One man's trash is another man's treasure...

[Jim C]

I've only bought a few new basses and they were perfect, finish wise.
The first few times out are unnerving as I don't want to scratch anything.
I'll take a little bump, scratch, pup swirl for $100 discount any day.
I'm done with collector instruments; they all get played in clubs although I won't take the 60' just anywhere.

 

[40Hz]

I’m pretty much function driven when it comes to musical instruments. Cosmetics are about six or seven down on my list of things to consider when it comes to buying a bass. If I like the sound and the way it plays, I can tolerate a fair amount of superficial imperfections. If it results in a substantial price discount I can tolerate such (to me at least) trivial imperfections even more.

Part of it might be because I tend to be most interested in stuff that’s been out of production for awhile. Which means most of the stuff I want to buy needs to be purchased used.

As you can probably guess, if you insist on old gear being in absolute mint condition before you buy it, you’d either better be extremely lucky in your searches, or plan on doing without 49 times out of 50 at best.

 

[hennessybass]

I once bought this body at a pretty deep discount

And I built this bass with it.

Didn't bother me, and I would jump at the opportunity to buy something at a discount that had a "blemish." I guess it depends, but the stuff the OP posted - doesn't bother me one bit.

I traded that bass I put together - maybe the only thing I really regret getting rid of, and I've owned, traded, and sold some stuff.

 

[DrThumpenstein]

Got a deal on a new black Michael Kelly 5-string ABG that had a scratch on the front. Sounded exactly like the one that wasn't scratched but it was in the store for a while and I got it for about half price. One swipe with a sharpie and no one ever noticed except when I pointed it out. I played it for 10 years off and on before I finally traded it for my Lakland J. Got $70 less than I had paid for it, which works out to $7 a year for a decent bass.

I never really did bond with that bass, but I did keep it for 10 years so I guess I gave it a fair chance. I sure love that Lakie, though, so that bargain served me well.

 

[leegreenman]

As long as the deal is right, I prefer buying an instrument with a minor cosmetic flaw or two. Decreases my anxiety about the inevitable first ding.

 

[wesker]

If it works it works:

 

[Pdaddy1978]

I ABSOLUTELY POSITIVELY would accept those flaws if they came with a nice big discount!!

 

[Fender_Bender]

As someone who’s literally spent time going through dumpsters, I approve of all measures to save a dollar .

 

[IamGroot]

I’ve done that with so many. One I’ve kept is an “offset neck” Alvarez Dana bass that I got for $50, a few years ago.
View attachment 3826578

24 frets for the win.

 

[IamGroot]

Blems are to basses what pimples are to humans.

A pimple in the wrong spot can kill the mood instantly.

 

[dbsfgyd1]

View attachment 3826569 Have you ever bought an instrument at deep discount because it had a flaw that you either didn't care about or was easily fixed? I bought a Player Precision off Sam Ash that had been returned. Within seconds, I understood what the previous owner's beef was... Horrible buzzing on the A string. The nut was cut incorrectly. I did a fix with super glue and baking soda which worked but ultimately just replaced the nut with a TUSQ. So, for $12 it became a perfectly playable bass. The other two pictured are a finish flaw (Telecaster Deluxe) and a dent (Performer Jazz), both of which are on the rear or bottom of the instruments. For a big markdown in price, I have absolutely no problem with that. Two questions... Is a rear blemish a deal-breaker for you?... and have you ever felt like you scored on an instrument purchase because of some defect that didn't bother you? Pictures encouraged but not necessary.

Give me enough time with an instrument and it’s going to get blemished anyway. So no, as long as it is presentable and it’s a great sounding instrument, I’m cool with scratch and slight dents.

 

[AudioTaper]

I picked up my Rickenbacker 4003s from Sweetwater at a substantial discount. It has a ding on the edge of the body near the jack plate, otherwise it's perfect. The ding doesn't bother me in the least. I think I ended up paying $1000 for it .View attachment 3826605

I had a 1968 Fender Dual Showman head gives to me because it needed new tubes and caps.
I had a Bassman 10 (1973 year of manufacture?) just like GodofThunder59 has in his picture for only $35 because it also needed tubes and caps.
There were a number of other great deals, but those were the two must noteworthy.

 

[MYLOWFREQ]

All of my basses have some sort of a blemish. Currently I have something like 17 basses, and not even single one of them was bought brand new. I owned 2 basses in my entire life that were brand new, both of which I don't own anymore. OP, great score there!

 

[Ric5]

View attachment 3826569 Have you ever bought an instrument at deep discount because it had a flaw that you either didn't care about or was easily fixed? I bought a Player Precision off Sam Ash that had been returned. Within seconds, I understood what the previous owner's beef was... Horrible buzzing on the A string. The nut was cut incorrectly. I did a fix with super glue and baking soda which worked but ultimately just replaced the nut with a TUSQ. So, for $12 it became a perfectly playable bass. The other two pictured are a finish flaw (Telecaster Deluxe) and a dent (Performer Jazz), both of which are on the rear or bottom of the instruments. For a big markdown in price, I have absolutely no problem with that. Two questions... Is a rear blemish a deal-breaker for you?... and have you ever felt like you scored on an instrument purchase because of some defect that didn't bother you? Pictures encouraged but not necessary.

you have the more expensive reliced version of the bass

 

[Dark Horse]

I used to work at a music store that would get “seconds” in regularly. Often times you couldn’t find a flaw in them. We found that if you put a “second” out at a deep discount price and people couldn't SEE what was wrong with it, they wouldn’t buy it for fear it was a big issue. We actually would have to put a small scratch or ding in an inconspicuous place on the instrument so we could “show” them what was wrong .... and they’d buy them instantly.

psychology is a funny thing.

 

[Max Bogosity]

My first decent bass was a violently red CIJ Fender Jaguar which I bought on eBay for a very reasonable price. It looked like it had fallen over face-first on the floor - paint chips, a dented fret, and half the switches punched into the pick guard. About twenty minutes work set it right except for the cosmetics, and I’ve played it for about a decade since.

 

[Greenstreet]

I got $100 off on a cosmetic flaw, which I was fine with, especially since I was already planning on stripping it and refinishing.

When it was delivered, I spent about 45 minutes looking for the flaw. I couldn't find one. I had a few friends try to find the flaw, and they couldn't find it either.

I stripped it anyway. So it goes.

.

 

[shadven]

I picked up my Rickenbacker 4003s from Sweetwater at a substantial discount. It has a ding on the edge of the body near the jack plate, otherwise it's perfect. The ding doesn't bother me in the least. I think I ended up paying $1000 for it .View attachment 3826605

Tell me about the Bassman 10? Is a gigable amp? Is it loud enough? Does it break up in a musical way?

 

[BenTheBassGuy]

I love a roughed-up, beat-down, hacked-together bass that isnt much to look at but plays like a dream and sounds amazing.

 

[AudioTaper]

I used to work at a music store that would get “seconds” in regularly. Often times you couldn’t find a flaw in them. We found that if you put a “second” out at a deep discount price and people couldn't SEE what was wrong with it, they wouldn’t buy it for fear it was a big issue. We actually would have to put a small scratch or ding in an inconspicuous place on the instrument so we could “show” them what was wrong .... and they’d buy them instantly.

psychology is a funny thing.

Nice, I never thought of doing that. We got a skid of Seagull "blems" at the store one year. The color didnt take to the back as well as they would have liked so they were super cheap. Literally nothing else wrong with them, and the backs honestly looked fine.
I should have bought one now that I'm thinking about it....