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New bass money for old bass?

#21
brianrost said:
Only if the dealer paid less for it wholesale when they got it. Technically it's still new, full warranty, etc. Some dealers discount older basses as demos, some don't. Second guessing dealer pricing isn't worth the effort.
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Yes, it often is, though second guessing here is useless. Asking the dealer for a lower price is perfectly reasonable.
 
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#22
I'll just add this little nugget to the conversation to see what peoples' opinions are. My local GC has had the same Ibanez SR506 hanging on the wall since '06. I know because it was there when the store opened, I've read the serial number, and '06 was a transition year, and it has all of the transition features. So that's 9 years- 9- that this same bass has been hanging there. Basically, it's as old as the store.

Now, this thing is covered in corrosion, has never been set up, is poorly showing its age, and is a general dog of an instrument. Sitting front and center. Not once in 9 years have they lowered the price. In fact, they raised it when the SR line went up.

It wasn't until about a month ago - after I said something to an acquaintance who works there - that they lowered the price. And it's *still* about $100 more than a used one in mint condition.

So, I ask you- is it still "new"?
 
#26
Awesome Sauce said:
I'll just add this little nugget to the conversation to see what peoples' opinions are. My local GC has had the same Ibanez SR506 hanging on the wall since '06. I know because it was there when the store opened, I've read the serial number, and '06 was a transition year, and it has all of the transition features. So that's 9 years- 9- that this same bass has been hanging there. Basically, it's as old as the store.

Now, this thing is covered in corrosion, has never been set up, is poorly showing its age, and is a general dog of an instrument. Sitting front and center. Not once in 9 years have they lowered the price. In fact, they raised it when the SR line went up.

It wasn't until about a month ago - after I said something to an acquaintance who works there - that they lowered the price. And it's *still* about $100 more than a used one in mint condition.

So, I ask you- is it still "new"?
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Nope. And I'd never shop at a store like that, what jerks.
 
#28
Slevage said:
Once a new model year unit (car) hits the market, the old one is NOS---- new old stock. The title of the car tells the story.
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And regardless of whether it's a current year, there's a big difference between a "new" car that is actually in new condition and one that's been test driven by everyone in town...
 
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#30
Slevage said:
Once a new model year unit (car) hits the market, the old one is NOS---- new old stock. The title of the car tells the story.
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There's no designation for that in the car biz. And, for that matter, new cars don't have titles (those are issued to buyers by the state).
A new car is still a new car whether it's a current or prior model year vehicle. Days in stock don't matter either - two otherwise identical vehicles might have been made or distributed at various times throughout or even after the model year.
 
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#32
When I lived outside of Philly, the Sam Ash had a beautiful trans green MTD import. It sat in the store for several years taking abuse from everyone that walked in. As MTD prices rose, the price of this particular bass rose. When it was first received, they were asking $999 for it. I had a coupon but they wouldn't honor it because it was "new stock" About three years later, the price was around $1,299. I offered $800 but they couldn't go below $1,200. Made no sense but whatever. That same bass was then hanging up in the GC down the road as "used, newly arrived" with a price of $999 on it. ***.

Instrument years don't mean a whole lot unless the store wants to move something or features have changed. I bought a new 2007 LE Sterling in 2014 and bought a new 2011 Fender in November 2014. Neither had any shop wear or any signs of being handled.
 
#34
Elderly has 3 new & un-played American Standard P-basses in stock. One is a few years old, in candy cola, and is priced $250 less than the newer sunburst & mystic blue models.
This seems reasonable to me, especially as the bass is mint, and isn't a typical GC or SA "floor model".
I purchased my new P from them just a few weeks ago, and almost grabbed the candy cola because of the lower price, but I ended up paying the extra $250 for the mystic red - the color I really wanted.
 
#35
flojob said:
I was at a Sam Ash looking at p basses. Never owned one, but im in the market and wanted to see how the MIA's feel.
American Standard for the going rate, so no surprise there, but as I was leaving I asked what year it was. The guy told me 2013. Is it normal for places to charge new bass money for something that's 2 years old? Maybe I've never noticed...admittedly, I spend money in the used market.
I've read debates and opinions about what constitutes "new" in music stores, which generally have no new in box stock, so what you see on the wall is the inventory. My question is separate from that. Shouldn't it be a lower price because its a few years old?
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I purchased my first 'good' bass in 1986, it was a 1984 Fender '62 Jazz bass reissue - the store gave a little bit of a break because it fell off the wall and had some slight damage. So, full price 2 yrs. old.
 
#36
It depends on the store. Prices are set based on the retailer's cost and overhead. This determines what their profit margin should be. Just because a bass has been sitting in the store for a year or two doesn't mean that they should discount the price. They still have to make their margin. The bass is still considered new so they have it priced accordingly.
 
#37
I would not mind paying full for a 2 year old instrument that was a shop demo as long as it is still in the same condition as this year's models are, as long as the age does not diminish the value, because the new model is out and it is better in some way. I once got a quite big discount on a new bass because it had two small dings from transport. One was between the knobs and one was on the edge - right at a place where new dings would show up after a bit of use. Retail price was close to 2000 and i paid 1600. I considered that as a steal.
 
#38
The guitar family has New and Used. A shop-owner can buy a new guitar and it may not sell for 2 or 3 years. The stock item is unplayed and still technically new.
Used: instruments of certain quality and cherished models and brand names can easily appreciate in value. Lesser makes and models depreciate in value. However,
financial Inflation can adjust these values over several years. Either way, some serious research is required. Don't jump the gun.
 
#39
brianrost said:
Only if the dealer paid less for it wholesale when they got it. Technically it's still new, full warranty, etc. Some dealers discount older basses as demos, some don't. Second guessing dealer pricing isn't worth the effort.
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This. The difference between buying a new bass from a store and a mint condition like-new bass from CL or the classifieds is its being under warranty, or your being able to return it if there's an issue. Not being able to do that knocks 25% or so off the value immediately, no matter how good the condition. So even if the bass has been hanging in the shop for five years and a thousand people have slapped "higher ground" on it, it's still "new" as far as the terms of purchase go.

The other thing is that actual condition still counts. A thousand people may have slapped higher ground on it, but they haven't had it in and out of cars that were freezing in winter and baking in summer; it hasn't sat in a stand in a house where it might have soaked up tobacco smoke or been peed on by the dog; nobody's spilled soup on it at home or beer on it at a gig. Of course, you can buy used basses on CL that were never taken out of the house, maybe never even played, and are in mint condition. But if it's been in the store all that time, you KNOW none of that stuff has happened with it. The "wear and tear" of being on display in the store is a lot less than of being in someone's possession.
 
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#40
You all make good points, but its hard g or me to wrap my head around. Im in the camp of if its a display model, its not new. I consider new as "new in the box." I guess that's the biz though. I kniw it doesn't make sense as a business model, but I wish the displays were actually displays, having new stuff in the back. Anyway thanks for the thoughts.
 

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