The bass cellar - denmark street

[budget bassist]

I was in london this weekend and i thought i'd pop into the bass cellar to see what's what, particularly the EBMMs. Some VERY nice basses in there, they have a redwood stingray, a couple of 30th anni rays, a blue dawn, my jaw dropped, some real eye candy in there. Like a polite citizen i went to the front counter and asked "would you mind if i tried out a stingray please?". Now being young as i am, maybe i didn't look too rich, sure, but surely that shouldn't stop me trying something out? Much to my surprise "are you going to buy one?" well how the f*** should i know? that's why i want to try one! I wasn't going to buy one that very minute, but towards the end of the year i'll be looking to buy something second hand maybe. Which is what i told him.

So then he fed me all this bullshit about how they'll all be sold within about a month and the new stock will be entirely different. I mean come on, i saw the same SUB basses in there last year, and i KNOW they didn't get any new ones in! I've also seen the blue dawn, the redwood and the 30th SR4 on ebay several times, and none of them sold either. New stock my arse. You could tell he just didn't want to let me give one a go because i didn't look like i had any money, and i wasn't going to buy one that VERY second. I mean the point of trying one out is that maybe you'll like it, but maybe you wont. I was hardly going to drop or break one was i? I treat all instruments, be they mine or anyone elses with utmost care because i wouldn't want mine being damaged.

Thing is, customer care goes a long way, and maybe if he'd let me have a go on one i'd have come back and bought one later in the year, or bought some little bits like strings or something. But no, f*** 'em, they're not getting a penny of my money now. And i thought instead of flipping him off and telling him where to go, or telling him exactly what i think. I walked out of the shop calmly, and posted on an internet forum about their service which has 3500 registered users and where anybody in the world can read this. You may think i'm overreacting, but a lot of other basschatters have expressed the same displeasures, and NEVER have i been into a music shop and been told that i can't try anything out because i'm not looking to buy this very second, ever. Like i say, good customer service goes a long way, and i thought i'd spread the word.

[Mr Fudge]

Unfortunately I am on the other end of the scale. After 25 years in music shops people cant wait to help me know because I am probably more likely a better demographic for a sale. I can sympathise because I have spent hours trying out riffs in guitar shops without any intention of buying more than a plectrum. It is pure ageism. I wish I was still on the receiving end ...

[s_u_y_*]

I always stroll into those types of place like I'm minted, telling them I have a budget of how many hundred or thousands of pounds. That is the only way to get good service. Sometimes I buy the item, sometimes I won't.

If you indicate them that you have money to spend (even if you don't), they will be more likely to give you the time of day.

Of course, it goes without saying I never feel like I have to do this at the Bass Gallery.

[CHRISDABASS]

[quote name='budget bassist' post='264290' date='Aug 18 2008, 01:10 AM']I was in london this weekend and i thought i'd pop into the bass cellar to see what's what, particularly the EBMMs. Some VERY nice basses in there, they have a redwood stingray, a couple of 30th anni rays, a blue dawn, my jaw dropped, some real eye candy in there. Like a polite citizen i went to the front counter and asked "would you mind if i tried out a stingray please?". Now being young as i am, maybe i didn't look too rich, sure, but surely that shouldn't stop me trying something out? Much to my surprise "are you going to buy one?" well how the f*** should i know? that's why i want to try one! I wasn't going to buy one that very minute, but towards the end of the year i'll be looking to buy something second hand maybe. Which is what i told him.

So then he fed me all this bullshit about how they'll all be sold within about a month and the new stock will be entirely different. I mean come on, i saw the same SUB basses in there last year, and i KNOW they didn't get any new ones in! I've also seen the blue dawn, the redwood and the 30th SR4 on ebay several times, and none of them sold either. New stock my arse. You could tell he just didn't want to let me give one a go because i didn't look like i had any money, and i wasn't going to buy one that VERY second. I mean the point of trying one out is that maybe you'll like it, but maybe you wont. I was hardly going to drop or break one was i? I treat all instruments, be they mine or anyone elses with utmost care because i wouldn't want mine being damaged.

Thing is, customer care goes a long way, and maybe if he'd let me have a go on one i'd have come back and bought one later in the year, or bought some little bits like strings or something. But no, f*** 'em, they're not getting a penny of my money now. And i thought instead of flipping him off and telling him where to go, or telling him exactly what i think. I walked out of the shop calmly, and posted on an internet forum about their service which has 3500 registered users and where anybody in the world can read this. You may think i'm overreacting, but a lot of other basschatters have expressed the same displeasures, and NEVER have i been into a music shop and been told that i can't try anything out because i'm not looking to buy this very second, ever. Like i say, good customer service goes a long way, and i thought i'd spread the word.[/quote]


i have had exactly the same problem at music ground in leeds!!

they were like "sorry if your not going to buy it then you cant try it out"

bunch of idiots missed out! i went and bought a bass from sound control instead!

there's just no excuse for poor service like this!

[waynepunkdude]

Good old Bass Cellar my hatred of them is well documented.

Was it the long haired arrogant bloke who sits in there with his girlfriend?


All get sold in a month? he has has a '79 P-bass that has been in there for 2 years I love it but I'm not buying from them.

[Jean-Luc Pickguard]

Things don't change. In 1986 when the Hohner B2A "Steinbergers" were first available I went to Denmark St to buy one. One shop had one in the Window, but when I asked to try it I was told that they'd be changing the window display on Monday, so come back then. I said that I wanted to try it and possibly buy it straight away but this didn't help.

I looked in the other shops and found one hanging up, tried it and bought it. I was told the hard cases for them would be available in about a month, so I just took it in the original cardboard box.

On the way down the street I went back into the first shop where the chap had since been joined by a colleague, I took my B2A out of the box held it up and asked Mr lazy "Do you have a case for my new bass?" - knowing that he wouldn't, but enjoying the look on his face.

[geilerbass]

[quote name='s_u_y_*' post='264293' date='Aug 18 2008, 01:20 AM']I always stroll into those types of place like I'm minted, telling them I have a budget of how many hundred or thousands of pounds. That is the only way to get good service. Sometimes I buy the item, sometimes I won't.

If you indicate them that you have money to spend (even if you don't), they will be more likely to give you the time of day.[/quote]

That's my approach - they bullshit me, so I bullshit them. Though even said, I recall going to the Bass Cellar a few years back, with a £1000+ budget to spend on a new bass (which I made them aware of) and [i]still[/i] got the surly and ambivalent attitude. I just don't get it - but then again, they never get any money off me, so that's fine.

Though my favourite experience there was when I was shopping around for a 5 string a few years back. I went in the Bass Centre and tried the new Ibanez K5, which was awesome, though they guy in there said to shop around a bit more and try out as many basses as I could before committing - good advice. The next day I went in the Bass Cellar and tried out another K5, as I'd been so impressed with the one in the Bass Centre. The guy threw me a great line about how that K5 was the "only one in the country" and if I could "get one anywhere else" he'd "like to know where". I didn't bother cashing in the satisfaction of telling him I'd just tried one in the Bass Centre (where it was cheaper).

[bigjohn]

Another trick is be foreign.

I went trying some basses out around Pigalle in Paris in the summer. Apparently they're just the same over there according to my French mate who I was staying with. No problems for the English though. Take your bass off the wall, ignore the face of horror on the shop assistants face and start talking English to your companion. Left well alone.

Edited August 18, 2008 by bigjohn

[MythSte]

Plus one on the minted thing. I find not removing sunglasses and having a beautiful girl going "i dont think its as pretty as your Ritter" helps.

[project_c]

i have a couple of stories about that place, i was new to playing bass and didn't really know much, I went in there for new strings, because my fingers were getting blistered and I wanted something a bit gentler on my hands, as well as something which was less jangly and had a more rounded, full tone. having explained this I was told to buy rotosounds (which are by far the harshest, jangliest strings out there), with "if it's good enough for rock stars, it's good enough for you mate" thrown in as a comment.
Another time I took my bass in for a set-up, and got it back in exactly the same condition, with the exception of a new battery. The action was blatantly too high, the intonation was all wrong, but they didn't touch it, the guy just said there was nothing much to fix. Again, I didn't know anything about how things should work back then, so I just accepted it, but looking back now it was pure bullsh!t.

[NJE]

Classic guitar shop experiences there. Sorry not Bass Cellar related although I have been there and walked back out when a chap said the bass I wanted to try had been sold despite it still hanging up with price tag on.

I used to live in Cardiff and as far as I am concerned it is rude guitar shop capital. Cranes Music is by far the worst, there used to be one really nice chap in there who was a bass player and he was cracking to chat to, but he left, I find the staff rude patronising and just plain ignorant to the stock they have. Gamlins is ok, again one nice chap in there who is great but the rest of the staff are clueless.

My friend and I went into gamlins and he had £700 cash for a new amp and we went to try a few. He wanted a Fender Hot Rod, and they had one on budget. We were playing and then the miserable old bat who owns the shop (i think) came over and told us to shut up because there ws a little boy with his dad trying out an encore strat. My mate went mental and basically waved the cash at her and said "im going to cranes to spend this then".....hilarious if not a bit rude.

I hate music shops, but I still want to go to the gallery...the holy grail!!!

Edited August 18, 2008 by NJE

[joe_bass]

[quote name='Jean-Luc Pickguard' post='264323' date='Aug 18 2008, 07:37 AM']On the way down the street I went back into the first shop where the chap had since been joined by a colleague, I took my B2A out of the box held it up and asked Mr lazy "Do you have a case for my new bass?" - knowing that he wouldn't, but enjoying the look on his face.[/quote]

Haha excellent, bet that was satisfying.

[NJE]

[quote name='project_c' post='264455' date='Aug 18 2008, 12:00 PM']I was told to buy rotosounds (which are by far the harshest, jangliest strings out there), with "if it's good enough for rock stars, it's good enough for you mate" thrown in as a comment.[/quote]

I had that once, I wanted Ernie balls saying I found them gruff on the fingers and they dont last long. The shop assistant actually argued with me (they didnt stock ernieball) saying that all the best bass players in the world used them and you should too....I asked "name a few then" he got as far as Billy Sheehan and John Paul Jones.....So not really all of them then.

[mathewsanchez]

I've had a similar experience at the Bass Cellar, the people were a bit touchy about trying out the basses and were constantly keeping an eye on me. It's a shame the customer care was so poor because their stoock was actually very good.

However on the same day I visited about 20 other music shops in London (...I know) and generally people were really nice. In one shop, I think it was Wunjo Guitars, as soon as I looked at an old 60s jazz bass, the guy asked me if I wanted to try it out and what I wanted to plug it into. I ended up playing that bass for about 20 minutes and then I moved onto playing a old ric (they didn't stock EBMM). The weird thing is, a few minutes later a guy came in and bought both basses while I was still playing them. Each bass was priced around £2000 so can't have been short of cash to buy £4000 worth of basses without even trying them. Anyway i'd recommend Wunjo Guitars.

As far as I can recall, Bass Centre was pretty cool too, happy for you to try out anything at your leisure. There was a couple of other shops with really good service but I can't remember the names. Sadly the Bass Cellar was probably one least friendly shops I visited that day.

[The Funk]

I go into the Bass Cellar every few days when I'm not doing anything - and never buy anything. They always let me try whatever I want. People treat you differently when you're a bit older. They're still knobs about everything there though.

[lowhand_mike]

they are always trying to flog the crap strings in the bass cellar, though go knows why, i went in for some new strings and thought i'd try them and see what they recommended, though i already knew what i wanted. they tried flogging me some sh*te £15 rotos or something, the pack looked like they had been in there for years.
weird as they had the expensive DR's and elixirs etc, maybe they look at you (i don't have to dress smart for work) and judge you on that, he cant afford the good ones, sell i'm the crap ones.
didn't buy the elixirs i wanted in the end, got em else where.
but yeah they are just plain f***in lazy, especially the twat with the curtains

[NeonMig]

In my experience, Bass Gallery > Bass Cellar.

I've only bought random bits and bobs from there, but they let me try stuff out. I wanted to try a MarkBass amp, and the dude (don't remember what he looked like) asked me what bass I had. Told him a Warwick thumb, and to my surprise he took one off the wall and handed it to me... when I was trying out the amp, not the bass. I guess all things happen.

But yeah their inflated prices and general attitude put me off.

I'll be shopping for a cab when I move back to London next month, and certainly won't be shopping there.

[bnt]

I've only been in the Bass Cellar once, but I had a different experience. The young lady there at the time didn't mind me trying two different basses, though neither was as expensive as a Stingray.

I suppose that, if you work there, you think it's normal to have that many basses in the same room, and you know them all. If a customer's travelled there from the sticks, however, it can be a bit overwhelming for them, and it takes time to get your bearings. I would have to try dozens of basses to get a feel for what I want, which is not an option in any current shop. (Yes, I know: Bass Bash.)

No, not even the Bass Gallery. I've been there once, too, but I won't go back there until I'm ready to buy. Martin was very polite, but I could tell he wanted to get back to the workshop to build basses.

[The Funk]

[quote name='bnt' post='264471' date='Aug 18 2008, 12:35 PM']I've only been in the Bass Cellar once, but I had a different experience. The young lady there at the time didn't mind me trying two different basses[/quote]

That was Simone who left a while ago. She was great.

[XB26354]

I have been "visiting" the bass cellar since it was further down the street in the basement and they're full of sh!t. Not only do the assistants know nothing about bass, they know nothing about retail or customer service. I was interested in a Yamaha TRB 6-string (and I am neither young nor inexperienced, as the assistant stopped talking to someone else and looked at me when I played it). The action was approx 7mm at the 24th fret, i.e. unplayable. I asked him to set it up and was told "you can't really drop the action any lower as it buzzes" Maybe he should have looked at the amount of relief in the neck??
The stock is OK but I've seen loads of basses that have been there for years. Their attitude is and always was so poor I wouldn't buy a plectrum off them.

[geilerbass]

[quote name='The Funk' post='264481' date='Aug 18 2008, 12:43 PM']That was Simone who left a while ago. She was great.[/quote]

In all fairness, she was very pleasant - friendly and knowledgeable. To the point where I actually reconsidered my stance on the place and almost considered buying a bass. Sad that she's gone and has been replaced by another bunch of ignorant muppets.

[budget bassist]

[quote name='waynepunkdude' post='264321' date='Aug 18 2008, 07:32 AM']Was it the long haired arrogant bloke who sits in there with his girlfriend?[/quote]
It was some blonde haired gay looking guy...

[lowhand_mike]

[quote name='geilerbass' post='264490' date='Aug 18 2008, 12:54 PM']In all fairness, she was very pleasant - friendly and knowledgeable. To the point where I actually reconsidered my stance on the place and almost considered buying a bass. Sad that she's gone and has been replaced by another bunch of ignorant muppets.[/quote]
yeah, if she was in there then i would ask questions or look at stuff, if not i generally didnt bother.
she was the one that helped me when i was buying my ibanez, though i think she left just before i bought one and the guys in there pushed me elsewhere. their loss.

[Rich]

I will never set foot in the Cellar again after the way I was treated last time I was daft enough to go in. Again, crashing ignorance from the guy behind the counter, who barely said two words to me and didn't take his eyes off his newspaper once.
Personally I wouldn't piss on that shop if it was on fire.

[noisedude]

[quote name='CHRISDABASS' post='264316' date='Aug 18 2008, 07:09 AM']i have had exactly the same problem at music ground in leeds!!

they were like "sorry if your not going to buy it then you cant try it out"

bunch of idiots missed out! i went and bought a bass from sound control instead!

there's just no excuse for poor service like this![/quote]
Yes, this happened to me many times when I was unfortunate enough to encounter the Harrison family's legendary 'customer service'.

I could also tell you some inside stories from the trade about what goes on in their shops .......... I won't, but I would very strongly advice that you check EVERY tiny detail before buying anything 'vintage' or 'rare' from one of their shops. And that includes amplifiers.