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How important is having the original hardshell case to you?

#162
smtp4me said:
To each his own. But I don't get it - the bass is the most important part of the equation. It might be important to have A case, but not THE case. The only reason I can think of is that he is considering resale value later - but if that is true, why purchase "one of the best basses he's played ever" in the first place?
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Honestly after thinking about it, he probably was just hyping up the fact that he played a vintage, couldn't afford it, and used the case as an easy excuse as to why he didn't/couldn't buy it.

Still, though, I've really enjoyed reading everyone's input on the situation.
 
#164
SleepyShark said:
A buddy of mine recently passed up a vintage P Bass that was, in his words, one of the best basses he’s ever played because it didn’t include the original hardshell case and that was the big dealbreaker for him.

His choice at the end of the day, but I think he’ll regret it. I feel like if it played and felt how I wanted I could get a new hardshell case from Fender. Thoughts? Do you feel the same way Is it a resale value thing for you? An authenticity thing?
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Disclaimer: I haven't read all the posts, but anyway.....$0.02

You didn't specify, but if it was a pre-CBS Fender, then originality is the key factor in determining it's value. You are after all, mainly paying for a "collectors item". Like all collectors items, everything affects value, even seemingly minute details like virgin solder joints, original screws, etc.

So of course, an OHSC factors into the value of those old Fender guitars. That's why an original Fender tweed, brown tolex, or '63 white/black tolex case can command several hundred dollars all by itself.

The degree of originality, along with condition and rarity, determine the value. If a seller is asking "full originality" price for an item that is not fully original, then it's over-priced. If the price can't be negotiated down to where it should be, then you either walk, or pay extra and absorb the loss. Either path may make perfect sense to a buyer, depending on their level of interest.
 
#165
The only one that I would pitch a fit about is the original HSC for the old Peavey basses from the late 70's and early 80's. Those thing were built like a freaking bomb shelter. I had a Peavey T20 as my first bass (in 1985) and it had the original case for it. It wouldn't fit lengthwise across the back seat of my mom's car at the time.
 
#166
bassdude51 said:
On a valuable or collectible bass, the OHSC is very important to me but it's not a deal breaker! I do expect the selling price to reflect that the case is gone.

About 8 years ago, I bought a 1966 Fender CAR P Bass. No case. No biggie. About a year and a half later, I found a '66 OHSC on eBay for under $100. No one showed much interest in the case and I won the bid at an excellent price.

Point is, we can almost always find an OHSC, sooner or later on eBay or Reverb.com or Craigslist. And if we can't find the case, we can always live with and enjoy the bass that we bought minus the case.
View attachment 2958764
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NI-I-I-ICE!!
 
#169
@B-Mac @BK bassist @shortscalesrule
I'd love to start a BCD (bassists with compulsive disorders, and in alphabetic order) club, though maybe "support group" would be a better definition? However, I fear there are so many different manifestations that as many people would be compelled to stay away as would join.
 
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#171
whero said:
@B-Mac @BK bassist @shortscalesrule
I'd love to start a BCD (bassists with compulsive disorders, and in alphabetic order) club, though maybe "support group" would be a better definition? However, I fear there are so many different manifestations that as many people would be compelled to stay away as would join.
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Just make sure you wash your hands first.........a few times............
 
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#172
selowitch said:
Awwwww, that's sweet. I love kitties!
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Me too! They are quite tasty in General Tso Chicken! Yum!

Flickr_preppybyday_4665999863--General_Tso's_Chicken.jpg
 
#173
bassdude51 said:
On a valuable or collectible bass, the OHSC is very important to me but it's not a deal breaker! I do expect the selling price to reflect that the case is gone.

About 8 years ago, I bought a 1966 Fender CAR P Bass. No case. No biggie. About a year and a half later, I found a '66 OHSC on eBay for under $100. No one showed much interest in the case and I won the bid at an excellent price.

Point is, we can almost always find an OHSC, sooner or later on eBay or Reverb.com or Craigslist. And if we can't find the case, we can always live with and enjoy the bass that we bought minus the case.
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ditto here. Some of my basses did not come with original gig bags / hard cases but I subsequently wanted to reunite with period-correct ones and got the opportunity to do that. It's always a good feeling to re-unite a rare bass with the correct case (to me anyway).
 
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#175
Chasing an obscure period correct case can lead to interesting stories. For example that rare 60's Guild gig bag I found on ebay 5 years ago. Apparently Hersh Hamel (Chet Baker's bass player) kept his '56 Fender Precision inside it but subsequent owner parted with the bag on ebay while looking for an original '56 tweed case. I got it and it's now reunited with the correct bass
 

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#176
What do you consider vintage? The older the bass, the more I’d like to have the original case.
i.e. pre-CBS 1st, then 60s. 70s wouldn’t hurt. 80s and on-not so much.
I’d be mildly disappointed to not get the original case with a “vintage” Pre-CBS or ‘60s bass, but would never pass up a “player” because of it!
Haven’t used a HSC for 25 years. Before that, that’s just what you did.
(also depends how your transporting your bass / equipment, though)
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In the past, many scientific studies have been conducted analyzing this very topic.
These studies have all yielded strikingly similar results, which are summarized in the graph below.
Coincidently, this graph also reflects the majority of the comment posted so far.
case importance chart.JPG
 
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#180
SleepyShark said:
A buddy of mine recently passed up a vintage P Bass that was, in his words, one of the best basses he’s ever played because it didn’t include the original hardshell case and that was the big dealbreaker for him.

His choice at the end of the day, but I think he’ll regret it. I feel like if it played and felt how I wanted I could get a new hardshell case from Fender. Thoughts? Do you feel the same way Is it a resale value thing for you? An authenticity thing?
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If it's an "investment", I can see the desire for everything original.
If it's a player, I could give a rat's @$$ about the case.
 

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