Basses that Hold Value

[aparker82]

Morning you all.

My wife and I have been talking about basses, and when I sold mine( A Peavey and a Yamaha) they didn't hold their value, what brands or models per se are great at holding their value? I'd hate to spend a thousand dollars on a Carvin per se and have it only be worth 500 if I sold it. Thanks ahead of time for your knowledge!

[Titania]

Rickenbacker

[T. Alan Smith]

Typically, a Carvin will only be worth about half of the purchased dollar ammt. Fenders, are pretty safe as long as they are in very good condition and you hold onto it for more than a few decades.

[3234718]

Carvins definitely don't hold their value. I have two (my favorites) and I bought them both used for less than half of what they cost brand new. Fenders seem to hold their value, though I don't own any.

[Lublin]

Buy used if value retention is important.

[YuppyPunk]

Music Man, Fender, G&L, Lakland. Carvin loses value more than most. That said buy because you like it not because what it wll be worth later. For most things, Iif you buy based upon resale value you are buying for the wrong reason.

[millsbass5]

I have noticed a price increase in used Carvin Basses since the SB Series Basses came out and have gained some recognition.

[phangtonpower]

Check out the classified section here on TB and the value of how much they are brand new. That should help out some.

[lomo]

Uesd Fender, Musicman, Sadowsky.

[Muttleybass]

I have a Steinberger I paid $1000 for in '89. It's worth $1800 now. I had a '74 Ric I bought for $400 I sold 3 years later for $600. It would be worth $1400 now.

Yamaha, Peavey, Carvin et al are not what I'd consider high end basses. True, a Peavey Cirrus is a nice, USA made bass, but I think Peavey is having a hard time getting over their reputation from the instruments they put out in the 70's.

If you stick to American made name brands (Fender, Rickenbacher, MusicMan), even some of the late 80's Japanese fenders and Squiers, thy seem to be holding, even increasing in value.

Stay away from the Korean, Chinese, Taiwanese, stuff and you should be better off. Stay with American, German (upper end Warwick), Canadian (Dingwall, Fury)...

Basically, if you get top end stuff, you'll pay more, but lose less when you go to sell. If you buy a bass that's already a collector, it will always be a collector. You can get a decent used Japanese 80's Fender now for about $800. If you took care of it, it won't depreciate.

That's my opinion, anyway.

[jlepre]

Music Man

[jlepre]

Buy Used

[Jimmy Stump]

Originally Posted by Muttleybass

True, a Peavey Cirrus is a nice, USA made bass, but I think Peavey is having a hard time getting over their reputation from the instruments they put out in the 70's.

I saw a Peavey of some sort in a local shop the other day. It was new, and cheap, around $330. It had what sure looked like a PHOTO of a quilted top stuck on the top of the bass underneath the clear coat, if that makes any sense. It was really, really cheap looking. I know it wasn't a Cirrus, but if Peavey is cranking out that stuff... they don't appear worried about reputation.

[Alex1984]

Used basses.

[hgiles]

Originally Posted by Lublin

Buy used if value retention is important.

+1 -- and most any bass made in USA, Japan, or Western Europe will hold value better.

[Technotitclan]

Buy used. Especially if you can get one that is a little abused. If you know how to do the repairs it needs yourself you can end up selling it for more than you paid for it.

I used to buy new gear but got tired of it losing value after buying it. If you get a great deal on something used its almost always worth at least what you paid for it. I for one will never by new again.

[DiabolusInMusic]

Fender is pretty much the only one, I wouldn't say MusicMan holds their value, Stingrays cost $1400 new and $700 used, maybe $8-900 if you hold out for a buyer.

Peavey, Carvin, and Yamaha are all really bad examples as they all lose a lot of their re-sale value.

[oddgrowth]

25+ years of bass playing and have never owned a new one - except my first one that my parents bought me, a cheap cimar.

IMO your only solid bet as far as major bass manufacturers is Rickenbacker.

Bought: 4003 Fireglo for $800
Sold: 2 years later for $1200.

[TinIndian]

Yep buy used. I have one bass I bought new in my arsenal. It's a great bass, but I know when the time comes it will be worth half what I paid. Everything else is used and I bought them at a good number so I won't loose money on any of them as long as I don't beat them up.

But, I bought them because I liked them. Their value at the end of my use is not the determining factor in why I bought them. That I picked them up used is more a function of the TB classifieds than anything!

[bigsnaketex]

USA made basses hold their value. Boutique basses hold some of their value. Imports do not. You can spend $2000 on a nice Yamaha bass and will have to sell it for $500 in six months.