Man music stuff has gotten expensive

[kevmac]

Yeah. I've got 19 basses, acquired over 20 years or so. I played for several years before that, but the early aughts is when I stopped trading stuff off, for the most part. Some of them are high end, some of them are budget line, but I think most players would agree that "budget line" in 2021 is still pretty damn good, relative to budget instruments from 30 years ago.

But still...I live my life pretty cheaply. I drive an old car that's paid for, I don't really spend money on clothes. I do spoil my kids, but as far as spending money on myself, bass gear is my one hobby/expenditure.

Back in the day things like mortgage payments,kids clothes,braces and so on kept me playing my G&L SB-2 (about $250.-300 bucks) and a Carvin 100watt head +1x15"cab.In 1984 bringing in about 4 and change an hour.Then the part time job and gigging 2 to 3 nights a week.But those were happy times.We do what we can to get by.Life's cruel now that in retirement I can afford most of what I dreamt of looking through Bass Player magazine back in the day.Thing is now I'm all dressed up with nowhere to go.

 

[kevmac]

Generally speaking, there is about a 3% inflation rate every year here in the USA. Doesn't seem like much but in time, it becomes significant. Around 30% a decade. Yes, stuff does get more and more expensive. (Wages also go up or at least they are supposed to.)

On Google, we can find Inflation Calculator. It is interesting to see the value of the 2021 USA Dollar compared to 50 years ago.

Back in the mid 60s, a Fender Bass was about $300. That would be about equal to $2,500 in today's money.

On the other hand, today we can buy a Squier Bass for about $330 which in mid 60s money would be about, $42. As an old "boomer", let me tell you that there were no $42 basses back when I was a kid.

So, in a way, music gear is cheaper today than ever before.

Yesterday, in Columbus, Ohio Craigslist, I saw someone selling an Ibanez Bass for $25. That got snapped up quickly!

So, today a USA made Fender is more or less selling for about the same price as it did in the mid 60s, when we take into account inflation.

Used gear is the best value!

A when one looks at a decent Harley Benton Jazz bass and what you get for under 200 bucks.I couldn't find value like that back then when the technology didn't exist.

 

[Frank Vozak]

I realize I haven't bought anything new since my Fender American Standard Jazz bass in 2006 or 2007 but things are so much now. Every 5 string I look at, new or used, is thousands or close to 2k.

Amplifiers? Bergantino is like buying a house. Others are no better, including Aguilar or ampeg. Traynor? I had to get up off the floor. I guess $500 for my Eden WT405 in 2005 may be comparable to today, but I don't know. I do know it's 16 pounds.

I see you guys with 10 amps, 20 basses and think, wow. Then someone will post a thinning the heard bass, that costs 3.5k.

I never realized I was among so many rich people here on Talk Bass.

I have two basses and two amps. If I thin the herd then I will have no herd.

Thanks for reading

You are not kidding. Anything made in the US is over a thousand dollars. The good olde days when you could get a new Fender bass between 250 and 500 dollars is long gone

 

[StatesideRambler]

You are not kidding. Anything made in the US is over a thousand dollars. The good olde days when you could get a new Fender bass between 250 and 500 dollars is long gone

So are the $2.50-$3.00/hr wages you saved to buy them.

 

[Frank Vozak]

So are the $2.50-$3.00/hr wages you saved to buy them.

Valid point