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Possible Trade - Advice

quilanthegreat

quilanthegreat

Oct 23, 2014
332
928
39
Seattle, WA
#1
Someone is interested in trading me a lightly used MIM Precision Bass for an older Mesa Boogie Powerhouse 2x10. It's not my main cab - in fact I am not sure I really care for it all that much. I currently have a higher end Nash P-Bass, and I would ideally like to have 2 P-Basses, one with Flats and the other with Rounds.

My question is this: Do you all think I would be getting the short end of the stick in this deal? Mesa Cabs purchased new are much more expensive than new MIM P-Basses, so am I getting ripped off as far as resale value is concerned? I understand it could be apples and oranges as I am trading a cab for an instrument, and the answer is completely dependent on which I need more, but would any of you make the trade? Thanks for the feedback.

Also, P-Bass is Midnight Wine and I would immediately put a black pick-guard on it.
 
#2
It's always a good policy to find a common denominator for trades, the most obvious being cash value. Determine the worth of both items in terms of replacement cost. If your cab is higher, don't trade, rather sell it outright if you no longer need/want it and go shopping for a P bass. If the bass offered is worth more, or if you have a fondness for this particular instrument, trade and be happy. Hope this helps. Have a great day.
 
#3
Have you played the bass?
I recently bought a 60th anniversary P bass and it sounded good in the store (beautiful bass in Lake Placid Blue with a black pickguard, a maple fretboard and a Babicz bridge) and when I put GHS tapewounds on it...wow, incredible! Now I know what all the P bass fuss is about.
I definitely would've made a trade for it instead of paying $400...I really don't care about resale value, myself.

Regardless, Midnight Wine is one of my favorite colors...I'd put a red pearl pickguard on it but they definitely look good with black pickguards.
If the bass feels good, plays good and sounds good, go for it.
 
#4
It's always a good policy to find a common denominator when trading, cash value being the best. If your cab is worth more and it's expendable, better to sell it outright and go P bass shopping. If the offered P bass is worth more or if it's close and you have a fondness for this particular instrument, trade and be happy. Hope this helps, have a great day.
 
#5
jamro217 said:
It's always a good policy to find a common denominator when trading, cash value being the best. If your cab is worth more and it's expendable, better to sell it outright and go P bass shopping. If the offered P bass is worth more or if it's close and you have a fondness for this particular instrument, trade and be happy. Hope this helps, have a great day.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the advice! I have not played the instrument yet, and I know MIM basses are very hit and miss. Hopefully this one is a hit = )
 

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