Where else do you do your "online window shopping" for basses?

[Zooberwerx]

TB classifieds primarily, FB, Reverb...gets me started down the rabbit hole. I get my best critiques / reviews by PM'ing current & previous users (TB).

Riis

 

[hooky_marr]

I've perused Buyee a bit, but have never got over the 'too good to be true' jitters. Any hiccups?
I have bought guitar parts on Aliexpress, and had the same kind of feelings. But haven't had a bad experience as yet. Touch wood

None so far. Occasionally the shipping price varies but it’s been smooth sailing. Some major music stores are on there like Ishibashi (mentioned earlier) too.

 

[rickdog]

Thunder Road Guitars and The Bass Shop Seattle. They have a lot of interesting instruments come through, plus their photographs are (usually) really good. I visit those sites daily - just looking....

It's dangerous, though, I'm close enough to Seattle to make it possible to actually go look at things in person . Thunder Road Portland is a bit longer trip, I missed out on a really nice bass there because I couldn't get away to check it out before someone else bought it (and my credit card breathed a sigh of relief).

 

[MisterUbu]

I've perused Buyee a bit, but have never got over the 'too good to be true' jitters. Any hiccups?
I have bought guitar parts on Aliexpress, and had the same kind of feelings. But haven't had a bad experience as yet. Touch wood

Buyer gives me jitters in a different way as depending on what your going to buy you have to budget $200-300 extra (for me in CAD) for shipping fees, amongst other storage fees like their "Special packaging fee" if what you bid for arrives in their warehouse doesn't meet international shipping standards IME.

I personally use From Japan, as their fees are lower and have longer free storage periods (45 days vs 30 days from buyee). This is only useful if you'd rather wait to gather extra funds if what you bid for immediately blows whatever budget you had in mind!

 

[Prodigus Filius]

None so far. Occasionally the shipping price varies but it’s been smooth sailing. Some major music stores are on there like Ishibashi (mentioned earlier) too.

Well Ishibashi on there inspires confidence for sure. I saw a neck I'm interested in, so I might just bite the bullet and try Buyee out. Worst case scenario, I lose 100aud. The thing is estimating the international shipping fee via package weight and dimensions. For a neck I'm assuming a package of 1000g with dimensions 100cm x 18cm x 8cm. Do you think that sounds right? I should have taken note of the Aliexpress package size for necks I've bought.

Buyer gives me jitters in a different way as depending on what your going to buy you have to budget $200-300 extra (for me in CAD) for shipping fees, amongst other storage fees like their "Special packaging fee" if what you bid for arrives in their warehouse doesn't meet international shipping standards IME.

I personally use From Japan, as their fees are lower and have longer free storage periods (45 days vs 30 days from buyee). This is only useful if you'd rather wait to gather extra funds if what you bid for immediately blows whatever budget you had in mind!

I initially wasn't up to speed that there were seperate costs of domestic shipping from supplier of bought item(s) to Buyee warehousing and then internatuonal shipping on top of that. Something to be aware of. Like Buyee, I've checked out From Japan before, but haven't gone beyond looking.

 

[hooky_marr]

Well Ishibashi on there inspires confidence for sure. I saw a neck I'm interested in, so I might just bite the bullet and try Buyee out. Worst case scenario, I lose 100aud. The thing is estimating the international shipping fee via package weight and dimensions.

For those unfamiliar with it, when you buy something / win an auction via Buyee, there's a delay while the item is shipped from the seller to Buyee, and then they present you with the shipping options, so there's no way to see the shipping cost upfront.

Many Japanese sellers use eBay and Reverb now, so it's at least a little easier, but yeah... shipping from Japan has been not cheap lately. That said, Buyee package stuff incredibly well (extra thick boxes, tons of bubble wrap) and nothing has ever arrived broken.