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What is "B" stock?
- Thread starter MichelD
- Start date
Remember when cars went from "used" to "pre-owned"?
That's when "B stock" went from factory reject or salvage to "let's just cut 'em some slack on the price".
Most defects are minor and barely noticeable to the unaware.
Even hardware problems can usually be easily solved.
One of my son's bought a gorgeous Custom shop Tele in transparent purple with maple neck, painted headstock, and split coil hmbkrs. Had a miniscule ding in the finish (I couldn't see it til he pointed it out).
Went from $1200 down to $800, then he showed them one of the pkups was wonky and got it for $575.
We contacted Fender, sent them the pkup which they promptly replaced.
Super deal, and there's lots out there if you're looking.
That's when "B stock" went from factory reject or salvage to "let's just cut 'em some slack on the price".
Most defects are minor and barely noticeable to the unaware.
Even hardware problems can usually be easily solved.
One of my son's bought a gorgeous Custom shop Tele in transparent purple with maple neck, painted headstock, and split coil hmbkrs. Had a miniscule ding in the finish (I couldn't see it til he pointed it out).
Went from $1200 down to $800, then he showed them one of the pkups was wonky and got it for $575.
We contacted Fender, sent them the pkup which they promptly replaced.
Super deal, and there's lots out there if you're looking.
I guess big online stores like Thomann in the EU re-sell some articles that have been sent back within their return policy as B stock because that's simpler/cheaper than to check whether the returned product is still "brand new". I have bought some (usually with roughly 10 % discount) and never found any negative trace at all, and if I had and it had bothered me too much, I could have returned it without hassle. So take your chances...
Don't know whether the same terms apply to non-EU customers...
Don't know whether the same terms apply to non-EU customers...
Gibson used to have factory seconds which were instruments with a blemish that wouldn’t pass QC. When I worked music retail, we would get B stock or demo sale sheets with discounted gear.
My friend who used to run a used music shop was able to buy Squier and Mexican Fender B stock blem instruments even though he wasn’t a dealer.
My friend who used to run a used music shop was able to buy Squier and Mexican Fender B stock blem instruments even though he wasn’t a dealer.
B stock is how I get great prices on great gear. Like my MTD Kingston Super 5 I bought directly from MTD... Tell me what's wrong? It's in the picture.
i think that the definition of “B-Stock” varies a bit and is determined by the seller. As many have said, it is a product that is in an open carton (not factory sealed) and it may have been used for demo or could even be a customer return. A B-Stock product should be nearly indistinguishable from a new one. B-Stock discounts should range from 10- 20%.
There is a "blemish" in the satin (read picks up every finger print, spec of dust, etc) along one of the knobs. Instant $200 off. Literally a mark in a spot where you will leave a mark the first time you roll the knob.
By "ding", do you mean a chip in the finish? Or a dent in the wood. If it's a dent of any real depth, realize how hard a knock that had to be to crush those wood fibers, depending on the wood. Alder or basswood dents a lot easier than ash or maple (which require steel toed kicks to dent beyond 2mm).
Doesn't mean it's not fine, just check if its on a joint and has affected the bond.
Either way, anything less than perfect should cut ten to twenty percent off the price, and big damage should cut more. It really all depends on your negotiating skills, and how steady a customer of the establishment you are.
Hahaha, I've tried to do 4 strings. The only one I play is my parts P. I'm having serious issues with my sandberg grand dark being a 4 and not a 5. I need to sell it and find a 5 or trade plus cash for one. It's the best sounding bass I've ever played.I was going to say they put an extra string on it by mistake!
You will also see, often in pawn shops, or other sellers who aren't traditional music stores, like-new instruments that will often have the original manufacturer's serial number covered over and they now sport a new serial number. You often see what looks like a black strip over the OG serial number next to the new one.
This is from one of several new instrument re-sellers. For some manufacturers, disposing of B's or just slow moving stock they just can't get the dealer body to take off their hands, is a problem when you need to sell them, but none of your dealers who have dealer agreements and money on the table for dealer fees won't take them.
So rather than burn them, these can be sold off to one of these re-sellers, who fixes any blems or small problems, adds their own s/n, and the manufacturers are off the hook as they never sold them retail themselves.
They are now the re-seller's problem, the original warranty is void, and generally as these are stuff nobody wanted anyway, and are usually sold in outlets that aren't competitors, the authorized dealers look the other way.
Generally these are usually the cheap end of the product line, not going to see Les Paul Customs or American Fenders done this way.
This is from one of several new instrument re-sellers. For some manufacturers, disposing of B's or just slow moving stock they just can't get the dealer body to take off their hands, is a problem when you need to sell them, but none of your dealers who have dealer agreements and money on the table for dealer fees won't take them.
So rather than burn them, these can be sold off to one of these re-sellers, who fixes any blems or small problems, adds their own s/n, and the manufacturers are off the hook as they never sold them retail themselves.
They are now the re-seller's problem, the original warranty is void, and generally as these are stuff nobody wanted anyway, and are usually sold in outlets that aren't competitors, the authorized dealers look the other way.
Generally these are usually the cheap end of the product line, not going to see Les Paul Customs or American Fenders done this way.
It is still commonly synonymous with "factory reject"/"factory second". It's used like this on Reverb, and also several pedal makers I personally know of do this-- they will commonly offer cheaper "B-stock" runs of pedals that end up with cosmetic defects for one reason or another, usually either due to tool marks or finish/graphics issues.
Smooth_bass88
vaxx!
- Oct 31, 2006
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What about a Fender Road Worn jazz bass ‘B stock’? What would that even be????
