2012 Fender Select Precision Bass - Collector's Item?

[TB24]

Hello Fellow TBer's
Question for those of you more educated than I. I'm a pure hobbyist whose budget is larger than my talent, but I like nice things and usually buy one level up. Over the last year I have grown to appreciate higher priced instruments. Like all things, some are not worth the price (to me), and hence lies my question. have come to like the Fender P Bass sound and have picked up a couple (see pictures). Have only bought new, mostly USA/MIA, but recently picked up the 2012 Fender Select Precision Bass. Found many great reviews and a few for sell here and there from $1200 - $1600. I paid $1300 all in, but must say I did not really hear any major tonal differences over my existing lineup:

2015 Fender Deluxe American Jazz bass Black/Maple
2015 Fender Deluxe PJ Bass 3-Tone Sunburst/Maple
2015 Fender USA Nitro Satin Series Precision Bass Honeyburst/Maple


I have 30 days to return to Guitar Center and wonder if I should just keep it as a collectors item or return it, play what i have and put the $1300 elsewhere musically? Are the Posiflex graphite truss rods, compound radius fretboards, Fender Select split-single-coil Precision Bass pickups (whatever that means) and Vintage-style Fender/Hipshot tuners so special that I should just keep it...especially considering it sold new for $2300?

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Fender 2012 Press Release

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[AltGrendel]

If you aren't 100% happy with it, return it.

 

[Ronbeast]

There are so many instruments being produced these days that buying something for future collectors value is a crap shoot. Unless only 100-1000 of these instruments were produced and have features that aren't readily available in other parts of the lineup, I don't think it will appreciate much in value, but it may retain its current value.

 

[iamjustin]

I don't think it will drop in value (as you said, they were over $2k new) $1300 is a solid price for one and they usually float around 1200-1400 used, so it's a fair spot to be at. If you're looking at basses as an investment, I would run the other way. I don't think they'll increase in value anymore than they're at.
It is a gorgeous bass and I find compound radius fingerboards comfy, but this bass wasn't intended to be anything more than very pretty. I switched the pick ups to get something interesting out of mine

 

[DigitalMan]

I think the Select series are very nice instruments. At $1300 I expect it will hold value very well, but it will be a very long time before it appreciates - think in terms of multiple decades. What makes your select different from your other P basses is the nice wood grain and some other finishing touches as others have mentioned. If you appreciate the aesthetics and fit and finish then keep it. If you don't enjoy the way it sounds or feels to play then dump it (assuming it's been setup to your liking).

ps - you're allowed to take the sticker off the Jazz control plate.

 

[Wallace320]

You're compelled to drop those traben and modern player tele out

Cheers,
Wallace

 

[guy n. cognito]

As an INVESTMENT, you've made a horrible decision. Don't expect to see any return for 30 years.

As an INSTRUMENT, it's a fine choice at a decent price.

Modern instruments are rarely investments.

 

[kenneffdupriest]

I have one. It's one of the nicest, best playing Precisions around. Got it for 12 hunny on CL brand spankin new with case-n-candy. I get complements on when ever it out but I didn't buy it (or any bass) as an investment. The case stays at home, the bass goes uptown, mid-town, downtown and I cud careless if it gets bruised. I bought it to play it, the way I play it.

 

[Hoochie Coochie Man]

An excellent investment. I predict, (if you keep it in good condition), that in a hundred fifty years, or so, it will be a nice "collectors item", and as such, will be worth more than your original purchase price.

 

[TB24]

I don't think it will drop in value (as you said, they were over $2k new) $1300 is a solid price for one and they usually float around 1200-1400 used, so it's a fair spot to be at. If you're looking at basses as an investment, I would run the other way. I don't think they'll increase in value anymore than they're at.
It is a gorgeous bass and I find compound radius fingerboards comfy, but this bass wasn't intended to be anything more than very pretty. I switched the pick ups to get something interesting out of mine

Thanks Justin, agree, instruments in general are not investments per say. It is a good looking bass, just wanted to make sure I wasn't over looking something besides the looks.

 

[TB24]

I think the Select series are very nice instruments. At $1300 I expect it will hold value very well, but it will be a very long time before it appreciates - think in terms of multiple decades. What makes your select different from your other P basses is the nice wood grain and some other finishing touches as others have mentioned. If you appreciate the aesthetics and fit and finish then keep it. If you don't enjoy the way it sounds or feels to play then dump it (assuming it's been setup to your liking).

ps - you're allowed to take the sticker off the Jazz control plate.

Lol, good catch DigitalMan. I leave it on till I have all the knobs memorized. Keep getting the Passive sound knob confused with the MID knob. I do love that it is passive and active. Don't always like changing the batteries.

 

[TB24]

Hello Fellow TBer's
Question for those of you more educated than I. I'm a pure hobbyist whose budget is larger than my talent, but I like nice things and usually buy one level up. Over the last year I have grown to appreciate higher priced instruments. Like all things, some are not worth the price (to me), and hence lies my question. have come to like the Fender P Bass sound and have picked up a couple (see pictures). Have only bought new, mostly USA/MIA, but recently picked up the 2012 Fender Select Precision Bass. Found many great reviews and a few for sell here and there from $1200 - $1600. I paid $1300 all in, but must say I did not really hear any major tonal differences over my existing lineup:

2015 Fender Deluxe American Jazz bass Black/Maple
2015 Fender Deluxe PJ Bass 3-Tone Sunburst/Maple
2015 Fender USA Nitro Satin Series Precision Bass Honeyburst/Maple


I have 30 days to return to Guitar Center and wonder if I should just keep it as a collectors item or return it, play what i have and put the $1300 elsewhere musically? Are the Posiflex graphite truss rods, compound radius fretboards, Fender Select split-single-coil Precision Bass pickups (whatever that means) and Vintage-style Fender/Hipshot tuners so special that I should just keep it...especially considering it sold new for $2300?

Vintage Guitar Review

Fender 2012 Press Release

Vintage Guitar Review

Funny to come back to my old post. Kept the bass for about 3 years. Wishing I didn't sell it lol. Looking to buy another one. Was def a good bass... now hard to find. Story of every guitar/bass player lol

 

[Pet Sounds]

Funny to come back to my old post. Kept the bass for about 3 years. Wishing I didn't sell it lol. Looking to buy another one. Was def a good bass... now hard to find. Story of every guitar/bass player lol

I think the Select is a gorgeous bass, and it has kind of a piano-like tone. For some reason, though, people don't seen to get excited about Fender basses with fancy woods. The Rarities Jazz of a few years back is another example. The Selects fell off the cliff in resale value, especially considering its initial sales price.

 

[Rabidhamster]

I didn’t make it past the title, but no it isn’t.

 

[MtManiac]

Not sure what kind of tonal difference you were expecting, it’s a darned fine P bass, but it’s still just a P bass. Saying that as someone who loves P basses.