P bass help...

[Bartholomewpro]

Ok so it's time for me to upgrade.
I have Fender Jazz.
I really want a P bass.
I am selling one of my vintage guitars so I can buy it.
But
I want a high quality PBass that will most likely retain it's value or appreciate. From the price range of $2000-$3000
It has to be a Fender because we have an artist thing with them. Plus I am not a big fan of the way other basses look

(Shallow I know)


What should I be hunting for? What are good years for P basses? Where can I get something like this?

Thanks for ya'll time

 

[bongomania]

The only basses that appreciate in value are pre-CBS Fender P and J in unmodified all-original condition. Those go for more than $3K, and most of the ones you see on Ebay and around the web are fakes. Very clever, almost impossible to discern fakes.

Every other bass will just go down in value the instant you buy it, apart from some odd fluctuations in collectability now and then. So basically, just forget about that whole idea of retaining value or appreciating. It's unrealistic to an extreme.

That said, there are tons of truly great P basses out there, from nearly every year. And there are duds and dogs from nearly every year too. Fender produces a lot of basses.

So the very best thing by far is to cherry-pick. Shop around, visit as many Fender dealers as possible, make some phone calls, and keep a keen eye on the TB classifieds. When you see a respected TB'er with high positive feedback offering a "cherry" of a P bass, snap it up.

Your post makes it seem like you might be an ideal Fender Custom Shop customer. Just be aware that even they turn out some "average" non-inspiring instruments sometimes, so you have to cherry pick even from the Custom Shop.

 

[Bartholomewpro]

Thanks for the help!

What about the American Vintage 62' ??