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Shopping for basses in Denver

#62
Stopped by the new Bass Store between Denver/Boulder a couple days ago.. Premier Bass Guitar. Here's a little review:

It is run by a gentleman named Dan Basica and it is without question the nicest music store to feature bass gear that has ever been in Colorado. Dan carries everything from Lull, Surine, ZON to Roscoe, Lakland and Sadowsky... and lots in between.

Upon walking into the store, i was warmly greeted by Dan and immediately struck up a conversation regarding all things bass. I've found in the past that stores carrying serious to high end bass gear sometimes have a tone of exclusivity or even snobbery. Almost like you feel in a jewelry store where you can't touch but feel free to look.

Not the case with Dan's store, It's a warm welcoming atmosphere that encourages trying, comparing and enjoying all the beautiful and amazing sounding gear.

The store is set up in such a manner that encourages grabbing a bass and trying it out. There are two cool circular carpeted "play" areas where you're surrounded by various amps that really invite you to plug in and compare gear.

The store is beautiful, modern and warm. But the real kicker is the friendly inclusive feeling you get from Dan and the staff when you go there.

It also helps that they carry a massive selection of bass strings that would satisfy probably 95% of the bass population... I use D'addario prosteels and of course they had the exact gauge i use in stock... and the pricing was VERY VERY reasonable. Dan said that he is very conscious of keeping his pricing very competitive especially on things like strings.

If you're in the Denver Area, Check it out.

FYI - i'm not in any way affiliated with Premier Bass Guitars, Just really blown away by what a great store it is!

Premier Bass Guitar
855-830-0007
2800 Rock Creek Cir, B1
Superior, CO 80027
 
#63
Denial said:
OK, way later than I promised but here's a quick summary of music stores in Denver/Boulder, Colorado Springs, and Fort Collins. Keep in mind that these are my observations and your mileage may vary.

There's no really great bass shop in the area. If you want Fender, go to Guitar Center or Robb's Music in Boulder. If you want MusicMan, it's Guitar Center. If you're looking for something unique, there's honestly not much.

Denver / Boulder Area

Drum City – Guitar Land in Wheat Ridge has a very unusual storefront, more like a warehouse with way too much on display (stacked drums, crammed guitars). They do carry a fair number of higher end basses on their website – MusicMan, Fender Custom Shop, Modulus, and more. In the store the only upscale bass on display was a Modulus, and there were only a few other basses on display. Not really shopping friendly.

Guitar Center Arvada is a small sized Guitar Center. On the showroom floor they had a dozen MusicMan basses, and a couple dozen Fender products (Squier, Made in Mexico, USA). Only a small number of amplifiers were on display from Ampeg, Gallien Kruger, and Markbass.

Guitar Center Denver is the largest and most well-stocked Guitar Center of the five stores located in Denver, Colorado Springs, and Fort Collins. They had about a dozen MusicMan, and a dozen Squier basses, a dozen Fender Made in Mexico, and a dozen Fender USA basses on display. They also had a decent selection of amplifiers from Ampeg, Acoustic, and Markbass, plus one high end Mesa amplifier. There were no used or vintage basses on display.

Guitar Center Englewood is a small sized Guitar Center, very similar to Guitar Center Arvada. On the floor they had a 6 MusicMan basses and a couple dozen Fender products (Squier, Made in Mexico, USA). Only a small number of amplifiers were on display from Ampeg, Gallien Kruger, Markbass.

Musician’s Super Store in Westminster is “Guitar Center lite” (as someone else pointed out), all the way down to the central checkout and turnstile entry/exit and backpack check in at the register. The bass department had all low end mass market basses and amps. Lots of “selling” from the sales staff showing discount from list price that no one sells for (and most customers know this).

Music Go Round in Littleton is a typical cookie cutter franchise setup. Lots of low end gear, a few nicer pieces (e.g. an Ibanez Prestige for $1,000 and a Warwick Corvette for $850). The only item greater than $1,000 in this store was a Warwick FNA Jazzman, priced at $2,000.

National Speaker and Sound in Denver is primarily focused on the professional audio and sound system market, but happens to carry some bass gear. They had 6 basses in stock (1 Yamaha, 1 Nash, 1 G&L and a few low end products). 2 bass amps were in stock – a Hartke combo amp and a custom Mesa amp and cabinet covered in red “alligator” leather (about $4,000).

Rockley Music in Lakewood had only eight beginner basses in stock from Peavey and ESP, plus a few small practice amps. They claim on their website to carry a few high end bass lines (like Rickenbacker), but never seem to have any in stock over the last 12 years I’ve stopped in and didn’t have any at this visit.

Guitars Etc in Longmont is a nice store with friendly employees. They had a total of ten basses in stock: 1 Fender USA, 1 Modulus “Flea” signature bass, and the rest low end models. They only had a few practice amps in stock. Don’t bother with Miller’s Music next door.

Robb’s Music in Boulder is a nice store with friendly staff. They carry a lot of Fender product (Squier, Made in Mexico, USA), plus six import Spector basses (<$700). For amplifiers, they carry Eden, SWR, and a few small practice amps.

Wildwood Guitars in Lousiville really caters to guitar plays. Only three bass guitars were on display – two used Fenders and one Rickenbacker 4004Cii which was originally transparent blue, but has faded to purple by being displayed in the window. The website shows 3 Rickenbacker 4003 models in stock, but they were not on display. Storefront was a bit of a letdown.

Fort Collins Area

Guitar Center Fort Collins is one of the most generic Guitar Centers I’ve ever seen. Bass products include Squier, Fender Made in Mexico, a few Fender USA, and a few MusicMan. They had 6 small Ampeg combo amps, and a few low end Acoustic amps.

Spotlight Music in Fort Collins is a nice store, locally owned, with friendly employees. They had about eight low-end basses in stock (Fender, Ibanez, and ESP). The nicest bass was a Fender Steve Harris signature bass ($1,300). They had one used Fodera Victor Wooten “Ying Yang” model bass on consignment for $6,000 (it belongs to an employee). For amplifiers they had one Mesa with a 2x10 Mesa cabinet, a Mesa Walkabout Scout 15, and a Fender Bassman 300 tube amp with a 4x10 cabinet.

Colorado Springs

Colorado Guitar Emporium is a small locally owned store that carries a few low basses and is also a G&L dealer. There is not much inventory in stock. They seem more focused on lessons and service than sales.

Guitar Center Colorado Springs is a medium sized store, with a decent selection of low priced basses, most $600 and under. They did have 8 MusicMan basses on display. Amplification on display included 1 Ampeg SVT with a 6x10 cabinet, plus a few smaller amplifiers from Ampeq and Acoustic.

Music Central is small storefront in the same shopping center as Prosound Music Center. The store is overstocked and messy, with very little good merchandise.

Music Exchange has a great downtown location but very little inventory in stock, and what they had was all budget items that compete directly with Guitar Center. Their website makes it seem like they specialize in vintage and unique gear, but the inventory on hand says otherwise.

Prosound Music Center had about a dozen basses in stock, most less than $500 and all less than $1000. Nothing interesting to me.
Click to expand...

Spotlight has quite few fenders right now.I saw a sting sig,duff from gnr sig,mike dirnt sig,and the fretted and frettless stephen bailey basses.There were also many mim and some mia fenders. I think that fender head is gone,but there is a orange adb200 and a orange 8x10. Spotlight is a nice store, lots of basses (more than the guitar center down the street).
 
#64
larryelwood said:
Stopped by the new Bass Store between Denver/Boulder a couple days ago.. Premier Bass Guitar. Here's a little review:

It is run by a gentleman named Dan Basica and it is without question the nicest music store to feature bass gear that has ever been in Colorado. Dan carries everything from Lull, Surine, ZON to Roscoe, Lakland and Sadowsky... and lots in between.

Upon walking into the store, i was warmly greeted by Dan and immediately struck up a conversation regarding all things bass. I've found in the past that stores carrying serious to high end bass gear sometimes have a tone of exclusivity or even snobbery. Almost like you feel in a jewelry store where you can't touch but feel free to look.

Not the case with Dan's store, It's a warm welcoming atmosphere that encourages trying, comparing and enjoying all the beautiful and amazing sounding gear.

The store is set up in such a manner that encourages grabbing a bass and trying it out. There are two cool circular carpeted "play" areas where you're surrounded by various amps that really invite you to plug in and compare gear.

The store is beautiful, modern and warm. But the real kicker is the friendly inclusive feeling you get from Dan and the staff when you go there.

It also helps that they carry a massive selection of bass strings that would satisfy probably 95% of the bass population... I use D'addario prosteels and of course they had the exact gauge i use in stock... and the pricing was VERY VERY reasonable. Dan said that he is very conscious of keeping his pricing very competitive especially on things like strings.

If you're in the Denver Area, Check it out.

FYI - i'm not in any way affiliated with Premier Bass Guitars, Just really blown away by what a great store it is!

Premier Bass Guitar
855-830-0007
2800 Rock Creek Cir, B1
Superior, CO 80027
Click to expand...
Very cool. I get to Denver at least once a year, I'll try and check the place out.
 
#65
+1 to Dan being a great guy!

I got to know him through email when I passed a link for gear to him and then met him at a bass clinic up in Longmont. As much as I want to visit the shop, I was recently laid off so I don't quite feel right going in knowing I can't buy anything (despite Dan's invitation). :hmm: When I find a new job though, I'll definitely be in the market for a new high(er)-end bass and I'll be visiting his shop for sure.

5sg.
 
#67
larryelwood said:
I've found in the past that stores carrying serious to high end bass gear sometimes have a tone of exclusivity or even snobbery. Almost like you feel in a jewelry store where you can't touch but feel free to look.
Click to expand...
Great to know. I remember the time I walked into a high-end shop that used to be in Denver (rhymes with Shmitar-Hex), asked to play a bass that was up on the wall, and saw the guy stick post-it notes all over the top so my fingers wouldn't touch the wood. I was pretty turned off.

I certainly understand these guys' investment in product and that they need to keep it from all turning into NOS on their wall. It went a little too far in that case, though.
 
#68
I came across your site just a few weeks ago. Not sure how (did you have an ad in Bass Player?) Anyway... drool. Very impressive inventory. I was lusting heavily after a seafoam green Mike Lull P4, if memory serves.


Premierbass said:
I don't know if I'm violating the CUP, but I'm opening a bass specialty store in Superior CO off US 36 (Boulder Turnpike) in September. 7 miles to Boulder, 20 miles to downtown Denver, and easy access to/from the airport via the northwest parkway. I hope to be the local fix for all things bass in Denver, Boulder, and the Rocky Mountains.

Link Removed
Link Removed
Twitter
Premier Bass Guitars | Facebook

Premier Bass Guitars
Click to expand...
 
#69
Premier bass guitar kicks a$$! I was blown away with how much variety they had. I tried some stuff out there that I absolutely loved, other stuff was not really my thing, but it was all top quality bass gear. I was really happy to see such variety. I will be going in to buy a berg NV412 in the next month, and hopefully the NV610 shorty after if my budget allows. The guys there are so friendly and welcoming. We actually plugged both those cabs into a Aguilar db751 and rattled the walls for about an hour. It was loads of fun. I did not want to leave! Check it out guys. They really are not high pressure salesmen there. They were geeking out as much as I was about the gear! Fun place.
 
#73
soxhats said:
Did you play that Lull T4 too? Blue?! DROOL.
Click to expand...

I did. That Lull T4 was the reason I drove down there. It was gorgeous and had plenty of bite. However the bass that totally blew my mind there was the Zon Sonus 4 fretless. Dan had that thing hooked up to an MXR double chorus and into some aguilar 1x12s... It sounded like whales singing in heaven. Unbelievable.
 
#76
fivestringgecko: Hope the new year brings you some job prospects.

WJGreer: We want to make shopping fun and give people plenty of time to try what they want. Since we don't carry entry level products, we've had absolutely no problem with anyone mistreating the gear. I promise we won't put post-it notes on the basses.

soxhats: You probably saw our ad in Bass Player Magazine, we've been running one there for a few months now.

nillawaffa: Yes, that was quite fun running the DB751 into both big Bergantino cabs at the same time!
 
#78
I stopped at Premier last week when the wife and I were in town job/apartment searching..
I had a great experience, and I finally got to lay my hands on a few Sadowskys, helping me narrow down the options for my next bolt-on. If I do move to Boulder, this is gonna be the place that gets all of my business.
I wish Houston had a store as well-stocked and as accommodating as Premier Bass.
 
#79
HypersoulRocks said:
I stopped at Premier last week when the wife and I were in town job/apartment searching..
I had a great experience, and I finally got to lay my hands on a few Sadowskys, helping me narrow down the options for my next bolt-on. If I do move to Boulder, this is gonna be the place that gets all of my business.
I wish Houston had a store as well-stocked and as accommodating as Premier Bass.
Click to expand...

I know, man. It's really special that we have this great bass shop here in the Denver area. They're getting my business too.
 

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