Buying basses unseen

[wotnwhy]

With the exception of an Overwater Progress Deluxe Custom (that i sold just over a year after i had it), all 10 or 11 basses i've owned have been bought 'unseen'.

The only ones to go in less than a year were:
A cheapy Harley Benton 6 string, bought it to see if i'd like 6 strings. I didn't, so sold it on ebay after 6 months for more than i paid for it.
A cheapy Stagg 4 string fretless, bought it to see if i'd like fretless. I did, so sold it to a friend to fund a 5 string fretless MTD Kingston.

My first 2 'proper' basses (Yamaha RBX's, 4 and 5 string) are still with me, as is my Shuker. The rest (Crafter acoustic, MTD fretless, OLP 5 string, my first bass (plywood)) stayed with me for 3 years at the very least.

[Musicman20]

All the ones I own are bought unseen as EBMM basses are usually awesome out the box, especially the setup.

My one Fender is stunning and I was bloomin lucky.

As long as you have a return policy, it doesnt matter!

[Ghost_Bass]

I'm in a mix... only one of the basses i own was played by me and brought home. Two of them i tried a similar model over here and order it from UK. Another four were bought blindfolded but i can say i love the sound of all my basses, each has his unique timbre and must be played in a singular way. I only sold one bass, it was a RBX375 that i loved but with the arival of the TRB it stopped being played!

[kerley]

I have owned around 10 basses over the last 2 or 3 years and only 1 was actually played before buying!

Not sure what I would have gained from playing them first as they are never setup in the way I like and no shop/owner is going to let me start messing around with the nut on a bass I don't own!

I had a BTB470 for a week or so in December and for the first few days loved it. Liked how it played, loved the neck etc,. But after a further few days I was finding the 35" scale to be a hindrance so sold it (at a profit - bought from eBay and sold on eBay - difference being that I sold it properly with loads of photos)
Without sitting in a shop playing it for a few days I would have still bought it after trying it.

I have got pretty good at setting basses up to my liking after tinkering with so many and yet to buy one that I couldn't get comfortable with (bar the 35" which I couldn't do much about)

[LukeFRC]

No. 1 bass - status shark pro-active... bought in shop, sold as was playing No. 2 and to fund No.3
No. 2 - Fender CIJ '57ri P bass - bought blind via fareastguitars - awesome, sold 2-3 years later to buy No. 4
No. 3 - 1991 Warwick Streamer stage one "bluey" - pestered warwickhunt untill he sold it to me, unplayed, good but didn't like tone, sold once I bought No. 5
No. 4 - Squier JV '57 P bass (large fender logo) my dream bass, bought unplayed off Stevie on basschat.... not going anywhere.....
No. 5 - 1991 Warwick Streamer stage one, natural - lighter and nicer sounding than bluey, well played by previous owner, bought for very little off gumtree. Threatened to sell a few times, changed mind and will be keeping it, simply it feels like my bass.
No. 6 - Valenti Jazz, bought to try out unplayed, awesome, not for me on looks and contouring on upper horn. sold
No. 7 - Fender USA FSR 70's Jazz, Lake placid blue, bought unseen from Andytravis on basschat. Brilliant brilliant, couldn't justify 3 basses in the end, new cab meant it lost in a shoot out between warwick and itself.... sold

Possibly the only one i slightly regret was i really should have spent a bit longer trying to like the valenti....
would i buy unplayed again? well the two jazzes were bought at prices I could sell them without loss if i wanted, so that was fine. I also would be picky who I bought off on here.