Yes, an AliExpress question.

[isher1992]

I've done some searching on the threads, and find a lot of people saying every reason why you shouldn't do it.

But, I'm not sure where else to go. I have a Douglas Pisces I purchased from Rondo about two years ago. I love it. I'd like to duplicate it to another '54 style P-bass (it uses a Strat/Musicmaster-sized pickup rout, and I use a Mojotone lipstick tube) to tune to BEAD. I find a lot of similar basses on AliExpress that are a lot like the Douglas I bought from Rondo.

I'm not a fan of the Squier Classic Vibe Tele bass at the price. I like the neck, but would rather have an Alder body.

Is it just a matter of looking at the seller feedback and some reviews? I can see a lot of bodies that are described as "Mahogany" but are really agathis...but there are some that look like alder.

 

[MattZilla]

What is your question?


Buy $150 of Verizon stock and wait a short decade, then you can get a Warmoth 50s P with exactly the woods, paint, lipstick tube, and fret size you want.


Buy $150 of Maker's Mark, drink it slowly over the course of a year and enjoy a warmer feeling than even a NOS Fender modded to your taste ever could.


Buy an Ali bass shaped decoration and, if it actually functions like a real bass, enjoy it as such. If it turns out to be just a decoration, get a nice wall hanger and return to saving up for an actual bass.

 

[isher1992]

What is your question?


Buy $150 of Verizon stock and wait a short decade, then you can get a Warmoth 50s P with exactly the woods, paint, lipstick tube, and fret size you want.



Buy $150 of Maker's Mark, drink it slowly over the course of a year and enjoy a warmer feeling than even a NOS Fender modded to your taste could.


Buy an Ali bass shaped decoration and, if it actually functions like a real bass, enjoy it as such. If it turns out to be just a decoration, get a nice wall hanger.

I'm just trying to be an informed buyer is all. If one of these sellers can sell one with an Alder body and maple neck and fingerboard, I'd hope it was at least a decent instrument. I don't buy an import bass and expect the electronics to be great.

My question is if there's anyway to avoid getting a total dud.

 

[MattZilla]

My question is if there's anyway to avoid getting a total dud.

buy from a place that specializes in musical instruments like Wildwood, Rocket Music, Sam Ash, etc.

 

[lfmn16]

My question is if there's anyway to avoid getting a total dud.

Yes, make sure you get lucky!

If you've read the reviews then you are an informed consumer and should know better. It sounds like you are looking for help justifying something you already know you shouldn't do.

Good luck, maybe you'll be one of the lucky ones that doesn't buy a total dog.

 

[JRA]

My question is if there's anyway to avoid getting a total dud.

it's a crapshoot: some buyers win, some lose. the winners extol the virtues of buying cheap (from china), the losers rag about being duped. since you can't play them or examine them close up = it's a crapshoot.

i've never purchased anything from aliexpress, but i might if all i wanted was parts --- buying a cheapie for use as a platform/parts. (CNC machines have leveled the playing field for many manufacturing processes, including some musical instruments.)

good luck with your buying decisions.

 

[4sight]

You might get lucky, you might get a dud. The returns process is basically a scam, as it's not worth the expense of sending anything back. I'd pass.

What wood is the CV Tele body made from? To be honest, even if an AE seller claimed alder, I wouldn't trust them, they use whatever they can get cheaply.

 

[isher1992]

You might get lucky, you might get a dud. The returns process is basically a scam, as it's not worth the expense of sending anything back. I'd pass.

What wood is the CV Tele body made from? To be honest, even if an AE seller claimed alder, I wouldn't trust them, they use whatever they can get cheaply.

Basswood, I believe.

My other concern with Squiers is I don't have a good track record with them...mainly cracking nuts. Granted that can happen on cheap Chinese basses too, but I don't feel as upset about it, and don't feel as flustered shelling out for a new nut.

 

[4sight]

Basswood, I believe.

My other concern with Squiers is I don't have a good track record with them...mainly cracking nuts. Granted that can happen on cheap Chinese basses too, but I don't feel as upset about it, and don't feel as flustered shelling out for a new nut.

I don't think I've ever cracked a bass but, and I've had some seriously cheap basses! Anyway, a nice bone nut is not exactly a costly upgrade compared to bridge/PUs etc. Squier CVs are great basses

 

[Maxdusty]

Basswood, I believe.

My other concern with Squiers is I don't have a good track record with them...mainly cracking nuts. Granted that can happen on cheap Chinese basses too, but I don't feel as upset about it, and don't feel as flustered shelling out for a new nut.

I was at a local music store not too long ago and there was a mid range brand new Ibanez bass the salesperson was demo-ing, suddenly you hear this crack and a piece of the nut came off. So it can happen on pretty much any bass- thank goodness I wasn't playing it or I would have been charged for breaking it. They put some cheap nuts on mid range basses too.

 

[mdogs]

Basswood, I believe.

My other concern with Squiers is I don't have a good track record with them...mainly cracking nuts. Granted that can happen on cheap Chinese basses too, but I don't feel as upset about it, and don't feel as flustered shelling out for a new nut.

And here I thought that Squires were cheap Chinese basses.

 

[Frank77]

My other concern with Squiers is I don't have a good track record with them...

...and you think you'll have better results with something that has achieved quasi-unanimous "bad idea" status on Talkbass ?

 

[Nev375]

Unless you are an aspiring guitar repair tech, stay away from those AliExpress guitars.

 

[gln1955]

What wood is the CV Tele body made from? To be honest, even if an AE seller claimed alder, I wouldn't trust them, they use whatever they can get cheaply.

Everything on an AliExpress bass is likely to be the cheapest source possible. It's the only way they can make money. I would trust nothing they say about the wood used.

 

[MattZilla]

Basswood, I believe.

My other concern with Squiers is I don't have a good track record with them...mainly cracking nuts. Granted that can happen on cheap Chinese basses too, but I don't feel as upset about it, and don't feel as flustered shelling out for a new nut.

stop hitting your neck with a hammer. Among other instruments I've owned, I've got this Squier Affinity series (their lowest end model) that someone gave me as a joke back in 2004 with its original nut intact. I've had one (1) broken nut- the drummer tipped my 90s SG-I it out of its stand.

 

[FugaziBomb]

My question is if there's anyway to avoid getting a total dud.

No. Also, your chances of getting a dud are way higher than they are of getting a rare gem. Even if you did get a good instrument, it's still a counterfeit - and it kind of makes you a counterfeit by association. There's a guitarist in a mid level tribute band I know that is taking a lot of flak in online communities for buying AliExpress counterfeits, so there's always the possibility of bad press, too. Honestly, Squires are PFG these days and whatever difference you hear between alder and basswood bodies is (arguably) psychosomatic. Best advice is to buy the Squire.

 

[S-Bigbottom]

I'm just trying to be an informed buyer is all.
My question is if there's anyway to avoid getting a total dud.

You already answered your own question in your first line.

I've done some searching on the threads, and find a lot of people saying every reason why you shouldn't do it.

Plus this:

I can see a lot of bodies that are described as "Mahogany" but are really agathis...but there are some that look like alder.

 

[Engle]

I've done some searching on the threads, and find a lot of people saying every reason why you shouldn't do it.

But, I'm not sure where else to go. I have a Douglas Pisces I purchased from Rondo about two years ago. I love it. I'd like to duplicate it to another '54 style P-bass (it uses a Strat/Musicmaster-sized pickup rout, and I use a Mojotone lipstick tube) to tune to BEAD. I find a lot of similar basses on AliExpress that are a lot like the Douglas I bought from Rondo.

I'm not a fan of the Squier Classic Vibe Tele bass at the price. I like the neck, but would rather have an Alder body.

Is it just a matter of looking at the seller feedback and some reviews? I can see a lot of bodies that are described as "Mahogany" but are really agathis...but there are some that look like alder.

You'd probably be better off buying the parts you want from EBay and building your own. You can ask specific questions and get answers before you buy.
If the seller lies, you can return it.
The Aliexpress Special is going to need work anyway.

 

[JACink]

@isher1992 , let me first say that I have bought a bunch of things from AliExpress over the years, so I am looking at this from a rational point of view (in other words, I am not just trashing AE).

Some of the things I bought have been great for the money, others have been total crap that ends up in the trash. The buyer protection at least covers you if you don't receive the item nowadays (it didn't used to) but if you receive anything that resembles the shape of a bass, you can basically forget about returning it (there are a few sellers that are an exception, but very few).

Is there a way to guarantee that you won't get a dud? No.

In the same way that there is no guarantee that you won't get a dud from Sam Ash, Guitar Center, Musicians Friend, Thomann etc. The difference is that all of these stores will take back the dud and replace it with no issues, AE will not.

Also, if you are planning on buying from AE and at the same time you are getting picky about wood choices, then you are most definitely looking in the wrong place. The only guarantee is that it will be wood (99% of the time) the species of wood could be absolutely anything.

As has been said already, if you a wanting a platform to tinker with and modify, then AE is a possible choice (although I would still look elsewhere first, such as Ammoon basses on Amazon etc).

The way I buy from AliExpress is I choose a budget that I am willing to lose and only then make the order. Plan for the worst and hope for the best.

 

[DJ Bebop]

This:
The bitterness of poor quality is remembered long after the sweetness of a low price has faded from memory.
S-Bigbottom