In October 1975, I bought a brand-new white 4001 for $270 and a beat-up EB-0 that I paid $100 for. Money was from working at Jack-in-the-Box. Played the hell out of that bass.
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Prices of 70s basses
- Thread starter Darko74
- Start date
In October 1975, I bought a brand-new white 4001 for $270 and a beat-up EB-0 that I paid $100 for. Money was from working at Jack-in-the-Box. Played the hell out of that bass.
I guess you saw 7,300 as an *asking price*. Real selling prices for 70's basses are much lower than that.
Just to point out that the OP said €7k in euros… and the market and prices are very different outside the USA.
about 2019 I was looking at a vintage 64-66 era p bass or a refin 61-64 and turned down some 69 ones that were in my budget …
The same budget now would struggle to find a 76-80 p bass - which is odd as I had been under the impression they were considered dogs to avoid
about 2019 I was looking at a vintage 64-66 era p bass or a refin 61-64 and turned down some 69 ones that were in my budget …
The same budget now would struggle to find a 76-80 p bass - which is odd as I had been under the impression they were considered dogs to avoid
My bass I bought in Ireland for 2500 but the one I saw on on an American website
1970 P. 8 lbs. Straight neck. Plays flawlessly; as nice or better than modern boutiques I've tried. That said, probably would not pay current prices for it. (paid under 3k 13 years ago).
I have a 71 Fender P bass that I bought many years ago for 2400. Super light with C neck straight as an arrow. It is an amazing Bass but I would never pay what it is worth today.
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Going for and sold for are two different things.
I've got a spotless 1972 Fender Jazz I can't seem to find someone with $5000 to buy it.
I think it's a combination of long time players getting older, young kids not picking up the mantle and learning an instrument and people just not having the money to buy the real thing when China is pumping out "same thing, just cheaper", instruments.
I seems more people would rather have 10 $300 basses than one $3000 bass.
I've got a spotless 1972 Fender Jazz I can't seem to find someone with $5000 to buy it.
I think it's a combination of long time players getting older, young kids not picking up the mantle and learning an instrument and people just not having the money to buy the real thing when China is pumping out "same thing, just cheaper", instruments.
I seems more people would rather have 10 $300 basses than one $3000 bass.
I would love a '69 P but the "cheap" ones are asking 5k and usually refin, modified or missing alot of original parts, or a combination of those. Nice ones are up over 7k and seem to sit.
I'm not paying 7k for a '69 P. What hurts is, they're only going to get more expensive from here so unless one falls into my lap I'll be happy with the '93 MIJ I have.
I'm not paying 7k for a '69 P. What hurts is, they're only going to get more expensive from here so unless one falls into my lap I'll be happy with the '93 MIJ I have.
I remember the early 90's and cruising pawn shops for basses. Spot on. I would walk past the $200-$300 70's Fender basses to get to the $500-$650 70's Rics. Golden Pawn in Tulsa…the one on 11th and Peoria I believe that was two stories…I remember walking upstairs and they had 70's Fenders hanging on the wall as you walked up into a room full of amps, cabs, and basses that an average kid could afford. I wouldn't even stop as I walked upstairs to see what Ampeg amps they had and Ric basses were hanging in a corner. They kept the vintage stuff behind the counter, but the 70's Fenders were plentiful and cheap cheap. I certainly regret not picking out a few of the best ones. I bet if you had $1000 in cash, you could have went home with 4 70's Fenders.
Bought my first Ric in 1993 for $400 with case - 77 4001 Jetglo at a different pawn shop on 11th. I clearly remember them having a CAR 63 or 64 J behind the counter on display. $3500!! Might as well have been $35000 for my broke ass. I put a 75 or so Fireglo 4001 on layaway and lost it.. couldn't make the $100 layaway payment on a $650 bass. 18 and broke
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Putting some vintage pickups on your '93 might bring it very close to the sound of a '69.
Fender pure vintage 63 or Nordstrand P4 vintage would be on my shopping list………
Asking does not equal getting.......
And if no one pays 6k for it, or even 3k, what does askin price matter?
People buying is causing the issue, not the sellers. Stop paying stupid prices and they will come down.
Fender, or whatever OEM, will lower prices if they sold zero basses at current list.
And the housing market would be stupid if people stop paying more than asking appraisal.
I haven't looked at the pickups yet, but evidently this '93 was ordered with Nitro finish and US electronics. It sounds great and is relatively hot for a passive. I did think about watching the 'verb for some mid-70s pickups, and I do have a set of Nordys that I haven't tried yet. They were meant for my PJ but I never get around to doing the work
Wow, compared to the $400 a year later that's a good jump. On top of that my '77 which sold in '78 (I did not buy it originally but it came with the original hang tag) was $666.
I'd think the era of "bands" has definitely slowed down. I'm not a doomsayer that it's dead/dying, but it is no longer the absolute end all - be all juggernaut that it enjoyed being for decades. So that definitely would result in lesser interest overall combined with young folks having less and less expendable income. Why spend thousands on an instrument when your going to tweak it for hours and hours in a DAW with plugins that will make it sound entirely different. In that case you just need an instrument that plays easy and records smooth. Not knocking either side of it but if that was more accessible I'd have likely also not gone down the "GAS for thousands of dollars of gear for years and years" route.
I am 30 and a verrry late millennial. To me, 10 years ago later in college, I looked at 60's instruments as "just too far in the past to be feasible" because of the price and "juuuuust before the players I really idolize were playing". To me at the time, I was desperate for an early 70's J bass like Geddy Lee but couldn't come up with the $1,500 to justify a ratty one when I was living on $15 a week for food budget. I imagine to the folks in my younger brothers age bracket (9 years younger), unless they're really into the 70's, would think 80's and 90's are the "close enough to their era, but while still not exorbitant in comparison and retro/cool".
Nowadays, I still like vintage instruments but am more weary. My '75 Ripper is rad, but the neck needs a refret and planing work. My '77 Ric 4001 just had it's pickup rewound. My grandma's early 70's Kay E-100 is essentially currently unserviceable from stripped out screws whens she owned it. It's a lot of money to be throwing down on what could potentially need quite a bit of TLC. That's a big ask for younger folks with less disposable income when they could rock on down to guitar center and play a used bass before taking it home. All that to say, I still want a mid to late 70's J with bullet truss, 3 bolt neck, and preferably not 3TS but finish doesn't matter. That and an Ovation Magnum I.
Bought this in the 90s for $200. Prices now are crazy. It's well made and sounds great but not worth today's asking price.
edwinhurwitz
Supporting Member
Pretty much the same. I have some vintage instruments, such as my Starfire in my profile page, but I got it for $275 in 1994 when no one wanted them. I also have a 1956 ES140T, which was very reasonably priced 20 years ago. And then there was the 1965 Fender Mustang for $10 at a yard sale, but those days seem to be long gone.
For all the poopooing of '70s Fenders a lot of musicians made a lot of music with them. Geddy Lee and his '72 Jazz, Marcus Miller and his '77 Jazz, Ritchie Blackmore and his big headstock Strats etc.
Yep but some 70's Fenders were crap while others were super sweet sounding. You could never know until you play it.
Seems like you're describing everything. Fender/CBS was building in numbers probably never seen before so it stands to reason that it seemed like there were more "clunkers" out there. It's impossible to know but I bet they didn't statistically produce more "crap" than anyone else. Or not.
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