Only got stung one, Carvin - not likely to happen again soon . . .
Really, I'm surprised to hear that. I've heard nothing but good things from Carvin owners.
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Pig in a poke???
- Thread starter Nutz4Bass
- Start date
Really, I'm surprised to hear that. I've heard nothing but good things from Carvin owners.
I dont think I played one of my instruments or amps before I got them - not a fan of going to music stores (especially GC) to be annoyed. I'd rather try it out in my home/surroundings and pay return shipping if I don't dig it! Only got stung one, Carvin - not likely to happen again soon . . .
I bought all of my Markbass with-out playing them. A co-worker said to me "how can you do that?"
I read alot about them and surfed on TB and "you pay for what you get"
I did hear a Markbass amp in a bar way before I bought one and was blown away from the sound of it!.
I recently bought a Markbass Super Synth and have a Markbass Chorus/Flanger coming with out hearing either one!
I've bought several guitars without ever laying my hands on them and never had a problem. I just ordered an Ibanez SRT805DX from MF last week, although I have played one before.
Really, I'm surprised to hear that. I've heard nothing but good things from Carvin owners.
Not to jump in again, but I'm a Carvin fanboi now and even I admit I've heard of folks not liking some of the older instruments. They could have gone through a bad QC phase at one point in time for all we know and that could have spawned a reputation floating around out there.
But as for quality, I can't find a single corner cut on either of my two Bunnies. I have to get _really_ anal to find a problem (i.e. on my 4, I wish I could get the action down ever so slightly more without having to bottom the bridge saddles out, that kind of thing), or find something that it can't do that I'd need another bass to do. I just can't find anything wrong with either one of them.
As for suitability, this is probably where Carvin has been weak in the past. They're filling out their line pretty extensively just in the last few years to fix that, i.e. with the SB series to fill in the bolt-on, traditional sound hole that existed in their line. And they're still working on it; they just announced the Brian Bromberg model, which should fill in yet another gap, and so on.
So today, buying a Carvin pig/poke style is a very low risk proposition. The chances of success are really high....
LS
Because if you buy it here used in the classifieds and find it's not the right bass for you, it can be sold again here (usually) for about the same price. No risk, except for your time and shipping costs.
Really, I'm surprised to hear that. I've heard nothing but good things from Carvin owners.
yeah - don't want to get too into it but I thought the whole sales process sucked and I was away a good portion of the 10 day trial period so I ended up keeping it. Took a huge hit selling it. the instrument itself wasnt that bad though . . . it all just left a bad taste in my mouth about them. I think if I ever do another "custom" instrument I'm going warmoth!
same w/ me and my MB stuff - I got a minimark on the advice of a friend. great little amp, it's been a huge trooper for tons of small gigs, rehearsals and practice!
I bought a Hanewinckel 6 string having never heard or seen one. Liked it so much I bought a 2nd one (fretless) Both have since been sold, since I now know I'm not a 6 string player. I wouldn't hesitate to grab another one with the right specs and price.
Specced and ordered a Marchlewski 5 string based solely on seeing the build thread that Wolfehollow set up for his first project with Marchlewski. Still own it and it gets a lot of work in a stable that includes two Alembics, a Roscoe, and two Music Man basses.
Every amp I have owned within the past 15 - 20 years I've had a chance to preview at GC.
Specced and ordered a Marchlewski 5 string based solely on seeing the build thread that Wolfehollow set up for his first project with Marchlewski. Still own it and it gets a lot of work in a stable that includes two Alembics, a Roscoe, and two Music Man basses.
Every amp I have owned within the past 15 - 20 years I've had a chance to preview at GC.
wow, times have really changed. i can 'remember when' a musician would never think of buying before playing. i remember when music stores were real music stores. not the case any more.
this is just amazing. i can see buying something unseen...if you have previously played another instrument 'just like it'. yeah, i get the 'return policy' and i know that tb is a great resource....but
just think of the number of people who a taking a leap of faith and throwing down the benjamin's.
this is just amazing. i can see buying something unseen...if you have previously played another instrument 'just like it'. yeah, i get the 'return policy' and i know that tb is a great resource....but
just think of the number of people who a taking a leap of faith and throwing down the benjamin's.
not really though - only if you buy from a place that has no return policy. THAT is very risky IMO. MF, for example, has a killer return policy.
I forgot to mention that in addition to the bass I bought on TB and the two instruments from Rondo (still have all three), I bought two amp heads from MF and returned both of them. Still ampless but I can't be stuck with something that 100% won't work for me.
I've bought most of my basses sight unseen - and in some cases, had never played one. My more recent, a Gretsch 5123, was bought based on reputation and appearance - and it's the most expensive bass I've ever bought.
- Dec 28, 2009
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The only basses I have bought sight unseen or unplayed have been my Music Man basses and my 20th Anniversary Ibanez Soundgear bass. With the 20th Anniversary bass, I owned and still do a 94 and 95 SR 500 and had played countless other Soundgear basses so I pretty much knew what I was getting. I had been wanting that Anniversary bass ever since I found out about it.
With my Music Man basses, I had played them in the past and new how good the craftsmanship was. I also figured with them, if I did not like them, I could re-sell them for what I paid for them or use my money back guarantee. My first was a Sterling 4H that I traded a Taylor acoustic guitar for. I figured I could re-sell it close to what the value of my Taylor was worth. The next one was a little different. It was the breast Cancer Awareness bass that Sterling Ball custom made for me because my wife had been diagnosed with breast cancer. That one was a little different. I had never played a Stingray Classic before but I knew the craftsmanship would be top notch and due to the circumstances of having that bass made, it will never be sold but when I got it, I loved it. It plays like butter, looks great and sounds fantastic. The next 2 basses I purchased were bought from Sterling Ball's recommendation. The first was a Music Man Bongo 4HH DDII. The first time I saw a Bongo I thought they were ugly. Sterling commented to me to give it time and they would grow on me. Sure enough, he was right. I kind of started liking their looks but had never played one. Bass Central was the place that I purchased my Breast Cancer Awareness bass from and they had a money back guarantee if you did not like the bass you bought so I bought my first Bongo from them off of Sterlings recommendation and when I got it, I fell in love. He was right. At the same time I ordered a second Bongo. This time a Roasted neck. I just received it this last Thursday and it is now my new #1 bass that I use. I freaking love this bass and everything about it.
With Music Man basses, I will buy them site unseen because I have come to trust them in what they build. With other brands, I would only buy them site unseen if I had a money back guarantee due to my not having that trust with them yet.
With my Music Man basses, I had played them in the past and new how good the craftsmanship was. I also figured with them, if I did not like them, I could re-sell them for what I paid for them or use my money back guarantee. My first was a Sterling 4H that I traded a Taylor acoustic guitar for. I figured I could re-sell it close to what the value of my Taylor was worth. The next one was a little different. It was the breast Cancer Awareness bass that Sterling Ball custom made for me because my wife had been diagnosed with breast cancer. That one was a little different. I had never played a Stingray Classic before but I knew the craftsmanship would be top notch and due to the circumstances of having that bass made, it will never be sold but when I got it, I loved it. It plays like butter, looks great and sounds fantastic. The next 2 basses I purchased were bought from Sterling Ball's recommendation. The first was a Music Man Bongo 4HH DDII. The first time I saw a Bongo I thought they were ugly. Sterling commented to me to give it time and they would grow on me. Sure enough, he was right. I kind of started liking their looks but had never played one. Bass Central was the place that I purchased my Breast Cancer Awareness bass from and they had a money back guarantee if you did not like the bass you bought so I bought my first Bongo from them off of Sterlings recommendation and when I got it, I fell in love. He was right. At the same time I ordered a second Bongo. This time a Roasted neck. I just received it this last Thursday and it is now my new #1 bass that I use. I freaking love this bass and everything about it.
With Music Man basses, I will buy them site unseen because I have come to trust them in what they build. With other brands, I would only buy them site unseen if I had a money back guarantee due to my not having that trust with them yet.
Out of the 7 basses I have right now, I don't own a single bass that I played before buying. I've sold every bass I've ever bought locally and tried ahead of time. Go figure.
