IMO basses are tools. Buying a used bass is like buying used mechanic's tools. Some mechanics tools are bought to be used in the brutal day to day business of fixing cars and equipment. That takes it's toll on them. Care and maintenance by the owner plays into it too as used & abused tools offer poor performance and many frustrations. Some tools are owned by hobbyist mechanics who use them occasionally and care for them passionately. Used basses fall under the same general conditions so it matters greatly what you are buying and who you are buying it from. IMO there is nothing nicer than a new set of well made sockets or a new well made bass.
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Used bass condition disclosure
- Thread starter ahbradot
- Start date
Most of my basses have been used, about 30+. There were only two instances where the bass was not the condition I expected. One time I got a bass off Ebay that was not the condition the seller said it was. At least one big dent that wasn't mentioned, lots of fret crud. Returned it and left negative feedback. Before that I bought a Tobias Growler from BassNW that was unplayable. Dead frets, warped neck. They refused to take it back. Somehow the repair guy I took it to at the local store bought it from me for what I paid for it.
Other than that everything used has been through here and I've only had one or two really minor issues that were resolved.
Other than that everything used has been through here and I've only had one or two really minor issues that were resolved.
Right now I’m in the buy new camp, but have had perfectly fine experiences buying used, especially here on the classifieds. In the past you could pick up used stuff for more like 50-70% the price of new gear, but these days it feels like used prices are structurally higher - like 70-85% of new for some instruments.
when the prices are that close, I’d rather spend a few dollars more and get exactly what I want in terms of color, weight, etc. But I also tend to maintain a very small herd of just one main instrument and one backup. If you like more variety or need to cover more music styles, the for sure go used - if you need, say, a five string only occasionally and aren’t particular about all the details, you can find great stuff.
when the prices are that close, I’d rather spend a few dollars more and get exactly what I want in terms of color, weight, etc. But I also tend to maintain a very small herd of just one main instrument and one backup. If you like more variety or need to cover more music styles, the for sure go used - if you need, say, a five string only occasionally and aren’t particular about all the details, you can find great stuff.
for used Basses I must play and check them first. in my experience most of sellers lie or unaware about faults.
If you have a good source, used gear's cool for cats — you just need someone you can trust
I love the grading system at U-Box, where I've done a good deal of damage, in the past — 99.9% positive. Two more recent weapons, this time from ebay, including the last bedazzling jazz, both of them alien — from a distant galaxy — both secondhand, also passed with flying colors, saving me some serious cash. I consider myself to be lucky, for the most part, in this regard, although I've managed to improve the odds with some canny qualifications.I tend only to shop for a very small number of brands / makers, as a rule. And from the upper tier of their ranges. However, the world turns. The last three are all new(ish), way beyond my comfort-zone — budget models, off-the-rack and unplayed — two were actually 'customer returned' jobs which saved me a decent whack. No dramas. They're also three of the cheapest axes I own. All are, happily, in the same league, sound-wise and condition-wise, that I'm always aiming for.
No need to limit yourself, really. Just be wise. Think it through, carefully. Then, chance your arm. … Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know … You may surprise yourself
It's happened before 
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Last 2 basses I bought were used Lakland Skylines. I know they are well built, and they are kind of niche enough that they are probably intentionally bought (buying a Skyline, not just buying a bass that happens to be a Skyline) and the probably taken care of because of that. I also knew enough of the sellers to make a judgement call- one was a friend of a friend, one was a high rated TB seller. Especially as the price increases, I’d rather pay 75-80% for a well taken care of used bass than 100% for new.
Good points Esteban. I bought a new MIM P special last year at GC - on sale for about $750 new. Retail was $899. The retail now is up to $1,049 new, which some may argue is way too high for a MIM, however, to each his own. I put some of the DiMarzio DP -126's in, fantastic sound. On the other hand, I also bought a mint condition Ibby SR 800 used, got a good deal, killer bass. So yeah, maybe a split isn't too bad!
I've become very leary about buying used. I will from brick & mortar retailers I trust. Even Guitar Center has over classified on condition twice. I bought an Ibanez 5 string that had 2 bridge screws snapped off classified as excellent. And a Schecter Elite that the finish by the jack and on the other side same area was completely shattered also classified as excellent. Of course the damage wasn't in the pictures. Then again their used photography is about the worst in the industry. Both basses went back on their dime. Never on Reverb anymore from private sellers. The last was a Warwick Corvette. Some bone head stripped out the active electronics and tried to make the bass passive leaving the active pickups. It had the output of an old transistor radio. Not a word about it in the description. I had to get Reverb involved and it took almost a month to get my money back. I'll stick with new or "B" stocks.
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Well that's pretty egregious misrepresentation. Doesn't Reverb have some kind of a policy or procedure for you to get some sort of satisfaction when that happens?
They do, but if the seller isn't cooperative it takes a while. In this case almost a month.
Gotta stop thinking about them as "scratches or dents"---they are "love taps"; "signs of previous enjoyment"; the first step on the road to the instrument being "vintage" or "distressed"; "battle scars" or a reminder that few things in life are perfect and nothing stays that way.
