Value of American Standard Basses?

[tornadobass]

I've been looking around to get a sense of what an American Standard bass might be selling for these days. Asking prices in the For Sale section here range quite a bit, from a low around $2500 to about $6000.

I'm guessing that a typical selling price might be about $3000, depending on condition and interest of the buyer.

In my case, I own an early '60s model in good condition. The neck heel was repaired when I bought it in 1983 and it has held ever since.

Don't take this as a For Sale ad in disguise I've had an interest in getting a bass with a carved top for quite awhile and wondering how far my American Standard might get me toward something like a Shen Willow or an Eastman hybrid.

[Steve Swan]

In my opinion the American Standards are in the reverse situation of Kay basses as a class in that they are worth more than current prices would indicate. If your bass sounds good and is in good physical health, you might have enough money left over for a decent bow, a good stack of CDs, etc.

Good luck!

[BigSpikeBass]

i paid $X00 for mine and now have $X000 into it, wouldn't sell it for 2 x $X000 because i don't think i could replace it for that, easily worth $X000 but priceless to me because I have not heard a bass as nice since

[drurb]

Originally Posted by Steve Swan

...they are worth more than current prices would indicate.

Oh, this could spark one of those endless threads on what "worth" means. I do understand your point, though.

[tornadobass]

Originally Posted by BigSpikeBass

i paid $X00 for mine and now have $X000 into it, wouldn't sell it for 2 x $X000 because i don't think i could replace it for that, easily worth $X000 but priceless to me because I have not heard a bass as nice since

I bought mine for $X00 as well, plus a defretted Silvertone Japanese short scale bass. I've put a bit into it, but certainly not $X000, because it was in good shape when I got it.

[E.P. Miller]

If your goal is to sell or trade the bass, then it's "worth" what the market will bare. Bluegrass players cherish these basses for the huge thump they are capable of producing. Perhaps this is the market that will bare the most for such an instrument?

[drurb]

Originally Posted by drurb

Oh, this could spark one of those endless threads on what "worth" means. I do understand your point, though.

Originally Posted by Trix Miller

If your goal is to sell or trade the bass, then it's "worth" what the market will bare.

...and away we go!

[tornadobass]

Arrrggg...I was just wondering what people have observed about typical selling prices. The American Standard seems to be appreciating recently, despite a couple of improved new versions.

Given that we're just moving back to our house after the June floods and the need for new stuff in the house, I think the old AS will do fine with my feeble skills for awhile.

A recent string change from Permanents to Helicores seems to help the playability and warm it up a bit sonically.

[MingusAmongUs]

I'd say your "sense" is right in the ballpark, but obviously what your particular instrument is worth depends on the condition, the sound, how it plays, and what the market is in your area, or whether you'd be willing to ship. I second the notion that it's valuable in the bluegrass market, but the same can be said for jazz, folk, roots, rockabilly, klezmer, etc. All these types of players will appreciate a nice big sound.

Luthier in your area? Have him or her take a look.

[scott reed]

I recently played an AS at Gruhn Guitars. Nice condition, no neck repairs, nice sound
with Spiro solos. However, I purchased another AS with a neck splice, replacement block,
increase in neck overstandand, new bridge and a new ebony fingerboard for similar money. Best plywood I've ever owned - well worth the money.

[superman]

There was recently a American Standard that sold here in Nashville for $7000.00,,it was in mint+ and had a 3digit serial#,,this would be the top of the price range for A/S basses,, most pre war(1941) A/Ss will bring $3-$6 grand,depending on condition and if its been refinnished or not.personaly I don't like to buy them if they have been refinnished.

[tornadobass]

Mine's an early '60s model...are they going for much less than the old ones?

[MR PC]

How much? Just consider that these are great instruments, in relatively short supply.

If you want to sell it I'd think you should put some effort into having it set up to maximize the playability and sound. Seems that a lot of these old Plywood's suffer from mediocre setup. Just a sound post replacement/ adjustment can make a huge difference.

What Superman said about price points is probably right on. I don't agree with him about refin's though, as long as it doesn't have a negative in terms of sound.

[Stev187]

I used to own and play an American Standard bass back in the late 80s/early 90s. I've spent the last hour or so searching previous TB threads about these basses, and what I've read has just blown my mind! I had no idea these basses were commanding the kind of coin they apparently do nowadays. How long has this been the case?

Here's a shot of me with my old AS:



Mine was a little chewed up, but not so bad. I'm embarrassed to say I bought the thing for $50. The fingerboard was a pale wood that had been ebonized; it looked like rosewood after I had it planed during a set up. Until this evening, I had thought of it as a really cheap bass with inferior wood. I remember someone saying to me, "too bad it's not a Kay... might be worth something." I think the trade-in value toward my new bass was about $500 (this was back in 1992). Now, I traded it for a Czech factory bass that I had restored and still love, so I don't think I got any kind of bad deal. Even if the bass had a going rate of $3K+ back then, I still got a great deal toward my current bass (and that says nothing about my outrageous original purchase price).

So the story is that bluegrass and rockabilly cats dig these boxes and pay big dough for 'em, eh? Reminds me of what's happened to a lot of vintage gear that was cheap at the time (and for some time after) but is now highly prized and sought after. When I worked at a music store in college I saw this happen with Fender Jaguars and old Kalamazoo (Gibson) guitars. At some point "the market" decided they were worth owning and the prices shot up. Kind of cool.

Without starting philosophical arguments about worth and market value, I just wonder if these basses have commanded the kinds of prices mentioned in this thread for a long time. Is it a recent thing? And in case we go there, there's no judgment involved here: instruments are worth what people will pay for them, and there are lots of reasons to want a particular model. Thinking back, this bass was great for the kind of folk/old-time/blues stuff that I was playing back then.

--Steve

P.S. Lots of threads ask about the "worth" of AS basses, and I selected this one because of the way the OP phrased the question and the subsequent discussion.

P.P.S. I wish I had the serial number of my AS, but I don't. I always thought it was from the 60s. I'm about 20 in that shot, circa 1988.