Good bass shops

[SteveO]

[quote name='markytbass' post='279959' date='Sep 8 2008, 08:53 PM']Steven James Guitars in Middlesborough, good selection of new and used basses. Good customer service, friendly and helpful.[/quote]
+1 here. I have to declare a Waynes World 'we are not worthy' moment when I realised he's [i]The[/i] Steve James. One of the bassists that made me wanna pick it up - Great guy. (plays a mean sax aswell)

[skankdelvar]

Peter Cook's in Hanwell, West London.

Not really a bass shop, but good value and open to a deal if you just want a guitar or yer usual vanilla Precisions, Jazz's, Epiphones and Blueburst Ricks. When you walk in, it doesn't look like they've got much, but anything they list, they have - it's all in boxes out the back. So not really a browser shop - decide what it is you want before you go in.

Fastest in-shop set-up I've ever seen. Out of the box, relief, string height and intonation on a Telecaster in about 3 minutes. For nowt.

Averagely polite in a weary way, but given the spacker customers I've seen in there, I don't blame 'em.

[tauzero]

[quote name='doctor_of_the_bass' post='282244' date='Sep 11 2008, 11:17 PM']Ah! Dave! Great chap!

I used to wet me pants in Exchanges - it was a mess but what a mess - 10 different coloured Jaydees, tons of Warwicks etc back in '88 - heaven!!!!

If only I had a time machine...![/quote]
You were standing five feet away from an '87 Thumb from Exchanges at the Northampton bash... That was Dave the Bass who sold me that, though it may be a different Dave the Bass - slim chap, bearded IIRC, went on to work at the Carlsboro shop (now gone) by Richer Sounds.

I'll be interested to see how Reverb goes - I don't think there was a problem with staff there, it seemed to me that there was more of a problem with being shoehorned into whatever corporate culture Sound Control had.

[yorick]

[quote name='tauzero' post='285482' date='Sep 16 2008, 11:39 PM']You were standing five feet away from an '87 Thumb from Exchanges at the Northampton bash... That was Dave the Bass who sold me that, though it may be a different Dave the Bass - slim chap, bearded IIRC, went on to work at the Carlsboro shop (now gone) by Richer Sounds.

I'll be interested to see how Reverb goes - I don't think there was a problem with staff there, it seemed to me that there was more of a problem with being shoehorned into whatever corporate culture Sound Control had.[/quote]


That was Dave the Nose. Worshipped at the feet of Billy Sheehan, if i remember. Wonder where he is?

[Tee]

Anyone used the Bass Centre recently? Are they worth dealing with?

I have to decide where to spend my money (for what i'm looking for). Their site still mentions their premises near Liverpool St. (Is it now just the warehouse?) While their registered office, is a stone's through from me.

The thing is, i'm thinking of spending pretty big, so i'd rather play the instrument than take a chance over the net.

[crez5150]

YEah I believe they are just online now.....

[NJE]

Probably mentioned this before but my local shop aroundabout sound are great. They have a bass room and are official Eden and EBS dealers. They always have a secondhand bass or two in, they will let you sit and play for ages no pressure and make you a cup of tea! they have fender, squier, Yamaha, esp/ltd, KSD jazz, and loads more. The owner Mark? also has a GB spitfire which I nearly came close to buying but lacked a string so couldnt really justify it. Great shop, great service and great prices and well worth a look if you are close (its in Cheltenham by the way).

My friend came up by train from Cardiff to get his guitar amp from them, shows how good they are and how bad Cardiff is.

[HeavyJay]

[quote name='Tee' post='361793' date='Dec 23 2008, 11:02 AM']Anyone used the Bass Centre recently? Are they worth dealing with?

I have to decide where to spend my money (for what i'm looking for). Their site still mentions their premises near Liverpool St. (Is it now just the warehouse?) While their registered office, is a stone's through from me.

The thing is, i'm thinking of spending pretty big, so i'd rather play the instrument than take a chance over the net.[/quote]

I'm awaiting delivery of an Eden Nemesis 2x10 combo and a 1x15 cab from them that I ordered from their website at the start of November. Website said it was in stock, they emailed after it had all gone through (money taken from C-Card etc) to say the next delivery they were getting from Eden was at the end of January. According to them, I would struggle to find the things elsewhere at the mo.

Having said all that, they were very nice about it and offered me (without me asking) a refund if I so desired. I decided to hang on and wait until January. I'll update you then if I remember.

[RAY AGAINST THE MACHINE]

Regarding the Bass centre:I start work near liverpool street..,THEY MOVE
I believe they are now based around Bermondsey LONDON SE1.
(If you know London Bridge/Borough high street/London Dungeon you'll know where I'm talking about)

Bass Merchant ..NICE PEOPLE TO DO BUSINESS WITH

[RAY AGAINST THE MACHINE]

Ooops!Forgot to say, I haven't been to the new Bass centre .
So, I don't know if it's open to the public :wub:

[HeavyJay]

[quote name='HeavyJay' post='361930' date='Dec 23 2008, 02:11 PM']I'm awaiting delivery of an Eden Nemesis 2x10 combo and a 1x15 cab from them that I ordered from their website at the start of November. Website said it was in stock, they emailed after it had all gone through (money taken from C-Card etc) to say the next delivery they were getting from Eden was at the end of January. According to them, I would struggle to find the things elsewhere at the mo.

Having said all that, they were very nice about it and offered me (without me asking) a refund if I so desired. I decided to hang on and wait until January. I'll update you then if I remember.[/quote]

Well, the Bass Centre finally delivered my 2x10 combo today, I've had the 1x15 for a month or so.

They had some communication issues when it came to keeping me informed about the progress of the order, not getting back to me when they said they would etc. They remained very polite though.

I decided to hang in there with the order because I couldn't find it as cheap anywhere else and if I canceled and re-ordered I might have lost out with the pound dropping against the euro.

I'll have a bit of a play tonight.

I get the impression all the issues were out of their hands but that might have been subtle misdirection on their part!

I'd probably order from them again but not without checking stock levels over the phone first.

[51m0n]

I cannot believe that no one has mentioned our very own poptart's bassdirect.....

Wicked place, great range of kit, just be prepared to leave with uncontrollable GAS or a lighter wallet!

[bumnote]

[quote name='doctor_of_the_bass' post='280072' date='Sep 8 2008, 11:32 PM']Favouroonie places:

Exchanges in Birmingham was incredible 20 years ago![/quote]

I used to drive up from portsmouth once or twice a year just to go in there
Incredible admosphere with all the tunnels and stuff

[Etienne]

+1 for Bass Direct. Mark is a very bad man!

[OldGit]

[quote name='NJE' post='361819' date='Dec 23 2008, 12:31 PM']My friend came up by train from Cardiff to get his guitar amp from them, shows how good they are and how bad Cardiff is.[/quote]

? Compared to where?

Cardiff's actually pretty good for mainstream stuff. We have 5 or 6 independent music shops selling a variety of basses and gear and a couple of used gear shops too.

No Reverb though ..

What are you looking to buy? That will give us some ideas of where to point you.

[spiltmilk_2000]

I heartily recommend Bass Merchant. Bought my Aggy rig there when Mike still owned it (Luthier who makes Zoot basses / cabs) and he was very fair on price and although the order took quite a while, he was great at keeping me posted as to what was happening... Also he would always invite you into the workshop for a cuppa and a ciggie and to look at instruments in various states of repair - which was nice! :-) Havent bought anything from the (not so) new management yet but he seems like a nice guy for whom nothing is too much trouble.

The bass centre havent been great for a while now imho... I spoke to the manager at the Guitar Show a couple of years back when i was looking for a Les Paul bass. his reply? "I didnt know they made one" maybe it was just an off day or my confusing cock-er-nee dialect :-)