Bass brands with bad resell value

[Leo Thunder]

I have been playing for 24 out of 34 years of life and I may as well have said this exact same statement. Minus the cheating on math because it came easily to me.

To me it seems that statements bringing mathematics and music theory together come from people who understand neither. I always understood mathematics, not so that other thing. Maths will explain consonance, no more. Music theory looks more like having the city map to me, so you know how to get to a place, then to another then come home.

 

[Scarey Larry]

This may be the longest thread that the OP still chimed in on. I will continue to buy high and sell low, that is the way of the bass. For me. In seriousness, buying used, usually Fender or MM, is about the only way to maybe do ok on resale. If you have the scratch, boutiques hold their value if buying used and sticking with popular names like MTD or Fodera.

 

[pcake]

Well I played Rocksmith for 2 years with my first bass a cheap Sterling bass, that's what got me into bass.
But, I don't consider that real playing.
I've been looking at music theory, it's a lot to take in but I'm reading into all that now and planning on getting a book for it, and some scales.

if you're playing music that you like the sound and timing of, whether or not you know theory doesn't change that. it IS real playing.

 

[Neal Brakey]

if you're playing music that you like the sound and timing of, whether or not you know theory doesn't change that. it IS real playing.

I suppose it is, I just felt that maybe because I am using a game to play bass I really am not actually playing the bass as I should.
I do know that I don't have to look at the fingerboard most the time now.
I just feel like people would find it funny if I said I play bass on rocksmith instead of actually learning music theory and being able to play the bass without big notes coming at me down a track.

 

[pcake]

I suppose it is, I just felt that maybe because I am using a game to play bass I really am not actually playing the bass as I should.
I do know that I don't have to look at the fingerboard most the time now.
I just feel like people would find it funny if I said I play bass on rocksmith instead of actually learning music theory and being able to play the bass without big notes coming at me down a track.

do you know how your favorite musicians learned to play? i don't - i just love hearing them. for all i know, some of them may have learned on rocksmith. i've been playing bass since 1994, and no one has ever asked me how i learned to play except here on TB. and although i have a minor amount of theory from my time as a singer and my dad, who was a piano player, i mostly learn by ear. also used to play a lot at jams because i can usually find working notes and timing to play on songs i haven't played before.

if rocksmith makes you a better bass player, i say go for it. if playing along with songs or watching youtube tutorials makes you better, do that. if you want theory, or to play scales, go for it - scales can be very useful, but my playing always improves more by playing with songs or people.

one of my husband's favorite guitar players doesn't know any theory at all, and she's straight up about it. she can't read music, and is highly acclaimed by other musicians. she does, however, know how each note on the fingerboard works together and she has awesome timing and speed, all learned by ear. she's considered a prodigy.

 

[wraub]

This Squier I can't sell...

 

[MMiller28]

Carvin is the first that come to mind.

 

[Scarey Larry]

There is no substitute for practicing. If Rocksmith works for your practicing and motivates you that is great. You will learn the fret board in this way. I doubt that it matters how you end up learning, just so it works for you. Learning where all the notes lie on the fret board and how the position on the fret board modifies the notes harmonics is something that I find highly important.

A pleasing sound to an audience is way more than book learning. Being pleasing involves note selection, phrasing, timing, and silence, among so many other things, and you can only get that from practicing.

Your Carvin is perfect to do this with. Any bass that works for you does not have a resale value until you go to sell it. My go to is a Geoff Gould GGi4 that has modified PUP's and Pre. I would take a bath selling it, but who cares? It is not for sale.

 

[Gaolee]

I suppose it is, I just felt that maybe because I am using a game to play bass I really am not actually playing the bass as I should.
I do know that I don't have to look at the fingerboard most the time now.
I just feel like people would find it funny if I said I play bass on rocksmith instead of actually learning music theory and being able to play the bass without big notes coming at me down a track.

I read somewhere that Paul McCartney doesn't read music. There were ancient musicians who figured it all out long before anybody thought to write it down somehow. I suspect there are a huge number of successful musicians who don't read a lick. i'm functionally illiterate, meaning I can read music, but I sure can't sight read. That doesn't make me better or worse. Music theory is a useful tool, but that's all it is. If you can get there without it, great. There are others of us who need the help, and I'm sure one of those.

 

[MovinTarget]

You want a 6 string? You want to avoid buyers remorse? You might want to consider buyer a lower end 6 string FIRST so that buyers remorse doesn't hurt so bad...

The reason I say this is because if you google every pawn shop in your area, I'll bet you dollars to donuts that EVERY.SINGLE.ONE of them probably has a 6 string bass (well, most all of them)... Why? Because so many players *think* they want one and then regret it and look to dump it.

...USE THIS TO YOUR ADVANTAGE...

Visit pawnshops and Music shops that carry a lot of used instruments. TRY THEM OUT! Figure out if you like one b/c the string spacing is tighter or wider or if you like a satin neck vs a painted one for feel.

Oh, and check here for tips on "How to spot a bad bass" so you can avoid one with busted truss rods or bad pots vs one that just needs a setup and a cleaning.

Bottom line, if you are used to impulse spending online, consider buying used in person so you stand a better chance of LIKING your purchase and probably getting something that doesn't hurt the wallet so even if buyers remorse creeps in, it doesn't hit you too hard.

 

[MovinTarget]

Also, unless you have exceptionally discerning ears (and even then...) you can skip the spinning rims and get a cheaper bass that sounds just as good as expensive options with a basic paint job and maybe one or two fewer knobs...

 

[Kinky Afro]

If you have the scratch, boutiques hold their value if buying used and sticking with popular names like MTD or Fodera.

Same with Ken Smith.

 

[JZQuantum]

I like Warwicks and I noticed that the prices of used ones are really low in France compared to the price of a brand new one. Now that the GPS serie is out, the used prices make more sense but I often see german made (pre GPS) for sale for really low prices. So at least in France, I can say that Warwicks have bad resale value.

Luthier basses, custom made, Warmoth, expensive Ibanez, Cort and so on have terrible resale value here.

On the other hand, it's common to see Musicmans (Let's say, 2,2k new) selling for 1-1,4k used depending of year, finish, nb of strings etc. USA Fenders can also be sold easily but for less money that Musicmans.

I noticed that some discontinued instruments have a mare stable resale value, for example : MIJ JB Marcus Millers, MM Sub US, Fender Dimensions...

At the end of the day you will lose money 99% of the time from any instrument so IMHO: you better buy used gear from trusted people or under trusted people advice to get good instruments at fair price that you can sell after a fear years (if you want to) at a similar price.

A bass can last for a lifetime with good care (not like a car) so basically it's always a better deal to buy a used instrument than a new.

^^^^ this ^^^^

 

[JZQuantum]

The only minor gripe I have so far is that the pickup placement makes my thumb cramp when I play for a long period of time.

Instead of resting your thumb on the pickup, try resting it on the string. For example, rest your thumb on the E string if you are playing the A string. Rest on the A string of you are playing the D string, etc.

If you are playing the E string, assuming you have a 4 string, hover your thumb in the air, or rest it on the body or pick guard.

I read about this in a bass magazine many years ago and it was a game changer for me, increasing my speed and lessening string noise. Plus it saved my pickups from getting discolored and worn from the oils/dirt on my hands.

Try it.

 

[brainiac]

In the long run I would like to know what brands out there that have just terrible resell value whether it be a good brand or not.
The first thing that comes to mind is custom built basses, like my Carvin which simply won't sell.
Mainly just trying to see what brands out there have really bad resell value, and if buying a new bass for a lot money this resell value question comes to mind, or if you don't mind spending a lot knowing you won't get much back if you sell it in the future.

In the past 50 years I've played and owned them all. "In the long run" there will always be at least one person who is willing to buy your used bass, no matter how outlandish a model it may be. If you want to feel covered in the resale department, stick with the best brands: I've never been stung with Fenders. I've never done anything but turn a profit with expensive basses like Alembics. So there's that. For me, the bigger question is why so many guys buy what I consider off-brand versions of these tried-and-true instruments. Question: How many unheard-of copies can there be of a Fender Precision bass? Answer: more than you can count! If you like Fender Precisions or Jazz basses, go buy yourself a real Fender! I've never understood the predilection of so many to go out and buy some sort of inferior rip-off of these industry standards, then get burned when the realization sets in that the instrument in question isn't very good. Buy quality upfront, and you will never have any trouble turning it over when it comes time to sell.

 

[Kevin Colt]

Musical instruments are like any other consumer goods: When you tally up the 10's of thousands of new basses made every year, there's only going to be a handful of best sellers that may or may not be 5 or 10 years out.

Think of the Shark Tank that is the 'Vintage' market: Gibson, Fender, Martin, and a lot more have made thousands and thousands of instruments over their histories, yet only a handful are true collectibles with big ticket prices. Chevrolet has made millions of cars, but you rarely see anything past a '63 Split-Window Vette, a '57 BelAir Convertible, or an SS or Yenko Camaro pulling down the big $$ at auction. Your uncle's C10 and your aunt's Impala she drove to church will go to the crusher without comment. Guitars and Basses are the same.

Any new bass is being bought at roughly 1/2 of retail full list price on a store level, maybe a bigger discount for the huge chains. That's roughly what it's worth after you buy it. Now having said that, some things will fare better than that in the short term (recently discontinued, rare color, demand was higher than production expected) and some of them will fare worse (virtually any custom, 'boutique' bass, or some really doggy, plain, cheapo off-brand piece).

So your best bet is to NOT get your blood up, get a bad case of GAS, and NOT shop around, take your time and see what's out there. I prefer 'open box' or barely used mint. The last thing I'm going to do is walk in a store, swoon, and pull out the card while I'm sweating, the room is spinning, and I'm deep in the throes of "I Gotta Have It Now!!!!'. If you settle on a certain piece, you'd be amazed the range of prices you can find given a 90-day period of watching the market. Buy as smart as you can. They're tools.

Musical instruments are like any other consumer goods: When you tally up the 10's of thousands of new basses made every year, there's only going to be a handful of best sellers that may or may not be 5 or 10 years out.

Think of the Shark Tank that is the 'Vintage' market: Gibson, Fender, Martin, and a lot more have made thousands and thousands of instruments over their histories, yet only a handful are true collectibles with big ticket prices. Chevrolet has made millions of cars, but you rarely see anything past a '63 Split-Window Vette, a '57 BelAir Convertible, or an SS or Yenko Camaro pulling down the big $$ at auction. Your uncle's C10 and your aunt's Impala she drove to church will go to the crusher without comment. Guitars and Basses are the same.

Any new bass is being bought at roughly 1/2 of retail full list price on a store level, maybe a bigger discount for the huge chains. That's roughly what it's worth after you buy it. Now having said that, some things will fare better than that in the short term (recently discontinued, rare color, demand was higher than production expected) and some of them will fare worse (virtually any custom, 'boutique' bass, or some really doggy, plain, cheapo off-brand piece).

So your best bet is to NOT get your blood up, get a bad case of GAS, and NOT shop around, take your time and see what's out there. I prefer 'open box' or barely used mint. The last thing I'm going to do is walk in a store, swoon, and pull out the card while I'm sweating, the room is spinning, and I'm deep in the throes of "I Gotta Have It Now!!!!'. If you settle on a certain piece, you'd be amazed the range of prices you can find given a 90-day period of watching the market. Buy as smart as you can. They're tools.

I agree with everything you have said with the exception of the impala, I've been looking at impala prices lately and they're through the roof. I've owned quite a few over the years and never did I think they would be getting the big bucks like now. especially 1960 to 1970 ones. makes me wish I had them still.

luckily I bought my basses when they were still fairly cheap. it boggles the mind to know that they're bringing 10-20 times what I paid for them.

 

[JW56789]

Kevin, I think what we're seeing is now that all the obvious Chevys are in the stratosphere, just like the rising prices on CBS Fenders, other parts of Chevy's vintage catalog are rising as they're still 'affordable' in a relative sense.

Ya might dig this:

GM Heritage Center - Home

 

[rockscott]

Resale value means nothing to me, don't get me wrong I have lost thousands of dollars over 40 years of playing, selling basses to move on to the next bass I had to have! I wanted a japan built vintage mustang for years and years, I finally gave in and took the bullet a couple years ago, laying out $800. for a a1 cherry condition mustang! It took me 35 years to land where I am bass wise, but im totally happy with 5 basses I own today. I don't see my self ever selling any of them unless I was offered an obscene amount of money. Gibson sg special, birdsong (maple neck) shortbass, vintage mustang, Ibanez artcore 140,epiphone el capitan acoustic.

 

[DJ Bebop]

Are we buying to play or collect?

If I am buying to play.
I don't care about resale just, how it feels and plays now.

If it's collecting then, it's all about da cheddar

PS miss my 64 Impala 2 dr ht RIPs

 

[theinfamous]

Almost makes me wonder if I should just end up keeping it at the end of the day.
Who knows, it seems like a decent bass, but I'm gonna get nothing really for it sadly.
Some part of me feels dumb for trading a stingray for it, but at the time I was new to basses, and only traded on Craigslist sadly.
I feel I could have gotten something better, and keep kicking myself for it.

Carvins are very nice basses. Even if the ernie ball is worth more money, it is not intrinsically a better instrument. Keep the carvin and play it.