Musicman20

Good update anyway - GAK have arranged to have it picked up and are swapping it for a new one via the courier tomorrow. So, if it all works out, I'll be fairly happy with the product itself. I just think they need to beef up their customer service skils and perhaps improve their returns service/check products when returned from customers.

[quote name='yorks5stringer' timestamp='1486395354' post='3231397'] It's all a bit of a dual-edged sword. A bricks and mortar company gets it wrong, a buyer understandably then goes to Amazon to buy musical gear and eventually said bricks and mortar shop goes out of business. Local economy suffers, Amazon dodge their taxes in UK so UK economy suffers too and it becomes a viscous circle. [/quote] I would happily use brick and mortar stores more often if they just ramped up the customer service....honestly. I am not sure how the Amazon tax situation applies to products that are sold on behalf of a brick and mortar store but sent using Amazon's service....best of both worlds. The store actually give their stock to Amazon I believe? That is how it has worked with the last few pedals I've bought. It makes returns easier as I can just re-wrap and go online to get it sent back. It usually also means you get a brand new product so I barely ever send them back. I've tried to use HMV's actual stores to buy vinyl recently, and I still do, but they cannot compete with some of Amazon's aggressive pricing, such as 'pre-order this vinyl and you pay the lowest price it drops to, even if it then goes up'....I have Bowie vinyl on order that is seriously good value because of this. Hmmm!

[quote name='Daz39' timestamp='1486384605' post='3231250'] Ah - the rewarding sound of taking back control. Wait... [/quote] Hahahhahahaaahah

[quote name='blablas' timestamp='1482250740' post='3198886'] Glamor-shot of the full StingRay5 with the controls cavity cover. [/quote] Well that works stunningly well.

Nice Musicman collection Hiram! I need to do the same and label mine up. That Sledge is lovely. Which Starry Night bass did you go for? Looks like it's been a VERY popular finish package for EBMM. I almost bought another 6 string Musicman guitar but the prices have gone crazy now...the one I was offered was also a customer return....always makes me think twice and not bother.

Radiohead have put in place a system for their summer tour meaning that your name is on the tickets. In fact, my Dad's name is on his ticket (when it arrives). So, we have to take ID. How would someone do that if the ticket isn't in their name?!

[quote name='stuckinthepod' timestamp='1486389310' post='3231315'] Hi Musicman, Yes I'm in Sale so a frequenter of all the South Manchester shops. I bought a Marshall DSL40 over at Sounds Great in the last three weeks. Great service and stock over there. [/quote] Right near me then! I'm towards the Alty end but still Sale...nice place. Only been here about 20 months but feel sure me and our lass will stick around and buy at some point. Best of both worlds....big city very close by, smaller town feel in Sale and Alty.

[quote name='stuckinthepod' timestamp='1486378890' post='3231180'] Marvel Guitars in Timperley, opened two years ago. Great little store. Dawsons in Manchester, awful. Dawsons in Altrincham, great, with really nice staff although less stock to choose from. Is South City Music in Altrincham still open? Closed every time I've been past. [/quote] Hey you must be fairly close to me! I'm in that area. I agree the Dawsons in Alty is much better.

[quote name='artisan' timestamp='1486374299' post='3231119'] They sent me a second hand "new" bass recently & were not particularly helpful in sorting it out,we got there in the end but it left a sour taste. I don't think I'll be using them again. [/quote] This is what I feel has happened to me, albeit a pedal. I think it is no doubt a floor model or a previous return. I don't understand why they don't keep a closer eye on returns and make sure they come back immaculate...and then decide if they should go on display as a display model/return. The website should specify, as Andertons do on their site. The icing on the cake was when the stock presets of the pedal were nothing like they are meant to be. Clearly someone had messed around with it and decided they want to return it and left some of the bits out of the return package. Instead of GAK dealing with that, they've essentially passed the hassle on to me! I have now heard from the returns dept, so hopefully should have a new one asap. I know it's a bit rough of me to cause a fuss, but it's just the time organising returns/re-packing, emailing, waiting for new items, etc....it could have easier been saved had it been checked! As a total opposite experience, ordered a pedal on Friday from Amazon, arrived Sunday, brand new, free delivery for a pedal which is only £58! No issues.

Thinking locally, I've been in PMT, Forsyths and Dawsons, (Manc area). The Dawsons store unfortunately seems to be plagued by younger players just picking gear up without thinking about marking the instruments or asking; I've seen a few examples of basses being sold new that are really pushing even ex-demo condition. There is also a Dawsons nearby to my home. Much calmer and nicer environment. I have asked them for quotes a few times. I had a fairly larger Roland/Boss order to make and they couldn't move on the prices, despite it being picked up by me, so I went elsewhere and saved a fair amount and had it sent to my house. There are probably a few other smaller stores I've missed around here, but to be honest, the fun of guitar shops has worn off and I just buy online now.

I think some of the super high end guitar shops probably do quite well. World Guitars as an example. Bass alone is such a niche market, whereas involving bass with a larger selection of high end guitars attracts those willing to spend considerable money who want more of a personal service. I think the main stores I would use now would be Andertons, Sound Affects (who also have a high end store) and Bass Direct for more bass niche specific gear.

£299! I am sayin' nowt.

[quote name='dannybuoy' timestamp='1486120678' post='3229364'] That's what they are supposed to sound like! [/quote] That must be why I don't like it hahaha! Sounds like a low tuned guitar to me. It almost doesn't sound organic, it sounds very digital like a keyboard. Dirt and fuzz on bass can be the icing on the cake, but there is a point where it becomes....too much.

[quote name='radiophonic' timestamp='1486196482' post='3229927'] I think the prices for boutique [i]dirt [/i]pedals (I'll include anything smaller than people like MXR/TC, I guess) has become silly. I woouldn't pay new prices for Darkglass or similar. A B7K costs more than my Hartke head. Beyond setting the eq points and including a blend (why did [i]that[/i] take so long), it can't be rocket science (not disparaging anyone, but this isn't new tech - just better implementation aided by the availability of simulation software, surely). I sometimes wonder how much of the USP is down to really cool graphics on the cases. Hell, I don't even need another dirt pedal and I'm tempted by the Fuzzrocious gear! OTOH, historically, a good boring compressor has always been pricier than a dirt pedal and the move towards multiband does represent a step change in tech, but you can still be in that market at way less than 200 quid. There may be better squeezes than the Boss BCX1, but it does everything I need. It just comes in a boring case, with no fancy paintwork. The MXR Phase 90 is [i]still[/i] a great phaser (boost notwithstanding - actually I find that useful) for < 100 quid. Just my 2c. [/quote] Agreed. Dirt pedals are becoming like Apple products....for a DIRT pedal...!?

Oh, and to give Amazon credit, they have pedals that are £50-100 for free shipping whereas most stores don't. I know there is a lot of anti-Amazon gear heads out there, but for pedals, strings etc, they are great. No fuss delivery, no fuss returns.....always VERY polite. So, I've skipped using stores for the other things I wanted this month and gone to Amazon, again!

Another update - tested the pedal anyway - it is definitely not new. The factory presets were nothing like they should be (they can be changed via App - luckily I have products from this brand so I have some cables it needs), so I had no idea what the pedal actually sounds like. Factory reset, sounds great, so I still definitely want one but I want a new one!

I have no grudge against young musicians; I'm only 35 myself, but I've noticed they tend to have very young staff just ripping metal in their demos....and none of them seem very professional in terms of 'we are a business'. Manners and customer service can ruin a business if not used properly.

[quote name='joeystrange' timestamp='1486237607' post='3230308'] Did you try calling them? They're generally pretty good over the phone. The only odd thing they do is if you order over the phone you can only speak to the person that took your order about returns. Which isn't helpful if it's their day off or they're on holiday. [/quote] Tried and they said use the online returns form...which I had already done. One update is they have now reserved a replacement.

[quote name='wateroftyne' timestamp='1486215148' post='3230090'] LOL @ Fender pt. 2: [url="http://www.pmtonline.co.uk/fender-fsr-limited-edition-59-american-vintage-stratocaster-natural"]http://www.pmtonline...ocaster-natural[/url] They're trippin' big time. [/quote] Hideous! Seriously. WHY?!

Unfortunately, after giving the online store another chance, I've been let down again. I'm giving them a chance to rectify it, and I'll happily give them a good rating, but they are not helping themselves here. Item arrived quickly. Packaged well. Just an effects pedal. Nothing super expensive. I could have gone to Andertons but GAK seemed to have them in. Pedal arrived, box looked fine, opened it up, it's obviously been used - minor scratch. Power cable unraveled, missing manual, missing rubber feet, missing cable (links to iPhone)....I've bought a pedal from this series before and they've always come with these accessories and the online manual confirms it. Immediately start return process. They are open all day. They are posting on social media etc. No response. I try twitter. No response. I try their online chat - no manners from the online team, then they leave before I've asked them to reserve another for me whilst we wait for the returns people to deal with it. It's 2017. Why on earth they can't just say 'sorry, we messed up, I'll get this picked up immediately on Monday and have another with you with the courier?' No apology, no nothing. I've not tried to return an item I don't like. I want it! But, I paid new so I want new and I want to use the accessories it is meant to come with. I very much doubt I will give them a chance again. It's like a lottery.

Looks solid to me. Seems bizarrely cheap!

[quote name='andydye' timestamp='1486028430' post='3228579'] Thanks matey, beauty ain't she As I recall, I pushed the button in December and received the completed bass in early April? Just had another built very similar and that one started November and I collected yesterday [/quote] Wow, that is quick! Shuker sure know a good P bass! In these times of Fender prices being sky high, a hand made beauty lie this is appealing. Enjoy them!

Great amps! Drop the bass, boost the mids...voila...lovely!

To me, some of the heavier DG sounds go too far and just sound SUPER scooped and almost not like a bass...!

Those limited Musicman basses are far nicer than I imagined. They've really nailed the interesting finishes to the necks.