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Anyone buy/sell basses for $$ reguarly?

slaps76

slaps76

Jul 10, 2008
543
17
Peabody, MA
www.midnightgoggles.com
#1
I'm just curious. I browse craigslist from time to time, and sometimes come across some smoking deals...basses you could buy, and sell for a profit if I really wanted to go through the time & effort. One of the basses I own/purchased somewhat recently I could come close to doubling my money if I sold it, and just saw a listing now that could most likely be doubled.

I'm not really going out of my way to look at money makers, and unless you bought & sold a LOT of basses, couldn't be a real income stream, but might be fun from time to time. Anyone do this? Just wondering.
 
#2
I've considered doing just this. But as you said, you'd have to spend a lot of time to make good money. This is a good way however, to make some extra cash though. My problem is that i'd want to keep all the basses I buy instead of selling them again. ;)
 
#3
I know exactly what you're talking about. Ive thought of this before too, and while I've definitely scored sweet deals on basses off CL, I'd imagine buying/selling full-time would be time consuming and you wouldn't see much profitable return for a while after you got started.

You could probably make $50-$100 on each sale, but a lot of the instruments on CL need additional help, like new pots/jacks/parts to make them sell faster.

It would probably be a lot of work, and I wouldn't consider it unless I was a skilled tech who knew everything about fixing up guitars.
 
#5
I used to a couple years back. I did pretty well but it was just a side thing I did for fun and to be able to afford better gear. I eventually worked up to some really awesome gear, some of which I still have today. It's fun but can be stressful.
 
#6
I've been doing a good bit of this for the last year. I've been hoping to eventually open a retail bass shop. I would recommend being very careful with any investments you make in this arena. It is not an easy business and the market is crap currently. Even at great prices basses can be very hard to move. I've been amazed by some of the bargains I'll post on my local Craigslist that won't even get a single response. You can get an idea of how crappy the market is by looking at Ebay. Unless what your selling is rare and in high demand the market just sucks. Be very careful.
 
#7
Lublin said:
I used to a couple years back. I did pretty well but it was just a side thing I did for fun and to be able to afford better gear. I eventually worked up to some really awesome gear, some of which I still have today. It's fun but can be stressful.
Click to expand...
Oh yea, forgot to mention that eBay used to take a much smaller bite out of your selling price back then.

I think it's 9% now. :eek:
 
#8
I would want to keep every one too! My Fortress One, I'm not that crazy about playing it, but at the same time, I can't part with it. Bought it out of "want" not "need." My last bass, same thing...found a sweet MIJ Fernandes P bass I just picked up last weekend...but man am I glad I got that one..played it at a gig last night, it sounds awesome, and was pretty cheap.

And I'm NOT a skilled tech, and at $45 a setup, that's a pain, if I wanted to sell it in good shape and not worry about complaints, ect....that's a good point.

I'm not really looking for an income stream, and do pretty well at my job, it would be more of a fun thing, and to make a little cash here and there. But I know craigslist is hard to sell instruments on. I have an Ibanez GSR200 listed yesterday for $100, and the one response I've receieved was an offer of $50....good times.
 
#9
Yeah wanting to keep everything is another big issue. You can definitely do it as a side thing and most likely make some $, get to try out basses, and have fun. Like I said before just be very careful with what you invest in.
 
#11
I don't buy and sell regularly, but I'll buy just about anything if it looks like a good deal. Mostly fender guitars or basses. I feel like I have a pretty good idea of what is a deal or not with those. I don't find speaker cabs to be a good buy unless its something I want or need. Otherwise they are too big, to move, and take up too much room to store, and too hard to sell, because shipping is cost prohibitive. I've got about 6 basses right now, because I'll buy one when I find it cheap, try it out for a while, maybe upgrade it, and sell it if I'm not in love with it. I feel I could easily get by with one or two basses and be happy.
 
#12
I've done it, but you have to be VERY careful. Keep in mind that when you sell (on craigslist or ebay) you're selling INTO the dented, scratched, used, clearance, marked down economy. It's a little harder to turn a profit there.

Example: I bought a Fender MIM Deluxe Jazz V for $125. These were $675 on musiciansfriend.com at the time. It was lightly used - nothing a little attention and setup didn't fix. It was in "Guitar Center Showroom" condition when I sold it (i.e., some blemishes, but functionally perfect). This bass is now sold for $750 online.

When it came time to sell it on craigslist, how do you think it went?

I was asking merely $350, and TWO people came to my apartment, held it, played it, and PASSED before I sold it to a third guy.

Put a MIM Fender Deluxe Jazz Z on TB for $350 and see what people say about it - it was a fantastic price for a lightly used instrument, and it was still difficult to move.

My point - if you see a deal and think "Ooh, I might flip that for $100!" you must STAY AWAY. You have to say, "Ooh, I could flip that and make $300 or more!" If that works, you MIGHT have a good deal on your hands.

Stuff I never sold:
Cort Curbow fretless for $50 (traded into a Peavey T-40)
Sunn Concert Lead amp for $75
Peavey Patriot MIA bass for $50
Fender MIM Jazz for $100
Some Peavey PA amp for $50
I ONLY get involved if I have a chance to buy a ROCK BOTTOM prices.

I also got stuck with a Schecter bass guitar and a Crate combo amp (two separate craigslist deals) that I could not sell at any reasonable price. These both ended up at GC. I ended up breaking even on these, but ONLY because I acquired them at an insanely low price.
 
#13
I do if I can find a good enough deal on one I have been wanting to try. Then I usually sell it on here where I can make a few bucks and give a TBer a better deal than they can find used.

I have seen through my local craigslist other TBers buying basses on craigslist or even on here for parting them out or making a profit. Nothing wrong with that but I like passing on good deals while putting a twenty or two in my pocket.

There are some people that do 10 plus transactions a month that need to start paying for a business membership lol.
 
#14
Jason P Bass said:
Stuff I never sold:
Cort Curbow fretless for $50 (traded into a Peavey T-40)
Sunn Concert Lead amp for $75
Peavey Patriot MIA bass for $50
Fender MIM Jazz for $100Some Peavey PA amp for $50
I ONLY get involved if I have a chance to buy a ROCK BOTTOM prices..
Click to expand...

:eek: A MIM Jazz you couldn't move for $100? That's nuts. Makes complete sense what you said, don't flip something thinking you're going to make $100, make sure there's really a cushion.
 
#16
slaps76 said:
:eek: A MIM Jazz you couldn't move for $100? That's nuts. Makes complete sense what you said, don't flip something thinking you're going to make $100, make sure there's really a cushion.
Click to expand...

SORRY I was unclear. That list is stuff I bought (note the rock bottom prices) but for various reasons, never sold.

I was pointing out that I would never buy a MIM Fender for $250 and hope to sell it for $350. That headache outweighs $100 profit. It's more like buy for $100 and TRY to sell for $350, but realize that you might have to accept $250.
 
#17
Rockmusician said:
I have been considering doing this more often because I have had good luck making money at it. In the past year I bought a 1976 P Bass for $550 and sold it for $1,500 and I bought a Carvin LB75 for $350 and sold it for $700. Both times I sold them on Craigslist within 24 hours of posting them.
Click to expand...

You're living the dream! It is CRITICAL to pick items where you can make several hundreds of dollars.

There is a nice Carvin bass that has been posted on my local craigslist for at least 6 months around $800. IMO it's a decent instrument at a decent price, but craigslist can be a fickle market.
 
#19
I like a good deal and the idea of a profit better than a profit, so I keep any good deals.

If you are in the game everyday, you are sure to come across good deals. If you have time to spare, you can wait for your price. More fun than the stock market.

I'll buy a bass for a good price if I want to try it out. I'll know if it was a good price when I go to sell it and someone else, the next buyer, agrees with me.
 
#20
For the most part my rule of thumb is if I can't get $200.00 out of it it is not worth the effort but in the long run I'll be ok with 100 bucks. Most basses I make much more. Acouple of examples; '67 Guild Starfire about 5 years ago I paid 200 sold for 1200, last year 80's BC Rich Ironbird paid $149 sold for $800. I sell maybe 8-12 basses a year, it's a extra source of income and a good way to hide incoming basses I plan to keep ;)
 

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