Sad times

[sonic 7]

Just browsing the classifieds and it seems like there are quite a few beautiful instruments being offered for much less than I would have expected 5 months ago. Some may see a good deal but I see people experiencing some hard times and it’s really making me depressed. That’s all.

 

[Gorn]

I'm sure it's not all hard times. Could be people see this thing in their house they like a lot but know they could live without and are making a wise but not necessarily desperate choice.

 

[bpc]

Maybe with people being locked in their houses some significant others have found all these instruments stashed and are selling them for what their spouses said they cost? You can only play one at a time after all, apparently.

 

[FunkHead]

I haven’t really noticed any phenomenal deals. Any examples?

 

[Killed_by_Death]

I feel like that when I'm standing at the pawnshop & see a local musician bring in his instrument to pawn for $40.

 

[Gorn]

I haven’t really noticed any phenomenal deals. Any examples?

I've noticed the same for basses I look at. Prices are just as ambitious as ever. I skip over the fancy stuff I don't really know so maybe those prices are low.

 

[GregC]

I haven’t really noticed any phenomenal deals. Any examples?

Agreed. Maybe it's the gear where I don't look at the prices because I'm not interested.

 

[JRA]

i think you're 'projecting', OP. but you better get a deal while you can!

 

[jeff62]

I don’t see any deals (and by “deal” I mean a fair price, not a steal) in the classifieds. Well, to be fair, there was a reasonable deal on an SG bass recently.

I only see hopeful people trying to sell their bass for more than the market will bear, and complaining that things move too slow. So instead of buying here, I bought from a music store based in NJ.
At least I’m supporting a brick and mortar shop. I’d prefer to purchase from a brother or sister here but if you’re not realistic, I’m just not interested.

Our classified are worth a chuckle or three however. Some examples:

“I’m selling it for $x because that’s what I have into it.” Yeah, except that what you have into it is higher than market value.

A custom shop bass that’s literally been in the classifieds for 6 years, at a price that is almost 3x what it’s worth. And the owner keeps bumping it as “still available”. You can’t make some of this stuff up.

 

[Dincrest]

Just browsing the classifieds and it seems like there are quite a few beautiful instruments being offered for much less than I would have expected 5 months ago. Some may see a good deal but I see people experiencing some hard times and it’s really making me depressed. That’s all.

In a case like that, I look at it this way.

If I see something I want/need on the classifieds and have the means to afford it, I'll buy it. By doing so, I get a piece of gear I want/need AND I directly help out a member of the community who needs the money. Win-win for the most part, I'd say.

 

[Peteyboy]

Um, about specificawy WHICH listings might you be wefewwing?

 

[JW56789]

I would not at all be surprised that some people have been caught out in these tough times, and I'm sure some small percentage of that is out there.

Otherwise, the rules still apply:

"I want a ________________ bass".

Do your homework. Know your prices. Look at lots of them. Learn relatively what's a good buy . . . . and what's not. And take a while to wait for the good deal. Sooner or later it comes, and by then, you KNOW whether or not to plunk the wallet down.

What you DON'T want to do? Get all GAS'd up, let the money burning a hole in your pocket keep smoldering, and snatch the first one that comes along.

I recently bought a Squier Contemporary Active Jazz Five. Buy 'em all day long for $449-$499. Nope. Waited. Watched. After several months, I found a 'used/mint' at Chicago Musical Exchange (and it really was mint), bought an FB60 Fender Bass Bag with it, and with TTL, was out the door for just a bit over $400.

I'm happy, and saved about $120-$150 if I'd have rolled over, played dead and dumb, and bought new . . . . and there would have been no improvement for the difference in $$.

 

[mikewalker]

I feel like that when I'm standing at the pawnshop & see a local musician bring in his instrument to pawn for $40.

I pawned my Rickenbacker for rent money once! (I did get it out again in a couple of weeks, luckily...)

 

[Peteyboy]

I pawned my Rickenbacker for rent money once! (I did get it out again in a couple of weeks, luckily...)

I pawned my Jazz bass for rent $ once. I got mine back too!

 

[roccobass]

I pawned my Rickenbacker for rent money once! (I did get it out again in a couple of weeks, luckily...)

Been there! Not lately, thank god. Always managed to get it out in time. It was a beat up mid eighties Jazz Bass. Nothing special.

 

[bassstrangler]

Yeah, I’m not seeing these super deals either. In fact I’m seeing way less inventory on Craigslist and Offer Up. A few interesting things that are over priced and the usual crap not worth near the asking. Over priced Squiers and so many low end Ibanez basses that it would fill a landfill up.

I’m not depressed about it, because if someone actually needed the money they might just want to try asking less than retail.

I’ve seen one super deal since this whole plague started and it was a four and a five string Ken Smith, the guy was asking $1500 for both. He said he wasn’t playing anymore.

So as far as I can tell, I’m not seeing the desperation bargain basement prices, nor am I seeing good gear for sale.

 

[57pbass]

I saw a beautiful Custom Shop Jazz Bass for under 2k that sold in like 5 minutes a few weeks ago..but that was it and occasionally some crazy deals appear and are gone.
But it's business as usual from my vantage point.

I'm with you on the other point you made. This pandemic has caused terrible damage to many and it's really sad. Hopefully we can all get through this healthy.

 

[Fender_Bender]

I pawned my Rickenbacker for rent money once! (I did get it out again in a couple of weeks, luckily...)

I pawned my first P bass for rent money once and did not get it back. It’s probably still kicking around Vancouver right now. It was sunburst with Di Marzio split p pups.

 

[MynameisMe]

I look all the time here and it's always the same overpriced stuff. However every once in a while I see a deal I jump on it.

 

[ElectroVibe]

There's a possibility that the instrument was part of a collection, and they were just getting rid of a luxury that they couldn't justify.