Favorite Online Bass Store

[Bisgit]

What is your favorite online store to buy gear, weather it is because of price, customer service, or its your dad running it out of his garage... if there are any not in this poll, let us know and tell us why it is so cool.

[Ren.]

w w w . Musicians Girl Friend . C o M

 

[_Sweet Willie_]

Even though it's far away, if I'm not buying from a local shop I'm buying from the great American northwest -- they give me good info about products and price very, very competitively. However, they do say relatively nice things about Bumpcity on occasion, which worries me.

 

Peace.

 

I like to shop here.

[PJR]

I'd take a guess that your poll will be in fovor of the 'Other' category.

 

You make no mention of any of the 'Bass-only' online retailers.....and there are a few biggies out there.

 

-Bass Palace

-Bass Central

-Bass NW

-Bass Place

 

....to mention a few...

 

PJR

[Ren.]

BassNorthwest. Great store, lots of great gear! And a cool thing: the ship worldwide. Downside: website looks cheap. But who cares?

[Bisgit]

I forgot about bass northwest, they rock too.

[MartinJ]

I haven't had a really great experience buying from any online retailer.

 

I ordered a combo amp from Musician's Friend which arrived in a damaged box (could be shipper's fault, I know). It turned out to be defective and/or simply much lower quality than I expected, so I returned in within the allowable period. Unfortunately, since I could no longer use the original box, I was charged some sort of fee (about 20%).

 

Later I ordered a bass from Music Yo; unfortunately, this also had to be returned. The quality of the product was fair, but it was one of those items with widely varying quality control, so it was a hit-or-miss proposition. I took a chance and lost.

 

The severe downside in both cases is that I was out a substantial (for me) amount of shipping costs. There was a time and hassle factor, too, but how do we quantify that?

 

Finally, my local retailer will damn near (within probably 5%-10%) match online sellers' prices, they have lots of cool stuff in stock that I can play and inspect before buying, AND the items are ready for me to take home TODAY.

 

[RANTING]

 

I have to admit, however, that I'm philosophically opposed to buying everything online.

 

I think that "real" stores have a positive impact on the local quality of living in the small towns I live/work in. If my downtown retail area generally goes away thanks to online sellers and Wal-mart, we all lose.

 

I'm afraid that most consumers don't account for the intangible items when they're evaluating their "best deal". Whenever possible, I do NOT buy online (or at Big Box Retailers, but I digress) because I CAN'T afford to spend that much of my quality of life just to save a few dollars.

 

[/RANTING]

 

Yeah, okay, I'm sort of a Whacko. I don't watch TV either... Flame me, chastise me, make me listen to 60Hz hum all day. I can take it.

[rumpelstiltskin.]

i agree.

 

i worked in hi-fi retail right next door to a best buy. i learned the difference between a local company and a big box. i don't buy big box for hi-fi, and i don't buy online for music gear. anytime the item is one of differentiable quality (i.e. mintek DVD player at best buy versus pioneer elite DV-47Ai from my store) that requires a knowledgeable sales staff to educate and inform the consumer, i shop local.

 

i will gladly pay a few percent more to have a relationship with a service provider. i just got a loan for a car from my bank that i could have gotten 1.5% less on from an online loaner. but my bank knows me. i just moved down here in december and they already know me. i trust them.

 

in my hi-fi store, i would regularly go to a customer's house on my own time to help them out or simply to enjoy the system i sold them. they didn't pay any extra for that, either. i mean, most of the stuff we sold was too nice for best buy, but the stuff that both of us carried, we had the same price as they did. the relationship is value-added. for a few percent more, i consider that very well worth money.

 

that said, i have had great customer service from bassnw. i'd probably go to them if i couldn't they had something a dealer around here or back home didn't have.

 

robb.

[SteveC]

I have dealt with Bass NW a few times. They are great.

 

Musicians Friend has been OK, too. I wouldn't buy a bass from them, but for other things, no problem.

 

I always try to go local if I can.

[_Sweet Willie_]

Originally posted by robb.:

that said, i have had great customer service from bassnw. i'd probably go to them if they had something a dealer around here or back home didn't have.

 

robb.

That's pretty much my experience and my practice. If I can't get it locally, I go to a bass-centric retailer via the web (Bass Northwest). I tend not to use retailers that are exclusively on-line or major chains (like GC) except for the occasions where I've rec'd gift certificates to them (a couple of times this has happened).

 

However, I'm fortunate that there really are a lot of good local shops in and around Chicago. If I lived somewhere off the beaten path where it was a 3-hr drive to the nearest decent music store, I'd probably be singing a different tune.

 

I've also had good fortune shopping here , here , and here . I realize that isn't everyone's experience, but it sure has been mine!

 

Peace.

[saxofunk]

I have used Woodwing & Brasswind for my sax stuff for over 10 years. I have purchased 2 saxes (one new, one used) and countless other accessories. They also happen to sell g*****s, basses, amps, and tons of stuff. Although I have yet to use them for bass gear, I recommend them highly. For several years they had a seperate "Rock & Rhythm" catalog. WWBW.com

 

My current bass is from MusicYo - a Toby Deluxe 4. I payed $250 just about 2 years ago - it's worth $250.

[jeremy c]

Online ordering has it's place and has definitely changed the music marketplace.

 

Musicians Friend and Guitar Center are owned by the same people so that doesn't really make any difference.

 

Meanwhile we have a few bass only stores which give wonderful service either online or on the phone.

 

Last week I was visiting in Phoenix and I went to The Bass Place in Tempe. I arrived after the official closing hour, but the owner, Dennis, kept the store open so I could look around. He had quite a few instruments that you will probably not find anywhere else. I recommend this store.

 

About a month ago when I decided to make my five string bass into a piccolo bass, I called Bass Northwest in Seattle. Evan, the owner, answered the phone and knew exactly what I was talking about (as opposed to the few stores I had been to already) and fixed me right up.

 

Locally I like to shop at the Music Works in El Cerrito. "Pudgy" Wong has been taking good care of my for many years.

 

Probably the worst thing you can do is to go to a store, try out everything, ask millions of questions, and then buy online. Or try to grind the last 50 cents out them.

 

As people have already said, shipping costs (especially if you have to return anything) can wipe out your savings.

[_Sweet Willie_]

Originally posted by jeremyc:

Probably the worst thing you can do is to go to a store, try out everything, ask millions of questions, and then buy online. Or try to grind the last 50 cents out them.

I agree with this heartily. Although I'm certainly guilty of the occasional trip to GC to test out a bunch of stuff since I know it will all be there under the one roof, and then go to the preferred local shop of my choice to buy. For example, I can play SWR, Ampeg, Mesa, and GK amps and cabs all at a nearby GC. However, some of my local shops only carry one or two of those brands. I can play them all at GC (and a variety of models within each brand!), and then if I wish to buy, I go to local shop that carries the line I'm interested in.

 

However, often there are some very specific lines that I cannot find at GC because (e.g., EBS pedals, Ashdown amps, Modulus basses). For these I have to go to various local shops, and I know who carries what when the "gear jones" strikes me! Also, if I realize that I've visited a particular shop a number of times w/out purchasing anything, I'll try to pick up at least some strings there the next time I'm thru.

 

Originally posted by jeremyc:

As people have already said, shipping costs (especially if you have to return anything) can wipe out your savings.

Depending on what you're buying, sometimes shipping is comparable, or less than, what you might have paid in local/state taxes. However, if you need to make a return on a purchase (say, an 8x10 cab?! ), you're definitely crushed financially.

 

Peace.

[RobT]

The above mentioned stores are great. Here are a few that haven't been mention that seem to be great to work with. At least over the phone!

 

Low Down Sound

The Low End

The Bass Palace

Bass Alone

Bunny Bass

LA Bass Xchange

NY Bass & Guitar Boutique

Our Own BassAddik\'s Access Bass

[Bobby Bass]

Chuch Levin's Washington Music in Wheaton, Md.

Their web site doesn't post prices but they get a price to you pretty quick. Everything I have ever bought from them was priced lower than anybody else. On the East Coast, just 2 day UPS. They have just about every brand name made. No complaints with them over the last 7 years & a lot of equipment in my house.

[bassaddik]

Rob Tt!! thanks for the plug!!

i appreciate it much,, man!- peace, A

[Mike H.]

Originally posted by Peter J Romano:

I'd take a guess that your poll will be in fovor of the 'Other' category.

 

You make no mention of any of the 'Bass-only' online retailers.....and there are a few biggies out there.

 

-Bass Palace

-Bass Central

-Bass NW

-Bass Place

 

....to mention a few...

 

PJR

PJR you're reading my mind...

[earljam]

i live in a very rural part of illinois without a lot of good music stores and it is 3 hours to St. Louis, ergo I browse a lot on line when I get GAS- however I try to buy locally when availability allows. it sure saves a lot of worry when you have a piece of broken gear and a gig that night and know that store owner will lend you what you need to work that night. worth every penny of the slightly higher cost.