Basses that Hold Value

[Peepaleep]

Music Man, Fender, G&L, Lakland.

Lakland basses do not hold their value and are great deals used. I've bought and sold several and they can be gotten at a fraction of the new price. MIA Laklands are readily available for $1000-$1500 less than new, and Skylines can usually be had for $500 less than new, and often cheaper than that.

Lakland's are great feeling, playing and sounding basses, but they are a poor investment at this point in time if you are looking for return on your money. Buy used to begin with and if you sell down the road you will recoup most of that you paid.

 

[Jimmy Stump]

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.

I can't speak for all MusicMan (or is that MusicMen, lol) but in my case it did. Bought an EBMM Sterling (USA) for $1300 new in 2010, sold for $1,000. Within 2 hours yet!

 

[SurferJoe46]

What about the oddball ones like Mosrite and Danelectros? If they are originals and in closet queen condition, they are pulling some decent money.

I personally buy only basses with a Fender-esque head - but then again, I'm not in it for the money, just the music. And I only buy new for that very same reason.

 

[GBassNorth]

I have a decent number of basses and gear. Nearly all of it is used and nearly all of it can be offloaded for about what I paid for it, give or take a bit. Some of my gear has appreciated (yes, even in this horrible market) but that's because it has moved from the "used" category to the "vintage" category.
If buying used always try to buy 100% stock, no refin, no upgrades, no replacements, no repaired basses. If you intend to play them that's great, just understand that whatever wear you put on the bass or any damage you create may reduce the resale value. If you decide to hang it on a wall and admire it as art, that's ok too but again, store it properly and maintain it in good playing condition if possible (without replacing anything except maybe the strings) just because you want to call it art doesn't mean the next buyer will want to call it art, they may want to beat the heck out of it on tour.
Bottom line - buy used gear at reasonable prices in great condition, keep it that way and resell it for what you bought it for or maybe even more.

 

[jim777]

Buy used if value retention is important.

This right here - depreciation is always from the 'new' price. Buy used and chances are (unless you are me, of course!) you will be able to get back what you paid for it.

 

[Phalex]

The only way to insure that the bass you play is worth money when you go to sell it is to become famous for playing that very bass.

Otherwise it's a crap shoot. Horrible investment, but an awesome obsession!

 

[SurferJoe46]

Bottom line - buy used gear at reasonable prices in great condition, keep it that way and resell it for what you bought it for or maybe even more.

One would have to sell it for substantially more than what one bought it for originally. Inflation alone would negate any capitol gains.

 

[GBassNorth]

One would have to sell it for substantially more than what one bought it for originally. Inflation alone would negate any capitol gains.

I suppose we could get technical but I'll stand by my statement. If I paid $1000 for a used bass in 2000 and sold it for $1100 in 2012 I would claim exactly what I said, buy used at a decent price and "resell it for what you bought it for, maybe even more" Fact is, under the example outlined above I would have sold it for $100 more than I paid for it.
Now to your point, did I make $100 profit, NOPE. Inflation has eaten away at most or maybe even more than that $100 difference not to mention any string replacements or other maintenance I may have done on the instrument.
Do I have basses that I can sell at a profit, yes. I do have some "investment grade" basses that are worth substantially more than I paid for them and have appreciated much better than some of my stock portfolio, but that's rare. You are quite correct, if you want to make a profit you need to have sold at a price that offsets your initial outlay plus upkeep and any devaluation in currency that may have occured since the time you purchased the bass. Not an easy thing to do these days.

 

[Fishheadjoe]

RIC...
I bought a 4003 Fireglo in 2011 for $1,200 and could easily move it here in Toronto for $1,800. They are simply unobtainable here in Toronto.
That said, there is someone on the local CL here, who has been bringing in brand new RIC 4003's and asking $2,400 for them... never been played, case only opened for inspection.
Kind of clever of who ever it is as brand spanking new RICs just don't happen here...
Fishheadjoe

 

[jobo4]

Used.

 

[toomas72]

I bought an EPIC Alembic Bass in 1994 paid a little over $1200 for it......had to quite playing for about 10 years during that time i sold it for $800......now is see the same USED bass going for $2000 in guitar stores and online! so i think Alembic holds its value and increases in value! I do think that those prices are over the top and to expensive in my book. I wouldn't pay that. it was a nice bass but not that nice.

 

[Peepaleep]

Alembic indeed holds or increases in value. In 1986 I bought a Persuader which I sold 20 years later for $300 more than I paid for it.

 

[Handyman]

Alembic indeed holds or increases in value. In 1986 I bought a Persuader which I sold 20 years later for $300 more than I paid for it.

Now factor in inflation, and think again about how much you made on that.

$1000 dollars in 1986 is roughly equivalent to $1800 in 2006.

 

[msaone]

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.

That was probably a millennium. I was looking at one of those till I looked At one.

 

[Peepaleep]

Now factor in inflation, and think again about how much you made on that.

$1000 dollars in 1986 is roughly equivalent to $1800 in 2006.

Considering the amount of use I got from the bass I'd say I made out OK on the sale. There are not many things you can buy and then sell 20 years later in noticeably used condition for more than the price you paid.

 

[DiabolusInMusic]

The only way to insure that the bass you play is worth money when you go to sell it is to become famous for playing that very bass.

Otherwise it's a crap shoot. Horrible investment, but an awesome obsession!

Yeah, like the $2500 Geddy Lee jazz on ebay right now...

 

[dukeisdog]

The only way to insure that the bass you play is worth money when you go to sell it is to become famous for playing that very bass.

Otherwise it's a crap shoot. Horrible investment, but an awesome obsession!

Yup!

I don't like buying and selling basses to make money on them, it's just what I like.

 

[dukeisdog]

Yup!

I don't like buying and selling basses to make money on them, it's just what I like.

Most of the time I don't try to flip the things I've picked up used anyway. If I get a good deal on it then I don't mind passing a good deal onto another bass player.

 

[iiipopes]

Didn't someone say Rickenbacker?

Every other new bass will depreciate. Custom models even worse.

 

[aparker82]

So is it fair to say as long as I stick with Fender, G & L, EBMM, Ric and boutique basses, I'm far less likely to loose a rather large amount IF I have to sell it?