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Warning- Bass Southwest

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#44
Polk Salad said:
Nothing like a mystery......who's the TB'r who tipped off BSW? LOL

:):D:laugh::roflmao::smug:
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I'll happily squash the mystery... I was one of several people that "tipped them off". If anything, I like to see if there's more to the story. Nothing against the OP, but I believe that a response from the dealer can either solidify, or weaken the OPs case.

Not that I'm saying this is the case with the OP, but I've been in the position to have my workplace slammed by someone after I suspended service because they were doing drugs in the back of my Limo. They made a lot of false claims on facebook to get even with the business.

I do have to wonder how a retailer with any kind of questionable practices could bring in wholesalers of such high caliber basses.
 
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#45
Mark_L said:
This guy sold me a used Surine bass that he represented as new. I have correspondence from the builder stating the dealer bought the bass, sent from the finisher with a finish flaw, to keep for himself. The builder offered to have the finish repaired, but the customer (dealer) opted to not have the flaw fixed and he took delivery to keep for himself, since it would never sell with the flaw. Crazy, right? Then he listed it for sale through his store, Bass Southwest. I bought it, received it, and immediately noticed the finish flaw. The dealer denied that the flaw existed at all, but it had been edited out of some, but not all, of the pictures he posted. As I said, the builder told me about the flaw. It was shipped to the dealer with the flaw. The builder also told me that now my bass doesn’t have a warranty because the dealer is the original owner, and the warranty doesn’t transfer. Used bass. All I got was BS excuses from the dealer, denying everything, but eventually offering to have the finish repaired. I decided not to send it back because the guy sold it as new when the builder confirmed it was used when I purchased it. I decided he couldn’t be trusted. He’s in California, I’m in Texas. My dear friend is a lawyer. He told me that I would spend even more money to pursue the guy legally. He said it probably wasn’t worth the hassle for $4200. So I dropped it. I had my local guy, who is very skilled, repair the finish perfectly for $75. It’s a killer bass, and I love it. So there you go. A tale about a $4200 used bass deal with A BUNCH of drama.
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What you've described, if accurate and you can prove it, is interstate federal felony fraud. 18 U.S. Code § 1341 - Frauds and swindles

You may not get compensated, but you can certainly get revenge.

Police.
Better Business Bureau.
Etc.

Do the right thing, or you're arguably an enabler like many on some of the "WARNING!!!" sticky threads who never bothered to call the cops while many dozens more were ripped off and are still being ripped off years, or decade(s), later.
 
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#47
steelbed45 said:
That place sold me a used bass with missing bridge height adjustment screws, the G string was flat to the fretboard. If you remember, they stated that every bass they sold went through an inspection.

I may be the only unsatisfied customer they ever had, but my point is, every "great store" has one. I had to argue tooth and nail with them to take it back.

I completely get where the OP is coming from.
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Not only you, my Quantum 5 didnt even come set up. It was unplayable and the case was missing the keys to lock the darn thing.

I called them up but no return on call. Why would they? They knew I lived overseas.
 
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#48
Sounds pretty fraudulent if the pics were intentionally misleading. I dont think the builder is responsible for warranty work, as he sold it 'as is' probably at a lesser cost than normal. From the surface, Bass SW tried to take advantage and maximize estimated profit of the transaction and had no intention of ever keeping it. Posting the same thing 20 times, live wire. 'He got caught'. Thanks for the warning. 75$ not bad for the fix.
 
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#49
I originally PM’d the OP out of solidarity because I had a very similar experience with Bass Southwest but after having a chance to read through this posting I feel the need to corroborate his story publicly.

“I had a very similar situation to yours with Bass Southwest. EBMM BFR Old Smoothie. Had a very fine delamination between the skunk stripe inlay and the neck up around third fret. Nearly impossible to see, but you feel it immediately. He also claimed that it was cared for and set up...BS...the fingerboard was dry enough to start a fire and every single piece of hardware that turned needed lubricant. I didn’t get anywhere with him or Reverb on settling the problem. Ernie Ball wants $1200 to replace the neck and you don’t get to keep the original because it’s proprietary lol”

BSW actions on this thread are also in keeping with what I experienced during our previous interactions

Edit: I forgot that the “original mint OHSC” had a Musicman logo (plastic right by the carrying handle) on the front that was so wrinkled up it looked like someone had taken a heat gun to it
 
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#55
No dealings with Bass Southwest, and probably won't (regardless of this thread), but I did have a less-than-stellar experience with the once-venerable former bass shop in the upper-left quadrant of the USA. I'll just say that certain pieces of an electric upright bass came broken, and the proprietary electronics were completely screwed up. They closed up shop very shortly after I received the bass and that was that. It's still sitting in a closet waiting for me to rebuild the broken parts and figure out an entirely new bridge/pickup system in order to make it usable. It's a $1000 pipe dream, at this point.
 
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#56
LowB-90 said:
Thanks fellas I appreciate the info.
I will take my business elsewhere!
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So, if you happen to be in Rodondo Beach, CA would you make it a point to not go into Bass Southwest? What if they had a bass you really wanted right there in stock and at a great price? Would you NOT go in there and buy it? Again, three sides to every story: yours, mine and the truth.
 
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#57
Smooth_bass88 said:
So, if you happen to be in Rodondo Beach, CA would you make it a point to not go into Bass Southwest? What if they had a bass you really wanted right there in stock and at a great price? Would you NOT go in there and buy it? Again, three sides to every story: yours, mine and the truth.
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We've heard both sides.

I would not take my business there.
 
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#59
Smooth_bass88 said:
So, if you happen to be in Rodondo Beach, CA would you make it a point to not go into Bass Southwest? What if they had a bass you really wanted right there in stock and at a great price? Would you NOT go in there and buy it? Again, three sides to every story: yours, mine and the truth.
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Except if one of those people is telling the truth.
 
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#60
Bass Viking said:
Ever heard of Ed Roman? His website had some high quality basses e.g. Ken Smith, Dingwall
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Hate to say it, but since I'll never pay more than a couple Gs for a bass... I've never heard of Ed Roman. Only high end bass shop I've ever heard of was Planet Bass... and I'd agreed with my business manager (wife) that I'd resist the temptation of ever walking in there.
 
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