Are Bass Direct scaling down?

[warwickhunt]

I occasionally peruse the Bass Direct website to check out their used bass stock and the last few times I've looked, they've had less and less used bass stock.  Anyone know if this is a conscious decision or simply that they haven't much new stock to replace sold basses?  

[ambient]

I was there a month or ago, they had an excellent selection of used instruments in. I think a lot of their used stock are instruments being sold for customers.

[ped]

Yes a lot of the used stuff is sold on commission. Perhaps the market is a little down at the moment as many are sold by our European friends and some might hold off until next year. 

[uk_lefty]

They're constantly putting new used stock up on Facebook, maybe it moves so quick they can't update the main website? 

Edited August 6, 2019 by uk_lefty

[Daz39]

Yeah - some stuff is posted on FB and then updated with SOLD within a few hours. Sometimes it might take a day, in which time the picture has made it to FB, but it's barely rested on the shop floor before being shipped out.

 

[thodrik]

I browse fairly regularly. The used bass stock can vary depending on what comes in. Sometimes what comes in can go very very quickly. I bought a Sadowsky  within about 24 hours of it being posted on the site. I did this because I lost out on another bass by thinking about it overnight and the following morning it had been sold!

 

[peteb]

I part ex'd a bass at BD last week and it seems to have sold already

[Machines]

Commission sale prices are set by the owner not Bass Direct. They're mostly a bit optimistic hence some stuff sits there for months. 

[peteb]

1 minute ago, Machines said:

Commission sale prices are set by the owner not Bass Direct. They're mostly a bit optimistic hence some stuff sits there for months. 

That's true, but they will advise what they think they is a realistic price. They have just sold my bass for more than I would have got for it in less than a week...

[jezzaboy]

4 minutes ago, peteb said:

That's true, but they will advise what they think they is a realistic price. They have just sold my bass for more than I would have got for it in less than a week...

If it`s not being too cheeky, how much commission do they charge if they sell a bass for you?

[peteb]

Just now, jezzaboy said:

If it`s not being too cheeky, how much commission do they charge if they sell a bass for you?

Best to check with them, but usually 20% of the selling price. 

[Cato]

I don't know about the used stuff but they seem to be expanding in terms of the brands they stock.

[NickA]

The shop is rammed with stuff. all kinds of basses and more in stock out of site. 

I guess more 2nd hand stuff is sold on eBay, reverb and .... HERE these days.  So they seem to have more and more new instruments.

Years ago my home town had a fantastic used guitar and bass shop .. shop's still there but now only sells new .. and mostly fender (yawn).

[CameronJ]

I literally check the Bass Direct website every day or at least every other day. The used stock levels have remained quite consistent in number, whilst the actual basses themselves are constantly changing. I certainly haven’t noticed a significant drop in online stock levels. Haven’t physically visited the shop in over a year though!

[warwickhunt]

2 hours ago, CameronJ said:

I literally check the Bass Direct website every day or at least every other day. The used stock levels have remained quite consistent in number, whilst the actual basses themselves are constantly changing. I certainly haven’t noticed a significant drop in online stock levels. Haven’t physically visited the shop in over a year though!

Up to 6 months ago (I used to check every week for new stock of used Warwick/Zon/esoteric basses) there were almost always 30 - 40 basses in the 4 string, £1000+ section inc 5-8 Warwick basses, I've been busy for the last 6 months and not had the inclination to check on their site.  Hence I was a bit surprised when I checked back to see 14 basses in that section!  The whole page of used basses on their site (of all values and string numbers) is less than there used to be for just the one section.  

If there FB page is taking over from the site and more easily and readily updated that might account for it.  

[Drax]

Probably not a conscious decision on their part, everything I've asked re commission sale they've taken. In recent weeks, one went in less than 24hrs, a more unusual one took 2 wks - both for prices I was happy with. 

Possibly a sign of more straitend times that there's generally just less activity. Would assume there's also a summer slowdown too. 

 

[Chris2112]

15 hours ago, Machines said:

Commission sale prices are set by the owner not Bass Direct. They're mostly a bit optimistic hence some stuff sits there for months. 

I've always liked the look of the Matt Pulcinella Level 5 fretless that they have in the used section. The price has come down slowly, and I'm sure a telephone call could secure it for less than the asking on the website, as it's been there for months. I'd love to have a go on it but I'm nowhere near Bass Direct. 

[CameronJ]

6 hours ago, warwickhunt said:

Up to 6 months ago (I used to check every week for new stock of used Warwick/Zon/esoteric basses) there were almost always 30 - 40 basses in the 4 string, £1000+ section inc 5-8 Warwick basses, I've been busy for the last 6 months and not had the inclination to check on their site.  Hence I was a bit surprised when I checked back to see 14 basses in that section!  The whole page of used basses on their site (of all values and string numbers) is less than there used to be for just the one section.  

If there FB page is taking over from the site and more easily and readily updated that might account for it.  

Ah. While I do glance at the 4 string section, most of my focus rests in the 5 string area so I’ll take your word for it!

[FDC484950]

8 hours ago, Chris2112 said:

I've always liked the look of the Matt Pulcinella Level 5 fretless that they have in the used section. The price has come down slowly, and I'm sure a telephone call could secure it for less than the asking on the website, as it's been there for months. I'd love to have a go on it but I'm nowhere near Bass Direct. 

I owned a Pulcinella fretted 5 and later a fretted 6 the 5 was Ash , maple and had EMGs. It sounded fantastic and weighed less than 8lbs. The 6 has Bartolini soapbars and circuit, was much heavier, but wasn’t much good really, a very nondescript sound and the neck wasn’t straight. I think they offer a 14-day return, maybe longer, on used basses.