| Yes.... and No. I bought my Schilke B1 after trying it. I also purchased my Jupiter flugel after trying it (but not having the faintest idea what I was looking for!). I did NOT get a chance to try my Eclipse MR, and I picked my Getzen 800L up from Ebay with effectively a "no return" policy (oh, I suppose I could have returned it but the customs and courier hassle wasn't worth the headache... and besides... it is a good one!)
I reckon it really depends on the manufacturer's reputation; I certainly was disappointed in the 37 Strad that I had but was prepared to buy a B1 "unsounded" (until I found a dealer within a day's drive who had stock).
In general, I wouldn't recommend it (buying "unsounded") unless you're buying absolute top notch stuff and where you can sound out other owners and be reasonably assured of consistency of the maker/model. |