Try before you buy

[Boodang]

Had an interesting experience at Bass Bros the other day. Whilst collecting a bass for a friend they let me try out some basses…. it was interesting to compare my preconceptions with the hands on experience and goes to show you definitely need to try before you buy. 
I was excited to play the Stanley Clarke Alembic but as nice as it was it didn’t click with me and would be hugely disappointing at that price! Similarly the Jaydee which really wasn’t me. The Warwick Thumb I picked up was nice but I was surprised by the chunky neck and would be a no for me. The Rob Allen was good but didn’t feel special. He brought down a Ric with a reverse headstock and it felt fantastic (I’m still weighing up the 2.6k price tag.. someone please buy before I pull the trigger on it!). And some of the less special basses like Jazz’s or Musicmans were more my thing. 
It’s interesting because if you said pick a bass by just looking at the website I’d have the Alembic but picking one based on what played the best it would be something quite different and a lot cheaper. 
PS the guys at Bass Bros are good. They even held on to the bass for about 6 months before I could pick it up (I don’t live in the UK). 

[bass_dinger]

I had the same thing with mandolins.  There's relatively little breadth of choice in England nowadays, compared to when The Acoustic Music Co (TAMCO) shop was open in Brighton. 

 

So, I planned a trip to the nearest shop, in London - Hobgoblin in Rathbone Place. 

 

None of the recommended instruments that I had shortlisted excited me - from £250 to £1,500. Hathway, Kentucky, Ashbury. 

 

However, Macs in Rathbone Place had a range of Eastman mandolins that worked for me.

 

So, had I ordered on price and recommendation, I would have been disappointed. 

[bassbiscuits]

I’ve not done well with boutique and / or pricey instruments. I like them, they are interesting etc, but I tend to fallback to using mid-priced stuff you can play to death without worrying.

I remember trying out a Fender Custom Shop 1955 P bass (the old fashioned style) which looked incredible but it wasn’t right for me at all. 

 

Fender P and J basses, Musicmans etc are popular for a good reason - good examples are versatile dependable gigging instruments. 

Edited July 8 by bassbiscuits

[Bassfinger]

I nearly always try before I buy, particularly with Fender. The onky exception was my Mike Dirnt, which were in such short supply I had little choice but to buy from whoever happened to have one in stock, which turned out to be Anderton's, too far to reasonably travel for just a test play.

 

People prattle on about US Fenders being better than Mex ones, but that's not automatically so. Their QC is so variable that best Mex ones are an easy match and the worst US ones would embarrass Squier. 

 

For example, I tried 3 Geddy Lee's before finding one with a perfect finish, and the one I chose was a peach. I tried 2 before plumping for my Meteora, and the final choice was a perfect plank. I test drove 2 before choosing my Precision Ultra, the one I discarded having a nine to snug looking neck pocket.

 

In each case the discarded examples, a mix of factories, had visible flaws, never mind feeling, playing and sounding different, so it was worth taking the time over it.

Edited July 8 by Bassfinger

[Rosie C]

8 hours ago, bass_dinger said:

I had the same thing with mandolins.  There's relatively little breadth of choice in England nowadays, compared to when The Acoustic Music Co (TAMCO) shop was open in Brighton. 

 

I've had similar with mandocellos and octave-mandolins. I had to take a chance mail ordering a Goldtone mandocello as there wasn't anywhere in the country that had one in stock. That worked out well, but I bought a Hora one from Thomann which really doesn't suit me, even after fettling by my guitar tech. I'm currently waiting for a Goldone octavemandolin to arrive - hoping it's going to be good, but I've learned with the Hora and will return it if not. 

 

Oh for there to be a shop where I could go and try them all out!

 

Edited July 8 by Rosie C

[Mykesbass]

Trouble is (as an ex guitar shop owner) there are large numbers of people who hold the view that if anyone has tried an instrument it immediately becomes Ex-Demo, and therefore needs large amounts of money taken off. 

 

The other thing with trying is, despite CNC production techniques, basses and guitars of the same brand and model can feel very different. I had three Yamaha RBX170s delivered - the cheapest model. They were all absolutely fine, especially at the price point, but one was great, and just felt right in your hands. Sold that one to a friend for his son who still uses it 20 years on (and played a few festival dates with it).

[Linus27]

After nearly 40 years of playing, I've come to the conclusion that a good old passive Fender Jazz or Precision is what suits me best. My favourite's are Japanese Fender's because of the gloss neck but they are also the most comfortable to play in my hands. My Mexican FSR 70's Precision is sublime and the best Jazz I ever played was the Mexican 70's Classic. The best sounding Precision I've played is the Mexican Mike Dirnt and I've had two identical AVRI75 Jazz basses and one was incredible and played itself and the other was as dull as dish water and far from anything special. My first ever Stingray was an absolute dog, my second was nothing special and mega heavy and my third was really nice but my recent fretless SR4 was easily the best Stingray I've owned.

[Boodang]

1 hour ago, Mykesbass said:

Trouble is (as an ex guitar shop owner) there are large numbers of people who hold the view that if anyone has tried an instrument it immediately becomes Ex-Demo, and therefore needs large amounts of money taken off. 

 

The other thing with trying is, despite CNC production techniques, basses and guitars of the same brand and model can feel very different. I had three Yamaha RBX170s delivered - the cheapest model. They were all absolutely fine, especially at the price point, but one was great, and just felt right in your hands. Sold that one to a friend for his son who still uses it 20 years on (and played a few festival dates with it).

Bass Bros have advantage that all their basses are used. I have to say they were very accommodating. 

But you're right about the ex-demo thing. I went into wex recently to buy a high end camera of which they had no demo models on display, so I said can you unbox one for me to look at and I was told no! 

[neepheid]

Because of my geographic location, trying before I buy is an expensive waste of time.  When I buy something new at distance, if I don't like it I can just send it back - it's cheaper than a round trip to Glasgow (or further).  If I buy used then I have built up enough skills to recover all but the most damaged lemons.

 

If you don't have the setup/repair skills necessary to get yourself out of most holes, then maybe you should check basses out in person before you buy.

 

Most basses are "fine", some need fettling, few are genuinely irredeemable.  I know what I like and what I don't so I don't tend to buy things I won't at least enjoy for a while.

[Lozz196]

2 hours ago, Mykesbass said:

 

 

The other thing with trying is, despite CNC production techniques, basses and guitars of the same brand and model can feel very different. I had three Yamaha RBX170s delivered - the cheapest model. They were all absolutely fine, especially at the price point, but one was great, and just felt right in your hands. Sold that one to a friend for his son who still uses it 20 years on (and played a few festival dates with it).

Agree, a good while back I bought a Gibson Les Paul Studio. The shop had three so I tried them all, one sang, one muttered, the other vomitted. I bought the singer.

[Rosie C]

3 hours ago, neepheid said:

Most basses are "fine", some need fettling, few are genuinely irredeemable.  I know what I like and what I don't so I don't tend to buy things I won't at least enjoy for a while.

 

Not just basses, but with double bass, mandolin, viola. I've learned the amount I save buying from Thomann more than covers taking a new instrument to a local expert for a good setup. Actually not double bass anymore - my local guy stopped doing basses   though I've no plans to buy another one.

Edited July 8 by Rosie C

[Acebassmusic]

2 hours ago, neepheid said:

Because of my geographic location, trying before I buy is an expensive waste of time.  When I buy something new at distance, if I don't like it I can just send it back - it's cheaper than a round trip to Glasgow (or further).  If I buy used then I have built up enough skills to recover all but the most damaged lemons.

 

If you don't have the setup/repair skills necessary to get yourself out of most holes, then maybe you should check basses out in person before you buy.

 

Most basses are "fine", some need fettling, few are genuinely irredeemable.  I know what I like and what I don't so I don't tend to buy things I won't at least enjoy for a while.

 

As @neepheid says our geographic location is a bit of a hindrance to trying out anything other than the usual basic "Fender" options 😒 For me to drive to Bass Direct / Bass Bros which are the closest decent bass shops with a wide range of options it's a 900 mile / £200 / 15 hours round trip. That's £200 extra I can put towards shipping / new strings etc.

 

After many years of playing and trying different basses I have a good idea what floats my boat which helps me identify a potential "good-un". I would say 70% of the basses I've owned have been bought blind. Sorting out action / frets / electronics etc. has allowed me to revive a number of basses that initially seemed dull and uninspiring into a happily giggable state. 👍 If I find after 6 months of playing and gigging that the bass is not for me then I will sell it on. Any £ loss from what I paid I think of as "rental".

 

Don't get me wrong, I would prefer to walk into a store where I can try before I buy but pragmatically its not an option. I do have very fond memories of living in Houston and going into one of the local chain of Mars Music. They sold nearly everything musical you'd want in a shop that covered 25,000 square feet (2,300m2)! They had a full stage set up in the centre of the shop where they would feature touring acts! The bass department on its own stocked 3 times what any UK bass shop has. 😮

[Boodang]

25 minutes ago, Acebassmusic said:

 

As @neepheid says our geographic location is a bit of a hindrance to trying out anything other than the usual basic "Fender" options 😒 For me to drive to Bass Direct / Bass Bros which are the closest decent bass shops with a wide range of options it's a 900 mile / £200 / 15 hours round trip. That's £200 extra I can put towards shipping / new strings etc.

 

After many years of playing and trying different basses I have a good idea what floats my boat which helps me identify a potential "good-un". I would say 70% of the basses I've owned have been bought blind. Sorting out action / frets / electronics etc. has allowed me to revive a number of basses that initially seemed dull and uninspiring into a happily giggable state. 👍 If I find after 6 months of playing and gigging that the bass is not for me then I will sell it on. Any £ loss from what I paid I think of as "rental".

 

Don't get me wrong, I would prefer to walk into a store where I can try before I buy but pragmatically its not an option. I do have very fond memories of living in Houston and going into one of the local chain of Mars Music. They sold nearly everything musical you'd want in a shop that covered 25,000 square feet (2,300m2)! They had a full stage set up in the centre of the shop where they would feature touring acts! The bass department on its own stocked 3 times what any UK bass shop has. 😮

Hey, if you went down and bought the Stanley Clarke Alembic then £200 would be a drop in the ocean and you wouldn’t feel so bad!

Edited July 8 by Boodang

[Acebassmusic]

55 minutes ago, Boodang said:

Hey, if you went down and bought the Stanley Clarke Alembic then £200 would be a drop in the ocean and you wouldn’t feel so bad!

I like your logic 👍 I'm on it! 🚗 🤣🤣

[nilorius]

Not a big foult to buy before try. You can have a lot of reviews - txt + sound at you tube, other sites. You can manage out the definite sound you are going to buy.

[Newfoundfreedom]

I'm more a buy it then get used to playing it kind of person. 

 

You can get used to playing almost anything with a bit of time, and trying first is pretty much impossible where I live. 

 

Worst case scenario, move it on and buy something else. 

 

 

 

 

Edited July 9 by Newfoundfreedom

[itu]

On 08/07/2024 at 09:30, bassbiscuits said:

...but I tend to fallback to using mid-priced stuff you can play to death without worrying.

My basses are made for playing. P is not for me, not only because of its ugly design. J neck is too thin. List is long but these are just my preferences. I do not know where are people playing their instruments, but I use a bass that fits me, not the other way around.

 

(I have bought just few basses without test ride. Three times I have managed to find a gem.)

[TimR]

Technically, if you're distance buying, you're trying before you're buying. You still have the option to return it if you don't like it. 🤔

 

There is no substitute to going to a shop with a wide range of instruments though. 

[neepheid]

3 minutes ago, TimR said:

Technically, if you're distance buying, you're trying before you're buying. You still have the option to return it if you don't like it. 🤔

 

There is no substitute to going to a shop with a wide range of instruments though. 

 

Fair point on the first one.  In a way it's better than trying in a shop - you can take it to a band rehearsal or some such setting and try the bass in the real world application you intend to play it in going forward.  Just be careful with it during transportation and the session, of course!

 

On the second one - people* who are fortunate enough to live near such places would do well to check their privilege before telling us chancers who buy sight unseen that we're doing it wrong.

 

* (not having a dig at you here @TimR, merely using your sentence as a jumping off point)

[Hellzero]

I always buy before I try.

[Burns-bass]

20 minutes ago, TimR said:

Technically, if you're distance buying, you're trying before you're buying. You still have the option to return it if you don't like it. 🤔

 

There is no substitute to going to a shop with a wide range of instruments though. 

 

That's true. Distance selling regulations are what's destroying local shops!

 

I used to buy stuff online all the time (including Basschat) but I found that the expectation and reality would rarely match up. Best instruments I've bought (aside from the Grabber I got on here and picked up in a carpark which is sublime) have all been played and tested thoroughly before handing over the money.

[bassbiscuits]

Only one of my current instruments was bought without seeing it first (via Basschat). And that’s only because it’s identical to one I already own, and I had a very detailed description beforehand, so I felt sure it was ok (and it is).  
 

I’ve bought other stuff blindly off here before without any trouble - amps, pedals, cabs etc. 

 

But basses - I’ve bought enough of them blindly only to be instantly disappointed as soon as they’ve arrived and I’ve played them. If they were in a shop I’d have had the chance to try and put back.
 

So now I only buy basses I’ve played and seen.
 

 

[neepheid]

21 hours ago, Acebassmusic said:

After many years of playing and trying different basses I have a good idea what floats my boat which helps me identify a potential "good-un". I would say 70% of the basses I've owned have been bought blind. Sorting out action / frets / electronics etc. has allowed me to revive a number of basses that initially seemed dull and uninspiring into a happily giggable state. 👍 If I find after 6 months of playing and gigging that the bass is not for me then I will sell it on. Any £ loss from what I paid I think of as "rental".

 

I would have typed this almost exactly the same thing.  Especially the considering selling losses as "rental" - damn, I thought I came up with that

 

[Acebassmusic]

32 minutes ago, neepheid said:

 

I would have typed this almost exactly the same thing.  Especially the considering selling losses as "rental" - damn, I thought I came up with that

 

 

I think you might have in another thread many moons ago....delayed plagiarism 🤣 

[diskwave]

On 08/07/2024 at 11:29, Linus27 said:

After nearly 40 years of playing, I've come to the conclusion that a good old passive Fender Jazz or Precision is what suits me best

Agree and mines a P bass. If have to twiddle even one little control half a cent then a bass is no good to me at all, probably comes from my cello playing where it literally is all in the hands and technique. Remember seeing Steely Span a while back (great band) and watching the bassist twiddling his J bass all night long, he might as well have been playing a scaffolding plank with some twine nailed on it for all the good it did. Anyway I bought my Squire CV brand new off the internet, superb bass, good as or better than any of the Fenders Ive owned.

Edited July 9 by diskwave