USA Shopping Advice

[Legion]

Long story short and all that...

I'll be going to the USA for a business trip in November with the destination of Pittsburgh PA - however I can fly via New York/Chicago/Boston/Washington ( which is nice! )

I seriously want to take advantage of this little trip to purchase something really nice, but as I'm in bass-crisis-mode right now and am not sure what it is I'm looking for I really want to find somewhere where I can sit and try out a large range of basses.

Maybe I should just do this in the UK before I go and order something online whilst in the US?

Otherwise I'm struggling with information overload on actually locating somewhere in the US that holds a large stock of basses to check out ( gbase.com throws up so much stuff it's silly )

Anybody else been in a similar situation or have any good advice on large stores like Guitar Centre etc?

Thanks

J

[gypsymoth]

Guitar Center is mass market, and have large stores in most every major city.
bigger selection than most - but usually not specialized stuff. if you are after a new fender bass you'd likely do very well there after wheeling & dealing, but will have to set it up yourself. I'm not on that side of the states so don't know of what bass shops might be where you are going.

same deal with Sam Ash stores.

[tredders]

I went to the Guitar Center in Michigan a couple of months ago when I was out there on business, and they had a massive choice of basses. The prices were pretty much dollars for pounds, too (i.e. brand new Fender Jag for $700, Epiphone Thunderbird for $300, Stingrays for $999 etc). I found the people working in the store really cool - they didn't seem to be the usual 'hard sell' merchants, but of course, this could have just been that particular store. If you have time to spend a couple of hours trying out loads of different basses while you're there, then I'm sure you'll find something nice to bring back! Failing that, visit a music store in the UK and narrow your choices down a bit before you get out there.

Oh, and don't forget to buy a nice battered flight case to go with your new purchase Wouldn't want anyone thinking you might be bringing a brand new bass back through customs, as that would attract interest from the excise people (Or Vat people. Or customs people. Whoever.)

Mark.

[Legion]

Thanks for the advice, its looking like it will be guitar centre after all then ( although there is a Sam Ash fairly close to my end destination as well ) hmmm maybe 2 basses...

Oh, and don't forget to buy a nice battered flight case to go with your new purchase Wouldn't want anyone thinking you might be bringing a brand new bass back through customs, as that would attract interest from the excise people (Or Vat people. Or customs people. Whoever.)

Mark.
[/quote]

Thats a good reminder thanks, I was thinking about my old hard cases but of course they would be utterly destroyed so I better find something soon

J

[stingrayfan]

Guitar Centers have a great choice of new stuff from the usual suspects: Fender, Warwick, Musicman etc. Don't forget to factor in sales tax at the tills (approx: 5-8% depends where you are). Sam Ash have a more quirky range of stuff (eg G&L) and don't always have the same stuff in each store. Prices will be very appealing in both. Happy shopping!

[Bass_In_Yer_Face]

It's annoying that you pay in dollars in the States what you pay in pounds here. It would open up a whole range of basses I couldn't afford when I was originally looking.

[rbatts2000]

[quote name='Bass_In_Yer_Face' post='68595' date='Oct 2 2007, 12:25 PM']It's annoying that you pay in dollars in the States what you pay in pounds here. It would open up a whole range of basses I couldn't afford when I was originally looking.[/quote]

Absolutely. Luckily, I have a sister living in Michigan so the option of buying a bass and bringing it back (in a 'worn' case, of course ) is an option for me. If only my wife would agree to the plan. Just think, £500/600 for a new Stingray.....

[tredders]

[quote name='rbatts2000' post='68672' date='Oct 2 2007, 02:41 PM']Absolutely. Luckily, I have a sister living in Michigan so the option of buying a bass and bringing it back (in a 'worn' case, of course ) is an option for me. If only my wife would agree to the plan. Just think, £500/600 for a new Stingray.....[/quote]

Slightly off topic, but if you go out to Michigan, visit a place called The BoB (www.thebob.com) - it's awesome!

Mark.

[obbm]

If you buy anything then don't carry the receipts, sales bill or credit card slip with you. Send them home by post.

[OldGit]

[quote name='rbatts2000' post='68672' date='Oct 2 2007, 02:41 PM']Absolutely. Luckily, I have a sister living in Michigan so the option of buying a bass and bringing it back (in a 'worn' case, of course ) is an option for me. If only my wife would agree to the plan. Just think, £500/600 for a new Stingray.....[/quote]


So do any basses work the other way? Do any European basses command premium prices in the states?
What would you take over in the battered flight case to sell over there?

There's a TB thread about it here from 2004 ...
[url="http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=117312"]http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=117312[/url]

Edited October 2, 2007 by OldGit

[minty fresh death]

If you bring back the bass without the original packaging then you won't be charged VAT, I brought a mac powerbook back from china in 2003 and I didn't pay one penny in taxs.

[misrule]

[quote name='OldGit' post='68747' date='Oct 2 2007, 05:48 PM']So do any basses work the other way? Do any European basses command premium prices in the states?
What would you take over in the battered flight case to sell over there?[/quote]
Of course, Wals are very much in demand in the US. But if I had one, I'd just keep it

Cheers

Mark

[rbatts2000]

[quote name='tredders' post='68740' date='Oct 2 2007, 05:29 PM']Slightly off topic, but if you go out to Michigan, visit a place called The BoB (www.thebob.com) - it's awesome!

Mark.[/quote]

I went there last year for my sister's wedding. I agree, awesome place!

[mhuk]

If you go to NYC here's the list I made and forgot to take with me (comments not mine):

NY Guitar & Bass Boutique and the Avella Coppollo Shop, 746 9th ave. 212-399-3414 nr subway lines 1, 9, C, F

30th St Guitars, 236 w. 30th st. (between 7th and 8th) Ground Floor., NY, NY 212-868-2660 Fax 212-868-2713
30th st guitars between 7th and 8th in manahattan If you get off at 34th and walk back its only like 3 blocks.



Ludlow guitars 164 Ludlow st, NY, 212-353-1775 Fax 212-353-1749

First Flight Music 174 First Ave. (bet 10/11th)New York, NY 212.539.1383 fax 212.539.1384 email [email protected]

Dan's Chelsea Guitars 220 West 23rd Street NY

Rudys 169 48th street, NY, NY, 212-391-1699
fax 212-768-3782
If you're looking for falafel, hit up mamoun's on macdougal b/w 4th and bleeker. also, make sure you try John's pizza across the street from Matt Umonov's. Great stuff around there.



Sam Ash 155 West 48th Street.NY

Manny's 156 48th st (btw 6th and 7th aves), NY,
212-819-0576 866-pro-manny

Kings Music 2352 Flatbush ave Brooklyn 718-377-8532
[email protected]

GUITAR CENTER, INC. #81025 W 14TH STREET
MANHATTAN,212-463-7500

GUITAR CENTER, INC. #81234-17 48TH STREET
LONG ISLAND CITY 718-278-7794

GUITAR CENTER, INC #818139 FLATBUSH AVE BROOKLYN

Matt Umanovs 273 Bleecker Street

Sadowsky 20 Jay Street Suite #5C, Brooklyn, NY
(718) 422-1123, Fax (718) 422-1120

Brooklyn Gear 20 Jay Street - Suite 1002 Brooklyn, NY 718.858.4900 fax. 718.858.2434 877.700.GEAR (4327)

Aguilar Amplification 599 Broadway, 7th Fl NY,
800-304-1875 Fax:212-431-8201

Epifani Amplification 68 34th Street, 3rd Floor, Brooklyn 718-832-4664 Fax: 718-965-3770

Fodera 68-34th st, Brooklyn, NY 718-832-3455 fax 718-832-3458

Royal Music Center 1966 Rockaway Hwy, Brooklyn, 718-241-3330

upstate
Michael Tobias Design 3 Lauren Court, Kingston, New York 845-246-0670 Fax:845-246-1670

Stuart Spector Design, Ltd.1450 Rt. 212 Saugerties,
800-825-8810 fax: 845-246-0833

Harvey Citron Enterprises 282 Chestnut Hill Road, Woodstock 845-679-7138 Fax:845-679-3221

###

Sadowsky Guitars
20 Jay St # 5C
Brooklyn, NY 11201
(718) 422-1123


NY Guitar & Bass Boutique, the Avella Coppollo Shop, 9th ave and like 49th? (He makes beautiful basses)

30th St Guitars, between 7th and 8th (lotsa used 70's P's right now)

The places on 48th:
Rudys
Sam Ash (which has noticably improved their bass stock, and sales talent lately)
Sam Ash across the street, otherwise known as Manny's (which has not improved their help, but has a different selection than the sam ash across the street)

Guitar Center on 14th St. Worth it for the big vintage room.

Matt Umanovs in the Village, pricey

These places are on my regular circuit here in the big sh**ty. I go over to 48th st a couple of times a month on my lunch, and 30th st about the same, as we rehearse across the street.

Rudy's has the best selection of high end (Ritters, Modulous, Zon, Pensa, Warwick, MTD, Smith, etc etc etc), including the high end Fenders, like the Victor Bailey (I'm GAS'ing for the fretless) and the FMT and RI's. They also have a 65, a 66 and a 67 Jazz right now for sale. Good high end Amp selection (Bergantino!!! mein Gott!) Sam Ash actually has some Custom Shop Fenders right now.

##

NJ Guitar and Bass Center in Edison, NJ

Rondo

14h street GC Bass Room usually has a nice used collection as well.

Rivington Guitars, Lower east side? Kinda near chinatown

Maindrag Music. They're in Williamsburg, a chi-chi neighborhood of Brooklyn. Its over on s 1st and Wythe, a few blocks from the Bedford stop of the L.

Mazzotti Music 284 3rd Ave. (btwn President & Carroll) Brooklyn, NY 11215 Tuesday - Saturday : 11am-7pm

[stingrayfan]

[quote name='minty fresh death' post='68755' date='Oct 2 2007, 06:01 PM']If you bring back the bass without the original packaging then you won't be charged VAT, I brought a mac powerbook back from china in 2003 and I didn't pay one penny in taxs.[/quote]
You will if they think you've bought it new and you can't prove otherwise! But agree with the advice to destroy (or post) all evidence, even credit card slips.

[LukeFRC]

what about bringing amps in? are there many that can switch from 120 to 240v?

[gypsymoth]

I'd say you are better off bringing an amp to the US than a euro guitar - but the question is will you have the time/situation to sell it at the good price?

some of the nostalgia euro guitars fetch a good dollar from the guys who stare at old black & white photo's.

maybe ebay it it with delivery to your destination, as the shipping is often what makes trans-Atlantic deals not happen.

[Legion]

Awesome information there thanks! NYC is looking like prime location after I ran a google map search on manhattan island for guitar shops, and thought "ok thats enough to keep me busy for about a week"

[quote name='mhuk' post='68860' date='Oct 2 2007, 10:44 PM']If you go to NYC here's the list I made and forgot to take with me (comments not mine):

NY Guitar & Bass Boutique and the Avella Coppollo Shop, 746 9th ave. 212-399-3414 nr subway lines 1, 9, C, F

etc[/quote]

Edited October 3, 2007 by Legion

[OldGit]

A slight de-rail

"Good high end Amp selection (Bergantino!!! mein Gott!) "

Mark at Bass Direct (in the UK midlands) is listing these - coming soon I guess
[url="http://www.bassdirect.co.uk/Bass_Direct/Bergantino.html"]http://www.bassdirect.co.uk/Bass_Direct/Bergantino.html[/url]

[rbatts2000]

Going back to this topic for a second...

Has anyone recently bought a bass and 'sneaked' it through USA customs? I'm working up the courage to do this in June...

Or is it the UK customs I need to watch out for?

[warwickhunt]

You'll find info and tips on bringing a bass back to the UK with you from a shopping trip if you use the search function. In a nutshell though it is the UK C&E that you have to worry about so to speak and it is a worry as there is the potential to have your purchase confiscated and a drawn out legal process should they think you are defrauding them! Only you can weigh up the pros and cons and come to a decision over the risk.

[rbatts2000]

[quote name='warwickhunt' post='120823' date='Jan 15 2008, 02:31 PM']You'll find info and tips on bringing a bass back to the UK with you from a shopping trip if you use the search function. In a nutshell though it is the UK C&E that you have to worry about so to speak and it is a worry as there is the potential to have your purchase confiscated and a drawn out legal process should they think you are defrauding them! Only you can weigh up the pros and cons and come to a decision over the risk.[/quote]

Thanks for the advice. I tried using the search function but I couldn't find anything relevant - maybe it's my crappy search skills?!

I think I'll just have to take loads of stickers over with me and put them all over the case. I'll then batter the case a little bit to make it look old. I'll then cross my fingers and hope for the best.

[warwickhunt]

It has been suggested that taking an old case out with you might be better... never tried it so couldn't comment.

[coasterbass]

I agree - its been mentioned to me before that UK Customs are able to call up your outbound flight details and see what luggage you took with you. Ergo if you flew to the states with a single rucksack and are returning looking like Flea's roady then they'll do simple maths and say you bought them there.

It definitely comes down to how much bottle you have. The number of times I've flown into the country and there are no excise people at all is untrue (if slightly worrying). They also have to do the maths on whether a guy with a guitar is the biggest threat to the UK economic stability that week - sometimes its just not worth their effort, even if they did suspect you.

Tip (not that I've ever done this of course)... if you have an american friend (regardless of where in the US they live) and they are up for it, is to get them to write you a birthday card or such like and then you can dismiss any purchases as a gift/thank you for helping him move/looking after his mum in the uk... etc.

As a lefty with reduced choice (even in NYC) I've got some great deals on ebay. Just go shopping the week before you go to the states and get them to ship to your hotel. Alternatively if you're in town www.southpawguitars.com

Good luck.

[rbatts2000]

Does anyone know how much VAT/Tax etc one would have to pay if they [i]did [/i] decide to declare the bass when returning to the country?

Are there different rates for different values of bass guitar? I was thinking that even if I had to pay an additional 20% tax on a bass bought in the US, it would still be cheaper than buying the same bass in the UK...