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How to get discontinued basses?

#21
You can set eBay up to alert you when someone puts one up. Don't remember how to do it, but I still get alerts for "Revell Motorcycle" that I've been getting for about 7 years now. I was looking to buy some specific motorcycle models I built as a kid, and never turned off the alerts.
 
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#22
40Hz said:
FWIW I found the TB classifieds are the best place for spotting things I'm interested in getting. GC used is good as is Reverb, although Reverb's prices are usually on the high side. eBay blows hot and cold and is definitely plagued by clueless amateur flippers and a fair share of scammers - so caveat emptor when using eBay.
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This is pretty much the gist of it. I look at GC classifieds every week with keywords for what I'm looking for. eBay has deals now and then but so many brick and mortar stores have moved in it's more like a storefront than a flea market like it was 10-12 years ago. Reverb? I bought a defective bass from them, and they stayed completely out of the dispute, not wanting to take sides. I got tired of the runaround and filed a PayPal claim. Within a week it was settled. Reverb is always expensive and I've seen sellers list shipping at $150!!!! For shipping a bass?

Also Craigslist. But buy through PayPal never send cash or email cash if the seller doesn't have a history. I found a great little Peavey bass amp on Craigslist Portland and the guy had a PayPal account. I called him, we talked and I paid. Got a super clean classic amp for peanuts. Watch out for scammers though.
 
#23
40Hz said:
If you want to play the 'out of production' market my advice is bank the cash, be patient, put a stake in the ground as far as condition and price are concerned, and move very quickly when you finally do find something that meets your criteria.
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This is excellent advice. In addition I'd reiterate what other have suggested, which is to upgrade to a paid membership here at TB.com, then post in the "Want To Buy" thread. It may take a little while, and you'll have to keep bumping your post, but I've personally had pretty great luck there.
 
#25
mpdd said:
If I found a mint 82 L1000 a half hour from my house after 5 days of searching, I believe you can find anything with a little luck and some patience
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Agree with the above completely.

Chance favors the prepared. 50% of success is having all your ducks in a row when an opportunity comes along. The other 50% is being there when it does.

Advance preparation and planning takes care of the first part of the equation. Having patience takes care of the rest.
 
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#26
Joe Nerve said:
You can set eBay up to alert you when someone puts one up. Don't remember how to do it, but I still get alerts for "Revell Motorcycle" that I've been getting for about 7 years now. I was looking to buy some specific motorcycle models I built as a kid, and never turned off the alerts.
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Exactly right. Finally scored a certain instrument I was looking for courtesy of an eBay keyword alert. Took two years before one that matched exactly what I wanted at a price I was willing to pay appeared. But I would have never seen it without the alert.

Moral: Use every tool at your disposal.
 
#28
Here are some current listings

Ibanez SR1500 Bass Guitar | eBay
https://www.ebay.com/itm/332429801574

Looking back through my eBay alert emails over the past couple months there seems to constantly be one or two sr1500 available at any given time. They aren't that rare. It's as easy as googling sr1500 to find many buying choices. Even in Europe.
 
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#30
EpicMcDude said:
Hello fellow bassists!

So I'm wondering how many have gotten lucky with getting their hands on a discontinued bass, a bass that is no longer sold new but rather the last units are sold around in the second-hand market. I've been looking for an Ibanez SR1500 for the past 4 months but it was discontinued pretty early in it's life cycle, made in the early 90's, and now it has become somewhat of a rarity.

Was wondering if anyone has any tips or help on how to get your hands on discontinued basses? Or if you could share stories of how you came about owning a 'rare' bass, maybe it'll help.
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Here..let me Reverb that for you...

Ibanez SR1500BG Soundgear | The Guitar Farm
 
#31
Also there is a "want to buy" section here. Type up a listing and post it. Anyone can post want to buy but only subscribers can see the listings. I know it works because I used it to find my current cab. Deal went through smooth as glass. Gotta love TB
 
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#32
I've owned my SR885 for 25 years. It still plays and sounds great. It has a padauk top.

Fls6A8h_d.jpg
 
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#33
Killed_by_Death said:
If you have a paid subscription here you can specify keywords that will alert you when "SR1500" appears in the title of a classified bass ad.

https://www.talkbass.com/account/upgrades

"Adds Keyword Alerts"


also, I've sent you a PM
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That's why I'm no longer getting alerts for the '62 AVRI Jazz... next, they're gonna take my sense of humor away...

... hey, wait a sec...

Edit: Just checked my account... old 'alert' was still listed... deleted the old, and created a new one... I'm sure I slipped through the cracks...
 
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#35
set a saved search on ebay that will email you - ebay is where i've found most of my new/old stock or b stock discontinued basses. and as others have said, the classifieds here are another good way. you could even post a "bass wanted" listing, and another member may have what you're looking for.
 
#37
Hey all, thanks very much for the help.

I'm not gonna quote everyone since it'd make huuuge post but really thank you, super helpful. I just wanna say that my obsession with this bass is not that it has the best gear, the best pickups, neck-wood, body etc I just find the bass incredibly sexy, I never played on a bass that was all wood, furthermore have all these 'exotic' woods. Ever since I saw it I can't stop thinking about it (you know the feeling), I just love the way it sounds, the way it looks and I wanna marry it.

hypercarrots said:
Consider the 94-97 sr1300. Similar specs. I think they are more common.
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You're right, and they do look similar. I'll search around for that bass right now.

I've also added to my bookmarks the GuitarCenter site, I didn't know they actually shipped to Europe.

40Hz said:
Most of what I like is older and no longer made so I can relate.

If you want to play the 'out of production' market my advice is bank the cash, be patient, put a stake in the ground as far as condition and price are concerned, and move very quickly when you finally do find something that meets your criteria.

FWIW I found the TB classifieds are the best place for spotting things I'm interested in getting. GC used is good as is Reverb, although Reverb's prices are usually on the high side. eBay blows hot and cold and is definitely plagued by clueless amateur flippers and a fair share of scammers - so caveat emptor when using eBay.
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This is some of the best advice I've read. I didn't really plan out HOW I would be acquiring the bass, because the sales listing people have linked to in this thread have the bass go from $300 to $800, the it's a huge price fluctuation and most of them don't ship to Europe.

I guess the bass is actually available pretty easily, I'm just not prepared to spend close to $1000 when I could definitely find a better deal, I guess that's what's actually been holding me off, I haven't put a stake in the ground as you say because I don't know how much I'm actually willing to spend on it. The eBay offers are tempting but both of them don't have the 4 knobs and the wood on the Japanese seller looks different, but that might be the lighting.

But anyways, if you guys can find and buy rarer stuff than I guess I can as well.

TolerancEJ said:
I've owned my SR885 for 25 years. It still plays and sounds great. It has a padauk top.

View attachment 2803649
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And that SR885 is shaging beautiful, how does it play? Do you still use it regularly?
 
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#38
The 4 knobs is only the us version with the emg pickups. Since you're in Europe you'll most likely see the version with the power curve eq and ibz USA pickups. Look at my post again as I've listed all the specs and pics of the catalogs and listed the differences between the us and Europe/Japan versions.

Ibanez made a lot of basses in the 90s and beyond with mahogany wenge bubinga padauk walnut maple etc combinations. You don't have to limit yourself to the sr1500. Here are some others which are similar and you've got many pickups and preamps and neck and body wood combos to choose from. Here's a partial list
89-92 sr924
92-94,96 sr2000
93-97 sr1300
94-97 sr900
94-98 sr1000
96 sr1100ka this one's rare
96-99 sr5000
97 sr7000mw
97-99 sr1010
98 sr4000mm
98-99 sr910
99 sr990qs
99-04 sr3000
05-08 sr1000efm
05-07 sr1000ewn
08 sr2000e
09-17 sr5000
11-13 sr750
11-15 sr1200e
11-17 sr1400e
13-14 sr1600
14-17 sr1800e
15-17 sr750
16-17 sr1300e
16-17 sr1900e
 
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#39
EpicMcDude said:
I guess the bass is actually available pretty easily, I'm just not prepared to spend close to $1000 when I could definitely find a better deal,
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That's the beginning of all wisdom when it comes to this market. So you already know the most important thing you need to know. Just because you could doesn't mean you should. Even if you can afford it.

Awhile back I decided I was finally going to get the Peavey T-40 I wished I bought back when they were still in production. I had a very definite idea of the most I was willing to spend ($600 for one in excellent condition) and started my search. Took a little over a year to find exactly what I was looking for. Saw several during the search that were close, but were either too expensive, or didn't meet my criteria for the condition. But I eventually found one for significantly less than my maximum price in far better condition than I had hoped. So it all worked out for the best in the end.

I wasn't quite so lucky about getting the Gibson Victory I've been looking for. Finally spotted the absolutely perfect one (single previous owner, all original, in near mint condition) that had just been listed. I made my move, but got beat out by someone who also jumped on it a literal handful of minutes before I did. Was I extremely disappointed? You betcha! But you have to play the long game sometimes. I've been waiting for the right Victory to come along for about 25 years now. I can wait longer. It's not like I have an immediate need to get one. Next time maybe I'll be more lucky. And if not, it's not like it's the end of the world.

Happy hunting. :):thumbsup:
 

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