What is the best book for current guitar and bass values

[bcolins]

I have a couple of 10-12 year old "Blue book of Guitar values"...nicely done with pics and lots of value related text.

Written by Steven Cherne and edited by SP Fjestad.

I am looking for something similar----whatever is considered the current most usable and accurate guide.

Any Suggestions on Valuation Guides?

Brian in Austin

[sleepy_monkey]

eBay is your best source of reference for value imo...not a book.

[JBass1]

yup...ebay and craigslist are the best way to get the MP in my opinion...you'll get less for selling it to a store

[JTE]

The problem with books is the lead time, and where they get their data. When I managed a guitar store people tried to sell us "The Blue Book", but it was pointless. The data was out of date, they didn't have enough details for different years and models, and the prices had very little resemblence to what the local market would actually support. And the biggest problem was that it was not at all like the NADA Blue Book which has a good bit of creedence. The gutiar blue book is just some authors' limited research with no independent verification.

If you want to find out what your stuff is worth, then crusie E-bay to see completed auctions and find out what people are PAYING now.

jte

[bongomania]

Agreed with all the above. Especially since the economy tanked, any "normal" valuation of instruments is out the window.

[bcolins]

So, If I want to find out what a friends 1963 (not a re-issue) blonde jazz bass that is currently residing in a pawn shop is worth..............go to ebay and search for a completed auction on a 1963 Blonde Jazz Bass?

Originally Posted by JTE

The problem with books is the lead time, and where they get their data. When I managed a guitar store people tried to sell us "The Blue Book", but it was pointless. The data was out of date, they didn't have enough details for different years and models, and the prices had very little resemblence to what the local market would actually support. And the biggest problem was that it was not at all like the NADA Blue Book which has a good bit of creedence. The gutiar blue book is just some authors' limited research with no independent verification.

If you want to find out what your stuff is worth, then crusie E-bay to see completed auctions and find out what people are PAYING now.

jte

[Spinal Tapper]

Originally Posted by bcolins

So, If I want to find out what a friends 1963 (not a re-issue) blonde jazz bass that is currently residing in a pawn shop is worth..............go to ebay and search for a completed auction on a 1963 Blonde Jazz Bass?

I'd look for '63 jazzes (completed listings) in general, then you have to know which parts are original or not - obviously a 100% original bass is worth way more than if it has had replaced parts. And I would tack on a little extra because I've read the "blonde" jazz is worth more than maybe a sunburst finish because of the limited production run.

[Caca de Kick]

The Vintage Guitar Magazine puts out a "blue book", but you have to take it with a grain of salt as it's always a little too 'optimistic', shall we say.
The vitage dealers just about usually use that blue book as a reference, but dealers prices are typically high as you know.

You can look through gbase.com to see what the dealers are asking. But ebay's completed auctions are the best resource of what people are willing to pay for such a bass.

[JTE]

Originally Posted by bcolins

So, If I want to find out what a friends 1963 (not a re-issue) blonde jazz bass that is currently residing in a pawn shop is worth..............go to ebay and search for a completed auction on a 1963 Blonde Jazz Bass?

Yep, and look through vintage instrument dealer lists, and Vintage Guitar Magazine, and take it all together. Bottom line a book with no independent verification which uses data that's at best a year old isn't going to be at all realistic.

jte