get some on-line business competition. New car sales come to mind.

 

I ordered online from an actual store, not a mail order service. They had a clearance sale plus gave me a period of time to return the bass if I didn't like it. They worst part was the 24-hour period when you're not supposed to open the box, in order to let the temperature slowly adjust and avoid cracking the finish. My wife pushed me to open it, but I w a i t e d i t o u t.

BTW, my cousin ordered a Schector from them over a month ago and is still waiting. They are seriously back-ordered - the factory hasn't been shipping them any.