Sight unseen!

[sitonmybass]

When I special ordered my original Bongo 5 HH towards the end of '03, it was without ever even having seen any Bongo in person, let alone ever having played one.

Here's a spooky story about my original Bongo special order: I was told that it would take 90 days for it to arrive after placing my order. Not only did it arrive to my home EXACTLY 90 days to the day after having placed my order (we're talking EXACTLY 90 calendar days, folks) but I was waiting for it to arrive on this particular day when I went to my mailbox and pulled out the latest edition of Bass Player Magazine (March '04) which contained a review of the then-new Bongo. I was reading the review on the Bongo when my bass arrived. SPOOKY!

My original Bongo 5 HH and my new incoming Big Al 5 single H rosewood have both been ordered without ever having seen nor played one. What other company would ANY of us feel comfortable with doing that with? I mean, REALLY!

BP, I hope you're reading this!

 

[Psycho Ward]

All 11 of my EBMM's came sight unseen as well, very happy with every one of them.

 

[Aussie Mark]

I've owned 12 Musicman basses over the years (4 new, 8 used). I saw or touched only 2 of them before ordering/buying.

 

[Grand Wazoo]

I bought my Stingray 5 site unseen, I figured, I had already had (and wrongly sold) one before so what's the worst that can happen, but I had to try both the Bongo 5 and the 25th before I bought them. Fact is everytime I try a MM bass I want to buy them, so either way, it's not a solid financial procedure for me.

 

[Kirby]

I totally agree. Fifteen years ago, I would never have purchased a bass without first playing it. The quality control at EB is second to none. I am totally comfortable ordering a bass now without playing it first from EB.

Thanks for the confidence!

 

[Bloodfist]

I bought mine without playing it or seeing it.

 

[RaginRog]

I've always been fortunate enough to have played a good majority of the MM basses I've owned. The couple that I bought used on ebay were always in good shape, but in need of a good set up and cleaning.

 

[Musicman Nut]

When I special ordered my original Bongo 5 HH towards the end of '03, it was without ever even having seen any Bongo in person, let alone ever having played one.

Here's a spooky story about my original Bongo special order: I was told that it would take 90 days for it to arrive after placing my order. Not only did it arrive to my home EXACTLY 90 days to the day after having placed my order (we're talking EXACTLY 90 calendar days, folks) but I was waiting for it to arrive on this particular day when I went to my mailbox and pulled out the latest edition of Bass Player Magazine (March '04) which contained a review of the then-new Bongo. I was reading the review on the Bongo when my bass arrived. SPOOKY!

My original Bongo 5 HH and my new incoming Big Al 5 single H rosewood have both been ordered without ever having seen nor played one. What other company would ANY of us feel comfortable with doing that with? I mean, REALLY!

BP, I hope you're reading this!

If it says Ernie Ball then thats all you need to know, the rest will be Killer.

 

[oli@bass]

Short of a black'n maple 'Ray, sight unseen is more or less the only way I can get hold of them anyway... the excellent build quality and consistence helps to make these purchases with great confidence.

 

[ashiin]

I bought my 25th and my Big Al with out seeing it either, the Big Al comes in tomorrow!

 

[Sheppardslegion]

Played them in the store - then went and placed my custom orders for my bongo and sterling 5 - sight unseen and no issues whatsoever. Both arrived flawless in every detail. The dealer took both out of their shipping boxes in my presence and I have had no issues with them from day one.

Shepp...

 

[Jimmyb]

I tried two of the seven that I've got. They were the first two that I bought. Nowadays, I wouldn't have any problem at all ordering sight unseeen.

 

[Manfloozy]

Apple, and EB, that's about it...

 

[J0ttem]

I also bought my bass before I played it, as it's hard to find a Bongo in The Netherlands, let alone one that has an acceptable price.
I did play a Sterling and Stingray though, those where awesome basses, so I almost knew the Bongo wouldn't dissapoint me

 

[jlepre]

I've purchased 9 EBMM basses, and only played 2 of them prior to buying. My first ever SR5 was purchased from just a photo from an authorized dealer. I drove 3 hours each way to pick it up. Never regretted any of them.

 

[bothroysnvts]

I bought my first SR5 at Guitar Center, so I was able to try it out before buying..... Then I bought 3 more SR5's sight unseen through The Perfect Bass and Bass Northwest. I have been very happy with them all. I have tried this with other brands, and I was just disappointed. Musicman is the only company that I feel comfortable with their QC enough to just order through the web, or over the phone!

 

[jlepre]

BOY...I bet all the posts in this thread brightens BP's day, and a BIG grin!

 

[CFA]

I've bought all my basses sight unseen. 2 EBMM's and a 73nd3r... as well as some other low quality ones which I was super happy with at the time, but not so much anymore. Point is, I'd pretty much only pay in full for an EBMM without playing it.

 

[Sheppardslegion]

In the past 5 years I have ordered 6 electric guitars besides my basses from other very well known US companies - sight unseen. I have learnt my lesson well with these folks and have steered clear of their products.

During this experience I have seen:

- messy neck joints with nicks in the finish work
- scratches and scuffs on the bodies of the guitars
- grain sinking in the finish that IMO makes a new guitar look terrible
- cases that do not fit well and have parts misaligned or falling apart from day one
- maple necks with the finish peeling around the frets
- shielding issues whereby if you rub you hand on the pickguard (sometimes naturally while playing), the static issue is so bad that the guitar become unplayable - and I am sorry, but carrying a bounce sheet around with your $1800.00 guitar is not acceptable.

Keep in mind, these were all expensive, made in America guitars. These are all sold and forgotten - to a degree.

My experience with Musicman has been a total turnaround - the fit and finish is excellent, the workmanship and quality of materials is second to none, and I come away from the store feeling satisfied that I got what I paid for. I am very meticulous when it comes to my gear - if there are nicks, I want to say that they are there because it was my doing - not because it was there when I received it on day one.

I have nothing but great things to say about what I have received from MM and I promote their products whenever the opportunity arises.

Shepp...

 

[bovinehost]

The vast majority of the basses I have owned and now own were sight unseen, much less PLAYED. Notable exceptions:

- my SUB 4. Now as some of you may know and Tony Levin certainly knows, I am personal friends with Bob Nyswonger. Oh, call me a name-dropper if you like, but I'm personal friends with Bob Nyswonger and you're most likely not, so believe me, I will chalk it up to jealousy. Anyway, I went up to Cinci to see Bob and the Dots and also hung out with occasional EBMM member John Schmidt, who owned this SUB and had it strung with flats. I walked around his house playing it, stunned at how good it really was. It was (is) a very special SUB. He swore that if/when he sold it, he'd let me know. But when that time came, I had no moolah. So my friend Cliffie, with whom I am also personal friends - and some of you will remember him as THE TALLEST PERSON AT MY 50TH BIRTHDAY PARTY - ended up buying it from John. Cliffie is really a guitar player, though, and he decided to sell it. I was desperate. I wanted it again and was looking for something to sell! But Rex, also a personal friend of mine (silverburst) and Tom (tkarter) and a few select friends got together and actually bought it for me and gave it to me as a surprise gift. What was once a pretty special bass became a VERY special bass. Also, it is indestructible, as nearly as I can tell.

- the Big Poppa Bongo. This was Sterling's go-to bass for a couple of years and was the object of great admiration when we had that first forum party in San Luis Obispo. Nearly all of us played it and agreed it had some damned mojo. And there was much revelry and annoying BP about it, "Can we buy THIS ONE?" and so on. To which he said, very clearly, "NO." I bugged Dargin about it a few months later and he said, "Ah, that's the one he always wants, let me build you something." And he did, my Candy Red 5er Bongo which is such a lovely beast....and a few months later, a box just showed up at my door - a thank you gift from Sterling for a particularly trying time on the forum, or maybe he just loves me. And so once again, what was a pretty special bass became a VERY special bass. It still rocks as much as it ever did, too.

The rest of them were mostly unplayed (by me) before I got 'em. You might say I have a lot of confidence in Music Man.

Jack