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Repainted P-Basses - Guitars R Us (Sunset Blvd.) - 1980's
- Thread starter somnar
- Start date
In fact, !!!That's the long since gone 'We Buy Guitars' shop, correct? That was a very cool shop...
1987 NYC:
Ouch.
I bought a 64' very used Sunburst P from old Mr. Friedman at this store. He was a gentleman. I worked next door at Rudy's so he let me have it for $450.00. I'll take 50 more now at that price!!! Oh.... those were the good old days.....
look at the red one behind it $795 gah!!!!!!! that's cheaper than a new CIJ Mustang and look at the BASS V!! how rare are those puppies nowadays????
If inflation is taken into account, how much was 1000 dollars in 1987 compared to year 2009-money? (I'm thinking quite a bit more)
Still, crazy to see so many pre-CBS in a store-window like that at those prices!
Magnus
Let's say I walked into that shop in 1987 and bought 5 basses @ 1000.
In Canadian dollar, a basket of goods that cost 1000 in 1987 would cost 1690.84 in 2009. So if I bought 5 of them and managed to sell a refinished early CBS or pre-CBS (that is probably not 100% original as far as hardware goes either) for 3000 a pop, I'd stand to make a profit of 1300 (real) dollars on each instrument. In this economy and with refinish guitars that might not have the case goodies or even the case, this would've proven to be a rough ordeal.
If I multiply this by 5, it takes us to 6500. Divide that by 22 years and I'd make 295,45 a year.
Not all that much. A week working at McD per year would be more profitable, as would be a couple of low-medium paying gigs. So don't beat yourself up, unless you wanted such a guitar to actually play it. If so, you missed your chance to buy a guitar that was still actually almost affordable by mere mortals.
In Canadian dollar, a basket of goods that cost 1000 in 1987 would cost 1690.84 in 2009. So if I bought 5 of them and managed to sell a refinished early CBS or pre-CBS (that is probably not 100% original as far as hardware goes either) for 3000 a pop, I'd stand to make a profit of 1300 (real) dollars on each instrument. In this economy and with refinish guitars that might not have the case goodies or even the case, this would've proven to be a rough ordeal.
If I multiply this by 5, it takes us to 6500. Divide that by 22 years and I'd make 295,45 a year.
Not all that much. A week working at McD per year would be more profitable, as would be a couple of low-medium paying gigs. So don't beat yourself up, unless you wanted such a guitar to actually play it. If so, you missed your chance to buy a guitar that was still actually almost affordable by mere mortals.
Jim Carr
Dr. Jim
- Jan 21, 2006
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The US was suffering very high unemployment, and "hippie refins" were very out of style.
Jim Carr
Dr. Jim
- Jan 21, 2006
- 16,223
- 7,614
- 76
- Disclosures
- fEARful Kool-Aid dispensing liberal academic card-carrying union member Musicians Local 72-147
$1000 in 1987 = $1,867.90 right now. (04/2009).
http://data.bls.gov/cgi-bin/cpicalc.pl
PS. This is for US $.
Wow, this is insane. Makes my feel terrible for paying $650 for a MiM..
Why? That $650 today would be about the same as spending $350 back then .
Keep in mind that a NEW American Fender in the late 80's was about $500 with the case and candy, so these were still fairly expensive basses in there day.
I found this photo of the shop...
Yep, that's it. Went there all the time, he had great guitars. A shame I was only taking home $149/week managing a bookstore. To get the bass I mentioned in the OP, I had to borrow the $550 from an old friend.
Can I please go back in time? Please?
svtb15
Inactive
- Mar 22, 2004
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I was i n there around 1988 and remember those basses.. wish i bought one or two back then..
I saw a 63-64-ish jazz bass matching headstock Olympic white for 2 grand.. i thought it was too much money back then.. ooopsss
I saw a 63-64-ish jazz bass matching headstock Olympic white for 2 grand.. i thought it was too much money back then.. ooopsss
svtb15
Inactive
- Mar 22, 2004
- 13,004
- 4,741
- Disclosures
- I play it all. Whatever works for the gig. Q+
I used to love that store.. i would pass it everyday going to or from a gig.
So much eye candy.. and they were just hung on wire stacked up ontop of one another like sausages in an Italian meat store.
Oh the good ole days
So much eye candy.. and they were just hung on wire stacked up ontop of one another like sausages in an Italian meat store.
Oh the good ole days
1987 NYC:
Ouch.
Yep, I remember being in that shop...always a huge selection of old Fender Basses in there, and old amps galore too.
The one thing that stuck out in my mind from back then was he always carried the chrome pickup ashtrays, and other odds and ends just about no one else seem to carry.
Thanks for the pic!
The one thing that stuck out in my mind from back then was he always carried the chrome pickup ashtrays, and other odds and ends just about no one else seem to carry.
Thanks for the pic!
