Sight unseen NBD.....

[Jeff K]

I've bought a number of basses over the years from Musicians Friend, AMS, etc. While there HAVE been some I've liked more than others, I've never felt like I got shafted; and they have a good return policy.

I've also bought (and sold) a lot of used basses here on TB. I always ask questions when contemplating a purchase, and encourage questions when selling. With good communication, the odds of being satisfied are very good. At least if MY experiences are any indication. Again, I've liked some better than others; but never felt like I was intentionally misled by a TB seller.

Had I refused to ever buy anything without playing it first, I'd have missed out on some fantastic deals. But of course everybody has to make their own "policy" on what they will or will not do.

 

[Bassheart365]

The last time I purchased a bass that I played first was literally decades ago. Never had a bad experience here on TB or anywhere else online. I'd support my local music stores but they don't carry the kinds of basses I play (mostly Dingwalls).

 

[Pings Bass]

I bought a Tribby L-2500 sight unseen from GC at the risk of paying one-way shipping (~$25) if I didn't like it. Turns out I like it… a lot, and it was a great price. I also bought a Squier Mini strat with some Reverb credit, just for fun. That turned out to be a keeper, too!

I never would have done this in the past, but as mentioned by others, modern manufacturing techniques produce amazingly consistent instruments at low cost. And I'm either not good enough to notice (or too good to care) about minor differences in feel.

 

[secondbestcody]

My local GC doesn’t have much that’s not a Squier or an American Fender so I usually buy used other places. With that being said, I think out of every bass I’ve bought, I’ve only played one before hand. I’ve owned 10 basses, currently have 4. My most recent one I played the same bass in store and liked it a lot but it sold so I ordered one from GC’s website.

I must be lucky because I haven’t had a bad one yet. They all get a setup to my liking but even new basses need that too. Buying from TB classifieds is almost always a safe bet aside from shipping accidents, but that’s usually due to improper handling on the carriers side.

 

[Gianni "Orlandez" Orlati]

So the thread about waiting for a NBD to warm up before opening got me thinking.
How do you guys do it? I can't fathom buying a bass without playing it first.
every bass feels different even in mass produced ones to me!

you guys are crazy. that's all

well not all, I have another one. Have you regretted these purchases or have you had a more positive experiences?

Well ... when you play a bass in a store and the bass is all but properly set up, do you get a clear picture of its real potential ?

 

[mikewalker]

When I arrived back to Canada's balmy west coast about six years ago, I had zero basses.
Now have 14 basses here, with zero bought locally. All either ebay/reverb/TB classifieds or custom ordered from their makers. No complaints with any of them, although they were all mostly bought as 'experiments' just to see if I might like them/bond with them. A couple that I really thought would be keepers have recently fallen off the keeper short list merely because the 'experiments' that came later confirmed some of my preferences more clearly. After 44 years and ~200 bass guitars, I'm now getting really close to understanding what works best for me...

 

[jnuts1]

It seems like most of you have had positive experiences so that is good. Mine have never lived up.
Let me add a few things,

If I was flipping sight unseen would be no problem. I'm more talking about buying a bass you are super excited to play and can hardly wait 24hrs.

As far as CNC machines and such you can go to any GC and every fender/Ibanez/pointy headstock bass plays a bit different. I have an MTD import (Suzy) that I have searched for 19 years to find her twin from the Czech republic that does not exist. I have played dozens of her relatives but never her twin. they all have something different about the neck or something. I've bought a few of them online and have sold them all because they were not the same. they were all close but no cigar.

I am also super picky and will have a bass set up by a store, or myself within reason, before I buy it. you are paying them money they can adjust the thing before they get said monies.

I think I have it a little easier being in a major city, I can find any bass to try before I buy. and boy have I tried a lot of basses in my search for my secondary bass (a ken smith named Vera BTW). I also go to every bass store in town when I go on vacation or business. except NY I didn't have time to even look online. But alas my buying days are over. Suzy and Vera hold a place hold a place in my heart I do not think have room for more (unless something blows Vera out of the water cause Suzy may be buried with me). I've tried Fender to Fodera and I haven't played anything that subjectively feels as good as they do to me.

And finally left handers. I'm sorry but I think you are stuck with whatever you can get

 

[keyofnight]

I don't mind buying without playing first. When I buy anything, it's mostly because it has a collection of things I want, and there aren't that many alternatives. Looking at examples on YouTube, doing research on the technical side, and reading people's thoughts—that's usually enough for me to know that I want the thing.

 

[electracoyote]

You learn to interpret pics and ask the right questions.

You get a feel for the seller's sense of honesty and fairness.

You get some kind of guarantee and return policy.

You realize that you're going to need to bust out a couple of simple hand tools, maybe a set of your preferred strings, and put a good personalized set up on your new bass, or find someone who will.

I've purchased dozens of basses long distance. I'd put my success rate at somewhere around 99%, and I've never been outright burned, stung, or stuck with a flawed bass purchase.

I've done it dozens more times with guitars, ukes, mandolins, and all nature of gear.

But it's not for everyone. It takes some insight and intuition. I totally understand someone not trusting themselves, the seller, or the system.

 

[MoeTown1986]

I’ve nought numerous basses sight unseen. They’ve varied from $200 used lower end basses, to new $2500 basses. Never been a single issue a simple setup couldn’t fix.