Bass Direct

[EBS_freak]

Cut Marcus some slack. He works at a shop, he's not in the public limelight and shouldn't haven't to be suffering online like this. If you have a problem, a call or email to the shop is the correct procedure.

[DBerriff]

I can only start repeating myself now but I have had great service from BD and I will take it as it is.

Someone quips about over-priced stock. That is a totally unjustified slur on the basis of what I have seen. When they get in bargain stock, they pass on the saving. I have benefited from this.

As for the staff, on my visit last month it was "hello again" all round and I got the help and attention I needed. No red carpet, no coffee (there is a small cafe next door), and yes, I did have to wait a few minutes for another customer to be dealt with and a phone call to be concluded. I did not die. I have had to wait longer in John Lewis for attention.

With other music shops closing down, and specialist bass dealers either selling up or retreating to online-only sales, be careful what you wish for.

[ambient]

I don't think that posting personal comments about the guys who work there is right.

If you've got a problem with how someone is then keep it to yourself.

If you've nothing nice to say then don't say anything, as my mom always said when I was a child.

Edited April 15, 2017 by ambient

[fleabag]

Did someone mention that BD wont let you take a bass from the wall to try out ?

Eh ?

So you have to gauge how much you like or dislike the plank by staring at it ?

Edited April 15, 2017 by fleabag

[FinnDave]

I had my first experience of Bass Direct a week ago. I had not heard of the place (I live a sheltered life!) but it turned out to be about an hour away from home. I phoned them to ask whether they had a specific strap in stock, they told me they did, so I drove there, bought the strap, had a quick browse and came home. The strap is fine, service was fine, stock level impressive though not of much personal interest, I'm happy with my Fenders and Epiphone Casady, my Ashdowns and my Barefaced. The basses they had hanging up certainly looked impressive, and shiny, but I'd be worried about gigging those pieces of art.

Not much to tell, really, went to shop, bought what I went there for, came home. Oh yes, the strap was well priced, certainly cheaper than I've seen the same model for elsewhere.

[DBerriff]

[quote name='fleabag' timestamp='1492266644' post='3279102']
Did someone mention that BD wont let you take a bass from the wall to try out ?

Eh ?

So you have to gauge how much you like or dislike the plank by staring at it ?
[/quote]

This is getting silly. Of course you can try out the basses. I would always rather have the bass fetched out for me, especially the expensive ones. I have been left alone with £5k worth of Mike Lull basses to assess.

Edited April 15, 2017 by DBerriff

[FinnDave]

[quote name='fleabag' timestamp='1492266644' post='3279102']
Did someone mention that BD wont let you take a bass from the wall to try out ?

Eh ?

So you have to gauge how much you like or dislike the plank by staring at it ?
[/quote]

In my experience, PMT have the same policy, makes sense if they want to avoid damage to the stock.

[ambient]

[quote name='fleabag' timestamp='1492266644' post='3279102']
Did someone mention that BD wont let you take a bass from the wall to try out ?

Eh ?

So you have to gauge how much you like or dislike the plank by staring at it ?
[/quote]

No.

If you want to try it just ask.

Bear in mind some of their stock costs many thousands of pounds, would you want people just taking them off the wall?

Just good manners to ask, in my opinion anyway.

[fleabag]

So in these shops, if you like a bass that's for sale on the wall, you have to buy it, then you can try it out ?

That kinda of defeats the idea of bothering to have a shop, surely ? All they need is a website and a warehouse

[fleabag]

Damn, someone got a post in between

I would never just take a bass off the wall without asking, but it was posted that way

Edited April 15, 2017 by fleabag

[dmccombe7]

I drove down from Glasgow area to Bass Direct as i was interested in a reasonable quality 5 string. Had a few ideas of which ones. Got there Mark welcomed me in and we talked a bit. Told him what i was looking for and what i was looking to try. Can't remember the other guy that works with him but they brought me the basses i wanted and sugested a few others in same price range. I liked the Dingwall and they brought me both Combustion and NG2.
Tried all thru Phil Jones headphone amp and then Mark suggested we move to a proper bass rig for the ones i liked the feel off.
I went for the NG2 and i was not pressured into anything, all quite relaxed. My wife was with me too and she was made welcome and comfortable while she waited on me messing around with basses.

I could have asked to try any bass and they would have brought it down to me. Had a wander round to look at many of the more extreme or expensive basses as we don't normally see them in the flesh especially up here in Scotland where all you get is Fender or Fender with occasional Epi. Recently Guitar Guitar Glasgow have opened their bass basement and have some nice not overly priced basses so we are getting there.

I've dealt with Mark over phone on several occasions and always pleasant and helpful. I just wanted to try the actual basses out and made a day out of the drive down. Was a long day tho but well worth it if you like basses

Dave

[The59Sound]

I'm a fan of Bass Direct. It's a small shop but they make up for it in the amount of quality basses they have in stock. I would definitely say it's for the 'new school' breed of bass players. No Fenders, no Ampegs/Oranges.

I think a few of these comments on the thread have been exaggerated just a touch!

[fleabag]

How do you know they were exaggerated - were you there at the time ?

Just because those negative experiences don't tally with your positive one, doesn't mean anyone is making it sound worse than it is

You can get good and bad in dealing with ANY business in life, not just music shops. That's life

Edited April 18, 2017 by fleabag

[bassbiscuits]

I've never had any issue with trying out stuff there. Sure if it's a bass displayed up high I'd probably rather they moved it than me just in case I drop it. But I've never had an issue with the secondhand stuff and rack of Fenders etc that's at floor level.

Normally I'll have already spoken to someone from the shop when I arrive telling them what I'm interested in etc and they'll often suggest a few etc and let me get on with trying a few in my experience.

Given the value of some of those instruments I'm more than willing to go along with that approach.

I've also left empty handed a couple of times having tried out various things and again, no problem or pressure.

[LewisK1975]

Take a breath guys. No guitar shop I've ever been in lets you just grab stuff off the wall that you fancy having a go of. And even if I saw someone else doing that, I'd still ask first.

Edited April 18, 2017 by LewisK1975

[skb558]

Popped into BD this afternoon on way back to York after visiting friends. Tried out a couple of Spectors and then chatted to Marcus for 10 minutes. Very pleasant experience and some cracking basses!

Have bought basses online from them a couple of times but this was first visit to the shop. Wouldn't necessarily make a special trip but will drop in if I'm ever close by.

[Machines]

I took my Cort in for commission sale and fancied trying a few things since I was there.

Tried a G&L L2000 and a 2nd hand Bongo. The former was good but had one before and remembered why I moved it on. The Bongo had the worst strings I've ever seen on a bass and made it sound lifeless (they were like dead flatwounds). I said I couldn't play it like this and they offered to put new strings on there and then. 10 mins later all good and I put a deposit down on the Bongo. Don't ask don't get.

[Dood]

I've still not made it all the way from sunny Nawwwwfulk to Bass Direct yet, so my purchases have been over the 'phone. Now, of course, due to my job I am in a fairly good position to know what it is I am after, but even so, Mark always has time to discuss to make sure the purchase is right for me. On one occasion (or possibly more actually) we talked about kit that would be a suitable alternative and I appreciated the strong case for both choices from Mark which helped me further with my decision.

Every single time the item has arrived exactly when they stated and that's pretty much next day delivery if it wasn't a Friday order. I've also received some great second hand deals too with the same attention to detail.

Both of my Dingwall basses arrived new from Bass Direct as well as various Bergantino items, the B|Amp being a favourite.

[slapmonsta]

I worked in music retail in various positions for over a decade.
Sales people are human like anyone else,they have good days and bad.
And in my experience-lets face it, there's one or two...errr... "faulty customers" out there.


Went against my own "golden rule" and bought a lovely s/h Musicman Stingray mail order from BD.It was spot on,arrived just as described by Mark.
Same with a Markbass cab.
One of the few places I'd have faith to "buy without try."

[Musicman20]

Had a few ups and downs but gladly, the last pedal I bought from them was pre-price rise price even though the other stores had increased their old prices on the older stock.

Arrived perfectly and £30-40 cheaper than elsewhere.

So, I'm hoping it is a sign of future business with them, but at the moment I don't desire any expensive new basses, especially with the rubbish £.

[mikel]

[quote name='The59Sound' timestamp='1492416792' post='3279973']
I'm a fan of Bass Direct. It's a small shop but they make up for it in the amount of quality basses they have in stock. I would definitely say it's for the 'new school' breed of bass players. [b]No Fenders, no Ampegs/Oranges[/b].

I think a few of these comments on the thread have been exaggerated just a touch!
[/quote]

Could that be because those brands are everywhere, so they would only be competing on price? I think there business model is good. Stock specialist equipment for a market you know well and do it properly. Its difficult to be all things to all bassists,so they are going for the high end where people know what they are looking for but dont always know in what gear they will find it.

[LewisK1975]

And they've got 3 for 2 on Dunlop Super Brights at the moment, ordered yesterday and delivered today. Awesome.

[The59Sound]

[quote name='fleabag' timestamp='1492438644' post='3280218']
How do you know they were exaggerated - were you there at the time ?

Just because those negative experiences don't tally with your positive one, doesn't mean anyone is making it sound worse than it is

You can get good and bad in dealing with ANY business in life, not just music shops. That's life
[/quote]

Sorry if you are upset - I can only state my experiences and I've had nothing but positive one's every time I have step foot in the shop.


[quote name='mikel' timestamp='1492593926' post='3281417']
Could that be because those brands are everywhere, so they would only be competing on price? I think there business model is good. Stock specialist equipment for a market you know well and do it properly. Its difficult to be all things to all bassists,so they are going for the high end where people know what they are looking for but dont always know in what gear they will find it.
[/quote]

I was not 'dissing' Bass Direct by saying they must stock these items - just making other users aware that they won't find them at the shop.

[fleabag]

You've got me wrong - i'm not upset. I've had no dealings with BD at all so have no allegiance.

But you say that you're just stating that you had a positive experience, so why cant the those that had a negative experience state that, without you calling them exaggerated ?

That's all i'm saying

Edited April 19, 2017 by fleabag

[markstuk]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FbGZHp6POEw