Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
There are no words...
- Thread starter sing-modulator
- Start date
I'm pretty sure if I clicked 'buy it now' I would automatically be redirected to this:
This clown had a little bass shop years ago and had acquired quite a few nice examples. But, he always thought they were worth more than realistic. I never saw anything move and he closed the store going only online from home. Big ego guy but barely average player.
- Jun 30, 2010
- 49,621
- 222,160
- Disclosures
- musician/artist/owner - Gildaxe
- Jun 30, 2010
- 49,621
- 222,160
- Disclosures
- musician/artist/owner - Gildaxe
Kind of pathetic really… needing to create such a grand illusion based on his "command" of what's considered valuable to "collectors" for some sort of "secure" investment opportunity. All such smoke and mirrors.
Is this illusion really any grander than the ones that convince people to pay similarly insane prices for vintage Fenders? Beyond a certain point, all high end collecting is more about the collector themselves, the actual value is just an idea that can evaporate like fog when the sun comes out.
Those prices are way, way "beyond a certain point".
Of course, there's a valid debate which can be had as to intrinsic worth vs perceived worth (much the same as a recent car will be more practically functional than a vintage car, etc).
However, if one knows the items and the market, they are as valid as any other investment. I've owned many vintage basses all of which appreciated substantially (a marked contrast to boutique instruments -- which, like a new car, immediately depreciate). The two examples on this thread are way out of scale with typical vintage Fender prices and I have a very hard time imagining anyone recovering their investment at those very exaggerated prices.
- Jun 30, 2010
- 49,621
- 222,160
- Disclosures
- musician/artist/owner - Gildaxe
Well put. Such lives in the world of abstract worth, where money also lives. So, the bolder the huckster, the grander the attempt at stating the details - the machismo game of one-upmanship becomes more clear. It's related to gambling (like Wall Street or Reno) and attracts the same sort of ego's. In guitar collector-world, guitars always garner the highest prices, just as in the classical world - violins and cellos far surpass the perceived worth of their larger sibling. So in this case it is more than a stretch to post a mid-60's Gibson bass for that level of 'worth/value'. I mean, rare as that T-bird 'sonic blue-like' colour is - it's not as if the instruments provenance has famed credentials. (played by so-n'-so on his seminal recording etc) You'll notice all the folklore described in his copy has to do with the seller himself, 'finally getting the one that got away'. I doubt that story is one a collector would be impressed by.
Last edited:
Good point.
I'm not sure of how much of a difference even the celebrity pedigree makes unless it was someone huge. I had the '64 Thunderbird Tiran Porter played on a lot of The Doobie Brothers' hits - bought it for $1,100 and sold it for $1,600 (which took a while) which was market value at the time for any '64 in similar shape.
- Jun 30, 2010
- 49,621
- 222,160
- Disclosures
- musician/artist/owner - Gildaxe
Exactly - I've bought my '64 T-bird II (note; in better condition than the 'sonic blue' one) in '78 for $750 (100% orig stock w/hsc) and have seen it's value go up and down over the years with a $10k ceiling. (usually sell for 1/2 that) Remarkable, but roughly an appreciation of $225 per year if done linearly - which all things considered, seems reasonable.
For sheer unjustified price inflation, nothing tops the whole "jaco touched this bass" genre, but the guys asking price displays an admirable level of huckterism, the kind regularly displayed at places like Sothebys. No fool like a rich fool with more money than sense. It will be entertaining to see how he makes out with this one.
I'm not sure I could buy something from someone who put "speech marks" around "everything". You're selling something for a professional guitar shop, you should have a decent grasp of how grammar works.
I can see it's pretty fancy and a cool collectors' item, but really, I hate it. That top is disgusting.
I can see it's pretty fancy and a cool collectors' item, but really, I hate it. That top is disgusting.
- Jun 30, 2010
- 49,621
- 222,160
- Disclosures
- musician/artist/owner - Gildaxe
- Jun 30, 2010
- 49,621
- 222,160
- Disclosures
- musician/artist/owner - Gildaxe
The short answer is that bass will never sell for $100,000. (even appreciating over the next 50 yrs)
- Jun 30, 2010
- 49,621
- 222,160
- Disclosures
- musician/artist/owner - Gildaxe
