Club Fbass (thread 13)

[Al T.]

I need help from the experts. I want to sell my BN 5 and I don't know what a good selling price would be. It was built in October 2000 and I bought it new in November of 2002. It's a 3 tone sunburst over a flame maple top. Ash body and maple neck brings the weight to 9 lbs on My OXO scale. Original gig bag and F-Bass strap with Schaller locks.

 

[MusicMuse]

Likely around $4k, give or take $500... Beautiful top!

 

[Dave Hill]

$2750-$3400

 

[mngnt]

I need help from the experts. I want to sell my BN 5 and I don't know what a good selling price would be. It was built in October 2000 and I bought it new in November of 2002. It's a 3 tone sunburst over a flame maple top. Ash body and maple neck brings the weight to 9 lbs on My OXO scale. Original gig bag and F-Bass strap with Schaller locks.

Marcel at F-bass seems to have a good idea of market value - may be worth reaching out to him as well.

I'm realizing that I post this answer a lot on this thread... But I guess that's the joy of having great support to go with a great bass right?

 

[Kmrumedy]

I need help from the experts. I want to sell my BN 5 and I don't know what a good selling price would be. It was built in October 2000 and I bought it new in November of 2002. It's a 3 tone sunburst over a flame maple top. Ash body and maple neck brings the weight to 9 lbs on My OXO scale. Original gig bag and F-Bass strap with Schaller locks.

I'm in the market to buy right now so I can tell you what I am seeing with asking prices over the past 4-5 months. You're probably looking at $3200-$3600. Selling somewhere in the middle.

 

[Dave Hill]

Anyone have a BN4 they want to part with?

 

[Kmrumedy]

For those of you that have owned both Ken Smith and Fbass BN5's, how do the necks and playability compare?

Looking at purchasing my first BN5. I'm a Smith player.

Also - I'm looking at putting an offer on this bass from the classifieds. It's a 2013 BN5 buckeye burl top and matching headstock, roasted birdseye maple neck. It's been up for sale for 10 months at $4950 which indicates pricing is quite high for current market. These things normally sell in days/weeks. What do you think is a fair offer for a 10 year old BN5? I was thinking $4000-$4200. Would that be right?

Any comments advice is welcome. Thank you.

 

[monsterthompson]

Someone already has this beauty in the Reverb cart. What a top.

Link Removed

 

[ThumbyAche]

Anyone have a BN4 they want to part with?

There is a player Matt Smith that has a natural flat top bn4 that he is selling. I think he is close to the F bass shop.

Saw his on FB.

 

[monsterthompson]

Also - I'm looking at putting an offer on this bass from the classifieds. It's a 2013 BN5 buckeye burl top and matching headstock, roasted birdseye maple neck. It's been up for sale for 10 months at $4950 which I think is high for current market. What do you think is a fair offer for a 10 year old BN5?

Oh. I've looked at that one a few times.
Buckeye adds $2,200 to the current pricing of a new build (not sure if the matching headstock is included).
That looks like the roasted birdseye which is another $350 new.
Fancy dot inlays.

I think you're going to need to come in north of $4k, but not sure how much over. Maybe $4,500 range +/- $200.

 

[Kmrumedy]

Oh. I've looked at that one a few times.
Buckeye adds $2,200 to the current pricing of a new build (not sure if the matching headstock is included).
That looks like the roasted birdseye which is another $350 new.
Fancy dot inlays.

I think you're going to need to come in north of $4k, but not sure how much over. Maybe $4,500 range +/- $200.

I talked to Marcel today about this bass. Here is what he emailed me after the conversation:

Marcel Furlanetto
3:26 PM (1 hour ago)

to me

Hey John,

The new retail for a Buckeye BN5 with a Birdseye Maple fingerboard is $8500 CAD. Pre-owned market value tends to be around 35% off retail these days…which puts estimated value at $5500 CAD. So your offer is spot on. Still a ways off his asking price of $4950 USD (around $6600 CAD) but yea, I believe your offer is still fair since we charge fellow Canadians a fixed 20% exchange based on our USD price list.

 

[monsterthompson]

I talked to Marcel today about this bass. Here is what he emailed me after the conversation:

Marcel Furlanetto
3:26 PM (1 hour ago)

to me

Hey John,

The new retail for a Buckeye BN5 with a Birdseye Maple fingerboard is $8500 CAD. Pre-owned market value tends to be around 35% off retail these days…which puts estimated value at $5500 CAD. So your offer is spot on. Still a ways off his asking price of $4950 USD (around $6600 CAD) but yea, I believe your offer is still fair since we charge fellow Canadians a fixed 20% exchange based on our USD price list.

So about $4,100 USD. If the bass has been listed for 10 months then I’d assume the seller expects they’re on the high side of the current market, but they might not be open to that much of an adjustment if they haven’t already dropped the price to attract buyers. Only one way to find out. Good luck.

 

[josephhc1803]

I actually bought this in October but figured I should post! 1999 Studio 5, frankly in somewhat poor condition (just a scratched and stained finish), but I payed a low price and it sounds+feels fantastic. I've actually been using it so much more than my other basses that I'll probably be listing that Mike Lull M4V in the background for sale soon.

I've gotten more compliments on the sound and look of this bass than I have with anything else I've owned, and it's making me reconsider my whole lineup. I've been thinking about thinning the herd all the way down to two: this Studio 5 and a fretless 6 from FBass. If I were to buy one it would come down to an AC signature 6 or a BNF6 for me; does anyone have some insight on that comparison? I'm not exactly a power user of the advanced search here, so if this has already been discussed at length then I'd appreciate a link to any relevant section!

I prefer natural finishes and I like the idea of matching my fretless to my current bass, in which case a fitting BNF6 would probably be easier to find, and from my experience with the piezo pickups in my SRF706 I don't consider the piezo system a need. That being said, I honestly don't particularly enjoy the sound of that bass in general, so perhaps an AC (presuming that I like its raw acoustic sound much more) would benefit from the piezo system more than my Ibanez does.

It's all more of a long term consideration than an immediate need, but damn am I into the 1990 BNF6 on Reverb right now. I'm a sucker for the older FBasses and that one is stunning.

 

[Growling Woods]

View attachment 4972041

I actually bought this in October but figured I should post! 1999 Studio 5, frankly in somewhat poor condition (just a scratched and stained finish), but I payed a low price and it sounds+feels fantastic. I've actually been using it so much more than my other basses that I'll probably be listing that Mike Lull M4V in the background for sale soon.

I've gotten more compliments on the sound and look of this bass than I have with anything else I've owned, and it's making me reconsider my whole lineup. I've been thinking about thinning the herd all the way down to two: this Studio 5 and a fretless 6 from FBass. If I were to buy one it would come down to an AC signature 6 or a BNF6 for me; does anyone have some insight on that comparison? I'm not exactly a power user of the advanced search here, so if this has already been discussed at length then I'd appreciate a link to any relevant section!

I prefer natural finishes and I like the idea of matching my fretless to my current bass, in which case a fitting BNF6 would probably be easier to find, and from my experience with the piezo pickups in my SRF706 I don't consider the piezo system a need. That being said, I honestly don't particularly enjoy the sound of that bass in general, so perhaps an AC (presuming that I like its raw acoustic sound much more) would benefit from the piezo system more than my Ibanez does.

It's all more of a long term consideration than an immediate need, but damn am I into the 1990 BNF6 on Reverb right now. I'm a sucker for the older FBasses and that one is stunning.

Congrats on your studio! Based on what you said, including not being particularly interested in piezos, I'd recommend a BFN for you. I like having a piezo option in general and just adore my AC. Yes, it does the acoustic piezo thing better than your Ibanez will, but I'd predict you will likely be very happy if you go for the things you already like, but let the Furlanettos do a better job of it than almost anyone else on the planet can. I'm not knocking Ibanez or others who produce good instruments, F Bass simply makes uncommonly great gear.

 

[soong]

Brought the pink BN out yesterday

 

[JRMK]

@soong do you feel that your bn5 is settling down / changed much since day 1 when it was brand new? (I remember the NBD some time ago)

 

[DELACIUS]

This is soooo cool....

Old fbass bn5 (1987) reservee d’occasion

 

[BassJuju]

View attachment 4972041

…from my experience with the piezo pickups in my SRF706 I don't consider the piezo system a need. That being said, I honestly don't particularly enjoy the sound of that bass in general...

I just picked up on the piezo notion in the latest reply, but wanted to add a couple things. I had the SRF705 and there isn’t any comparison to other piezo’s in my opinion. I found that piezo tone to be largely unusable, at least unpleasant, and eschewed other piezo’s because of the experience. Fast forward a few years and I trusted Stradi to make me a good fretless with a Piezo system. I was playing it earlier today and it is just warm and wonderful. I have an AC classic on order and have no doubt the piezo will be excellent there as well.

I had a BNF6 in the past. You can’t go wrong with either choice. Just don’t let the current bass influence your decisions. It isn’t on par with the basses you are entertaining now.

 

[soong]

@soong do you feel that your bn5 is settling down / changed much since day 1 when it was brand new? (I remember the NBD some time ago)

Not noticeably to me. It was great out the box and still plays great.

 

[vinylphile]

Hey all. Been catching up on this thread for the past few weeks, ever since I added this beautiful BN5 to my stable. Absolutely incredible, have barely picked up any other bass since getting it around month ago.

I'd love to join the club!