Used Bass Market-- Getting Soft???

Bassmanbob · #1 11-11-2006, 05:42 AM

I've been looking at the Classified's Basses For Sale threads for about 9 - 10 months. Is it just me or recently (within the last 2-3 months) are there a lot of basses that just won't sell or are being dropped in price dramaticly? I'm talking more than a few really nice basses that should be gone soon are just not selling.

I haven't been to evil bay much, but was wondering if it's happening there too.

Your thoughts...

superbassman2000 · #2 11-11-2006, 08:25 AM

I think that there are high points and low points for selling basses--sometimes basses will be for sale for approximately 7 minutes, while some don't sell for 7 months, or at all...also keep in mind that there are times of the year where people just don't have a lot of money to be buying basses--I notice that there is more money being spent around may-august, compared to october-april. I know I am personally saving up for christmas and paying off tuition, so I don't really have a lot of money to be spending on music

pointbass · #3 11-11-2006, 08:43 AM

I do a lot of bass buy/sell, and the market is definitely very sluggish. So slow, in fact, that I have almost completely put the brakes on my little buy/sell business.

It's mostly due to slowing economic conditions, IMO. Less disposable cash = less purchasing. Have you noticed how many For Trade threads there are now in the TB classifieds?

I don't expect it to pick up until the economy improves .....

bongomania · #4 11-12-2006, 02:11 PM

+1 to Ed. Times are rough out there, even hotly-collectable items are bringing only moderate prices, and everything else is just gathering dust.

tplyons · #5 11-12-2006, 02:14 PM

It's a buyer's market as people are moving gear going into the holiday season. Unfortunately, if you've got gear you want to move, good luck. This seems to be my case as well.

Bassmanbob · #6 11-13-2006, 11:34 AM

I can see the whole holidays issue, but it seems like there might be more to it than that. Yes? No?

tplyons · #7 11-13-2006, 11:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bassmanbob

I can see the whole holidays issue, but it seems like there might be more to it than that. Yes? No?

I'd say so. But if you have disposable money, now's the time to pick up a few extra basses cheap

chaosMK · #8 11-13-2006, 12:06 PM

You guys just have to lower your prices. Tons of premium prices on here when an evilbay auction would end quite a bit less. Sometimes the value of something is what someone else is willing to pay for it.

tplyons · #9 11-13-2006, 12:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chaosMK

You guys just have to lower your prices. Tons of premium prices on here when an evilbay auction would end quite a bit less. Sometimes the value of something is what someone else is willing to pay for it.

We're well aware of that as people who buy and sell often. However, if there's any reason to believe the market will perk up in the future, there's no reason to sell now if we don't have to. Markets have ups and downs, and we're just in the lull of one right now, and it'll surely perk back up.

**cheezewiz** · #10 11-13-2006, 12:18 PM

I haven't had any problem selling gear here, or anywhere else. The whole key is to price reasonably. I've seen SO MUCH gear here for sale, where the seller wants almost as much, or the same as new price, because he's done something like changed strings. It's laughable. If you put something up for sale, at a fair price, it'll sell sooner or later. If on the other hand, you really think changing knobs and strings on a used bass makes it worth more than you bought it for, it may not sell.

**cheezewiz** · #11 11-13-2006, 12:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chaosMK

You guys just have to lower your prices. Tons of premium prices on here when an evilbay auction would end quite a bit less. Sometimes the value of something is what someone else is willing to pay for it.

This is very true. There are some posters who put a lot of gear up for sale, and I know, before I even open the thread, that the price is going go be ridiculous. I'm always amazed when I see some of the stuff actually sell.

morf · #12 11-13-2006, 12:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cheezewiz

I haven't had any problem selling gear here, or anywhere else. The whole key is to price reasonably. I've seen SO MUCH gear here for sale, where the seller wants almost as much, or the same as new price, because he's done something like changed strings. It's laughable. If you put something up for sale, at a fair price, it'll sell sooner or later. If on the other hand, you really think changing knobs and strings on a used bass makes it worth more than you bought it for, it may not sell.

Gotta agree there, some prices are just plain ridiculous, I've also seen that more and more since I've kept an eye out for it.

Pruitt · #13 11-13-2006, 12:32 PM

For me it's the Holidays. There have been/are several basses for sale in the classified section recently that I would definitely have bought if it weren't so close to Christmas. If it was late January/early Februray, I would have bought at least a couple of them.

pointbass · #14 11-13-2006, 12:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cheezewiz

This is very true. There are some posters who put a lot of gear up for sale, and I know, before I even open the thread, that the price is going go be ridiculous. I'm always amazed when I see some of the stuff actually sell.

The biggest problem I see with selling in this depressed market is the guys trying to sell a custom bass that they paid a big chunk of coin for, then quickly realized that they either didn't like the bass or it wasn't their "thing" . They try to recover the value of what they paid, and that usually isn't going to work out well for them.

As I said, I buy and sell a lot of basses, and my general rule of thumb is that, if the bass is in EXCELLENT condition I can get about 60% of the true street value for it, but in most cases the bass is in very good (but not excellent) condition in which case I can get about 50% of the true street value for it. Now that means that I have to buy it for much less than that in order to make a "profit".

Like Tim said, now is a good time to buy on the cheap and stockpile some basses for when the market improves. But in reality, there are a lot better ways to invest your hard earned cash and get a higher return ....

**MAJOR METAL** · #15 11-13-2006, 12:43 PM

Yeah I have noticed that ebay has been a bit sluggish with basses recently.

tplyons · #16 11-13-2006, 12:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pointbass

Like Tim said, now is a good time to buy on the cheap and stockpile some basses for when the market improves. But in reality, there are a lot better ways to invest your hard earned cash and get a higher return ....

But this way's more fun. Figure out what I love and don't love. This is how I found myself to be a Jazz bass guy anyway

There's gear that I'm always willing to negotiate for or to sell. Most TB members will get a good break if they just offer something reasonable.

pointbass · #17 11-13-2006, 12:55 PM

As I'm thinking about this topic .....

I just got back from Rondo where every stocked SX/Brice/ Douglas is on a major blow-out sale at 50% off of their usual retail. I almost picked up an SX fretless 5 string for $64 that was in like-new condition, but the thing normally only retails for $139 so from a resale point of view it wasn't worth it to me.

Of course, if I wanted an SX fretless 5 for myself the deal was great, but to try to resell this thing it just wasn't worth it. OTOH, some of the much higher price point Brice's are well worth the gamble ....

BTW, if you are on the NJ area some of these deals are fantastic. They have some little POS 15 watt rehearsal amps for like $30 that absolutely rival the Peavey MicroBass amps, and almost every fretless Douglas and Brice is even lower than the advertised 50% off ....

pointbass · #18 11-13-2006, 12:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tplyons

But this way's more fun. Figure out what I love and don't love. This is how I found myself to be a Jazz bass guy anyway

I agree

I usually have about $1500 worth of "re-sell" stuff hanging around, it's sort of like my hobby. Plus, it keep me out of my wife's hair and off the streets

tplyons · #19 11-13-2006, 12:58 PM

I'll have to make a trip out there.

Maybe a mini-NJ GTG and storm the place!

guy n. cognito · #20 11-13-2006, 01:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pruitt

For me it's the Holidays. There have been/are several basses for sale in the classified section recently that I would definitely have bought if it weren't so close to Christmas. If it was late January/early Februray, I would have bought at least a couple of them.

I think this is true. I have a bass that has been slow to sell. Many potential buyers, however, have e-mailed me and asked me if I would "hold" it for them until after the holidays. I just politely decline.

There have also been a number of overpriced items in the classifieds as well. Those items tend to sit until the seller gets wise.