2wheeler Posted October 19, 2007 Share Posted October 19, 2007 Sorry if this is the wrong forum but it isn't a review of equipment and I couldn't find and better home for it... Fairdeal Music Ltd in Birmingham [url="http://www.fairdealmusic.com/"]http://www.fairdealmusic.com/[/url] Before hopping on the train back home to York, I nipped across the road from Birmingham New Street station and had a look round their basses. I said I was looking for a 4 string and wanted to know more about what you got with active pickups (having a battery-free, passive bass at the moment). They gave me a Yamaha BB415 to try, which is definitely not a 4-string bass and I don't think it has a pre-amp. Their price was identical to the GAK price for a BB615 (I just found that out and it made me cross enough to bother writing this up). Although I thought it was a great bass they clearly weren't really listening to me and the salesman admitted he was a guitar player not a bass player. It really didn't put me in the mood to buy anything so I left with my marriage intact -- ooops I mean money unspent - hang on, it's the same thing I would welcome a defence from anybody who is involved with Fairdeal Music. They were friendly and seemed helpful but now I am checking up on the details I think some of what I was told was just plain wrong, or at least got me confused and left me with the wrong impressions. Can anyone suggest a better shop? I go to Manchester from time to time, and I travel round the South for work and visiting family. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean-Luc Pickguard Posted October 19, 2007 Share Posted October 19, 2007 Maybe I'll use a similar excuse next time I'm asked something at work - "I don't know anything about unix, I'm a bass player". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Machines Posted October 19, 2007 Share Posted October 19, 2007 Yeah they aren't great to be honest. They have pretty run of the mill bass gear (Squier / Ibanez / Yamaha etc..). I wouldn't go there asking questions - they're mostly guitarists... PMT is your best option in Birmingham. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buzz Posted October 19, 2007 Share Posted October 19, 2007 On the mention of Brum shops, apparently Sound Control stock Ashdowns' Lodestone basses, someone please go have a wander in and report back for the good of the community. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G-bitch Posted October 19, 2007 Share Posted October 19, 2007 They don't know about basses, but they know about customer service in general. It's the only shop in Brum where I don't come out lamenting the fact that it's staffed by arseholes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Machines Posted October 19, 2007 Share Posted October 19, 2007 [quote name='Buzz' post='76673' date='Oct 19 2007, 07:15 PM']On the mention of Brum shops, apparently Sound Control stock Ashdowns' Lodestone basses, someone please go have a wander in and report back for the good of the community.[/quote] Week after next I shall be in there . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Super_Mario_Bass Posted October 19, 2007 Share Posted October 19, 2007 Soundcontrols your best option in birmingham IMO its just guitarists lol at fairdeal. they're overpriced crap in that store anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Bald Eagle Posted October 19, 2007 Share Posted October 19, 2007 It's too small and hot in there for one, many many moons I tried an active bass in there - well it would have been if the battery wasn't flat, they seemed a bit clueless then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EBS_freak Posted October 20, 2007 Share Posted October 20, 2007 I still don't reckon there is anywhere decent in Birmingham for bass gear... Sound Control stock is just laughable. PMT is ok if you want a Sandberg. Jeez, I miss the Bass Centre. As for Fairdeal... not much in there to talk about I am afraid. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markytbass Posted October 21, 2007 Share Posted October 21, 2007 The bass centre was good. I bought a Fernandez jazz bass and a Trace Elliott BLX130 from there about 10 years ago and really regret selling both. Around the cornrner was music exchange. Those were the days. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G-bitch Posted October 22, 2007 Share Posted October 22, 2007 Ah, good old musical exchanges - paying brand new prices for stuff that'd been gigged 20 times by staff. No instructions, no case, no straplocks but 'we'll do you a deal'. I really do not miss that place or the way they did business. Shady as f***. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
john_the_bass Posted October 22, 2007 Share Posted October 22, 2007 didn't the bloke who manages PMT in Birmingham now use to own a shop down on Dale End? What was the name of that shop - I knew half a dozen people who went in there and got some absolute bargains when it closed down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulyB Posted October 22, 2007 Share Posted October 22, 2007 Brum is cr*p now for bassists, PMT are friendly enough and have some decent stuff in but not an extensive range (couple of Mesa and MB), Soundcontrol range is a joke and fairdeal??> the only thinhg I've ever bought from there is a strap. If you're after an Ashdown and a Fender you're okay, for anything else forget Brum. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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