I haven't tried out a bass before buying it since the late 90's!!!

[kevin_lindsay]

I just realised that I haven't gone into a guitar store and tried a bass before buying it since the late 1990's.

All the basses I've bought have been commissioned instruments. Pay a deposit, agree the spec and pay the balance before getting the instrument. I've bought quite a few basses this way (8 Sei Basses, 4 Nordy basses, 2 Bravewood, Wes Steed P-Bass, Bruce Johnson Ampeg style fretless, fretless Stingray to my specs - still awaiting completion of that one).

Anyone else find that they've inclined toward setting their own spec in regards to instruments?

[Bilbo]

I bought my Wal without playing it and it is the only bass I have kept and the only one I have left. The other 5, which I did try out before I bought them, came and went.

[Machines]

All of the trade deals i've done have been like that. Also The Epiphone Thunderbird I bought at Christmas I didn't even try out in the shop, I knew what to expect from it and I could take it back if I had any issues.

[neepheid]

There's nothing in my local shops worth trying or buying. I've only ever tried one bass in a shop before I bought it and that was my first. Waste of time that was as well, as I didn't have a clue what I was doing!

Unless I've done the deal in person (a rare occurrence due to location), I've bought purely on looks/specifications at a distance and hoped for the best.

I can't see myself going down the commissioning custom basses route, I'll just continue to buy second hand stuff and hope I like it. Scattershot approach perhaps, but variety is the spice of life

Edited April 15, 2011 by neepheid

[Doctor J]

I had a Hotwire built to my specs a few years back... which was nice, not sure I'd ever do it again though. Most of what I've bought has been from abroad without playing it first, with the exception of a handful of local second hand deals. I haven't bought a bass in a shop since 1989

More recently though, I've been buying basses because they're not like something I already have. I don't really want variations of the same thing, the fun is in experiencing variety.

[dmccombe7]

My trusty old Warwick Thumb was selected after trying almost every bass in Glasgow to find that elusive "tone" & "feel" that i had always wanted.
Still have it and its still my fav bass.

Commissioned an Overwater 6 string fretless last year because I wanted soemthing special for my 50th. Excellent and just what i needed to boost my technique and force me to play better. I did try one at Overwater before confirming its what i truly wanted.

My Jazz i bought on-line and got what i expected. Its much the same as the jazz i had in the 80's.

I once commissioned a twin neck Shergold 4 & 8 string in late 70's which i believe was their first 8 string as they based it around their shorter scale 6 string from that era.

Also had a custom WAL fretless in early 80's which was fantastic piece of kit.

The ones mentioned above are the special basses I've had.
Most other basses I've tried in shops and kept for a year or two and then traded incl Fender jazz & precision, Rick 4003, Ibanez, Aria's, Yamaha, Warwick's.

All different and all great basses in their own right.

Cheers
Dave

[SteveK]

The last time I actually tried before buying was about 1980. Sold it 18 months later, hated it (Ibanez MC924, the only bass I've ever sold).

I bought a Stingray 5 last year online - took 6 months to arrive (bit fussy about the spec), so not possible to try.
I did have my reservations after ordering and wondered if I would would regret my moment of madness...
However, a wonderful instrument - couple of little adjustments, then ready to go.

[hillbilly deluxe]

I have my gigging basses built by Bass Doc,i tell him what i want,he knows what i like,never been disappointed.

[Cat Burrito]

I think it might be worth pointing out that these are the opinions of experienced players. If buying for the first time you should [b]always[/b] try before you buy

[ead]

I've tried all the instruments I've purchased with on exception, the OW Aspiration that I have just acquired. And a fantastic bass it is too!

[EssentialTension]

All my present instruments were bought without trying them - three on BC, one on eBay, one direct from the manufacturer in the US. No problem.

[dmccombe7]

[quote name='BurritoBass' post='1200561' date='Apr 15 2011, 12:32 PM']I think it might be worth pointing out that these are the opinions of experienced players. If buying for the first time you should [b]always[/b] try before you buy [/quote]


+1
100% agree.
Very valid point.

Dave

[bigjohn]

I bought my first two after trying them in the shop. The first was crap and the 2nd was defective. I was too inexperienced to know. I got used to the 2nd and still have it. Though it's been "fixed", I played it for years with a huge bow in the neck that it acquired through water damage at the shop I bought it from.

So trying before you buy doesn't mean anything really.

[kevin_lindsay]

Yup, if you're relatively new to bass, 'try before you buy' is very good advice!!

I also remembered the last few guitars I bought in the States over the past year and a half - Olympic White USA Jazz Bass, another Olympic White Jazz with matching headstock, fretless Musicman Stingray honeyburst, and a Gibson Custom Shop ES-335. All bought unplayed and delivered to my Manhattan address. I guess quality control of most manufacturers is pretty good these days as all of the instruments were great. Saying that, I always 'tweak' my instruments to my own preference whenever I get one!

[RhysP]

Bought both my Zons secondhand from Ebay without trying them first & unless I'm in extreme financial doodoo's I'll probably never part with them. They are the best basses I've ever played.

I bought a Musicman Stingray 5 last November which I tried before I bought - sold it recently as I just could not get on with it.

I don't think trying an instrument for a half an hour or so before you buy it is any indication that you'll get on with it once you spend some time with it.

I can't see why being an experienced bass player would make any difference when buying a bass you've never played before without trying it first. If it turns up & you hate it you're f***ed whether you've been playing for a week or thirty years.

[mart]

The last time I tried a bass before buying was in '93. But I did the try-before-buy thing when I was buying a Rickenbacker guitar in '98. I still managed to buy the wrong one though! So I had to sell it a couple of years later and buy the other one. That may be why I've given up trying to assess gear before laying down the cash.

I kinda agree that newer players should try things before they buy, but only because they are less likely to be able to tell what instrument is suitable for them from an online description. On the other hand, when I was just beginning I did try-before-buying, but I had no real idea what to look for or listen for, so I'm not sure it was much help.

The best answer for a beginner is surely to get the help of someone more experienced. I've happily helped one or two folk buy kit because they didn't think they knew enough themselves to make a good choice.

[danhkr]

Depending on your knowledge and experience you can often have an idea of what somethings going to be like before it turns up, but having said that, the only guitars I've ever bought 'blind' are one's that I know I can get my money back by re-selling if it turns out to be totally wrong for me. So for that reason I'd never buy or order a brand new guitar without trying it. Even generally consistent makes and models you're familiar with can vary significantly in weight and playability.

[BigRedX]

There are no shops in the UK that I know of that sell any guitars or basses that I am interested in buying.

Of the 40 or so basses that I own/have owned since 1981, I only had the opportunity to play 6 before buying. Of those 6, 3 were the only basses I have ever sold. I did play one of my Gus G3s before I bought it, but that was when it was part of Simon Farmer's demo stock and I wasn't aware that I had previously played it when I did buy it from on eBay.

[Lozz196]

I`ve bought a fair few basses, and guitars, unseen/tried, either on here, or new over the net, and never had a problem with any of them. Of course I`ve heard horror stories, and seen a few, with what my mates ahve ended up with, but so far, all of mine have been fine. And even tho I`m GAS-free at present, hopefully it will remain so, and I can still trust on-line purchases.

[Oldman]

Last Bass I bought brand new that I tried in a Shop was my Thumb NT 4, 1990. Bought my Overwater fretless thingy magic when I was in Baku Azerbaijan, specc'ed via E-Mail and over the phone with Laurence and Chris picked it up for my 60th (it was a surprise to myself). Bought a Status Streamline 5 same way last year dealt with Rob and Dawn over the 'phone and e-mail and bought a fretted Overwater from Chris and Laurence also last year to match the fretless (scale length etc etc ). Had to sell the Spector and the Dean but .............. Happy person, just need to learn to play now.

[ThomBassmonkey]

I don't think I could buy unseen unless it was a new custom instrument direct from the manufacturer which obviously, I'd have no choice in not playing before buying. I'm experienced enough that I can guess whether or not I'd get on with most basses but that doesn't mean that the bass is always exactly what I expected.

[burgundymouse]

I'm very new to the bass and when I bought mine I went into the music shop and asked for lessons and a bass please. The really helpful man in the shop showed me a couple of Cortes but I saw my Jazz and like a small child said "I want that one" purely because it was prettiest. It was then about 10 minutes of embaressment when he asked me if I wanted to try it in a music shop full of real musicians and I hadn't a clue what I was doing. Still the best decision I ever made however no matter how flawed the decision making process!

[danhkr]

[quote name='burgundymouse' post='1201234' date='Apr 15 2011, 10:01 PM']I'm very new to the bass and when I bought mine I went into the music shop and asked for lessons and a bass please. The really helpful man in the shop showed me a couple of Cortes but I saw my Jazz and like a small child said "I want that one" purely because it was prettiest. It was then about 10 minutes of embaressment when he asked me if I wanted to try it in a music shop full of real musicians and I hadn't a clue what I was doing. Still the best decision I ever made however no matter how flawed the decision making process![/quote]

People scoff at those who chase shapes and colours, but we all do it. You're much more likely to play a guitar you love the look of. It's all part of the love affair.

Oh, and never assume a music shop is full of 'real' musicians

[ThomBassmonkey]

[quote name='danhkr' post='1222785' date='May 7 2011, 12:27 AM']Oh, and never assume a music shop is full of 'real' musicians [/quote]

Yeah, lots of shops have a drum section to cater for the wannabes.

If you were looking for a bass as a beginner, a responsible staff member at a shop should show you the (very) basics, it only takes 20 seconds to learn how to fret a note and get your hand in a near enough correct position to see what neck feels best (even if you later decide that you prefer another neck profile). Also, I know it's frowned upon for a staff member to "demo" an instrument, as long as it's not OTT slap or other nonsense and the customer is a complete novice then it doesn't do any harm to see what the customer thinks sounds best.

To echo what I've said on other threads though, when buying a first bass, you should always take someone that knows their stuff along with you.