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jools11

Active member
Joined
Feb 23, 2008
Messages
33
Location
Cambs/Beds border, UK
Hey Guys..

Im glad to have joined the EB forum at last :)

I know this is the ultimate blasphemy but I need to know:

I'm left handed, And I'm saving up for my 'Ray, but the amount of left-handed 'Rays I can find anywhere around where I live to still be 0. I know which 'ray I want, I know how it'll look.. But I'm worried...

I'll have to order my first 'Ray online, and therefore I can't 'Try before I buy'.. So what happens when I order my 'Ray online, and I get it, and it ends up sounding, god forbid, bad. :eek:

You've got to understand where I'm coming from.

Advice is greatly accepted and needed.

:eek:
 

silverburst

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 10, 2006
Messages
1,917
Location
Long Beach, CA
If you order it out of stock from a store, they probably have a return policy.

But, then again, I haven't seen a bad sounding one yet (except for when the battery is going dead), and any playability issues are completely adjustable.

And lastly, should it actually turn out to have a problem, their customer service is top-notch.
 

Frankie5Angels

Well-known member
Joined
Sep 27, 2007
Messages
175
Location
In the Witness Protection Program
Well, as I'm sure you know, it's always better to "try before you buy." But sometimes that's not always possible.

If you're buying new, there's a good chance you will be very happy with your purchase and if not, you can always return it within the warranty period. If you buy used like from eBay or somewhere else, then it can get dicey.

My advice would be that if you're buying new, go to a retailer like Bass Central in Florida. Beaver Felton is a great guy to deal with (and a bass player!) and his staff is first class. He will make sure you do not get screwed. Beaver has 4 lefty Rays on his site now (but I'm not sure if they are in stock or not, you'll have to email or call him).

I recently bought a Bongo from him based on the photo on his web site (I didn't get to try it first) and it's my main bass.

If you're buying used, search the "Basses for Sale" threads here or the classifieds on TalkBass. Your fellow bass players will make sure you get a good deal and not be sorry with your purchase (at least at those two forums anyway. Some other ones I would not recommend).

Good luck and welcome to the forum and the EBMM family.
 

the unrepentant

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 15, 2007
Messages
1,191
Location
Bangor, UK
The answer is... it won't ;) never heard anyone on this forum complain about a bad sounding bass, bad customer service, badly set up out of the factory or any factory faults at all! Seriously, you'll love it! A lot of people here order online any for the limited edition stuff like the 30th SR4, the 20thSR5, the dargie, the redwood SR4, the 2007 LE etc etc

This is of course ordering from new, you could always order one straight from the factory... or try and get one off this forum, everyone on here looks after their basses properly from what i've seen!
 

jools11

Active member
Joined
Feb 23, 2008
Messages
33
Location
Cambs/Beds border, UK
To silverburst - Yeah, I've emailed EB before asking some question or another, top notch service, and you're probably right about the warranty period. Thanks :)

To Frankie5Angels - I live in the UK so I cant really do that, but there are some good UK based companies such as GAK - Guitars, Amps, Keyboards, Pro-audio, Drums, Samplers & more who perhaps would do a return.. Thank you as well :)

To the unrepentant - I was thinking of going straght to ordering it from the factory, but I read somewhere they dont like shipping overseas. I'll see. About MM basses never sounding bad, Thats why I thought it was Blasphemy to ask in the first place :)

Thanks for all your help and for making me feel welcome. I will keep you all updated for when I get my 'Ray :)
 

syciprider

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 23, 2005
Messages
2,995
Location
The 951
MM doesn't sell direct. Their dealers won't like it if the factory competed with them.

You'll have to work this out with your UK dealer unless you can find a private individual from overseas who will sell you his/her lefty. Even with the latter situation you are still buying unseen with no warranty or buyer protection whatsoever.
 

the unrepentant

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 15, 2007
Messages
1,191
Location
Bangor, UK
To silverburst - Yeah, I've emailed EB before asking some question or another, top notch service, and you're probably right about the warranty period. Thanks :)

To Frankie5Angels - I live in the UK so I cant really do that, but there are some good UK based companies such as GAK - Guitars, Amps, Keyboards, Pro-audio, Drums, Samplers & more who perhaps would do a return.. Thank you as well :)

To the unrepentant - I was thinking of going straght to ordering it from the factory, but I read somewhere they dont like shipping overseas. I'll see. About MM basses never sounding bad, Thats why I thought it was Blasphemy to ask in the first place :)

Thanks for all your help and for making me feel welcome. I will keep you all updated for when I get my 'Ray :)
Ah yeah go with GAK mate if you want something brand new, pretty good service, safe and very cheap
 

Kristopher

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 18, 2007
Messages
751
Location
Tempe, AZ
There's a used black lefty single-pickup Stingray at a Guitar Center near me for $900. You can go to any Guitar Center, ask them to send it to you, and if you don't like it, you can take it back to any Guitar Center and get a full refund.

I bet you can even talk them down on the price since it's a lefty.
 

jools11

Active member
Joined
Feb 23, 2008
Messages
33
Location
Cambs/Beds border, UK
There's a used black lefty single-pickup Stingray at a Guitar Center near me for $900. You can go to any Guitar Center, ask them to send it to you, and if you don't like it, you can take it back to any Guitar Center and get a full refund.

I bet you can even talk them down on the price since it's a lefty.

amazing idea... But we dont have such amazing things over here in the good ol' UK. :(

Everyone here keeps talking about how Guitar Centre is some palace.. and we dont even have it :(
 

the unrepentant

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 15, 2007
Messages
1,191
Location
Bangor, UK
amazing idea... But we dont have such amazing things over here in the good ol' UK. :(

Everyone here keeps talking about how Guitar Centre is some palace.. and we dont even have it :(
I know, the UK sucks for guitars tbh :(

But i don't think it's even a 6 month wait, i'm not sure i've never really ordered anything custom from there before. But it's pretty reliable, i say go with them or maybe thomann if it's cheaper.
 

Freddels

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 23, 2006
Messages
875
Location
Near Wistah
Since you can't find any lefties near you, I have to ask "have you played a Ray yet"? You might like the feel of the Sterling more.

As for buying online, I haven't had a single problem with any bass that I have bought from a reputable dealer online (or the used basses from the forum members).
 

jools11

Active member
Joined
Feb 23, 2008
Messages
33
Location
Cambs/Beds border, UK
Since you can't find any lefties near you, I have to ask "have you played a Ray yet"? You might like the feel of the Sterling more.

I might not have played a leftie 'Ray, but i've played a rightie. As for the sterling, They're even harder to find over here, so i've not played one at all yet, but I was seriously considering one earlyer.

I'm gona have go email some shops over here then go over.
Its not hard for me to get to london, and i bet that Denmark Street have at least 5 of each.
 
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