Most expensive bass?

[Smooth_bass88]

One of these things is not like the other...
View attachment 4512666View attachment 4512667

Right, because the instrument Dylan is holding in the black and white photo was built in the 1960s. The other one was built in 1993.

 

[smtp4me]

View attachment 4512011 Thoughts? Must be true cause the note says?

Someone with enough disposable income might pay that much. A collector, etc. Not me. Never. Not even if it is genuine/authentic. I don't care who played it - it does not do anything different than any other Fender Jazz bass. In fact, with a price tag that high, Bob Dylan himself better come play it for me. Every day. Until one of us is no longer here.

 

[ejaggers]

If it doesn't sell, and they decide to part it out,
I call dibs on the pickguard.....057912

 

[Greywoulf]

It's not offered by some random schmuck on Craigslist. It's sold by Abalone Vintage, a shop that's traded rare and vintage instruments, and offers authentication services as well. They'd then have to fake the serial number, and hope no one is able to call Fender to confirm that "BD03" was in fact a black 60s style Jazz built for Dylan.
And of course, if they're selling it for $116k, chances are they paid a lot for it (I'd assume at least $40k). Do you think they wouldn't check the provenance before paying for it?
It seems unlikely they'd risk a big chunk of capital and trash their reputation among the people who are actually interested in these types of instruments to make a quick buck.
It may not be worth what they're asking, but that doesn't mean they are lying about the provenance.

Well, they're probably not faking it. (-Probably..?) But that doesn't mean Dylan didn't just run his hands over it three or four times to rub off some DNA, and then away it speedily goes to scam collectors of such nonsense. The way 'ethics' are nowadays I wouldn't trust any big or small business (or celebrity) to not be capable of doing shady half-true hustling to make a quick buck!
And as far as this thing goes, why would any bass player or bass aficionado particularly want a bass 'played' by Bob Dylan? It will probably be sold to some naive celebrity worshipper...

I could just see someone trying to show or resell it later then:
Owner: "Hey, I got this $125k bass that was played with by Bob Dylan, -want to see it?"
Real bass player: "-Nah, not really..."

 

[Bob_Ross]

The Tree: The Most Notorious Tonewood in the World - StewMac

Am I being overly pedantic if I point out that it was not Hondoras that became "now Belize" but rather British Honduras?

 

[elgranluis]

The needle on my BS detector broke.

 

[ClusterFlux]

Well, they're probably not faking it. (-Probably..?) But that doesn't mean Dylan didn't just run his hands over it three or four times to rub off some DNA, and then away it speedily goes to scam collectors of such nonsense.

The bass is pristine. The shop doesn't say he used it during a tour or recording. If he had, they would have said so, as that obviously increases the value. There is no question that Gilmour's "Black Strat," which he used extensively in the 70s, is worth more than an essentially identical signature version that he kept as a backup.

It's only a scam if they are lying about its provenance and/or usage.

The way 'ethics' are nowadays I wouldn't trust any big or small business (or celebrity) to not be capable of doing shady half-true hustling to make a quick buck!

Dylan sold his catalog last year, possibly for as much as $300 million. He's not scamming anyone with this. I'd guess he gave the bass away years ago, and it's a few steps away from his ownership now.

I see no indication that society's ethics about collectibles have gone downhill in the past decades.

And as far as this thing goes, why would any bass player or bass aficionado particularly want a bass 'played' by Bob Dylan? It will probably be sold to some naive celebrity worshipper...

There's an entire market of people who purchase collectibles they don't plan to use for their original purpose. The guy who bought McCartney's Yamaha bass for nearly $500,000 isn't planning to play it in his dad band at the local dive bar. He's going to add it to his collection.

Since there is no evidence of deception or fraud, I really don't see why you object. If someone asks a steep price for a collectible, and you have no interest in collectibles, then what's it to you?

 

[TTA]

The bass is pristine. The shop doesn't say he used it during a tour or recording. If he had, they would have said so, as that obviously increases the value. There is no question that Gilmour's "Black Strat," which he used extensively in the 70s, is worth more than an essentially identical signature version that he kept as a backup.

It's only a scam if they are lying about its provenance and/or usage.



Dylan sold his catalog last year, possibly for as much as $300 million. He's not scamming anyone with this. I'd guess he gave the bass away years ago, and it's a few steps away from his ownership now.

I see no indication that society's ethics about collectibles have gone downhill in the past decades.



There's an entire market of people who purchase collectibles they don't plan to use for their original purpose. The guy who bought McCartney's Yamaha bass for nearly $500,000 isn't planning to play it in his dad band at the local dive bar. He's going to add it to his collection.

Since there is no evidence of deception or fraud, I really don't see why you object. If someone asks a steep price for a collectible, and you have no interest in collectibles, then what's it to you?

“Dad band at the local dive bar.”

lol

 

[TTA]

I will say this: i love the bass. My first bass was a black jazz and i added the covers cause they look so amazing. I am in the market for a nice 69’s style jazz. This one checks all my boxes.

and i respect dylan, and it would be mega cool to own a bass he owned… even if hardly played. I would pay a premium.

but not that premium. I would sooner get a bass custom made to those specs.

 

[Greywoulf]

There's an entire market of people who purchase collectibles they don't plan to use for their original purpose. The guy who bought McCartney's Yamaha bass for nearly $500,000 isn't planning to play it in his dad band at the local dive bar. He's going to add it to his collection.
Since there is no evidence of deception or fraud, I really don't see why you object. If someone asks a steep price for a collectible, and you have no interest in collectibles, then what's it to you?

Nothing really... Just generally complaining about today's ethics and culture. If you think any bass guitar that's maybe been slightly touched by any celebrity is worth more than $100k because of it, then that's your world and it's certainly not anything like mine. -Sorry if this irks your bubble...
And anyway this Dylan's bass thing is far less important to me than it seems to be to you? -Why so defensive about this? -Got a connection here somewhere maybe? -Into buying celebrity touched stuff yourself maybe? If so, you'd better learn to enjoy it w/o getting upset over what us poorer folk may say about it, y'know?

 

[ClusterFlux]

Nothing really... Just generally complaining about today's ethics and culture.

On what basis? Obsession with celebrity is as old as mass media (if not older). The collectibles market isn't new either.

I mean... Did you really just find out today that the collectibles market places a value on celebrity...?

If you think any bass guitar that's maybe been slightly touched by any celebrity is worth more than $100k because of it, then that's your world and it's certainly not anything like mine.

Uh, hello? I never said this instrument was worth over $100k. It's worth whatever someone wants to pay for it. If someone wants to try and sell a bass for $100k, that's their business.

Doing so doesn't harm anyone. No one is being compelled to do anything against their will. It's not going to impact the prices of ordinary instruments. It's not going to somehow make celebrity more important.

And of course, we all live in the same world. Just so you know, it's one where David Gilmour's "Black Strat," which is functionally identical to countless guitars already in the world, sold for nearly $4 million; where a Stradivarius violin, which (as proven in blind tests) doesn't sound quite as good as a modern high-end violin, can sell for $7 million or more. It's also one where the first Grand Artist archtop guitar built by John Monteleone can set you back $210,000.... and that's without any celebrity connection.
https://reverb.com/item/37521885-monteleone-1994-grand-artist-147-first-one-ever-built

And anyway this Dylan's bass thing is far less important to me than it seems to be to you?

You're continuing to argue it, and you're literally saying that it's immoral, so... yeah, I don't think that's the case.