LuvMusic Posted August 30, 2011 Share Posted August 30, 2011 So, I'm heading to London on business at the end of September and it looks like I'll have a free Saturday....time to explore the bass scene! I'm thinking about possibly buying a bass while I'm there.....something you either can't get in the US or is hard to get. A few options I've identified are: - An Overwater / Tanglewood Classic or Contemporary J - A Squier James Johnston Jazz (UK only) - Italia Marnello or Rimini - A Burns Bison RI Not looking to spend big money and these seemed interesting. Any thoughts on this list? Any I should add or delete? What about suggestions on where I should look in London? Any info, help and / or guidance will be appreciated! Cheers! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markstuk Posted August 30, 2011 Share Posted August 30, 2011 In London... ? THis would be my first port of call.. [url="http://www.thebassgallery.com/"]http://www.thebassgallery.com/[/url] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waynepunkdude Posted August 30, 2011 Share Posted August 30, 2011 [quote name='LuvMusic' post='1356763' date='Aug 30 2011, 07:59 PM']So, I'm heading to London on business at the end of September and it looks like I'll have a free Saturday....time to explore the bass scene! I'm thinking about possibly buying a bass while I'm there.....something you either can't get in the US or is hard to get. A few options I've identified are: - An Overwater / Tanglewood Classic or Contemporary J - A Squier James Johnston Jazz (UK only) - Italia Marnello or Rimini - A Burns Bison RI Not looking to spend big money and these seemed interesting. Any thoughts on this list? Any I should add or delete? What about suggestions on where I should look in London? Any info, help and / or guidance will be appreciated! Cheers![/quote] Bass Gallery in Camden, avoid Denmark Street. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LuvMusic Posted August 30, 2011 Author Share Posted August 30, 2011 [quote name='waynepunkdude' post='1356769' date='Aug 30 2011, 02:04 PM']Bass Gallery in Camden, avoid Denmark Street.[/quote] Seems like the Bass Gallery is the place. Got similar responses on TalkBass. Thanks for the replies! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grand Wazoo Posted August 30, 2011 Share Posted August 30, 2011 Well The Bass Gallery in Camdem is great but it's more of an "High End" $$$$ boutique store, I would suggest a new store that has been opened less than 2 months called Guitar Guitar which so far has the larger stocks of basses and amps I've ever seen under one roof. It's a little out of town but worth a train ride, here is the address: Guitar Guitar Epsom Store 6 Capitol Square, Church St Epsom, KT17 4NY Tel. 01372 730578 [email protected] Store Hours Mon - Sat - 10:00am - 5:30pm Sun - 11:00am - 5:00pm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dc2009 Posted August 30, 2011 Share Posted August 30, 2011 Epsom is a mission to get to if you're anywhere in Central London - believe me, I once ended up there pissed out of my mind! Go to the Gallery first. The Gallery will also have the tanglewater CJ's in, provided they haven't all been bought up! They are great basses, I'm tempted by a CJ5 myself. You will find that anything available in america can be had here for roughly $1=£1 conversion, so not at all good for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LuvMusic Posted August 30, 2011 Author Share Posted August 30, 2011 [quote name='dc2009' post='1356909' date='Aug 30 2011, 03:40 PM']Epsom is a mission to get to if you're anywhere in Central London - believe me, I once ended up there pissed out of my mind! Go to the Gallery first. The Gallery will also have the tanglewater CJ's in, provided they haven't all been bought up! They are great basses, I'm tempted by a CJ5 myself. You will find that anything available in america can be had here for roughly $1=£1 conversion, so not at all good for you.[/quote] A mission........A mission for bass!? Always up for an adventure......what would you estimate travel time to be? Looks like I'll have to research to see if my android GPS will work in the UK without spending a fortune on data. I would be very happy with a 1 = 1 conversion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waynepunkdude Posted August 30, 2011 Share Posted August 30, 2011 [quote name='LuvMusic' post='1356971' date='Aug 30 2011, 10:42 PM']A mission........A mission for bass!? Always up for an adventure......what would you estimate travel time to be? Looks like I'll have to research to see if my android GPS will work in the UK without spending a fortune on data. I would be very happy with a 1 = 1 conversion.[/quote] About an hour from Camden. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mornats Posted August 30, 2011 Share Posted August 30, 2011 [quote name='LuvMusic' post='1356971' date='Aug 30 2011, 10:42 PM']I would be very happy with a 1 = 1 conversion.[/quote] Possibly not... a bass that would cost $500 in the States would cost £500 over here but £500 would cost you $815 at today's exchange rate. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xilddx Posted August 30, 2011 Share Posted August 30, 2011 [quote name='Grand Wazoo' post='1356845' date='Aug 30 2011, 08:56 PM'][b]Well The Bass Gallery in Camdem is great but it's more of an "High End" $$$$ boutique store[/b], I would suggest a new store that has been opened less than 2 months called Guitar Guitar which so far has the larger stocks of basses and amps I've ever seen under one roof. It's a little out of town but worth a train ride, here is the address: Guitar Guitar Epsom Store 6 Capitol Square, Church St Epsom, KT17 4NY Tel. 01372 730578 [email protected] Store Hours Mon - Sat - 10:00am - 5:30pm Sun - 11:00am - 5:00pm[/quote] Not IME. They have a good range of price. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
noelk27 Posted August 30, 2011 Share Posted August 30, 2011 [quote name='Mornats' post='1356993' date='Aug 30 2011, 10:05 PM']Possibly not... a bass that would cost $500 in the States would cost £500 over here but £500 would cost you $815 at today's exchange rate.[/quote] Prices quoted in the US are exclusive of sales tax. Prices quoted in the UK are inclusive of VAT. As a US resident visiting the UK and making this purchase, the OP can claim back VAT and declare the goods in the US for the applicable rate of sales tax. As VAT is 20 per cent, probably works out in his favour. All the OP needs do is, at the point of purchase, get the reseller to issue the correct paperwork. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sime17 Posted August 30, 2011 Share Posted August 30, 2011 (edited) [quote name='dc2009' post='1356909' date='Aug 30 2011, 09:40 PM']- believe me, I once ended up there pissed out of my mind![/quote] Tip for the OP, as a North American gentleman, unless you are very familiar with the English vernacular you may construe the above to mean 'I once arrived in sed borough in a state of some considerable annoyance'. Fyo 'Pissed' actually means 'drunk' to us Brits. Although if you accidentally ended up in Epsom you probably would be quite annoyed... unless of course you were too pissed to care... Anyways...glad to be of assistance sir And +1 for the Gallery in Camden- last time I went in there it wasn't ALL expensive gear, and talking to the delightfully German proprietor Martin will give you an authentic pan-european experience to-boot, what more could you ask? Edited August 30, 2011 by sime17 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LuvMusic Posted August 30, 2011 Author Share Posted August 30, 2011 [quote name='Mornats' post='1356993' date='Aug 30 2011, 05:05 PM']Possibly not... a bass that would cost $500 in the States would cost £500 over here but £500 would cost you $815 at today's exchange rate.[/quote] I don't think it is quite that bad right now, but the exchange rate changes regularly. Three weeks from now....who knows? I work for a Swiss company, wish I wre paid in Swiss Francs, then it wouldn't matter! [quote name='noelk27' post='1357037' date='Aug 30 2011, 05:46 PM']Prices quoted in the US are exclusive of sales tax. Prices quoted in the UK are inclusive of VAT. As a US resident visiting the UK and making this purchase, the OP can claim back VAT and declare the goods in the US for the applicable rate of sales tax. As VAT is 20 per cent, probably works out in his favour. All the OP needs do is, at the point of purchase, get the reseller to issue the correct paperwork.[/quote] Tax where I return to the US is 10%, however, I'm allowed to bring in $2000.00 USD in merchandise tax free (could be more), so, not paying VAT is a plus.....if I file the paperwork! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dc2009 Posted August 30, 2011 Share Posted August 30, 2011 [quote name='sime17' post='1357069' date='Aug 31 2011, 12:26 AM']Tip for the OP, as a North American gentleman, unless you are very familiar with the English vernacular you may construe the above to mean 'I once arrived in sed borough in a state of some considerable annoyance'. Fyo 'Pissed' actually means 'drunk' to us Brits. Although if you accidentally ended up in Epsom you probably would be quite annoyed... unless of course you were too pissed to care... Anyways...glad to be of assistance sir And +1 for the Gallery in Camden- last time I went in there it wasn't ALL expensive gear, and talking to the delightfully German proprietor Martin will give you an authentic pan-european experience to-boot, what more could you ask?[/quote] Dude I was pissed in the end (angry), the return taxi was £60! No idea how I got there. Next day examination of bus tickets meant that I had got on the right bus home, travelled to the end of the line. Then traversed Richmond Park at about 1am, in order to reach the starting route of my next bus, which dumped me in feckin Epsom! And as for $1=£1, I meant if you can buy a new fender blacktop in the USA for $550, it will cost you £550 here. I've paid for hardcases, shipping and ludicrous import duty before and still saved myself £100 on the cheapest UK price for a bass I imported from the states. (it was Korean made so not even a USA model). So not worth buying here unless you can't get it in the states! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dc2009 Posted August 31, 2011 Share Posted August 31, 2011 The other thing I would seriously advise is: have a look at the classifieds on here, and see what is local to London. I know I'm here and my door is always open should any BCer want a go on my gear, with a view to buying one or similar, and there are plenty on here with a lot better gear than mine! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LuvMusic Posted August 31, 2011 Author Share Posted August 31, 2011 [quote name='dc2009' post='1357077' date='Aug 30 2011, 06:38 PM']And as for $1=£1, I meant if you can buy a new fender blacktop in the USA for $550, it will cost you £550 here. I've paid for hardcases, shipping and ludicrous import duty before and still saved myself £100 on the cheapest UK price for a bass I imported from the states. (it was Korean made so not even a USA model).[b] So not worth buying here unless you can't get it in the states![/b][/quote] That's exactly my thought too, that's why maybe an Overwater, Burns or the Squire James Johnston, these are not available (without importing them) in the states. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grand Wazoo Posted August 31, 2011 Share Posted August 31, 2011 [quote name='LuvMusic' post='1357094' date='Aug 31 2011, 01:51 AM']That's exactly my thought too, that's why maybe an Overwater, Burns or the Squire James Johnston, these are not available (without importing them) in the states.[/quote] Guitar Guitar in Epsom has that Squier James Johnston, I've tried it and loved it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
charic Posted August 31, 2011 Share Posted August 31, 2011 Try out the SEI's... You probably won't see many of those in the states Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
reggaemaster Posted August 31, 2011 Share Posted August 31, 2011 Not an expert on these things, but would a Warwick or Sandberg come out cheaper? Given theat they are made in Germany, and that we are all part of the EU? Good luck bass hunting!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BigRedX Posted August 31, 2011 Share Posted August 31, 2011 Have a look at [url="http://www.thebassgallery.com/"]The Gallery web site[/url]. It's not always 100% up to date, but it will give you an idea of what they have in stock for you to try. There's quite a few "Tanglewaters" and a reasonably priced real Overwater. I'd also have a look at the Fretking PJ and of course try some of the Wal basses they have in stock. BTW what makes the James Johnston Jazz different from any other Squier Jazz? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cosmo Valdemar Posted August 31, 2011 Share Posted August 31, 2011 (edited) The Gallery has a great selection of basses usually, but I have always found them to be unhelpful and judgmental every time I have been in there. I had an issue with a bass I bought from them about a year ago, not only were they adamant I was imagining it, the tech guy gave me an extraordinary list of 'reasons' (read: bullshit) why there could be a problem. It appears I am alone on here in my opinion of the place, however. Edited August 31, 2011 by Cosmo Valdemar Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dc2009 Posted August 31, 2011 Share Posted August 31, 2011 [quote name='Cosmo Valdemar' post='1357527' date='Aug 31 2011, 01:50 PM']The Gallery has a great selection of basses usually, but I have always found them to be unhelpful and judgmental every time I have been in there. I had an issue with a bass I bought from them about a year ago, not only were they adamant I was imagining it, the tech guy gave me an extraordinary list of 'reasons' (read: bullshit) why there could be a problem. It appears I am alone on here in my opinion of the place, however.[/quote] Only gripe I have was when I asked to be put through a different amp, I got led to the other end of the shop, only to be put through an even worse markbass than the one I was going through previously....sigh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hobbayne Posted August 31, 2011 Share Posted August 31, 2011 I,m going there tomorrow to drop the Stingray in to have the frets stoned Might have a lesuirely twang on something too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LuvMusic Posted August 31, 2011 Author Share Posted August 31, 2011 [quote name='Grand Wazoo' post='1357189' date='Aug 31 2011, 03:22 AM']Guitar Guitar in Epsom has that Squier James Johnston, I've tried it and loved it.[/quote] Thanks for the impression. I'd really like to compare the Overwater Classic J to this Squier. [quote name='charic' post='1357194' date='Aug 31 2011, 03:29 AM']Try out the SEI's... You probably won't see many of those in the states [/quote] You're right, I don't see SEI's in the states. Unfortunately, out of my budget for this trip. [quote name='reggaemaster' post='1357202' date='Aug 31 2011, 03:42 AM']Not an expert on these things, but would a Warwick or Sandberg come out cheaper? Given theat they are made in Germany, and that we are all part of the EU? Good luck bass hunting!![/quote] Thanks for the suggestions. Warwick's are available in the states and Sandberg's too, but not as common. [quote name='BigRedX' post='1357205' date='Aug 31 2011, 03:44 AM']Have a look at [url="http://www.thebassgallery.com/"]The Gallery web site[/url]. It's not always 100% up to date, but it will give you an idea of what they have in stock for you to try. There's quite a few "Tanglewaters" and a reasonably priced real Overwater. I'd also have a look at the Fretking PJ and of course try some of the Wal basses they have in stock. BTW what makes the James Johnston Jazz different from any other Squier Jazz?[/quote] It is a CV Jazz. What makes it unique in the states is the color, matching headstock and decals. All cosmetic, but, not available in the states....UK only. I'll look into the Fretking...thanks for the suggestion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dc2009 Posted August 31, 2011 Share Posted August 31, 2011 It's always a matter of taste, but a Tanglewater had to be your priority IMO. I haven't heard a bad word said about them and A LOT of the regulars on here have tried them, or even bought them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.