$17,000 1958 P-Bass

[el_Bajo_Verde]

Welp, volume pot has been tampered with. It is now worth $800

 

[Dynacord]

When did you buy the bass?

It was either 1999 or 2000.

Earlier, in the 80s, I remember finding a '59 gold guard with slab rosewood board in a pawn shop for $275! And didn't have the money at the time.... Gone by the time I got it together. One of those great ones that got away.

I also had a '58 3 tone burst which I paid the nose-bleed price of $2,200 for from Norm Harris (so that was very much market value at the time) in the 90s. That was later owned by the bass player in the band Live.

 

[bench]

imho absolutely ridiculous... but if you wanna go for it, go for it

 

[Salicete]

I admire that bass, but not enough to spend that kind of money on it, though I'm not saying it isn't worth it.

As with most high-end items, if a buyer wants it, they need to show up ready to buy with lots of cash and most sellers will haggle.

 

[Deleted member 165050]

Honestly, I'd take this one first. I could take it to gigs and not care what happens to it.

Even I can tell this is a fake... the tuner shafts are the wrong length, they didn't get the shade of fiesta red right, and the bridge saddles are the wrong color. Oh and there's something strange about the headstock logo.

 

[interp]

I'd get a used Road Worn and save myself $16,250.

 

[Eric Swaim]

It's not the Holy Grail of basses so I would not buy it (I am a String Orchestra Teacher and do not make enough money). However I do appreciate the older Fenders.

 

[40Hz]

One word: insane.

 

[MetsMan75]

Love it! Way out of my league in price but beautiful bass. I see it's an early '58 too so it still has the '57 appointments which I prefer like the 2TSB instead of 3 and probably has a soft V neck which I love. I prefer true vintage myself over CS but that's me. I look for refins though because sometimes they are only a little bit more than a CS and in some cases cheaper. Owned a refin '57 once and I regret selling that one...thats probally the only bass I regret selling. Had the best neck I ever played....1.70" nut width with a hard V carve up to about the 8th fret that gradually softened and tapered to a D.

 

[Acoop]

The best way to look at it is, "If you're looking for one and you have to ask you can't afford it." ... 10-years ago the price tag would have been closer to $20,000. ... There seems to be a real swing, these days, to own factory made knock offs and not the real thing. ... What do you think a 1958 Corvette Stringray is worth? ...

 

[jthisdell]

I am skeptical of a bass that old that is that original. To me it says that it has never been played that much. I've replaced the pots on my 71 P twice, the pickguard twice, the pickup, briodge and nut (though I did keep the originals). The frets are original as are the tuners. It has two layers of road wear, one from me and one from the period when my nephew had it. It's had a busy life and has gotten out of the house a lot. Still plays and sounds great.

 

[holdfast]

I'd buy it to play it. Generally, my prediction for the future is that the vintage market is gonna go down a little when the baby boomers and wanna be rock stars die off.

This is a very interesting point, and it makes sense to me completely. This is purely anecdotal, so grain of salt time, but my kids and the kids of my friends and acquaintances are by and large just not interested in rock, and thus not interested in traditional rock instruments like guitars, bass, drums. In my circle, it's become exceptional to hear of a young teenager who plays electric guitar. I dunno, I could be wrong, maybe it's just where I live and the people I know. But I wonder if the prevalence of programmed sounds and beats in popular music, is causing kids not to be interested in guitars anymore?

 

[mikeyjm2]

It's really cool and worth it to the right person I'm sure, but I'm not that person. If I had the disposable income available at that level I'd have something boutique built. To each his own though.

 

[Kukulkan61]

Vintage basses look better like this..

 

[mp40smg]

There is a saying in the car business that applies here..
There is an ASS for every seat.

 

[Wavy]

For $10,999 less you can have my all original '64 Precision.

 

[bdplaid]

If that's worth $17K we need to revalue the dollar.

 

[Grumry]

I'd rather build an entire studio.

 

[Gaolee]

Sure, why not! I could make that one sound just as awful as any other bass I pick up.

 

[Pirate Captain]

What are your thoughts on this instrument? Not that I have any funds to purchase it - just curious what people think about appreciation/depreciation/investment aspects. This might be the most expensive bass I've ever seen, and I'm not sure if one would purchase strictly as an investment, or more so to use as gigging bass.

[Invalid or Expired Link Removed]

I'd rather take six months off of work and play for 8 hours a day