$2K for a used 4 string Ibanez Soundgear? HUH?

[remo]

Am I missing something or is this a ridiculously high price for what appears to be a run of the mill early nineties 4 banger Soundgear with some new and UN-NAMED pickups... ok, the flight case looks solid, but USD$2000???

http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI....ype=osi_widget

[Beta]

Yes, it is a ridiculously high price for that.

It looks like a 1990/91 SR1500PD, minus the EMGs that came stock in the bass. And I love how people selling Ibanez guitars and basses from the late 80s and 90s try to trick people into believing the instruments were custom made.

There's pictures of production instruments with that inlay in their catalogs, and there's no way every one of the thousands of S540 guitars made in the 90s is a custom job.

[Baryonyx]

It's a nice example of an Ibanez, but man, that's a hefty price!

[PNS128]

WHOA haha well its ACTUALLY 1,996 when converted to US. but that doesnt mean anything. what kind of a scam is that?

[MyUsernameHere]

HA HA, that "custom made" inlay is the classiest thing I've ever seen. Why doesn't Fodera or Ken Smith have that on their basses?

[Ian Perge]

The "Custom Made" inlay was somewhat the predicessor to the "Prestige" marking in the late-'80s to mid-90s. Basically, it meant the line got some extra QC, better nek and fret work, and generally was of higher quality in general (while the 130X line most certainly was. While I agree it doesn't mean the instrument was handmade, it did have meaning as to the quality of the bass/guitar.

...but yes, that price is inflated. Even with the ATA case, easily knock $500 off the asking price.

[The Golden Boy]

I used one of those for the better portion of a year around 1994. Nice bass. I kind of miss it.

[Baryonyx]

Originally Posted by MyUsernameHere

HA HA, that "custom made" inlay is the classiest thing I've ever seen. Why doesn't Fodera or Ken Smith have that on their basses?

Because Fodera don't have a line of "production" basses, and so have no need to have a means of indicating which basses are custom made.

However, I guess you could say Ken Smith Burner basses are production line...but even then, I think they got set up in his shop or something.

[MyUsernameHere]

Originally Posted by Chris2112

Because Fodera don't have a line of "production" basses, and so have no need to have a means of indicating which basses are custom made.

The world would be a better place if all custom basses had a big sticker or something (maybe "custom" spelled out in blinking neon lights on the fretboard) telling all us little people that the bass is custom made.

Originally Posted by Chris2112

However, I guess you could say Ken Smith Burner basses are production line...but even then, I think they got set up in his shop or something.

KSD basses are production line...but I was just naming two random up-scale manufacturers.

[Mon Rominee]

Wow...if yer gonna have a closeup of the inlay, don't have rusty strings onnit, especially for that asking price.

[P. Aaron]

For many reasons, few Ibanez instruments retail for much more than list. At one Ibanez forum I frequent though, some JS anniversary models (Chromeboys & Crystal Planets) and some of the anniversary & swirl JEM models are really awesome and command ridiculous prices.

But the production line stuff is pretty affordable, even the old Ibanez stuff is reasonable.

That bass looks nice, but I don't know. 'Would like a Crystal Planet or a JS 90 though.