Looking at used basses is just so depressing lately...

[coy garcia]

Don't get depressed guys!
In Argentina we get ~50% annual inflation rate for years, and music instruments cost at least twice the price they have in the US.
And don't you ever try to exchange ARS for USD, because it will make you cry.

We're still hanging here, so don't you get down, there will be better times for all. In the meantime, less buying and more playing.

Be happy!

Thank you for this positive perspective!!

 

[soundtweaker]

I would add U.S. Peavey basses to your list. They strike me as a particularly egregious example since nearly all asking prices have doubled or even tripled, and an essential part of the attraction was that somehow they were made in the USA, good to very good (if not usually fancy), and affordable—that last bit really setting them apart from just about everything. For a while there, a T-40 seemed like a good candidate for a birth year bass (1980), but not at the prices sellers suddenly seem to expect.

I'd really like a 1980 Ric (having been born days before Ace of Spades) but I think that particular pricing ship set adrift from reality sometime ago.

This is almost purely a feeling, but it seems like asking prices on much of the bass gear I regularly check have calmed down a bit in recent weeks. I hope I'm not just getting used to ridiculous prices!

I guess I'm partially to blame for that. I bought a pristine 79 T-40 for $700 and I have it on Craigslist for $1000. I knew the prices would go up once word got out about how good those basses really sound.

 

[Koldunya]

the Jazz Bass Plus Top new for $650 he completely forgot the used bass and focused in selling me that one. BTW, he was probably 19.

Apologies if this was already pointed out, but that's a Guitar-A-Thon sale price that is done today, iirc.

Y'all need to learn to be self sufficient and survive. Start building your own.

Working on it >_>

 

[Maloy Poor]

Hell they didn't even make electric basses in my birth year!!! LOL. I do have to agree with the inflated cost. I will not buy at what they are asking! Just play my old ones and upgrade when needed.

 

[wyleeboxer]

I've got an early 80's Yamaha bb3000s. And even though I would ask $400 more for it now then a couple of years ago it's still not enough to cover the new inflated cost of something else I would like to buy with bass sale funds.. simple math really and yes depressing

 

[Felix Lopez]

 

[Lesfunk]

View attachment 4680386

Beautiful….
Some things are worth paying for. Exhibit A…

 

[User4737557]

View attachment 4680386

I purchased a Torzal Twist 4 string 11 yrs ago for $2500. Today the same model and materials is $4,400.

 

[VikingSD]

... or that lamp, over there.

...or that paddle ball...

 

[User4737557]

Just be glad you're not looking for a used car or truck.

Or HOUSE

 

[MMiller28]

Inflation is based on the CPI. Some items will be higher and some will be lower. But as what's in the CPI basket is based on assumed average consumption, almost everybody's mileage will be somewhat different, as stats only works for populations, not individuals.

Patrick Boyle's YouTube channel is usually pretty good at explaining what's going on and what the implications might be in a clear way:



Note that luxury items don't work according to regular economic rules, and this goes double for basses and other Veblen Goods.

Loved his video on Elon/Twitter

 

[Bill Thorsberg]

Before I speak, no offense to my TB people. Its just so sad whats happening with USED pricing nowadays. I dont want this to get political please but I am just so discouraged with what the used pricing has turned into. So many examples to cite but:
A year ago--
800-900 for a US Fender P or J, now 1200-1800.
200-300 for a Squier CV p or J, now 500-600.
1800-2500 for an Alembic Spoiler, now...no comment.
2200-2800 for an XL/L2, now 3800-5k
1200-1400 for a Spector Euro 4, now 2k+
500-700 for a USA MMSub, now 1100-1200
I get these are asking prices and there are some good deals to be had, and I can go on and on but man this is getting ridiculous..

I get it but there are still deals out there - at the expense of losing the chance to buy it - I see a G&L JB-2 Tribute for $349 w/shipping incl and everything I hear and read about this model is very very good.

 

[jim chapman]

Before I speak, no offense to my TB people. Its just so sad whats happening with USED pricing nowadays. I dont want this to get political please but I am just so discouraged with what the used pricing has turned into. So many examples to cite but:
A year ago--
800-900 for a US Fender P or J, now 1200-1800.
200-300 for a Squier CV p or J, now 500-600.
1800-2500 for an Alembic Spoiler, now...no comment.
2200-2800 for an XL/L2, now 3800-5k
1200-1400 for a Spector Euro 4, now 2k+
500-700 for a USA MMSub, now 1100-1200
I get these are asking prices and there are some good deals to be had, and I can go on and on but man this is getting ridiculous..

Some respondents have mentioned "inflation" as the culprit. But even at 10%, which it is not (yet) that would push a $900 P or J to a grand. not 12 or 18. Many of the newer prices are obviously far above that spread and the real cause is supply and demand. If you can no longer find a $900 Fender you have to pay whatever the seller wants, or do without. But we don't live in a "do without" society as much as we used to, and many people are prepared to pay higher prices than they'd like. Poof! higher prices across the board. Simple economics.

 

[Jim C]

I get it but there are still deals out there - at the expense of losing the chance to buy it - I see a G&L JB-2 Tribute for $349 w/shipping incl and everything I hear and read about this model is very very good.

G&L is the exception to the used pricing rule IMO.
I know first hand as I bought 3 of them used.
The US JB was 1/2 the price of the exact same model new and was dead mint.
Probably a fluke but the neck on the JB2 Tribute is not good.

 

[koshey]

Before I speak, no offense to my TB people. Its just so sad whats happening with USED pricing nowadays. I dont want this to get political please but I am just so discouraged with what the used pricing has turned into. So many examples to cite but:
A year ago--
800-900 for a US Fender P or J, now 1200-1800.
200-300 for a Squier CV p or J, now 500-600.
1800-2500 for an Alembic Spoiler, now...no comment.
2200-2800 for an XL/L2, now 3800-5k
1200-1400 for a Spector Euro 4, now 2k+
500-700 for a USA MMSub, now 1100-1200
I get these are asking prices and there are some good deals to be had, and I can go on and on but man this is getting ridiculous..

That is absolutely crazy these days..
The same with the Bicycle market=) and with real estate

 

[Baron von Basso]

I would add U.S. Peavey basses to your list. They strike me as a particularly egregious example since nearly all asking prices have doubled or even tripled, and an essential part of the attraction was that somehow they were made in the USA, good to very good (if not usually fancy), and affordable—that last bit really setting them apart from just about everything. For a while there, a T-40 seemed like a good candidate for a birth year bass (1980), but not at the prices sellers suddenly seem to expect.

I'd really like a 1980 Ric (having been born days before Ace of Spades) but I think that particular pricing ship set adrift from reality sometime ago.

This is almost purely a feeling, but it seems like asking prices on much of the bass gear I regularly check have calmed down a bit in recent weeks. I hope I'm not just getting used to ridiculous prices!

You beat me to it. I have my beloved T40, but would like to add a T60 from the same year and I'm certainly not against an additional T 40, but heck no! Some decent deals still exist but it shouldn't be this hard to find.

 

[Walk The Dogs]

At the same time, I have found that if you avoid playing the online marketplace game, deal in cash, cut out the fee grabbers and deal person-to-person, there are plenty of deals to be had.

Bingo. It's more work of course but that's how I got my cherry 1960 P bass for "just" $4k three years ago. What the trading sites are selling is convenience for both buyer and seller. But they're also dealing with a lot of informed people on both sides who know the current market prices.

I intend to make inflation work for me when I put my (very rare according to Joey Lauricella) short scale, mid-80s vintage Fodera six string for sale.

 

[BrassedOn]

At the risk of sounding political, a certain someone was talking about musician gear at the time:
"Do what you can, with what you have, where you are."
Theodore Roosevelt (who credited Squire Bill Widener)
I find this comforting when I have GAS.

As others noted, the silver lining is, if you've got some anchor in the closet that no longer inspires you, there may be someone looking for just that thing. At the startof the pandemic there was a bit of a bass'demic and I picked up a couple deals. But now my focu$ and energie$ are going towards my DB, some BG gotta go.

 

[Felix Lopez]

And please… let's not forget to be grateful, We have many things to be grateful for

 

[Daddy-R]

I feel you. I've always wanted to buy a birth year bass, in my case 1963. Although I can afford a pre-CBS Fender I'm not sure I can justify it anymore.
View attachment 4676884

How about me? Born in 1945 - nothing out there, maybe my HS Graduation year, 1963, year I was drafted, 1965. Maybe just hang on to the one I use and sell the ones I don't use (for a hefty profit) Decisions, decisions