The Safe Way to Buy & Sell Bass Guitars
Trading Basses was created by bassists, for bassists. No more gambling on vintage neck relief, undisclosed crack repairs, or exorbitant 10% platform cuts.
Buyer Funds Secured
When a buyer purchases an item, payment is held in Trading Basses escrow vault. The seller does not have access to the cash yet.
Tracked Delivery
Seller ships via UPS Ground Bass Box or FedEx Guitar Express with full signature tracking. Automated carrier delivery webhook updates order state.
Condition Inspection
Buyer has a 48-hour inspection window to test electronics, truss rod, frets, and cosmetic match against the original listing photos.
Automated Payout
Upon buyer's approval, escrow instantly calculates deductions (3% seller fee maxed at $99 + processing) and releases the net payout to the seller.
The 4-Point Buyer Inspection Checklist
To ensure zero disputes and maintain marketplace integrity, every buyer approves these four critical bass guitar checks before escrow disburses:
Shipping Best Practices for Sellers
Pack and ship your bass so it arrives safely — and so you stay protected by escrow if anything goes wrong in transit.
Use a proper bass-guitar box
Ship in a dedicated 48×16×8 guitar box or hard case inside a corrugated outer box. Never ship a bass in a gigbag alone — the headstock and tuners will not survive transit.
Immobilize the instrument
Loosen the strings one full step to relieve headstock tension, then pack foam or crumpled paper around the body and neck so the bass cannot shift. Fill all empty space in the case.
Insure for full sale value
Declare the full selling price as the insured value. UPS and FedEx base coverage is limited; add declared-value coverage so a transit loss is fully reimbursed through escrow.
Require a signature on delivery
Always use signature-required service. Escrow condition approval starts only after signed delivery is confirmed — a porch drop leaves you unprotected against a dispute.
Use Live Carrier Rates for accuracy
Selecting Live Carrier Rates (Shippo) at listing time gives buyers real-time USPS, UPS, FedEx & DHL quotes based on their address and your package size — no guessing or undercharging.
Photograph before sealing
Snap photos of the bass, the packed case, and the sealed box with the label visible. These protect you if a buyer raises a condition dispute during the 48-hour inspection window.